Doctor Who has always been about time, and I have to say the return of one of TV's most enduring franchises could not have come at a better time. With Star Trek coming to an end on television, there is no better time for Doctor Who to regain its place as TV sci-fi's guiding light. It's a shame a lot of people, perhaps used to bashing Enterprise for the last 4 years, are so well-practiced at the art that they're now training their sights on the new Doctor Who. Well, as a 20-year fan of the franchise I can say that their venom is misplaced.
Doctor Who is the type of science fiction that TV has been sorely lacking -- something that's fun. There's none of the angst and West Wing-in-Space shenanigans of Battlestar Galactica, the soap operaness of Firefly or even the straight-jacket of continuity that has plagued Star Trek for 18 years. Yes, Doctor Who has continuity, and bless the BBC for NOT making this a reboot, but given the nature of the show it has a lot more flexibility than perhaps any SF series ever made for TV.
I knew Doctor Who was back from the moment the theme song started. Although rearranged it uses elements of the original 1960s theme that haven't been heard since 1980, including the electronic scream. The grand old TARDIS sound is back, too.
As for the actors, I think Chris Eccleston does a superb job. People are complaining he's too Northern (whatever that means). These same people probably complained that Sylvester McCoy was too Scottish. The Doctor changes personalities as he changes bodies -- the fact he comes off looking and sounding a bit like a football hooligan is just part of this Doctor's charm. It's a shame Eccleston has already quit the role, because I would love to see how he develops the part in the long run. Then again, as all previous Doctor actors can attest, you can never leave the role for too long. He'll be back for some "Two Doctors"-like event in a few years. Mark my words.
Billie Piper, meanwhile, aside from giving Carole Anne Ford, Nicola Bryant, Louise Jameson and Mary Tamm a good run for their money for the title of Hottest Companion ever, is surprisingly good as Rose. I really wasn't sure what to expect -- the list of pop singers successfully turning to acting is a short one -- but she does a good job and manages to be more than eye candy.
The special effects and the music are also top-notch on this production which is every bit as good as Hollywood SF. Maybe that's why the Sci-Fi Channel refused to buy the show -- Doctor Who upstages their homegrown productions shamelessly.
The debut episode, "Rose" had a few problems. The photos showing the Doctor in past eras were poorly Photoshopped (although it could be argued that maybe "Clive" just created them -- could he be a former companion?). And some of the comedy was a bit awkward (such as the hand attacking the Doctor). Also, if you're not in tune with the dialect you might find some dialogue hard to understand -- I eagerly await the DVD release so I can figure out what the heck Rose and the Doctor are saying in several scenes. But all told, "Rose" could well stand as one of the best "revival" episodes of any series ever.
Let's hope we've just seen the start of another 26-year dynasty. Long live Doctor Who!
Update: The second episode of any series is always a major hurdle, and I thought "End of the World" passed with flying colors. It pays tribute to Douglas Adams - who not a lot of people remember was script editor of the show for two years and reportedly was inspired by Doctor Who to create Hitchhiker's Guide. And with the latest movie version of that book due out only weeks later made the timing of the episode perfect. There were some shaky moments, but while "Rose" felt like a new breed of Doctor Who, "World" had the feel of a classic Tom Baker episode and showed that the series can balance the old and the new. I won't tie up the IMDb by adding reviews of every episode, but I'll just say that it passed the Second Episode Test for me. Doctor Who is back!
Doctor Who is the type of science fiction that TV has been sorely lacking -- something that's fun. There's none of the angst and West Wing-in-Space shenanigans of Battlestar Galactica, the soap operaness of Firefly or even the straight-jacket of continuity that has plagued Star Trek for 18 years. Yes, Doctor Who has continuity, and bless the BBC for NOT making this a reboot, but given the nature of the show it has a lot more flexibility than perhaps any SF series ever made for TV.
I knew Doctor Who was back from the moment the theme song started. Although rearranged it uses elements of the original 1960s theme that haven't been heard since 1980, including the electronic scream. The grand old TARDIS sound is back, too.
As for the actors, I think Chris Eccleston does a superb job. People are complaining he's too Northern (whatever that means). These same people probably complained that Sylvester McCoy was too Scottish. The Doctor changes personalities as he changes bodies -- the fact he comes off looking and sounding a bit like a football hooligan is just part of this Doctor's charm. It's a shame Eccleston has already quit the role, because I would love to see how he develops the part in the long run. Then again, as all previous Doctor actors can attest, you can never leave the role for too long. He'll be back for some "Two Doctors"-like event in a few years. Mark my words.
Billie Piper, meanwhile, aside from giving Carole Anne Ford, Nicola Bryant, Louise Jameson and Mary Tamm a good run for their money for the title of Hottest Companion ever, is surprisingly good as Rose. I really wasn't sure what to expect -- the list of pop singers successfully turning to acting is a short one -- but she does a good job and manages to be more than eye candy.
The special effects and the music are also top-notch on this production which is every bit as good as Hollywood SF. Maybe that's why the Sci-Fi Channel refused to buy the show -- Doctor Who upstages their homegrown productions shamelessly.
The debut episode, "Rose" had a few problems. The photos showing the Doctor in past eras were poorly Photoshopped (although it could be argued that maybe "Clive" just created them -- could he be a former companion?). And some of the comedy was a bit awkward (such as the hand attacking the Doctor). Also, if you're not in tune with the dialect you might find some dialogue hard to understand -- I eagerly await the DVD release so I can figure out what the heck Rose and the Doctor are saying in several scenes. But all told, "Rose" could well stand as one of the best "revival" episodes of any series ever.
Let's hope we've just seen the start of another 26-year dynasty. Long live Doctor Who!
Update: The second episode of any series is always a major hurdle, and I thought "End of the World" passed with flying colors. It pays tribute to Douglas Adams - who not a lot of people remember was script editor of the show for two years and reportedly was inspired by Doctor Who to create Hitchhiker's Guide. And with the latest movie version of that book due out only weeks later made the timing of the episode perfect. There were some shaky moments, but while "Rose" felt like a new breed of Doctor Who, "World" had the feel of a classic Tom Baker episode and showed that the series can balance the old and the new. I won't tie up the IMDb by adding reviews of every episode, but I'll just say that it passed the Second Episode Test for me. Doctor Who is back!