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© (C) 2006 BBC/Sci Fi Channel
Billie Piper and Christopher Eccleston in DOCTOR WHO
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TV Review: DOCTOR WHO - Series Premiere - "Rose"
The BBC series begins airing on Sci Fi Channel and it's everything a genre fan could want
Grade: A-Stars: Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper
Writer(s): Russell T. Davies
Director: Keith Boak
Distributor: Airs on Sci Fi Channel, Friday nights at 9:00 pm
By SEAN ELLIOTT, Associate Editor
Published 3/16/2006
Fans of the various other incarnations of DOCTOR WHO will not be disappointed by the latest version of the hit series coming to the States courtesy of the BBC and the Sci Fi Channel. This time around Christopher Eccleston (28 DAYS LATER) fills the shoes of that wacky time and space traveling Dr., and Billie Piper joins him as his female sidekick Rose. The first U.S. aired episode of this series premieres tomorrow at 9pm PST on the Sci Fi Channel. The series has already completed it’s first season run in the UK to tremendous reviews, so we have to play a bit of catch up with it here in the US. This version of WHO maintains several classic elements of the series that fans have known and loved for decades. The Tardis is still the good Doctor’s form of transportation, though the inside has seen a bit of an overhaul from the last version. The Doctor himself is still a unique quirky individual who is not quite a ‘normal’ human and doesn’t quite blend in with the population around him. The perspective with which this series is shown is from the point of view of Rose, who through a series of misadventures joins the Doctor in this first episode. Rose is attractive, plucky, intelligent, and has a great sense of humor in the face of extraordinary circumstances. Christopher Eccleston joins a long list of actors to fill the shoes of the title character. Eccleston is a nice blend of past Doctors, combining parts of their wit, idiosyncratic routines, and sense of heroism. The special effects and production quality of the series has taken significant leaps forward from the last version of the series. The ‘live TV’ look of the series has been replaced by the slick and polished look of a normal TV show. Effects have been upgraded as well with CGI being utilized to create one of the aliens in the premiere. This is a nice leap ahead in terms of technology, but it unfortunately still looks like CGI. Once again Sci Fi Channel, as with their other series BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, has brought a worthwhile character driven science fiction series to television. The characters make the series worth watching, and seeing how they react to everything and everyone around them only makes it more entertaining.
If all episodes of the upcoming season are as well done as the first, we have a great ride ahead for Americans that haven’t yet found a way to see this series. There are few science fiction series worth watching on TV, but the Sci Fi Channel seems to have a corner on the market of the best ones out there.
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Reader Comments
Harry VanHoudnos from Springfield, IL USA sez....
I have seen all the episodes, thanks to a person in England who sold me the DVD set, and gave me the codes to play them on my DVD player. All I have to say is this: BEWARE OF THE BAD WOLF! When you find out what that means, then a lot of what has been going on in this first season WILL MAKE SENSE!
4/3/2006 8:49:39 AM
Roy from Boston sez....
The Best is yet to come............
Beware BAD WOLF!
3/18/2006 9:30:52 AM
Tony from Seattle sez....
"If all episodes of the upcoming season are as well done as the first, we have a great ride ahead . . ."
I had no idea, when I was first watching "Rose", that the first episode would be a weaker one of the series. Oh no my friends, the best is still coming. It only gets better from here.
3/17/2006 12:23:15 PM
Stephen from England sez....
Having been one of the many fans of the new series in the UK I can fully recommend it. One thing I would want to say, though, is that while the first episode ('Rose') is good it may be the weakest of the series.
It is a bit silly in parts and the story is probably a little thin. When I watched it origianlly I thought that it was good, but evident that the series was aimed more at children then adults.
However, as the series progresses it gets more serious and darker and the episodes are even better.
I think the first episode has a lot of work to do to introduce new characters and concepts, as it doesn't expect viewers to know about the previous series. So I think the thinner story line can be forgiven as there's so much more that needs to be done in the first episode.
In summary, the first episode is very good but it is well worth giving it a few more episodes if you're not convinced it's for you as there are some fantastic episodes to come.
3/17/2006 1:08:11 AM
