Some sort of Mulder and Scully antagonistic, yet mutually dependent relationship

There is clearly something wrong with my usually cold, cynical heart as I found myself enjoying the Doctor Who season four opener more than I was expecting. Perhaps I’ve just finally realised that it is a children’s programme (instead of the sassy UK Buffy I crave), or maybe I just needed cheering after the slaughter-fest of last night’s Torchwood denouement (in which almost half the cast were killed off).

The former explanation is definitely true – Partners in Crime was nothing more than a top-flight CBBC fantasy romp (like Russell T Davies’ Dark Season, which was more than partially responsible for making me fall in love with TV as a kid). And if you’re not expecting dark undercurrents and political allegory, this slice of sci-fi was spot on.

And what about bunging Catherine Tate into the Tardis on regular basis? Actually it could well work. Tate’s Donna was far less annoying than in her Runaway Bride debut, though there will always be the problem that after becoming so many well drawn caricatures on her sketch show, Tate will always seem like she’s playing an over-the-top character. However, after having two young assistants possessing barely concealed crushes on the Doc, Donna should mix things up a little – and I’m hoping some sort of Mulder and Scully antagonistic, yet mutually dependent relationship will develop.

So all in all, good stuff, especially for what was essentially a cheap episode with the really money going on the likes of next week’s Pompeii episode the return of an all-time classic big bad (that I’m really quite excited about) at the season. And how nice of Billie to pop up too – what was that about, then?