Saw this last night. It was pretty much what everyone had said; weird and very different from the regular Who. It still had some of the characteristic dashing around which is so indicative of the show, and at least one truly brilliant moment:
Policeman sees the Doctor reaching into his pocket, and goes for his gun. Love interest shouts to explain his eccentricities, “No! He’s…British.”*
Doctor: “I suppose I am.” (offers the policeman a candy)
Doctor: “Jelly baby?”
A lot of stuff happened that wasn’t even remotely explained, but that felt more like the old show, anyway. Like, half-human? And seeing as how much I love the Doctor, the beginning, where he is helpless on the operating table, was horrifying. They opened him up, cut into him, and broke off the probe in him…eeyuck. What a nightmare.
The TARDIS was lovely…nice to see some other rooms, which we haven’t seen too much in the new series. Oh, and if we are going to talk about the new series, I beg you not to give any spoilers on the second half of Season 6, which I have not seen yet.
The Doctor himself was pretty enough, what with that mass of curls! And nice clothes, I have to admit. The female doctor - Grace - was a bit bland. And I have no idea what the heck was up with Chang Lee! Master: “The son I always wanted”? Wow. And he bought that?!
*There is no doubt a good Brit can add a huge amount of humor to an American situation. There is a truly brilliant scene in Captain America, where the Cap is resucing some captured soldiers in his bright colors…he rips the cage door off, and when asked “Who are you?” He says,
“I’m Captain America.”
Leading to one of the capture British soldiers to say, with perfect inflection and British aplomb, "I beg your pardon?’