how do you improve on the near perfection of the reborn `` Doctor who '' star Christopher Eccleston ? quite easily , when you have story like `` School Reunion , '' `` the Girl in the Fireplace , '' `` the impossible planet , '' and `` the Satan pit , '' to name just a few , but ... I be get ahead of myself here ! for those of we of a `` certain age , '' as we say in England - that be the wrong side of 40 ! LOL ! - and remember the origin of the series waaaaaaaaay back in the 60 's , then spend the subsequent decade suffer through more cardboard set and rubber monster than you could shake a stick at - the Daleks be honorable exception of course ! - the rebirth of the venerable doctor in 2005 be a revelation . the story have be tightened-up considerably - no run up and down endless corridor filler here ! - the budget for a single episode appear to be more than be spend on a entire series from the good-old-day , the production values\/sfx be stellar , the write tight and dramatic , bring the doctor and he companion thoroughly up-to-date without lose the essence of the original . in Chris Eccleston they have , at last , a genuine , heavyweight thesp play the doctor , a actor who could not only handle the edgier , more grown-up aspect of the new story , but could also inject a element of the manic\/slightly unhinge into he performance , similar to the much-loved Tom Baker . and any worry that Billie Piper would not be up to the job , dramatically , be soon lay to rest ... and how !!! to say that we fan be spoil by the 2005 series be put it mildly , then as the season climax with the superlative `` bad Wolf '' and `` parting of the Ways , '' we be all throw for a loop when give a `` regeneration scene '' and a new doctor ! what be the BBC think about , be they crazy ?!?!?! the short answer be `` no , '' the casting of David Tennant be every bit as inspire as he predecessor ; he actually manage to up the manic-quotient without go completely bonkers , and bring a kind of geeky coolness to the character we have not see before ! and then there be `` Rose ; '' oh my goodness , in all it be year , there have never be a companion for the Doctor like Rose Tyler . unlike practically all previous companion , Rose be a character in she own right , with she own back story , fully realize , she be , dramatically at least , the Doctor 's equal . she development , from London shop-girl , to time traveler , explorer of the universe , and killer of Daleks , help drive the story in a new , more emotionally fulfil direction . after the roller coaster ride of season 1 with it be `` bad Wolf '' story arc , season 2 scale thing back ever so slightly , but invest even more time and effort in explore the relationship between the unearthly doctor , and the all-too-human Rose . this be tackle head-on in the 4th episode , `` School Reunion , '' which go some way to answer the question of what happen to the companion after they have stop travel with the Time Lord ; a stand-out episode , it re-introduce Elizabeth Sladen 's `` Sarah Jane Smith . '' I do not want to say too much about any particular episode for those who have not see the series yet , but the scene where Sarah Jane discover the TARDIS and its owner make the hair on the back of my neck stand up ! later in the episode there be a affect scene between the doctor and Rose as he try to explain to she why he can not allow himself to become emotionally involve with he human companion ... he be practically immortal , we be not . the next episode , `` the girl in the fireplace , '' perfectly illustrate the precede point , when the doctor allow himself to become attach to Madame de Pompadour , whilst simultaneously battle clockwork android on a derelict starship in the far future ! `` rise of the Cybermen '' and `` Age of Steel '' successfully reinvent one of the doctor most popular adversary , whilst `` the impossible planet '' and `` the Satan pit '' set-up some very alien-esque chill in a wonderful two-parter . the series end , just as do season 1 , with another amazing two-part story , `` Army of Ghosts '' and the aptly title `` Doomsday , '' which see the Daleks fight it out with the new-and-improved Cybermen for control of planet earth ; to steal a line from the totally execrable avp , `` whoever win , we lose ! '' LOL ! it be difficult to know which fate would be worse , have the whole planet `` upgrade '' by the Cybermen , or flay and fillet through the Daleks genetic lab to help create a even bigger and more murderous Dalek army !!! this be a superb story to end the season , but be warn , the finale be ... emotional ! there be a nice recur theme in the series concern the `` Torchwood Institute , '' which become central to the final two episode , and if this set be the first you have see of season 2 , DO make sure you watch the `` Children in Need '' episode in the `` special feature '' section of the set FIRST . it act as a coda to season 1 , as well as a prologue to season 2 , and explain the somewhat crazed materialization of the TARDIS , as well as the Doctor himself , in the rollick first episode , `` the Christmas Invasion . '' any worry I have that the quality of the first season could not be maintain be unfounded ... if you enjoy season 1 , grab season 2 immediately , you will not regret it !