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Well, since all the cool kids are putting in their two cents, I thought it was time I did as well...
My initial impression was that I liked it. Not loved, but it had lots of the elements that I enjoy in Moff storylines - a creepy monster that lurks out of the mundane (and which reminded me, in some ways, of the Jagrafess from The Long Game), cracking dialogue, and the use of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey (for which I have a long and abiding affection, although I hope it doesn't appear too often).
I rather like the new theme music, with the change of emphasis to the off-beat, and I adore the steampunk TARDIS, or at least what we've seen of it so far. Not so keen on the sonic screwdriver, but I imagine it will grow on me.
Secondary impressions were that this show has changed in one quite vital way - it's become a kid's show again.
The new series presented itself in this way at the beginning of RTD's first series with Rose and The End of the World and the farting Slitheen, and in fact almost everything up to Parting of the Ways. Then, with the changing dynamic between Ten and Rose, it grew up. It was a bit like an awkward teenage show in S2, with Rose and Ten dancing around each other towards Doomsday, presenting ideas and arguments that kids simply wouldn't appreciate (like the idea of the Doctor having to get a mortgage and a job if he moved in with Rose). It moved into its uncomfortable late teen years and early twenties with Martha, with the racial issues that appeared in The Shakespeare Code and Human Nature/Family of Blood. The unrequited love of Jack and Martha for the Doctor was also something that is clearly aimed at teenagers or older audiences. Donna brought another new dynamic, and with her age and maturity, she helped to mature the Doctor and his reactions to the world around him.
Now, with Moff at the helm and a new, young Doctor in charge of the TARDIS, it's very much a show for kids again. The ridiculousness of the Doctor having a pool in the library (surely fanon!), the scene with all of the different types of food, the bickering and arguing, the physical gags - it's all appealing directly to the youngest rather than the oldest members of the audience.
I've seen comments where people said that they could hear the words Matt's Doctor was saying in David's Doctor's mouth. I agree with that, but I don't agree that Ten would have acted in the same way Eleven did. That was a more young character. Not bad, I hasten to add. Just far more youthful. Ten's dignity would have been upset if he'd spat out food or hung out of the TARDIS doors. Eleven simply took it in his stride. (I also can't help thinking that Ten would have picked up on the fact that there was no static or sound coming from Amy's radio and called her on it. Eleven clearly missed it completely, although whether this was from the regeneration (although he did suggest that the knock on the head had fixed him up) or because he doesn't notice that sort of detail remains to be seen.)
The show also has quite a simple look again, which also reminds me of Rose and of Dalek. The sets weren't particularly fancy. In fact, everything takes place in four locations - Amy's house, the house where Jeff lives, the hospital and the park. The only late-series RTD plot I can think of that took place in less locations is Midnight.
What hasn't changed is the Doctor using brains to defeat the Enemy Alien of the Week. Of course, he needed Amy to do the key work and change Prisoner Zero back into its natural form, but it is his smarts that brings it all to a satisfactory ending.
It remains to be seen how much of this youthful vibe and enthusiasm remains as the storylines become darker and the pressure of the series intensifies. Above all, it will be interesting to see if it's still a kids show when, in the long-distant future, Moff and/or Matt hand it on to someone else...
My initial impression was that I liked it. Not loved, but it had lots of the elements that I enjoy in Moff storylines - a creepy monster that lurks out of the mundane (and which reminded me, in some ways, of the Jagrafess from The Long Game), cracking dialogue, and the use of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey (for which I have a long and abiding affection, although I hope it doesn't appear too often).
I rather like the new theme music, with the change of emphasis to the off-beat, and I adore the steampunk TARDIS, or at least what we've seen of it so far. Not so keen on the sonic screwdriver, but I imagine it will grow on me.
Secondary impressions were that this show has changed in one quite vital way - it's become a kid's show again.
The new series presented itself in this way at the beginning of RTD's first series with Rose and The End of the World and the farting Slitheen, and in fact almost everything up to Parting of the Ways. Then, with the changing dynamic between Ten and Rose, it grew up. It was a bit like an awkward teenage show in S2, with Rose and Ten dancing around each other towards Doomsday, presenting ideas and arguments that kids simply wouldn't appreciate (like the idea of the Doctor having to get a mortgage and a job if he moved in with Rose). It moved into its uncomfortable late teen years and early twenties with Martha, with the racial issues that appeared in The Shakespeare Code and Human Nature/Family of Blood. The unrequited love of Jack and Martha for the Doctor was also something that is clearly aimed at teenagers or older audiences. Donna brought another new dynamic, and with her age and maturity, she helped to mature the Doctor and his reactions to the world around him.
Now, with Moff at the helm and a new, young Doctor in charge of the TARDIS, it's very much a show for kids again. The ridiculousness of the Doctor having a pool in the library (surely fanon!), the scene with all of the different types of food, the bickering and arguing, the physical gags - it's all appealing directly to the youngest rather than the oldest members of the audience.
I've seen comments where people said that they could hear the words Matt's Doctor was saying in David's Doctor's mouth. I agree with that, but I don't agree that Ten would have acted in the same way Eleven did. That was a more young character. Not bad, I hasten to add. Just far more youthful. Ten's dignity would have been upset if he'd spat out food or hung out of the TARDIS doors. Eleven simply took it in his stride. (I also can't help thinking that Ten would have picked up on the fact that there was no static or sound coming from Amy's radio and called her on it. Eleven clearly missed it completely, although whether this was from the regeneration (although he did suggest that the knock on the head had fixed him up) or because he doesn't notice that sort of detail remains to be seen.)
The show also has quite a simple look again, which also reminds me of Rose and of Dalek. The sets weren't particularly fancy. In fact, everything takes place in four locations - Amy's house, the house where Jeff lives, the hospital and the park. The only late-series RTD plot I can think of that took place in less locations is Midnight.
What hasn't changed is the Doctor using brains to defeat the Enemy Alien of the Week. Of course, he needed Amy to do the key work and change Prisoner Zero back into its natural form, but it is his smarts that brings it all to a satisfactory ending.
It remains to be seen how much of this youthful vibe and enthusiasm remains as the storylines become darker and the pressure of the series intensifies. Above all, it will be interesting to see if it's still a kids show when, in the long-distant future, Moff and/or Matt hand it on to someone else...
rejuvenated