Writer: Russell T Davies
Producer: Phil Collinson
Director: Keith Boak
Starring: Christopher Eccleston and Billie
Piper
Well... here we go. Here is my attempt to
review all the new series episodes of 'Doctor Who'... all 11 years of it. Yes
it may seem somewhat difficult but I'm sure I will endure all 130 episodes of
it and I'm starting at the beginning; or at least, the revival. You see,
'Doctor Who' started in November 23rd 1963 and it ran for 26 years, with seven
actors playing the mysterious Doctor with several companions following him
around. The show centred on an alien time traveller called The Doctor who travelled
in a time machine known as the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension[s] In Space)
and can often change his face when mortally wounded or aging. However, the show
was cancelled in 1989 due to poor viewing figures and critical reception
(despite the last season being legitimately good) and the show was lost, though
it was kept alive through audio dramas, novels and video releases of the
classic stories.
The show attempted a comeback in 1996 with
Paul McGann as the 8th Doctor and though it was received ok in the UK, in the
US, it was poorly received so it was discontinued, though it was canonized. The
show remained stuck until 2004 where screenwriter/producer Russell T Davies and
fellow producer Julie Gardner picked up the show for 2005 with Christopher Eccleston
as the 9th Doctor and Billie Piper as his companion Rose Tyler. The format also
changed from multi-part stories to single part, 45-minute stories with two-part
stories thrown in. The revival was an instant hit with both critics and
audiences, and the BBC instantly renewed it for a second season. But is the
episode worthy of such a hit?
The episode begins with Rose Tyler, a
19-year-old girl who works in a department store. She lives a mundane life
until one night; she is attacked by living mannequins and rescued by a
mysterious man called The Doctor. Upon discovering The Doctor's true nature,
Rose is thrust into a conspiracy involving The Doctor's old foe: The Nestene
Consciousness, who plans to take over the Earth and use it as a food source.
Now The Doctor and Rose, with the aid of the TARDIS, must stop the
Consciousness in its nefarious deeds.
What struck me about the episode upon
re-watching it was how much it is grounded in reality. Classic 'Doctor Who'
stories were often fantastical in nature and whilst it led to strange and
interesting settings, it sort of lost the human touch whereas here, Russell T
Davies doesn't forget this. He does this by focusing more on Rose than The
Doctor, causing her to be more developed in the process, and having the setting
be her home. The main villains, the Nestene Consciousness and its lackeys, the
Autons, are relevant because most of the Autons are shop window dummies and since
the Consciousness can control plastic, the Western world is pretty much screwed
because of how much plastic we use.
But the biggest pull to reality is Rose
herself. At the end of the day, she's just an ordinary girl living a dull life
which is made more exhilarating with The Doctor. The viewer almost experiences
the same thing as many of them, myself included, were whisked into The Doctor's
world for the first time so this approach, as an introduction to 'Doctor Who'
is a stroke of genius, which is why I would recommend this episode for first
time viewers. In fact, it was crucial that Davies and the team made this
relevant, to ease the audience into the weird and wonderful world of 'Doctor
Who'. (Of course this backfires later in the season but I'll get to that).
As for Rose herself... there are two sides
to her character. On the one hand, for a former pop-star, Billie Piper is a
darn good actress who carries the emotions of Rose rather well and has good
chemistry with her co-stars. The bad news is that Rose is not introduced well.
She has no ambition, she seems bored about everything, and she treats the other
characters rather poorly. One example is her boyfriend Mickey (Noel Clarke) as
her poor treatment is revealed through the following exchange
ROSE: Thanks
MICKEY: For what?
ROSE: Exactly
Now that's harsh. Yes he didn't do anything
and was a cowardly damsel in distress in this episode but you didn't have to
put it so bluntly!
Thankfully, there is a knight in shining armour
in the form of Christopher Eccleston as The Doctor. My god is this Doctor a
bada**? Unlike his usually whimsical predecessors, this Doctor is a force to be
reckoned with. Eccleston commands the screen whether it’s with Rose or when
confronting the villains, this is a Doctor you do not want to mess with! But
his playfulness is there as Eccleston is given funny things to do (such as the
scene in Rose's flat). This is undoubtedly the same Doctor as his 8 predecessors
but he's clearly seen some stuff. There was mention of a war but it isn't given
much detail other than he fought in it. Overall, Eccleston gets a gold star!
And maybe a cookie for his awesome work.
As for the supporting players, they serve
the story well but it's clear that some of them have room to develop. Case in
point: Mickey. This guy is presented as a stereotypical concerned boyfriend who
is also a wuss yet clearly deserves better than Rose. That's not to say that
Noel Clarke is bad in the role, he's good enough and he's especially creepy as
an Auton (yes he becomes an Auton and it's weird.) There's also Camille Coduri
as Jackie Tyler, Rose's mum, who is pretty much a comic relief who is at risk
of becoming annoying. Then there's Clive (Mark Benton), a conspiracy theorist
who Rose visits about The Doctor. He could've been written as a stereotypical
nerdy theorist and whilst he's eccentric, it's refreshing to know that he's a
normal guy with a loving wife and son, and he talks about other stuff like the
economy. This kind of makes his fate sadder but what's done is done.
As for the villains, the Autons don't
appear much in the story but they're very well realised. Unlike the faster
Autons of the 3rd Doctor era, these Autons are slow, clunky, they have a creak
to their movements and somehow they're more threatening. In fact, it could be
the underlying reason why I'm scared of mannequins. The opening scene in
particular is chilling with a creepy slow-build atmosphere. The Consciousness
itself is a solid villain but it only appears in the climax of the episode. The
Autons come in several forms such as the aforementioned Mickey Auton, which is
creepy as hell, and a wheelie bin that eats the real Mickey. It's a silly as it
sounds.
As for the production values, it doesn't
seem to age well but it was impressive at the time. The design and execution is
well done for the Autons as they are convincingly plastic, though there are
times where it is obviously a costume as they crinkle a bit. The direction is
top notch with London looking alive and some shots that are even done in one
take! The CGI is a mixed bag however as though some creations, such as the
Nestene Consciousness, are impressive, others are dated like the wheelie bin.
Oh and the music... composer Murray Gold is a good musician as he later proves
and even here, scores such as 'Westminster Bridge' is impressive but there are
times where it can get in the way of the action.
I should talk about the TARDIS design. It
reflects this Doctor perfectly as it's dirtier than its predecessors and you
can tell it was pieced together out of bits that The Doctor will likely have
picked up on his travels. Overall, an awesome design. The title sequence is
also alright, if lacking in substance, with the new theme being undoubtedly the
theme, but updated enough to feel modern.
Overall, this episode was a solid
introduction to 'Doctor Who', a good revival and a decent episode in its own
right. The episode is fun and interesting; it keeps itself relevant so as to
not alienate new audiences but is still recognisably 'Doctor Who.' On top of
that, Christopher Eccleston is a great choice for The Doctor, Billie Piper is
just as solid though her character should be more likable, the supporting
characters are decent and the villains are strong, if underused. The production
values could use some work but I can forgive them due to the 2005 budget. A
strong start to 'Doctor Who' that I'd recommend to any newcomer.
Final Verdict: 8/10
Thanks for reading this blog! That's one
down and many more to go! Be sure to share this blog across Facebook, Twitter
etc. as I journey through this Whovian's quest and be sure to like my Facebook
page 'Joel Mole' where I have other blogs waiting for you to read. Join me next
time as I journey through 'Doctor Who.'
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