Following on immediately from 'Bad Wolf' this episode opens with The Doctor rescuing Rose from the Daleks. In the process he learns how they survived the Time War... or more precisely how they were recreated by their emperor, who is now their god. Returning to Satellite 5, The Doctor formulates a plan to defeat the Daleks. He then puts Rose in the Tardis and sets it on a one way course for Earth in 2005. Rose is determined to return to him but the Tardis appears to be dead. Back on the station it becomes apparent that if The Doctor's plan to wipe out the Daleks succeeds it will also exterminate everybody on Earth... a price worth paying to rid the universe of the Daleks?
I enjoyed this episode more than I expected; there was plenty of tension, several exciting scenes, emotional intensity and we finally learn why the words 'Bad Wolf' kept appearing throughout the season. The number of deaths is quite surprising; particularly in the case of one character although he does 'recover'. Having The Doctor send Rose away along with a message saying he didn't expect to survive worked well; it showed us just how far each of them was prepared to go to try to save the other. Christopher Eccleston was on fine form as The Doctor; he may only have been in the series for one season but he was a fine first Doctor for the new era of the show. Billie Piper and John Barrowman were impressive as Rose and Captain Jack; the former bringing real emotion to her role. The Daleks made an impressive enemy; I especially liked how the say they survived the Time War slightly changed them. The final scenes serve to indicate that the next Doctor will have a distinctly different personality.
I enjoyed this episode more than I expected; there was plenty of tension, several exciting scenes, emotional intensity and we finally learn why the words 'Bad Wolf' kept appearing throughout the season. The number of deaths is quite surprising; particularly in the case of one character although he does 'recover'. Having The Doctor send Rose away along with a message saying he didn't expect to survive worked well; it showed us just how far each of them was prepared to go to try to save the other. Christopher Eccleston was on fine form as The Doctor; he may only have been in the series for one season but he was a fine first Doctor for the new era of the show. Billie Piper and John Barrowman were impressive as Rose and Captain Jack; the former bringing real emotion to her role. The Daleks made an impressive enemy; I especially liked how the say they survived the Time War slightly changed them. The final scenes serve to indicate that the next Doctor will have a distinctly different personality.