NuWho Review: Series 1 Episode 4 “Aliens of London”

By: Russell T. Davies

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet watched this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

            I’m just going to say it: this episode did something very, very smart. Now before you all write me off as delusional and/or unintelligent, please observe that I am actually not speaking of the aliens this time. Many reviewers have complained about the fact that with NuWho too many episodes take place on Planet Earth – saying that Classic Who would never commit such an atrocity and that this aspect of the reboot has completely ruined the series. I respectfully beg to differ. Shows change as they go on. They have to evolve and adapt to changing audience demographics. That's just how it works.

            Okay...rant  is officially over and now it’s time to talk about the 'smart thing' that this episode did. For what may be the first time in Doctor Who, we get to see what the possible side-effects that could come from companions just larking off with The Doctor – as well as a grimmer side to the often-played-for-comedy tendency of The Doctor to be a bit off date-wise with his steering. Poor Jackie Tyler, all those months not knowing whether her daughter is alive or dead. You can really see it in her face when Rose waltzes into the apartment just how much of a toll that year has taken on her and we have even greater understanding and sympathy when she calls the alien helpline later. She's just trying to protect her beloved daughter. Personally, I think Rose is rather awful to not at least try and give her mother an explanation for where she’s been all this time.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- With that emotion-packed beginning and a thrilling sequence with a spaceship crashing into both Big Ben and the Thames, what could possibly be so bad about this episode? Well, as it turns out – an awful lot, beginning with the main antagonists.

- Oh dear, what can I say about the Slitheen that isn’t completely negative or snarky? Hmmm…let me get back to you on that. For now, snob glasses going on in 3, 2, 1…

- I’m not really sure what possessed Russell T. Davies as he was writing this script. I mean – he put a pig in a spacesuit (what is this: the Muppets’ Pigs in Space?) Even though it did give The Doctor that speech about ‘it was just scared’…the mood was killed by it being a pig!

- It might not be so bad (more on that later) if the episode hadn’t had such an epic, emotion & action-packed beginning, but as it stands this story is an absolute mess of half-baked ideas and jokes that a juvenile would cringe at. (Farting aliens that need to be ‘naked’ – seriously? I’m not sure whether to laugh incredulously or burst into tears.)

- I’m no expert on politics, but I’m pretty sure that in an emergency of this kind “Joseph Green – MP for Hartley Dale and Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on the Monitoring of Sugar Standards in Exported Confectionery” would not be next in line after the Prime Minister. If I’m wrong, please do comment and correct me, but if I am I should say that that government needs some serious restructuring!

- While it was fun to watch The Doctor struggle through the family/neighbour gathering in Rose’s flat…this was where the episode began to go downhill with the report of the aforementioned MP. 

- Also, why exactly did Toshiko inquire about the Prime Minister? That just felt like a moment of Davies Forced Exposition (lines in a script that are written exposition in a misguided attempt to ‘show not tell’ that really comes out as ‘tell-by-forcing-it-down-our-throats') rather than a genuine question a real person would have asked. Don’t forget this term, it will crop up again.

- And, oh Mickey, you’re killing me, man! Why oh why is Davies murdering this character the way he is? I don’t entirely blame Noel Clark (he does an admirable job with what he’s given) but Mickey just seems to get worse every time I see him on screen. There was an attempt in this episode to garner sympathy for him, but it simply doesn’t work when one minute he’s the tragic figure and the next he’s running through the dematerialising TARDIS and into a wall. (And don’t even get me started on the over-blown, over-dramatic fall he then does.)

             This episode had great potential and as I was watching the first few minutes, it looked as though all of my expectations would be fulfilled. Perhaps this is why I take such umbrage with its descent into crass and un-funny humour and the mish-mash storytelling. Christopher Eccleston was amazing as always and, with the exception of the Slitheen and Mickey, the rest of the cast were wonderful as well. It’s hard to truly pass final judgement on this episode just yet, as it is a two-parter, so I will reservedly give it a 3/5 simply for the opening 11 minutes.

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?