Doctor Who Review: 1-1 "Rose"

Spoiler note: I will spoil the episode in this review and talk a bit about how it fits into the series but I'll try not to give away too much about future episodes so if you haven't watched the series already you can follow along with me.

Brief Synopsis: A seemingly ordinary young woman named Rose has a chance encounter with killer mannequins and a strange man named "The Doctor." She handles the excitement well and is rewarded with the chance to accompany the Doctor on his adventures through time and space.

Five Words: Good, but trying too hard.

Introductions: The Ninth Doctor(D9). Rose and her supporting cast of Mickey and Jackie.

REVIEW

There's no getting around the fact that the first episode is a bit wet and floppy, like a fish handshake. The opening is too technoish, shiny modern, "Isn't this very exciting!" Rose is quite watchable but her mom(Jackie) and boyfriend(Mickey) take up time without being very interesting. There are also prominent plotholes, several scenes that don't work, some iffy special effects and a lot of horror movie cliches.

Predictable zombie-like behavior aside, the Autons are great, and despite being a long-neglected entry in the Doctor Who bestiary they perfectly suit the relaunch of the series. Living mannequins are no less disturbing now than they've ever been, and they need no setup and very little explanation. It does end up going a little overboard with the monster trash can and freakish mannequin Mickey. The special effects run past their limits and become jarringly cartoonish.

Besides the Doctor, Rose, Jackie and Mickey, the other notable character here is Clive, a likeable paranoid who's been keeping tabs on the Doctor(somehow only managing to collect unconvincing photoshops of D9's promotional images). Clive is the perfect example of a guy who would love to be a companion if given the chance, but is completely wrong for the role. It's still sad to see him killed off; he's the first example of New Who's tendency to burn through perfectly likeable characters at an alarming rate.

The highlight of "Rose" is the TARDIS reveal, which is absolutely perfect and justifies every awkward moment in the rest of the episode. The power of this great little scene makes good every promise behind the relaunch - it proves that Doctor Who is a timeless show that deserves a rebirth, and it proves that the right people are in charge of the new series, if you'll just give them a chance to hit their stride.

IN RETROSPECT

It's quite weird to watch this first appearance of Mickey Smith and know that he'll actually turn out to be fairly likeable in the final analysis. In this episode he's little more than an easily jettisoned extra from Rose's mundane life. He's good-hearted but not that sharp. Kind of a dope, a little too much of a GUY guy. He'd rather be watching football; he tries too hard to look tough. He seems to be Rose's antithesis, a boring, ordinary human with no potential. Rose's mom Jackie actually makes a better impression here with her bold, comical flirtation with D9.

Christopher Eccleston is fantastic, of course, but I regret that his Doctor isn't written much differently than David Tennant's. He's manic, a fast-talking man of action, makes too many wiseass remarks. Other than shades of angst and sarcasm, they behave pretty much the same. And obviously it's a shame Eccleston didn't get more episodes.

The Doctor is kind of bizarrely cheerful in this episode. Part of that is his love of danger and his enjoyment of Rose's company, but it seems a bit out of character compared to the rest of the upcoming season. Ultimately, a small flaw for a first episode. Maybe D9 is just trying too hard to cover up his universe-supporting angst.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

While "Rose" has its flaws, it wisely avoids the mistakes of the previous attempt at a relaunch - the 1996 TV movie. It doesn't try to explain anything more than the crucial facts you need in order to understand what the show is about. Like the best geek-to-mass-media conversions - say, the Spider-Man or Iron Man movies - it gives fans the faithfulness to the original that they want(within reason) but it doesn't compromise on entertainment value in order to deliver fan service. Not only do we not hear words like "Gallifrey," "Daleks," or "Chameleon Circuit," time travel doesn't even get mentioned except as the last temptation to get Rose to come on board the TARDIS - and the result is that every drop of continuity that appears is a treasure for new and old fans alike.

D9's callousness toward Mickey is a bit surprising here. It is unapologetically elitist behavior from the Doctor, who in other situations has often celebrated the common man. It shows that he's become jaded by his experiences, and it's a hint of a theme we'll see recurring in future episodes: The Doctor needs a companion to remind him what it's like for normal people.

FIRSTS

First new episode since 1989!

First new Doctor since 1996!

First Autons since 1971!

First It's Bigger on the Inside for the new series.

First onscreen "fan" of the Doctor. Not counting the kid from The Greatest Show in the Galaxy who makes metacomments like "I know it's not as good as it used to be..."

SCOREKEEPING

Does the Doctor save the day in this one? No. Well, he provides the antiplastic and saves Rose early on, but is taken prisoner in the climactic confrontation.

Does he inspire someone else to save the day? Yep, Rose plays hero at the climax. This marks the start of a trend for D9.

Nice Person Who Talks To Rose And Dies: Clive

Best Scene: Bigger on the inside.

Funniest Moment: "I'm in my dressing gown. Anything could happen."

Cheesiest: The independently moving mannequin arm with its magical powers of levitation and leverage. The Doctor spends an awful lot of time wrestling feebly with the Autons in the climactic scene, too.

Most Emotional: When Rose says "No" to the Doctor there is such a sense of drear existential horror. It's a moment that lasts just long enough to make you feel really depressed before turning back around for the happy ending.

The Gaiman Award For Fanciful World-Building: The Shadow Proclamation. Who's proclaiming what now? If it's so shadowy how does anyone know about it?

Woeful Cliches: The Crawling Hand. Or how about the door that slams shut to trap the heroine, operated by no visible (or conceivable) party? After a lifetime of Zelda videogames I've grown a bit tired of that one. Also, why do horror movie monsters always move really slowly at first, then speed up the instant the heroes start to run?

And finally, the Big Episode Rating List, part 1:

1. Rose

Now wasn't that exciting? Stay tuned for more reviews.