The Doctor (Eccleston) and Rose (Billie Piper) alongside Mickey (Noel Clarke), Harriet Jones (Penelope Wilton) and Rose’s mother, Jackie (Camille Coduri) take on the Slitheen in the conclusion to last week’s episode, Aliens of London.

World War Three was written by Russell T. Davies and had an original airdate of 23 April, 2005.

The episode picks up right where we left off last week, and from there, it’s an all out romp through Number 10 as Rose and Harriet and the Doctor try to find a way to stop the Slitheen and their plans for Earth.

The Slitheen are a pretty cool looking alien, and is a huge step up from those in the earlier series. Of course, there is more of a budget, and practical effects, to say nothing of computer generated ones, have come a long way since then.

The story and the dialogue moves pretty rapidly, and by episode’s end Downing Street needs a makeover, Jackie pleads with the Doctor for her daughter, and it looks like the UK has a new prime minister.

Happily almost all the fart jokes were in the first part, and this episode plays to the Doctor’s strengths as he gets to show off throughout.

And finally, Rose makes an active choice to travel with the Doctor, packing a bag and everything. She commits to the journey and the adventure.

And we, as the audience, sign up with her.

There’s a great moment at the end of the episode where Rose reminds Jackie that they are in a time machine, and she’ll be back in ten seconds time. Jackie waits… but the TARDIS doesn’t return.

Dalek is a banner episode!

Written by Robert Shearman, this episode premiered on 30 April, 2005. The Doctor and Rose arrive at an underground American base that is a museum of alien artefacts.

Everything there has been collected by Harry van Statten (Corey Johnson) a billionaire, and upon learning that the Doctor is an alien, is intent on adding the Time Lord to his collection.

But deep in the countless rooms of the underground hideaway is the Doctor’s ultimate nemesis, a Dalek, a survivor of the Time Wars. The Doctor is not only angry about the Dalek, he’s terrified to realise that one has survived.

If there’s one, there’s more.

After an interaction with Rose, the Dalek reactivates completely and soon lays waste to the entire base, with the Doctor, Rose and the few survivors of the base fleeing before the war machine, that simply wants to exterminate everyone, and everything.

This is a great episode, because we get a look at a darker version of the Doctor, an angry Doctor, and as such, we know that the Time Wars must have been beyond horrible. We also see the effect that travelling with a Companion has on the Doctor, reigning him in, keeping him from being lonely, and focused.

As the story closes, the Doctor invites Adam (Bruno Langley), one of van Statten’s alien cataloguers to join them for a trip.

Make sure you catch the Bad Wolf reference! There is one in almost every episode, you just have to watch and listen.

Next time, Simon Pegg guest stars as the Doctor and Rose play The Long Game and celebrate Father’s Day.