Right, here's my attempt to sum Series 1 up.
Doctor Who Series 1 (2005)
Not sure there's really a right or wrong way to assess things, so first of all, let's look at the lead characters:
The Doctor - When I started this, the Ninth Doctor was definitely my least favourite, and I actively disliked him. Now though? Well, he's probably still low down on my list, but I've warmed to him somewhat. Had Eccleston stayed on, I probably could have grown to like him, and he'd have grown into the part more. But he was also quite inconsistently written. Russell T Davies seemed to approach the character from the point of view that we should automatically love him because he's the Doctor, and ultimately did a lot to make him less likeable, what with his calling humans "blundering apes" and calling Mickey "Ricky". None of this was expecially funny. But at the same time, he had moments where he was easy to like, such as for much of the Empty Child/The Doctor Dances two-parter. As for Eccleston's acting, he was alright. If nothing else, you can say this Doctor was certainly as distinctive as any of the others.
Rose - A character who'd seem to not have much going for her. But then, if you were creating a new companion for the Doctor, what would you have? Perhaps after all the people he's had travel with him over the years, a pretty girl who's a bit thick is the obvious next place to go. Or maybe it's purely to draw a noughties audience in. Either way, there's also the implication that we should automatically like her, which seemed to result in it seeming like the Doctor fancied her (because if he likes her, so should we). I will say that Billie Piper's acting was mostly great, and considering before this she wasn't known as an actress at all, this is very much to her credit. But Rose herself? A below average idiot.
Jack - It's only now that one can realise he truly was a main character. Well, he's brash, obvious, talks in innuendos and cheap flirting, and is impossible to like. As I said, I'd have kept him dead. As for Barrowman's performance? Well, from what else I've seen of him, he seemed to be playing himself.
Jackie, Mickey, Adam - Jackie's largely irritating and seems to exist just to be the whinging mother. Mickey's mistreated for most of the time and perhaps not that engaging, but I kind of like him. Adam's definitely mistreated, and though we're meant to think he somehow deserves ending up with a hole in his head, he doesn't and he exists just to carry on the Doctor/Rose love story.
So, a quick review of each episode:
Rose (*½) - An intro episode that could easily have you believing this was a complete reboot. Lots of unfunny humour.
The End of the World (**½) - Very much sums up the series as a whole. On the one hand fairly well-paced, and perhaps mindlessly fun, but on the other hand full of stupid things. Very good showing for the special effects department though, perhaps leading me to be kinder than it deserves.
The Unquiet Dead (****) - My favourite episode of the series. It's fun, evokes an atmosphere of the time it's set, and actually makes sense. It's not perfect or epic, but it's a good episode of television.
Aliens of London(*½) - Has a great shot of a ship ploughing into Big Ben. After that, it's a sequence of stupid things with perhaps the worst monsters in the history of the show.
World War Three (0) - Actually manages to be worst than the first part, becoming offensively bad/stupid.
Dalek (****) - A story with flaws, but forgiveable when it also gives us one of the greatest TV enemies of all time being as cool as it ever has. Also emotionally involving.
The Long Game (**) - Below average. If a less leaky plot than most RTD stories, it's also not that interesting, and the treatment of the Adam character leaves a nasty taste.
Father's Day (***) - Nonsense sci-fi, but oddly engaging dramatic elements, considering they're not characters I'm inclined to care about.
The Empty Child (***) - On the one hand evocative of wartime and well made, but on the other hand slightly underwhelming with knowing humour. Also gave us Captain Jack, which is unforgiveable.
The Doctor Dances (***½) - A satisfying enough conclusion, but an awful lot of inappropriate sexual references for a family show, and tantalises us with the prospect of Jack dying only to have Jack not die. Still quite good.
Boom Town (½) - Boring nonsense with a weak false moral dilemma followed by a complete copout.
Bad Wolf (**½) - Starts with a parody of 2005 TV, and not much else happens. Quick enough to disguise this, but also contains the expected amount of stupid things from an RTD script, and keeps us waiting for the Daleks. Also managed to make me miss an important plot point. Though that's probably my fault.
The Parting of the Ways (**) - Some good scenes, but ultimately too much stupidity, not enough spectacle/Dalek porn. Ends in an unforgivable copout.
(click here for Part II of that review)
So, to rank the stories, counting two-parters as one story and giving them a mark as a whole:
1.
The Unquiet Dead (****)
2.
Dalek (****)
3.
The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances (***½)
4.
Father's Day (***)
And here's where I draw the line of what's worth watching.
5.
Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways (**½)
6.
The End of the World (**½)
7.
The Long Game (**)
8.
Rose (*½)
9.
Aliens of London/World War Three (½)
10.
Boom Town (½)
But let's not forget the real star of the show. He's in every episode, and has been perhaps the most intelligent and useful character of all. So let's take a moment to remember the contribution made by the sonic screwdriver.
Extraordinary screwdriver:
1. Stops plastic arm from receiving signal.
2. Disengages computerised lock on door.
3. Seems to be the only tool you need while fixing a time machine.
4. Even opens conventional doors.
5. Helps "patch in the radar [and] link it back 12 hours so it can follow the flight of that spaceship". You mean your screwdriver can't?
6. Helps steal money from a cash machine in the year 200,000. Maybe they should have kept chip and pin.
7. Helps open shackles in the year 200,000. For when you're not lucky enough to have them just fall off.
8. Opens a padlock. It's a different lock, so it goes on the list.
9. Manages to be a medical tricorder, with a readout only the Doctor can see. Streuth.
10. Undoes handcuffs.
11. Reattaches cut barbed wire. Sonic welder?
12. Reverses a teleport that has already teleported. Makes serfect pense.
13. Blows up a camera. Saves you having to detag on Facebook later
14. It can be your eyes even if you don't need more eyes.
15. Can remotely send away your time machine to never come back. So always remember to lock your screwdriver before you put it in your pocket.
