My first Doctor Who book… let’s go!

I think I enjoyed the first half of this book more than the second. While I don’t dislike the book, I think a lot of it is rather forgettable or too convoluted. The atmosphere is very nice, although it felt more like a Victorian vibe than 1920s, and some of that setting seems to only be so that certain historical events can be referenced. Rose and the Doctor are great, I was surprised to find out that this was written before Series 1 aired, I felt a lot of the characterization was rather spot on. Rose sometimes became “generic companion” but when she and the Doctor were bantering I found the book utterly delightful. There were several dialogue moments which made me laugh out loud, such as the Doctor casually announcing that the TARDIS had been taken, or Rose and the Doctor steamrolling over Dickson as they’re taking him to the drawing room.

PETER DICKSON: But that’s the drawing room, sir.

DOCTOR: I don’t mind.

ROSE: And I don’t draw!

Rose’s interactions with Freddie are super endearing, and Freddie was a lovely addition to this book, as I really started to care for him throughout the book, and was rather distressed to see him in danger at the end.

That being said, there are way too many characters in this book. When I got to the dinner party scene and Freddie introduced like 5+ characters, I was like, oh boy. And then half of them don’t end up relevant, but 5 more characters get introduced! I had no idea who half the people were, which makes the whole mystery thing a bit difficult. I also felt there were one or two too many reversals. Characters are revealed to be the bad guy only to switch sides two seconds later. I think this works with Melissa in part, as her motivations for doing bad things become clear pretty fast, so the Doctor siding with her after she stops accusing him makes sense. The confusion over who is Shade Vassily is interesting in concept, but I found myself more frustrated than intrigued at points.

The pacing is definitely more like a Classic serial, which is interesting, but there were so many side elements, such as the Romanov connection and the Empire Exhibition, which felt tenuously connected and used to fill time respectively. If we had spent more time with characters like Melissa, Repple, and Wyse, I think the various reversals might have had more weight, as fun as it is to see Rose and the Doctor have a nice day out.

However, I liked the clockwork motifs throughout, and having the ending “battle” in Big Ben was an aesthetic choice that works nicely with the atmosphere. I wondered how they might connect with The Girl in the Fireplace, but it seems they don’t, though it’s a fun little Easter egg of sorts for why Ten might be familiar with the clockwork soldiers in that episode. 

Overall, I was very intrigued at the start, and found myself connecting to Rose, the Doctor, and Freddie; as well as the atmosphere, but the amount of stuff that is in this book almost burned me out as I was reading it. 3/5 stars.

PLOT

The first episode of this serial has been praised a lot, and for good reason. It’s got a simple plot, but it does a really good job at being a character introduction. I have a whole section to talk about that later though. I like An Unearthly Child’s simplicity. It’s a really atmospheric first episode, especially once we leave Coal Hill behind and get into the junkyard and the TARDIS. It’s the audiences’ very first time seeing it, and its a wonderful introduction. It really just throws you right into the deep end alongside Ian and Barbara.

BARBARA: Is this really where you live, Susan?

SUSAN: Yes.

DOCTOR: And what's wrong with it?

IAN: But it was just a telephone box.

The rest of the story is pretty simple as well. While many people, including myself before this rewatch, cite the caveman section of the serial as a drop in quality. While I do think it’s hard to live up to the spooky and inventive first episode, they are not nearly as bad as I used to think. I did get a bit fatigued at the end, but this may have been due to me watching it all in one sitting. The cavemen portion of An Unearthly Child is another really interesting character study. I think that it probably could’ve been two episodes, not three, as everything after Kal’s exile feels a little pointless. I found myself a little confused as to why the cavemen brought them back to the Cave of Skulls. I mean, they had to make fire and all that, but it could have been really interesting to see the cavemen deciding to work with our TARDIS team to make fire, and turn it into a lesson of sorts for the whole tribe, after Ian and Barbara save Za.

CHARACTER

The true meat and potatoes of this serial is the character relationships. This is very important in a first adventure, and especially with the circumstances that Ian and Barbara come to join the TARDIS team. Ian and Barbara in the first episode are so easily loveable, spilling the tea together after class. It’s clear that they are really good friends, and William Russell and Jacqueline Hill knock it out of the park immediately.

IAN: Oh? Not gone yet?

BARBARA: Obviously not.

IAN: Right, ask a silly question.

BARBARA: I'm sorry.

IAN: That's all right. I'll forgive you this time.

BARBARA: Oh, I had a terrible day. I don't know what to make of it.

IAN: Oh, what's the trouble? Can I help?

Their care for Susan, trying to check up on her after her odd behavior, is really sweet, and yet tinged by that need for adventure that makes for a great companion.

BARBARA: Well, she doesn't seem to have arrived yet. I suppose we are doing the right thing, aren't we?

IAN: You can't justify curiosity.

Susan is also really great in this episode. Carol Ann Ford infuses her with such mystery and competence that unfortunately seems to vanish in the later part of the serial.

The Doctor also has that sense of mystery, but there’s a little bit of danger that seems to come along with this, especially in his interactions with Ian and Barbara in the junkyard.

DOCTOR: Don't you think you're being rather high-handed, young man? You thought you saw a young girl enter the yard. You imagine you heard her voice. You believe she might be inside there. It's not very substantial, is it?

BARBARA: But why won't you help us?

DOCTOR: I'm not hindering you. If you both want to make fools of yourselves, I suggest you do what you said you'd do. Go and find a policeman.

To Ian and Barbara, and even to us as an audience who don’t know this man (unless like me, you watched the revival first, or are rewatching the episode), and he could very well have Susan locked up in a little police box. Even once inside the TARDIS, Ian and Barbara believe Susan is playing some game, and her grandfather is feeding into her delusions. All they want to do is help, even if those of us with hindsight know it’s all real.

THEME

The overarching theme of this serial is compassion. It’s the one thing that sets our TARDIS team apart from the cavemen, and even Ian and Barbara from the Doctor. The power struggle occurring in the caveman society is mirrored in Ian and Barbara’s struggles with the Doctor.

HORG: I do not like what has happened.

ZA: Old men never like new things to happen.

The Doctor is rigidly stuck in his ways, not caring about people and only wanting to save himself and Susan. He kidnaps Ian and Barbara because he thinks they might blab, and that’s how they got into this mess. He is like the Old Mother (why didn’t they give her an actual name??), who doesn’t want the tribe to change and make fire, despite the fact that it would improve their lives in so many ways. The Doctor would rather bash someone’s head in with a rock (he was so obvious about it too? nobody believed you were going to have Za draw the way to the TARDIS my guy) than be the better person.

This is why Ian and Barbara will always be the blueprint. While I feel Barbara’s freakout in Episode 3 to be totally out of character for her (she’s the one who accepts the TARDIS while Ian is still totally confused), the way she snaps out of it so quickly the moment she hears Hur (again, could we give her a better name?) cry out is so compelling.

IAN: Quick, now's our chance. Let's get away. Run!

BARBARA: Look at them. We can't just leave them! I don't care what they've done.

Ian is also immediately on board. The way the two of them are so kind to Hur and Za despite everything– Ian introducing himself as a friend, and Barbara’s soft “Please, show me.” to Hur. Contrast this to the Doctor who goes off to the corner to sulk, refusing to help.

SUSAN: Grandfather, we can make friends with them.

DOCTOR: Oh, don't be ridiculous, child.

BARBARA: Why? You treat everybody and everything as something less important than yourself.

And she’s right. Yet, it seems that Ian and Barbara rub off on him later, when he uses logic to reveal Kal as the one who murdered the Old Mother. He and Ian also come to an agreement when they’re back in the Cave of Skulls making fire.

ZA: Hur said you were called Friend. I am called Za. You are the leader of your tribe?

IAN: No. He is our leader.

IAN: The whole tribe should be watching. Everyone should know how to make fire.

ZA: Everyone cannot be leader.

IAN: No, that's perfectly true. But in our tribe, the firemaker is the least important man.

ZA: Ha! I do not believe this.

DOCTOR: He is the least important because we can all make fire.

This is why I think that the cavemen should’ve ended up working with the TARDIS team instead of chasing them off– while the Doctor has learned to be a little less rigid by accepting Ian as an equal, the message falls a bit flat if compassion isn’t what saves them. It’s trickery, and Susan playing around with skulls. That’s where the cavemen episodes lose me.

LANGUAGE AND MUSIC

Here’s a compilation of some of my favorite lines I couldn’t work into the other sections:

DOCTOR: There's nothing in there.

IAN: Then what are you afraid to show us?

DOCTOR: Afraid? Oh, go away.

DOCTOR: If you could touch the alien sand and hear the cries of strange birds and watch them wheel in another sky, would that satisfy you?

KAL: Orb is for strong men. Orb has sent me this creature to make fire come from his fingers. I have seen it. Inside, he's full of fire. The smoke comes from his mouth.

ZA: As lies come out of yours.

IAN: It may only be a small opening. Don't count on it.

DOCTOR: Well you obviously are.

IAN: Of course I am. Any hope is better than none. Don't just lie there criticizing us. Do something. Help us all to get out of here. Oh, this stone's no good.

BARBARA: You're trying to help me.

DOCTOR: Fear makes companions of all of us.

Some of the cavemen dialogue was a bit difficult to understand without subtitles, but it wasn’t too bad. There are a lot of iconic lines from this serial, like the alien sand and fear making companions out of all of us, so it definitely deserves kudos despite some of the less than stellar cavemen dialogue.

The music was nice, although not entirely groundbreaking. The music in the first episode is really atmospheric, and helps set the tone well. There’s also some xylophones (?) when the Doctor is being kidnapped by Kal that was really fun, and I loved the clarinets (or other woodwind instrument) while the TARDIS team is escaping the Cave of Skulls for the first time. However, there was a really loud music sting when the Old Mother was revealed to be dead that threw me and it didn’t help that there wasn’t any other music in that scene.

SPECTACLE

I thought the sets were really great. Coal Hill looks awesome, and when Ian and Barbara are on the stakeout the car looks good. The junkyard is super atmospheric and dark, and of course the TARDIS is iconic. I also thought the sandy area that the TARDIS landed on looked great, the sand that they had in the studio really gave it a nice effect. I also loved that they could walk out of the TARDIS doors onto a little bit of outside set. The forest was all right, it was really obvious there that they weren’t working with a lot of space more with it for some reason.

I loved both of Susan’s outfits, and the Doctor’s was great as well, especially with the hat. The cavemen costumes looked pretty good too, although I was a bit confused why some of them didn’t even have so much as a loincloth, just sort of underwear. Za and Barbara were having a bob-off.

MISC.

• the whole first scene with the cavemen where Za was crashing out was (probably unintentionally) really funny
• there’s this child extra who is standing near the camera and I swear he looks right at it as if saying “can you believe this guy”
• Susan leaping onto Kal screaming bloody murder when they find the Doctor
• the Old Mother was fully for the drama
• Hur being the brains of the operation with Za

FINAL SCORE

Apparently I rated this a 2/5 when I first watched this which is crazy. I was using a different ranking system which was based more on enjoyment than analysis though, and I used to dislike the cavemen bit so. Anyway, I give this a 7/10, which makes it a 3.5/5! Congrats An Unearthly Child, you’ve moved up in the world.

Yay! My first review. This review will contain spoilers for the episode, but I’ll try to keep any future knowledge out of this, as well as talk about the Classic series. There will be a dedicated section at the end where I’ll talk about that and I’ll blur out overt spoilers there as well.

PLOT

So, I’ll be real– the plot is not super complicated and, in my opinion, acts more as a vehicle for the characters rather than the other way around. This is not a bad thing, however, as I feel getting to know the characters in the first episode is more important than a great plot. As long as you can establish everything you need to know about the world, the plot doesn’t need to be ground-breaking. More about the characters later though. While the story isn’t complicated, it isn’t nonexistent. The Autons were an excellent choice as the enemies for this episode, as their blending in on Earth makes it reasonable for Rose to get up with them, since she works in a clothing store! I also think that they are downright creepy when they need to be, and work really well in the basement of Henrik’s when Rose first encounters them.

The episode leans into the investigation side of the adventure, and we also get to learn the world as Rose does, which is an excellent choice. The episode is named after her, after all. Since the story isn’t just non-stop running around and fighting things, it makes the Auton attack really pop and have real stakes and fear attached to it.

CHARACTERS

The true heart of this episode is the characters. RTD does an excellent job in setting up the characters we are going to be following this season, as well as making us care about them. They each feel rich and alive, even those who don’t get as much screentime, like Jackie. Her interactions with the Doctor are hilarious.

JACKIE: I'm in my dressing gown.

DOCTOR: Yes, you are.

JACKIE: There's a strange man in my bedroom.

DOCTOR: Yes, there is.

JACKIE: Well, anything could happen.

DOCTOR: No.

We very easily get a sense of her character, and Camille Coduri plays her excellently. You can tell she cares for Rose despite all her bothering her to get another job because of how shook up she is after Henrik’s blows up. Also, her being there during the Auton attack really raises the stakes of that situation because we care about her.

Mickey does get the short end of the stick in this story, between Rose’s dismissiveness of him and getting kidnapped and replaced by the Autons. However, I honestly felt like I couldn’t completely take one side or the other, because when Rose gets hurt, sure, he comes running to see if she’s okay, but he also is trying to prioritize watching a sports game. (I’m not British, would this mean a soccer (football?) game? Cricket?).

MICKEY: Now, come on, you deserve a proper drink. We're going down the pub, you and me. My treat. How about it?

ROSE: Is there a match on?

MICKEY: No, I'm just thinking about you, babe.

ROSE: There's a match on, ain't there.

MICKEY: That's not the point, but we could catch the last five minutes.

I also like how their relationship isn’t always toxic– while you sort of get the sense that they’re sometimes hanging on by a thread, they also have very genuine moments. Rose’s sadness over Mickey’s possible death is palpable and very real. Billie Piper is an incredible actress and really gets to show off her skills in this story.

ROSE: I'll have to tell his mother. Mickey. I'll have to tell his mother he's dead, and you just went and forgot him, again! You were right, you are alien.

And finally, the true heart of this episode: Rose and the Doctor. At the start of the episode, it’s very clear that the Doctor has decided to go full lone wolf, helping Rose only enough to get her out of danger and away from him. In fact, he’s rather callous.

ROSE: Whoever they are, when Wilson finds them, he's going to call the police.

DOCTOR: Who's Wilson?

ROSE: Chief electrician.

DOCTOR: Wilson's dead.

When he continues chasing the Auton lead, he’s almost annoyed to discover that it’s led him right back to her. The bit with the cat flap is incredibly funny, and the balance of humor and seriousness really defines this episode.

DOCTOR: What're you doing here?

ROSE: I live here.

DOCTOR: Well, what do you do that for?

ROSE: Because I do. I'm only at home because someone blew up my job.

DOCTOR: I must have got the wrong signal. You're not plastic, are you? No, bonehead. Bye, then.

Even though he’s running off as soon as he can, he still lets her tag along, and even decides to reveal the alien nature of the Autons, and himself.

DOCTOR: It's not a price war. They want to overthrow the human race and destroy you. Do you believe me?

ROSE: No.

DOCTOR: But you're still listening.

Whatever he’s gone through has made him lose his faith in people. Despite the fact that he still cares very deeply for the people he’s helping, even the Autons who are trying to launch an invasion, he’s incredibly dismissive of Rose and Mickey, calling humans “stupid apes” and telling them to “leave the domestics outside”. But Rose is able to chip away at his walls, and it’s lovely to see how their friendship evolves in just this one episode.

ROSE: You were useless in there. You'd be dead if it wasn't for me.

DOCTOR: Yes, I would. Thank you.

THEME

The theme of this story is again attached to the characters. To me, this one is about the fact that while bad things can happen to you, you shouldn’t let them change you for the worse. Sometimes the hardest thing is to be kind when the world hasn’t been to you, and this is really evident in the Doctor’s conversation with the Nestene. It’s evident that he’s had to do things he really regrets, things that impacted entire planets like the one the Nestene comes from.

DOCTOR: That was just insurance. I wasn't going to use it. I was not attacking you. I'm here to help. I'm not your enemy. I swear, I'm not. … That's not true. I should know, I was there. I fought in the war. It wasn't my fault. I couldn't save your world! I couldn't save any of them!

The way his voice breaks is so heartbreaking, and Christopher Eccleston is just astounding in this role throughout. He’s funny, but he’s so, so sad, and nowhere is it more evident than here. He truly feels for the Nestene, defending them by saying “it’s terrified” even as it attacks innocents.

LANGUAGE AND MUSIC

The dialogue in this story is sparkling. I kept just writing quotes in my notes as I was watching. Here’s a couple of my favorites:

DOCTOR: That won't last, he's gay and she's an alien.

DOCTOR: It's all right, I've stopped it. There you go, you see? Armless.

ROSE: Hold on a minute. You can't just go swanning off.

DOCTOR: Yes I can. Here I am. This is me, swanning off. See you.

ROSE: But that arm was moving. It tried to kill me.

DOCTOR: Ten out of ten for observation.

ROSE: I'd better tell you now. My boyfriend's waiting in the car, just in case you're going to kill me.

CLIVE: No, good point. No murders.

ROSE: If you are an alien, how comes you sound like you're from the North?

DOCTOR: Lots of planets have a north.

DOCTOR: This planet is just starting. These stupid little people have only just learnt how to walk, but they're capable of so much more.

And of course there’s the turn of the Earth monologue. I mentioned it before, but the duality of the comedy and the tragedy of this story is deftly handled. Also, the music by Murray Gold is excellent. The eerie music that plays when Rose first enters the TARDIS is so atmospheric, and gives what could be a comedic moment that dramatic edge. There’s also the scene where Rose is walking around in the basement, and there’s no music at all, just the soundscape and some whistling which makes the scene so creepy.

SPECTACLE

Here is, of course, where we must address the Auton in the room– Plastic Mickey. Much has been said about the CGI in this episode, and I am certainly not breaking new ground. It really does not hold up, and a lot of early 2000s CGI doesn’t, especially on a Doctor Who TV budget. The Nestene and the infamous trash bin also do not look good. However, the practical effects used on the Auton dummies look incredible. Obviously not really possible for the Nestene or garbage bin, but I think there may have been a way to make Plastic Mickey look better. Rose can only be so dismissive of him before we start to lose our suspension of disbelief when he looks like that. Ah well.

The locations they’ve chosen look great, especially the basement of the clothing store, and the Powell Estate. The Tylers’ apartment is also great, and Rose’s room is so Rose, and a really great way of establishing her character and background really early on. Also, shoutout to Rose’s wardrobe.

MISC

• the parallels of Mickey messing with the Auton arm and the Doctor being attacked by it
• the background man who starts screaming when Plastic Mickey’s head pops off– he really goes for it and its brilliant
• the London Eye bit
• Clive’s face when the Auton’s gun-hand opens up

FINAL SCORE

Overall, I really like this episode, and it’s also a really good opener besides that. It reboots the series well, paying credence to the original while still setting itself apart with new story elements. My original rating for this was a 4/5, and I’d give this an 8/10, keeping that same score. It’s not perfect, what with the CGI and the plot occasionally taking a backseat, but the characters and atmosphere really make this story shine!

CONNECTIONS TO THE PAST AND FUTURE

The Autons, of course, were introduced in Spearhead from Space. I love that the show finally got to do the Auton attack scene that was originally planned for that story here. Eccleston’s miming being choked by the Auton arm is so Pertwee.

Also, the Doctor being implied to be early on in this regeneration, I love the bit where he looks into the mirror and comments on his appearance, and tries to do card tricks and fails.

Clive’s theories feel a little less strong when you know about regeneration, and how the Doctor doesn’t travel in time linearly, so how are the only photos he has are of Nine? I know that originally RTD wanted pictures of other Doctors but couldn’t for some reason, but clearly Clive knows about them because he calls Nine “Rose’s Doctor”.