People definitely either Love or Hate "Love & Monsters". Personally I thought it was a hoot, but there were a lot of in-jokes in it for, towards and about old fans and the series itself. I'd rather watch it 10 times in a row than watch the one that followed, "Fear Her". Ugh.
Glad you liked "Planet of the Dead", I just thought it was kind of a missed opportunity (filmed on location in Dubai and casting Michelle Ryan -- one of the UKs biggest actresses -- and I found both sort of "eh").
We do not know anything about what/who is yet to come as hinted in PoD. BBC did announce a few things the other day (so maybe gave it away) about the finale to come, but it won't mean anything to you until you've watched Series 3 all the way through.
Although there is some flirtiness in Series 3, there is only one Rose, so they tame it down a lot.
BTW, I absolutely love "The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit" and "Army of Ghosts/Doomsday". Cybermen are my favorite monster (always have been even in the old days), though the Daleks have really come back strong after years of almost being a joke. And "The Girl in the Fireplace" may still be my all time favorite episode. Though one you haven't seen, "Utopia", truly had me on the edge of my seat as an old fan.
Series 2 was just spectacular, and like you, I didn't think they could top Eccleston. And there are
so many great developments to come for you in Series 3 and Series 4; you're still at the beginning of one long arc, and there is still so many really exciting, really sad, really funny and really creepy moments to come.
As much as I love the story of Series 1 and 2, there are still even better stories ahead. Series 3 starts a little slow, but by mid-season ("Human Nature") it's perfection. And Series 4 (leading up to where we are now) is very, very powerful and insanely out of control by the end (in a good way).
For fans of Daleks vs Cybermen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ-lJpL2oVg
