I was more than a little worried about the second season of the new series mainly because of how good of a start the first series got off to only to have Christopher Eccleston leave at the end. To say that I was overwhelmed to not only have my all-time favorite TV series back on the air, but to have it turn out so good is an understatement and I was worried that the change to David Tennet was going to louse it all up.
I downloaded and watched the third episode of series 2 titled School Reunion last night and I’m happy to say the series hasn’t missed a beat. It’s still as capable of making me laugh and get all weepy in the same episode as this latest adventure sees The Doctor reuniting with his former companions Sarah Jane Smith and K-9 some 30 years after he last saw them. In addition to joining up to defeat an alien race of bat people whose leader is deliciously portrayed by Anthony Head (better known to Americans as Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Rupert Giles) the show manages to squeeze in a wonderfully poignant secondary storyline on how Sarah has been waiting for The Doctor’s return for over 30 years which helps explain why The Doctor has never gotten too romantically involved with any of his companions during his travels. By the end of the episode I was just this side of full blubbery baby mode. I’m such an old softy. The new series excels in touching on things the original series never explored and the bittersweet reunion with Sarah Jane Smith and K-9 is a perfect example.
This episode also reinforces a recurring theme in the new series—that all things eventually come to an end—that has me wondering if there isn’t a plan to eventually put a definitive ending to the series as a whole. The BBC has already approved a third season so we know there’s at least one more to go after this one ends, but it’s hard to shake the suspicion they’re setting things up for a definitive finale. This season also has a recurring word in it much like how the first season kept us guessing with references to “Bad Wolf” showing up in just about every episode. This season’s word is no big secret, though, as it’s “Torchwood” which is the name of the spin-off series that’s currently in production starring John Barrowman reprising his role of Captain Jack Harkness from the first series. Still it’s cool to see them weaving a little back story for the new series into Doctor Who. Needless to say I’m hoping the new series will be around for many more seasons to come as it’s incredibly good stuff.
Everyone keeps assuring me of second series being fantastic as well, so I guess it must be true ...