Cheshire's Laundry List

So the blogosphere is a-buzz with reviews of The End of Time, best moments of Ten, and speculation on what Matt Smith's Doctor will be like and the adventures he'll take us on. I have to say I'm happily optimistic for Smith. I've been a fan of this show since I was able to string together baby-babble that sounded like "Doctor Who", so I refuse to give in to the over-critical fanboys and girls that say Smith is too young or doesn't look the part or whatever.

I will go on record about what I'd like not to see in the upcoming series, as much as my opinion matters to Moffat & Co. So, for what it's worth, I give you...

- Cheshire's Laundry List -

Things That Should Be Kept Behind TARDIS Doors

1. Snogging I love a little romance on television, especially when there's great chemistry between actors and/or their characters. The last 4-and-one-third seasons have had some powerful chemistry between the Doctor and his companions, particularly Rose, but enough is enough. Every new companion seems to want to "make it" with the Doctor, and it's becoming a thorn in this companions side. Thankfully Donna was the exception (Mickey and Wilf are up there too, but they didn't have the tenure of others). Of course, as we've seen in the new trailer, we already know this has been violated, so here's hoping it's like the gun; a one-off thing not to be repeated.

2. Twilight Tweenieness OMG, I'm so, like, not a fan of any of this Twilight bullshit! There have been comparisons, accusations, and rumours that this new season will be catering to and targeted at the tween masses, particularly those soon to be in the void of a post-Twilight world. I sincerely hope that Mr. Moffat has the good sense to follow his own best judgement and keep the show where it is - right in between The Sarah Jane Adventures (aka Doctor Who for tweens) and Torchwood (aka Doctor Who for adults). There's no need to make the show THAT slick and sexy. This may be an unfounded worry, as Stephen is responsible for some of the Doctor's darker or more adult moments, but it needs to be addressed before it gets out of hand.

3. Character Recycling There is a growing list of villains that will always have recurring stories - Daleks, Cybermen, Sontarans, Autons, The Master - and we're glad to have them in the beastiary, but I'm looking forward to new villains out of the mind of Moffat. And although it's nice to see companions and allies return for one last romp through the universe, the last 18 episodes, particularly Journey's End, saw just a bit too much of that. If I see one more episode with Rose, Martha, Mickey or Jackie, I think I'm gonna lose it. They've all had a wonderful run of it, but let's try and make it two more seasons before we have a reunion?

4. The Enterprise had Data... And the Doctor has a sonic screwdriver. In both cases, they've been used as fix-alls. The Fifth Doctor didn't use the screwdriver for a good chunk of his adventures, so we know it's possible that he can McGyver his way out of any situation, but it is a fun little tool. How about it gets sidelined for the bulk of series 5 and see how the stories unfold, yeah?

5. Gunplay I know it was only for two seconds in the trailer, and the Doctor has brandished destructive weapons in the past, primarily against the Daleks, but the writers shouldn't let the events of The End of Time change his stance on weapons. If it's effective as a tool because he forgot his sonic screwdriver, then okay. But this isn't Double-oh-Who. Leave the guns with U.N.I.T. and let the cleverness get us through the tough times.

And that's what I think. In the next day or so I'll come up with things I hope to see them do, but until then I'll leave you to ponder these.