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Doctor Who 2x05 - 2x06: Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel

Writer: Tom MacRae Director: Graeme Harper Main Cast: David Tennant, Billie Piper, Noel Clarke, Camille Coduri, Shaun Dingwall, Roger Lloyd-Pack, Andrew Hayden-Smith, Helen Griffin

Synopsis: The TARDIS falls through a crack in between universes and ends up on a parallel Earth where a new race of Cybermen is being born.

Monster of the Week: The Cybermen are back but with a different origin story. These Cybermen are from a parallel universe and originate on Earth rather than on Mondas like the ones from the Classic Series.

Quote of the Episode: 

Rose: Why no emotion?

Doctor: Because it hurts.

Standout moment: Mickey going to see his Gran is a surprisingly emotional scene considering that this is the first that we have heard of her. Despite it being only a few minutes long, it lets us know exactly what happened to his real Gran and how much he blames himself for it. It gives the character some extra depth as well as highlighting how ignored he has been, not just by the Doctor and Rose, but by the audience as well.

Cringeworthy Moment: I love Noel Clarke but his portrayal of Ricky was just a little bit over the top.

Main Review: Step aside experienced time travellers, it’s the tin dog’s time to shine. And it’s about bloody time!

As soon as it is revealed that Pete Tyler is alive in this parallel universe, you would think that this is going toe a bit like Father’s Day with the focus being on Rose trying to get to know her father. But you would be dead wrong. Sure there is still a focus on Rose trying to get to know the parallel versions of her parents but that is not the main focus. The main focus is on Mickey and how much he has grown since that bumbling buffoon that we saw in Rose. Mickey Smith easily has some of the best character development of any companion and it is glorious to see it shine through in this story. 

We start with Rise of the Cybermen which focusses on how under appreciated and ignored Mickey is. He is left out of the Doctor and Rose’s little world because they have already done so much together and Mickey wasn’t there for it. The Doctor completely forgets that he gave Mickey an instruction and both he and Rose find it amusing. Even the scene where Mickey goes to see his Gran highlights how ignored he is. Because the Doctor had no idea about Mickey’s life before he had come along and Rose had been too wrapped up in seeing her own parallel family to give it a second thought.

The scene where the Doctor has to choose between going after Mickey or Rose beautifully parallels the scene in Boom Town where Rose runs off to find the Doctor while Mickey shouts at her, saying that she will never choose him. But in this case, he is saying those words to the Doctor. And instead of sulking about it like has done in the past, he accepts it and goes off alone to do what he feels he needs to do.

And then we have The Age of Steel, which focuses on Mickey becoming his own person. 

When we meet Ricky, we see what Mickey could be (a brave fighter, defending the Earth) and what he isn’t (a hardened thug) and it is not surprising in the slightest that Mickey would take his place. But instead of just becoming his parallel counterpart, Mickey keeps what made the two characters so different, he keeps his compassion and humanity. And in a story about Cybermen, that is a very big deal. Ricky and Jake are rough and hardened and lack that little bit of morality that’s needed to set them apart from their enemies. As Mickey says, If you kill them, then what’s the difference between you and the Cybermen?

We also see Mickey finally calling the Doctor and Rose out on their treatment of him and showing everyone that he’s not just the tin dog anymore. Those days are over. He is Mickey Smith, and he is going to help whether the Doctor and Rose need him or not. And by doing this, he finally properly has the Doctor’s respect.

As mention, it is not surprising that Mickey stays behind to help in the parallel world. He has finally sound somewhere to belong, somewhere that needs him. The Doctor understands this and the two part on good terms, each finally accepting the other. Rose however, as I have said before, is a little selfish when it comes to Mickey. She doesn’t want to lose her oldest friend and tries to make him stay, claiming that she needs him. But Mickey rightly reminds her that she doesn’t - not anymore. And Rose eventually understands this and lets her friend go.

Rose does have quite an emotional journey throughout this story. There’s the obvious need to try and get to know the father she never had, even if he is a parallel version, only to have him reject her. There’s the small moment of happiness when she thinks she is connecting with this world’s version of Jackie, only to have the woman look down on her for being “just the staff”, something her mother would never do to anyone. And then there’s the shock of that Jackie dying. Even if she isn;t the same woman as Rose’s mother, she is still so close that it is enough to affect Rose greatly. And then, to top it all off, her best friend who she already knows that she has taken for granted, leaves and she will never be able to see him again. It’s no wonder the first place she goes after returning to her proper universe is back home and straight into Jackie’s arms. The only thing that’s missing is the fallout from the Doctor’s actions in the previous episode... but I’ve already gone on about that in my last review so I won;t repeat myself.

Something else of note for this story is Roger Lloyd-Pack’s brilliant performance. It is the mark of a great actor that I can watch his as John Lumac in Doctor Who and be completely convinced by his portrayal of the character despite the years of knowing him as Trigger from Only Fools and Horses. Some actors you always see as one character no matter how different their roles in other works may be, but Roger Lloyd-Pack is not one of them.

Then of course there are the Cybermen themselves. While their comeback story may not be quite as impressive as that of the Daleks, it still does well to establish the old monsters to new audiences. The whole story emphasises the importance of emotions and what happens when you lose them. You become cold. The use of temperature is used well to highlight this. The day is warm and sunny but the night - when Cybermen appear - is cold (you constantly see people’s breath in the air, indicating the cooler temperature). And there’s also the use of colour, with the heavy amount of blues and silvers creating a cold hard atmosphere.

So, while it may have not been the best way to sell the Cybermen as the notorious villains they are, this story still did a good job of highlighting what makes them so scary - the fact that they are so close to us. These Cybermen were created out of one man’s desire to survive, and that is extremely human.

Overall Rating: 8/10. Not the best Cybermen story out there but a brilliant showcase of what makes us human and an excellent send off to Mickey Smith - tin dog no more.

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Doctor Who 2x04: The Girl in the Fireplace

Writer: Stevn Moffat Director: Euros Lyn Main Cast: David Tennant, Billie Piper, Noel Clarke, Sophia Myles

Synopsis: The Doctor, Rose and Mickey land on a 51st century spaceship that is riddled with time windows that lead to 18th century France. And it all seems to be centred around the life of one woman: Madame de Pompadour.

Monster of the Week: Clockwork service droids who are trying to repair their broken spaceship with whatever they can, including the crew.

Quote of the Episode:

Reinette: What do monsters have nightmares about?

Doctor: Me!

Standout Moment: The scene where the Doctor notices the broken clock is truly chilling and will have you nervously checking your own clock every time you hear it ticking.

Cringeworthy Moment: The Doctor truly is a terrible singer. Or maybe that was just because he was pretending to be drunk.

Main Review:  What we have here is a story about things that don’t belong. There’s an 18th century French fireplace on a 51st century spaceship. There’s the Doctor temporarily trapped in the past with no TARDIS. And there’s the fact that the The Girl in the Fireplace does not belong in season two of Doctor Who.

Season two was the Doctor and Rose’s honeymoon period. The Doctor was finally forgiving himself for the Time War and was allowing himself to have fun, sometimes even a little too much fun (like in Tooth and Claw). And this episode doesn’t really fit in with that. But it so easily could have done. The overall plot is fantastic and would have made an intriguing episode if it weren’t for three things.

The first being the unbelievable love story between the Doctor and Reinette. I can understand a slight infatuation on Reinette’s part. This handsome man sweeps into her life and saves her when she needs it most but those instances were so few and far between that it should have been nothing more than a schoolgirl’s crush, not this huge love story that the episode tried to turn it into. As for the Doctor, he has obviously admired Madame de Pompadour for a long time and knows a lot about her... but he still hardly knew her. From his point of view he only knew her for a few hours. Although, his side of this “romance” is thankfully underplayed (other than being jealous of King Louis) and the question of his true feelings for Reinette is left unanswered.

The second thing that failed this episode is the Doctor’s characterisation. Much like Rose in School Reunion, the Doctor’s characterisation in this episode isn’t exactly off, just a little over-the-top. He pretty much ignores Mickey the whole time (which may not be too out of character for him but the two men have come further than that by this point in the show); he is unnecessarily snarky to Rose when he is rescuing her from the droids; and he saves history only to endanger it again by offering Reinette a trip in the TARDIS.

But the what’s off most about the Doctor’s characterisation is how he left Rose and Mickey alone on a spaceship that he didn’t even know the name of, knowing he couldn’t get back to them. There really needed to be a scene or line of dialogue that showed us that he had a way of getting them back to their own time (like telling them to use Emergency Program One) or a clearer look at the Doctor’s struggle to make the decision to leave. Because he had to go save Reinette, that was for sure - history was at stake - it’s just that the way that the Doctor did it was what was wrong. Its understandable to not want to fly TARDIS through time to get there (what if he got the dates wrong?) but he could have flown the TARDIS through the window. A blue box flying through the mirror would have been no different to the people of France - and by extension, history - than seeing a man on a horse jump through it. They were already being attacked by clockwork robots anyway so it’s not like they were unfamiliar with strange things happening. And while we’re on it, when you need something with the force of a truck to smash through something, who the hell thinks that a horse would be an acceptable substitute? I know horses are pretty darn strong but it was quite a cramp spaceship and there wasn’t exactly a lot of room for a run up. Not to mention how it may have hurt the poor horse.

But the worst thing about this situation is that it is totally forgotten about afterwards. Rose is already a bit insecure of being left behind after finding out about Sarah Jane and then less than 24 hours later, the Doctor does just that, he leaves her behind... and there are no ramifications what so ever. Steven Moffat may have written the episode but the lack of fallout from it, that is on Russell T Davies.

Rose’s characterisation however is spot on. Rather than being catty like she was in School Reunion, Rose handles her jealousy towards Reinette much more like you would expect her to. She keeps it to herself. The only time she shows it to someone else is when Mickey is baiting her. And when everything is all done, instead of confronting the Doctor about it, she sees that he is grieving and asks if he is okay. 

And the last thing that doesn’t fit in with the rest of the season is the fixation on the Doctor’s loneliness. Yes, he is still the last of his kind and that loneliness is never going to go away (at least not until The Day of the Doctor) but he has come a long way in the past year or so. He not only has Rose now, he has Mickey and Jackie as well and in a weird way they have all become a sort of family. The talk of “Lonely Gods” is something that would be more suited to series one or three or the 2009 specials. Or even after the Doctor loses the Ponds in series seven. Or maybe they were just trying to refer to the point made in the last episode that a long life is a curse and how the Doctor knows that he will eventually lose all those he cares about.

Overall Rating: 4/10. An interesting story that had its potential squandered on an unbelievable romance, a slightly uncharacteristic Doctor, and the exclusion of a few vital scenes. But hey, at least it gave us some good fan fiction.

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Doctor Who 2x03: School Reunion

Writer: Toby Whithouse Director: James Hawes Main Cast: David Tennant, Billie Piper, Elizabeth Sladen, Noel Clarke, Anthony Head, John Leeson

Synopsis: Mickey calls the Doctor and Rose in to investigate a school with children who are much cleverer than they should be. But they aren’t the only ones who have noticed the odd occurrences at the school.

Monster of the Week: Krillitanes. Beings that salvage the best parts of the species they consume. At the moment, the look like huge bats.

Quote of the Episode: “The missus and the ex. Welcome to every man’s worst nightmare.”

Standout Moment: David Tennant captures the moment the Doctor sees Sarah Jane again perfectly! You can see it all on his face. The surprise of seeing someone you never thought you would see again. The relief that she is still alive and kicking. And how proud he is of her because she is still curious and resourceful - she is still the woman he knew all those years ago. He basically shows us everything that the long time fans are feeling at the sight of the familiar face.

Cringeworthy Moment: The whole idea that Sarah and the Doctor’s relationship had been a romantic one just came out of nowhere.

Main Review: The first ever Doctor Who episode I saw was one with The Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane and because of this, she will always hold the title of “favourite companion” for me. So needless to say, I was thrilled to see her back. Elizabeth Sladen is still just as superb as she was when she first came into the show in 1973 and Sarah Jane is still the curious journalist we all know and love.

The addition of K9 follows on from the unsuccessful spin off series, K9 and Company, so if you don’t know about that, you maybe confused as to why he is with Sarah Jane (or maybe you remember him from The Five Doctors and are just going with it). It’s not a very complicated story, the Doctor just sent her K9 Mark III as a gift.

But this episode is not solely about nostalgia. We also get to see what happens to those who travel with the Doctor and then have to go on with their normal lives. Something which hasn’t really been touched on before. Unfortunately, it isn’t dealt with as well as it could have. The right premise is there, but it’s the wrong companion. I don’t believe that Sarah would have put her life on hold to wait for the Doctor. Even though she is still investigating and doing what she has always done, she still believes her life after the Doctor to be wasted. However, she lets the Doctor go at the end of the episode, realising that everything ends and the universe has to move forward. She makes him actually say goodbye this time and she gains some much needed closure.

The goodbye scene is one of my favourites because you can see that Sarah wants closure but the Doctor doesn’t. He doesn’t want to face the fact that she is leaving. Saying “goodbye” would make it true (he didn’t say “goodbye” last time either, his last words to her were “until we meet again”). But Sarah puts her foot down and in that moment, you can see that wonderful woman from long ago and how despite the years, she is still the same Sarah Jane Smith. And the Doctor can see it too and you can once again see the pride in his eyes and hear it in his voice. And, to top it all off, we get a beautiful parallel of Sarah’s final scene in The Hand of Fear. She walks away from the TARDIS and then sadly turns back to see it dematerialise. And then she has a conversation wth a dog. Although this time the dog can actually talk back.

But it is not just the Doctor and Sarah who have to deal with the fallout of leaving her behind, it’s also Rose. And this is where the story gains a few brownie points but also loses a hell of a lot more. The central dilemma is done right, when Rose meets Sarah Jane, she is given a look at her own future. She realises that she had been naive to think that she was the only special one and that one day, the Doctor will leave her too. In a brilliant scene we see Rose confront the Doctor about this and we get a good look of both sides of the coin. Rose’s faith in the Doctor is shaken, thinking that one day he’ll get bored of her and leave her in the wrong city and then go on to travel with other people who would never even know of she existed. But the Doctor tells her that it is so much more than that. He will outlive any human he travels with and eventually they leave him. Even if they want to stay with him forever, they can’t. They will grow old and die and he ends up alone. And we see that it is not just Rose that is getting a look into her future, the Doctor is too. Sarah Jane’s reappearance has given him a harsh reminder of the realities of travelling with a human. But despite this, he still vows to hang on to Rose for as long as he can.

However, this episode still has one fatal flaw. And that flaw is Rose. I wouldn’t call her “out of character” as such, more like her characterisation is just over the top. Rose has a jealous streak. We’ve seen it before but it has always been something she silently dealt with herself (like with Jabe in The End of The World and Lynda in The Parting of the Ways) but in School Reunion she’s not just jealous, she’s downright catty. And she is catty right from the moment she meets Sarah Jane despite the fact that there is no indication whatsoever that the Doctor may care for her more than he cares for Rose. And what’s worse is that the writers bring Sarah down to the same level. Thankfully, the two woman eventually realise how childish they are being and form a connection. Not a friendship per say, such a bond between companions, but it is enough for Rose to happily agree to the idea of inviting Sarah along.

And then it all goes wrong again. Because after Sarah declines the offer, Mickey asks if he can come instead. Rose’s reaction to this is something else that is just that little too much to be believable. There is no doubt that Rose wouldn’t want her ex-boyfriend travelling with her and the man she left him for but I don’t believe that she would be so openly insensitive towards the matter. Mickey is still her friend after all and she has supposed to have grown past that. Just a simple warning glance at the Doctor and a small shake of the head would have sufficed, she didn’t need to mouth the word “no”. And when Mickey asks if she is okay with it, she should have just shrugged it off with a dismissive “sure, why not” instead of sounding like a moody teenager. It’s hard to say who is at fault for this one. Is it the writers or is it the actress misinterpreting the scene? In the end, it doesn’t matter. It’s still uncomfortable to watch.

But I am glad that the Doctor ignored Rose and let Mickey come aboard. He deserves the chance to prove himself to be more than just “the tin dog”. And maybe he will get a chance to find a new place in Rose’s life rather than just the pining ex-boyfriend. Although, his pining days definitely seem to be over. He dismisses Rose’s assumption that he made up a story just to see her and actively helps in the investigation. He is (deservedly) smug about having been right about the Doctor, but maybe a bit too over the top with it. So while he may not be pining any more, he certainly still has a strong resentment against Rose for leaving him. Which is understandable but maybe offering to show her his “I-was-right dance” was a little harsh. But it’s nice to know that Rose and Mickey’s romantic relationship is definitely over and that it won’t cause any more love triangles.

Oh, one more thing. Anthony Head is amazing! I almost forgot to add this part in because honestly it should go without saying. He is just phenomenal actor.

Overall Rating: 7/10. This could have been a perfect episode if it weren’t for that one pivotal flaw of making Rose and Sarah Jane bickering teenagers rather than the strong women they have both have grown to be. Thankfully by the end of the episode they snap out of it. Well, mostly.

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Doctor Who 2x02: Tooth and Claw

Writer: Russell T Davies Director: Euros Lynn Main Cast: David Tennant, Billie Piper, Pauline Collins, Ian Hanmore, Derek Riddle 

Synopsis: The Doctor and Rose end up joining Queen Victoria on her journey through Scotland and the party is forced to spend the night in Sir Robert’s isolated estate. It is obviously a trap, but who for?

Monster of the Week: Father Angelo and his monks serve a higher power, but it is not God. It is a werewolf (or Lupine Wavelength Haemovariform if you want to be technical about it).

Quote of the Episode: “You want weapons? We’re in a library. Books! Best weapons in the world. This room’s the greatest arsenal we could have. Arm yourselves.”

Standout Moment: Queen Victoria knights the Doctor and Rose as a thank you for saving them and then straight after, banishes them for relishing in the world of danger and unearthly monsters. The Doctor and Rose do not belong in her world.

Cringeworthy Moment: Rose’s attempt at a Scottish accent is pretty cringeworthy.

Main Review: Honestly, there is not much to say about this episode. It’s certainly enjoyable to watch but it isn’t exactly one of the greats. But there is one thing that it highlights really well: the Doctor and Rose’s attitude towards their lifestyle and whether or not it is the right one to have.

The Doctor and Rose are flirty and more touchy-feely than ever in this episode, making bets and having random hugs in the midst of danger. They’re having fun. And the Queen is not amused. She thanks the time travellers for their help and then gives them a scolding, telling them that they have strayed far from all that is good.

So the question is, do the Doctor and Rose enjoy their lifestyle a little too much? The answer is both yes and no. The pair have always enjoyed the trouble but that has come about more from necessity than choice. They love adventure and travel throughout time and space searching for it. It just so happens that adventure and trouble always seem to come hand n hand when it comes to the Doctor and they have had no choice but to adapt. It’s either enjoy it or sit in the one place for the rest of their lives and be bored. So, considering their lifestyle, the Doctor and Rose enjoying the danger is understandable but that does not mean they can’t go too far. There is a fine line between enjoying the life you have and being blinded by it, and in this episode, the Doctor and Rose cross that line. They are by no means unsympathetic or indifferent towards the people who have just had their world ripped apart, but they do not show the proper respect that the crisis deserves. Rose is still trying to win that 10 quid even though people have died and the Doctor is not even trying to hide how much he is enjoying the deadly action.

So the Queen banishes them with some food for thought (which the Doctor and Rose, while still feeling ashamed, ignore), but that’s not all she does. The events of the night have opened her eyes to the dangers that other worlds present and she vows to set up an organisation to prepare for times such as these and to protect the Earth from these alien threats. The number one threat being the Doctor himself. Queen Victoria says she will set up this institute in honour of all those who died that night and decides to name it after Sir Robert’s estate: Torchwood. And thus we carry on with the theme that series one set up, the Doctor’s lifestyle has consequences. Whether it be that a mother is missing her daughter for a full year; a man being wrongly labelled as a murderer; or a full blown government institute being built, the ramifications of the Doctor’s presence remain long after he has flown away in his blue box. And they are not always good.

Overall Rating: 7/10. Basically, what we have in Tooth and Claw is a deeper look at the Doctor’s lifestyle and attitude and the ramifications of his actions... all disguised as a fun light-hearted episode. It doesn’t sound like it should work but, for the most part anyway, it does.

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Doctor Who 2x01: New Earth

Writer: Russell T Davies Director: James Hawes Main Cast: David Tennant, Billie Piper, Zoe Wannamaker, Sean Gallagher, Dona Croll, Anna Hope

Synopsis: The Doctor receives a message on the psychic paper asking him to come to a hospital on New Earth. Cat nuns, impossible cures, and a bitchy trampoline await them.

Monster of the Week: Cassandra is back but this time she is not the only cause of trouble. The cat nuns of the Sisters of Plentitude have a just cause but a horrid solution. In order to cure the patients in their hospital, hey have bred a race of humans with the sole purpose of infecting them with every disease known in the universe.

Quote of the Episode: “If you’re so desperate to stay alive, why don’t you live a little?”

Standout Moment: Cassandra taking over the Doctor’s body is so hilarious that even though they probably did multiple takes of the scene, the best one still had Billie Piper barely controlling her laughter.

Cringeworthy Moment: Cassandra checking herself out as Rose is pretty uncomfortable to watch but hearing her try and imitate 21st century English slang is just embarrassing.

Main Review: There is only one word I can think of to describe this story, and that word is “fun”. From the beautiful scenery, to the hilarious comedy, New Earth is just a light-hearted episode from start to finish. Okay, so there maybe a few hundred disease ridden “lab rats” roaming around the hospital unintentionally killing everyone they touch, but you gotta have some drama I suppose.

There are three things things that this episode does best. Number one is that it succeeds where The Christmas Invasion failed, it makes us love this new Doctor. He’s eccentric and sometimes just plain manic, but he is absolutely adorable and has a sort of charm that makes his non-stop talking loveable. Yet he has something that the previous Doctor was only just relearning before he regenerated, he has mercy. Cassandra has just caused a load of trouble, causing the deaths of many and not to mention the fact that she was slowly killing Rose with her possession, but during their ordeal the Doctor sees the side of her she keeps hidden. He sees her fear and her loneliness. And because of this, he doesn’t let out his anger at her when Rose is finally free of her, he offers to save her life. And the when she declines, he gives her one last moment of peace before she dies.

There’s no doubt of the reason behind the Doctor’s character growth; it’s Rose. Rose herself is not largely present in this episode, spending most of it possessed by Cassandra, but in those few moments where she is truly herself, she shows just how compassionate and brave she can be. She tells Cassandra to possess her again so that they can escape the lift without hesitation even though she knows that Cassandra may not let her go again and when Cassandra is ready to die, Rose rests a comforting hand on her shoulder and wishes her luck. 

Rose also shows her ability to adjust rather quickly (although I still think it was a bit too quickly) by having completely accepted this new Doctor. And that brings us to the second thing this episode does really well; it shows us just how much in love these two are. There’s the cute little scene where the Doctor and Rose are laying on the grass talking abut their “first date”. There’s the Doctor not-so-subtily checking Rose out and the affirmation that Rose has been doing the same to him. There’s the anger that the Doctor displays when he learns what has happened to Rose and his calm determination to get her back (“Give her back to me”). And then there’s the moment when he does get Rose back and he can’t keep his hands off her. There’s even a kiss. (Okay, so it isn’t technically Rose who is kissing the Doctor but the vidders are going to use it anyway.) And let’s not get into the line “further than we’ve ever gone before” and how many ways that can be taken. The whole episode is just full of cute, flirty moments.

And the last great thing about this episode is the comedy. The Doctor being possessed by Cassandra is one the funniest scenes in the new series of the show and David Tennant deserves an award for his performance. There is also the disinfectant scene that is a big moment for comedy but it is the subtle little jokes that I love more. From the almost swearing (”So you’re talking out you’re-” “Ask not”), to Cassandra’s displeasure at Rose’s class status, there are so many tiny bits of comedy that may not be laugh out loud funny but still make the episode.

I suppose I should mention something about the plot. It’s not that great to be honest. It isn’t bad per say, just nat that interesting. Cats breed humans as lab rats and infect them with every disease imaginable; human lab rats escape and start infecting everybody in the hospital; the Doctor cures them and saves the day. 

The Face of Boe is only there to provide a reason for the Doctor and Rose to be at the hospital and to tell us that he may be important later on. He somehow makes a full recovery from dying of old age and then promptly disappears, leaving us with more questions than answers. Questions like why does he count the Doctor as an old friend when they have only met the once and even that was only briefly? The answer to this question won’t be answered until a throw-away line at the end of series three.

The scenery and the music is lovely as always, as is the acting. I absolutely love Zoe Wanamaker. Even as a flap of skin, she owns the role. But the star of this episode is definitely David Tennant. We finally get to see what his Doctor is truly going to be like, and he’s going to be fun.

Overall Rating: 8/10. The plot is so-so but that doesn’t matter because it is just so damn entertaining to watch. But it is a shame that the first episode of the new series to be set on a different planet is set on one that is called New Earth and is pretty much identical to a futuristic version of the original.

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Doctor Who 2005 Christmas Special: The Christmas Invasion

Writer: Russell T Davies Director: James Hawes Main Cast: David Tennant, Billie Piper, Noel Clarke, Camille Coduri, Penelope Wilton, Daniel Evans, Adam Garcia, Sean Gilder

Synopsis: A newly regenerated and unstable Doctor takes Rose home to the Powell Estate just in time for Christmas. But while the Doctor sleeps off his post-regeneration sickness, the Earth is looking to the skies where a great big alien spaceship hangs over London.

Monster of the Week: The Sycorax. A race of warlike creatures who intend to enslave the planet.

Quote of the Episode: “Look at these people. These human beings. Consider their potential. From the day they arrive on the planet and blinking step into the sun, there is more to see than can ever be seen. More to do than... No, hold on. Sorry, that's The Lion King.”

Standout Moment: The moment when the Sycorax ship is destroyed is brilliantly played by all actors involved. Penelope Winton perfectly displays her regret of making this decision yet her firm belief that it is the right thing to do. And David Tennant gives it his all and portrays the simmering anger of the Oncoming Storm. You truly believe the Doctor when he says he can bring Harriet Jones down with six words. And he does.

Cringeworthy Moment: “Did you miss me?” I know It’s suppose to be a big moment. Hurrah! The Doctor is awake and is here to save the day! But the way that it is done just makes it so painful to watch. The slow build up to an obvious conclusion. The way the camera zooms into the TARDIS and everyone turns their heads towards it. The way the Doctor just opens the doors like he was waiting for the most dramatic moment to make his appearance. Thankfully, the rest of this scene is gold and means we don’t have to focus on the cheesy grand entrance.

Main Review: The Ninth Doctor is gone and now we have an all new Doctor to get to know and fall in love with. It’s time to see what kind of man he is. But not straight away, he’s a bit tired right now. 

Okay, so I realise that it was more than just “a bit tired”, it was just a bit underwhelming to watch him sleep for half the episode.

So, while the Doctor sleeps, it’s up to Rose to deal with the fallout of his regeneration. And if that wasn’t hard enough, aliens choose that exact moment to invade Earth. It’s a lot to deal with and, understandably, Rose has a bit of trouble.

Rose is obviously upset about the Doctor changing. She never had a proper warning that this could happen and now suddenly there is a strange man where her Doctor should be. But she can’t grieve properly. People are standing on roofs and there’s a great big threatening spaceship in the sky. So she runs... which is the only problem I have with Rose’s character during this story. It’s not that she takes the Doctor and hides, it’s that suddenly she’s back to who she was in her first episode. Actually, she is back to before that. She doesn’t even seem to want to know what the aliens want. She’s quite content to just sit in the TARDIS being moody. Suddenly she thinks she’s useless, something that she has never thought herself to be, even without the Doctor there to help her.

Thankfully, she snaps out of it and steps up, declaring that somebody has to be the Doctor. Okay, her attempt to make the Sycorax leave is a feeble one an unsurprisingly fails, but it was a noble one. She’s seen what these creatures can and will do but she stands up anyway and instead of bluffing her way through threats of hidden weaponry (which, unbeknownst to her, are actually there), she tells them to leave in peace. Though, maybe mentioning the Daleks was a bad idea but hey, at least she pronounced Raxacoricofallapatorius right.

Then the Doctor is back and saves the day with a sword fight. But he’s still the Doctor, and he doesn’t fight to kill. He offers the Sycorax leader a chance to leave and only when the leader goes back on his word does he kill. And we learn the sort of man this new Doctor is: a man who doesn’t give second chances.

But there’s more to him than that. He’s definitely a lot different form the Doctor we have gotten to know over the past season and it’s a bit off-putting to be honest. This new Doctor is full of manic energy and can talk at a hundred miles a minute. But it’s still all so new and it is a bit of a shock. Instead of instantly loving this Doctor, we are left with a bit uncertainty. He’s likeable, sure. He’s funny, brave, and definitely sexy. But there is that underlining worry that it might be too much and his constant jabbering could turn out to be more annoying than endearing (it does turn out to be endearing but just not right now).

The inclusion of Harriet Jones was a great idea to bring in a bit of familiarity. She’s now Prime Minister as the Doctor said she would become and wears the role with a sense of pride and responsibility. Which is why it is so hard for her to let the Doctor down. She orders the destruction of the retreating Sycorax ship with a heavy heart and the knowledge that it was murder but that’s not enough for the Doctor. His anger at her actions and betrayal clouds his judgement and he changes what he knows to be history. He destroys her career which was suppose to last for years. And that decision will have disastrous consequences.

And we also have the first proper introduction to the story arc for series two. Torchwood. At the moment, all we know that it is a secret organisation (unless you live in Cardiff) and it’s purpose is to protect the Earth by any means necessary. And by having Torchwood commit murder on their very first appearance, you know that they aren’t the most moral of organisations and, more than likely, the Doctor and they aren't exactly gong to get along.

Mickey continues to be pretty constant in his characterisation. He still loves Rose but he can see it clearly that Rose no longer loves him the same way. And he is slowly coming to terms with that. But he’s still there for her. And that is why Mickey Smith is amazing.

Jackie however has had a bit of an attitude change since The Parting of the Ways. The Doctor sending Rose back must have altered her perception of him a bit and she is a lot more welcoming of him. She even calls him “sweetheart” (though not while he is awake to hear it). I’m not complaining about this development but i just wish they could have gone into it a bit more. 

After The Parting of the Ways, Jackie’s change of heart doesn’t seem that unbelievable, but the Doctor’s change of attitude towards her just feels plain odd. I understand that he is a new man with a new personality... but inviting her for a hug as soon as he sees her is a bit much. Though, he did snap at her earlier so maybe his attitude hasn’t changed that much.

Anyway, it all ends with Christmas dinner (very domestic, Doctor) and a nervous need for reassurance in the snow. Up until this moment, Rose’s sudden acceptance of the Doctor didn’t seem right at all. She spent half the episode acting as if he had died and left her (which is understandable considering the circumstances) but s soon as he is awake, she’s all smiles and faith. But this scene shows that she’s still not sure if he really is the same. He is still the Doctor and he still saves people... but does he still want her? 

The Doctor, in turn, has his own insecurities. He knows the change is a lot for Rose and she’s handled it brilliantly. But does she still want him?

The answer, of course, is yes on both accounts. They are the Doctor and Rose Tyler, and no matter what face he wears, she is not giving up on him. It’s the obvious and expected conclusion but it would have been nice to see a bit more of the adjustment. The Doctor throwing something like regeneration at her without any real warning shook Rose up and that sort of thing isn’t something that just heals overnight. Or is her faith in the Doctor just that unwavering?

Overall Rating: 7/10. An interesting enough episode with some nice scenes and a good set up for the future, but it just didn’t quite sell the Tenth Doctor to me just yet.

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Doctor Who 1x12 - 1x13: Bad Wolf / The Parting of the Ways

Writer: Russell T Davies Director: Joe Ahearne Main Cast: Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, John Barrowman, Noel Clarke, Camille Coduri, Jo Joyner, Jo Stone-Fewings, Nisha Nayar, Nicholas Briggs

Synopsis: The TARDIS team each wake up to find themselves as contestants in three separate game shows. But these games are deadly. But who brought them here? And who is hiding behind the scenes?

Monster of the Week: Daleks. Lots and lots of Daleks.

Quote of the Episode: “Rose, before I go, I just want to tell you you were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And do you know what? So was I.”

Standout Moment: The Coward or Killer scene is by far the most powerful. The Doctor has finished the Delta Wave just in time and Daleks are coming at him from all sides. He has his hands on the plunger that will end them all into oblivion... but he doesn’t do it. He can’t press that button again. He is no longer a killer.

Cringeworthy Moment: “I think you need a Doctor.” My God, that was cheesy and ruined what was otherwise a brilliant scene

Main Review: The first season of the new series of Doctor Who draws to a close and we say goodbye to the Ninth Doctor, so straight away you know this episode is going to be spectacular. And it is. Not in the complicated flashy way of later seasons but just by being an epic storyline with so many touching moments. 

The whole series had led up to this moment and these two episodes tie it all together. but not in a way that means you have to have been there from the start to enjoy it. I myself had only started watching from The Empty Child (I was reluctant to give the new series a chance after being such a big fan of the old one, something that still remains one of my biggest undersights) and I still absolutely loved this episode. I was quite happy to watch it multiple times while waiting for the next one that was not due til Christmas. It wraps of the arc of the season while still being a captivating story on its own and that is why, eleven years on, it is still my favourite season finale of the show.

But it’s not just the words Bad Wolf that have served as a lead up to this moment. During my review for The Long Game I mentioned foreshadowing and these two episodes are where it comes into play. The Doctor even mentions the title. “Some one has been playing avery long game.” Not only is the finale set in the same place, the situation is a direct result of the Doctor’s interference in The Long Game and we can’t help but think that if he had stuck around afterwards, maybe he would have been able to prevent it. 

But enough about foreshadowing (although there is a seemingly unimportant line in Bad Wolf that actually starts the arc for the next series), lets talk about all the amazing scenes that this episode has to offer. It has so many that I had an extremely difficult time deciding on a standout moment. It had many contenders and I would like to go through all of them (yes it is going to be a long review).

Contender number one: Jack’s time on What Not to Wear. He’s funny and flirty and just pure Jack, but he’s not an idiot. He has a - shall we say - strategically placed weapon and is ready to use it when the game turns deadly. And the cameos of Trinny and Susannah were a nice addition.

All the cameos helped add to the realism of the situation, but none more so than Anne Robinson as the Anne-droid when Rose gets trapped on the futuristic version of The Weakest Link. It was absolutely the right decision to put Rose in this situation and not the Doctor or Jack. Being a high school dropout, she would probably have a bit of trouble with the show in her own time let alone over 100,000 years into her future, and as such, the stakes are higher and the tension is real. Rose is not one to shy away from a challenge though and she is going to fight for her survival. She not only makes it to the last round, she also works out that her being there is no accident.

The Doctor is placed in an episode of Big Brother and does get some funny lines and a sweet moment with Lynda but it’s not until he gets to floor 500 that we really get to see him shine. His anger at Rose’s apparent death is fierce and yet still not willing to shoot anyone in revenge. He has come a long way from that moment in Henry Van Statten’s museum where he was ready to commit genocide (more on that later).

And that bring us to contender number two. The real villains of the story have been revealed and the Daleks are back. But this time it is not just one, it’s a whole fleet. There thousand of them... and they have Rose. The Daleks order the Doctor to surrender or they will shoot his friend. But in this stunning scene, the Doctor turns the hostage situation on its head with one word: no. One awesome speech later, he and Jack are sending the TARDIS soaring towards the Dalek ship and are saving Rose. Christopher Eccleston delivers this speech perfectly and you gotta hand it to Billie, she absolutely captures Rose’s pride for the Doctor. The only thing that ruins this scene is the shot of everyone in the room turning their heads to the Doctor at once. I know it’s expected that this would happen but it really does look like they have done it on a stage assistant’s cue rather than because of the Doctor’s words.

So, anyway, back to the plot. They have saved Rose, met the Emperor of the Daleks, and discovered his long game. Now back on Game Station with a fleet of Daleks on their way, it’s up to the Doctor to save the day. But he doesn’t have much time. He has only one option: a Delta Wave that will destroy the Daleks once and for all. The only problem is there is no chance of refining it - it will kill everything in its path, including the people of Earth. Jack knows this and in a touching goodbye scene, we see the true depth of his character. No longer is he a con artist/walking innuendo, now he is a selfless hero... /walking innuendo.

But Rose doesn’t realise the full implications of the Delta Wave, her faith in the Doctor is too great, which brings us to contender number three. In a brilliant scene we see her bravery and faith shine through. The Doctor suggests that they could take the TARDIS and leave the Earth to it’s fate but Rose knows that the Doctor would never do such a thing and she never even considered asking. She could never do such a thing either. She’s just too good.

Which is why the Doctor has to trick her. He sends her and the TARDIS back to the Powell Estate and back to Jackie. His goodbye is given in the form of a hologram message he prepared for just an occasion such as this. He promised to keep Rose safe and he made sure he could keep that promise. 

Although his goodbye speech to Rose is emotional on its own, it was the way he spoke of the TARDIS that brought me to tears. The thought of the iconic blue box being left to die was just too much to bear.

But Rose does what she will always do, she finds a way back to the Doctor. She saves him. Her speech about the Doctor showing her a better way of life is a brilliant one. Because it’s not about the space ships and the time travel, it’s about doing the right thing even when it seems hopeless. And that’s exactly what Doctor Who is all about.

Contender number four for the title of “Standout Moment” is a grim one. While Rose is discovering the Bad Wolf message and working to get back to the action, it’s war on Satellite 5. The Daleks are not only killing the people on the game station, they are devastating the planet below. So many people die but the most chilling death scene easily goes to Lynda. She has the safest job of the lot of them, monitoring the Daleks’ movements while hidden in a locked room with steel doors. But the Daleks find her and begin to cut through. 

While she is worryingly watching the door, she realises that there is another way in: the window. She slowly turns and sees three Daleks outside floating up to her level and she knows it’s over. What makes this scene so well done is the way we experience it the way Lynda would. Her death scene is entirely made up of shots from within the room she is trapped in. We see the Daleks through the glass as she would and we only hear the sounds that she would be able to hear. Which is why we don’t hear the Dalek speak, we just see the lights on its top flash. And even though we can’t hear it, we know exactly what it is being said. Ex-ter-min-ate. We don’t even see the glass shatter, we only hear it as the Dalek’s laser shoots through it and Lynda screams. The end result makes a chilling scene.

Contender number five is obvious. Back on Earth Rose, with the help of Mickey and Jackie, opens the Heart of the TARDIS and becomes the Bad Wolf, virtually making herself a God. She destroys the Daleks and brings Jack back to life. But the power is too great. She can see all of time and space and it’s killing her. The Doctor knows what he must do, and he is all too willing to do it. He will die but he has more than one life and it is a small price to pay to save Rose’s. Sealing the deal with a kiss (and the crowd cheers), he takes the power from Rose and gives it back to the TARDIS. All of this happens with Murray Gold’s haunting piece of music playing in the background. Seriously, The Doctor’s Theme is absolutely brilliant and has not been matched since.

There was one more contender for my favourite scene but I will talk about that one later. Right now, I want to talk about the the scene that won. It’s not the scene where Rose shows up and saves the day, it’s the scene before it. The scene where the Doctor loses. 

All throughout the episode, the Emperor has been baiting the Doctor, comparing him to the destroyer of worlds (“If I am God, the creator of all things, then what does that make you, Doctor?”). But the Doctor carries on, determined to wipe out the last Daleks in existence. He finishes the Delta Wave and is ready to push that button that will destroy Daleks and humans alike, paralleling what he had to do to end the Time War. But he can’t do it again. The Emperor continues to bait him, almost daring him to do it, to be a Dalek, an exterminator. He asks the question, what are you? Coward or Killer? and you can see the struggle raging on in the Doctor’s mind. Credit where credit’s due, Christopher Eccleston owned this scene. Ultimately, the Doctor steps away from the button and utters, in my opinion, what is the most insightful line into the Ninth Doctor’s character. “Coward, any day”.

The Ninth Doctor has had such amazing character development over his one and only season and it is done so well that you don’t even notice how much his character has changed until the end. And then you realise that the Doctor we saw in Rose, and even the one was saw in Dalek, would have pushed that button, but the man he has become since then would never. He is no longer just a guilt-ridden soldier, haunted by his past, he is the Doctor, in every way possible.

And the overall reason for his healing of past wounds is Rose. She keeps him centered and is there to catch him when falls. Her compassion and bravery make it easy to believe that this is the sort of girl that the Doctor would fall in love with. Because despite the Doctor’s flirting with Lynda, this episode shows without a doubt that the Doctor and Rose are madly in love.

The supporting cast all have their moments too. Mickey helps Rose even though it’s breaking his heart. Although his continued pining for Rose sort of diminishes their scenes in the previous story where it looked like the end of their relationship, it does show that he still cares about her as a friend more than anything.

Jackie also finally gets chance to be brilliant. She understandably doesn’t want to see her only daughter go back to her death and emotions run high, leading to an argument. But Rose gets through to her. To convince Jackie of how good the Doctor is, she doesn’t use an example of him saving a planet or civilisation, she tells the story of how he saved one man. Not by saving his life, but by giving him comfort in death. That man: Peter Tyler, Jackie’s husband.

Jackie initially runs out in anger and hurt at the mention of her lost love but after calming down, she knows that Rose is right. She calls in a favour (she tells us not to ask and we agree that we probably don’t want to know) and helps Rose get back to the Doctor.

Okay, now we can talk about the regeneration scene. Having abandoned Jack (leaving us with questions that unfortunately don’t get answered for almost two years), the Doctor and Rose leave Satellite 5. Rose wakes up with no memory of taking in the vortex or how she saved the Doctor or how he saved her. So she is a little taken aback when she discovers that the Doctor is dying. 

The Doctor does his best to explain what is going to happen but he doesn’t have much time to say goodbye. In true Ninth Doctor fashion, he leaves us with a joke and by telling Rose just how fantastic she was. The last thing the Ninth Doctor ever sees is Rose smiling at him and I think that’s exactly how he would want to go.

Overall Rating: 10/10. The Ninth Doctor is easily my favourite of the new series of Doctor Who. He was fantastic. Not only did he bring back the show and ensure it’s success, he made every one of his episodes enjoyable. Christopher Eccleston nailed it. So it was devastating to see him leave so soon. But, in saying that, I am glad that he got the send off he deserved. When you see me make a review as long as this one, you know that either; the episode really pissed me off, or I loved it to death. This story, thankfully, is the latter.

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I know it’s been ages since I abandoned this page but lately I have been reading a new book (Who’s 50 - it’s brilliant and I highly recommend it) and I wanted another crack at doing some reviews so I am going to pick up where  left off. The only problem is that whereas before I was watching the episode and then writing the review, now they are going to be done mostly from memory. But don’t worry, when it comes to Doctor Who, I have an excellent memory.

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Doctor Who 1x11: Boom Town

Writer: Russell T Davies Director: Joe Ahearne Main Cast: Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, John Barrowman, Noel Clarke, Annette Badland

Synopsis: The TARDIS lands in Cardiff to refuel and the Doctor discovers a surviving member of the Slitheen family who is intending to destroy the city.

Main Review: Out of all the villains to return, the Slitheen would not be high on my list. Thankfully they have redeemed them slightly by reducing the number of fart jokes, instead creating comedy with facial expressions and witty remarks. They also made a wise decision in the one they chose to bring back. Margaret is easily the most interesting of the Slitheen.

In this episode, the TARDIS arrives in Cardiff to refuel from the rift. A nice little nod to The Unquiet Dead but it is never really explained why the TARDIS needs to refuel when it never had before. Perhaps it is a consequence of Gallifrey being destroyed in the Time War.

They meet up with Mickey and the group head out for lunch but quickly discover that one of the Slitheen family has integrated herself as Cardiff’s mayor. It is surprisingly easy for them to capture Margaret and foil her plan. She intended to use the nuclear power station to open the rift which would result in the planet exploding. She would then use her stolen extrapolator to ride out the explosion.

They decide to take her back to her planet to face trial but Margaret tells him that her family was trailed in their absence years ago and found guilty. She would receive the death penalty. Insisting that it is not his problem, the Doctor takes both her and the extrapolator back to the TARDIS. This is something this episode does quite well. It brings up the question of the morality of the death penalty without being too pushy about it. It provokes discussion and thought rather than forcing an opinion on to the audience.

With 12 hours left before the TARDIS can take off again, Rose and Mickey spend some time together while the Doctor take Margaret out for one last meal. Jack stays on the TARDIS to hook up the extrapolator. But Margaret is clever and she has a back up plan. Once the extrapolator is connected to the TARDIS, the rift begins to open, threatening to blow up the planet. Margaret explains that she programmed the extrapolator to lock on to any advanced technology that her would-be captors would have a use it open the rift. By threatening Rose, she makes Jack give her back the extrapolator and she is all ready to continue on with her original plan when one of the TARDIS panels opens and a bright light shines through. The Doctor explains that the TARDIS is alive and that this is its heart. Margaret looks into the light and the vortex power regresses her back to an egg.

We get a much deeper look at Margaret’s life in this episode. We learn her real name, Blon Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen, and of her upbringing. We get to see just enough to give us hope that she will do better with her second chance that the TARDIS gives her.

Another character we get to see develop a bit more is Mickey. In this episode we finally get to see the argument that had been a long time coming. He admits to seeing someone else and we get some relief to find out that it is not just Rose who now considers herself “available”. But Rose is a bit selfish when it comes to Mickey and she becomes jealous and accuses Mickey of kidding himself with this new relationship. It is this that finally causes Mickey to confront Rose about what she has done to him. As soon as Mickey begins his outburst, Rose’s jealousy disappears and the guilt sets in. Despite the guilt, she still runs off to help the Doctor when the rift begins to open. Mickey doesn’t follow, instead he angrily shouts after her to run away back to the Doctor because it’s always going to be the Doctor and never him. After the ordeal, Rose returns to try and find Mickey but he leaves without her seeing him. 

This scene really need to happen. It confirms that Rose’s relationship with Mickey is definitely over and it gives Rose a chance to hopefully better herself. She is obviously guilty about the way she has treated Mickey, stating that he deserves better and that a second chance “would be nice”.

Jack’s relationship with Rose and the Doctor however, has significantly improved. The Doctor’s mistrust of the captain has been replaced by a playful banter and teamwork. It makes me wish we could have seen that progression on screen.

Quote of the Episode: 

Doctor: You let one of them go, but that's nothing new. Every now and then, a little victim's spared because she smiled, because he's got freckles, because they begged. And that's how you live with yourself. That's how you slaughter millions. Because once in a while, on a whim, if the wind's in the right direction, you happen to be kind.  Margaret: Only a killer would know that. Is that right? From what I've seen, your funny little happy go lucky life leaves devastation in its wake. Always moving on because you dare not look back. Playing with so many peoples lives, you might as well be a god. And you're right, Doctor. You're absolutely right. Sometimes you let one go. Let me go.

Standout Moment: I’m being repetitive again and mentioning the scene containing the above quote. One of the things that the revived series has done quite well is creating a darker view of the Doctor and this scene does well to highlight it. Margaret accuses the Doctor of leaving death and destruction in his wake and running away before he has to deal with the consequences. She then throws his words right back at him.

Cringeworthy Moment: We finally get confirmation that the characters have been noticing the words “Bad Wolf” following them. Unfortunately this is done in the least subtle way imaginable. Past Bad Wolf references had been rather small and sometimes barely noticeable but this scene draws full attention to them, shattering the effect. And if that wasn’t enough to make us cringe, the Doctor’s flippant disregard of them a moment later definitely did the trick. The only redeeming part of this moment is the music.

Overall Rating: 7/10. This episode gave us a different look on the Slitheen family and gave Rose’s relationship with Mickey a bit more closure. Not the most interesting of stories but there was plenty of comic relief that was nicely balanced with the darker themes of the episode.

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Doctor Who 1x09 - 1x10: The Empty Child / The Doctor Dances

Writer: Steven Moffat Director: James Hawes Main Cast: Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, John Barrowman, Richard Wilson, Florence Hoath, Albert Valentine, Noah Johnson

Synopsis: The Doctor and Rose follow a dangerous object to London,1941, where they find a time-travelling conman; a hospital full of gas-masked patients; and an empty child looking for his Mummy.

Main Review: Here we have the first genuinely creepy episode of the revived series. We have virtually deserted London streets; the eerie sounds of air raid sirens; a dark hospital with no staff; gas-masked zombies; and a creepy kid who can speak through anything with a speaker grill. The only thing that’s missing is an evil clown.

On top of that, it is also an interesting and intriguing story. The Doctor and Rose are separated virtually as soon as they leave the TARDIS and they each discover the two halves of the story’s mystery. The Doctor finds Nancy, a young woman who is looking out for the homeless kids of London. She finds food and looks after them but she is being stalked by another child. This child wears a gas mask and is always asking for his Mummy. The Doctor, sensing that Nancy knows something about the child and about the object he is chasing, follows her and she tells him to go visit Doctor Constantine. He finds the doctor at a hospital, watching over hundreds of patients who have otherwise been abandoned. These patients all have the exact same injuries right down to the gas mask fused to the face and, in a truly creepy scene, Constantine acquires the same affliction.

Meanwhile, Rose finds herself hanging from a barrage balloon in the middle of a German air raid. Her gymnastic skills pay off and she manages to hold on for a long time but eventually she slips, only to be caught in a tractor beam of a hidden spaceship. Enter Captain Jack Harkness: a handsome and charming time-travelling conman. After some champagne, flirting and dancing, Jack, thinking Rose is a Time Agent, explains that the object she is looking for is a Chula Warship and that he knows where it is and is and willing to negotiate a price. Rose tells him that they should find the Doctor before making any sort of deal and they track him down to the hospital.

Together again, the Doctor and Rose discover Jack’s con and set out to find out what it has to do with the child and the other hospital patients. Before long, the child finds them and the other patients start to chase them. With a little help from Jack and his ship, they escape and go to investigate the warship. Once there, they meet up with Nancy and the Captain tries to open the warship to prove that it is empty but accidentally activates the Emergency Protocols which calls the child to them. 

They are surround by gas masked zombies and a german bomb is going to fall on them any minute, but the Doctor is more interested in Nancy. He figures out that the child, Jamie, isn’t her brother like she had led them to believe, but her son. He implores her to tell Jamie the truth and when she embraces her child, the nanogenes recognise the similar DNA and they fix their mistake and heal the Jamie and all the other patients. 

But there is still the small matter of the bomb. Jack, after transporting himself back to his ship, uses the ship’s tractor beam to catch the bomb seconds before it lands on the group. The bomb has already started its detonation sequence and there is no way to stop it and no way to get it off his ship without it detonating so, alone in deep space, Jack does the only thing he can do... he has a drink. But this is the day that everybody lives and the Doctor materialises the TARDIS onboard the ship and invites Jack to join him and Rose.

When we first meet Captain Jack we think “here we go again - another pretty boy to cause friction between the Doctor and Rose” but it soon becomes apparent that this is not going to be the case. Although Jack is charming and there is plenty of flirting going on, its is obvious that Rose is more interested in the Doctor. Her flirting with Jack is very playful and is mostly brought about by their circumstances of their first meeting but her flirting with the Doctor has a much deeper connection. It’s still playful but there is a sense of unresolved tension between the pair. And let’s not even get into the double meaning of the word “dance”. And if that wasn’t enough to convince you, the look the Doctor throws Jack at the very end of the episode ensures that the Captain is not going to get between him and Rose. It is only there for a couple of seconds but it screams “back off”. 

The Doctor and Jack’s relationship gets off to a rocky start. The Doctor doesn’t trust Jack (which is understandable considering the man did just try and con them) and doesn’t approve of his lifestyle. But he puts his disapproval aside and gives the captain a chance, inviting him on to the TARDIS. 

Rose had a big part in the Doctor’s decision to save Jack. Her compassion once again shines through in this episode. While the Doctor is high on his success in saving everybody, it is Rose who focuses on the one man he didn’t.

So now we have another addition to the TARDIS team and, unlike last time, it is a welcome one. Captain Jack is already an interesting character and will definitely bring a lot to the show. Mainly flirting and innuendos but it will certainly be entertaining to watch.

Quote of the Episode: “Everybody lives, Rose. Just this once, everybody lives!”

Standout Moment: Rose telling Nancy about the future is brilliantly done. Nancy has an open mind and quite easily believes that the “bomb” is actually an ambulance from another planet and that Rose and the Doctor travel in a time machine... but she doesn’t believe that there is a future to travel from. Even when she does accept that this is not the end of the world, she still believes that the Germans will win. It really shows how war can cause the most optimistic people to lose all hope. On top of this, it is another example of Rose’s compassion. Not being able to bare the the look of hopelessness in Nancy’s eyes, Rose tells her about the future. She gives Nancy something to hope for.

Cringeworthy Moment: The sudden and convenient appearance of the barrage balloon.. Not only does it’s rope seem to appear out of nowhere, it stays just long enough for Rose to (stupidly) grab hold of it before dragging her away into the night.

Overall Rating: 10/10. Despite a couple of instances of terribly convenient timing, I still award this episode a perfect score. It had  a good mixture of science fiction, drama, comedy, and romance. And, to top it all off, it was an interesting story with plenty of creepy moments to scare the audience.

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Doctor Who 1x08: Father’s Day

Writer: Paul Cornell Director: Joe Ahearne Main Cast: Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, Camille Coduri, Shaun Dingwall, Christopher Llewellyn, Natalie Jones

Synopsis: Rose asks the Doctor to take her back to be with her father when he dies but she saves him instead, creating a wound in time.

Main Review: This is a very emotional episode for Rose. At first, she just wants to see her Dad before he dies but it isn’t enough. Remembering her mother’s words about wishing her husband hadn’t died alone, Rose asks the Doctor if she can be that person. He does so but warns her to be careful.

The first time she watches her father die, she can’t bring herself to go to him and runs off. She asks the Doctor if she can try again and he agrees but says that this is the last time. But the temptation to save her father is too much for Rose and she runs out and pulls him out of the way of the car that should have killed him.

Rose changing history, especially so soon after the ordeal with Adam, causes an argument between her and the Doctor. He feels betrayed, thinking that the only reason she came with him was to change her past. She in turn accuses him of being jealous because he’s not the most important man in her life anymore and things quickly escalate to him taking back her TARDIS key and threatening to leave her there. He doesn’t of course, and she knows he won’t.

But it turns out that they’re argument is the least of their problems when creatures (never named on screen but off screen are referred to as Reapers) start to appear to sterilise the wound in time that Rose caused. Their idea of sterilisation seems to be to consume everything they can. The Doctor and Rose take cover in a church with Pete, Jackie, and a small number of other people attending Stuart and Sarah’s wedding, including the bride and groom.

The Doctor’s reaction to Stuart and Sarah���s story is quite touching. He seems genuinely impressed by their meeting and promises to try and save them. This little scene highlights one of Doctor Who’s main themes: everybody is important.

Meanwhile, Rose gets to know her father a bit better. Pete shows his intelligence by quickly figuring out who she is. He starts asking questions about the future and Rose isn’t quite sure how to answer them. In the end she makes up stories of what she had always imagined her father would have been like but Pete sees through her saying that that is not him.

Eventually the Doctor and Rose hug and make up as we knew they would and they get back to the business of trying to stop the Reapers. The Doctor finds a way to get the TARDIS back so he can get rid of the creatures while still keeping Pete alive. This moment of triumph is short lived however when an argument between Pete and Jackie leads to Rose holding her younger self, creating a paradox that lets a Reaper in. The Doctor gather’s everyone behind him and the creature consumes him and destroys their chances of getting the TARDIS back.

Rose was already feeling guilty about all the death she has caused but now it’s too much. The Doctor is dead and the Reapers will destroy the world and it is all her fault. She loses hope. Pete, however, knows what needs to be done, once again showing his deductive skills. The car that should have killed him is still circling the building, waiting for him. In an emotional scene, Pete accepts his fate and does the one thing he can for his family. He sacrifices himself to save them.

Pete’s sacrifice undoes the damage which had been done by the Reapers and the Doctor appears at Rose’s side, telling her to go to her father. She does and she gets to do the thing she had set out to do at the start. She stays with Pete and holds her father’s hand as he dies.

Quote of the Episode: “Rose, there’s a man alive in the world who wasn’t alive before. An ordinary man. That’s the most important thing in creation. The whole world’s different because he’s alive.”

Standout Moment: Pete’s sacrifice was such a well done scene. He may not have been a perfect man but he was a good one who cared about his family. His declaration that he never got to be there for Rose but he could at least do this for her was brave and heartfelt. He gets to be the father he could never have been. He comforts her by remarking on how lucky he is to have gotten all this extra time and to see his beautiful daughter all grown up. The brilliant performances by all actors involved coupled with Murray Gold brilliant score creates a highly emotional scene.

Cringeworthy Moment: The Reapers’ behaviour when they appear in front of the church is strange. They stop right in front of a number of people only to abruptly turn and attack someone else instead.

Overall Rating: 10/10. The emotion of this episode was done so beautifully and when you combine that with the excellent performances by the cast, the brilliant score, and an interesting plot, you get a perfect episode.

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Doctor Who 1x07: The Long Game

Writer: Russell T Davies Director: Brian Grant Main Cast: Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, Bruno Langley, Simon Pegg, Christine Adams, Anna Maxwell-Martin

Synopsis: The Doctor, Rose and Adam land on a news satellite in the year 200,000 and soon discover that human progress has been set back almost 100 years.

Main Review: This whole episode is designed to make us think about the power the news and the media has over us and it succeeds for the most part. In this story, the news has bred a generation of mindless sheep who do what is expected from them and don’t ask questions. This is quite a big topic and could have been really interesting to explore how it came about and how to fix it. Unfortunately the answer to these questions were a bit underwhelming. The way it came about was because of a great big blobby thing (helped by the banks) and the way they fixed it was by blowing up said blobby thing. There is a bit more to it but, at this point, this is what we are left with.

One good thing about this episode is that Adam actually has a purpose other than to create a bit of jealousy between the Doctor and Rose. He still does create a bit of jealousy but it short lived as soon as Rose discovers that Adam is not as similar to the Doctor as she first thought. But putting that aside, Adam finally gets a chance to be his own character and gain some development... and he’s an idiot. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that he was a bad person and I don’t think he deserved to live the rest of his life with a hole in his head but he definitely wasn’t companion material.

He wanted to use his foreknowledge to change the world, no doubtably making himself rich in the progress, but he didn’t want to rule the world or enslave the human race. He didn’t want to hurt anybody but he was too selfish and too stupid to see the effect it might have had. Regardless of whether he got what he deserved or not, he was still not a very likeable character and I am glad to be rid of him.

Adam’s failure as a companion ultimately puts the Doctor and Rose in danger but luckily for them they manage to convince Cathica (a Satellite 5 employee who is desperate for a promotion) to start to question what is going on around her. Cathica uses her new-found knowledge to save the Doctor and Rose and to bring down the Jagrafess. 

The Doctor seems to have become more protective over Rose since the Dalek incident. He tells her to go back downstairs once he senses the danger but Rose is having none of it. She is not one to stand back and let someone else put themselves in danger, not if she can help. So she does what she always does, she stands with the Doctor and they face the enemy together.

The Editor may not be the big bad of the episode but he is much more interesting. Delightfully played by Simon Pegg, the Editor oversees the workings of Satellite 5 and removes any liars. He seems to thoroughly enjoy his job and makes numerous quips and jokes. His overconfidence soon disappears though when the Jagrafess is being destroyed. He tries to runaway but is stopped by one of the puppets he helped create. he does however get to go out with a joke, bringing in a bit of that brilliant Simon Pegg comedy.

After the Jagrafess is destroyed, the Doctor leaves Cathica to explain the situation to the authorities stating that everything should go back to normal. A bit careless on his part but it’s how he works. He doesn’t stay behind to help clean up the mess. Something which will be looked upon later.

Quote of the Episode: “I only take the best. I’ve got Rose”

Standout Moment: I’m going to do something a bit different this time and instead of mentioning a scene, I’m going to mention the title. “The Long Game” may seem like a bit of an ordinary title now but it is a brilliant piece of foreshadowing. In fact this whole episode is a set-up in disguise and I love it. My favourite type of foreshadowing is the type that you don’t even realise until the big event. 

Cringeworthy Moment: If the big blobby thing wasn’t bad enough, we also get the holes in peoples heads that give us a terrible view of their brains.

Overall Rating: 6/10. Probably the weakest of the season but I still wouldn’t classify it as a bad episode. It gave us a few pondering points and gave a character some much needed depth. It had a great cast and Simon Pegg brought in some great comical moments.

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Doctor Who 1x06: Dalek

Writer: Robert Shearman Director: Joe Ahearne Main Cast: Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, Nicholas Briggs, Bruno Langley, Corey Johnson, Anna-Louise Plowman

Synopsis: Deep within an underground bunker in Utah, alien artefact collector Henry Van Statten keeps the prize of his collection: the last Dalek in existence.

Main Review: This episode is quite dark and has a very high death count, but that’s exactly what you’d expect from an episode named Dalek.

I do think that this was a good way to bring back Doctor Who’s most famous enemy. Not with a big spectacle but with one solitary Dalek wreaking havoc. It shows the new audience just how dangerous these creatures are and gives us some great parallels between this new Doctor and the Daleks.

In a fantastic scene, we learn the truth about the Time War. We learn that it was indeed the Daleks that the Time Lords were fighting, as many of us would have suspected, and that it was the Doctor who ended it. Now we understand that the guilt the Doctor feels is so much more than just survivor’s guilt. He committed genocide, something which goes against everything he stands for, but he saved the universe. Now he is faced with the prospect of it all being for nothing and it’s too much. He reverts back into the soldier he presumably was in the Time War, doing whatever he can to destroy the enemy.

The Dalek’s response to the Doctor ordering it to destroy itself to make the Dalek race extinct is brilliant. “You would make a good Dalek.” You can see on the Doctor’s face that he knows the Dalek is not wrong and it terrifies him. It is a great parallel to the famous scene in the Fourth Doctor serial, Genesis of the Daleks. “But if I kill, wipe out a whole intelligent life form, then I become like them. I’d be no better than the Daleks.”

By the end of the episode, the Doctor is at the end of his rope, pointing a gun at the Dalek. He doesn’t do it though and what stops him is Rose.

Once again, Rose’s compassions shines through in this episode. As soon as she sees the creature being tortured, she heads straight down to the cage to comfort it and help. Once she finds out what it is and what it does, the fear sets in but once it starts changing, her compassion returns. She encourages the change and begs it not to kill, to find something else that it wants. The Dalek wants freedom and she is genuinely happy to show it the sunlight once more and honestly thinks the Dalek will be able to change. Then the Doctor comes in with his gun, telling her to move of of the way, and she is shocked to see him like this. She doesn’t move, telling him that she won’t let him become this.

Rose’s feeling towards the Doctor seem a little mixed during this episode. She obviously cares about him, making sure he knows that she is there for him and that even if it kills her, she wouldn’t miss it for the world, but then there’s the thing with Adam. She’s fairly flirty with the newcomer and even convinces the Doctor to bring him onboard.

The Doctor’s feeling towards Rose, however, are quite clear even if he won’t admit them to himself. The Dalek’s line about saving the woman he loves may be a bit premature but it’s not wrong. The Doctor is upset and angry at Rose’s supposed death and in the whole of five minutes that he believes she is dead, he is already blaming himself. Despite his words to Van Statten about dragging Rose down with him, the Doctor is  actually talking to himself. She was only nineteen and he dragged her into this life which killed her. So when he discovers that she is alive, he can’t kill her again, he let’s the Dalek out.

It was quite strange seeing a Dalek become more human, it’s not exactly what you would expect but it worked well. You can see the fight within itself to stay pure but in the end it accepts that it is no longer a true Dalek and destroys itself. And that’s exactly the level of racial cleansing that you would expect from a Dalek. It would rather die than become something else.

The other villain of the story is Henry Van Statten: a rich businessmen who collects alien artefacts and scavenges whatever technology he can to make a profit. He is exactly what a villain should be. Arrogant, greedy, uncaring of human life and above all, a coward. He is willing to let all his men die to prevent the Dalek being scratched but as soon as it becomes evident that this thing is going to kill him, he switches sides and helps the Doctor lock it in the vault.

Adam is a bit of a strange addition to the story. He doesn’t seem to serve much purpose other than to supply the Doctor with his weapon and to create a bit of jealousy between the Doctor and Rose. Nevertheless, he ends up joining the them in the TARDIS at Rose’s request.

A few other things of note include the Doctor seeing the head of a Cyberman (a nice little reference to the classic series) and the music. Murray Gold is seriously amazing.

Quote of the Episode: “You would make a good Dalek.”

Standout Moment: The scene where the Doctor first sees the Dalek is one Christopher Eccleston’s best performances of the series. There is no other word for it, he is just FANTASTIC. You can really feel the anger the Doctor feels towards the Dalek and the guilt of what he had to do to end the war.

Cringeworthy Moment: The Dalek saying that is glad to meet a human who wasn’t afraid was very un-Daleklike. I know it was a trap to make Rose, a friend of the Doctor’s and therefore a time-traveller, touch it, causing it to regenerate but it was still a bit awkward to watch.

Overall Rating: 9/10. There have definitely been better Dalek episodes but this was a perfect way to bring back the iconic villain. It was much more subtle than a big battle against a fleet of them and it put together a few morel pieces of the  the Time War mystery. It gave us some great parallels and showed us how deadly just one Dalek can be.

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Doctor Who 1x04 - 1x05: Aliens of London / World War Three

Writer: Russel T Davies Director: Keith Boak Main Cast: Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, Noel Clarke, Camille Coduri, Penelope Wilton, Annette Badland, Rupert Vansittart, David Verrey

Synopsis: When a spaceship crashes into Big Ben, the Doctor and Rose discover that aliens have infiltrated the government and are planning to start World War Three.

Main Review: This story addresses something that has previously been pretty much ignored in Doctor Who: What happens to those who get left behind? I think this is a really interesting aspect of the show to be explored. 

The episode starts off with the Doctor bringing Rose back supposedly 12 hours after she left. Of course, it wasn’t actually 12 hours... more like 12 months. Rose has been gone for a whole year and now she has to deal with the ramifications. Her Mum has been worried sick, putting missing person posters everywhere and never giving up while Mickey has spent the past year as a murder suspect. And you can’t help feeling sorry for them.

We really get a better look at Mickey and Jackie’s characters than we did in Rose. Mickey is still a bit of a buffoon but, despite his nickname, he really does show how smart he can be. He has sort of taken over Clive’s work in investigating the Doctor and has seemed to have a bit more success. He still comes to the same conclusion though: the Doctor means death. 

Despite his mistrust of the Doctor, he knows that he is the only one who can stop the “invading” aliens so he helps where he can. It is Mickey who points out that putting the world on Red Alert is a strange way to invade and it’s Mickey who hacks into the Navy and saves the world. He still shows signs of cowardice but he he also has moments of bravery, telling Jackie to run while he holds the Slitheen off.

The Doctor’s relationship with Mickey is a icy one at first, neither one particularly liking the other. They seem to be in some sort of unsaid competition for Rose’s attention but by the end of the story they have developed a sort of mutual respect and the Doctor asks Mickey to join them in the TARDIS. Mickey declines, admitting that he doesn't think he could handle it but, not wanting to seem a coward, he asks the Doctor not to tell Rose. The Doctor does as he asks, making himself out to be the bad guy.

As for Jackie, this episode really shows that she is indeed very protective of her daughter. She slaps the Doctor for taking Rose away from her and he actually seems a bit scared of her when she confronts him at the end of the episode, running off into the TARDIS as soon as Rose comes to his rescue. She doesn’t trust the Doctor or his lifestyle and begs her daughter to stay but in the end she lets her go because it is what Rose wants.

As for Rose, she still shows her compassionate nature with Harriet and she is sincerely sorry for what she has put her family and friends through but we start to see a callous side of her character. When arguing with Mickey, who is understandably upset that his girlfriend ran off with another man, she tells him that the Doctor is not her boyfriend, he is much more important. This is quite an insensitive thing to say to the man who technically still is her boyfriend. And as Mickey’s loyalty to Rose becomes more evident, you can’t help but think that he didn’t deserve to be made to feel that way.

Rose has adapted to the Doctor’s lifestyle quite easily and is starting learn from the Doctor. She realises that he aliens must have some sort of superior technology and starts searching for it, much like the Doctor did in The End of the World. She has become accustomed to death and destruction and makes jokes even while she is still in danger. Having gone through a couple of these situations, she now has total faith in the Doctor, trusting him to do whatever is necessary to save the world, even if it means risking her own life. She lets him aim a missile at the building in which they are trapped but she is not just going to lie down and accept it, she is going to survive. She treats the situation as an earthquake and finds the sturdiest place in the room, saving the lives of the three occupants.

The Doctor and Rose’s relationship continues to grow despite the inclusion of her not-quite-ex-boyfriend. The Doctor is aware of the dangers of his lifestyle and he feels guilty about putting Rose in the middle of it but he doesn’t want to lose her. He needs her. He gives her the choice to stay at the end but sensing her hesitation, he gets scared and entices her with promises of adventure and mystery, knowing she won’t refuse. 

The Doctor and Rose are aided in their adventure by Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North. Harriet may lack perspective at first but she is brave, intelligent, persistent and caring. While being hunted by the Slitheen, she offers herself to be killed first to try and save Rose. She is also the one to tell the Doctor to do what he needs to do, knowing that it will probably kill her. As soon as the danger has passed, she takes control of the situation, letting everyone know that here is no longer need to panic. It’s not surprising that she ends up being Prime Minister.

As for the monster of the week, the Slitheen are a family from Raxacoricofallapatorious (try saying that when you’re drunk) and, in all honesty, are bit of a silly villain. They had the potential to be a worthy advisory. They are ruthless, smart, and their plan is much more original and interesting than a simple invasion. Unfortunately all this potential is squandered on cheap fart jokes, fake evil laughter, and disguises that take a full minute or so to get out of. Which is rather a pity.

Quote of the Episode: “Nine hundred years of time and space and I’ve never been slapped by someone’s mother.”

Standout Moment: The little scene where the Doctor discovers the Slitheen’s plan and confronts Margaret is quite chilling. 

Doctor: Leave this planet or I’ll stop you. Margaret: What, you? Trapped in your box? Doctor: Yes. Me.

Margaret is all gloating and self-confidence but she falters at the look the Doctor is giving her: the Oncoming Storm.

Cringeworthy Moment: The fart jokes. All the fart jokes.

Overall Rating: 7/10. Despite the flaws, the Slitheen’s overall plan combined with the exploration of Jackie and Mickey’s characters makes the first two-part story of the series a fairly enjoyable one... even if it is a little silly.

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Doctor Who 1x03: The Unquiet Dead

Writer: Mark Gatiss Director: Euros Lyn Main Cast: Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, Eve Myles, Simon Callow, Alan David, Zoe Thorne

Synopsis: In Cardiff, 1869, the dead are being taken over by aliens from another world... but not everything is as it seems.

Main Review: For Rose’s second trip, the Doctor wants to take her to Naples, 1860 but, in true Doctor Who fashion, he gets it a bit wrong. Instead they end up in 1869 (Rose doesn’t care) and not in Naples (Rose still doesn’t care) but in Cardiff (... maybe she cares a little bit).

One of the first thing you notice about this episode is that the sets look amazing. Their recreation of a snowy day in Victorian Cardiff is absolutely beautiful. But this is Doctor Who and we can’t just sit around and admire the scenery all episode. There are aliens to be dealt with, plots to uncover and historical figures to meet. 

Charles Dickens starts off with a very pessimistic view of his life and future, believing himself to be too old and it is just too late to change things. But then he meets his number one fan: the Doctor. In a humorous scene, the Doctor does his best impression of an excited fanboy and before he knows it, Dickens has become caught up in the Doctor’s world. A world of aliens and ghosts and he doesn’t quite believe it. He wonders if this means that his whole life has been wasted. Eventually, after a few words of wisdom from the Doctor, he accepts this new world and is the one to discover the Gelth’s weakness. He ends the episode with a new outlook on life and plans to tell the world his stories but his tale has bittersweet ending as it will soon be 1870, the year he dies. He may not get to tell the world of his adventure, but at least he gets the consolation of knowing that his books will last forever.

Dickens is not the only friend the Doctor and Rose meet, they also meet Gwenyth: a sweet and brave servant girl. Gwenyth has grown up on the rift and has subsequently gained the power of foresight. She also has the power to open the rift and let the Gelth through, and believing that they are angels, she does as they ask. Once their deception is revealed, she sacrifices herself to stop them. She saves the world.

Although she has trouble understanding the differences of their two times, Rose quickly builds a friendship with Gwenyth and becomes very protective of her and does everything in her power to keep her safe. This is another great example of Rose’s compassion except this time, there is a moral dilemma.

The Gelth need Gwenyth to get through the rift and inhabit the bodies of dead humans. This doesn’t sit well with Rose as she believes people should be respected even in death and even though she feels guilty about the possibility of the Gelth dying, she still doesn’t approve of their plan. The Doctor doesn’t see the problem with letting the Gelth take over the dead, but after seeing Rose’s reaction, he tells the Gelth that it is only a temporary solution. He wavers just a little bit but it is enough to show the effect that Rose is already having on him. However, I think that the disagreements between the Doctor and Rose could have been given a bit more attention. It concluded well but just a bit too easily considered how stubborn and passionate each character is.

Rose’s compassion is very evident throughout the whole episode. When the Gelth first appear at the theatre, while the Doctor is marvelling at the newly discovered aliens, Rose is concerned with the elderly woman being kidnapped. She forms a strong bond with Gwenyth almost straight away and refuses to leave her behind even when choking on gas. She even tries to help Sneed, the man who drugged her and left her to die.

The flirting between the Doctor and Rose continues in this episode but now there is an added sweetness about it. The Doctor’s confession about the Time War seems to have shifted their relationship ever so slightly.

Even though this is just a “filler” episode, it gives a lot of background to future plot points in the show. The rift in Cardiff being the main one but there is also a a small allusion to Rose’s father whom we will meet later in the series.

Quote of the Episode: “But, it's like, think about it, though. Christmas. 1860. Happens once, just once and it's gone, it's finished, it'll never happen again. Except for you. You can go back and see days that are dead and gone a hundred thousand sunsets ago. No wonder you never stay still.”

Standout Moment: Rose’s first step out of the TARDIS gives us the experience we missed last episode. The wonder of walking out those doors and into a new world or time. It was quite a magical moment to witness.

Cringeworthy Moment: "I love a happy medium.” Ouch. That pun was worse than the second Doctor’s one in The Tomb of the Cybermen about the cybernats having “a complete metal breakdown”.

Overall Rating: 7/10. An interesting enough episode with lots of beautiful imagery and Charles Dickens references. Not the most powerful or thrilling in the series but enjoyable nonetheless.

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Doctor Who 1x02: The End of the World

Writer: Russel T Davies Director: Euros Lyn Main Cast: Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, Zoe Wanamaker, Yasmin Bannerman, Simon Day

Synopsis: On an observation deck in the year Five Billion, guest have gathered to witness the Earth’s final moments but one of their members has sabotage on their mind.

Main Review: While the last episode was all about showing us that this is still the Doctor Who we all know and love, this episode showed us that it is still a new era of the show. Complete with new gadgets, new aliens and new revelations.

The story begins right where the last one left off. Rose has joined the Doctor and they are deciding where to go first. After a bit of flirting and some teasing, the Doctor decides that the best way to show his new companion just how impressive he can be is to take her to see her planet burn. What could possibly go wrong?

Rose takes the adjustment in her stride at first but with all the different aliens appearing and the Doctor’s slightly psychic paper, she soon becomes overwhelmed and needs to get out (all of this is done with Soft Cell’s Tainted Love playing which I thought was quite appropriate). She finds a sense of normality in a sweet little moment where she discovers that they still have plumbers in the year Five Billion and the reality of the situation starts to sink in. She realises that she doesn’t know anything about the man she has just entrusted her life with. So she confronts him about it. Rose, understandably wants to know who the Doctor is, but he is reluctant to talk about his past and puts his shields up, causing a row. It’s not until the end of the episode that the Doctor opens up a little, giving Rose a reason to stay.

This is a big episode for characterisation, particularly the Doctor’s. Keeping in track with his “no domestics” demeanour, he’s not too sensitive to human emotions and is oblivious to certain things that may upset them. He is reluctant to talk about his past and angers quickly when pushed, not wanting to let anyone in. This is the first episode in which we see the Oncoming Storm. His anger at Cassandra is unforgiving, and unwavering. However, he does let his shields down at the end of the episode. Revealing some of the truth about the war.

The war that destroyed the Time Lords will be a big plot point for the show. It’s the reason for the Doctor’s rougher exterior. At the moment it just seems like survivor’s guilt and it partly is but there is something there that says that it is more than that. When Jabe offers her condolences and remarks that the Doctor shouldn’t exist, the Doctor visibly sheds a tear. Something that we have not seen him do for quite some time, if ever.

In the end, what makes him open up about it is Rose. Her compassion and humanity draws him to her and he finds himself confiding in her. Even though they argued, Rose can still see through the Doctor’s facade. She sees the hurt and the loss and she realises that he needs someone. Someone to help him and someone to stop him. Her plea to the Doctor to help Cassandra is a huge indication of what kind of person she is, or rather, who she’s not. She’s not the sort of person who can stand back and watch someone die, no matter what they have done. And deep down, she knows that that is who the Doctor is too, he just needs to remember it.

As far as the story goes, it is very Scooby Doo. Masked villains and a mystery saboteur who’s reveal is not really that surprising. Cassandra is a bitchy trampoline who considers herself to be the last pure human. Her prejudice and pompousness makes her the obvious suspect.

Despite the obviousness of the villain, it is still a good story with plenty of suspense. The climax of the episode is done well... apart from the fact that whoever designed this building should be sacked. Jabe’s sacrifice is heartfelt and the juxtaposition of the Doctor and Rose gives the scene an extra emotional impact. Add in the music and the countdown and you get a great balance of suspense and emotion. Unfortunately, the realist in me refuses to believe that he could just close his eyes and step through a fan spinning that fast but I can appreciate the beauty of the scene nonetheless.

Rose was a tough episode to follow but I think The End of the World did a decent job.

Quote of the Episode: "What are you going to do, moisturise me?”

Standout Moment: The Doctor confiding in Rose is definitely the standout scene of this episode. After shutting her out earlier, he lets his guard down and tells her the truth about his people. You can see the hurt in his eyes and the vulnerability. Rose sees it too because at his confession of being on his own, she corrects him. “There’s me.” Those two words are the pivotal moment of the Doctor and Rose’s relationship. She sees how lonely he is and, even if she hasn’t realised it yet, she has already decided that she is never going to leave him. Not while he still needs her. 

Cringeworthy Moment: The placing of the override switch is the worst architectural flaw since the exhaust port on the Death Star.

Overall Rating: 8/10. While not as entrancing as the first, the second episode is certainly enjoyable to watch. It’s a good mix of drama, comedy and suspense. All mixed up with a little bit of flirting.

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Doctor Who 1x01: Rose

Writer: Russel T Davies Director: Keith Boak Main Cast: Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, Noel Clarke, Camille Coduri

Synopsis: A shop girl’s life is changed forever when she meets a man named “the Doctor” and finds herself in the midst of an invasion by aliens made of living plastic.

Main Review: Doctor Who is back and it’s brilliant! The best thing about this episode is how it parallels the very first episode in 1963. In both episodes we see the events unfold through the eyes of the companion(s) and in both instances, it’s done wonderfully.

This episode manages to do two things at once: It brings a nostalgic feeling for the fans of the Classic series, and introduces a whole new audience to the show. The first time we see the TARDIS is not in some great big scene with aliens invading, it’s not even seen in space, it’s a simple shot of it in the shadows as Rose runs past. Its such an underplayed moment and that, coupled with the music, is what makes it brilliant. You see it and you just get that feeling. Doctor Who is back.

And then, of course, there is the new Doctor who is FANTASTICALLY played by Christopher Eccleston. From his first word, “run”, we get the sense that this is definitely the Doctor. And then we get to the scene with his speech about the Earth revolving and that’s when we know for sure that this guy is going to be amazing. He’s a little rough around the edges, haunted by a war that (at this point) we are unfamiliar with but he is still the same man underneath. Still willing to give someone a chance. Still willing to do it alone if he has to. In fact, this new Doctor seems to believe it is better to do it alone (“Now Forget me, Rose Tyler. Go home.”) but we can’t have that can we?

Rose Tyler, brilliantly played by Billie Piper (a bold movie casting a pop star but it paid off), is just an average shopgirl from an estate. No university schooling, no big career and no future... and that is what makes her the perfect candidate for the first companion of the new series. She is someone we can relate to. Or I am possibly being biased seeing as I am also a shopgirl with a not-so-promising future. She may not have the grades or the job, but she knows what she does have, and even if it is just a bronze medal from years ago, she is going to use it. She knows her strengths as she uses them to save the world. And this sets up the big theme for the show: everyone is important.

The supporting cast play their parts well and we get to see the ground work of the recurring characters. Being the pilot episode, things will obviously change, the main example of this is Mickey. We still get to see the caring, protective guy but it is masked by little moments that are meant to make us dislike him enough so that we don’t feel too bad for him when Rose leaves. The line about Mickey not wanting Rose to read his emails is heavily suggesting that he is cheating on her and therefore indicating that the relationship would fail with or without the Doctor’s interference. This works for now but in further episodes, when we see more of Mickey, it becomes less and less believable that he would do such a thing.

Jackie’s introduction, however, is spot on. It is great ground work for what will become a well developed character. She may not seem like the best mother right now, and maybe she wasn’t, but we will get to see her grow and we will get to see just how much she actually cares for her daughter.

We also get a darker look at the Doctor’s lifestyle through Clive: a conspiracy theorist who has been researching the Doctor. Rose contacts Clive on her own search for answers and he reveals his ominous observations about the Doctor. “The Doctor is a legend woven throughout history. When disaster comes - he’s there and he brings a storm in his wake. And he has one constant companion... Death.” Unfortunately for Clive he discovers just how right he was when the Autons appear and shoot him.

Bringing back the Autons was a brilliant idea. Sure, they could have brought back the show with an enemy everyone would recognise like the Daleks or the Cybermen but that would have been too big, too distracting from what Doctor Who is really about: a man in a box, exploring the universe. The Autons are a fairly low-key villain in comparison to other Doctor Who monsters but they are still aggressive enough to give the new audience an interesting plot and familiar enough to give the old fans that Classic Who nostalgia.

There is one more thing that I just have to mention and that is the music. Murray Gold is amazing and I may just cry if he ever leaves the show. His music is just so powerful and emotive and The Doctor’s Theme still gives me chills everytime I hear it.

Quote of the Episode: “Do you know like we were sayin'? About the Earth revolving? It's like when you're a kid. The first time they tell you that the world's turning and you just can't quite believe it 'cos everything looks like it's standin' still. I can feel it. The turn of the Earth. The ground beneath our feet is spinnin' at 1,000 miles an hour and the entire planet is hurtling around the sun at 67,000 miles an hour, and I can feel it. We're fallin' through space, you and me, clinging to the skin of this tiny little world, and if we let go... That's who I am. Now forget me, Rose Tyler. Go home.”

Standout Moment: There are so many but I think i’m going to have to be repetitive and mention the Doctor’s speech about the Earth revolving again. It was just so chilling.

Cringeworthy Moment: No surprises here, it’s plastic-Mickey. Rose is supposed to be smart, always asking the right questions... so how on Earth did she not notice her boyfriend’s suddenly shiny complexion and terrible driving skills? Not to mention his change in speech.

Overall Rating: 9/10. Not the most action packed or exciting story but there were so much more important things that needed to be addressed. All in all, a fantastic new Doctor, a brilliant new companion, and a promising start to the revived series. A trip of a lifetime, indeed.