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.

The beginning didn`t bode well. The main titles, both in sound and vision, were poor. The new version of the theme wasn`t strong enough, and was as poor a rendering as the revamped version Colin Baker`s Doctor had for the Trial of a Time Lord season. The visuals, no doubt trying to show the viewer how the TARDIS travels through the time vortex seemed a mish mash of Pertwee`s final season and Tom Baker`s first season, which, though not as hi-tech, were both however far superior. The lack of Eccleston`s face appearing also jarred. What also didn`t work was the two leads names appearing in the titles and the new logo doesn`t stand out at all. 

As the episode began proper, (along with that annoying US TV habit of superimposing producer/director credits over the scenes) the early scenes of Rose`s work/home life worked well. Her mother`s character, played by the wonderful Camile Cordouri, was very well rounded, though Noel Clarke as her boyfriend Mickey, really didn`t have much to do. 

It wasn`t until after the department store had been blown up, that Rose`s character began to shine. Billie Piper started well in these early scenes, and by the time she had met The Doctor, she had begun to display the right kind of confusion you and I would have felt, had we been in her position. The chemistry between her and Eccleston was very good, and I`m sure will get better as the series progresses.

I couldn`t quite make up my mind about Eccleston in this first episode. I feel he is certainly happier (as was I) doing the "serious" stuff than he is the comical, but again that may improve as he develops the role. 

While the production team have spruced up the exterior of the TARDIS, (for the better) they`ve made a complete hash of the interior. It seemed strange to me that the designer designed the set to show audiences how big the console room is, (and the size is impressive) but then took away that size by placing large support structures all around it. What with these, the hanging cables and metal gratings for the floor, the central column, (which is supposed to dominate the console room), just got swamped.

I liked the idea of the London Eye being the focal point to activate the Autons, but I was hoping that the invasion was going to be on a larger scale than it was. I was rather hoping to see a number of establishing shots of other major cities around the world, all with their own equivalent London Eye focal points, activating a worldwide Auton invasion, which would have upped the drama factor that much more. 

The Nestene Consciousness was certainly an improvement from the squid like creature we first saw in Spearhead from Space, and it was nice to see that Eccleston`s Doctor actually wanted to help the Consciousness, rather than just destroy it, (even though we all knew the Anti Plastic virus was going to be used in the end). 

The writing, on the whole, was very good. Some good one liners, "Every planet has a North", and some obvious poor ones. Was everyone waiting for the "armless" joke? Exactly. When the Doctor was giving Rose the brief outline of what the Nestene Consciousness was, and what it wanted to do to Earth, we never heard the words, "I fought these aliens twice before" which I think was a good decision on behalf of the writer/production team not to bog themselves (and the new series) down with too many references to the past. The older fans will get the connection, why try and confuse new fans. Maybe it was me, but did anyone hear the actual word "Auton" being used by the Doctor? 

The Autons/shop window dummies coming to life, (both earlier in the episode with Rose as well as in the climatic scenes) were very well filmed and I got the sense that the writer/director really did want to scare the "little ones", and in both these scenes they succeeded. On the comedy or "light relief" front both fared less. The scene with the Auton arm strangling the Doctor, while Rose is in the next room, totally oblivious to what is going on, was reminiscent of the worst kind of excess that marred Tom Baker`s awful performance, ("My arms, my legs") in Season 17`s Nightmare of Eden.

The direction on the whole was very good, but I think Keith Boak pulled the punches a bit when the Autons began mowing down the shoppers at the end. It`s no good trying to instill horror into a situation, and then not at least show what final effect that "horror" has, both on the characters and the viewers at home.

The incidental music was, on the whole poor. The blend of orchestral music for the suspense scenes and the electro-funk for the lighter scenes jarred with me, and as I was listening to it, I was thinking, "God! What would good old Dudley Simpson have done with THAT particular scene?" 

Like Colin Baker`s Season 22, I don`t think 45 minutes is the best structure for Doctor Who. An extra 15 minutes would have helped this story no end. It would have allowed the characters (and audience) to take a breather from all the frenzied running about and given the Doctor and Rose more time in the "getting to know you" stakes. Mention of the Doctor`s age, where he comes from, etc. would have helped to cement the character in the eyes of the new fans wondering what the hell this programme was all about. The ending, though I suppose satisfactory in dealing with the Autons/Nestene Consciousness, was still a bit rushed, and it would have helped the story more had the writer dragged the suspense out for a bit longer. 

All in all, I give it 7 out of 10. It certainly wasn`t as bad as I thought it was going to be, but equally there were times throughout the episode where I was thinking, "uh oh - didn`t like that" or "no - not sure about that". 

Can it get worse? Possibly. Probably. Oh well, there`s always the Daleks in episode 6/13, I suppose....

Good points and bad points on a series we have waited for, for so long, they are bound to have made some mistakes. Lets hope that these can be put right in the future.

Bad bits first.

1: An hour long story? 

This felt rushed. It got in everything, just, but it all went past so quickly. Losing the episodic structure of the stories definitely feels like a minus, no cliffhangers, no slow pace to get to know the characters. Even with McGann's doctor the movie was long enough for us to get a full story in. This was half a story. In some of the older series the bad guys wouldn't even be identified until the second hour of the story. All the stories for this season have been filmed but for next season a return to episodes would, I think, make a great improvement.

2: No regeneration?

Well, we can live with it, but it led to one huge plot hole. The Doctor checks his face in Rose's flat as if it's the first time he's seen it, the implication being he's only just regenerated, however in Clive's shed we are explicitly shown that this doctor has been around for a while.

3: Clive. Why?

The episode hasn't got enough time to get the story in as it is, suddenly we get a character and his family, inserted only to fast track Rose's (and new viewers) understanding of the Doctor and then get killed. We don't care about Clive, we don't get to know him. Again because of the shortness of the story, extraneous characters used to have ages to endear themselves to us before wandering into the sights of whatever alien was slowly lumbering towards them. This little spot could have been far better filled by the Brigadier or one of the past companions, someone we knew which could have made a nice link. An opportunity missed.

4: Special effects.

The sticky wheelie bin was awful and the Nestene consciousness was pretty bad. For goodness sake, computer special effects without Peter Jackson's bank balance are worse than any amount of hand puppets and full body suits. Lets hope they don't digitise the daleks.

5: Rose.

I don't care what anyone else thinks, Billie Piper is too well known a celeb to pull off the role. Eccleston is a brilliant actor, Piper is merely a decent one, you can't watch her without remembering everything else she's done. An unknown actress would have been better. Was Peter Purves on Blue Peter or Dr Who first (Don't know, wasn't born) but I don't think any other companion was a well known actor/actress or personality before Who and I think there was a reason for that.

6: Locations

Cardiff is an excellent place to film, so is London, but you can't put Cardiff landmarks, such as the Queen's Arcade into London. Anonymous streets maybe, but the two cities have an entirely different atmosphere and it comes across on film.

7: Tardis.

I agree with Sylvester McCoy who wrote immediately after transmission on the BBC website that he wasn't keen on the new Tardis interior and that Paul McGann's Jules Verne inspired Tardis was much better. It was. So were the Victorian and the Classic interiors.

8: Scary? No.

My doctor was Sylvester McCoy and whatever may be said about his era, one thing was for certain, the stories were atmospheric and very scary. The Wolves of Fenric, The catmen from Survival, The gothic weirdness of Ghost Light, The Kandyman gave me nightmares and The Cleaners were terrifying. Again, with the hour to fit everything in the Auton's, after a good start in the basement, were not given the eerieness and creepyness that they deserved. The Mickey Auton looked like he'd come off a CBBC program and since when did a superior Auton replace his guns for hammers? This brings me to the next point.

9: Incidental Music.

Something else McCoy highlighted, or the lack of. It was always part of what made Dr Who. Think of any great Dr Who scene and you will almost certainly remember the music that ran beneath the scene. I can't remember a single piece of music from this episode. Obviously the directors are aiming for more realism in the show but I think it's lost the atmosphere that reached it's peak at the end of the McCoy era and was also evident in the McGann movie.

10: Writing.

Some absolutely fabulous writing on this episode, which was almost ruined by the blatant choreographing of the director. As in the Doctor is being established as someone who runs around all the time, always on the move, (Again, too short a time for a full story) so you know that whenever the Doctor stands still and gets a serious look on his face he's about to say something profound. As great an actor as Eccleston is he can't pull this off yet with the same ease and panache that McCoy or the great Tom Baker could, because the director puts so much emphasis on it.

1: Christopher Eccleston.

An absolutely fabulous actor, he singlehandedly saved this story from being drowned by all the bad points I've just listed. He's already leaning towards a Tom Baker style but with the Peter Davidson angst that we saw when he gets caught by the Autons and shouts that he couldn't save their homeworld. He's least like Colin Baker and Patrick Troughton. This darker streak we hear about may not neccesarily be in his character but in his failings. He did seem to be a far more human character than any who came before except perhaps Davidson. I don't think the romantic element that is supposed to occur is a good idea, certainly when the Doctor and Rose held hands it was almost big brother like. 

Many many things I disliked about this, having grown up with McCoy I now realise why everyone says they prefer the one they first meet. I think however that the Doctor is essentially complete, Eccleston is great, but I think that modern day styles and techniques of working are not neccesarily the most appropriate for Who. We'll have to see how the rest of the season pans out and what the rest of the fans think. 

If I were to pinpoint any one thing that needs to be changed for next season though, the stories have to be longer, episodic if need be, an hour simply is not long enough it all felt rushed. I think if that happened all the other elements would fall into place.

(And get a good incidental music composer)

Much as I was looking forward to the series, I also had my reservations the same as anyone else-but I put them on hold as I always trusted in the writers. Now it seems my trust has paid off because, an hour and a half before I wrote this review, Doctor Who rocked and rolled into the 21st Century. The show as a whole has regenerated, but all the elements are there. The Doctor hasn't fixed the outside face of the TARDIS, but has somehow made it twice the size.

The title sequence, although slightly unimaginative by the standards of Bernard Lodge's work in the '60s and '70s, is good and fulfils the main requirement (aside from displaying the show's name, of course) of being evocative of the show itself. The title sequence, faithful to the extent that if the orchestra was taken away it would almost be the original, bodes something special.

I enjoyed the episode as a whole, but I am withholding too binding a judgement because I want to see the other episodes first. Nevertheless I get to say what I always hoped I could: there aren't really any criticisms I can level against it that can't also be levelled against the original series too. And there was much to criticise about the original series, it wouldn't be the best show ever made.

Okay then, on to the crunch...my main reservation was about hearing of the 45-minute format, which I didn't think was long enough. It struck me merely as being the way sci-fi is done these days, rather than the best way to make Doctor Who. I was worried that this wasn't going to give room for the laid-back characterisation and plot intricacies of the original series. This was reflected to an extent, as when we join the show the Nestene Consciousness has landed and established itself, the Doctor has arrives, worked out the problem and is ready to get going. So much for introductions. This was not a problem here as they (appropriately) told the story from companion Rose's point of view, who isn't privy to all these goings on. I'm waiting to see at the moment how they'll deal with it later episodes-I hope they'll still be more than just cheap thrills even with this restrictive format.

Any other criticisms are very tiny. The sonic screwdriver, although generally used well (a minor element, not some miracle device that can solve any problem you give it) has a blue swirly thing effect: pleasant though this is, ask yourself what the word 'sonic' means.

Lastly, the time frame Doctor's regeneration is unclear. It is implied to be recent, as he appears to see himself in a mirror for the first time-but then again the 9th incarnation has been swanning off to the Kennedy assassination (not to cheapen the horrific events of that day, but any fan can tell you how significant it was for the show) and the Titanic. This is a glaring inconsistency; are there no mirrors on the TARDIS? I refuse to believe there are none on the Titanic. There was a period where the Doctor carried one in his pocket.

Anyway, off from the minor niggles, on to the considerable good. The episode is visually stunning: the effects, while rubbery compared to modern films, are in proportion both to the growth of TV SFX and also to the show's relationship with film. The effects of 'Rose' can be compared to those of 'The Matrix' in the same way that the effects of 'The Space Pirates' can be compared to those of '2001: A Space Odyssey'.

The visuals are never better than with the brilliant ways the Doctor and the TARDIS are revealed. It takes a writer of considerable knowledge and respect for the series to know how to pitch these elements perfectly. Talking of pitch perfect, the continuity references strike the just right balance between being recognisable and subdued (you all though I was going to talk about Billie Piper didn't you?), my favourite being the opening shot that mimics the one of 'Spearhead From Space'. The Auton guns have the original sound effect, and indeed the shopping centre sequence is reminiscent of 'Spearhead', although curiously is less violent-although the off-screen death of Clive in front of his wife and child leaves an unpleasant feeling. There is also a barbed remark about the gender gap in fandom, an example of Mr. Davies biting the hand that feeds him, I can't help but feel.

I can't review this episode without talking of the actors. Eccleston's performance as a northern cheeky-chappy may take some getting used to, but is basically good. Billie Piper is, meanwhile, skilfully casting off the light entertainment albatross that plagued Bonnie Langford.

On the whole then, 4 out of 5 and a very promising start. I look forward a great deal to the new series. Except for the farting aliens routine, maybe...

A welcome return for the Doctor!

The episode started with a very un-who-like concept; telling the tale from the POV of the leading lady. It didn't feel quite like who to begin with (maybe that's just me), but I did warm to the style. The first few minutes were i'm afraid a bit dull, showing Rose getting up and going to work wasn't really impulse viewing, but it then moved on well. The bit where the dummies (autons) come to life was cool, and I think will scare children of school age. The return of the sonic screwdriver was impressive, as was the return of the Doctor!

Ecclestone played the character in a very quirky way. He often played dumb, whilst showing signs of eccentricness. This reminded me of Troughton.

Moving onwards, Clive was a breath of fresh air, he is an established comedy actor, having appeared in Early Doors (a bbc sitcom written by Mancunian Craig Cash). The scenes with him were excellent, and I'm sorry to say that he was killed off. Shame really. I felt they could have used this idea of there being traces of the Doctor in history to a better effect, by showing some pictures of other incarnations... however, this may have been confusing for new viewers.

The Wheely bin scene had me in stitches laughing! It was a stroke of genius, and despite the actor's lack of acting talent, it was pulled off magnificently. For those that dont know, the Nestene Conciousness pulled Jimmy (Rose's boyfriend) in to the bin.

The next bit, with an auton Jimmy, wasn't very well done. Obviously he looked plastic... but too obviously plastic that anybody would have noticed - but not Rose! However, in the restaurant the "Champagne" scene was excellent. Didn't expect it to be the Doctor! 

The psycho headless auton was poor. Too overloaded with special effects. However, thats just my opinion, my girlfriend seemed to like it! The timeless classic "double take TARDIS" scene was extremely well acted, despite the new TARDIS interior, which I loathe! I personally thought that the McGann TARDIS was the best to date.

The bit with the Millenium Eye was very funny. Also, worth noting, that when the Doctor grinned manicly after noticing the eye, he looked uncannily like the grin of (Tom) Baker's doctor! "Excellent!"

From here i'm afraid I disliked the end. The Nestene Conciousness wasn't as scary as it could have been. In fact, in the book Synthespians, it was truly terrifying. The attack of the Autons wasn't hugely inspiring anyway.

To round off, a great Doctor, a semi-impressive first episode, but masses of Potential!

Rose, the pilot episode of the new series of Doctor Who, can best be described as "promising". There is a lot to like about it, and a few minor quibbles. In essence though, the show's creators got the important things right. 

Opening Title Sequence:

In a word: inspired! A wonderful updating of the classic 'time tunnel', with a Tardis bouncing through the vortex, below 3D credits. The theme music is wonderful; a subtle recreation of the classic signature tune before the synth-heavy meddling of the 1980s. 

Characterization:

It was implied that there had been a recent regeneration, due to the Doctor looking into a mirror, and puzzling over his face. That may explain the schizophrenic first half of the show, where the Doctor is alternately giddy, flippant and then reflective and thoughtful. But, if we're not reading things into the character, such as this, then it seemed uneven. Yes, the Doctor is alien, and yes, he doesn't necessarily have to behave as a normal person behaves; but, there's a fine line between an eccentric character and a badly written character. They skirted that line fairly closely in the pilot.

Acting:

The dynamics between the Doctor and Rose will make or break the show. They will be the only consistent thing between episodes, and on this count, the show scores high marks. The actors have an easy rapor and watchability, which should only strengthen over time. All supporting actors score fine marks. It sports some of the most consistently well acted scenes of the series.

Editing:

The editing was fast-paced, something never before accomplished on this show with the three-camera setup. It gives the show a very contemporary, cinematic feel. Periodically, editing seemed to be a bit too jumpy, especially during characters' conversations, where it seemed unwarranted, however, this may be a rough edit and prone to change prior to broadcast.

Soundtrack:

The incidental music is a major weak point. In a word: generic. In two words: generic and overpowering. It is common practice to have generic music on early edits of films, so I suspect (hope) this is the situation. It is hard to believe it can be composed by the same person who did such a wonderful job of the theme. The music, rather than subtlely enhancing a scene, totally overpowers it. It is loud, generic, and very similar to the wall-to-wall music of the 1980s series.

Plot:

The plot, while interesting, is nothing special. Autons and the Nestene Consciousness are back again. That is not a critique per se, just an observation. As a pilot episode, the main purpose of the plot was to introduce the principal characters and give them a believable motivation for wanting to be together as companions by the end of it. On this count, it succeeds very well. If in doubt, look at the episode title: Rose, not The Auton Invasion. Rose is the focal point of the plot, and the strengths of the plot are in discovering what sort of life she lives, and why she would give up everything she knows to become a companion of the Doctor.

Pacing:

Probably the most serious critique is one of pacing. Where the classic series was prone to padding out a plot to 6 episodes that could easily fit into 4, here we have the opposite. The pilot could easily have been 90 mins instead of 45 mins, and maybe better for it. The makers of the series should have seriously considered making the pilot a movie. The pilot is a whirlwind of activity; plot points, character introduction, subplots... there's a lot going on! Almost too much for 45 mins. The more time people spend running around hitting all the plot points, the less time there is for characterization; those quiet moments between the storm where characters can interact 'normally'. An introductory episode by its nature is not a normal episode, so I would hope the series will settle into a more traditional groove in later episodes.

Humour:

There is a lot of humour in the Pilot, numerous visual gags, and general silliness. That is not to say it is being played as a farce or an ironic variation of the original series, merely, that the characters are written in such as way as to appreciate the absurdity of their situations (ie. fighting man-eating wheelie bins, or fighting disembodied mannequin arms!)

Special F/X:

Computer effects were a mixed affair. The Nestene Consciousness and various bolts of energy at the conclusion were not quite on par with with what I had expected, and were generically CGI. Other computer effects, such as a massive explosion at the start of the episode were wonderful. Where the effects excelled was in the realisation of the Autons. Of course, for any Doctor Who fan, F/X can't be a top priority! ;-) And, as before, these effects may be temporary and due for revising before broadcast.

Tone/Atmosphere:

The pilot starts with a bang: literally. Very dark and atmospheric. When the Autons first creak to life in the basement of a department store, it is genuinely creepy. However, it doesn't last. Very early on, it becomes more of a light-drama/comedy and the brooding, atmospheric scenes later on have a hard time making any impact because of it. By the time the Doctor confronts the Nestene Consciousness at the conclusion, it seems less threatening than a dark basement with a lurking mannequin.

Overall, this is a very watchable episode from the point of view of a fan. Many of the building blocks of a great series are there, not all in perfect proportion, however, but the foundation is solid. Without wading into any of the extensive backstory of The Doctor, the first time viewer will see him more as an enigmatic figure, who keeps his origins and past very close to his chest. All you really know is that he's a decent person/alien, who wants to make a difference for the better. But, really, that's all you need to know. Hopefully, my few critiques will shake themselves out as the series finds its feet.