Okay, now that Battlestar Galactica is on break until next season, Sci-Fi is now airing the new series of Dr. Who on Fridays.
I caught the first two episodes of it last Friday, and so far I’m pleased.
The series seems to be a tad darker and more serious than the original series, which went off the air in the 1980s, but that’s because it’s being written more for adults than kids (now that the original Dr. Who fans have grown up).
It still has a lot of goofy fun in it, though.
I also like how the Doctor’s new assistant (Rose) is much more confrontational with him than many previous assistants have been, demanding to know things (like just who he is) and challenging him when he says things, bringing a more real-life perspective.
My favorite exchange was this:
ROSE (upon meeting a bunch of aliens socially for the first time): They’re so alien. . . . The aliens are . . . so alien. You look at ‘em . . . and they’re alien.
THE DOCTOR: Good thing I didn’t take you to the Deep South!
ROSE: Where are you from?
THE DOCTOR: All over the place!
ROSE (still thinking about the aliens): They all speak English?
THE DOCTOR: No, you’re just hearing it. It’s a gift of the TARDIS. A telepathic field gets inside your brain–translates.
ROSE: It’s inside my brain?
THE DOCTOR: Well, in a good way.
ROSE: Your machine gets inside my head. It gets inside and it changes my mind and you didn’t even ask!
THE DOCTOR: I didn’t think about it like that.
ROSE (outraged): No! You were too busy thinking up cheap shots about the Deep South!
BA-BOOM!
As a native of the Deep South, I approve!
I gave ‘em a couple of points for the first Deep South/alien joke, but the rejoinder scored ‘em an extra TEN!

