Doctor Who: How New Series opening episode Rose made me a fan

For many of us, the episode Rose was our entry into the world of Doctor Who. Here’s how it made me a fan of the show for life.

Pinning down a single episode of Doctor Who that made me fall in love with the show is a hard task for me. Looking back, it was more of a journey of discovery via a collection of different stories. Each one building on what came before to truly give me a sense of attachment and passion towards the show. But, I shall start … with the start. With other stories getting their own separate pieces in the future.

Let us go back to March 2005 when Doctor Who triumphantly re-launched into millions of hearts across the UK. Before the premier, the marketing and word of mouth had reached fever pitch. You could hardly go a day without seeing magazines ramping up anticipation or giant billboards down the street making sure you didn’t forget.

My parents were hyping up the show’s comeback too, with the word of mouth amongst the adult population bubbling. Doctor Who has a very important place in British pop culture, and even as a child I could tell that this wasn’t an ordinary TV show.

All of this had me curious and laid down the groundwork for my enjoyment of Series 1’s debut episode – Rose.

To put it incredibly concisely: I had seen absolutely nothing like it and was blown away.

One of the immediate reasons was the fear factor effect. I touch on how it unsettled me in ways I had never previously experienced in my article ‘Doctor Who and my ‘behind the sofa’ moment: Autons in Rose’:

"The subversion of the mundane is what really struck a chord with me and sent shivers through my soul. After all, it was feasibly possible that, I too, could be trapped in a department store. The relatability, at age nine, felt all too real."

The turn of the Earth

Another important reason behind my wide-eyed excitement and eagerness to continue the show was how interesting I found the Doctor. I distinctly remember awaiting every word he would say with bated breath, continuously hanging on with eyes glued and ears pricked.

Christopher Eccleston really hit it home with the right balance of charm, playfulness, rage and mystery. I was captivated and enthralled to the extreme by this hero that had abruptly waltzed into my life.

The ‘world turning’ scene in particular was emblazoned onto my mind. This scene was small time wise, but felt so long to me due to being weighty thematically. This scene alone pierced into my mind and made me quietly sit in awe. The dialogue is sharp, the performances are pitch-perfect and the score is deeply sorrowful and enigmatic. I was entranced, like an audience member being hypnotised by a stage magician, and I desperately wanted to learn more about him.

Another scene that really stood out to me, in relation to the Doctor, was when Rose met Clive. Going through various images of the Doctor popping up in pivotal moments in Earth’s history had me transfixed. It was a simple but effective way of introducing the Doctor as a time-traveller. Clive added so much to this too, giving it real heart due to feeling like such a realistic character.

Concepts that even a mildly seasoned Doctor Who fan have taken for granted, like the TARDIS, were obviously fresh for me in 2005. The TARDIS was, I think it goes without saying, a magical idea to wrap your head around.

But, what I also latched onto was the idea of it being the ultimate refuge. When the Doctor confidently assures Rose that “the assembled hordes of Genghis Khan couldn’t get through those doors and believe me they’ve tried” – I remember feeling amazed and also touched that such a safe space was available for the characters. Consequently, the idea of the TARDIS helped me tackle some dastardly childhood nightmares.

An introduction to regeneration

Regeneration too both flummoxed and fascinated me. Keen readers at this point are, I’m sure, already recalling that regeneration wasn’t mentioned at all in the episode. This integral bit of Doctor Who knowledge came through my parents as I was watching.

I had vague recollections over the Doctor’s appearance as I had caught Dr. Who and the Daleks on TV one day. Due to this, I had a murky half real; half conjured up image of what the Doctor looked like based on Peter Cushing: essentially a white-haired older gentleman.

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So, when Christopher Eccleston with his younger face and short black hair burst onto the scene I was a tad confused. “Who the devil is this imposter?” I protested (okay, I’m probably paraphrasing past me here).

My parents replied with impish smiles, “He’s regenerated”.

“What’s regeneration?” was the obvious response from yours truly – simpler and more naive times indeed. My parents quickly explained, as not to disrupt the story, and suffice to say I was stunned by the idea that a central hero could completely change their face and aspects of their personality.

In conclusion, Rose was definitely a major first step in launching my now long-running and deep-rooted love for Doctor Who. It was a perfect storm of intrigue, fear and excitement. Rose may not be looked at as one of the best episodes of all time, but it did what it needed to do: put Doctor Who back onto the map and gave birth to millions of new fans. For that I will forever be grateful for it.

What was your experience when watching the first episode of New Who? Did it instantly make you a fan? Or did you already love the Classic Series? Let us know in the comments below.