Countless words have been written about the new Doctor Who series before it even airs. In my opinion the truest most important words were spoken by writer Steven Moffat (Press Gang, Coupling) in an interview with The Scotsman published in June 2004: “If 10-year-olds aren’t talking about the show in the playground on Monday morning then we’ll have failed.”

Above all else this new series must capture the imagination of children. I am sure that people of all ages will watch and enjoy the new series for different reasons but the final judges will be the children. They won’t be looking for a show that is ironic, or camp or even the most flashy show on television. If the children watch and enjoy then others are guaranteed to follow.

Doctor Who is about fantasy, adventure and most of all fun. Doctor Who is supposed to a bit silly and the Doctor himself is supposed to be a bit childish. As viewers get older they might identify with the companions but the children identify with the Doctor. They share his sense of wonder, his amazement and at times his inability to take in the worlds around him. The companions might be about asking questions but the Doctor is about exploring and having fun.

What do I want from the new series of Doctor Who? I want to be 10 years old again. The old episodes of Doctor Who are one of the few things from my childhood that has stood the test of time. I still enjoy the episodes I watched more than twenty years ago but I don’t always enjoy them for the same reasons. My remit for Russell T. Davies and the new series is a tough one; take me back to how I felt watching Doctor Who episodes for the first time.  It’s a really tough job and the right people have been hired to do it.

Russell, I want to be 10 years old again.