by Ryan Hanley

Created on: July 03, 2008   Last Updated: October 16, 2011

As the fourth series of Doctor Who comes to a close this week, producer Russell T. Davies has promised us one of the most explosive finales ever. Fans of the Time Lord will be treated to a 65-minute frenzy of The Doctor, his companions, and his greatest adversaries the Daleks. But before we can get to all of that, "The Stolen Earth" needs to lead us in. But has it done the job?

In "The Stolen Earth", The Doctor and Donna return to present-day Earth expecting to find impending disaster and it doesn't take them too long to find it. One minute they are on a peaceful street and the next minute everything around them is gone. They are left drifting in space among the stars and rocks and according to the TARDIS they have not moved an inch. Was the Earth destroyed in a matter of seconds. No, it was in fact (dun dun dun) stolen. Back on Earth, we find past companions of The Doctor discovering that Earth is now surrounded by strange alien planets, giving the viewer the impression that these planets were stolen as well. It also doesn't take long to discover that the Daleks are behind everything. Now the companions of The Doctor must fight to contact their hero and get him back to Earth in order to stop the Daleks. Unfortunately for The Doctor, an old enemy is waiting for him also.

I have heard mixed feelings about this episode. Most people seem to think that there is way too much going on but at the same time are very appreciative of the fan service that is given throughout. What could have been one of the most exciting episodes of the series has turned out to be somewhat of a mess, or so they say. Let's look at what this episode has to offer.

First off there is a great deal of treats for long-time fans of the show, including those who loved the original series. The biggest treat of all is the fact that the spin-off shows, "Torchwood" and "The Sarah Jane Adventures", come together. I am also a fan of Torchwood and it was great to see Ianto and Gwen alongside Captain Jack. Seeing Sarah Jane Smith was also an unexpected treat and I am sure it gave many fans what I like to call a "level five dorkgasm". With all of these characters crammed in, one might think that Davies is pulling a "Spider-Man 3" and just asking for too much. To be honest, the possible insanity was kept in check.

There is a great deal going on with all of the characters, but because they all come together so quickly it feels like one big moment rather than hundreds of tiny ones all happening at once. Because

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