Aliens of London

"Aliens faking aliens. Why would they do that?"

Writer: Russell T Davies
Format: TV
Broadcast: 16th April 2005
Series: 1.04

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose

Synopsis

The Doctor takes Rose home. But when a spaceship crash lands in the Thames, London is closed off and the whole world is on red alert. While the Doctor investigates the alien survivor, Rose discovers that her home is no longer a safe haven. Who are the Slitheen?

Verdict

Aliens of London was a very good episode which kicked off this two-part story in terrific style. This was the revival era's first take at a double episode and they really do an excellent job in setting things up for the next episode while this first part itself being brilliant. We have the Doctor bringing Rose back home after her endeavours in time and space but he gets the timing a little wrong. Instead of Rose being returned to her life twelve hours after the events of Rose, it'd actually been twelve months which I thought was a good twist to open the story with. The effects of that in Rose's family were obviously going to be hard felt and Jackie's reaction to seeing her daughter for the first time in a year was obviously understandable. Rose couldn't tell Jackie where she'd actually been and the relationship between the pair was completely bittersweet. The Doctor getting a slap though was not too much of a surprise but his reaction, along with Rose's, was excellent. The TARDIS pair getting to see firsthand the spaceship crash land and destroy Big Ben was fantastic and I absolutely loved the Doctor's reaction. He was absolutely overjoyed to be witnessing history first hand and for once he was just as surprised as everyone else. He didn't seem too pleased that he had to watch it on television like the rest of the human race though. Mickey arriving in the flat to see Rose, his girlfriend prior to the Doctor coming into her life, was intriguing and it presented an interesting dynamic as he knew where Rose had gone and why she'd been gone for so long. I really liked how Mickey had read up on the Doctor and the references to his previously working for UNIT was brilliant, especially this early into the revived series. Whilst being brand new, it still acknowledged the Classic series which was good. In hindsight, we now know that Tosh was Doctor Sato which was wonderful and the legacy of the Space Pig would live on in Torchwood which is superb. I also enjoyed the reference to The End of the World. I loved the banter between the Doctor and Mickey with the former continually calling the latter Ricky. Harriet Jones making her first appearance was great and she really did have quite an eventful time! She was also very good at making a nuisance of herself and reminding everyone who she was. Some of the humour was a little questionable I must say with gay being used as an insult as well as continuous farting, which just seemed a bit childish. I didn't have a serious problem as I know the younger fans would have found it funny and it did indicate who the aliens were, but what they were was a mystery up until the fantastic cliffhanger. The Slitheen emerged just as all the experts were gathered at Downing Street and attempted to kill them through what looked like electrocution. Rose was trapped in the Cabinet Room with Margaret, a Slitheen we'd become more common with in the future and Jackie was also in trouble with a Slitheen disguised as a policeman. It was a brilliant cliffhanger which had a very good build up. I look forward to seeing how things develop in the next episode, but for now this story is looking good!