Aliens of London pt 1 S01E04

1. Summed up in one sentence

Oversized, pea colored, baby shaped, farting aliens with long claws attempt to take over the world.

2. The Doctor

Two very exciting things happen with the Doctor in this episode. Firstly, we get to see the very delightful abuse the Doctor inflicts on the TARDIS with the mallet.

Secondly, we see the first time the Doctor orders around the military on earth, and it looks real good on him, and continues to look good on him all the way till earth decides to make him president of the earth? (that happens around the time of Ten, I don't remember exactly when.) But what I do remember is that Ten is reluctant to take control and give orders to earth military, whereas Nine has no issue at all in divvying assignments. An interesting difference between the two. Nine is closer to his military experience with the Time War, so perhaps that explains some of it.

3. The Companions

Along with Rose, we get to meet Harriet Jones for the first time! (before she's Harriet Jones, Prime Minister, but that doesn't stop her from giving her position name as a part of her whole name) She has the same uncanny ability as the best companions to get herself into the thick of trouble, she being the first one to see the enemy emerge from their disguises as humans in power.

So, the Doctor accidentally kept Rose away for 12 months instead of 12 hours, so Rose has a lot of explaining to do for Jackie and Mickey. At first, Rose has no idea what to say to her mother, because her mother doesn't yet know the Doctor is an alien that can travel through time and space. She does end up finding out, and she doesn't take it too well. So it's a tumultuous time for Rose and her loved ones, which is probably the most interesting part of this whole episode. Poor Jackie. She thinks her daughter is dead for the last year, and then she has to deal with the stress of aliens invading, and the truth that her daughter is traveling with an alien!! 

4. The Villain

Pretty simple as far as villains. Very cartoony. Especially with them giggling and farting the whole time. They haven't really even encountered the Doctor or Rose really in this part.  But part one does end with them coming out in the open to assassinate people that would get in their way, the Doctor being one of them. Of course the assassination of the Doctor is unsuccessful, but in the other part of Downing Street, we have Harriet Jones and Rose together, caught by one of the bad aliens. So presumably, shit about to go down in part two. (What are you going to do?? Fart on me??)

5. The Score

4/10

The only redeeming parts of this episode is the fall out from Rose leaving her loved ones for so long, and her dealing with it all (and honestly she doesn't do a very good job).  She pretty much lets her mom imagine the worst, and she's pretty unsympathetic to the fact that Mickey has had to deal with murder allegations towards him while she was gone. And she just shrugs like, "oh well." She might be the companion that loses herself in the Doctor most, which makes sense since she gets pretty darn close to being a lover for the Doctor. Since she's so wrapped up in the Doctor, she's the least in tuned with anyone else' s struggles.

And this episode can't be too awful if it's got Harriet Jones!!

6. The Very Whoiest Part

When there's a crash landing of supposedly the first aliens earth has ever seen, we get to see the Doctor get surprised and delighted. He explains to Rose that he's excited because he's witnessing history in the making, reminding the audience that despite his powers as a time lord, there's so much he doesn't know. If he was too powerful, a little too omniscient, this show would get real boring real fast. So despite his impossible cleverness, the show does a good job at giving him weaknesses, both in character and physical circumstances. 

Well, now you HAVE to read the next one so you can find out if the stinky green aliens take over the world . . . . right? 

Yeah I dunno.

Parker my hubby pointed out to me that at least we get the worst Doctor Who episodes out of the way. We just gotta push past this part, and then we're free!!!

Do you disagree that this is the worst episode of Doctor Who? 

Comment and let us all know!