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''Doctor Who'' originally ran from 1963 to 1989, when it was cancelled after its twenty-sixth season. Television producer
During writing Davies had trouble coming up with how Mickey was supposed to be captured by the Nestene Consciousness while waiting for Rose in the car, and finally realised he could be lured by a plastic wheelie bin. He commented that such instances of the ordinary being made scary made ''Doctor Who'' unique. Davies had to take out "oblique" references to the Autons being like terrorists, as the Eye was once a target of a terrorist attack. The entrance of the Doctor was something much debated; Tranter and other members of the production team wanted it to be more dramatic, but the scene was never reshot. Davies remarked that it reflects Rose's point of view, whereas a more dramatic entrance would reflect the audience's excitement at the Doctor coming back. The scene in which the Auton arm attacks in the Tylers' flat was originally much longer, but was revised. The episode originally underran by several minutes, and a scene with the Doctor and Rose walking was added a month or so later.
Davies wanted the Doctor to realise that Rose has something to offer to his cause. Their holding hands while running was meant to signify that they were a team, despite him not asking her yet, and they were not to question their relationship. The episode was intended to be presented from Rose's point-of-view. For audience identification purposes, Davies wanted the alien menace to be easily mistaken as human, so that it was plausible for Rose to do so. Davies felt that there was no need to create a new monster, as the Autons met these criteria. The Auton sequences were difficult to film because the costumes were uncomfortable for the actors, which meant that frequent breaks from filming were needed. Computer-generated imagery (CGI) was used in post-production to cover up the zipper on the back of the necks of the Auton costumes. Davies wanted to recreate the scene of the Autons breaking out of shop windows from their first appearance in ''
BBC Doctor Who page
* {{good article 2005 British television episodes Doctor Who stories set on Earth Doctor Who serials novelised by Russell T Davies Fiction set in 2005 Ninth Doctor episodes Novels by Russell T Davies Television shows written by Russell T Davies Television episodes set in London
"Rose" is the opening episode of the first series of the revived British
's Model Unit in London in September, and some additional filming was recorded in Cardiff in October and November. "Rose" was viewed by 10.81 million viewers in the UK, the most viewed ''Doctor Who'' episode since ''science fiction television
Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary ...
programme ''Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
''. The episode was directed by Keith Boak
Keith Boak is a British film and television director, best known for his work on several popular continuing drama series. He currently resides and works in the United States.
Early life
Born in Edinburgh, he attended the John Hampden High Scho ...
and written by Russell T Davies
Stephen Russell Davies (born 27 April 1963), better known as Russell T Davies, is a Welsh screenwriter and television producer whose works include ''Queer as Folk'', '' The Second Coming'', ''Casanova'', the 2005 revival of the BBC One scien ...
who was also one of the three executive producers. It was first broadcast in the UK on BBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
on 26 March 2005. "Rose" was the first ''Doctor Who'' episode to air since the ''Doctor Who'' television film in 1996.
In the episode, the London department store worker Rose Tyler
Rose Tyler is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. She was created by series producer Russell T Davies and portrayed by Billie Piper. With the revival of ''Doctor Who'' in 2005, Rose was introd ...
(Billie Piper
Billie Paul Piper (born Leian Paul Piper; 22 September 1982) is an English actress and former singer. She initially gained recognition as a singer after releasing her debut single "Because We Want To" at age 15, which made her the youngest woman ...
) gets caught in the middle of the alien time traveller the Doctor's ( Christopher Eccleston) plot to prevent an invasion of the Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
by the Nestene Consciousness
The Autons are an artificial life form from the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and adversaries of the Doctor. They were originally created by scriptwriter Robert Holmes for Jon Pertwee's first serial as the Doctor, ' ...
(voiced by Nicholas Briggs
Nicholas Briggs (born 29 September 1961) is an English actor, writer, director, sound designer and composer. He is associated with the BBC science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'' and its spin-offs, particularly as the voice of the Dal ...
) and the Auton
The Autons are an artificial life form from the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and adversaries of the Doctor. They were originally created by scriptwriter Robert Holmes for Jon Pertwee's first serial as the Doctor, ' ...
s after the Doctor destroys Rose's workplace.
The episode marked Eccleston's first appearance as the Doctor, succeeding several other actors who played the role, and Piper's debut as the Doctor's travelling companion Rose. Being the first episode of the revived series, several recurring characters were introduced: Camille Coduri
Camille Coduri (born 18 April 1965) is an English actress. She is best known for playing Jackie Tyler, the mother of Rose Tyler, in '' Doctor Who'', and also for her roles as Faith in ''Nuns on the Run'', Miranda in ''King Ralph'', and Dot Clapto ...
as Jackie Tyler
Jackie Tyler is a fictional character played by Camille Coduri in the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. The character, a resident of contemporary London, is introduced in the first episode of the 2005 revival as the mot ...
, and Noel Clarke as Mickey Smith
Mickey Smith is a fictional character portrayed by Noel Clarke in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. The character is introduced as the ordinary, working class boyfriend of Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), a London shopgirl ...
. In addition to this, an antagonist from the classic era of the show was also reintroduced in the form of the Autons (whose last appearance was in the 1971 serial, ''Terror of the Autons
''Terror of the Autons'' is the first serial of the eighth season of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. It was broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 2 to 23 January 1971.
The serial is set in various locations ...
''). Viewers did not see the Doctor character regenerate from a previous incarnation, regeneration
Regeneration may refer to:
Science and technology
* Regeneration (biology), the ability to recreate lost or damaged cells, tissues, organs and limbs
* Regeneration (ecology), the ability of ecosystems to regenerate biomass, using photosynthesis
...
being a plot device allowing a new actor to portray the character. Russell T Davies felt it would be clearer for the viewer to begin the series with the new actor in place rather than show the previous actor regenerating.
Location filming principally took place in Cardiff, the headquarters of BBC Wales, in July and August 2004, with some location scenes shot in London in July. Studio work principally took place at the Unit Q2 warehouse in Newport in August and September. Model work was recorded at the BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...The Creature from the Pit
''The Creature from the Pit'' is the third serial of the 17th season of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 27 October to 17 November 1979. It was the first se ...
'' in 1979, and received positive reviews from critics, though there were some criticisms of its use of humour.
Plot
Rose Tyler
Rose Tyler is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. She was created by series producer Russell T Davies and portrayed by Billie Piper. With the revival of ''Doctor Who'' in 2005, Rose was introd ...
, a teenage shop assistant, is chased by mannequins in the basement of Henrik's, the department store where she works. She is rescued by the Ninth Doctor
The Ninth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. He is portrayed by Christopher Eccleston during the first series of the show's revival in 2005. Within the seri ...
, who destroys the building with an explosion. The next day, the Doctor visits Rose at her home, where he is attacked by a plastic mannequin arm which he and Rose subdue. Rose investigates the Doctor and meets Clive, who has been tracking the Doctor's appearances throughout history. Clive tells Rose that the Doctor is dangerous and that if he's there, something bad is about to happen. While Rose is talking to Clive, her boyfriend Mickey Smith
Mickey Smith is a fictional character portrayed by Noel Clarke in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. The character is introduced as the ordinary, working class boyfriend of Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), a London shopgirl ...
is kidnapped by a wheelie bin and replaced with a plastic doppelgänger.
The fake Mickey takes Rose to dinner and attempts to question her about the Doctor, but the Doctor shows up and beheads the doppelgänger. The Doctor takes Rose and the plastic head to the TARDIS
The TARDIS (; acronym for "Time And Relative Dimension In Space") is a fictional hybrid of the time machine and spacecraft that appears in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its various spin-offs. Its exterior a ...
and attempts to use the head to locate the controlling signal. With the head connected, the TARDIS takes them to the London Eye. The Doctor explains to Rose that the fake Mickey was an Auton
The Autons are an artificial life form from the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and adversaries of the Doctor. They were originally created by scriptwriter Robert Holmes for Jon Pertwee's first serial as the Doctor, ' ...
, controlled by a signal from the Nestene Consciousness. He has a vial of anti-plastic that can be used to destroy the Nestene Consciousness if necessary. Realising that the transmitter is the London Eye itself, Rose and the Doctor descend underneath it to stop the Nestene Consciousness. They find Mickey, tied up but alive, and the Doctor speaks to the Nestene Consciousness. He tries to negotiate with it, but the Consciousness blames the Doctor for the destruction of its planet. The Nestene Consciousness activates all the Autons at a shopping arcade, where several shoppers are shot and killed, including Clive. The Doctor is also held down by a pair of Autons, but Rose rescues him and the anti-plastic drops into the vat where the Nestene Consciousness resides, killing it. With the Nestene Consciousness dead, the Autons all collapse. The Doctor uses the TARDIS to take Mickey and Rose home, then persuades Rose to join him as his new companion in the TARDIS.
Continuity
Both the Autons and the Nestene Consciousness first appeared in the serial ''Spearhead from Space
''Spearhead from Space'' is the first serial of the seventh season in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 3 to 24 January 1970. It was the first ''Doctor Who'' ...
'' (1970), then reappeared on-screen in ''Terror of the Autons
''Terror of the Autons'' is the first serial of the eighth season of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. It was broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 2 to 23 January 1971.
The serial is set in various locations ...
'' (1971).
Production
Background and casting
''Doctor Who'' originally ran from 1963 to 1989, when it was cancelled after its twenty-sixth season. Television producer Russell T Davies
Stephen Russell Davies (born 27 April 1963), better known as Russell T Davies, is a Welsh screenwriter and television producer whose works include ''Queer as Folk'', '' The Second Coming'', ''Casanova'', the 2005 revival of the BBC One scien ...
had been lobbying the BBC in an attempt to revive the show from the late 1990s, and reached the discussion phase in 2002.Aldridge and Murray pp.182–183 It was announced in September 2003 that Doctor Who was returning and would be produced by BBC Wales via a BBC press release. The format of the programme was changed to 45-minute episodes, lightening the pace. Davies was inspired by American series such as ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film of the same name, also written by W ...
'' and '' Smallville'', in particular by using ''Buffy'' structure of season-long story arcs around a "Big Bad
Big Bad (abbreviated to BB or BBEG for ''big bad evil guy'') is a term to describe a major recurring adversary, usually the chief villain or antagonist in a particular broadcast season, originally used by the ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' televi ...
" villain.
It was announced in March 2004 that Christopher Eccleston would be playing the Doctor. Jane Tranter
Jane Tranter (born 17 March 1963) is an English television executive who was the executive vice-president of programming and production at BBC Worldwide's Los Angeles base from 2009 until 2015. From 2006 to 2008, she was the BBC's controller of ...
, BBC Controller of Drama Commissioning, stated that casting an actor of Eccleston's reputation signaled "our intention to take ''Doctor Who'' into the 21st century, as well as retaining its core traditional values — to be surprising, edgy and eccentric." Eccleston had previously worked with Davies on The Second Coming and requested that Davies consider him for the role. Eccleston was attracted to the role as a way of shedding the image of him as a serious actor only. Eccleston was the tenth actor to play the Doctor in canon broadcasts since the programme started in 1963. New actors are able to take over the role through a plot device of regeneration
Regeneration may refer to:
Science and technology
* Regeneration (biology), the ability to recreate lost or damaged cells, tissues, organs and limbs
* Regeneration (ecology), the ability of ecosystems to regenerate biomass, using photosynthesis
...
, introduced in 1966, in which the character of the Doctor changes body and identity. Russell T Davies decided to begin the revived series with a new Doctor rather than show the regeneration, as he believed it was "madness" to start with someone and then change him before the audience could build a relationship with him. Davies wanted to initially approach the revival as a "new programme". Eccleston's character is more "down-to-earth" than previous Doctors; Davies referred to him as "stripped down", while still having "fun and humour". Eccleston's costume of a battered leather jacket was in Davies' original pitch, but the clothing also went with Eccleston's desire not to have clothes dominating his time on the show. The Ninth Doctor's clothes do not dominate him, but rather create a simple silhouette and an "action man" vibe.
Billie Piper
Billie Paul Piper (born Leian Paul Piper; 22 September 1982) is an English actress and former singer. She initially gained recognition as a singer after releasing her debut single "Because We Want To" at age 15, which made her the youngest woman ...
's casting as Rose Tyler
Rose Tyler is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. She was created by series producer Russell T Davies and portrayed by Billie Piper. With the revival of ''Doctor Who'' in 2005, Rose was introd ...
was announced in May 2004. According to executive producer Julie Gardner
Julie Ann Gardner (born 4 June 1969) is a Welsh television producer. Her most prominent work has been serving as executive producer on the 2005 revival of ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-off shows ''Torchwood'' and ''The Sarah Jane Adventures''. ...
, former pop star Piper "fits the bill perfectly" as a "unique, dynamic partner for Christopher Eccleston". Davies described Rose as "the ordinary person who stumbles into something extraordinary and finds herself their equal." Camille Coduri
Camille Coduri (born 18 April 1965) is an English actress. She is best known for playing Jackie Tyler, the mother of Rose Tyler, in '' Doctor Who'', and also for her roles as Faith in ''Nuns on the Run'', Miranda in ''King Ralph'', and Dot Clapto ...
and Noel Clarke were also cast to play Rose's mother and boyfriend then named Judy and Muggsy respectively; Davies wanted to include these characters to "make her real" and to "give her a life". Rose's family is also working-class, which had rarely been seen in companions on the show.
Writing and filming
During writing Davies had trouble coming up with how Mickey was supposed to be captured by the Nestene Consciousness while waiting for Rose in the car, and finally realised he could be lured by a plastic wheelie bin. He commented that such instances of the ordinary being made scary made ''Doctor Who'' unique. Davies had to take out "oblique" references to the Autons being like terrorists, as the Eye was once a target of a terrorist attack. The entrance of the Doctor was something much debated; Tranter and other members of the production team wanted it to be more dramatic, but the scene was never reshot. Davies remarked that it reflects Rose's point of view, whereas a more dramatic entrance would reflect the audience's excitement at the Doctor coming back. The scene in which the Auton arm attacks in the Tylers' flat was originally much longer, but was revised. The episode originally underran by several minutes, and a scene with the Doctor and Rose walking was added a month or so later.
Davies wanted the Doctor to realise that Rose has something to offer to his cause. Their holding hands while running was meant to signify that they were a team, despite him not asking her yet, and they were not to question their relationship. The episode was intended to be presented from Rose's point-of-view. For audience identification purposes, Davies wanted the alien menace to be easily mistaken as human, so that it was plausible for Rose to do so. Davies felt that there was no need to create a new monster, as the Autons met these criteria. The Auton sequences were difficult to film because the costumes were uncomfortable for the actors, which meant that frequent breaks from filming were needed. Computer-generated imagery (CGI) was used in post-production to cover up the zipper on the back of the necks of the Auton costumes. Davies wanted to recreate the scene of the Autons breaking out of shop windows from their first appearance in ''Spearhead from Space
''Spearhead from Space'' is the first serial of the seventh season in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 3 to 24 January 1970. It was the first ''Doctor Who'' ...
'', although he had the budget to actually smash the glass instead of just cutting around it like in ''Spearhead''.
The episode was storyboarded by artist Anthony Williams. Davies offered Edgar Wright
Edgar Howard Wright (born 18 April 1974) is an English filmmaker. He is known for his fast-paced and kinetic, satirical genre films, which feature extensive utilisation of expressive popular music, Steadicam tracking shots, dolly zooms and a ...
the opportunity to direct the episode, but Wright was forced to decline, as he was still working on ''Shaun of the Dead
''Shaun of the Dead'' is a 2004 zombie comedy film directed by Edgar Wright and written by Wright and Simon Pegg. Pegg stars as Shaun, a downtrodden salesman in London who is caught in a zombie apocalypse with his friend Ed ( Nick Frost). The ...
''. Instead, the episode was directed by Keith Boak
Keith Boak is a British film and television director, best known for his work on several popular continuing drama series. He currently resides and works in the United States.
Early life
Born in Edinburgh, he attended the John Hampden High Scho ...
. "Rose" began filming in Cardiff on 20 July 2004, as part of the first production block alongside episodes four
4 (four) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 3 and preceding 5. It is the smallest semiprime and composite number, and is considered unlucky in many East Asian cultures.
In mathematics
Four is the smallest c ...
and five
5 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
5, five or number 5 may also refer to:
* AD 5, the fifth year of the AD era
* 5 BC, the fifth year before the AD era
Literature
* ''5'' (visual novel), a 2008 visual novel by Ram
* ''5'' (comics), an awa ...
. Howells Howells may refer to:
People
*Howells (surname)
Places in the United States
* Howells, Colorado, a place in Colorado
*Howells, Nebraska
*Howells, New York
*Howells Junction, New York, a place in New York
Business establishments
* Howells (depa ...
doubled for the interior of Henrik's during filming on 20 July. The Autons' attack during the climax was filmed on Working Street, Cardiff from 20 to 22 July. In other scenes filmed in Cardiff on 21 July, a London bus and a van of the ''London Evening Standard
The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format.
In October 2009, after be ...
'' drove by to give the illusion of London.
Five days were spent filming in London. While the DVD commentary said the first five days of the shoot was in London, production notes in ''Doctor Who: The Complete History'' placed London filming from 26 to 30 July. On 26 July,Ainsworth, ed. (2016). ''Doctor Who: The Complete History''. Volume 48, p. 54. the production team was given permission to add more lights to the London Eye. For the scene in which the Doctor and Rose are running through London, also on the night of 26 July, careful timing was undertaken by the production team because they wanted a London bus
Buses have been used as a mode of public transport in London since 1829, when George Shillibeer started operating a horse-drawn ''omnibus'' service from Paddington to the City of London. In the decades since their introduction, the red London b ...
to travel behind them, but this had to be accomplished by waiting for a bus to come. The exterior of Rose's council estate was filmed at the Brandon Estate in London from 28 to 30 July.
From 2 to 3 August, service tunnels in the basement of a hospital in Cardiff were used for the basement of Henrik's where Rose is menaced by Autons.
The pizza restaurant is La Fosse. It took the production team a while to find a restaurant that would require minimal set dressing but would be willing to close for a day. The team filmed at La Fosse on 22 August.Ainsworth, ed. (2016). ''Doctor Who: The Complete History''. Volume 48, p. 56. The area underneath the London Eye where the Doctor and Rose confront the Nestene Consciousness was filmed in an unused paper mill in Grangetown, Cardiff. It underwent steam cleaning
Steam cleaning involves using steam for cleaning. Its uses include domestic applications in cleaning flooring and household dirt removal, and industrial uses in removing grease and dirt from engines.
Use
Steam cleaning is not suited for all ma ...
because there were such high health and safety concerns. They were only permitted to film for three days, which required that some of the sequence be cut: originally, there was to be another Auton Mickey involved. Filming took place at the paper mill from 23 to 25 August. The scene where Rose joins the Doctor is at St David's Market, filmed on 26 August.
The production team sought to film the Cardiff scenes in secrecy, but the day before they began the Cardiff Council
Cardiff Council, formally the County Council of the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Cyngor Sir Dinas a Sir Caerdydd) is the governing body for Cardiff, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. The principal area and its council were established ...
issued a press release naming the streets where they would be filming.
Studio filming principally took place in August and September in the Newport warehouse Unit Q2. The lift movement was recorded at Broadcasting House, Cardiff
Broadcasting House was the headquarters of BBC Cymru Wales' radio, television and online services, situated in north Cardiff. The purpose-built facility opened in 1966 and consists of three blocks containing studios, offices and technical facil ...
on 11 September.Ainsworth, ed. (2016). ''Doctor Who: The Complete History''. Volume 48, p. 59.
Special effects producer Mike Tucker was reminded of the James Bond
The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
film '' The Man with the Golden Gun'' when reading the scene in which the Nestene's lair is blown up, and sought to display it as a major effect. The production team built a one-sixth scale model of the paper mill where the explosions were filmed. Tucker did a model explosion for the destruction of Henrik's as well, although that was only for the roof; the rest was done by CGI. The production team considered doing the explosion practically, but that would have been too expensive. Model work was filmed on 16mm film at the BBC Model Unit on Kendal Avenue in London from 15 to 16 September.
When the episode underran, Euros Lyn
Euros Lyn (; born 1971) is a Welsh film and television director, best known for his work in '' Doctor Who'', '' Sherlock'', ''Black Mirror'', '' Daredevil'', ''His Dark Materials'' and '' Heartstopper''.
Early life
Lyn was born in Cardiff. Hi ...
directed additional material set outside Rose's estate during the second production block, this time recorded in Gabalfa
Gabalfa (, ) is a district and community in the north of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It is characterised by a four-lane fly over road at the Gabalfa Interchange, where the A48 road meets the A470 road (North Road) which leads from Car ...
, Cardiff on 18 October. On 10 November, Lyn directed an insert shot of Jackie Tyler at HTV's Culverhouse Cross
Culverhouse Cross ( cy, Croes Cwrlwys) is a district straddling the boundary between Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, in the community of Wenvoe.
The district is centred on a major traffic roundabout that links West Cardiff to the M4 mo ...
Studio 1 in Cardiff.
In the original script, Rose's first experience of seeing the TARDIS interior was shared with the audience. Director Keith Boak, however, wanted her to exit and run around the TARDIS before entering again, at which point the interior would be revealed to the audience. This change was eventually embraced by the executive producers. Davies remarked that he originally wanted to take Rose and the audience inside the TARDIS in all one shot, but this was not feasible with the budget. This effect would later be accomplished in the 2012 Christmas special, "The Snowmen
"The Snowmen" is an episode of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', first broadcast on Christmas Day 2012 on BBC One. It is the eighth ''Doctor Who'' Christmas special since the show's 2005 revival and the first to be ...
".
Broadcast
Pre-broadcast leak
On 8 March 2005,Reuters
Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world.
The agency was estab ...
reported that a copy of the episode had been leaked onto the Internet, and was being widely traded via the BitTorrent file sharing
File sharing is the practice of distributing or providing access to digital media, such as computer programs, multimedia (audio, images and video), documents or electronic books. Common methods of storage, transmission and dispersion include r ...
protocol. The leaked episode did not contain the new arrangement of the theme tune by Murray Gold. The leak was ultimately traced to a third party company in Canada which had a legitimate preview copy. The employee responsible was fired by the company and the BBC considered further legal action.
Broadcast and ratings
"Rose" was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on 26 March 2005 onBBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
, and was the first Doctor Who episode to air since the Doctor Who television film in 1996. Unofficial overnight viewing figures from the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board
The Broadcasters Audience Research Board (BARB) is a British organisation that compiles audience measurement and television ratings in the United Kingdom. It was created in 1981 to replace two previous systems whereby ITV ratings were compil ...
showed that the episode attracted an average of 9.9 million viewers — 43.2% of the available television audience — over the course of the evening. At its peak, it had 10.5 million viewers, a 44.3% share. The final figure for the episode, including video recordings watched within a week of transmission, was 10.81 million, third for BBC One that week and seventh across all channels. In some regions, the first few minutes of the original BBC broadcast of this episode on 26 March were marred by the accidental mixing of a few seconds of sound from Graham Norton
Graham William Walker (born 4 April 1963), better known by his stage name Graham Norton, is an Irish actor, author, comedian, commentator, and presenter. Well known for his work in the UK, he is a five-time BAFTA TV Award winner for his comed ...
hosting '' Strictly Dance Fever''.
Internationally, "Rose" was first transmitted on CBC Television
CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French-l ...
in Canada on 5 April 2005, debuting to strong ratings of 986,000 viewers. In Australia, it was broadcast on 21 May 2005 on ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
to 1.11 million viewers. "Rose" was first broadcast in the United States on the Sci-Fi Channel
Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. ...
on 17 March 2006. It was aired back-to-back with the following episode " The End of the World"; Davies had originally wanted the first two episodes to be aired together in the UK but the request was given to the BBC too soon before transmission for the schedule to be altered. The US premiere was watched by 1.58 million viewers.
On 30 March, four days after the episode was originally broadcast in the UK, the BBC announced that another full series had been commissioned. On the same day, the BBC released a statement, apparently from Eccleston, saying that he would be leaving the role at Christmas, for fear of being typecast
In film, television, and theatre, typecasting is the process by which a particular actor becomes strongly identified with a specific character, one or more particular roles, or characters having the same traits or coming from the same social or ...
. The BBC later revealed this was not an official statement from Eccleston, whom they had failed to contact before responding to press questions after the story broke. Eccleston later said, "They handled it very badly, but they issued an apology and I dropped it" in a 2010 interview. After it was announced that Eccleston was leaving the BBC said that they were in talks with David Tennant
David John Tennant (''né'' McDonald; born 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He rose to fame for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor (2005–2010 and 2013) in the BBC science-fiction TV show '' Doctor Who'', reprising the rol ...
to take over the role and he became the bookmakers' favourite, with odds
Odds provide a measure of the likelihood of a particular outcome. They are calculated as the ratio of the number of events that produce that outcome to the number that do not. Odds are commonly used in gambling and statistics.
Odds also have ...
at 1/10 and William Hill refusing to take any more bets on who would be cast as the new Doctor. A BBC spokesman said that they had "hoped, rather than expected" that Eccleston would continue in the role.
Reception
"Rose" received positive reviews and was seen as a successful relaunch to the programme. Harry Venning of ''The Stage
''The Stage'' is a British weekly newspaper and website covering the entertainment industry and particularly theatre. It was founded in 1880. It contains news, reviews, opinion, features, and recruitment advertising, mainly directed at those wh ...
'' praised Davies' script, particularly for taking it seriously and making it scary. He was pleased with Piper's acting and with the character of Rose, who proved to be more independent than her predecessors. However, he felt that Eccleston was "the show's biggest disappointment" as he seemed unsuited to a fantasy role. Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
's Dek Hogan stated that production values had increased from the classic series, and praised the acting of Eccleston, Piper, and Clarke, and their respective characters. However, he felt that some of the humour — such as the wheelie bin burping after it consumes Mickey — was not as enjoyable as an adult. ''The Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
'' reviewer Robin Oliver praised Davies for " akingan adult approach to one of television's most famous characters" and " verridingthe cash-strapped production values of the past to make his new doctor competitive in a high-tech market". Kay McFadden of ''The Seattle Times
''The Seattle Times'' is a daily newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded in 1891 and has been owned by the Blethen family since 1896. ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in Washington (s ...
'' described the revival as "superb" and "intelligent and well-done". However, Stephen Brook of ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' said that it was "pitched at its youngest ever audience", and also felt that the episode had an "overdose on humour".
Retrospective reviews have also been positive. Patrick Mulkern of ''Radio Times
''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in May 1923 by J ...
'' gave "Rose" four out of five stars in 2013, particularly praising Rose's fleshed-out life and how it welcomed in new viewers. While he noted "minor gripes" and felt the Autons' destruction was toned-down, he praised the direction and the performances and called it "a blinding success". ''The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' reviewer Alasdair Wilkins gave the episode a grade of a B, also noting how important it was that Rose's world was shown first. He felt that some effects already seemed dated in 2013 and Jackie and Mickey were one-dimensional, but the episode succeeded above all else, especially in developing Rose and the Doctor's relationship and pointing out that ''Doctor Who'' is dangerous. In 2013, Ben Lawrence of ''The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was fo ...
'' named "Rose" as one of the top ten ''Doctor Who'' stories set in the contemporary time.
Legacy
On March 26, 2020, the fifteenth anniversary of the episode, a collective fan "Watch-along" was held onTwitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
. Writer of the episode Russell T Davies participated and released a prequel and sequel to the episode. The prequel was entitled "Doctor Who and the Time War", an unused story intended for Doctor Who magazine
''Doctor Who Magazine'' (abbreviated as ''DWM'') is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Launched in 1979 as ''Doctor Who Weekly'', the magazine became a monthly publication the followi ...
but declined for contradicting The Day of the Doctor
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
. The story concerns The Eighth Doctor's regeneration into The Ninth Doctor after the events of the Time War. The sequel, entitled "Revenge of the Nestene", was released in audio form, akin to the Big Finish range, continues the story from the novelisation and concerns the survival of one Auton after the events of the episode. The infamous Graham Norton interruption was also recreated.
Printed releases
Anovelisation
A novelization (or novelisation) is a derivative novel that adapts the story of a work created for another medium, such as a film, TV series, stage play, comic book or video game. Film novelizations were particularly popular before the advent ...
of this story written by Russell T Davies was released in paperback and digital formats on 5 April 2018 as part of the ''Target Collection''. The book features deviations from the original episode such as bigger set pieces, new plot twists and more characters. For the scene in which Clive shows Rose pictures of the Ninth Doctor to prove his immortality, the novelisation has Clive also show her previous incarnations, as well as future ones such as the Eleventh and Twelfth incarnations and Doctors that have not appeared in the series.
Critical Analysis
A book length study of the serial, written by Jon Arnold, was published as part ofThe Black Archive
''The Black Archive'' is a series of critical monographs about selected individual '' Doctor Who'' stories, from the series' earliest history to the present day. Rather than focusing on behind-the-scenes production history as much ''Doctor Who' ...
series from Obverse Books
Obverse Books is a British publisher initially known for publishing books relating to the character Iris Wildthyme, and currently for the ''The Black Archive, Black Archive'' series of critical books on ''Doctor Who,'' and two sister series - t ...
in 2016.
The serial was covered in number 48 of the Doctor Who: The Complete History book series, which reprinted Andrew Pixley's ''Archive'' features from ''Doctor Who Magazine'' and the various ''Doctor Who Magazine Special Editions'', as well as new articles created specifically for the book.
References
Notes
Bibliography
* *Further reading
* *External links
BBC Doctor Who page
* {{good article 2005 British television episodes Doctor Who stories set on Earth Doctor Who serials novelised by Russell T Davies Fiction set in 2005 Ninth Doctor episodes Novels by Russell T Davies Television shows written by Russell T Davies Television episodes set in London