TV review: Doctor Who

This time he is cornered on every side by a fiery female monster thing in the heart of his space ship the Tardis due to yet another rupture in time which leads to the blue police box leaking scenes from the past.

The fortunes of the eccentric time traveller, played by Matt Smith, and his ever-changing companions are a well-worn past time with the family who cannot seem to resist any opportunity to hop on board the Tardis, from the comfort of the living room sofa in an attempt to keep up with the Doctor's adventures.

From re-runs to spin-offs including Torchwood, starring John Barrowman, and CBBC's Sarah Jane Adventures, starring the late Elisabeth Sladen who was an early days side-kick to both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, no matter. It is a firm favourite.

One family member has even been known to recount the occasion when as a child back in the days when Tom Baker played the time lord, she was part of a school group that performed a dance routine to the theme tune at Walsall Town Hall.

Happily modern technology has caught up with the revived sci-fi programme which now boasts impressive special effects and stage sets far beyond the capabilities of its launch in 1963.

In this episode having been grabbed by a salvage ship the hero and his series seven side-kick, Clara, played by Jenna-Louise Coleman formerly Emmerdale's Jasmine, find themselves playing mind games with the living, breathing Tardis and doing battle with the salvage operators headed by Ashley Walters, formerly of the rap band So Solid Crew, who are really only interested in dismantling the machine once they get over the fact that it is much bigger inside than the outside.

The frenzied Doctor belatedly warns them, 'don't go into a space ship with a mad man'.

And viewers are not disappointed as Clara becomes stuck in a strange time warp and stumbles on a swimming pool of all things and a huge high-ceiling library as she tries to find her way back to the bridge, of course with the Doctor's help as he works out what went wrong and saves the day.

Having also watched the previous episode there seems to be a feel of Star Trek's Deep Space Nine and Next Generation in the production of some of this series. The shadowy red-eyed monsters which turn out to be a premonition of how the regenerating Clara dies at some stage in the saga, the scenes of the heart of the Tardis with floating machine parts, the fiery engine room and the dangling regenerators.

Smith, who has made the part his own, ably taking over from David Tennant, has had a tough act to follow. Coleman is also doing a fine job in her first series as side-kick. Her character is still very much an enigma to the Doctor and to the show's fans who have seen her in a variety of costumes as she crosses paths with the hero in different centuries.

There is a general consensus that despite the big sets and fine acting the show has lost its zip. But the younger generation are still smitten with the concept of the loveable, but complicated time lord who does all he can to save mankind and alien species from a succession of formidable foes from Daleks to giant bees. They have been moving forward with the show, while some of the older generation are still smarting over Tennant's departure from the programme three years ago and watch it less often.

But the programme's broad appeal attracts audiences of children and families as well as sci- fi fans and the 21st century revival of the programme has become the centrepiece of BBC One's Saturday schedule.The Beeb is in preparation for the 50th anniversary since the first Doctor Who was aired in 1963.

Filming is under way for a 3D celebration special with Jemma Redgrave returning. Smith and Coleman will also be joined by Tennant and Billie Piper. There is no way the family will miss it and one suspects many wandering fans will return, lured by the big hitting Tennant and Piper, whose careers have soared since appearing in the show.

Deborah Hardiman