I think there is something missing from the current series but it's hard to pin down. Matt Smith is doing a good job as the Doctor, Karen Gillan is OK, the scripts are OK too but I think expectations may be too high because things seemed so much better under Russell T Davies' reign. There is a feeling of wanting to keep things at the same level of popularity as the last season and perhaps things have been rushed into before they were fully ready. It also looks like the effects budget has been cut. As was mentioned earlier, I know the target audience is not me....it's aimed at 10 year olds (or thereabouts), but the Tennant era seemed able to appeal to everyone.

As far as Vampires In Venice is concerned, I thought it started well but I'd rather it had stayed as a vampire story rather than the old aliens-in-disguise theme. I was puzzled as to how the vampires seemed to be vulnerable to sunlight yet ambled about Venice regardless. Did I miss something? Despite that I did enjoy seeing Amy using a mirror to reflect sunlight onto a vampire when the sky was completely stormy and overcast.

Yeah, it was a better ep and more enjoyable overall. I also liked the arc continuation. But things felt grander with Dave and RTD. Perhaps it is just early days. I suppose Wurzel being stuck on Earth with no TARDIS and a car was an adjustment back in the day. Hopefully it will improve. Clearly none of us are the target demo, but we've all enjoyed it in the past.

For me, the opener was still the best....

The Borrowers books were by Mary Norton.

The stop motion version of Truckers?

Well, just watched the latest ep on iPlayer and it was fairly boring TBH.

The best bit was the preview of the next episode which looks like it could be very interesting
I too thought the aliens in disguise story was a bit tired.

That will never get tired

My only real problem was the cloaking device.

I forget the exact words, but the Doctor said it worked on the mind of the viewer. It was a psychological device, and that's why mirrors confused it.

I'm OK with that, but surely it would fail "off" permanently if it was broken and physically removed? The ending was all very poetic, but I'd have been happier if she'd been unable to remove the malfunctioning device. That simple act of throwing it broken on the floor and watching it continue to work rather irked me.

'Perception filter'. IIRC it's been mentioned a couple of times before in New Who. Seems to be a generally unreliable technology though...

It has. They appear to be quite common in the Whoniverse. It was a better ep for just a couple of points regarding the arc and the alien's taunting of the Doctor for his God complex. Interesting points in an otherwise, fairly standard romp. Same old.

I really wish they'd pull there finger out. Eccleston had way better scripts to work with.

Simon Nye, you legend!

Best ep of the season?

Nope.

Mark

Yup

Problem for me was that there was no actual reason for the decision that was made.

Yes there was. I don't know how much I can say because of possible spoilers so do you want a PM, or is there another way?

I was going to repost

I hadn't seen all the way to the end when I posted that message

After I posted I watched another 2 mins and had a "Ahhhhhh!" moment.