In case you didn't already know, I'm a nerd. I know, the majority of my posts have been about a fantasy show, but that's on HBO, sometimes that gives nerdy things a pass. In any case, somehow in all my nerdiness, I've never seen Doctor Who. So instead of watching the more critically lauded series that I need to catch up on this summer, such as Breaking Bad and Curb Your Enthusiasm, I instead delved into the world of British science fiction. Since there was no way I have the time to watch the hundreds of episodes from the first eight Doctors, I decided to start with the 2005 revival and the introduction of Chistopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor.
Going into this there was very little I knew about the show. I knew that it was considered the British equivalent of Star Trek. I knew that it had been on a very long time, but had gone off the air at some point until returning in 2005. That every so often a new actor would come on to play the title role due to the fact that being an alien, instead of dying, the Doctor regenerates his form. Whoever came up with that idea is a genius, and I'm sure a key to the longevity of the show. I knew that the 2005 version was a continuation, but still kind of a reboot since it was the beginning of a new Doctor. And I knew the Doctor traveled with various companions that would also change from time to time. Okay, probably more than you knew, but hey, I am a nerd.
I gotta say, the show is a lot of fun. The Doctor has a zest for life that is infectious to watch, and you can tell the writers have fun coming up with weird and wild stories to tell. Since the Doctor's TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space) can travel anywhere in space and time, it gives the writers an infinite playing field to set their stories. Strangely enough, in this first series, only time was dealt with. All of the episodes took place on, or in the orbit of, Earth. One week they're in the future, back to the present, and then into the past. The campiness of the whole endeavor also adds to the charm. I'm sure the budget is higher than the old series used to be, but this is no summer blockbuster.
We start of with the new companion, Rose Tyler, in a episode aptly titled "Rose." It's a wonderful introduction to the mad-cap, alien world of the Doctor because we see everything through her perspective. What used to be a mundane world of working at a department store and living with her mum has suddenly become a whirlwind of excitement and adventure. Some alien has started to take over all the plastic in London, and soon the world! The effects are cheesy and plastic Mikey (Rose's replaced boyfriend) has horrible make up, but it's just plain old fun when the Doctor twists off the fake Mickey's head and he keeps talking.
The companion is a great plot device that works as an audience surrogate. Rose is just a regular human with no more knowledge of the vast universe than us sitting as home. The Doctor needs to explain nearly everything to Rose, and therefore gets to explain it to us. A second human companion, Adam, is added about midway through the season, but he's an idiot and gets ditched quickly. The second second companion gets picked up later and he is the much more interesting character of Captain Jack Harkness, a time traveling con man. Interesting enough that I've since learned a spin-off called Torchwood was based around him, I will miss him on this show though.
Rose may be primarily an audience surrogate, but she has a pretty strong characterization of her own. Most notably her bond with the Doctor. It may be established a little too quickly, but by midway through the season you can really feel that she would do anything to save him and vice versa, which is essential for when, in the finale, the Doctor sacrifices himself for her and she does everything she can to save him.
Rose's character really comes forward in the wonderful episode "Father's Day." They travel to the day Rose's father dies so someone can be with him in his final moments, but in true sci-fi show fashion, Rose saves him instead with dire consequences. This is a cliche set up, but the payoff is worth it. Rose's father slowly realizes that she is his daughter grown up and that he must let himself be killed so that the world will not be destroyed. The actual timeline doesn't make sense if you think about it, but Rose's mother relaying the story to kid Rose about a strange blonde girl who went to him in his dying moments is very affecting.
Another stand-out story comes from a two-parter set during the London Blitz called "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances." This story introduces Captain Jack and is about a group of orphan kids living on the streets that survive off stealing from the people who have gone to shelter during the bombing raids. One creepy, strange, and powerful child in a gas mask is hunting the orphan kids and anyone who touches him becomes like him. The revelation at the end and the pure joy the Doctor has that nobody actually died this time, is a sight to behold. For while the Doctor has a zest for life, he also has a very dark side from all the death he's seen over the years.
Nothing ways more on him then the death of his entire race, the Time Lords. This is explored in the episode "Dalek." Yes, it doesn't take long for the iconic enemies of the Doctor to make an appearance. The sadness in him as he relates the story of how all the Daleks were killed along with all the Time Lords in the Time War is played beautifully by Eccleston. Then the turn to anger as he starts to torture the Dalek for the crimes committed by its race. A wonderful showcase for the Ninth Doctor. The single Dalek's rampage of destruction through the facility sets up the finale where thousands of Daleks appear and need to be defeated.
The cohesion of the season was well put together. Almost everywhere the Doctor and Rose went the words "bad wolf" seemed to follow, the meaning of which came to light in the finale. The revelation was not particularly well done, it almost seems they just decided on cool words to use. I appreciate the idea and ambition behind it, though. Other things gel together better. A space-time rift in Cardiff pops up a couple times in different time periods. Mickey and Rose's mother Jackie reappear a few times. The alien Slitheen family make funny, but still worthy foes. Satellite 5 orbiting the earth is seen in two different time periods. While the different episodes could stand alone if need be (unless it's a two-parter), they work better as a whole.
Sadly, the Ninth Doctor was only to last us a single season. In the end he absorbs the energy that is destroying Rose which makes him regenerate into the Tenth Doctor, David Tennant. I'm thoroughly looking forward to his take on the character.
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