"Rose"

We open in space and bear down upon Earth at frightening speed- to end up looking at the face of an alarm clock. This leads to a high-octane montage of a day in the life of Rose Tyler, a normal every-day girl who has something very unusual happen to her that changes her life forever. Ladies and gentlemen, Doctor Who is back!

The story is very easy to follow, which makes it difficult to appreciate how incredibly skilful the writing is. The ‘threat’ in the story is the Nestene Intelligence and the Autons, who are again brought back to usher in a new era. However, we never see how they invaded and we never get scenes of them plotting. They appear as an inexplicable menace, as they should to the average person. For this story is called Rose for a reason- she is the average person who has to be introduced to a legend that has lasted for 40 years. The characters that populate this story are real, from Rose's mother Jackie, who is obsessed with getting compensation for Rose to Clive, a very sympathetic portrayal of a conspiracy freak. This is due, in a large way, to Russell T Davies. What is rarely appreciated is his deep understanding of the programme, which led him to start the relaunch of the series with such a low-key tale- yet "An Unearthly Child" was similarly low-key, which made it all the more effective. The council-estate setting is also redolent of Survival. Davies not only understands what made the original series work, but knows how to reinterpret that for the 21st century. The story is helped, of course, by Davies’s phenomenal skills as a writer, writing dialogue that is realistic, funny and evocative. We can also see how acceptable subjects for family television have changed- ‘he’s gay and she’s an alien’, ‘kit-off!’ and references to breast implants would have been unthinkable in the original programme!

The look of the series is, of course completely different to anything that has gone before- the programme is now in widescreen and has a filmic look. The editing is frenetic as is the pace. Keith Boak directs with aplomb, although he would be quickly outclassed by other directors. The production values are all phenomenal from the headless Auton Mickey to the wonderful new TARDIS set.

Russell T Davies is a very highly respected name in television, which is why he was able to get one of the finest British actors to play the Doctor. Christopher Eccleston is unlike any Doctor previously seen, but we are seeing the character in a way we haven’t really seen him since Spearhead from Space- a force of nature that occasionally stops to chat. The Doctor is manic, sometimes absent minded, funny, but possessing deep wisdom and intelligence and Eccleston is instantly effective in the role. However, this story is called "Rose" and it is Billie Piper who is the real lead player. It seems hard to believe the incredulity her casting caused, but it is easy to believe the complete evaporation of that bad feeling that occurred after the episode aired. Piper exudes star quality and talent from the start and it is clear that a great Doctor/Companion dynamic has started. The supporting cast are great, with Camille Coduri being great fun as Jackie and Noel Clarke making Mickey very real, and a complete plonker!

Doctor Who is unique and some would say an acquired taste. It is an easy taste to acquire, however, provided the right starter is presented- and this hugely entertaining 45 minutes truly whets the appetite.

NEXT: "The End of the World"