Steven Moffat's script id a fine combination of wartime drama, scary monster invasion and surprising science-fiction adventure. The story not only excels in introducing one of the scariest one-off aliens in the series' history but also introduces fan-favourite recurring character Jack Harkness, who would go on to star in the spin-off show Torchwood. With plenty of quotable dialogue, surprising twists and properly creepy scenes, it's a master class in storytelling.
The finest thing about the story is the fact that despite the apparent alien threat, it's all a big misunderstanding. It works because the audience is expected to believe that all aliens are evil. This one time, they're not. Moffat throws in hints to the right state of things from the very beginning, but the solution still feels satisfyingly surprising.
And just when you thought the episode couldn't end any better, Moffat throws in a final treat at the very end and your life is complete.
Christopher puts in another amazing performance, particularly in The Doctor Dances. John Barrowman immediately captures the laid-back, flashy and fascinating Jack Harkness in a way no other actor can. His scenes together with Christopher Eccleston are priceless. I also love Florence Hoath, whose Nancy becomes somewhat of a secondary companion in this story. Richard Wilson makes a small, but effective contribution to this story as well.
I love how the Doctor feels threatened by Jack in terms of coolness and heroics, constantly trying to outwit him in Part Two. The Doctor shares a warm moment with Rose in the second episode. It's a kind of moment that never happened in the original series.
Rose goes adventuring in her own, getting into trouble but managing to talk her way out of things. She's learned from the Doctor.
Captain Jack seems like a mysterious man from the future initially, being the reason things have gone wrong in the story in the first place. We do learn, of course, that he did the beat he could and means no harm.
The creepy and deadly baddies are the small nanogenes, only doing what they have been designed to do.
This and the second part are the best-designed episodes of the season, both in terms of sets and costumes. It captures the 1940s era of London perfectly. The CGI blends perfectly with the studio and location shooting, the direction and cinematography help keep up the ominous atmosphere.
The first part presents the characters, the setting and the initial mystery very well while leaving the story on a breathtaking cliffhanger.
The wartime atmosphere is expertly created thanks to the production design and the creepy child asking for its mummy. It's scary and mysterious form the very beginning and stays that way during most of the two-parter. That cliffhanger is an iconic one, and its resolution is even better.
The entire 'Everybody Lives!' sequence always makes me. It's a very satisfying moment in such a dark story.
Steven Moffat debuted with a bang and would keep up the high quality in future seasons. This two-parter is the perfect blend of historical adventure and scary aliens. It also I introduced who is arguably the most popular recurring character in the revived series.
No doubt about it; if there's one story everyone should rewatch from Doctor Who's first 21st century season, it's this one.
RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:
The first official Doctor Who script by future show-runner (2010-2017) Steven Moffat, who also contributed the fan-favourite Comic Relief spoof The Curse of Fatal Death in 1999.
This is only the second televised Doctor Who story to be set during World War II, the first one being The Curse of Fenric (1989). The Doctor will return to the London Blitz in 1941 in Victory of the Daleks (2010).
The 'Go to your room' scene in Part Two is my favourite Ninth Doctor scene after the 'Everybody Lives' sequence.
The Doctor: "I like bananas. Bananas are good". That line is echoed by the Eleventh Doctor, who instead likes fezzes and says that they are cool.
Jack: "Who looks at a screwdriver and thinks 'Oooh this could be a little more sonic!'?" Good question, Jack!
Score: 106/120
Sad to say, but this episode was forgettable and that is saying a lot. 6/10.
Review by JoeBlockedParent2019-01-13T00:32:13Z
I can't recount the number of times I've seen this episode but I always love my memory of it. Watching it in the context of the series it was a good triumph for the doctor, saving Rose, Nancy, London and Jack; but in the context of the greater series (which we learn in later series) it starts to carry so much more weight, and we must give credit to current and later show runners for keeping this arc.
Nine was straight out of the time war, (to his knowledge) he had just completed his horrific acts during the time war. The time of being the The Doctor who saves the day are distant memory. When Nine comes onto the scene (which we're lead to believe is just shy of the start of 'Rose') He doesn't get any wins; Every episode he loses somebody. FFS his idea of a first date is taking her to see her planet get destroyed then taking her for chips.
This is the first real time we see the doctor win. As Ten said
Nine is that person, fresh back into the universe after committing the genocide of 2 species; in each of his adventures with Rose he's failed at least one person and this is the very first time he gets to save every single person, since even before the start of the time war, this is the first time he gets to be The Doctor.
I will always advocate Ecclestone as a fantastic Doctor, and this episode is one of my primary examples. His face, voice and passion when emailing the uplink is reminiscent of a child finding their favourite toy after thinking it was lost forever. It is perfect, and I feel that same joy for him - more so now that I know what he must have felt was at stake.
I will always come back to this episode as one of my all time favourite greatest Doctor Who moments.