161. (1.1) Rose

He's back and it's about time. Again.

After 9 years since the Television Movie and 16 years since the last televised classic episode Survival, Doctor Who returns! Season 27 or Season 1 launched with 'Rose' and introduced Doctor Who to a whole new generation. I think Executive Producer Russell T Davies looked at the TV movie as a cautionary tale if what not to do when trying to relaunch the series. Very absent from this first episode are any references to the past, to Gallifrey, to regeneration, to Daleks, to pretty much anything. We are first introduced to Billie Piper's Rose and are immediately shown her point of view, This echo's back to the first Doctor Who story The Unearthly Child, where we are first introduced to Ian and Barbara and are given their point of view on the mysterious Doctor. So through Rose's eyes, we meet this mysterious new Doctor and are drawn into his world. The Autons return to plague the Doctor, much like the first episode of Jon Pertwee's premiere episode, but no reference is made to their joint history other than a reference to a "Time War". 

Christopher Eccleston is brilliant as the new Doctor. You can tell he has issues and you get the sense he is a war veteran. The reference to his ears is a cute nod to what we assume was a recent regeneration. He is very different from any of the previous Doctor's but brings the First Doctor's crankiness to the surface. His initial resistance to bringing Rose into his life is quite endearing. And the two together are actually a classic combination. Rose is a great foil for this Doctor. It's interesting to look back at the story arc around Ace's character and how that has carried over to Rose with the exploration of her family, her mum Jackie Tyler and boyfriend Mickey Smith. Never has a companion quite gotten such a fleshed out family life and seen their home before departing in the TARDIS.

And speaking of the TARDIS, I must say that the new Console Room is AMAZING! While I did like the TV Movies gothic console room, this new one is SO different and brilliant. From the appearance of the exterior door as the actual inside of a police box, to the round 6 sided console, to the floor to ceiling rotor column, to the alien lighting iminating from everywhere, it's just an amazing redesign. And having had the opportunity to actually stand inside this console room, it's more breathtaking in person.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_(Doctor_Who)