Rose

Like last time (November 1963), the first episode contained an aerial view of Central London and I loved the way time was speeded up to show us a day in the life of Rose Tyler (Billie Piper). 

The new series has now got that filmed look and it was very tense watching Rose approach the store basement surrounded by what we knew at first glance to be Autons. The cheer that greeted her from BBC3 actually added to the scene - as it seemed the plastic nasties were luring her into a surprise birthday party, horror film style. But I didn’t mistake a couple of brief snatches of Graham Norton. Ironic, because he was reported to have wanted a role in the new series, having trained as an actor. I trust whoever was responsible for the sound transference will be exterminated, though it didn’t spoil my enjoyment. How could it? Rose needed someone to rescue her and the way The Doctor just burst onto the scene - sideways into the story - hadn’t been done before and is effective. 

I thought Christopher Eccleston was eccentric and likeable. Russell T set the character up quickly and well. In seconds we had established from his checking out the ears that he’d just regenerated, could scan-read quicker than humans and was quick at social comment: “he’s gay, she’s an alien - it won’t work”. I also laughed when he confirmed to Rose’s mother, who had her eye on him, that he was a strange man. As to the Ninth Doctor’s outfit: it suits Eccleston. As velvet smoking jackets & long scarves suited Jon Pertwee & Tom Baker. One or two of the subsequent outfits had been OTT (what Russell T said about “layers of association” over the years...re the costumes, going one farther than something that had worked for a different actor) and I guess it had reached the point where it was considered one of the factors standing in the way of making DR. WHO accessible to a 21st Century audience. But Sylvester McCoy was actually the first Doctor to speak with a regional (non-RP) accent. 

It’s a good move to base DR. WHO on contemporary Earth in a domestic set-up, as it answers it’s critics on the question of social relevance and will hopefully attract a lot of new viewers. The use of London - red buses, Big Ben & LondonEye - is a good selling proposition for overseas sales. I sincerely hope a lot of the episodes start & end on present-day Earth as I’ve heard. Yet within that, historical stories & outer space will be present. There seems to be a deliberate contrast in the arrangement of the episodes.

I loved the lighting of the TARDIS in RADIO TIMES. A butterfly design in it’s lines from a distance - which is pretty appropriate as they metamorphose. I’m not sure about the new console so far. But I was taken with the slightly chunkier TARDIS exterior, which reminded me of the films - both of which have been on in the last week. The lights being full on is another neat idea that perhaps should have been used before. 

The Autons are perhaps my favourite monsters, so a re-imagining of the famous scene of them smashing their way out of shop windows to go slaughtering innocent members of the public scores top marks for me. The new Autons - the male business suit with lilac shirts, the Classic Brides, the Auton Children - absolutely brilliant and instantly iconic. The fact Mickey was recognisable to us as an Auton before Rose was an acceptable dramatic device. 

Fast paced, contemporary, witty & scary. This featured the best SFX I’ve seen on TV. This single episode certainly compared well with Hollywood. 

DR. WHO is back and, boy, he’s better than he’s been in years.