Rose (TV story)

Rose Tyler is an ordinary girl who leads an ordinary life. She lives with her mother in a London flat, she has a boyfriend and works as a shop assistant in a department store. Her life changes forever though when she meets the Doctor.

While in the basement of the shop in which she works, Rose is attacked by Autons, but is rescued by the Doctor. This is to be the first of several encounters with the Doctor. Ultimately she helps him to prevent the Auton invasion by destroying the Nestene Conciousness' presence on Earth with the use of anti-plastic. Following their adventure Rose agrees to leave her friends and family and go exploring time and space with the Doctor. ( For a full story synopsis click here)

Cast
The Doctor - Christopher Eccleston

Rose Tyler - Billie Piper

Jackie Tyler - Camille Coduri

Mickey Smith - Noel Clarke

Clive Finch - Mark Benton

Caroline Finch - Elli Garnett

Clive's Son - Adam McCoy

Lead Auton - Alan Ruscoe

Autons - Paul Kasey, David Sant, Elizabeth Frost, Helen Otway

Nestene Voice - Nicholas Briggs

Crew
Russell T Davies (Executive Producer), Julie Gardner (Executive Producer), Mal Young (Executive Producer), Helen Vallis (Associate Producer), Elwen Rowlands (Script Editor), Andy Pryor (Casting Director), Tracie Simpson (Production Manager), Endaf Emyr Williams (Production Accountant), Ian Richardson (Sound Recordist), Lucinda Wright (Costume Designer), Davy Jones (Make-Up Designer), Murray Gold (Music), The Mill (Visual Effects), Will Cohen (Visual FX Producer), Dave Houghton (Visual FX Supervisor), Any Effects (Special Effects), Millennium Effects (Prosthetics), Edward Thomas (Production Designer), Mike Jones (Editor), Ernie Vincze BSC (Director of Photography), Robert Holmes (Autons - Original Creator), Ron Grainer (Original Theme Music), George Gerwitz (First Assistant Director), Steffan Morris (Second Assistant Director), Dafydd Rhys Parry (Third Assistant Director), Clive Evans (Location Manager), Lowri Thomas (Location Manager), Dathyl Evans (Production Co-ordinator), Debi Griffiths (A/Production Accountant), Kath Blackman (A/Production Accountant), Sian Prosser (Continuity), Ailsa Altena-Berk (Choreographer), Mike Costelloe (Camera Operator), Martin Stephens (Camera Operator), Steve Lawes (Focus Puller), Mark Isaac (Focus Puller), John Robinson (Grip), Damian Richardson (Boom Operator), Mark Hutchings (Gaffer), Peter Chester (Best Boy), Rod Woodruff (Stunt Co-ordinator), Holly Lumsden (Stunt Performer), Paul Kulik (Stunt Performer), Gwenllian Llwyd (Art Department Co-ordinator), Bryan Hitch (Concept Artist), Catherine Samuel (Production Buyer), Peter Walpole (Set Decorator), Stephen Nicholas (Supervising Art Director), Julian Luxton (Standby Art Director), Patrick Begley (Property Master), Andrew Smith (Construction Manager), Phill Shellard (Standby Props), Adrian Anscombe (Standby Props), Jenny Bowers (Graphic Artist), Yolanda Pearl-Smith (Wardrobe Supervisor), Linda Davie (Make-Up Supervisor), Sarah Wilson (Make-Up Artist), Kirsty Robertson (Casting Associate), Ceres Doyle (Assistant Editor), Marie Brown (Post Production Supervisor), Matthew Clarke (On Line Editor), Kai van Beers (Colourist), Simon C. Holden (2D VFX Artist), David Bowman (2D VFX Artist), Sara Bennett (2D VFX Artist), Alberto Montanes (2D VFX Artist), Jennifer Herbert (2D VFX Artist), Andy Howell (3D VFX Artist), Chris Tucker (3D VFX Artist), Jean-Claude Deguara (3D VFX Artist), Mark Wallman (3D VFX Artist), Paul Burton (3D VFX Artist), Chris Petts (3D VFX Artist), Paul Perrott (3D VFX Artist), Alex Fort (Digital Matte Painter), Mike Tucker (Model Unit Supervisor), Tim Ricketts (Dubbing Mixer), Paul McFadden (Dialogue Editor), Paul Jefferies (Sound FX Editor), Richard Pugsley (Business Manager)

Bad Guys

 * The Nestene Consciousness once again trying to take over the world
 * The Autons acting as the mindless plastic servants of the Nestene

Story Notes

 * This is the first story in the new series of Doctor Who.


 * This is the first story featuring Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor.


 * This is the first story featuring new companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper).


 * This is the first story featuring the new TARDIS console room which has a far more organic appearance than its predecessors.


 * A copy of this story was available to download on the internet on various p2p networks several weeks before it was released. The preview version was essentially the broadcast version; however it did not contain the new credits and had the original series theme music as opposed to the new version.


 * The word Auton is not used in the dialogue of the story but is used in the episode credits.


 * The surname Finch was used for Clive and his wife in the production notes but not in the on-screen version.


 * The story, like the 1996 TV Movie, breaks with what has become the tradition of including the Doctor's image in the title sequence.


 * The opening credits follow the UK tradition of title sequence followed by the program as opposed to the model used by most US Sci-fi of "teaser", title sequence, program.


 * There were problems during the first broadcast of this story in the UK which meant that sound from a BBC 3 program, Strictly Dance Fever hosted by Graham Norton, was heard over the scene in which Rose first encounters the Autons.


 * As part of the launch of the new series the BBC screened the documentary Doctor Who: A New Dimension on BBC1.


 * Following this episode Doctor Who Confidential : Episode 1 was broadcast on BBC 3.

Duration
Rose - 44'10

Ratings
Rose    -     9.94 (43.2%)

Repeat  -     0.48 (3.5%)

Continuity

 * It is implied but never stated that the Doctor has just regenerated. When he is in Rose's flat he checks his appearance in the mirror as if he is unused to it. He also notes the way in which his ears stick out. This is similar to a scene in the first episode of Tom Baker's debut story, "Robot".


 * Tha Autons and the Nestene have previously featured in the Doctor Who stories "Spearhead from Space" and "Terror of the Autons", both of which were Third Doctor stories.


 * The sonic screwdriver makes an appearance and is once again a major all-purpose tool.


 * The Doctor has at some time in his past been involved in a war which led to the destruction of the Nestene Homeworld.


 * The Doctor — "I mean you lot, all you do is eat chips, go to bed and watch telly. While all of the time underneath you there is a war going on." — It may be that this is just good vs. evil stuff, but it may be something more specific.


 * Clive suggests that the title "Doctor" is passed down from father to son, and points to his website saying to Rose "that's your Doctor there, isnt it". This would seem to suggest he has information on the Doctor's other incarnations.


 * People similar to Clive who are obsessed with the Doctor were depicted in the novel Return of the Living Dad. Clive is clearly corresponding by e-mail with others like himself and refers to the Doctor appearing in numerous conspiracy theories.


 * When the character of Sam was introduced in the BBC Books Eighth Doctor Adventures, and the BBC tried to explain how she was different from Ace, the example used was that if Ace saw a fight she would intervene whereas Sam was more likely to set off a fire alarm. It seems at least a coincidence that in her first episode Rose sets off a fire alarm to clear bystanders out of the way of a fight.

Cultural References

 * Jackie is obsessed with Rose getting compensation for the shop being destroyed, a reflection of a culture that has grown in recent years in the UK of people believing they are entitled to compensation for various events, even if this perception is not true of how the law of compensation works in practice.


 * While the Doctor is in Rose's flat, the television is showing BBC Breakfast News with Dermott and Natasha.


 * Whether intentional or not, the Doctor's speach about the world turning is highly reminiscent of Monty Python's Universe song.


 * When searching for the Doctor on the internet Rose uses search-wise. This is an actual web page with the same logo as on the show, but it is not actually a search engine: instead, it is a web page created by a company called Compuhire, designed for use in television and film when a search engine is required to be seen on-screen.  (See their disclaimer.)  Rose's search results look very much like a Google search in the way they are presented. This same search engine was used in an episode of Footballers' Wives which aired the same week as "Rose".


 * "The assembled hordes of Genghis Khan couldn't get through that door — and believe me they've tried". Genghis Khan was a Mongol ruler between 1206–1227. For more information see his Wikipedia page


 * The Reference to the Doctor having a Northern accent relates to the media attention that has been generated around Christopher Eccelston not conforming to people's perception of what the Doctor should be like.

Location Filming
Mostly filmed in Cardiff, but with some location filming in London:


 * The scenes in which Rose is at work were filmed in Howells in the centre of Cardiff.


 * The scene in which the Autons attack people in a shopping centre were filmed in The Queens Arcade.


 * The scene in which Rose agrees to go travelling with the Doctor was filmed in Cardiff's outdoor market.

Quotes
Rose - Who are they then...students? Is this a student thing or what?

Doctor - Why would they be students?

Rose - Well I dont know

Doctor - Well you said it, why students?

Rose - Cos...to get that many people all dressed up and being silly they gotta be students

Doctor (patronising) - That makes sense, well done

Rose (sarcastic) - Thanks

Doctor - I'm the Doctor by the way, what's your name?

Rose - Rose

Doctor - Nice to meet you Rose, run for your life

Jackie (on the telephone) - I know it's on the telly, it's everywhere, she's lucky to be alive. Honestly it's aged her ( Rose just glares at her) skin like an old bible. Walking in now you would think I was her daughter.

Doctor - What you doing here?

Rose - I live here

Doctor - Well what you do that for?

Rose - Cos I do

Jackie - She deserves compensation

Doctor - Where talking Millions

Jackie - I'm in my dressing gown

Doctor - Yes you are

Jackie - There's a strange man in my bedroom

Doctor - Yes there is

Jackie - Well anything could happen

Doctor - No

Doctor (reading Rose's celebrity magazine) - That wont last, he's gay and she's an alien.

Rose (as the Doctor is strangled by the Auton arm) - All the same, give a man a plastic hand

Rose - Who are you?

Doctor - I told you, the Doctor

Rose - Yeah but Doctor what?

Doctor - Just the Doctor

Rose - The Doctor?

Doctor (waves fingers in the air) - Hello

Rose - What your on your own?

Doctor - Well who else is there? I mean you lot, all you do is eat chips, go to bed and watch telly. While all of the time underneath you there is a war going on.

Rose - I've come to see your dad, we've been e-mailing

Clive's son - Dad...it's one of your nutters

Rose - We cant hide inside a wooden box...

Doctor - Right, where do you want to start

Rose - The inside's bigger than the outside

Doctor - Yes

Rose - It's alien

Doctor - Yep

Rose - Are you alien

Doctor - Yes....Is that all right

Rose - Yeah

Doctor - Its called the TARDIS this thing T A R D I S. Thats Time and Relative Dimension in Space

(Rose begins to cry)

Doctor - That's OK...culture shock. Happens to the best of us.

Rose - If you are an alien, how comes you sound as if your from the North?

Doctor - Lots of planets have a North

Doctor - Nestene Consciousness, easy

Rose - You were useless in there, you would be dead if it wasn't for me

Doctor - Yes I would...thank you

(The Doctor has asked Rose to go with him in the TARDIS)

Mickey - Don't...he's an alien, he's a thing

Doctor - He's not invited

Story Arcs
Rose's Family Arc

The War

Errors and Plot Holes

 * When Mickey opens the wheelie bin it is empty. Why would a person put an empty bin out for collection?


 * There has been an tendancy by some Doctor Who fans to see the fact that Clive has photos of the Doctor as being an error. The argument goes that if the Doctor has just regenerated, how has he been photographed through out history? However the Doctor is a time traveller and there is no reason why there can not be photographs of events which from his perspective have not yet happened. This seems however to be a contentious issue among fans.

More Info

 * Story Synopsis


 * Story Transcript


 * Story Novelization


 * DVD Release