"I'm not here to kill it. I've got to give it a chance". Thanks so much for watching this episode! If you wanted to support these videos, please consider leaving any comment and hit the "like" button to appease the almighty KZfaq algorithm! New episodes every Monday!

Even the Nestene Consciousness wants Noel Clarke in the bin.

Used to watch your original Series 1 reviews every couple years. This is a massive step up in quality, and really shows how far you've come!

I remember watching his first review of Rose 'WWAAYY' back in 2010, Ahhh the good old days.

There’s something to be said about The Doctor’s brusque but caring attitude to Rose versus her family’s caring but brusque one, especially in this first episode. Take the scene in which Rose has just come back from Top Shop Armageddon. The scene starts with Jackie on the phone and Rose with a cup of tea in her hand. We’re supposed to infer that Jackie made it for her, but 1) it skips over it in her first proper scene in favour of establishing her as a gossipy, slightly flighty, but popular woman. 2) tea is a bit of a token gesture (the sort you could imagine the Doctor adding to his mocking line about beans on toast earlier) for someone to get after a close call. The key thing is - while her mum does care - it’s a low effort kind. The next scene where Rose wakes up Jackie puts her right back down again with the blunt reminder that her job’s gone: not exactly the picture of maternal love and understanding there. Next is Mickey, which is a more obvious one of him being a bit selfish for wanting to take to the pub on the pretext of caring, but actually just wanting to watch football. Plus, the self-absorption is further hinted at by the restaurant scene where Rose says, “I’m sorry, was I talking about me for sec?” Potentially hinting at past similar arguments. By comparison, The Doctor, without even being aware he’s doing it, gives Rose the chance to prove herself in a way Jackie and Mickey would never - consciously or not - ask of her. The episode as a whole about making understand why Rose would choose to run away with a mysterious stranger without going overboard with it. Jackie and Mickey are nice, comforting, safe figures of domesticity. But they don’t allow for much space for Rose to grow as a person. Idk, probs just overthinking it a bit (Rose Tyler is my favourite companion, so maybe I’m a bit biased) .The end line itself is easy to look past as just RTD wanting a witty line to end the episode on; plus, there are repercussions later, so it’s not like Rose gets away with her spontaneity scott-free, even if you can’t look past it. Addendum: in terms of the laugh, my interpretation of it isn’t a laugh born of juvenile callousness, but of comedic irony to Jackie’s “don’t go outside” line prior and relief that her mother’s alive. It’s like how in SpiderMan or Superman stories where everyone thinks Peter and Clark are just hiding instead of being at the centre of the chaos. Great video, looking forward to more in the future.

16:58 Our first introduction to Mickey is leaving his traumatised girlfriend to go down the match. Not before trying to drag her along against what she needs right now, mind. Then there's the _"Don't check my emails!"_ line, as well as later advising Rose against visiting Clive. You could call his behaviour protective, sure, but going off of Mickey's prior scenes, I reckon paranoid and controlling might be more appropriate descriptions. Hindsight is the buggar here. Though he had no intention of doing so at the time of writing the pilot, Russell would go on to further characterise Mickey as a far more likeable companion. World War Three treats him with respect, which is continued throughout the remainder of his tenure. But if we look at Rose in isolation, her actions are entirely justified. He did nothing but hold her back, and he did it with full intention. Rose's whole life revolved around the will of her boyfriend and mother, and she's finally stepping away from that, someone actually noticing her worth. _That's_ why Russell includes the Jimmy Stone anecdote in the restaurant; she left the domestic life of A-Levels behind once before, because she thought a man had shown her a bigger, better world. She was mislead then (Jimmy stealing her computer from their bed sit, hence the trip to Mickey's), but this one's earned her trust. And he can offer a hell of a lot more than a bed sit.

I liked Rose laughing when her mom called. Rose was terrified Jackie was killed by the Autons, so hearing her mom reacting in a way only she could brought such an overwhelming sense of relief and joy that all she could do was laugh. I do think it makes sense at a script level for Rose not to notice Mickey is acting strangely -- she's off in her own world thinking about everything that's just happened and everything she's learned. I think it's let down quite a bit by the makeup job on Mickey and the robotic performance by Noel Clarke. Subtlety would have been a better choice there -- and Rose wouldn't have felt so unobservant. As great as this season is, subtlety isn't always one of its strong points!

What's cool is when Russell T Davies wrote the Target novel for this episode he could put in all sorts of Easter eggs to the classic show. I.e. Clive is related to a soldier from Remembrance of the Daleks and the photos he shows Rose show different versions of the Doctor and not just younger Eccleston. Also, the Autons a great pick for the first villians for the comeback?! Please... It should have been the Chumblies.

I'd really love to see retrospectively reviews for all of Dr Who in this style. They must be a nightmare for copyright reasons but they're my most watched videos

Really scares me that this is now 16 years old

I think you summed it up perfectly. Rose is the perfect distillation of what makes Series 1 a good revival. It establishes a fantastic new Doctor with hidden depths, a relatable companion to give new fans an enjoyable protagonist and a view into the crazy sci-fi world, it brings back iconic villains and hallmarks of the series while updating necessary elements for the modern day. I will speak in defense of Rose and say that one could interpret her laughing at Jackie's distress as laughing in relief that she's still alive (of course, there are better ways of establishing that Rose is relieved) and as for her kissing Mickey and then running off... that is a bit of a jerk move, but I would say that establishes a good character flaw, that she's headstrong and doesn't consider the consequences of her actions in the moment.

I wish / hope we get a video like this for every episode of NuWho. That would be bliss!

How did Jackie not here the coffee table smash? I can imagine Russell re-watching the episode and going wow she's got a very loud hair dryer.

I was 11 at the time and had been a Doctor Who fanatic since I was 4. Only me and one other lad in my primary school year were Doctor Who fans. Throughout the late 90s and early 00s would go round the playground pretending to be Autons, Daleks, Axons, you name it. Then suddenly in 2005, EVERYONE in our year knew what 'exterminate' meant, what TARDIS stood for, what that creepy iconic theme tune belonged to. I do kind of miss the days when only a handful of people my age knew about Doctor Who and it would be a big 'OMG you're a Doctor Who fan???' moment if you were to encounter one of your kind, but it was amazing to see how the show became so huge literally overnight in 2005. Was anyone else very young in 2005 but already a Doctor Who fan? Comment below :)

I've always loved your marathon videos, always have so much care and effort out into them

The part about Rose looked like going to die, but doctor showed up and saved her, the tone changing and establishment worked so well, so on the nose and so memorable. I was instantly hooked and can't wait to find out what's going to happen next. Especially I am not British, had basically nothing to do with UK, didn't even know what Doctor Who was, and of course had no idea about either the show's format or all those promotion back in 2005. (I was literally just bumped into the show on the TV channel which broadcasting random foreign sci-fi TV show back in 2010s) . There's no way to tell how holistic and extraordinary the experience was.

Am I imagining things, or is the image of the ninth Doctor's Tardis being dingy and dark the result of it's location? Almost all of the shots inside the Tardis in series one happen at night, and the Tardis is in dark lighting to reflect that, like an aeroplane. The only exception I can think of is that when they land in Cardiff in Boom Town it's broad daylight, and the Tardis is bright and sunny too. I think the interior is simply reflecting it's environment.

Great review as always. Really looking forward to revisiting this adventure with you.

I still have a vivid memory of watching this episode as a kid, was about 6 at the time, having no idea what to expect. What that kid got from it, and the next five years of Who television, was certainly the trip of a lifetime. The moment I first heard that 2005 arrangement of the theme, I was whisked away in that blue box…metaphorically speaking.

I liked how the London Eye was used, because one thing I love about Doctor Who is, like the Chronicles of Narnia before it, it manages to take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. That’s why the Autons are a good threat, because it ignites the imagination to see something as common as a shop window dummy smashing through things and firing guns from their hands.

Back when I saw Rose for the first time (yet it was not my first DW story I saw, that honor goes to the Stolen Earth), I do agree that the way she left Mickey for the Doctor was absolutely cold. But now after the circumstances surrounding the egregious flaws of Mickey’s actor (to whom I say be average, unseen, good luck), I honestly find this moment less cold than I remembered. Everything else, though? Yeah, still valid now as back then.

This was great. Excited for a new video series from you.

If we're gonna go back to memory line, I didn't actually watched it on it's first original broadcast version, I watched a repeat of it on BBC Three in ready for The Christmas Invasion in late 2005, Nice memories.

Classic Doctor Who was shot like a sitcom.

I remember watching this on the season 1, volume one DVD many years ago with the End of the Word and the Unquiet Dead

Wonderful review, definitely a step up from the old ones, i remember watching this episode 16 years ago, and I agree with most of these points, despite the cut corners, and some odd character choices, the writing, the jokes, the pacing, all these years later, is still absolutely, for lack of a better word, is fantastic

6:27 "Spoiler alert Autons, OPEN FIRE!"

I have never thought that you would bring up Buffy the vampire slayer.

So, I rewatched series 1 last year. And bar a couple of bits, it still holds up so well.

The table is actually really interesting! IIRC, RTD was stressing about how to address the smashed table, mess and noise, but eventually realised it just wasn't worth the time, and most people would never notice it. I think that's a really interesting insight into how he writes so sucessfully, and something people certainly get caught up in in the modern day.

I can tell you with 100% certainty, that music editing was not a problem with the original broadcast, or on the DVD. I don't know what's up with the blu rays, but I checked my dad's old recording from the TV, and my DVD copy, and it ain't like that. The blu ray's just effed up for some reason.

Great Review, Mr. TARDIS. Rose is one of my favourite companions and the titular episode has a fond place in my heart for being so incredibly, memorably quotable.

If I could only watch one Series 1 episode ever again, it would be this one. I have nostalgia for this one despite not watching this until much later.

I too don't like how rose treated Mickey in that end as well. Well said. Excellent review. Hope you and your fiance feel better.

Great to see you reviewing series 1 again. Series 1 is one of my top two Nu Who series. And I like the title you've used for these new reviews. I used the same title for my series 1 fanfiction. Rose is the best episode for introducing Doctor Who to a new audience, and although it's not perfect, it's certainly more entertaining and enjoyable then anything Moffat wrote after series 5 and anything Chibnall's ever written! Looking forward to seeing your review of End of the World.

Lovely stuff!

I'd love to see you do one of these retrospectives for Series 5, the Matt Smith era was my introduction to Doctor Who and I have a lot of sentimental value for it!

Seeing Will speck about how this was just basically the best 1st episode for so many to watch, a true fan or new !

One more thing to say I promise, His original score for his old review in 2010, 8/10.

Your work is nothing short of brilliant…

Rose is an absolute gangster now after what she said to Mickey

18:21 I just listened to the "ground beneath our feet" speech on my DVD rip, and it's so much better; Eccleston's voice is as clear as a bell. Perhaps it is a quirk of the BluRay sound mix, as you suggest.

Fantastic, indeed!

This episode always goes "in one ear and out the other" for me. I mainly remember it from the novelisation.

I agree with everything you said here!

Rose is the best Russel T Davies companion, Clara is the best Steven Moffat companion and Yaz is the best Chris Chibnall companion!

Now I want to see that alternate version of rose awkwardly stepping out of the Tardis and talking to Micky, also I've always hated that line your not alone

Which four word line is exclaimed by the Doctor in this episode and also (word for word) in Parting of the Ways?

I don't have a problem with how Rose treats Micky cos I don't need her to be likable all the time. She can have shades of grey and even a dark side. A lot of fans seem to need the women companions to be likable all the time and I think that should be looked at

This episode is great and a bit underrated too, I’d give it an 8.5/10

18:32 , yeah this is unfortunately a problem throughout Series 1, and leading a bit into S2 as well. I really wish that a remaster of Series 1 was released with the sountrack remixed, as it definitely ruins scenes a little bit

Aha why aren't you calling it the London Eye?

I don’t think ever needs a reboot, because if it goes away for too long, they can just get a new actor and start from scratch without disregarding any prior continuity. All you need to know is… well in a soft reboot like this, everything will explained to you over the course of the story.

Will he be doing series 2 and onwards?

I’m honestly grateful to grow up with this show at that time in 2005. Also about the problem with Rose. While I can agree her actions are cold and selfish. But what makes her a more well written companion is that there are people like her in real life. Which is a bad thing but There are people who would make selfish decisions for their own needs, which could result in hurting those closest to them. Yes it’s horrible but that’s Want makes her 3 dimensional. Something the audience could relate to. Rose’s selfishness feels like it was intentional. Like something someone in 2005 would do. Characters like Amy, Clara or even tHe fAM don’t feel relatable, because at the time show treats them like they’re 100% perfect and that they can do no harm. Which makes them unreal. Their actions aren’t realistic there’s no real consequences. and they feel 1 dimensional. They feel like characters out of a teenage fantasy novel. There’s no one in this world like Amy. Clara, or the Fam. They feel too perfect while Rose isn’t.

I don’t think the Tv Movie was that we’ll regarded by fans because of the changes it made to the lore (half-human and such) as well as the “Americanizing” of a British property was considered blasphemous to many. Casual viewers either didn’t understand the film or were watching Rosanne. Also, the fact that at the time the Tv movie was considered to be last chance to get the show back on air and that it failed I think also led to its bad reputation. Btw I have the DVD release of series 1 and it also has the problem where the music overpowers the dialogue. I wonder if someone recorded Rose when it was broadcasted so we can see if the audio was initially like that when it aired.

Have you considered reviewing some of Classic Who as well?

Doctor should end up with?river or rose

Would have been average but 9 single handedly makes it something genuinely good... 7/10

Next Week, Earth will die in the sun's heatness for The End of the World.

I like Rose

dont mind me, just pushing this through the algorithm

💕

This is me leaving a comment to appease the almighty KZfaq algorithm.

Comment for KZfaq algorithm

Girls always choose chads. Rose is no exception.

Glad you're going back through series 1, two years ago I looked over it myself! 😁 kzfaq.info/sun/PLmhbjbcSElgSZD6yKQKfPtbHvre4_jqeY

I never liked Rose because of the way she treated Micky. And her crush on Tenth made me cringe.

I think that important moment of giving the creature a chance is so vital; that’s why the whole Matt Smith introduction of “I’m the Doctor, run” threat has bothered me for so long. It’s fine to establish a cool kind of attitude (a trait that’s massively overdone in genre storytelling). But when you’re raised in a trigger happy environment where concern for life is thought of as a liability, the Doctor’s attitude understands the need to preserve a vast world/universe and a perspective of looking beyond one’s own britches that creates a genuinely unique kind of action hero

This episode is somehow both so good and so bad at the same time for me. We’re it not Doctor Who, I feel like it could just be any random episode of any random, mid-two-thousands Sci Fi show. It’s essentially the episode responsible for bringing back Doctor Who as a show, but do you know what else it is? Inconsistent. In one scene, it’s a great and brilliant episode of Doctor Who. In the next… Some guy is being eaten by a rubbish bin. I recall Clever Dick Films saying how sceptical he was of the reboot in his episode on Christopher Eccleston, and his fears weren’t assuaged until Dalek, which I think is probably the episode most responsible for the New Series’ popularity, at least from Series 1.

Rose is a strange episode for me. I really don't think Chris was at his best here, and I don't think the episode has aged as well as most of Series 1. I was around for the revival of the show and remember being a huge fan of series 1, but Rose never really got me into the franchise. It was just that one episode I skipped on the DVDs. It's one of those episodes that I know why people like it, I can appreciate the quality and clear care that went into it, but it's just not for me.

I liked the whole 'thanks for nothing' bit for the exact reason you disliked it. Like, yeah, that was a bit of a bitch move, but I think it was in service to her characterization. Mickey's feelings for Rose are very clearly one sided, and her not noticing the auton and that ending showcase that

First!

I never understand the love for the RTD era in all honesty. After doing a rewatch of Classic and New Who it was my least favourite other than Graham Williams and Chris Chibnall.

Rose leaves a sour taste, that would only become more and more sour as the series progressed

Considering the Tardis interior is currently a _cave,_ which doesn't make any sense at all considering it is a machine. I have no real issue with Eccleston's Tardis. Proper lighting has been an issue with all Nu-Who Tardis interiors to be fair. Aside from, ironically enough, Ruth Doctor's Tardis. Which looked amazing.

Oh god there's no need to bash classic Who, just to make this look better. lol Different times and vastly different budget and tech. Gotta say I still prefer the Pertwee take then this but I know I'm alone in voicing that. Oh and to add, imo you can really see the Buffy influence in this series here, for as you know RTD was a huge fan and wanted to take a few leaves out of it's book for his approach to 'new Who'.

I don’t know if it’s just me but I don’t think it’s funny all that much

Or I like to call it, how the doctor meets his wife

Wow I remember watching your series 1 reviews from YEARS ago, I'm excited to see you revisit them with added wisdom and skill 10 years on. I absolutely love ROSE as an introduction to all the vital elements of Doctor Who, I have so much nostalgia for it but even without the nostalgia goggles it's so good. Can't believe it's been 16 years....that's a big number! Will you do these revisit reviews for the other series' of Doctor Who?