THE CO-PILOT'S SEASON 3 FORECAST (hot and sunny with nary a cloud)

Hi chums,

here is a quick pre-season critique of season 3...filled with ridiculous assumption and unfounded optimism/pessimism about what lays ahead!

SMITH AND JONES

Judging by the previews the effects look pretty dazzling...the Judoon marching forth from their craft for example. Not surprising given that Auntie Russell seems to favour "speccy" over "substantial" when it comes to season openers ie ROSE and NEW EARTH. Early signs suggest that this might be a tad better than those.

THE SHAKESPEARE CODE

Could be surprisingly good ala TOOTH AND CLAW or surprisingly crap ala IDIOT'S LANTERN. The witches look bollocks but the premise of the story and the setting offer hope.

GRIDLOCK

Not holding out a lot of hope for this one. An early pick for wooden spoon. I suppose the Face of Boe's secret might spice things up a bit, but it seems the cat is already out of the bag ie "You are not the only one Doctor"...lets hope there is more to it than that. Why a sequel for NEW EARTH??? Can you imagine if Graham Williams tried to do a sequel to the Invisible Enemy for example??? Pure self indulgence.

DALEKS IN MANHATTAN / EVOLUTION OF THE DALEKS

Promises to be a fun romp. City of Death anyone?

THE LAZARUS EXPERIMENT

I was impressed by the trailer...there was something very simple and mildly disconcerting about the way Lazarus transforms himself. Let's hope the rest of it is marvelous.

42

Could be anything. Given the space setting (praise the Lord, not London/Cardiff again), I am quite looking forward to this one.

HUMAN NATURE / FAMILY OF BLOOD

Eureeka! Can't wait for this. I loved Father's Day and I really like the premise of this, though I haven't read the book. The Jack Straw scarecrows look promisingly menacing.

BLINK

Steven Moffat is Jimi Hendrix is Eric Clapton is GOD!!! Delighted to hear that this one is actually scary and not just throwaway comedy like Love and Monsters and Boomtown.

UTOPIA

Sir Derek J...greatest actor ever to appear on the show...return of the Macra....fabulous darlings fabulous! These ingredients should and will transform what might have been another FEAR HER into one of the highlights of the season. Does Jacobi turn into Simm in a Chronotis / Salyavin like revelation...or will it be a Tremas tragedy? I can't wait to find out. I imagine this is going to be a very emotional season, and my prediction is that Utopia will absorb most of the kleenexes.

BANGING OF DRUMS / LAST OF THE TIMELORDS

Has wonderful written all over it (hopefully not in glittery texta). Auntie Russ always saves his best for the big bang, and he always writes good last episodes too. This coupled with the expected tragedy and sadness bodes well for a cracker ending to a much better season, and of course it will probably set up some dazzling future stoushes between Mr Master and Mrs Doctor. Brothers or Lovers? (Final sentence brought to you by the Lucozer).

I think we are in for a real red hot go this season. Hope I'm right.

Hugs.

The Co-Pilot.