Last Updated:

22/1/2007

     Last Addition:

23/4/2006

  Submitted By:

  Shawn Lunn

  Review Submitted:

  23/4/2006

Okay before I start anywhere in my review I should let it be known that I am only semi-new to the world of Doctor Who. By this I mean I’ve only seen bits and pieces of the old series, the magazine I buy on a religious basis Dreamwatch originated from being a fanzine for the series and not only do I realise it’s not only influential in the sci-fi and fantasy genre but it’s also a British institution and cultural icon.

So why would I even dare review if there was a risk of making a blunder that pedantic fans could crucify me for missing out on? I like it a lot as a show and be honest I fancied a change of pace from the usual type of shows I do review and what could be more of a change than Doctor Who?

So 26 seasons, a failed TV movie, eight previous doctors and a 16 year break from our screens and our 2005 debut begins with an ordinary girl named Rose Tyler going about her usual day – saying goodbye to Mum, lunch with her boyfriend and finishing the day at her job, only to go back and hand the lottery money to Winston downstairs. Hardly riveting stuff until she finds herself under attack by Living Plastic Shop Dummies and rescued by an odd looking man dressed in leather who tells her to forget him, only when she’s just processed the fact he’s stopped her assailants – temporarily. Fat lot of good that is!

It’s unlikely to forget the guy that saved your life when the next morning he turns up at your council flat and another attack happens in your living room while your Mum is drying her hair but what the hey? You can keep your head firmly lodged in the sand and choose to live a life of ignorant bliss or better yet, you can look for some answers about your mystery. Thankfully Rose leans towards the latter option and more power to her for that decision.

On their second encounter The Doctor gave her some tiny answers – he feels the Earth moving around him in the literal meaning of the phrase and that’s he something of a one man army. Obviously to all viewers, whether you’re new or old to the Who universe this raises more questions than answers and it also proves that there was a universe far more mysterious and even fatal long before The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Lost crashed into our collective consciousness and Rose’s attempts to get answers are fun.

Enter Clive, something of a Doctor Who fanatic, he beats most stereotypes by being a well together happily married man with children with no intentions of harming. The in-joke about him being a potential danger when he first meets Rose is handled well in my opinion. Although Clive dispenses some pretty impressive appearances of The Doctor throughout various time periods, his conclusion of The Doctor being an alien is hardly going to shock, is it? Even non-sci-fi viewers would’ve deduced that one pretty quickly but it’s moments like this that show the accessibility of this new remake/continuation/take your pick.

More interesting was Rose’s plank of a boyfriend Mickey being swallowed by a bin (more Living Plastic – I kid you not) and replaced with a copy. How Rose didn’t recognise this as soon as she got back in the car and even at the restaurant was baffling but the ensuing fight with Plastic Mickey and The Doctor was fun, although Rose’s first reaction to the TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimension In Space) and her and the Doctor’s arrival in London’s City Centre led to an interesting discussion on humanity.

As a girlfriend, Rose would naturally feel grief for Mickey and worry over having to tell his mother that he’s dead. The Doctor however would feel bad that Mickey was caught in the crossfire of a never ending war but would rationalise it with thinking of the bigger picture. Rose used the alien card when The Doctor didn’t appear as concerned for Mickey as she was. Up until that point she had handled the alien part just fine.

Rose being built as the new assistant for the Doctor was obvious from the start. Both her and The Doctor were drawn together and then sought each other out and it was Rose who saved the day against the Nestene Conscious, the leader of the Autons, our Living Plastic fiends. Their destruction came only out of Rose’s bravery – the real Mickey was useless and The Doctor had been outnumbered. I suppose I should note he came in peace, the Conscious chose to ignore and Rose was within her right to do what she did but we all know that, so yay for Rose.

Even The Doctor was impressed with how she handled herself and gave the opportunity of a lifetime – becoming a companion. When she declined at first I knew she didn’t mean it and it rang true when she overly ran to the TARDIS at the end. Let the fun begin.

As Doctor and assistant, there’s an instant likeable chemistry with Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper. The casting of an ex-pop star in normal circumstances could’ve been a disaster but Piper works a treat and is perfect for a down to earth, street savvy assistant. The supporting players don’t fare as well with Rose’s mum and boyfriend being a tad annoying for their own good but with time they could improve, although it’s easy to see why the Doctor isn’t particularly fond of Mickey. His cowardice was quite laughable at best here. I also see problems with him and Rose now The Doctor looks set to play a bigger part in her life.

Also in “Rose”  

The opening credits which I like are very Farscape like. Especially with the logo.

Rose (re Autons): “Who were they, students? Is this a student thing or what?”

The Doctor: “Why would they be students?”

Rose worked in a store called Henriks, which I had guessed was up market before Jackie’s “airs and graces” comment, while Wilson was an electrician. I don’t know who Derek was unless he was security.

Jackie: “Well anything could happen”

The Doctor: “No”.

The Doctor (re magazine): “That’ll never work. He’s gay and she’s an alien”.

We didn’t learn much about Jackie in this episode – is she divorced or widowed? Employed or not? She seems to know a few people whose speciality is seeking compensation though.

Rose: “So what you’re saying is the entire universe revolves around you?”

The Doctor: “Sort of, yeah”.

Hits list – Doctor = 17,700,000 hits, Doctor Living Plastic = 53,700 hits and Doctor Blue Box = 493 hits. Clive’s website www.whoisdoctorwho.co.uk actually exists as well.

Clive (re The Doctor): “He has one constant companion”

Rose: “Who’s that?”

Clive: “Death”.

Rose: “If you’re an alien, how come you sound like you’re from the North?”

The Doctor: “Lots of planets have a North”.

We saw the Doctor during J.F. Kennedy’s assassination, persuading the Daniels family not to board the Titanic and in 1883, Sumatra. Would’ve images of previous Doctors been a smart move to have used there?

Rose: “You were useless in there; you would’ve been dead without me”

The Doctor: “Yes I would”.

Rose has got no A levels and a Bronze in gymnastics. A heroine who isn’t academic but still smart in her own right.

Trying to appease both long term Doctor Who fans and enticing newcomers must have been an unenviable and daunting task for Russell T Davies, but “Rose” is an impressive enough debut to satisfy both sides of the spectrum. A likeable cast with a fast, fun and energetic debut and one of the best screen tag teams in a while, the BBC finally have a real reason to rub their hands with glee (besides Bleak House and Rome of course) and now we finally have a real reason to watch Saturday TV at least for thirteen weeks of the year anyway.

Rating:  

» Review by Shawn Lunn, Copyright 2006.

  Submitted By:

  Miles Northcott

  Review Submitted:

  12/4/2005

Has it REALLY been 16 years since Doctor Who was a regular series??? Seems more like 30!!! In that time we've seen an explosion in the quantity of telefantasy, predominantly American, & a lot of it has been very good indeed, but nothing quite brings home the bacon like a new series for the good Doctor. These last few days, as the BBC screensaver counts down the intolerable seconds, have seen numerous previews, interviews, clips, trailers, articles & a general blanketing of hype, which can only serve to lessen the impact of the finished product, whatever it may be.

The Doctor Who - A New Dimension programme screened 90 minutes before it all kicked off only served to heighten the anticipation I was feeling at this point....despite having seen the internet copy of Rose. It was like Saturdays used to be...Doctor Who was back for a new series & the blood was rushing around my body faster & faster as the time approached.

The weather report just before 7 even had the weatherman making a reference to the new series...was the whole country as desperate as me for it to happen??? The main announcer then came on & sounded very proud to be the one to herald in this new era for British TV Sci Fi & then came 7pm & the title sequence began. I'll warrant I wasn't the only one dancing around the room in a state of childlike glee at this point, because for the first time in the best part of a generation, television seems to make sense again!

The next 45 minutes fly by, helped by the relentless pace of the episode.

Yes, the opening few minutes which show Rose's life aren't exciting, but that is exactly the point. She lives a humdrum, hand to mouth existence, as do so many around the world, so we can instantly sympathise with her. Much has been written about Murray Gold's incidental score, but whilst it may grate at times for some, it can be very effective, as when Rose arrives in the basement of the store & the music just stops (to be replaced by Graham Norton & his audience, but thankfully only for a split second or 3). The following scene, which reintroduces the Autons, is very atmospheric & Billie Piper's acting is first class here, mixing fear & confusion with annoyance at what she suspects is a prank. although the fear of inanimate objects suddenly becoming animate & threatening us is one that prevaricates throughout horror stories...the main reason in fact why the Autons have always been so popular. Fortunately for Rose, the Doctor has started the story some time before the rest of us & is thus already in full flow & able to appear as if from nowhere & rescue her. After a few good SFX shots of removable Auton arms & exploding department stores we return to some plot development, introducing Rose's nearest & dearest & bringing the Doctor to her flat to flesh out his character a bit. At this point the episode steps on the comedy accelerator, which it never quite overdoes throughout the story thankfully, with some great moments with the Doctor & Rose's mum, his exploration of the flat & his relatively new face & the reintroduction of the Auton arm. Some people have found this scene hard to stomach, but I felt it was actually rather creepy, yet still with that humorous overtone which remains throughout the majority of the episode.

As Rose is gradually sucked further & further into the story & the Doctor's life we add pathos to the dialogue with the brilliant & much-trailed "I can feel it" speech which Chris Eccleston delivers excellently...very reminiscent of Tom's "Homo Sapiens" speech from Ark in Space in fact, A nice touch here is when the TARDIS dematerialises off screen we get the atmospheric affects (i.e., some breeze) which the 1996 movie sensibly created. After all, if something just appears or disappears, there's bound to be some air movement isn't there?

Realising that both the Doctor & the mysterious blue box have strangely vanished peaks Rose's curiosity & she discovers an online link to Clive, wonderfully brought to life by Mark Benton, who is establishing himself as one of the country's great new acting talents. In another scene which mixes humour & tension, he explains some disturbing facts about the mysterious Doctor. All I have read about this scene criticises the fact that the Doctor has recently regenerated yet has photographical evidence of his presence throughout history & is therefore a plot contradiction. Hello people!!!! Time travel!!! He could spend the next XXX episodes flitting around in the past & getting his photo taken & guess what? Those photos would appear in 2005! I DO agree, however, that an opportunity to elaborate on previous incarnations was sadly overlooked, but this may have been due to the time constraints imposed by the episode rather than being an oversight.

After the much-commented-upon Wheelie bin sequence (great SFX with the melting plastic...forgivable playing for laughs with the BURP, it didn't do any harm after all!) we then move to the pizza restaurant, where suddenly Mickey's plastic acting makes sense. It just highlights how sad Rose's life has been that she has been lumbered with this rather 1 dimensional character. I appreciate that Noel Clarke's acting hasn't come from the top drawer, but since everyone seems to agree that he was a very dull character, wasn't that precisely the point? The new effect of the Auton developing Popeye-like hammer hands was done well & although the standard gun may well have made more sense, these blunt objects convey possibly more menace at this point.

The TARDIS. One of the best TARDIS moments was from the 96 movie, when the motorcycle rides into &, rather hastily thereafter, out of the police box. Rose's entry to the old Type 40 was handled in a very similar way. The new look TARDIS is great...maybe not quite up to the splendour of McGann's, but much more in line with what we should have had for years. Apparently, RTD wanted a console which was clearly designed for 1 pilot, feeling that the original console looked like it needed three people to operate it, hence the smaller appearance of the new unit. It is interesting that the old console was always criticised for having a wobbly, seemingly worn out time rotor, yet the new console room is praised for having a more lived in feel. The Doctor deals with all the necessary explanations to Rose in a very matter-of-fact manner, & this trims vital minutes from the episode. Yes, he's an alien...the TARDIS disappears from there & appears there...the new menace is living plastic...we don't NEED to know any more at this time, it answers the immediate question & leaves plenty of time for enlarging upon in future episodes.

This first episode is all about setting the scene, introducing the new characters, drawing the new viewers in & getting them hooked. Those of us who have grown up loving the show KNOW all this stuff anyway & although we love hearing it again, let's not waste time in what is possibly the most important episode in the show's history dealing with the finer points. It is for this reason that the more pertinent elements such as plot are largely glossed over. The whole episode is crash, bang, wallop visuals & action. We get to see glimpses of the Doctor's nature & his alienness, Rose's determination to better herself, the threat we all face from beyond. The London location shots are nice & will establish their own importance with overseas audiences, RTD has clearly got his head screwed on by using such techniques to try selling the show around the globe...the better it does on a worldwide stage, the longer the BBC are likely to want it to go on. So therefore the Nestene Consciousness is hiding in a storm drain under a manhole cover under the London Eye. We don't know how it got there, how it got there undetected & how come noone has discovered it since it arrived...these are plot elements which would only get in the way in a story this short.

Had "Rose" been a 2-part story...or even an hour-long episode...then more detail could have been devoted to such matters, but at the end of the day, this matters not one jot. Everything can be fleshed out an explained fully in the (hopefully) forthcoming novelization & although it means that the story won't go down as an all-time classic, the episode might (an important distinction). Similarly, the denouement, which I'll agree does feel a mite rushed, is handled with great tension & some fine dramatic moments, even if the Autons just hold the Doctor in one place for about 5 minutes, just allowing him to turn to look at Rose whenever the mood takes him & kindly holding the crucial phial of anti-plastic out in just the right place for Rose (who isn't even considered worth restraining) to gymnastically boot into the Nestene Consciousness's distorting face. And all this time the Autons have got all nostalgic & decided to re-enact their classic piece of TV history from Spearhead From Space & smash through those shop windows all over again, only this time they do it in a shopping centre, meaning that there are LOADS of them...& since it is early evening, we get a massacre, rather than a few alarmed policemen & milkmen. Still one of the moments which will strike fear into the minds & hearts of the youth of today I'll warrant. How many kids will never look at shop window mannequins in the same light again (I know I never have!)?

Finally our heroes (& Mickey) make good their escape & the Doctor does one of his few diversions from typical character by asking Rose to come with him. In Logopolis, Tom angrily tells Adric, Nyssa & Tegan that he has never chosen his own company...Adric was a stowaway, Nyssa begged for help finding Tremas & Tegan was the victim of her own curiosity...& that held true throughout the show's history until Ace came along. This time around you can tell just how impressed he was with Rose's attitude & personality & his loneliness comes to the fore. He looks so wistful when she initially declines his offer, even though you can see how tempted she is. However, for the benefit of the rest of the season he returns with the ultimate chat-up line to whisk her off to the year 5 billion & set in motion the rest of the series. Yippee!

All in all, the new show does just what it says on the tin. It entertains, drags the programme kicking & screaming into the 21st century, amazingly manages to live up to the hype & sets the scene for what promises to be a stonkingly good season. We won't all love it...some will feel it defames the original product...others will believe it falls short of the mark...but the bottom line is that 10 1/2 million of us were suitably intrigued enough to tune in & to fire a significantly impressive warning shot across Ant & Dec's bows.

Now if only the next few episodes can maintain these standards, if not improve upon them, then I'm sure we'll soon be getting details of what's to come in Season 28. Enjoy these times; we've waited far too long for them.

» Review by Miles Northcott, Copyright 2005.

  Submitted By:

  Kurt Bergeron

  Review Submitted:

  31/3/2005

All right, I'll start at the beginning, where all things should with the title sequence. I personally love the new beginning to the series.  The animation is great and the song is kept simple and goes hand and hand with the old, and the new graphic imagery of the barreling TARDIS flying through the Vortex, is fun and fantastic.  Sure It's clearly animated, but it flows much more smoothly then other attempts at this.  For instance, the flying TARDIS on the Doctor WHO DVD's and even the 1996 Fox Movie.  This was just more fluent and to me, more powerful.  Ladies and Gentlemen of the BBC, I give you Kudos.  Although with all humor, my best friend was jokingly concerned as to why the new logo looked like it was placed on a Kayak.

The episode itself begins as any other "On Earth" Production does.  I for one, do not care to see the Doctor on Earth, unless he's in another time, or randomly transferred to a displaced Earth such as the case in the 6th Doctor Adventure "The Mysterious Planet" in the "Trial of a Timelord" collection.

 I understand that it was necessary for the Doctor to be on Earth in order to meet Rose Tyler, played by Billie Piper.  Like most Whovians though, I want to jump right into the action as opposed to hanging out in a shopping mall.  I think there could have been better ways to introduce Rose and find out what kind of person she is, as opposed to a montage of shots within that same store.  As we find out about her gymnastics training later, perhaps she could have been training, and then running to her job as opposed to just sleeping in? Or perhaps while running through work, late, she almost collides with some sort of cart and gymnastically saves herself or perhaps something similar while running away from our plastic villains.  I was however pleased with the introduction of the Doctor, taking Rose's hand and whispering "Run." Very fun and fast paced finally threw you right into the adventure.

The episode itself had a lot of foreshadowing, if you paid close enough attention.  From the moment I saw the department store window, I knew what was coming, as I'm sure did the rest of you, and when you're playing with a detached arm choking your throat? You're just asking for trouble.  To further detail the episode I found it interesting that we didn't even see the Doctor for a good 10 minutes or so into the episode.  It was actually reminiscent of "An Unearthly Child," when we find the Doctor already involved in his work.  This was perhaps a fitting, reopening to the new season.  The photos shown to Rose by the gentleman running the conspiracy website about the Doctor were very badly done.  I just learned Photo Shop, about 4 months ago, and I could do better then that.  So that was a little disappointing, as well as the fact that it does not even bring mention to the other Doctors who have appeared throughout the series.  All of which have traveled to Earth and made an impact at one point or another.  I also understand the Police Boxes are no longer in use, minus one that I've heard of,  but I was a little taken back when Rose was researching the Doctor and typed "Doctor Blue Box," and later asked him what it was.  To me it's kind of like not knowing the Beatles, I mean it's things you just know,...but alas I digress.

The Doctor himself, played by Christopher Eccleston has my approval, although he IS going to take some getting used to.  I say that only because I think he has a much different take on the character of the Doctor.  Every time things were really in peril, it seemed the Doctor was laughing, or at least had a big grin on his face.  Normally, the Doctor doesn't take such serious moments as the fate of an entire planet so light heartedly, especially the Earth which he cares for so much.  At first I found the awkward smiling at the most sarcastic or serious times a bad actors choice, until I realized.  Tom Baker was famous for the same awkward moments.  Smiling at the most inopportune time, though his smile was always clearly different with his trade mark teeth and bulging eyes.  Though I feel this may be what our new Doctor is trying accomplish. So I will allow him to play with it, and see where it takes him.  I have to believe that the Doctor knows something about Rose that she herself does not know.  Otherwise there would be no reason for him to be so persistent in taking her with him.  She "theoretically" saved his life, in an awkward scene where our plastic villains had about two days of free time to kill the Doctor and for some reason didn't, and the Doctor did nothing, in my opinion to save himself only waited for Rose to do something.  So the new Doctor has to make this up with some serious heroics in the following episodes.

The show ended on a humorous note, with the Doctor coming back to get Rose, mentioning that the TARDIS travels in time and whisked her away from people she supposedly loves, like her not so bright boyfriend and her Mother who doesn't realize right away when it's a good time to run.  Rose did not even mention to her boyfriend to tell her mom that she was all right after she hung up on her during her cell phone call after not saying anything at all.  For all her mother knows, she's dead in an alley and called her for help with her last breath and then died.  Again I digress.  There were several similarities between this and the Fox movie including specific shots and dialogue in particular, including the explanation of the term TARDIS, and the close up of the hands of the 9th Doctor and Rose, just as was done with The 8th Doctor and Grace.  All in all I found it fun to watch, with some campy effects then blend right in to the original series.  I think they are pushing things in the right direction and it will be fun to watch it grow.  As strict fans we all know what we want to see, and different aspects impress different people.

It is very difficult to please everyone in whole.  So the plus and minuses are of no real importance to me.  The greatest news is that the show is back, and I pray it has a run as long as the original series.

» Review by Kurt Bergeron, Copyright 2005.

  Submitted By:

  Handbag

  Review Submitted:

  29/3/2005

I loved it when I first saw it, on transmission, as intended, and I don't regret waiting. I loved it EVEN MORE when I watched it again on tape, afterwards.

That's the short version. Here's some more.

It was bloody fast - blam, blam, blam - it wasn't a two parter in old money (ie two twentyish minute episodes tacked together) it felt like a slightly expanded one-part story; no let up, so breathless. On second viewing, it's easier to watch as you're not constantly processing what you've just seen.

I thought Billie Piper was fabulous, such a revelation; the companion role is not necessarily that difficult to pull off - plenty of less-than-wonderful actresses have succeeded because they were pretty and didn't bump into the furniture. But Billie did brilliantly; I believed in Rose. Her accent wandered, but that was understandable - she was brought up in a chav family but "that shop had given her airs and graces." Her mum was irritating but she was supposed to be. Mickey was the weakest actor, but not nearly so bad on second viewing and actually very creepy when he was, er, not Mickey.

The Doctor? Just instantly perfect. Such energy, such range - made me laugh out loud so many times, made me shiver - "I AM TALKING!" and THAT'S what the Doctor should do. Powerful. Dangerous. Kind. Warm. Intelligent. Scatty. Perfect.

The story? Did I mention it was fast? Simple, effective, and backed up by magnificent visuals and some lovely, Whoish ideas (The London Eye.) Clive? A great performance. The burping evil Wheelie bin? Not half as 'rubbish' (excuse the pun) as I expected. Blink and you'll miss it. I'm sure the kids loved it. The arm going for the Doctor? I should have thought that bit was bad, but I don't know... it worked for me.

The TARDIS interior? We didn't see that much of it really, but looks very impressive... and less 'gween' than the publicity photos.

Fan reaction? All I heard were whinges from a few people on MSN and in the forums on OG at first, before I dug deeper. I'm sorry, but I loved it, and if all some people can do is maunge and graunge that's their right, but it's ultimately just as valid an opinion of mine to say they don't deserve new Doctor Who and I really couldn't give a damn about a bit of talkback (Graham Norton mixed in slightly early on, a sound error, which I just thought was a TV in the background in the scene where Rose is in the basement.)

It was a definite 8/10 - vibrant, well made, and boding so well for the future. The best is yet to come - it's the first song of a 13 track album; punchy and catchy, leading you to the even greater sounds later on. The End of The World next week, and it looks marvellous. Ghosts and Dickens the week after - superb. Five weeks and a Dalek! Six weeks on, we get a Simon Pegg baddie! It's all good.

I hope it's a success. Initial reaction from non-fans and casual fans is pretty good. Fingers crossed...

I'm so happy.

» Review by Handbag, Copyright 2005.

  Submitted By:

  John Hood

  Review Submitted:

  22/3/2005

The opening title sequence marks the welcome return of the Jon Pertwee/Tom Baker main theme arrangement and sent chills down my spine. The CGI TARDIS, blurrily tumbling through time and space, recalls the Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy eras. The logo is the work of someone who has never heard of Photoshop! Why not update the classic diamond logo?

The subsequent montage introducing Rose pays homage to BBC franchises EastEnders and S-Club! The producers make excellent use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound and make reference to gay and popular consumer culture.

Billy Piper's pop career still haunts this reviewer and I'm ashamed to admit that, gulp, I liked "Because We Want To"! However, before Piper's pop career she was trained at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts (BBC taps this rich reservoir) and once she encounters the good Doctor, amidst an Auton attack, their chemistry is electric. Somehow Piper disarms you and the Doctor is, well, the Doctor! I couldn't help smiling and thinking Christopher Eccleston was a canny choice. He's funny, but there's an edge waiting to be explored.

The Autons (controlled by the plastic manipulating and octopus-like Nestene Consciousness) were an infamous enemy and irked parents and the self-appointed moral guardian Mary Whitehouse following the broadcast of Terror of the Autons (1971). I saw the latter in 1983. Terror was screened at the Doctor Who 20th Anniversary convention and followed by a Q&A with the principal actors (including Jon Pertwee) and production crew.

I could opine that the production values of the new series are not on a par with Angel, Buffy, Battlestar or X-Files. But this is a postmodern parody and Rose is loosely based on Spearhead From Space (1970). So, international audiences may be left out in the cold at its superficial lack of sophistication. I defy any Doctor Who fan not to be deeply moved by the sight of the TARDIS and its familiar sounds.

All in all I'm delighted to see the Doctor back (sans episode cliffhangers) and so should you. Just in time...

» Review by John Hood, Copyright 2005.

  Submitted By:

  Suzaur Chaudhury

  Review Submitted:

  19/3/2005

Well, I have rediscovered my excitement and enthusiasm for the programme! After the 'milking the cash cow' spin off products and McGann movie that only partially worked , we have the real thing in the new 2005 and beyond series.

We have to assume that the episode leaked onto the internet is very close if not the same as the planned transmission on March 26th. With that in mind, I think the episode does all it could to reassure long term fans that the original spirit of the show is adhered to, whilst its pacy style brings it bang up to date for a new generation of fans. Frankly, I believe that Russell T Davies is a fan after my own heart, recognises that the shows renaissance period was the mid 70s and has included all the best elements that endeared the show to its core fandom.

The main actors do well and are well-fitted to each other-Eccleston brings a new slant to the role (rather than the amalgamation of say McCoys ill-fated version) and Piper brings a youthful, street-wise element and is in keeping with most of the latter day companions who accept the amazing things the Doctor reveals to them more readily and without undue delays to the pace of the plot. Very encouraging there. Even more so as Eccleston seems to really believe in the role and actually seems to enjoy playing the Doctor rather than the cynical actor/character relationship that McGann had with the part.

The Tardis interior is a homage to just about every other one-the antique look from The Deadly Assassin, the 'girders' look from the McGann movie and the rough looking interior of the door and electronic bleeps from the dalek movies of the 60s. It works all the same and I love that illuminated console!

The CGI special effects are dramatic, wonderful and set this version apart from anything that came before in the series. In that sense Russell Davies has a great advantage over his predecessors.

If I have any problem with the first episode it is with the Autons themselves-they actually look a little less scary than their 70s counterparts, but I'm sure that other monsters will more than fulfill that element in future episodes. I can't wait for the'Director's Cut' on March 26th with the true new theme attached....

» Review by Suzaur Chaudhury, Copyright 2005.

  Submitted By:

  Ian Macey

  Review Submitted:

  18/3/2005

Doctor Who fans and the general public are in for a televisual treat this Easter!

The episode moves at a frantic pace sucking the viewer into this world from the second the time vortex appears on the screen in the opening credits. Amazingly, although a lot of the location work was filmed in Cardiff for this episode, the production team have made it convincingly look like central London.

The episode bears quite a few similarities to the TV Movie of 1996, such as sets, and the final showdown with the villains.

The music certainly helps keep up the action and is no way as distracting as some reviewers have said. I don't want to give anything away, but the episode is a self contained adventure with a captivating beginning, middle and dramatic end.

Well done to the BBC - looks like they've got a hit on their hands...

» Review by Ian Macey, Copyright 2005.

  Submitted By:

  Darren M. Gomes

  Review Submitted:

  18/3/2005

I have just seen Rose and I really don't know what to make of it.  I wasn't put off by it, but I wasn't captivated by it either.  There was nothing about it that screamed 'THIS IS DOCTOR WHO!!!', it was just, well, it felt a bit bland.
 
The opening titles just felt mechanical, as though they'd just put a few elements together and that was it.  All of the previous ones (not counting the TV movie, which had the title sequence of a movie) had a definite beginning, as though the viewer were taken through their TV set into time and space.  This sequence is just there, with the TARDIS bouncing around and then there's a bit where it emulates a time slice as in The Matrix.  For the first time, we get the lead actors names in the sequence (but no Doctor's face) and the eye logo just come in as though they've been thrown into the vortex.  It lacks the visual poetry that was there in the previous title sequences by Bernard Lodge, Sid Sutton and Oliver Elmes.  No one person has been credited with this one though, so I'd say it was a corporate design just put together.
 
The episode itself, hard to describe really, it was a bit all over the place.  I just wonder if Russell T Davies had been watching Woody Allen's Zelig while writing, along with Doctor Emu, or maybe even that episode of Hubbub, where Les Bubb meets Doctor What?  I won't go into plot detail, as it's ahead of transmission, but for fans who know how a certain intelligence operates, it leaves you with a lot of questions.  The Sonic Screwdriver's back, but to see it in use, it really makes you see John Nathan-Turner's (last producer of the original series) point about how it was used by writers, just for the sake of using it, why he got rid of it in the first place.  Not to give too much away, the Doctor uses it to fuse the controls on a lift.  Why he didn't just shove the clothes rack next to the lift, to jam the doors to stop the lift, I don't know.  The other main use makes you wonder if RTD's done his homework about that intelligence.

The overall feel of it though was like a linked collection of bad comic sketches, not helped by Mark Benton (Brand new customers only!) of various comedy shows in the cast for this episode, although not in a comic role.  Peter Davison once said in a Doctor Who Magazine interview, that Doctor Who should be done very seriously (it is a drama series first and foremost) and that the only 'whacky' element should be the Doctor, but a lot of it reminded me of the awful whacky bits from season 24.  It just came across as syle over substance, the TARDIS, impressive though it was, made me wonder if they got a cheap job lot of those hexagonal disco lights to use for the walls and the console looked like it was made around an old tire spray painted grey.  Perhaps George Roper sold it to the designer, like he sold an old tire to Tristram as a space station in an old George and Mildred?  Though it was nice to see the hat-stand back.  Not too sure about the back of the police box doors on the inside, but nice to see the inside from outside.
 
Murray Gold's music was rather intrusive and loud at times, there's a scene where the Doctor and Rose are out walking and in conversation, the incidental music just intrudes badly over it.  And I thought Keff McCullouch's was intrusive!
 
As far as I'm concerned, I'm still not sure, maybe when the series gets into its stride, it will be better?  But look at it from the view of Joe Public and if it did not grab my attention, a fan, then will it grab their's?

» Review by Darren M. Gomes, Copyright 2005.

  Submitted By:

  Seven

  Review Submitted:

  14/3/2005

Ok, first of all... I'm not a writer and I've never reviewed anything in my life. This is entirely my opinion and I'm sure there will be people who read this and think 'what on earth is she talking about... I totally disagree with that!' That's fine... this is just what I personally thought of the episode. I know everyone will have their own opinions when they watch it. I don't want to give away any more than the BBC spoilers have so this won't be a detailed critique of the first episode! - Plus I know I'm not supposed to have seen it yet and I don't want to ruin it for those of you who are waiting patiently till the 26th! (my hat goes off to you!).

After watching it a couple of times - and a couple more - I have to say I was suprised... in a good way! I really didn't know what to expect and after the comments from the BBC earlier that the show had been 'modernised' for the new generation of kids I was pretty sure I wouldn't be impressed with this version. The overly-Americanised movie was a disappointment (aside from McGann's portrayal, which in my opinion was perfect!) so I wasn't going to get my hopes up! It took me a while to get used to the new modern feel... and the new Doctor of course... but I think the BBC have done the show proud and I can see why they have changed certain things.

Yes, it's modernised, but not over the top. They have kept the base plot the same and it will still feel familiar in some places to those of you who grew up on the old-school Doctor Who - especially the plot of this episode (I think it was done tongue-in-cheek as those who know Doctor Who well will remember this story from way back when! For some people it will also dull the potential shock factor at seeing such a modern version and help them integrate!) Obviously though this new Dr Who is aimed at today's kids and they have had to modify things accordingly. The effects have been spruced up, but it isn't as 'in-your-face' as the movie's effects were and what I always refer to as the 'silliness factor' is still there with the humorous tones in tact. The techno-style music and the Doctor's accent and clothes definitely give the show a more up-to-date feel, although I had a few problems with the continuous action scenes and I would suggest that once the writers have settled in a bit they concentrate a bit more on dialogue rather than relying too heavily on drama. My 11yr old cousin had some difficulties understanding the characters and the story does need a bit more explanation in parts - specifically some of the important bits that my generation take for granted (such as the Doctor's origins and the scene where Eccleston studies his new reflection in the mirror) - and younger viewers may have trouble keeping up. I realize though that this is the first attempt at a Doctor Who TV series since the 80's and the writers still need time to find their feet. I'm guessing this first episode was deliberately action-focused in order to grab the attention of the new audience and I'm hoping future episodes will calm down a bit and give the characters and dialogue more of a front seat. It felt a bit too rushed for my liking. Of course things have moved on since the 70's and 80's and the new series needs to be faster-paced, but the producers went a bit over the top in this first episode. The ending was defiiately an improvement in this respect. After the action and drama of the episode's plot had died down we had a chance to meet the characters properly - in my opinion anyway - and I want to say well done to whomever decided to let the Doctor and his companion interact on an emotional level. In the movie the writers went too far with the kissing scenes and Grace acting as a love interest for the Doctor, but in the past the Doctor has been very unemotional and sometimes cold towards companions and it was great to see a more subtle interaction this time around. It's a much needed modernisation that works well for today's audience and it was written and acted superbly. I also have to add that the dialogue that the characters are given is witty and slick and I was definitely impressed here and look forward to seeing what else the writers have done with future episodes!

Okay... on to the characters... you've probably guessed that the first episode 'Rose' is going to be focusing heavily on the new companion so it won't be a suprise to know that this indeed is the case. The Doctor's character definately plays a backseat in comparison but then we have the rest of the series to get to know him and I wasn't too upset about sacrificing one episode to Rose! I haven't seen Billie Piper in any other role yet - I just remember her as a pop singer in the 90's - so I can't say whether this performance is typical of her or not. Based on this performance alone I would say she is well suited to the role and brings a bit of kick and realism - not once is Rose shown screaming hysterically while the Doctor goes about trying to rescue her, which makes a nice change! I'm not going to be too critical of Piper's acting just yet as it is only the first episode and she too needs a chance to settle into the role, but first impressions were good.

Christopher Eccleston does a terrific initial job as the Doctor and I'm looking forward to seeing more of him in future episodes. The Tom Baker-esque mania was definitely a good choice and suits his features well (he also has the right appearance to play a slightly darker, more serious side if he wished), although in some places the dialogue did become a bit too rushed and indistinguishable and at times it seems as though Eccleston is trying a little too hard to make an impact. To me it seemed as though he had studied Tom Baker's performance a little too closely and he needs to relax a little at times. This may just be due to the recording though and the heavy music simply highlighted it - I'll wait till the episode is shown on TV before I make up my mind about this. I've read that Eccleston wants to give the Doctor many layers and more depth of character so I'm assuming he will do so in future episodes when the characters are given longer dialogue-based scenes. I expect Eccleston will smooth out his performance further as the show progresses and so far he shows a lot of potential. As I mentioned before, the writers just need to make sure the action doesn't overshadow the characters or the actors won't get the chance to fulfil that potential! Again, I will wait until I've seen the next few episodes before I make a final judgement. But overall he does a good job and I was happy to ignore the off-hand comment about there being a north on every planet! (I'm a southerner so I will always be slightly biased towards the Doctor having a southern accent! lol).

I'm still undecided about the modern clothes and hair - for me the Doctor always had a slight madness about him that was emphasised in the way he dressed - he never made an attempt to conform if he could help it - and so the new Doctor's dramatically toned down look was a big surprise (even more so due to the lack of explanation) and I'm still not sure whether it works or not. The hair was the biggest surprise to me. I know the BBC wanted to make the series appeal to today's generation of kids and I can sort of understand the leather jacket, but why the boot camp hairstyle? I've seen photos of Eccleston with slightly longer hair and that would have been fine.

The Doctor no longer looks 'alien' or remarkable in any way compared to the humans milling about in the episode and I don't know if this is intentional and ties in with a future story line or if it is just a mistake - I'll soon find out either way. It does however reduce the Doctor's commanding presence and Eccleston will need to compensate for this in his performance. Based on what I know of Eccleston's acting skills I'm sure this won't be a problem! I know there was a big uproar at the Doctor's statement in the movie that he was in fact half human and I'm worried the producers are now trying to focus on this. If so then that may work against them as the Doctor's alien background has always been a major component of what makes Dr Who such a good show!

I was also surprised that there was no regeneration scene (however understated) or any explanation of the Doctor's new form and knowing how many adults are going to be watching the new series I would have thought the producers would have made an attempt to keep the story flowing from the last Doctor as each previous series has done. A regeneration scene may not be needed but an explanation of some kind would have been good. But then again, there may be more references to the 8th Doctor in the next few episodes so I'm not going to moan too much at the moment. It would be great to see McGann in the role once more, even if only for one episode and a 'Three Doctor's' style remake would be interesting, but then the BBC probably wouldn't want to copy any more storylines in this series. We shall see!

I'm going to leave it there as I don't want to spoil the episode for the people who haven't seen it yet (although if you're reading the other reviews on this site then it's probably a bit late for that!) I also want to wait and see how the next few episodes turn out and whether or not my criticisms are unfounded. It has been a while since the last Dr Who series and I don't want to give the new writers a hard time just yet!

Again, this is all just my opinion and you are welcome to disagree with any or all of what I have written. It may sound as though I have complained a lot, but my general reaction to the first episode was a good one. I'm sure I just need a little time to adjust to the changes. At the end of the day I am just thrilled that Dr Who is back on TV! It has to be one of the all-time greatest television shows and there is still so much more that can be done with it! Overall I'm pleased with the first episode and there is a lot of potential for this to be one of the best series as long as the BBC don't run too far away from the original concept in their eagerness to modernise the show - too much of a good thing can be detrimental! I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out though and if the writers do in fact calm things down to give it a chance.

A big thankyou to the BBC for bringing back the Doctor! : )

» Review by Seven, Copyright 2005.

  Submitted By:

  Steven Laing

  Review Submitted:

  9/3/2005

Well, what can one say? It is most definately Doctor Who, but never quite as we've seen him before. Like a naughty schoolboy peeling back the christmas wrapping paper on an eagerly anticipated present, I downloaded the first episode. Rough cut or not, what I saw, made all those barren years worthwhile.

Undeniably cheeky. Slick and punchy. This series, has been given the spooks treatment. Glorious widescreen, sublime razor sharp editing, and visual panache.

Thank you Russell T Davies. Thank you Billie Piper. Thank you Doctor Chris. You are the genuine article.

Special praise must go to the productions music, which is big, full of energy, and adrenaline inducing. Fantastic.

» Review by Steven Laing, Copyright 2005.

  Submitted By:

  Howard Pitfield

  Review Submitted:

  8/3/2005

Saw Episode 1 from the net, and loved it to bits. Fast, contemporary, funny, good interaction between Billie and Chris, good FX, a nice new shiny Tardis interior and a few sprinkles of “past matter”.

First the Tardis interior – part traditional, part TV Movie and even a nod at Peter Cushing! You can see the rear of the police box doors inside the control room – with it’s gothic type arches, roundels and new time rotor. Love it!

Rose asks The Doctor in one part why he has a Northern accent when he is an alien – he replies “most planets have a North” – tongue in cheek but it works well. I am reminded of Patrick Troughton’s version – cosmic hobo, impish and slightly potty. The character also has flashes of Past Doctors – though thankfully none of the worst bits (ie costume!).

Humour is injected – I love the scene with Rose’s mum in her nightie when the Doctor pops in and meets her.

The FX are very good – and do not detract from the action. Action aplenty too – the pace is fast and this perhaps takes getting used to. All one story in 45 minutes – but we should be used to that with Trek and Stargate and and and……

In the scene in the shed when Rose is talking to the Internet Chap – she is shown a few sketches and photos of past doctors. I am sure the Titanic one is Paul McGann – but the net version is slightly fuzzy so I may be wrong.

The 45 minutes finished far to quickly – it reminded me of that day in 1963 when I sat and watched the very first episode – a boy of 8. I am entranced all over again. Can’t wait for Easter!!!!!

» Review by Howard Pitfield, Copyright 2005.

  Submitted By:

  Steve Chemer

  Review Submitted:

  8/3/2005

It is too late for the wasters at BBC as Rose 1 has been leaked on the Internet. Or maybe it was deliberate. I personally think that the Internet is a very cheap way to reach millions of people worldwide, like never before. Also if you look at the copy you will see there is no time code, no caption that reads Property of BBC Television Wales or anything like that. So I would say it was planned.

However there is speculation that this version is only a preview and there are many other scenes that have been edited in since. So we will have to wait to find out.

Basically I am not going to spoil your enjoyment or anticipation. Suffice to say THEY HAVE GOTTEN IT RIGHT THIS TIME!!!

Ok no regeneration, but we knew that. So what there was not one in Pertwee.

Special effects up to Buffey standard and beyond. I really felt the monsters were real.

Tardis yes it is a Police Box and there were many different versions in and around London. So how people can say it is not like the ones they have known in the past is pure rubbish. Some of these people are not old enough to have ever seen a real Police Box. I have HE HE.

The Tardis interior is very special. I would say a cross between the Dalek Movie of the 60s and Mark Of The Rani (Rani's Tardis).

If you expect a load of flashing lights and weird wires all over, you are going to be in for a disappointment. The Ship is after all Alien. It is a living and breathing machine. It can regenerate, just as the Doctor Can.

So what of the Doctor??? Well he is quirky and witty and also can be serious. But then again wasn't Tom at the start??? Remember in