Rose

One of the strongest introductory episodes of Doctor Who in existence, and an excellent start to the new series. This one is a perfect blend of old Doctor Who stuff with a new theme, new ideas, and a new creative direction, all of which I found quite powerful.

Its big Achilles' heel is the special effects and choices behind the editing. Even accounting for everything involved - the time period of this production, that the production crew in general had never made stories like this before, and the limited budget - visually Rose still doesn't hold up well and I do find it is much easier to sell people on Doctor Who with The Eleventh Hour. Wonky TV CGI is one thing, burping trash cans are another. Still, that aside, it is a perfect introduction to the Doctor, hitting all the right notes in intrigue, slowly building on the ideas of travelling through space and time, and showing off our new Doctor and companion, both of which are excellently performed. A solid pilot if there ever was one, and the start of a great new chapter in Who history.

✅86% = Great! = Essential!

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time! This time, the return of the Doctor, plastic boyfriends, and conspiracy theories!

 

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STORY:

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There’s no better way to pull in viewers old and new than that classic title sequence with Murray Gold’s beautiful rendition of the theme tune!

Russell T. Davies effectively kicks off 21st-century Doctor Who by introducing the new companion, the old monsters, and the mysterious Doctor during the first few minutes. The first half of the episode expertly places the series in a modern setting, feeling realistic despite the science fiction theme.

The script makes the Doctor a great, mysterious character. It feels like it draws inspiration from the unrealized Cartmel Master Plan.

Rose is firmly told from the companion's point of view, establishing her role as an important audience surrogate. Those opening moments tell us all we need to know about her, her everyday life, and the world she lives in. And mere moments after that, RTD effectively introduces creepy killer mannequins (the Autons, not seen since the 70s!) and the mysterious, leather-clad stranger telling Rose to run for her life (the Doctor, not seen since 1996/1999/2003!).

Moving at a brisk pace, there's still a good time to develop Rose, her relationships with Mickey and her mother, and the mystery surrounding the Doctor’s identity. RTD throws in hints at a major war in the Doctor’s past while firmly developing the rather simple alien invasion plot (the least interesting aspect of the story). The characters are relatable; the humor is silly but actually fun; and the action and tension are palpably believable.

Overall, this is a sharply written episode, effectively introducing new audiences to the premise of the show while comfortably bringing back old fans. While elements of classic Doctor Who are present, the show firmly incorporates them into a contemporary, 21st-century framework.

 

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POPULATION:

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Christopher Eccleston is very different from the textbook Doctor from the Classic Era—energetic, dropping pop culture references, and looking somewhat normal in that leather jacket and with that buzz cut—but he also shows familiar quirky alien qualities that make him recognisable to old fans. The most interesting part is how he hides his anger, sorrow, and depression under layers of false cheer.

Billie Piper feels like a mid-2000s 20-something. She's easy to identify with. She's just the right amount of curious and suspicious to feel realistic. They have amazing chemistry from their very first moments, particularly in the scene where the Doctor tells Rose about himself while they're walking towards the TARDIS.

She lives with her strict mother (the commanding Camille Coduri) and her goofy but helpful boyfriend (the he-who-fandom-is-trying-to-forget Noel Clarke), who regrettably serves only as comic relief and doesn't receive the respect he deserves as a character.

 

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PRODUCTION:

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The music is wonderful, the direction feels slick and modern, and the Autons are well-realized.

Looking back at the visuals today, Rose (and the entire Series 1) are showing their age. The weird white glow effect is very distracting, and some of the bigger visual effects look strange (the wheelie bin bit and the Nestene Consciousness). Then again, the practical effects of the Autons are very effective. And there is a certain charm to wonky special effects, as fans of the Classic Show surely agree.

 

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ATMOSPHERE:

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Many Doctor Who episodes in the revived era follow this template, which is fast-paced and exciting, but with enough time to develop the characters and the story.

That opening scene with the Autons slowly creeping towards Rose is an incredibly powerful sequence, and one that surely helped fans accept that this was indeed Doctor Who returning. The rest of the story is filled with wonder and excitement, feeling both fresh and old-school at the same time.

The climax with the Nestene is a great moment for the Doctor, as he gets to have a proper speech to save the day. The final few moments are wonderfully tense. The anti-plastic thing is a bit of a simplistic solution, but it doesn't hamper the story too much.

 

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RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:

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I've always disliked the strange white glow in the episodes of Series 1. It's so distracting, but it doesn't look as bad in HD.

The Ninth Doctor has recently regenerated and had several adventures on his own before this episode.

It is lovely how this episode feels modern by actually having Rose search the internet to try to find out who the Doctor is.

Not even New Who is always great! The scene with Mickey being drawn into the garbage bin, followed by the bin burping, is cringeworthy.

I love the TARDIS interior reveal. They draw it out so perfectly, and the moment is so rewarding.

The Doctor: "Lots of planets have a north!"

The disappointment in the Doctor's eyes when Rose initially turns down his offer to join him is so palpable, it's heartbreaking.

 

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FINAL THOUGHTS:

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With Rose, Russell T. Davies did the impossible and brought back a beloved BBC franchise for audiences new and old, effectively updating the series while respecting its roots.

This is the 44 minutes of television that changed my life. Or more specifically, the moment Rose walked in, around, then back into the TARDIS is the moment that changed my life. It lodged in my brain and grew into an obsession which led me to the first 156 Doctor Who stories, then back to this one. It’s a game changer which everlastingly upped the stakes for our favourite show. It didn’t just bring new fans, but it solidified its place in history for more than just the likes of fans like Russell T Davies.

Christopher Eccleston is the perfect Doctor Who. Serious and silly and unknowable. Absent minded and alien but kind. He is backed up by robust writing and an exciting and incredibly unlikely series of events. What were the chances that a serious writer on a career high would want to touch this show, which was tainted in the eyes of the public. Then on top of that - that a serious, talented actor like Christopher Eccleston would have been excited by the prospect of taking it on and adding his weight to the production. Then on top of THAT - that teenage pop star Billie Piper would be earmarked as an appropriate talent for the show… then really would turn out to be the sensation that Russell and Andy Prior knew she would be. So much had to go right to end up with Rose.

It’s all about characters isn’t it? That’s the big change. It’s not about the Autons, or plastic Mickey or a burping bin. It’s about a girl who works in a shop, with a useless boyfriend and a funny, lonely mother who’s a chancer. And then, of course, a man who enters her life and is more interesting than anyone else she has ever met. Someone who is able to unlock opportunities and a new life that she never dreamed would be possible. With superb characters in place this show is now poised to go anywhere and do anything. Everything is possible.