Christopher Eccleston got one season to make his mark as the Doctor, he left for fear of typecasting, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the workload...and loads of other rumors that will last for many years I’m sure before we know what really went down. But no matter why he left, his one season was tremendous. 13 episodes and he’s on many a fan’s top Doc list. Billie Piper, who was apparently a pop singer before this, surprised tons of people who doubted her until she turned out to be just as good as Eccleston at times. Near the end we have a nice team of Nine, Rose, and Jack, and I think they work well together, I wouldn’t have minded a whole 13 episodes of that team, but as we are I’m satisfied.
I like the theme of this season. Not Bad Wolf, we’ll talk later about that, but the Doctor. When we meet him, he’s mysterious and dark and not really into the idea of humans tagging along. He survived a war, and he’s hurt about it. He’s punishing himself by being alone. But he meets Rose, he slowly opens up…and in the end when he saves her life and this version of his self is destined to die, he kinda relieves himself of the guilt that he’s harbored since the end of Gallifrey.
As for the Bad Wolf thing, it is a bit contrived at times. It was worked into some episodes in ways that The Doctor and Rose couldn't hear it. But they are completely floored at the end of the series when it turns out to be something. I think it worked to get the many fans curious, those who paid attention, but my first go at the show I didn't notice it until after I watched the episode Bad Wolf. It works in its own ways at times, but I think it works more for the reveal that Rose IS the Bad Wolf, and that just pays off later.
All in all though, what it really comes down to - is that the show was taken seriously. More so than it ever had been before. It had been taken seriously by producers, actors, writers before...but I don't think it had ever been taken this seriously by the BBC since possibly its inception. Because of The Producers, the actors, the writers, Russel T. Davies, Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, John Barrowman, Phil COllinson, Steven Moffat....everybody...it was a success. A big success. These people didn't think it would get a second season at first. They were only working to make one really good and solid season. And they did.
So ends the Ninth Doctor, and bring on number 10. My Doctor.
NEXT TIME: Pudsey Cutaway
Comments
Post a Comment