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