A NEW series of Doctor Who is a big event in our house, this year, even more so, as it heralds a new incarnation of The Doctor.

The episode starts off with a T-Rex in Victorian London, yes that’s right, which promptly coughs up an all too familiar blue box! Add to that a pyromaniac cyborg, my personal favourites the Paternost Gang and you have an episode that grabs your attention from the start.

There were plenty of the subtle references to Doctors past, including references to previous companions Amy and Handles. Add to this references to a long scarf and a few quotes from previous Doctors, “Ah Well, here we go again.” And the old guard were kept reasonably happy.

A lot has been written over the past few months on whether Peter Capaldi is too old, but I believe it is about time the job went back to an older man, we need to be reminded that the character is well over 2000 years old.

Peter Capaldi plays the lead character as a rambling mad man, with a mix of humour and subtle danger (did he jump or was he pushed?), but underneath, you knew he was the same man.

This leads me to the personal turmoil of Clara Oswald, who had difficulty accepting this older man with grey hair who had replaced the young boyfriend like Doctor she had known, and it was here that writer Steven Moffat played a blinder by getting a cameo appearance by Matt Smith calling Clara and asking her, and therefore the viewers, to give the new Doctor a chance.

I shall be watching the rest of the series to see how it all develops, but with old favourites The Daleks and The Cybermen due to make appearances, and can’t help be feel that after a short while, we will all accept this Older, Scottish, grey haired Doctor.