Solar Flare: Science Fiction News

Anyone who’s spent any time on this blog will have picked up on the fact I’m a huge fan of Doctor Who and I’ve been looking forward to the new series ever since it was announced. So I’m biased, but I’m going to review the Rose, the first episode of the new series of Doctor Who anyway.

Living in the States as I do I had to accquire a copy of the show, but that wasn’t hard to do and the copy is a direct one from the first UK broadcast so I saw exactly what viewers over there saw.

The new title sequence lacks some of the uniqueness that the original sequences had, but beats all of the starfield title sequences. I like the new mix of the classic theme tune too. The title sequences is fast and that pace is reflected throughout the whole show. The new format is 45 minutes of either stand alone or two part episodes, so there’s no time to waste in telling these stories.

To all intents and purposes this is the first episode of a brand new series. So this episode had the particularly tricky job of both telling an entertaining story and setting up the series particularly unique premise. It actually achieved both, although the story was pretty shallow.

The strongest point of this episode was the characterization. Not only did we get the real Doctor again, complete with mood changes and mystery, but his new companion Rose was given some depth and attitude all of her own.

Christopher Eccleston does an excellent job of capturing not only the mercurial and alien nature of the Doctor, but also his childish energy and excitement. Even better, he shows the ability to switch from the light-hearted to deadly serious and give us just the faintest glimpse of what the Doctor is.

Billie Piper is something of a revelation to me. When I left the UK she was nothing more than a singer of plastic pop songs. It seems she’s matured into an extremely capable actress. She gives Rose both sex appeal and just a general charsima that makes the viewer want to see what she’ll do.

This new series isn’t going to satisfy all of the old school Doctor Who fans, because it’s very obviously not trying to. While it does offer a few nods in their direction, it doesn’t pander. There’s a sonic screwdriver, but no regeneration scene. There’s the TARDIS but no mention of Time Lords. Russell T. Davis has captured the core of what Doctor Who is and refashioned it for a new audience. He’s not just doing edited highlights of the previous 26 seasons for the old fans.

As far as the special effects go. Doctor Who has never looked this impressive. It doesn’t compare to the recent Star Wars films. Honestly, it doesn’t compare to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but it allows Doctor Who to go places that it could only hint at before. This is particularly obvious during the Auton’s attack. Compare the devastation we see with a similar attack in Jon Pertwee’s original Auton story.

All in all this is a fast paced action series with sharp dialogue and deft characterization by the end of the episode I couldn’t wait to see the next one. The Doctor is most definitely back!

Eoghann Irving is amongst other things the creator and Editor of Solar Flare. He has a life long interest in all forms of science fiction and fantasy and a pressing need to share this interest with anyone who will listen. Find out more at his personal website eoghann.com..

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