Doctor Who (2005) Series 1 Review

Can I just how much I love these steelcase covers!

Considering I am a media student as well as an aspiring filmmaker I deemed it to be a sensible idea to go through the show bit by bit, also because me and Bridget Lees are going through them at the moment.

Christopher Eccleston is a personal favourite of mine and it was only until this rewatch that I fully understood why.

His broad skills as a drama lead in his previous work, watch the Second Coming if you know what’s good for ya, allow for Russell T Davis to wrap the show around the tone of Eccleston’s acting.

Besides the Big Finish series, I don’t think Doctor Who has been this gritty before or after as the post war Doctor is still struggling to come to grips with what his life was like before and whether or not he can continue in the same way.

Before going any further, I should mention this series’ deuteragonist, or arguably the protagonist, Rose Tyler played by Billie Piper. She’s our eyes and ears for this first series with Rose’s humanity acting as somewhat of an anchor for the viewer until around Dalek where the Doctor takes the bulk of the show on his shoulders.

With that being said, I’m quite mixed on her overall. At times her London attitude makes for some of the series’ best dialogue however, until Father’s Day, she acts as more of a blank slate for the view to project themselves into her shoes. Sure the pilot episode maybe called Rose and feature her life changing as the whole point of the episode, but when you have a closer look at what her life is it becomes apparent that her role could be filled by anyone.

Part time job working at a “shop” before ordering chips, hanging out with a mate and then going back to a home shared with her Mum before starting the whole thing over the next day. It’s very paint by numbers but it works well at making us the Doctor’s companion.

Father’s Day is the somewhat turning point where Rose is explored as a full character to the point when the Doctor chassises her for being like the rest of humanity, or another “stupid ape”, allowing the episode to act as a trial for Rose’s character and give us a chance to hear her testimony. From that point forward it’s apparent that Rose’s character was created throughout their journeys together turning her from one of the most shallow companions the show had had ever to one of the most in depth.

In terms of the good and the bad, Dalek is a standout for me and is still currently my favourite episode of the entire show with a dark standalone story, mixed with the further of the overall Who lore, messages and social commentary done to sheer perfection, and perhaps the best iteration of a Dalek and the best performance from a Doctor placed side by side. Unfortunately The Long Game is the weakest entry for me, although they doesn’t mean I think it was bad. Adam makes for an irritating tag along, yes I know that’s the point but it doesn’t make him any less irritating, and Simon Pegg’s performance as one of the episode’s antagonists made me cringe throughout.

With all of that being said, this series is the pillar the rest of the show stands on in my opinion. I’m glad that after rewatching it I was not only met in terms of my expectations but they were exceeded.

9/10