Ok, so I’m going to start watching the first episode of Dr Who of the 2005 Series starting with Christopher Eccleston as the 9th Doctor. Just so you know, I am actually writing this as I am watching the episode so that I don’t forget anything or miss anything. I think that would be the most effective way. Wouldn’t you agree? So I’ll do a lot of reactions and my opinions. It will help me reflect better on what I enjoyed and what I didn’t; total analysis with a full report.
Now that you’ve got a bit of background, let’s get started with the review…
(Season One, Episode One Review)
The opening theme is amazing. I have to admit it. There is no denying that. Even the visuals are good with the whole time-traveling through the different dimensions and what not. Totally awesome! Could listen to it all day…
…
…Okay, maybe not all day but I do enjoy it.
So it opens up with a typical casual British girl with a cockney accent… I guess that could work, once I get used to the accent as I don’t watch many London based shows. The name Rose is pleasant. Easy to remember and fits well with Billy Piper’s look in my opinion.
The girl ends up in a locked room with creepy Mannequins and the show just started.
This is pretty decent. I like the fact that it goes into action immediately. First there is a cliché moment with the girl walking into a solitary basement type storage room and then the door closes behind her. We as the audience immediately know that she might be in some danger. A lot of time these kinds of spots are used to build the tension and then let it die despite the girl getting worked up about it but here they don’t waste any time into introducing the story to the episode.
The whole thing with moving mannequins is creepy as hell. I find mannequins creepy as they are. I’ve kinda worked in a clothing store so I have handled them before and I must admit… I’m not a fan of their eeriness. Let’s just say, I wouldn’t want to be in that room all alone with those things regardless if they were moving or not. Obviously the moving thing makes it a whole lot worse but yeah, you get the idea.
We hear a confused voice coming from somewhere and I myself got confused as to what it was but then I realised it was The Doctor once he grabbed rose’s hand, showed his face and said, “run”.
When the first word the main character uses in the show is run, I kinda get the feeling he’s going to be running a lot of the time.
Rose is a little bit annoying but I guess that can’t be helped. She’s meant to be a girl from the council estates of London so she’s got to play the part of a confused girl. Then again, any girl in that situation would display a similar reaction.
The two chat in the elevator after fighting off the creepy mannequins that were chasing them. The Doctor seem awfully calm but that’s because he probably does this kind of stuff all the time.
It was quite funny how she thought it was a student prank and The Doctor questions her theory but then claims it’s a good theory considering they have the time and numbers to do such a thing. But then he turns around and says she’s wrong with a straight face and starts talking about stuff the poor girl doesn’t understand.
He leads her to safety and closes the door before reappearing to introduce himself as ‘The Doctor’ and then asks her name.
Not quite sure why she’s carrying the mannequin arm whilst running home. I guess she forgot about the large chunk of plastic in her hand.
Kaboom! The whole building blew up.
Nice! I didn’t see that coming.
She goes home to a mom and boyfriend who are worried about her and try comforting her.
The scene in her house with her boyfriend and mom is quite funny. The whole 500 quid for an interview with the Mirror and her boyfriend offering to take her to the pub for a ‘proper drink’ over a cup of tea just to watch the game was funny. Typical mom and boyfriend; I like it. I can already tell Noel Clarke will make it worthwhile with his comedy acts.
Her boyfriend leaves to go watch his football game at the pub just before the eccentric ‘Doctor’ ends up finding his way to Rose’s place. He shares an awkward moment with Rose’s mother before he and Rose get attacked by that plastic mannequin arm.
He’s completely bonkers this Doctor. I think I like him already. The scene in the bedroom with Rose’s mom in the dressing gown is funny as well. Follow it up with battling the plastic hand had me cracking up.
“The arm just tried to kill me.” … “10/10 for observation.”
This guy is hilarious.
“All you guys do is Eat chips, go to bed and watch telly…”
Does this ever end? I’m holding my stomach here.
She goes online on a computer after he leaves without giving her much information apart from telling her he’s ‘The Doctor’ and that he has to save the universe and stuff.
So she’s going to research on the internet? Nice going… I would have probably done the same.
She finds out that some lunatic in his basement has done some research on the guy so she decides to go meet him up. Her boyfriend isn’t too keen on it so he goes with her and waits in the car.
Noel Clarke is great so far. The over-protective boyfriend who thinks every guy you meet on the internet is a psychopathic murderer.
She meets the guy who’s a Dr Who researcher. That’s convenient. Now we and Rose both can learn more about him. Apparently he was present in loads of important incidents from the past. Makes sense… He’s a Time-Lord after all.
Plastic Bin vs Noel Clarke! This is entertaining!
Mickey (Finally learnt the guy’s name) gets eaten by a black bin and replaces him with a plastic clone who tries to get information out of Rose about The Doctor. Luckily, The Doctor shows up and starts taking on fake boyfriend.
Plastic spastic Noel Clarke is even funnier.
How ironic… Her boyfriend is a fake and he’s made out of plastic.
Fake plastic boyfriend goes crazy with the plastic power. He turns his hands into some kind of freaky weapon. Eventually The Doctor is able to rip his head off but that thing just keeps on chasing them.
Plastic is scary!
The two of them run and end up finding the Tardis which they use to get to safety and she can’t stop talking about how Mickey might be dead. Unfortunately, she gets no sympathy from The Doctor who doesn’t seem too fond of Mickey.
…Obviously not after the spastic plastic clone tried killing him.
HAHA! Rose’s reaction when she goes in the Tardis for the first time is great.
So he’s like an alien man of the law? Laws of the Universe?
So he’s talking to the huge chunk of plastic… Well Mickey did say it can talk although we can’t understand a word its saying. They continue to talk but then he gets grabbed by the plastic freaky blob things mannequin goons.
Looks like the peaceful talks didn’t work too well.
Hmmm… They’re talking about some war and The Doctor not having been able to save the other worlds. Interesting… I like a running story to shows that reveals itself as you go along.
The Big Wheel is used as some kind of radio transmitter that turns all plastic alive.
So the whole world is going to get taken over by these plastic mannequins? That’s different. Not quite sure why these mannequins can shoot stuff out of their hands. Do mannequins come with build in guns, just so they can protect themselves from thieves and mannequin molesters?
“No A-Levels, No job, No Future… But I tell you what I have got…”
BRONZE IN GYMNASTICS!
Rose uses her gymnastics to swing across the room and knock the mannequin goons into the plastic pit of craziness and kills it in the process because of some kind of vial that the Doctor had brought along with him.
Mickey can’t even walk straight… LOL!
The Doctor asks Rose to go along with him to explore the universe and what not. Rose seems cool about this whole thing. Makes sense for her to go with him.
Mickey is hilarious holding on to her leg and shaking his head but unfortunately, he ain’t invited.
She’s not going? Why not?
Suddenly Tardis returns giving her a second chance. She decides to go in the end. Thank the Lord for Time Travel.
Conclusion:
Overall, the first episode was quite entertaining. The comedy moments made it worth it although the plot was lacking. The concept was interesting but the execution could be worked on in terms of the plot but the comic moments were very good. Noel Clarke and Christopher Eccleston were fantastic.
I give it a 7.5/10
Sleeping Geeks 