This last episode kicked ass! It was one of the best episodes I've seen a long while, and actually felt like old-school Who for me. Good stuff!

As for the current debate, it basically boils down to RTD & Co. not wanting to look bad, or for people to make fun of the work they're doing. They're scared to get too sci-fi for fear of disenfranchising the lowest common denominator demographic that watched it for the 'squee/soap/I wuv Wose' elements. I promise, if pure sci-fi was suddenly en vogue, RTD would be pumping out 13 episodes of non-stop space/time travel.

Still, hopefully whoever replaces him when he leaves will be daring enough to try an entire season that doesn't even go to Earth. I mean, if a determining criteria for your enjoyment of watching Doctor Who is to whether you can relate to the simplistic family/relationship problems, then you're simply watching the wrong show.

And, looks like next week we'll have an alien planet...