Over the past 5 years Doctor Who has seen a triumphant return to the small screen, bringing with it a host of new additions and a grand attention to both quality and style. Russell T. Davies managed to reintroduce the timeless Timelord to a new generation of Sci-Fi fans, making The Doctor a household name once again. Now RTD has passed on the torch to the fan favorite Steven Moffat, who has given us some of the best episodes of the recent reboot such as "Blink", "The Girl in The Fireplace", and "Silence in the Library", to head up the next chapter in the Doctor's life. With Moffat comes a brand new Doctor, played by newcomer Matt Smith, to take up the Timelord mantle. The question is, how do they fare?

First off, we are treated to an exact follow up to where we left the Doctor post regeneration at the end of "The End of Time" with the TARDIS hurdling off over London uncontrollably with the newly regenerated Doctor hanging on outside of the twirling time machine for his dear life, almost smashing into Big Ben. The special effects team still hasn't lost their touch by bringing fun visuals to the show as always.
 
We are then introduced to a young child by the name of Amelia Pond who is asking Santa for help about a scary crack in her wall…and help does arrive in the form of a crashing TARDIS and a very wet Doctor who apparently fell into a pool….which was inside the library.  After, we are treated to a scene which cements this new Doctor's amount of sanity (or lack thereof) and new eccentricities.  This then leads into the main plot of the episode, dealing with an alien prisoner who goes by the ominous name Prisoner Zero who has escaped through little Amelia's room due to the crack which is not just a normal crack, but a crack in time.
 
Before much sense can be made out of any of this, the Doctor quickly runs back to the still-on-fire TARDIS to keep it from exploding, all while promising Amelia that he will be back for her in just 5 short minutes. Sadly, he does not return and we are treated to the emotional scene of young Amelia waiting for the magical Doctor to come back to her.
 
The Doctor comes back…12 years later, realizing what he has missed the first time. Only in the 12 years that have gone by, a lot has happened. Young Amelia Pond has grown up and is now played by the fetching and lovely Karen Gillan who has a bit of apprehension toward the newly returned Doctor, thus giving their relationship a bit of tension to it. After working things out, they go off to foil Prisoner Zero's work together and begin what can only be a long line of new adventures to come.
 
Both Smith and Gillan, who are newcomers, feel right at home with their characters and by the end of the episode you won't be missing David Tennant's version of the Doctor for too much longer. The relationship between the Doctor and Amy Pond feels a lot more genuine and natural than some of the previous pairs we have experienced between companion and Doctor. This is helped out a lot by Steven Moffat's masterful writing and care to fully define every character we are introduced to in the episode and shows he was the perfect pick to take over the reins. We are even given clues as to what the season's storyline is, and it is done in a much better way then several of RTD's attempts to replicate his Bad Wolf reveal over his time in the head writer's seat, leaving viewers with much to look forward to this season.
 
Once again I find myself salivating over Murray Gold's amazing and masterful work at composing a score that feels like it would be fit for a major motion picture. His new take on the Who theme will send chills down your spine and make you wish for the soundtrack release after finishing the episode.
 
All in all, the transition between Tennant to Smith and Davies to Moffat is done completely without a hitch and may have you wishing Moffat was in the head writer's seat all along. The episode takes its time to pay tribute to the Who of old as it does to pave way for the future of new stories and you can count me along for the ride!
 
ComicsOnline gives Doctor Who "The Eleventh Hour" 5 pairs of Karen Gillan's legs out of 5

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