Well, I'm a romantic, couple-girl at heart always and so I LOVE the romance. But, in the case of Rose/The Doctor it wasn't even intended to be that way with them (what with Rose being written as an older teen, more like a father/mentor thing like with Ace), but the chemistry between Eccleston and Piper just blew everyone way and I think RTD was just like, dude, I so have to go there.

I never watched old school Who, so I can't compare.