When it comes to reviewing the Christopher Eccleston era of the show, and era that was sadly all too brief on screen, I find myself in something of a quandary. Now I will stress that I think Chris was the absolute perfect choice of talented and brilliant actor to bring back the show to a modern audience in 2005. Honestly Chris was absolutely incredible in the role right from the first minute of Rose. I loved his wounded soldier Doctor, the broken man in recovery after the time war. He perfectly gave the performance of a shattered man, seeking for hope. But what I sadly never took to was Billie Piper as Rose. To me she was far too common, antagonistic and just not my cup of tea as a character. Therefore, the entirety of Chris's era for me is seldom a place I return to, to watch because I just have no time for Rose at all.
But I don't want to spend an entire review being negative. I will just also add that I am not the world's biggest fan of Captain Jack as played by John Barrowman either. I could do without his character easily too.
But let’s move onto the story itself. Bad Wolf begins with a flourish. As the Doctor finds he's been separated from his companions and he stirs to find he is in the Big Brother House of the future. There he meets Lynda Moss, Lynda with a Y. Played absolutely brilliantly by Jo Joyner. Honestly, I would love to have seen far more from Jo Joyner. For me as a one-time companion for Chris's Doctor she succeeds in all the ways that Billie fails for me. I love her character, she is kind, decent, asks relevant questions and for a while is totally loyal to the Doctor, which for me is so wonderful to see. Jo and Chris share some beautiful scenes together that when it came to her extermination by the Daleks I was totally gutted. Lynda with a Y could have done with a lot more time to get to know her. But instead, she joins the pantheon of "could have been a companion" actors and actresses, and I for one am chagrined by that no end.
Martha Cope is also an absolute revelation as the poor wired up Controller of Satellite 5. She is absolutely superb in her channelling of an enslaved human being on the edge of insanity. You instantly feel sorry for her and her performance is riveting in the extreme. I absolutely love how she gives her life in betrayal of the Daleks and dies a hero. Her death scene marks one of the highlights of the Eccleston era. But even saying my love for this character again, I still have some annoyance that again she meets with death when we could have seen so much more from her. Mind you I should be glad that in a series that would go on to be obsessed with characters never truly dying then a few characters actually properly dying is a breath of fresh air.
It is also highly amusing to have both Davina McCall and Anne Robinson, contributing voices to the Davina droid and Anne Droid. Anne particularly is still the same old battle-axe made to be rude character she always was on the Weakest Link. Although to be true they could have done with making her a bit ruder. She does seem a bit tame in terms of her insults in this two-part epic. But the murderous way it appears she kills contestants is stark and well directed. And as the realisation of the deadly edge to the game dawns on Rose, then these scenes are superb and very tension packed. Rose must play for her life and I will admit Billie gives some good fearful acting when she realises, she is the weakest link in the final round. That she must have a showdown with Paterson Joseph's character of Rodrick is a good point to mention too in that Rodrick is a totally self-centred and loathsome human being. The way he dismisses Rose as a non-contender and delights in his win marks him as a nasty little piece of work. That he doesn't get his prize is amusing!
I can't really say much about the involvement of Trinee and Suzannah bots too as I don't know a great deal about the pair or their own programme. but just in Doctor Who story terms they are characterised with a good dose of macabre humour. But I am sure the scene of John Barrowman nude before a defabricater is totally unnecessary and not needed. I don't get anything from it except I don't like this tasteless scene at all.
The Daleks of this story are totally ruthless and black hearted though. This is one thing I will give this story credit for. The Daleks here are not to be trifled with at all. There is no comedy as the Dalek army boards the satellite. These daleks are truly a force to be reckoned with. However, I am not sure if the realisation of the Emperor Dalek here works. Nick Brigg's voice is superb for the master of all Dalek Mutants. But the prop itself looks more cute than ugly and thus really doesn't engender much fear in me at all. But the bloodthirsty way the Daleks kill in The Parting of the Ways has an epic feel of dread and doom that the new era has actually seldom ever done before or since. There is a total atmosphere of oppressive claustrophobia that makes the story far more interesting than it otherwise would have been. The faction of gameplayers stranded in outer space in the satellite is incredibly done. You truly feel so very stressed with them. The CGI in this story for once also is not too bad. The scenes of thousands of daleks spilling from their war ships is a scene we could never have had in the classic era.
There is also a bucketload of emotion in store as Rose is sent back to earth to save her from the Doctor's final showdown with the Daleks. That she tries so doggedly to re-join him must be counted in her characters credit here. Though I still find it hard to like her, here she does act more like a decent person and not just a common idiot so I would say this is one of her best moments because just for a few minutes she is not annoying and even I hope she does get back to the Doctor. Although the final climax of her ripping open the TARDIS console and the vortex energy filling her is a bit akin to waving a magic wand. How easily then the Emperor and his minions are dealt with by dispersal feels like a damp squib ending to what was before then a gripping yarn indeed.
Chris is also at his absolute apex in this story. Particular the scene of when he informs the Daleks that he has no plan, but simply states "Yeah, and doesn't that just scare you to death!?" is an absolute die-hard classic Doctor Who moment. I was absolutely sold on his Doctor already, but here was the scene when I said oh I wish this man would stay for far longer than the time he did. Then there is a second superb scene, where the Doctor before the Emperor states he'd rather be a coward any day than a butcher. These are absolutely defining moments of his Doctor's moral strength. It is so brilliant to see the war wounded time lord show he is sick of killing and this gives Chris one heck of a swansong all in all.
And then we come to the moment. The devastatingly short era of the Ninth Doctor is so bittersweet and Chris felt he could only commit to one season on screen. This for me was so sad because, excuse the pun, I thought his portrayal of the Doctor was fantastic. He brought back the Time Lord with such style and elan. He ensured the show could live in the modern era. And so, to see him depart from the role after just one season is so disheartening. Whilst I am delighted to see David Tennant come aboard for a new era, the shock at the too brief stint the Ninth Doctor had was memorable for his sublime display of acting. I was absolutely overjoyed when I heard Big Finish had finally persuaded Chris to come back to the role for their Ninth Doctor adventures. It rather begs that old time but assuredly true remark: He's back and it's about ruddy time!
Bad Wolf/ Parting of the Ways is overall a very fitting tribute to Christopher Eccleston. Doctor Who was resurrected by Russell T Davies, but they had to get the right man for the role. Fortunately, they truly did. Chris was amazing, and he deserves to be remembered for the excellent new Doctor he brought to our screens so very well back in the mists of time in 2005. We fans should never do anything but offer him heartfelt gratitude and thanks.
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