The first part of David Tennant's final episode of Doctor Who as the lead role has been broadcast in both the U.K. and the U.S. Part 2 will be broadcast on January 1st and 2nd in each country respectively. It's nice to know that the BBC took my advice and had the two networks broadcast within 24 hours of each other to minimize piracy.

There is some news regarding David Tennant's final trilogy story as the Doctor which involves the return of some familiar faces. Or, at the very least, some familiar faces hanging around the set, thus heavily implying that the characters will be used in the story.

News and links are after the jump...

For the past few days, I've been watching VH1's non-stop reruns of their reality show The Pickup Artist, which is just an unmarked white van and fistful of roofies away from being the creepiest show on television. I cannot bring myself to look away, so I watch each episode with my face twisted in an expression that is equal parts horror and malicious amusement. The finale will air tonight and I have already come to accept that I don't have the self-control to avoid watching, despite the fact that every time I tune in, I lose a little more faith in humanity.

I suppose it isn't the fault of the contestants. After all, they're unintentional virgins and their minds are malleable, subject to easy manipulation by anyone who wears eyeliner. That's where the show's host, Mystery, comes in.

(S01E12) What is regarded by many to not be one of the better seasons of this show, 'Prophecy Girl' is always highly regarded as a stand out episode, and rightly so. So much is set up for the remainder of the series, just from this episode. It's clear from watching even from the first episode that this episode was filmed before the show debuted, as there are scenes from this episode in the show's opening credits and, I believe, some of Buffy's nightmares in previous episodes.

(S01E11) It's interesting to watch how, in the infancy of shows that become cult classics like Buffy, there are some missteps here and there while the series figures out where it wants to go. This episode is an example of one of those missteps.

Sometimes it's interesting to see baddies on Buffy that aren't just demon in nature. While we'll see ghosts in future episodes, this was a totally different take on the invisible threat theme. It was full of holes, and those holes were filled with cheesy badness.

(S01E10) The worst nightmare you can have is of an out of control, giggling clown wielding a knife. No wait, it's when you realize there's a class at school you've never been to, but you have to take an exam for it. Or is it going to class naked? Wait, why is that last one scary?

This episode has a theme that's used in a few others in later seasons, in particular the Halloween episodes where fears and costumes take over Sunnydale. It's a theme that definitely works well in providing opportunities for an equal share of drama (through the facing of fears) and humor.

Do not adjust your web browser. You are now entering the Retro Squad, where we are reviewing past episodes of your favorite shows, in order, every week.

(S01E02) I neglected to mention in last week's review that this was really a two-part first episode, and we pick up from the cliffhanger of the previous week. Frequent TV Squad reader/commenter 'doc' was nice enough to send me a copy of the original unaired pilot (which, as commenter 'Sav' pointed out, can be viewed on YouTube, though in poor quality), and it's got quite a few differences from this two-parter. But I'll save that for another post.

As I touched on a little last week, this is the episode where Jessie becomes a vampire and dies at the hands of Xander (though not exactly intentionally). There aren't a whole lot of shows that will introduce what seems like a main character, only to kill them off within one of the first episodes. The only other show that did this that immediately comes to mind is The Shield with Terry Crowley, though I'm sure there are others.