Rose - Series 1

I've decided that during this huge lull before we get new Doctor Who episodes, I'll write about some different new series companions, because they're the ones who I first met, but I may throw in some classic series companions as well.  However, we only just got up to Wheel in Space, so I'm limited in who I can really discuss.

Rose is the person who introduces/reintroduces us to the Doctor.  She's young, has no ambition, and leads a boring, monotonous life.  Like all companions, she meets the Doctor completely by accident and has no idea who he is, which is perfect, because people who never watched the classic series (like me) really didn't know who the Doctor was, either. 

From what I can tell on the various Doctor Who forums, you either love Rose or hate Rose.  I love Rose, but again, she introduced me to the series, so I had zero expectations of what a companion was or should be.  I think a lot of the flak that Rose gets is unfair, especially after watching the first few series of classic Who, in which most companions are stupid (Dodo) or do nothing but run around screaming (Susan).  Some companions are fantastic at times, but at others, are completely helpless (Victoria).  And yet, these are all still beloved characters (well, maybe not Dodo).

Here are Rose's episodes from Series 1, and a brief look at her strengths and weaknesses in each.

S1E1 Rose:  This is where we meet Rose and Nine.  She is confused by the Doctor, but takes the initiative to research him on the Internet.  She is bewildered when Mickey is replaced by an Auton, and the interior size of the TARDIS is shocking, but she still jumps right in.  She is responsible for saving the Doctor from the Nestene Consciousness, even if it is the ridiculous and over-played "I was a gymnast!" resolution.  Hell, I was a gymnast, but I doubt my skills would ever come in handy to save the Doctor, or knock out a velociraptor.  Still, she shows bravery and innovation.  She also berates the Doctor for not caring whether Mickey was alive or dead, so she clearly isn't going to have trouble speaking her mind.  However, when the Doctor offers her a trip in the TARDIS, she initially turns him down, but then changes her mind when he says it's a time machine.  I think it's terrible that she's willing to leave Mickey, but at the same time, this is probably the most exciting thing that's ever happened to her, and let's face it - we would all do the same thing in a heartbeat.  At the time, she didn't know they'd be going on lots of adventures - they were going on one trip, so I'm sure it didn't occur to her that she was abandoning her boyfriend.

S1E2 The End of the World:  The Doctor takes Rose to see the destruction of Earth, but they discover that something strange is going on.  Rose investigates Cassandra, and ends up being knocked out and in danger of being fried up from the sun's rays.  While the Doctor does have to save her life, Rose again shows quick thinking by preventing Cassandra, who orchestrated the whole problem, from leaving Platform One.  As a consequence, Cassandra dries out and ruptures.  So, instead of giving up and crying, Rose has the presence of mind to not only call the Doctor to tell him she's trapped, but she also captures the villain.

S1E3 The Unquiet Dead:  The Doctor and Rose end up in Cardiff.  Rose is kidnapped, but then saved by Charles Dickens and the Doctor.  Nothing really spectacular happens with Rose in this episode, but she does show a lot of compassion and empathy towards Gwyneth.

S1E4 Aliens of London/S1E5 World War III:  Rose is returned twelve months after she leaves with the Doctor to find that she's been reported as missing.  I do like this, because in the classic series, there is no mention of the strange fact that these companions just go missing.  It hasn't been an issue (up to the point I'm at, anyway) and in retrospect, I like that it forces Jackie to become part of the Doctor's world.  A spaceship crashes into Big Ben, and the Doctor and Rose end up at 10 Downing Street with Harriet Jones.  Again, Rose demonstrates that she can handle tough situations - she and Harriet discover the Prime Minister's body, after all.  Though Rose, Harriet, and the Doctor are trapped at 10 Downing Street, Rose is able to contact Mickey and tell him how to hack into UNIT and help destroy Downing Street (and the Slitheen).  The Doctor invites Mickey to join him, but he declines.  Rose, however, decides to continue traveling with the Doctor.  Again, Rose shows her resilience and the ability to take danger in stride. 


S1E6 Dalek:  Rose's ability to show sympathy to aliens results in her resurrecting a dormant Dalek.  We see the Doctor fall apart when he discovers its existence, and it becomes clear why he needs a companion, and Rose specifically.  She really can't be fazed, even in the face of the complete unknown.  Also, she can stop the Doctor when he's gone too far (a theme that is repeated with, of all people, Donna).  Yes, she is trapped again, but it is really her empathy for the Dalek that saves her, and not the Doctor.  It's becoming clear that Rose is far from helpless.

S1E7 The Long Game:  This is really one of my least favorite episodes, so I don't have much to say about it.  Plus, nothing really interesting happens with Rose.  The new companion, Adam, does some really stupid stuff and ends up being forced off the TARDIS after just one trip.  Hey, at least he didn't die, like so many companions did in the span of just a few episodes towards the end of the First Doctor's run.

S1E8 Father's Day:  This is the episode that really makes Rose seem like a moron.  She convinces the Doctor to take her back to the day her father dies, but she intervenes and saves his life.  This creates a paradox that makes time go all crazy (pay attention, Moffat!) until Pete dies as he was meant to. After the Doctor tells Rose not to touch Baby Rose, she stupidly lets Jackie put Baby Rose into her arms, creating another paradox.  Really, this entire episode just discounts all the smart decisions she made in the previous episodes.

S1E9 The Empty Child, aka the episode that still gives me nightmares/S1E10 The Doctor Dances:  Rose ends up hanging from a barrage balloon (yes, another ridiculous idea), but it results in her meeting Captain Jack Harkness (swoon).  Because the Doctor doesn't really fit into her idea of what a time traveler should be, she calls Jack a "professional".  It's a bit bratty, but I think it's more funny than anything.  Realizing that Harkness is responsible for the object they were chasing through space, Rose cleverly gets Jack to meet up with the Doctor.  Rose continues to be impressed by Jack, which annoys the Doctor to no end.

S1E11 Boom Town:  The Slitheen are back, this time in Cardiff.  Meanwhile, Rose has asked Mickey to meet them there - it turns out she's missed him.  I think it's a really sweet moment when she tells him that, as it shows that she hasn't just completely abandoned him.  Yes, life with the Doctor is more exciting, but she does care about Mickey, just maybe not as much as he'd like.

S1E12 Bad Wolf/S1E13 Parting of the Ways:  Rose is kidnapped by the Daleks (okay, I agree, her being held prisoner gets old).  Rose comes up with a way for them to beat the Daleks, and while the Doctor initially says it won't work, he changes his mind and sends Rose into the TARDIS.  As soon as she enters, he sends the TARDIS back to London.  She arrives and completely freaks out about being sent home.  She realizes that being with the Doctor hasn't just been exciting, it's helped her discover that she has potential, that she can be a better person.  Mickey and Jackie help to remove the panel in the control room and she looks into the heart of the TARDIS, then flies it back to Satellite 5.  She destroys the Daleks, but to save Rose, the Doctor has to absorb the power from the TARDIS by kissing her.  This almost seems ridiculous, except that you have to remember that Christopher Eccleston didn't want to continue with Doctor Who, and they had to make him regenerate somehow.  I'm not saying it couldn't have been done differently, but I like it.  Anyway, Rose is terrified by the regeneration, but she doesn't scream or faint, she just takes it all in.

Personally, I think that throughout the entire series, Rose does show weakness, but she also shows that she is very strong.  She can reel in the Doctor when he goes too far, she can think on her feet, she doesn't lose her head in a tough situation.  She possesses the empathy that the broken Doctor lacks.  She's human, and the Doctor is so detached after the Time War, he needs someone to keep him grounded.  I can absolutely understand why some people hate her, but I think that in some ways, the criticism that the character receives is unwarranted.  I know a lot of the problem is that she is in love with the Doctor, and honestly, the Doctor changed Rose's life so much, of course she's going to hero worship him.  I think that no matter who had been the next companion, there would have been a lot of people unhappy, just like a lot of people hate Christopher Eccleston, even though he's my second favorite Doctor.  No one will like every character.  I mean, look at Amy.  I think she's a vapid moron, and yet there are classic fans who love her.  It's all really a matter of taste, isn't it?

Oh, and by the way, in case you didn't realize:  I'M A GIRL.

Well, time to say goodbye to Nine, and move on to Series 2.

Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre

I LOVE Sherlock.  If it weren't for Sherlock, I'd probably be burning effigies of Steven Moffat (not really, I'm just being dramatic).

I also LOVE the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre.

And, I do not like the new Doctor Who (you may have noticed).

Put all those together, and what do you have?  The funniest 4:55 I have seen in a long time.  I laughed so hard that my stomach hurt, and I had to keep rewinding the video (rewinding? WTF, Lynette, is this 1985?) to catch bits that I'd missed.

If you like it, PLEASE go to their YouTube channel and follow them.