How terrifically blasé we've become. It isn't, you know, a million years since we'd have killed for new Doctor Who. It's not an ice age since we were thankful for "Scream of the Shalka". Actually no, we were bitter and hateful, but I think impatience had just about reached critical mass by then. Okay then, it's not ages since we were extremely thankful for "The Curse of Fatal Death", a mocking, snide, jibe at Doctor Who written by Steven Moffatt. And starring Rowan Atkinson as the Doctor. Not ages at all.

And yet here we are, facing "Fear Her", and all of us thinking on some level that it's filler. One of those inconsequential, cheapy episodes that nobody will ever deem worthy of considering a "classic". An exercise in treading water before the end-of-season biggie.

I don't know when it was during "Fear Her" that I stopped my open-minded, indifferent musings on how this felt a bit like "Survival" and realised what the story actually was. It was Doctor Who. OUR Doctor Who. It was the thing I dreamed about getting throughout most of my teens. It was the thing I wrote about to Michael Grade, Tony Greenwood and all those bods at Universal Television, begging them to make it. It was, quite honestly, the best thing in the world ever. Fresh, funny ("Shayne Ward's Greatest Hits"! The genius of eatable ball bearings! Wonderful!), inventive, scary, original (it really had nothing whatsoever to do with Sapphire and Steel Assignment IV did it?) and with a Doctor I'm now starting to "get". Tennant won't calm down. That's the way this new Doctor is. I can feel the resistance too, but like every viewer since 1966 I'm starting to realise that this Doctor is unlike any of the others and we're just gonna have to get used to him. There's the difference between Doctor Who made by loving fans and Doctor Who made by loving professional people who work in telly. I thank my lucky smelly limited edition Resurrection DVD slipcase that we didn't get a lead who wandered around in a frock coat being eccentric. The point of regeneration is that the Doctor is different, not that he is Edwardian. And I think I'm just beginning to warm to this one.

In the space of three quarters of an hour we were treated to a mystery, some chills as a possessed child (ooh possessed children are always sinister!) makes sketches that come to life (cleverly mimicking generations of kids that have loved to draw the visually striking icons of the series) the Olympics, an alien spaceship and a plot to kidnap the whole world. All taking place in one street ("Dame Kelly Holmes Close" - another wonderful little touch). And don't say you didn't cheer when a scene started on an empty patch of ground and the TARDIS appeared! Don't tell me something in your heart didn't leap up through your throat, or if not manifest itself in a fully-throttled cry of delight! There are characters here only Doctor Who can knock out for a single week - the jolly tarmac-obsessed man from the council who someone, somewhere will never forget. And Frank Butchers mum from "Eastenders", somehow tightroping a line between rubbish and superbly camp. She was pure Doctor Who she was! But anyway, meanwhile on screen the story is soldiering on. The Doctor might be downstairs teasing information out of Chloe's Mum, but Rose is in danger. There's something in the wardrobe. Something growly and (dare we think it?) alien! Rose becomes the first companion in history to pop off for a wee mid-adventure, and has there ever been a better exchange in Doctor Who than "Who are you?" "I'm help"?

Now it's gone all Exorcist, as the alien creature is speaking through Chloe's mouth. Hang on, isn't this a bit chilling? The Fear Factor kids are going to be diving behind their cushion's for this bit. Normally we'd be finishing Part 1 about now, with Rose's fearful face bleeding into the end credits as the monster in the wardrobe shakes it to pieces (name me one other series that has monsters hiding in wardrobes! Go on!). But this being 2006 it's time for the explanation! And as usual it all comes at once, in one heady rush, but I think I'm just about hanging on. And then - oh no, some more scares. Chloe's going to draw the Doctor and (oddly thrilling) the TARDIS! You know she is, even before she decides to. And, thank goodness, whatever gizmo the Doctor was cooking up for his traditional 'build a doohickey to save the day' resolution, it's smashed and gone. Slightly post-modern perhaps? And now it's left to Rose. She rushes here, she dashes there. And she's worked it out! With a pick-axe! Marvellous! A spaceship the size of a walnut, an Olympic flame and "feel the love!", dear God the fans are going to hate that line! Do we think Russell T poked his head over Matthew Graham's shoulder as he silently toiled at his desk, and popped that one in? "Feel the love!". But do feel the love, as Rose comes into her own and saves the day! And you know what, as all those people popped back into being and mums hugged sons, I felt myself welling up a little. 'This is it.' I thought. This is the bee's knackers. The Doctor bounding along holding the Olympic Flame - that's just.... what verve, what nerve! What... genius!

I've given up predicting what the fans will think, but most likely this episode will soon get lost amid the excited chatter about the cliff-hanger of "Army of Ghosts". When it comes to the DWM survey this year, there will be bigger fish to mount than "Fear Her". The one with Sarah-Jane in, or those thunder-stealing Cybermen again. But let me tell you this. One day, Doctor Who will fizzle out again. Yeah I know, but get over it. It will fizzle out, and eventually, to ward off the tedium of waiting for the new Tennant/Piper Big Finish to arrive or because you've finished the "Four to Doomsday" DVD extras, you'll suddenly get the urge to re-watch a "Season 2"-ie. It may be a bright, summers evening like this one here tonight. The may be just sinking beneath the trees, and a bird may be whistling comfortingly somewhere. So which one will you choose? In the absence of the others you've done to death, you might just dig "Fear Her" out again and perhaps, I might venture, smile, laugh and nearly-cry just like I did tonight. Because it's the small adventures that make you thankful. Thankful that just for one fleeting moment, we have our Doctor Who.

And it's utterly amazing.