When I was much younger I used to watch Doctor Who on PBS every afternoon. By far my favorite Doctor was Doctor #4, Tom Baker.

For those new to Doctor Who, this was a British television series that ran for 26 straight years from 1963 to 1989. It was about a time traveling “Time Lord” from the planet Gallifrey who motored around space and time in his TARDIS (Time and Relative Distance in Space).

Unlike shows such as Bewitched, Doctor Who had a wonderful mechanism for changing lead actors. Time Lords will, from time to time, regenerate, and after a regeneration they look and act differently than before. Hence “Doctor #4”.

Cute, huh?

Well, we’re up to number 9 now, as the BBC is bringing the series back to life after a 16 year “hiatus”. Outpost Gallifrey has more information about the series than anyone could scarcely care about, so I’ll leave the back story to them.

Apparently, the first episode of the new series was, intentionally or not, leaked to the Internet. I decided to grab a torrent of the new show, and we watched it last night.

I liked it. The new Doctor, while not as flamboyant as those of old, seems to capture some of the whimsy I associate with the character. The special effects budget has increased a little (very little) and I kind of like it that way.

If you are an old fan, the new series is worth checking out. I only hope I can get it when it is released (as I don’t live in the UK or have a digital television).