"Aliens of London" play-by-play!
Missed out on "The Unquiet Dead" last week, but what's a sick day for if not catching up on your DW watching?
Funny--part of this episode's "previously on" is Nine turning Jackie's overtures down. Might have something to do with her dislike of him, that.
So, back at the Powell Estates, "twelve hours" later. Their grins are so cute. Rose is going to see her mum, and the Doctor gets his first clue that something's not right. Jackie drops the teacup, and we see the "Missing" posters. Uh-oh! The Doctor comes running in on the reunion hug and helpfully informs Rose that she's been away for a full year. Egads!
Kid painting "Bad Wolf" on the TARDIS while Jackie yells at Rose. Poor Rose has no idea how to explain this without explaining *all* of it. She's upset that she scared her mum this badly, obviously; their relationship may not be perfect, but she's very aware that she's all Jackie has.
And, of course, the Doctor tries to help and makes things worse. Now it looks like some bloke twice Rose's age is her sugar daddy! People always think they're a couple. Hmm!
Jackie, of course, is horrified at the thought, and we get the famous Tyler Slap, which, Nine lover that I am, I must admit I love. What mother wouldn't smack him at that point.
Back to Rose and Jackie, and Billie cries so well. So does Camille. Poor Jackie thinks Rose has been through something terrible, and she's already lived through her worst nightmare. Rose disappeared; I can't imagine what Jackie's been through.
Up on the rooftop! Rose isn't sure whether to go on or not. The Doctor just doesn't want to take her mum with them. The thought amuses them. And me.
"Every conversation with you just goes mental," says Rose. Doesn't it, though?
Get used to being slapped, Doctor. Your next incarnation will get slapped almost as much as he gets snogged.
We have the Slitheen ship! I have this theory that the TARDIS only interferes with the Doctor's set destinations when she knows he'll be needed. Thus, she sets them down a year late, just as an invasion is warming up.
I love the way the Doctor and Rose laugh together. They love this.
Blue jumper. Doesn't it bring out Chris's eyes beautifully? *sigh*
Watch it on the telly. Brilliant, Rose! She really does see simple things he misses.
Ah, the first appearance of the American News Announcer with the unconvincing accent! She keeps showing up.
The Doctor's most interested in the alien body.
Who's that old guy getting fresh with Rose while the Doctor's watching telly? This is interesting.
Aww, the Doctor's so cute with the toddler! Albion Hospital--it makes its first appearance, too. I do love these little continuity touches. Speaking of which: TOSH!
Concern over the Prime Minister from Tosh and a random reporter. Plot point! Harriet Jones. Another plot point! Farting fat person. Yet another plot point! Blon Slitheen. Awesome!
And here, of course, we get our first sight of the Nefarious Aliens. Theirs is an evil laugh!
Back at the estates, the Doctor's escaping. Rose, naturally, sees straight through him. I love how he's so enthusiastic about first contact; he loves to watch the human race grow up. And the TARDIS key! Rose is an official TARDIS traveler now.
Mickey! Why's he sniffing a shoe? That's weird, Mickey, very weird. He runs *after* the Doctor this time. We'll forgive him for running straight into a corrugated steel fence.
Harriet Jones is rather a sweetheart in this. Not quite the Dame of Steel she became. Her main concern is the cottage hospitals in Flydale North. Rather endearing, if you ask me. She's just nosy enough to start looking through the Emergency Protocols.
Back to Tosh at Albion. Typical setup for a redshirt, this--single female alone with possibly dangerous alien presence.
Nine hushes the sonic screwdriver. Hee! That's so adorable.
Why, Tosh, are you walking *toward* the mysterious and sinister noises? Typical Torchwood there.
The Doctor quite easily takes charge of the soldiers. Soldiers respond to authority, of course, and the Doctor has it in droves. Yet he's very gentle with Tosh. I wonder if Jack knew about this encounter? Could be how he snagged her from UNIT. At least, I'm assuming it was UNIT.
Pig. I love this show. The Doctor's angry with the soldier for shooting the pig, and again, we get that gentleness. I think that's why I respond to Nine so strongly. There's something about a guy who looks tough and can be tough when needed, but at heart, he's very gentle.
Oops--Slitheen again! The general's a redshirt. I rather love the forehead zippers, too. Only on DW!
Tosh shows her intelligence here, deducing that the aliens are faking aliens. Whether this gives the Doctor ideas or if he was ahead of her already, it's a good thought. Beware of blue-eyed beauties offering you jobs in Cardiff, Tosh--just FYI.
Mickey shows up Chez Tyler, and we find out that he was a murder suspect, thanks to Rose's disappearance. Nothing happens in a vaccuum on this show. Rose can't just swan off and not affect everyone in her life. To be fair to her, it was the Doctor who promised her a time machine. She didn't think she'd disappear for a whole year. But Jackie and Mickey did suffer, which brings the consequences of her decision home.
Rose still doesn't want Jackie to know about her travels with the Doctor. My question is, when she heard the TARDIS materializing, why did she try to hide it from Jackie? Makes things a lot easier, if you ask me. Of course, given Jackie's general temperament, maybe it's sort of self-explanatory.
"Domestic"--the Doctor's nemesis. Also, the Ricky/Mickey conundrum. It's just to wind him up, of course. The Doctor, jealous? No! But Mickey does give him a good idea--they're putting the world on red alert.
Jackie's main concern is Rose's safety. We also get the first indication that the highest levels of government know about the Doctor.
Sweet Rose/Mickey scene. He really is a good boyfriend, but far too earthbound for Rose.
The Doctor, of course, interrupts a kiss in order to crow about what he's found, and we immediately get the answer to what exactly they've been doing. Harriet Jones hears about the Doctor for the first time. I'm thinking it's courtesy of UNIT that Code 9 exists.
Mickey again betrays that he's not actually an idiot. He dug deep, found out as much as he could about the Doctor while Rose was gone. We also get probably the first hint about regeneration when he says UNIT wouldn't recognize him.
Military comes in to nab the Doctor and Rose. "Take me to your leader!" Mickey runs away and Jackie tries to run to them--interesting. The Doctor and Rose banter cutely in the car. Yes, Rose, he does love this. He's so vain! Thinks everything's about him.
The Doctor's reluctant to leave Rose behind. Insists she comes with him. Aww! And futile. Rose and Harriet go off together, and poor Harriet's rather traumatized.
The Doctor, of course, immediately hijacks the meeting, making clever deductions while Rose and Harriet find the PM's body.
Trifecta of danger now. The Doctor's caught in the Slitheen trap; Rose, Harriet and the functionary guy are trapped in a room with Blon, and Jackie has a third one in her flat. We now get our first look at the true form of the Slitheen. Notice they seem to make the lights go out around them. All the better to be intimidating!
Functionary Dude bites it first. UNIT goes next. Jackie looks to be third, but naturally, it's TBC.
Y'know, farting aliens with zippers in their foreheads who make pigs into pilots? Just rocks my socks!
Funny--part of this episode's "previously on" is Nine turning Jackie's overtures down. Might have something to do with her dislike of him, that.
So, back at the Powell Estates, "twelve hours" later. Their grins are so cute. Rose is going to see her mum, and the Doctor gets his first clue that something's not right. Jackie drops the teacup, and we see the "Missing" posters. Uh-oh! The Doctor comes running in on the reunion hug and helpfully informs Rose that she's been away for a full year. Egads!
Kid painting "Bad Wolf" on the TARDIS while Jackie yells at Rose. Poor Rose has no idea how to explain this without explaining *all* of it. She's upset that she scared her mum this badly, obviously; their relationship may not be perfect, but she's very aware that she's all Jackie has.
And, of course, the Doctor tries to help and makes things worse. Now it looks like some bloke twice Rose's age is her sugar daddy! People always think they're a couple. Hmm!
Jackie, of course, is horrified at the thought, and we get the famous Tyler Slap, which, Nine lover that I am, I must admit I love. What mother wouldn't smack him at that point.
Back to Rose and Jackie, and Billie cries so well. So does Camille. Poor Jackie thinks Rose has been through something terrible, and she's already lived through her worst nightmare. Rose disappeared; I can't imagine what Jackie's been through.
Up on the rooftop! Rose isn't sure whether to go on or not. The Doctor just doesn't want to take her mum with them. The thought amuses them. And me.
"Every conversation with you just goes mental," says Rose. Doesn't it, though?
Get used to being slapped, Doctor. Your next incarnation will get slapped almost as much as he gets snogged.
We have the Slitheen ship! I have this theory that the TARDIS only interferes with the Doctor's set destinations when she knows he'll be needed. Thus, she sets them down a year late, just as an invasion is warming up.
I love the way the Doctor and Rose laugh together. They love this.
Blue jumper. Doesn't it bring out Chris's eyes beautifully? *sigh*
Watch it on the telly. Brilliant, Rose! She really does see simple things he misses.
Ah, the first appearance of the American News Announcer with the unconvincing accent! She keeps showing up.
The Doctor's most interested in the alien body.
Who's that old guy getting fresh with Rose while the Doctor's watching telly? This is interesting.
Aww, the Doctor's so cute with the toddler! Albion Hospital--it makes its first appearance, too. I do love these little continuity touches. Speaking of which: TOSH!
Concern over the Prime Minister from Tosh and a random reporter. Plot point! Harriet Jones. Another plot point! Farting fat person. Yet another plot point! Blon Slitheen. Awesome!
And here, of course, we get our first sight of the Nefarious Aliens. Theirs is an evil laugh!
Back at the estates, the Doctor's escaping. Rose, naturally, sees straight through him. I love how he's so enthusiastic about first contact; he loves to watch the human race grow up. And the TARDIS key! Rose is an official TARDIS traveler now.
Mickey! Why's he sniffing a shoe? That's weird, Mickey, very weird. He runs *after* the Doctor this time. We'll forgive him for running straight into a corrugated steel fence.
Harriet Jones is rather a sweetheart in this. Not quite the Dame of Steel she became. Her main concern is the cottage hospitals in Flydale North. Rather endearing, if you ask me. She's just nosy enough to start looking through the Emergency Protocols.
Back to Tosh at Albion. Typical setup for a redshirt, this--single female alone with possibly dangerous alien presence.
Nine hushes the sonic screwdriver. Hee! That's so adorable.
Why, Tosh, are you walking *toward* the mysterious and sinister noises? Typical Torchwood there.
The Doctor quite easily takes charge of the soldiers. Soldiers respond to authority, of course, and the Doctor has it in droves. Yet he's very gentle with Tosh. I wonder if Jack knew about this encounter? Could be how he snagged her from UNIT. At least, I'm assuming it was UNIT.
Pig. I love this show. The Doctor's angry with the soldier for shooting the pig, and again, we get that gentleness. I think that's why I respond to Nine so strongly. There's something about a guy who looks tough and can be tough when needed, but at heart, he's very gentle.
Oops--Slitheen again! The general's a redshirt. I rather love the forehead zippers, too. Only on DW!
Tosh shows her intelligence here, deducing that the aliens are faking aliens. Whether this gives the Doctor ideas or if he was ahead of her already, it's a good thought. Beware of blue-eyed beauties offering you jobs in Cardiff, Tosh--just FYI.
Mickey shows up Chez Tyler, and we find out that he was a murder suspect, thanks to Rose's disappearance. Nothing happens in a vaccuum on this show. Rose can't just swan off and not affect everyone in her life. To be fair to her, it was the Doctor who promised her a time machine. She didn't think she'd disappear for a whole year. But Jackie and Mickey did suffer, which brings the consequences of her decision home.
Rose still doesn't want Jackie to know about her travels with the Doctor. My question is, when she heard the TARDIS materializing, why did she try to hide it from Jackie? Makes things a lot easier, if you ask me. Of course, given Jackie's general temperament, maybe it's sort of self-explanatory.
"Domestic"--the Doctor's nemesis. Also, the Ricky/Mickey conundrum. It's just to wind him up, of course. The Doctor, jealous? No! But Mickey does give him a good idea--they're putting the world on red alert.
Jackie's main concern is Rose's safety. We also get the first indication that the highest levels of government know about the Doctor.
Sweet Rose/Mickey scene. He really is a good boyfriend, but far too earthbound for Rose.
The Doctor, of course, interrupts a kiss in order to crow about what he's found, and we immediately get the answer to what exactly they've been doing. Harriet Jones hears about the Doctor for the first time. I'm thinking it's courtesy of UNIT that Code 9 exists.
Mickey again betrays that he's not actually an idiot. He dug deep, found out as much as he could about the Doctor while Rose was gone. We also get probably the first hint about regeneration when he says UNIT wouldn't recognize him.
Military comes in to nab the Doctor and Rose. "Take me to your leader!" Mickey runs away and Jackie tries to run to them--interesting. The Doctor and Rose banter cutely in the car. Yes, Rose, he does love this. He's so vain! Thinks everything's about him.
The Doctor's reluctant to leave Rose behind. Insists she comes with him. Aww! And futile. Rose and Harriet go off together, and poor Harriet's rather traumatized.
The Doctor, of course, immediately hijacks the meeting, making clever deductions while Rose and Harriet find the PM's body.
Trifecta of danger now. The Doctor's caught in the Slitheen trap; Rose, Harriet and the functionary guy are trapped in a room with Blon, and Jackie has a third one in her flat. We now get our first look at the true form of the Slitheen. Notice they seem to make the lights go out around them. All the better to be intimidating!
Functionary Dude bites it first. UNIT goes next. Jackie looks to be third, but naturally, it's TBC.
Y'know, farting aliens with zippers in their foreheads who make pigs into pilots? Just rocks my socks!