After a very endearing run by both DAVID TENNANT as the 10th Doctor and the exit of RUSSELL T DAVIES as show runner for DOCTOR WHO I was very curious but not exactly hesistant about the forthcoming changing of the guard in the revival of the UK classic show. After having seen the episode I can definitely say that the DOCTOR is IN!

Change is something that is completely inevitable. DOCTOR WHO is no exception. Back when fans of the revival of DOCTOR WHO foudn out that CHRISTOPHER ECCELSTON wasn’t returning for the second series the Internet was abuzz with people swearing off the show completely. Over the course of four years DAVID TENNANT had proved himself to be one of the most endearing of the TIME LORD’s incarnations. Keeping this all in mind I went in to the first episode the 11th doctor, aptly titled THE ELEVENTH HOUR, with an open mind. Thankfully, even if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have been terribly dissapointed.

Since here in the states we’ve got to wait until BBC AMERICA airs THE ELEVENTH HOUR on April 17th at 9 PM I won’t go into the details of the story (too much) in order to keep it fresh for you all. As the blurb that lead you hear described there are fish fingers. Within the first 20 seconds of the episode I was happy to see a mini-homage to the opening of the first series episode ROSE. Within the first 13 minutes of viewing I enjoyed an unfolding story that somewhat echoed the MOFFAT second series episode THE GIRL IN THE FIREPLACE. By the end of the episode I was pleased to see an homage to the previous incarnations of the DOCTOR as MATT SMITH firmly and definitively took over the reigns and solidifed himself as THE DOCTOR.

I will admit that, after viewing, the story itself wasn’t the strongest. I’m sure it doesn’t give too much away to say that there is a high-pressure situation that requires the DOCTOR’s attention. Truth be told, however, it is the least important part of the story that we are told. It’s a vehicle that only exists to move us from point A to point B, which is to get an idea for who this new DOCTOR is, who his new companion is, and get them into the TARDIS to kick off this new series. We are introduced to all the players, we are given a cyrptic message that will undoubtedly unfold as the series progresses.

In interviews STEVEN MOFFAT has said that at the core of the show the real character is the DOCTOR’s companion and not the TIME LORD himself. This is very apparent in THE ELEVENTH HOUR as we learn that there is a certain level of complexity in both the new companion and her history. Unlike companions of the past AMY POND is not a regular person thrown into extraordinary circumstances as they’ve been around her for most of her life (whether she’s known it or not). This has a heavy influence and effect on her. Her decision to accompany the DOCTOR comes along at a critical moment in her life and it is sure to be one that will play out interestingly in a future episode. By the episodes end you have to ask if he really found a companion or did he inadvertantly make one? Be the judge yourself.

Since this episode is about new beginnings the TARDIS itself also goes through a self-repair that ends with a new appearance. Through this the DOCTOR gets a new sonic screwdriver. This one is equipped with a green light that seems to mirror the transition of LUKE SKYWALKER’s lost blue lightsaber being replaced by a green one.

All-in-all I think this regenerated version of the revival of DOCTOR WHO (complete, I might add with a new logo and opening sequence) will be a good one that will uphold the tradition that we’ve all grown familiar with these past few years.

Now let’s take a quick few moments to get LOST shall we?

Last week’s episode, titled THE PACKAGE, didn’t contain a lot of forward momentum for the story of LOST but it did let us in on a few more bits of information. I didn’t write my thoughts last week becuase of this reason. I was also thoroughly confused by a Tweet done by Damon Lindelof:

This episode brought back the flash-sideways world where it would appear that SUN and JIN weren’t married but they were still getting it on. The cash that we saw JIN bringing into the country, it turns out, was the payment to have a hitman clip him because he was diddling the bosses daughter. SUN thought she had a hidden bank account she could use to run away with JIN with but it turns out daddy knew about that too. SUN and JIN get out of the predicament alive but SUN is shot in the stomach and it turns out she was pregnant.

The stuff the rest of us care about happened on the Island. We found out that SMOKEY JOE needs all of the candidates to get off the Island. This instantly raised a question in my mind though: Does he need them to get off the Island or does he need them DEAD to get off the Island? Since he doesn’t seem to care about KATE’s fate after he gets all the canddiates together I might lean towards the latter.

Back on that smaller Island we find out that CHARLES WIDMORE’s crew needs more info about pockets of energy on the Island. This knowledge, coupled with the fact that they have brought DESMOND back with them (the only man we know to have survived one of those packets of energy going ka-boom) makes me wonder if maybe the DESMOND that we saw on the plain in this season’s opener was maybe there because he was thrust into a pocket of ENERGY to some how do the bidding of CHARLES WIDMORE under the pretense of “the greater good.” I know, kooky concept but if you put a guy that was ungrounded in time into a pocket of energy what else can happen (except maybe the discovery of a human microwave that can pop your bag of popcorn in the palm of his hand)?

The last thing that we find out is that back in the JACK camp our good friend RICHARD has come back (with HURLEY) to tell everyone that it’s time to head over to the smaller Island and blow up the plane that’s sitting there so that LOCKE MONSTER can’t get off the Island.

So out of all of this I think the two important things are the question of dead or alive candidates and hunt for energy pockets + DESMOND. The latter, if you believe the previews, plays heavily into this week’s episode HAPPYILY EVER AFTER. Here’s hoping the title isn’t ironic.

Wow, I sure had a bit of stuff to say. Makes you wonder if there’s a bit of stuff to watch too, doesn’t it?

MONDAY

FOX – 8:00 PM: It’s two hours of JACK BAUER as the final season of 24 begins to completely unravel and another something or other is about to hit the fan “within the next hour.”

NBC – 8:00 PM: According to Exec. Producer JOSH SCHWARTZ tonight’s episode of CHUCK is the episode we’ve waited all season for. After last week there’s no way I’m not tuning in.

OXY – 10:00 PM: I would love to see a head-to-head match between tonight’s premiere of TORI & DEAN: HOME SWEET HOLLYWOOD and the A&E show GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS for the most staged reality show on television.

TUESDAY

TNT – 5:00 PM: If you haven’t watched the second season of SOUTHLAND than here’s your chance to sit down and watch it all as a marathon takes you all the way to the season finale at 10:00 PM:.

FOX – 8:00 PM: GLEE returns next week so this must mean that this is the last of the painfully long two hour AMERICAN IDOL episodes to air. I really hope I’m right because it means I’ll be able to finally DVR LOST this time last week. Wait, I’m supposed to actually say something about AMERICAN IDOL? Uh… Team GARCIA!

NBC – 8:00 PM: Is this week’s swimming challenge on THE BIGGEST LOSER the first swimming challenge they’ve ever had? I’m only asking because I don’t remember seeing one.

ABC – 9:00 PM: Tonight DESMOND finds out he’s actually back on the Island and I’m sure he gets all kinds of pissed on LOST.

WEDNESDAY

SYNDICATED – 4:00 PM: The cast of GLEE grovel before the house of O this week as they peddle their stories and hope to remidn the whole world of their return next week with today’s OPRAH appearance. Oh well, as long as it gets them ratings.

DISC – 9:00 PM: ADAM and JAMIE explore the best way to lose a car on their tail in tonight’s episode of MYTHBUSTERS titled SPY CAR ESCAPE. Some of the cars blow up though, right?

TNT – 9:00 PM: Man, you know TV sucks tonight when you have to choose between the AMERICAN IDOL results show on FOX or THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT here on TNT. Not an easy decision, is it?

THURSDAY

FOX – 8:00 PM: Tonight it’s a very special BONES that shows us when BOOTH met BRENNAN on their first case together. I’m sure during the episode no one will say, “I’ll have what she’s having.”

NBC – 8:00 PM: Nothing. There’s nothing new to watch at all. The entire night is filled with repeats. WHAT THE HECK NBC?!? Really love that fourth place spot don’t you?

ABC – 8:00 PM: Tonight on FLASHFORWARD they try to find out who the mole is in the FBI and blah blah blah…. I just want to see the rest of the tape that D.GIBBONS made from way back in 1991! Allow me a moment to also rant a bit on the stupidity of a group of people asking how those towers that were designed in 1992 could be built in 1991 when they’ve all already gone through a blackout that SHOWED THEM THE FUTURE! C’mon people, someone else did the same thing but just on themselves. Am I, the lowly TV critic, really smarter than your ENTIRE CREW?!?!? :: whew :: Sorry, had to get that out.

NBC – 10:00 PM: Sorry, I was wrong earlier. THE MARRIAGE REF is new tonight with a well known for their great relationship history panel: NATHAN LANE, KATHY GRIFFIN and TRACIE MORGAN. Wow, I might actually watch this show tonight.

FRIDAY

CBS – 9:00 PM: After last week’s incredible first of a two part episode of MEDIUM I can only hope this second part lives up to the first. It saddens me the show again could possibly face cancellation. It’s been really creepy good this year.

ABC – 9:00 PM: Tonight on JAMIE OLIVER’S FOOD REVOLUTION a bet is placed where JAMIE says he can teach 1,000 people how to cook in just one week. With his name being in the title of the show I’d put easy money on JAMIE after lots of created-in-editing tension.

SATURDAY

E! – 2:30 PM: I usually like to highlight weekend marathons that occur but just don’t feel right mentioned a marathon of KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS. Maybe instead a better thing to watch might be….

BBC AMERICA – 4:00 PM: If you want to get a DOCTOR WHO refresher than you can catch the second part of the series 4 finale followed by the tenth DOCTOR’s swan song in THE END OF TIME. Might be a good thing with next week’s premiere of the 11th doctor in THE ELEVENTH HOUR next week.

ABC – 8:00 PM: I can’t even begin to imagine what an edited-for-TV version of ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGANDY would be like so I may be tempted to watch this.

NBC – 11:30 PM: It had to happen eventually. TINA FEY returns to SNL, but this time as the host! Even more mind blowing is Twitter Trend setter JUSTIN BIEBER is the special (ahem) musical guest. Good thing for FEY that SARAH PALIN just won’t show up, there’s one easy sketch right there (if not the show opening).

SUNDAY

CBS – 2:00 PM: It’s the “LET’S ALL GAWK AT TIGER” special, also known as THE MASTERS golf tournament! Will he win his fifth green coat or just suffer more public humiliation?

BRAVO – 8:00 PM: I may just tune in to watch A FEW GOOD MEN tonight. Nothing gets me more than that court room scene where they do that holding close-up on the glass of water right before all heck breaks loose. That glass of water made me BELIEVE it was holding a refreshing and cool beverage.

SHO – 9:00 PM: It’s the season premiere of THE TUDORS. If only KING HENRY THE VIII came off this cool in real life.

ABC – 9:00 PM: A special two hour BROTHERS & SISTERS promises to keep me out of my own living romo from 9 to 11 PM. I’m sure my wife will love it.

CBS – 9:00 PM: It’s the season finale for UNDERCOVER BOSS with the CEO of 1-800-FLOWERS hand-picking an assignment within the company. I thought they were just a phone call center that sub-contracted local florists.

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