| There was always something a little risky in attempting | | | | UK, the Sci-Fi channel began airing season one - with |
| to continue that venerable British sci-fi franchise, | | | | the second season beginning at the end of September |
| Doctor Who. Reviving a show that has run since the | | | | 2006.So what developments can we expect with the |
| early sixties and gathered millions upon millions of loyal | | | | second season? The first episode, a 60-minute special |
| followers can be a dangerous business. Done | | | | titled "The Christmas Invasion", was originally aired in |
| correctly, though, it can be very profitable.So, when | | | | the UK as a Christmas special in 2005. Though not |
| BBC Wales announced in 2003 that they intended to | | | | technically part of the official second season it will air |
| revive Doctor Who, fans met the news with concern | | | | on the Sci-Fi Channel as the first episode. "The |
| and excitement in equal measures. The Doctor had | | | | Christmas Invasion" will contain a sub-plot focussed on |
| enjoyed only one full-length screen outing since the | | | | introducing us to the new Doctor.The main story will |
| show was cancelled in 1989 - the Fox Network's TV | | | | focus on an invasion of the Earth by a violent alien |
| movie starring Paul McGann as the eighth Doctor - | | | | race, the Sycorax. But will the Doctor, weakened by |
| and poor ratings left little doubt that the franchise was | | | | his regeneration, be strong enough to save the |
| truly dead and buried.So, it was with a sense of | | | | world?The new season will show us a different side |
| trepidation that the BBC aired the premiere of the first | | | | to Doctor Who. While Eccleston's Doctor was dark |
| new TV series in 16 years. Salford-born actor | | | | and melancholic - often displaying disdain for the |
| Christopher Eccleston (Gone in Sixty Seconds, 28 | | | | human race - Tennant's incarnation has a much more |
| Days Later) was the unlikely choice for the part of the | | | | upbeat personality. Speaking with distinctive Estuary |
| ninth Doctor, along with the even more unlikely choice | | | | English, the tenth Doctor is a cheeky scoundrel of the |
| of 90s songstress Billie Piper to play his spunky | | | | highest degree. Usually light-hearted and witty, |
| sidekick, Rose Tyler.While reviews of the new show | | | | Tennants' character will become much closer to the |
| were generally positive, some hardcore Doctor Who | | | | human characters in the show - especially his |
| followers were opposed to several changes. A new | | | | companion Rose.We can, however, expect fireworks |
| logo and a few minor changes to the TARDIS were | | | | during the second season of Doctor Who. Emotions |
| enough to generate hate mail and death threats to | | | | run high as The Doctor becomes ever closer to his |
| members of the production team - but, then, cult sci-fi | | | | companion Rose, and he must face up to the fact that |
| shows have always acted as lightning rods for those | | | | the near immortality of a Time Lord can be a curse as |
| slightly less balanced elements of society.In general, | | | | well as a blessing. Can he bring himself to love a mere |
| however, fans approved of the new show. Ratings for | | | | mortal?Meanwhile, The Doctor must face his eternal |
| the first episode, titled "Rose", hit over ten million in the | | | | foes the Daleks - along with another ancient enemies, |
| UK - the per capita equivalent of almost 50 million in | | | | the Cybermen. During these battles he'll also find help in |
| the US. These ratings were high enough to spur the | | | | the form of a face from the past - as well as his |
| BBC to announce that a second season would be | | | | trusty robot dog, K-9.The second season of Doctor |
| produced - season 27 overall.Unfortunately, just hours | | | | Who promises all the excitement of the first and more. |
| after this announcement came news that Eccleston | | | | Travelling through time - and even between |
| would not return for a second spell as Doctor Who for | | | | dimensions - The Doctor will continue to fight the good |
| fear of becoming typecast. His departure had | | | | fight against the enemies of the universe. Whether he'll |
| apparently been planned before filming ended on the | | | | be up to the challenge we'll have to wait and |
| first season, but was not meant to be made public until | | | | see.James Shenton is a popular entertainment writer |
| after the shows had aired. Following much speculation | | | | and huge fan of British TV shows.For more on Doctor |
| it was announced in April 2005 that Scottish stage | | | | Who and other paranormal TV shows visit the best |
| actor David Tennant would fill Eccleston's shoes for | | | | resource to download television shows on the Internet. |
| the second season.A year after its transmission in the | | | | |