Having seen the Eleventh Doctor in action..
...I can say that I'm very optimistic about the direction this new season is going to take. Contrary to my concerns that he was going to turn out to be a Ten-clone, Eleven very much has his own style. I always had the impression that, regardless of the exterior impression he presented, David Tennant's doctor always knew exactly what was going on and what he was going to do about it; he was in control, he had a plan. Eleven seems to be much more genuinely flying by the seat of his pants, and okay with doing so. He saves the day, but finding out how he'll do it is as much a fun surprise for him as it is for us. He also, and this is just my initial impression, seems to be a bit less secretive and private about his past and his feelings; he's more likely to tell his Companion what he's thinking than Nine or Ten was. Ten's brooding-and-mysterious schtick got old very quickly -- which is part of the reason I liked Donna so much; she would snap him out of it and demand an answer.
Speaking of Companions, I find myself liking this new girl -- in no small part because she reminds me of Donna in interesting and important ways. (No, it's not just 'cause she's a ginger.) She's willing to give the Doctor a piece of her mind when she needs to; she pro-actively takes the initiative to get herself out of trouble (or into it!); and (at least thus far) there doesn't seem to be any romantic tension between her and the Doctor (and I hope it stays that way). Then there's the other obvious parallel, of course: I knew the moment she asked whether the Doctor could get her back tomorrow morning that she was getting married the next day.
Which brings me around to Steve Moffat's story-telling style. I was able to guess or pick up on a lot of the plot twists in this episode from the first hints we were given -- and whether that's Moffat using really obvious foreshadowing or me having a solid grasp of his narrative logic, I'm not sure, but I like it; it both builds suspense and makes me feel clever. And of course, as expected, his story-telling is creepy as hell. Which doesn't stop him from adding funny bits, I'm happy to see. Overall, my reservations are largely dispelled; I feel good about this season, and am looking forward to seeing more.
Speaking of Companions, I find myself liking this new girl -- in no small part because she reminds me of Donna in interesting and important ways. (No, it's not just 'cause she's a ginger.) She's willing to give the Doctor a piece of her mind when she needs to; she pro-actively takes the initiative to get herself out of trouble (or into it!); and (at least thus far) there doesn't seem to be any romantic tension between her and the Doctor (and I hope it stays that way). Then there's the other obvious parallel, of course: I knew the moment she asked whether the Doctor could get her back tomorrow morning that she was getting married the next day.
Which brings me around to Steve Moffat's story-telling style. I was able to guess or pick up on a lot of the plot twists in this episode from the first hints we were given -- and whether that's Moffat using really obvious foreshadowing or me having a solid grasp of his narrative logic, I'm not sure, but I like it; it both builds suspense and makes me feel clever. And of course, as expected, his story-telling is creepy as hell. Which doesn't stop him from adding funny bits, I'm happy to see. Overall, my reservations are largely dispelled; I feel good about this season, and am looking forward to seeing more.