❤️96%

😍Masterpiece!

👌🏼Essential!

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

THE SINS OF THE FATHER!

This is a monumental episode in the early days of the revival; it’s an emotional character piece, further establishing Rose and her family past, and it’s an important lesson in some ground-level aspects of space-time travel, the way The Aztecs was for Classic Who.

Paul Cornell weaves a brilliant tale about Rose's dad and his death, making Rose and Nine integral players in that heartbreaking story. The adventure puts a temporary strain on Nine and Rose’s relationship as Rose risks all of time and space to save her dad, which the Doctor is furious about. The Doctor/companion relationship depicted here does feel a bit like the Seven/Ace relationship, with Cornell writing a Doctor who is frustrated about not being able to control the situation, while Rose makes matters harder for him to fix.

There’s something inherently horrifying about Nine actually taking Rose to the moment of her father’s death to let her witness the event and then give her a chance to say goodbye, only for her to cross timestreams and change fixed events with disastrous consequences.

Billie Piper offers another all-time performance as Rose, driven by her passion to right past wrongs and see her family whole again. Chris Eccleston portrays a darker and moodier Doctor, motivated by his determination to act morally to avert more catastrophic events. This is the 9th Doctor in one of his more serious states, and I'm all for it. Camille Coduri is back as a younger version of Jackie, and she is just as feisty as ever. But the big-hitter is Shaun Dingwall as Rose’s dad, Pete, a loving but absent father, so preoccupied with other passions in life that he risks ruining his marriage.

Our first glimpses of the Reapers come through the red-tinted POV shots and the screechy sounds; it is an effective way to build tension and makes me think of The Silurians or Robot, which use similar methods. Throughout the episode, several shockingly scary scenes effectively employ the brilliant concept of the Reapers, which, sadly, the show has never used since. They look a bit plastic-y by today's standards, but remain effective thanks to their basic idea and function.

It’s a statement of great writing and direction that this episode never feels rushed, despite the usual 45-minute length. There is plenty of time to flesh out the main threat while also giving the important emotional and character beats the attention they deserve. This episode is also an effective exploration of the consequences of creating paradoxes, crossing timestreams, and making changes, as well as the deeper meanings of parenthood's responsibilities.

The last few moments between Rose and her dad are heartbreaking, and one of the most emotionally powerful moments in the entirety of Doctor Who. They prove just how serious a drama this show can be without losing sight of its characters or its sci-fi premise.

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:

The Doctor walking back to his TARDIS, only to notice that it’s turned into a normal police box, is such a great moment!