I couldn't do it anymore. I absolutely dreaded rewatching the farting Slitheen, and finally I just gave up and decided to skip them. Because when I looked at the titles of the rest of Season 1, I realized that everything else is AWESOME.
2012. That is now! Nine and Rose are having this adventure right now!'
Ooo, nice foreshadowing of the Cybermen. Obviously I didn't get that the first time because I hadn't seen them before. And the signal is revealed! Someone wants the Doctor! (me! me! I do!)
Americans. Are we all so arrogant and impetuous? Or just the rich ones? And we are torturers, oh I feel so bad for the unknown tortured thing. OR DO I?
Sassy Nine. I am always surprised at how snarky he is.
"You just stumbled in by mistake?"
"About sums me up!"
The Doctor meets the daleks for the first time (in New Who)! It is awesome! Unfortunately, subsequent meetings will be far less dramatic, especially when they crop up 20 million times.
This is maybe the most scared the Doctor ever is? And the most vengeful. I like it! Damaged people, flock to me.
"I watched it happen. I MADE it happen!"
"You destroyed us?"
So much information about the Doctor in this scene. His greatest enemy. The reason for his loneliness.
"I am alone in the universe."
"Yup."
"So are you. We are the same."
"We are not the same! I'm not--!"
Waaaah, and the Doctor tortures him! NO! Ugh, the revulsion I feel at seeing the Doctor do something so evil. It's so unusual!
Why do evil torturers always have that gross smile when they imagine torturing?
Rose and another boy. She needs to wake up and realize how awesome the Doctor is. But really, I like that it takes her awhile to fall in love. She knows he's too old. She knows he is emotionally messed up. She knows she has other people to care for. She knows a life of time travel and dangerous adventures can't last forever.
But later...the more she knows him, she falls in love. I think the Doctor loves her much quicker than she loves him. "She fell asleep like she fell in love...slowly, and then all at once" (The Fault in Our Stars by John Green).
"It's being tortured! Where's the Doctor?"
Oh, Rose, I love you! You are so compassionate! And little do you know that Nine was just torturing it previously. Prepare to be confronted with the sad fact that the Doctor is not perfect.
Ugh. Just because he's the last of his kind, you can use him however you want? I dislike you, Van Statton.
Baby Rose, making conversation with a dalek.
"Do you fear me?"
"No."
"I am dying."
"No, we can help!"
ILU Rose. And then she touches it! And the dalek becomes...super strong? BECAUSE ROSE IS SUPER STRONG?
Ew, being suckered death looks really painful.
Doctor: I don't care about any of those other humans, but Rose, get out of there! Aw, Nine. Your affection for your companions is so overwhelming.
Daleks are eerily indestructible. Like really? What kind of metal is that? And why do people keep shooting at it when the bullets are obviously doing nothing?
And the dalek can hover! Dun dun dun. You can just tell that RTD is giggling like a true Whovian, reveling in CGI power and the ability to shock Who fans.
"Come with us! You can't stop it!"
"Someone has to try."
Aw, humans and their hero complexes. I love it.
Man, this episode just makes me sad for all the upcoming subpar dalek episodes. THIS IS SO GOOD. The last dalek in the world! Taking down armies of men, first one by one with his laser, then all at once by being smart with rain and electricity. This is how daleks are intimidating. This is how villains are both terrifying and pitiable.
The Doctor is this champion of empathy. He has a major trigger for "last of my kind" aliens, whether good or evil. He will do anything to ensure that species don't die out. But when confronted with this last dalek...
"Why don't you just die!?"
"You would make a good dalek."
And his poor baby face! Why did I wait so long? This show is magnificent.
Example of how Doctor Who does sexism right. The Doctor tells Rose that she is in danger, that he cannot help her, and that she'd better run. He trusts her to save herself. Brilliant!
Except that...she doesn't make it! Nine chooses to close the bulkhead, and Rose isn't fast enough.
"Rose, where are you? Rose? Did you make it?"
"Sorry. I was a bit slow. It wasn't your fault, okay? Remember that. It wasn't your fault. And you know what? I wouldn't have missed it for the world."
It's okay kids! YOUR LOVE IS ETERNAL.
Nine's face when he thinks Rose is dead. The realization that all he does is bring destruction. He ruined the dalek race. He killed his own people. And now he's brought a human into the mess, and she's dead too because of him.
But what's this? The dalek has a soul? So so good.
"I feel your fear. Daleks do not fear! You gave me life. What else have you given me? I am contaminated!"
Oh, dalek. I never cared for you beside this episode.
"What use are emotions if you will not save the woman you love?"
Aw, snap, dalek calling it like it is. If I had to make a shipping essay, I would posit that this is when Nine fell in love with Rose. He sees her dies, then sees her alive again. It's only when he loses her that he realizes how much he cares for her. And having his enemy, who they've already established are very similar, call him out on his feelings, is the last little nudge. This is the beginning of Nine loving Rose.
The dalek has an identity crisis. Rose helps it through the confusion, by saving the Arrogant American! Why, Rose? He obviously deserves to die! YOU ARE SO GOOD. ILU Rose Tyler.
"I never thought I'd feel the sunlight again."
"How does it feel?"
REVEAL THE REAL DALEK FORM. Aw, man. I miss seeing this for the first time. That squiggly tentacle reaching out--for contact with Rose, for contact with sunlight. How does a squishy blue murderous alien in a tin pepper pot make me feel so many emotions!?
"Get out of the way! Rose, get out of the way now!"
"No. Because I won't let you do this."
"That thing killed hundreds of people."
"It's not the one pointing a gun at me."
Oh, Doctor/Rose. You are so good together. This scene encompasses the whole of Rose bringing Nine back to life. He's so broken at destroying his people. He feels so much guilt and pain and rage. And Rose is there to force him to be compassionate. She's there to be his companion, his confidant, his heart.
And as Rose shows Nine how to care, Nine shows Rose how to be strong. She learns that sometimes death is the better option. That letting the dalek kill itself is the right thing, even if it's sad. She learns throughout the season how to make hard choices, to be responsible for death and destruction.
They complement each other so perfectly. OTP.
"The dalek survived. Maybe some of your people did too."
"No, I'd know. Feels like there's no one."
ORLY? I cannot wait for the Master! Hurry up, seasons! I want to get to the Master.
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