Rose

After watching it a couple of times - and a couple more - I have to say I was surprised... 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 'modernized' for the new generation of kids I was pretty sure I wouldn't be impressed with this version. The overly-Americanized movie was a disappointment 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 modernized, 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 effects were and what I always refer to as the 'silliness factor' is still there (do you remember the dinosaurs roaming about n London during Pertwee's era?). 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 - some of the important bits that my generation take for granted (such as the TARDIS and the Doctor's origins) are only brushed over 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. The ending was definitely 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 modernization that works well for today's audience. 

Okay... on to the characters... you've probabaly 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 definitely 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! 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. Christopher Eccleston does a good 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, although in some places the dialogue did become a bit too rushed and indistinguishable - this may be due to the recording though. I'm still undecided about the modern clothes and hair - for me the Doctor always had a slight madness about him that was emphasized 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 and I'm still not sure whether it works or not. The Doctor no longer looks 'alien' 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. 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 know literally hundreds of adults who are setting aside Saturday afternoons to watch the new Dr Who!) I would have thought the producers would have made an attempt to keep the story flowing from the last Doctor. 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. I expect Eccleston too will smooth out his performance further as the show progresses and 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 fulfill that potential!

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. 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. 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 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. I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out and if the writers calm things down to give it a chance.