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"Planet Of The Dead" opens big, bold and full of ambition, with a masked intruder abseiling into the National Gallery with plans to steal a priceless relic in some very "Mission Impossible" meets "Indiana Jones" style exploits that would make both Ethan Hunt and Dr. Jones blush. As the alarms sound, Michelle Ryan unmasks herself and evades the local Police by hopping onto the local #200 bus.

Before it can depart, a familiar pair of Converse boots step onboard and plonk themselves down next to our cat burglar with an eye for art – yes, the Doctor is back and he is right in the middle of the action. The simplicity of the shot preys on our bittersweet desire to see the final adventures of David Tennant following three intrepid seasons of delight.

Once that bus leaves its stop however, the adventure goes completely Pete Tong from there on in. And that doesn't include the wormhole that leads its passengers to the Planet of the Dead itself.

Who needs lavish alien planets, dizzying levels of CGI and large scale landscapes when you have the creatively rich writing of Russell T. Davies to keep the Tardis spinning? In a complete reversal from what we have come to love, "Planet Of The Dead" disposes of all the creativity and dramatically rich dialogue that normally makes a "Doctor Who" adventure so enthralling and instead delivers an egg-hollow Easter themed outing that depends solely on the epic visuals of the Recci desert with a "Harry Potter" twist to keep it running.

The "Flight Of The Phoenix" romp is completely lacking the same tension and dramatic influence that has made the series a success, remaining completely devoid of the intrigue that permeated "The Next Doctor" on Christmas Day. Ryan, a Companion born from a very different mould indeed, fails to convey the drama that was demanded of her. The so-called romance between the two is ill-fitting and quite frankly unwelcome given the number of ex's that The Doctor has racked up in recent years. Her take-charge attitude and mock-sarcasm marks another miscalculation for the character and every line of dialogue she speaks becomes a missed opportunity for The Doctor to dazzle.

But, for fans of the series, now is not the time to start a vigil for the show – "Planet Of The Dead" manages to pull itself around in its final act with reveals that the semi-sinister creatures responsible for the wormhole are on their way to Earth (with plans to consume the entire surface of the planet) and a darker look at the mission statement of UNIT if offered (dark like Torchwood One). Forget about saving The Doctor, their goal is to fortify and defend Earth even if it costs them their greatest ally.

On the other side of the wormhole, Dubai's vacant landscapes are absolutely stunning to behold in each and every scene. The panoramic views of the London-staple in the middle of nowhere are glorious in all their beauty and, coupled with swirling visual effects of a flying bus, sinister looking alien manta-ray creatures and the usual brand of score from Murray Gold, the final exodus finally elevates the Easter special to the scale that it should have reached at the conclusion of the opening teaser.

What Worked

Despite the obvious faults of the episode, the Doctor holding out a half-eaten chocolate egg and uttering the words "Hello, I'm the Doctor ... Happy Easter" remains by far the best way BBC could have celebrated the holiday.

Beyond the spectacle of having a red London bus zipping about the Dubai desert, the real fun of the episode comes in the form of guest character Dr. Malcolm (played superbly by big-time funny man Lee Evans) who manages to steal every scene he is part of. His telephone-based banter with The Doctor blows away the falseness of all Ryan-Tennant exchanges. In most cases, Malcolm seems more like a child seeking approval from a parental unit which offers tremendous levels of humor (like naming a unit of measurement after himself) and remains one of the more

The reverence that UNIT shows The Doctor is slightly worrying, coupled with hints that UNIT will not tolerate any secrets also helps create an interesting notion that UNIT may not be the altruistic military that they have thus far appeared to be.

Although her abrasive attitude may have contributed to the problems facing "Planet Of The Dead," Ryan done the best with the script she was given. When Christina shows her vulnerability, like her plans to go "so far away," there is hope for the character and you can't help but feel a pang of sadness for the character. Her final pleas to go travelling in the Tardis come with tremendous conviction but given the nature of her previous desert filled antics, the rebuttal she receives comes as a relief and as just another reason to look forward to the next Whovian special.

What makes Ryan standout beyond any of her predecessors however is her ability to carry out her own stunts and make it look easy. The opening abseil was only the introduction to her skills, and her final CGI-aided plunge to obtain an alien crystal was terrific.

Plus, Carmen's (Ellen Thomas) final prophecy for The Doctor creates a fantastic element of dread and foreboding for the next few specials: his song is ending and "he will knock four times."

What Didn't Work

When the series first re-launched in 2005, show runner Russell T. Davis announced that there would be "no wobbly sets" ... a pity that mentality could not also be applied to the insectoid aliens that were also stranded on the Planet of the Dead. With their rubbery facade, these "Lost In Space" rejects offer no tension, element of fear or shock value and look like they come from the planet Metaluna.

There is also the convenience of having a human ear piece located on an alien vessel ... especially when the aliens don't have ears.

The Doctor's instant pick-up of their bizarre and incomprehensible language is a recycled joke from the end of the fourth season only this time it doesn't hold the same comedy value as the Judoon-speak. Still, it is better than the Star Trek levels of techno-babble that run riot from start to finish.

Christina's motivations for stealing the relic were incredibly disappointing and relegated to a singular piece of dialogue that sounds more like a by-line on BBC News – the Credit Crunch is hardly the most compelling reason for a family-based romp in space.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

"Doctor Who" stars David Tennant and Michelle Ryan. "Planet Of The Dead" was written by Russell T. Davies and Gareth Roberts. The episode was directed by James Strong. "Doctor Who" returns to BBC for its next special later in 2009.