It hits a bit harder if you consider that he's still rather fresh off the back of the Time War, a conflict in which he wasn't able to save anyone, in which he lost his whole species and home planet. His ecstasy in this moment is a win he's been waiting for for a good while
@@CasualNerdReactions Just to try to help you out a bit in planning without spoiling anything: In series 2, there are 3 two-part stories: episodes 5 and 6, episodes 8 and 9, and episodes 12 and 13. In series 3, 4 and 5 are a two-parter, as are 8 and 9, and episodes 11, 12 and 13 are a three-part story.
Excellent episodes. The doctor at his best. "Just this once EVERYBODY LIVES" gets me every time. From despair to a little hope then realisation is glorious. Love Christopher.
One of my all-time favourite stories. You'll come to recognise Steven Moffat's name appearing before many extremely good episodes with creepy monsters, and then eventually see him become the main showrunner.
One of my favourite lines or in fact possibly my favourite lines in the entire show are in this episode… “It’s got the power of a god, and I just sent it to its room.”
One way you can tell a Whovian from a non Whovian. If you say Captain Jack to a non Whovian, they automatically think of Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean. If you say it to a Whovian, they automatically think of John Barrymore as Captain Jack Harkness. By far, one of my favorite characters in the entire Whoniverse. It is impossible not to adore him.
I like this story for also showing the way different times reflect different attitudes toward sexuality. Jack's promiscuity and sexual flexibility, compare to the story not just of Nancy, but also the way she can blackmail someone by knowing of their bi-sexuality. That and the steps toward healing the Doctor's PSTD are excellent elements.
Welcome to the writing style of Steven Moffat, future show runner, some people love him, some people hate him, there's always turns and twists, and he's very good at playing the long game, you'll see.
@@CasualNerdReactions I hope you find more to like in that season, but I don't necessarily want to spoil the casting/characters. For now, well, enjoy what's in front of you. (Or don't, there's no shame in not liking an episode here and there. The benefit of the series is how continuity can be fluid without snapping apart. There is a quote two seasons later which aptly describes it - you'll know it when you hear it.)
I agree with you that these are the best episodes in the series so far. The good news is "so far." No spoilers, but things continue to get better and better! :) Thanks for sharing these.
John Barrowman, who plays Captain Jack Harkness, went to my hometown’s public high school Joliet West. I was at the Catholic school in town a year ahead of him, so I didn’t get to know him, sad to say. But, I did know one of his best friends in school, Andy Dick, who went on to act in tv shows like Newsradio before descending in into substance abuse where he remains to this day, tragically. John’s family still lives in a nearby suburb.
This story was where a lot of people discovered that the revived series wasn't just good Doctor Who, not just good 'geek' television, but just plain good television.
Fan favorites. Many consider this the best of the Eccleston era. As for me, rewatching these here makes me appreciate him and the first series even more than before.
A stone-cold classic of a story. 😀 Remember how in the first episode Clive tells Rose that death is the Doctor's constant companion? This two-parter had fans at the time trying to work out how many stories in the "classic" (1963-1989) run didn't have any people dead at the end of the story. I can't remember the exact number (maybe four?), but "very few" definitely summed it up. And those stories took place before the Time War that you've already seen has had a huge impact on the Doctor personally. That "everybody lives" moment really is well earned for him!
Every time I see this episode, or the part when the 'ambulance' is surrounded onward, I always, always tear up. Such a wonderful episode. Still one of the best written and acted pieces that exemplifies The Doctor as an agent of hope amidst any tragedy.
Oh also - Today was Doctor Who Day - 23 November. 60 years since Doctor Who began in England. Traditionally I sit down and watch the very first episode at the first available opportunity. No different this year :) Going to watch it with the kids on Saturday. "An Unearthly Child" part 1. When the magic began...
The Doctor’s jubilation over everyone living is even more significant for us long-time DW fans. One of my most bittersweet memories of Classic Who is the final episode for one of the Fifth Doctor’s companions who ends up leaving because of all of the death and destruction around him. She can’t take it anymore and ready tells him off for it, putting the blame squarely on him. Seeing Eleven’s joy is just terrific.
The great thing about this show is you never know what sort of story your gonna get... i remember watching this back then and thinking how scary it was for a "family" show... little did i know how scary it would get in later seasons.....
So enjoying your reactions. I've been watching this show since 1973 so there's lots more to see. It's got story arcs (maybe even some of the first programmes to have them) that have lasted 30+ years, and it's still a show you can just dip into. It packs so much story and world building into single episodes and on a BBC Budget. To give you some perspective this used to be around £750000 - £800000 ($970000) per episode in 2005. In 1987 Star Trek TNG was spending $1300000 per episode. And it got to reuse a lot of it's sets again and again. Doctor Who went from Platform 1 to Victorian Cardiff to 10 Downing Street. In three episodes.with very limited time in the TARDIS. This show is silly, funny, clever, empathetic, progressive and everything else in between. It has times when it's good and times when it's less so. The one thing you can rely on is, if you don't like this bit much, it'll change soon enough. 😁
It’ll change soon enough! That’s one thing that hits already is there’s been so much variety in episodes. It’s impossible to predict what’s coming next.
@@CasualNerdReactions this is a series that's going to surprise you. If you see the old stuff that will too. Characters you love are going to die. Don't think that anyone is safe. There will be sudden left turns. If I can offer any real advice watching it all for the first time, don't look at the DVD covers. Don't look at the episode titles until they're on screen. Ideally don't look at the episode thumbnails as there are spoilers in them (it's frustrating when watching). Good luck!
One of my favourite things about series 1 is the way its trajectory in terms of storytelling just rockets from Dalek onwards. Before that it's good, but it suddenly goes for broke about the midway point as they hit the accelerator hard. The writer is one of my favourite TV writers full stop, but he's an old-Who fan, massive classic series fanboy. It kind of hampered him in writing this apparently because he was writing it low budget, and instead all his notes apparently were just "no! Spend our money!" Can't wait for your next few reactions.
Love the but if trivia behind the writing. It really did feel like the first five were an extended introduction. Then the show LAUNCHED with Dalek onward. So good!!
Glad to see you loved this story so much! It's universally seen as a classic and as so many others have said, it's a great debut for Steven Moffat. I think the only shame here is that the actress who plays Nancy didn't stay in the profession, I thought she was great.
So that one line, "Before this war began, I was a father and a grandfather. Now I am neither. But I'm still a doctor." when The Doctor says he 'knows the feeling' he's not just talking about being a doctor. His FIRST companion back in the Classic era Who, in the very first season, was his granddaughter. Which also means he had a son or daughter (I'm not sure it's ever been stated which one he had?). So he was a father and a grandfather.
This is one of my favorite narrative devices in all of fiction, when the creators go - what if we take a metaphorical, abstract theme/trope, like "power of mother's love defeats evil", and make it *literal*? It's such a fun cocept that it rarely ever fails to result in something good, and these episodes are great example of that.
These episodes have some of the best lines! But the sheer joy of "Just this once Rose, everybody lives!" is enough to make me want to laugh and cry at the same time.
These are the first ever DW episodes I ever saw. Randomly playing on the syfi network one night. I didn’t know it was part of a huge series. Not long after I saw that doctor who was getting a new doctor and watched some little news thing about it. I decided to watch from the 2005 reboot. When I saw these episodes I was so excited to find the random “movie” I’d watched once!
You remember WW2? My absolute favourite 2-parter. This is how you write a story. It feels like they wrote the story down to it's most basic then built the world around it. Fleshing it out with a convincing B-story with Nancy and Jamie that turns out to be the key to resolving the problem Captain Jack inadvertently created. Although, when the Doctor said "just this once, everybody lives" is a bit confusing because it's set in the blitz (I think it was probably part of the script for a while and the producers forgot they set the episode in a war torn Britain).
This is the first Doctor Who episode I saw. It just happened to be on while I was cleaning house, and it hooked me in. I now own anywho on dvd bc I love this series so much. Eccelston was my first Doctor, and he’ll forever be part of my heart.
By far my favorite episodes of the season, and among my favorites overall. The utter joy of the ending ("EVERYBODY LIVES!") is almost overwhelming. And on top of everything, we get introduced to Jack, one of the greatest side characters EVER.
So happy to see this reaction. I am doing a rewatch of Doctor Who at the moment (currently near the end of series 4) and it really does hit its stride with "Dalek" and pretty much keeps going from there. Watching it quickly makes it much more obvious. Captain Jack is an awesome and popular character. Don't worry, we will be seeing more of him.
So you've got a taste of the writing of Steven Moffat, future* showrunner of Doctor Who (*for you that is). You'll get one story par season from him and it's always a treat. Russel T. Davies always said Moffat's script came in perfectly, never needed to adjust anything. To give you an idea, if you are familiar with the show 'Sherlock' with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, he was the showrunner for that too. But my heart holds fond memories for his very first show 'Press Gang' on kids tv, about the life of teenagers working for the 'Junior Gazette' and critics complained such good writing was wasted on the kids, but honestly, this was the reason why this show was so popular watched by kids, teenagers and adults. And I watched it recently and it's still better then most average shows hence why it still got high ratings on IMDB and Steven did win a BAFTA award with it for his writing, when he was only 29 years old. And boy does he have won awards ever since.... Sorry, rambling a bit, but now you know you can have legitime expectations.
Oops, got a misspelling in the title (Child) if you wanna fix that! ❤ I haven't watched yet, but I'm so excited for these. This is a great two-parter, very creepy and memorable (my mom and I say "are you my mummy" at least once or twice a month, lol) plus.. Jack!
Excited to follow along with this series. Just want to say that you’ve been doing an excellent job! I can see the effort being put into these videos and It’s turning out so well imo.
It's the PACING that demanded this story be a two-parter. How quality and confident must a series be to allow the pacing its head to determine whether it's one episode or two? The Welsh 'reboot' is absolute quality television/storytelling.
I have been doing a NuWho rewatch leading up to the 60th and I'm really enjoying your reactions to seeing it for the first time. Just as an FYI, there is usually a 2-3 part story in the middle of each season and sometimes for the season finale as well. The episodes will have separate titles even when they're part of the same story.
This was written by arguably the best writer in dr who, Steven Moffat.... he writes a story in each season and they are universally AMAZING ..... one of his to come is regularly votes the best in the shows history and won many international awards.... he eventually took over as showrunner in later seasons...
@duvall5jd yes, I did say arguably in my statement.... midnight was ok for me but not the best... each to their own of course but if u look up moffats stories on 1mdb or rotten tomatoes (his stories during RTD's era that is) they are always highly rated if not the highest rated of the season.... if u look at the RTD stories they are more of a mixed bag....
I have an answer to your question regarding the 2-part nature of some of these stories. The format of these stories varies depending on the writer. Some stories are written for specific episode counts in mind, and the cliffhangers are placed in by the original writer. Other stories were written as a single episode and cliffhangers have to be added in during adaptation. This is how the novel Human Nature by Paul Cornell became the 2 parter Human Nature/The Family of Blood in season 3 of the show.
This episode features the 1st occurrence in the new era of someone stepping into the TARDIS and saying those famous lines - "It's bigger on the inside" - after Rose said a different variation back in the first episode. Not every person has reacted that way throughout the show's history... but many have. I made a video capturing a lot of those reactions years ago - one of my faves. Recently re-uploaded. - - Oh! Sorry Chris - spoilers, probably better not to be tempted... As for the cliffhanger ending... That was a MASSIVE part of Classic Who; Most episodes went for 25 mins, and there would be on average 4 episodes for each storyline. So you'd have about 3 cliffhanger endings per story. I was very pleased to see that whilst "most" episodes of this revival were only single-part stories, there were still some chances for cliffhangers.
One of the best, absolutely. Of the whole thing. That ending…got me in the heart. It wasn’t about monsters it was about a child wondering who their mommy is. Amazing. Btw…Siri does that to me as well. It’s like anything with a long e sound can set it off.
I grew up watching the 4th doctor and wasn't sure about the revival in 2005, starting with Eccleston, but I've thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm glad to see you reacting to it. If there is one thing you can always take away from a Dr. Who episode it's "Where there is a will, there is always a way" sometimes you just have to think outside the box to figure it out. 🙂
was great to see such a natural reaction to this 2-part Who story - it's one of the best and great to rewatch - but there's much more to come... Enjoy!
thank you thank you thank you, one of the creepiest 'villains' of Who - seriously, children are always creepy as heck when they begin menacing a protagonist. Plus CAPTAIN JACK!! Something to note about Jack - he's wearing suspenders and a belt. He has trouble keeping his pants on 😆
When these episodes aired there were actual censorship warnings in the UK and questions about whether they should’ve been aired before the UK Watershed (9pm limit). I can safely say that as a 9 year old when this aired, it HORRIFIED me
You have officially been introduced to the evil genius that is Steven Moffat. His episodes are generally considered iconic for a reason. (PS: I love your shirt.)
Oh, you will SO much see more of Jack. Including his own spinoff series that I trust you will want to react to when the time comes. Someone will have to tell you when to watch the seasons of "Torchwood" (descramble the letters you get Doctor Who) in relation to Doctor Who.
Imagine being a kid and watching this before bed 😮 (I wasn't scared though but for some it scared the pants off them) also Jack is the first canonically queer character him being omni sexual
Chris, the problem with NuWho is that most of the stories are stand alone 45 minute episodes. That isn’t inherently a bad thing (as there have been a few stories this season where it fits this format perfectly and continues to do so in future seasons), but there are some episodes that appear rushed and the writers don’t always allow the characters to “breathe” in the episode or give them some kind of character development. Many of the two parters going forwards allow this time and space (no pun intended), and it just helps the overall narrative. Classic Who in the 1960’s would have roughly 40 episodes in a season (lasting for 40 weeks of the year), but that number was reduced to around 26 episodes (on average) from 1970 onwards (basically 6 months of the year.) Each episode was roughly 25 minutes in length and each story could comprise of the following number of episodes to tell that story: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 12! The show has had a story with just 1 episode (without the Doctor or his companions), and was a prelude to the epic 12 part story, The Daleks Masterplan. In the last four seasons of Classic Who the programme fell out of favour with the BBC bigwigs, and the season was cut again to 14 episodes, before it was cancelled in 1989. The ideal length for a Who story was 4 episodes, but some stories have warranted more episodes and some less, but each episode would end on a cliffhanger to get you to come back to watch the next episode the following week! These extended story episodes allowed the writers to focus more on the characters (both major and minor) and develop them, something NuWho doesn’t always do as well.
This is why I love Eccleston’s Doctor, his pure joy at being able to save everyone.
Yes! That moment was so rewarding!
It hits a bit harder if you consider that he's still rather fresh off the back of the Time War, a conflict in which he wasn't able to save anyone, in which he lost his whole species and home planet. His ecstasy in this moment is a win he's been waiting for for a good while
I've always wanted to watch this with someone and then, when they're not looking, put on a gas mask and start saying "muuummmyyyy"
So mean! It definitely do it.
the "oops guess I have to watch the next one" cracked me up, the cliffhangers!!! so relatable
I’m likely not doing that with series 2, but it sure felt good here.
@@CasualNerdReactionsit beats having to wait a week to find out what happens next
@@CasualNerdReactions Just to try to help you out a bit in planning without spoiling anything:
In series 2, there are 3 two-part stories: episodes 5 and 6, episodes 8 and 9, and episodes 12 and 13.
In series 3, 4 and 5 are a two-parter, as are 8 and 9, and episodes 11, 12 and 13 are a three-part story.
When you said these episodes might "lighten things up after last week" I just chuckled evilly to myself,knowing what's to come...🙄😆🎩
I missed the mark there haha
Next episode should lighten things up a bit I think
Me too! 🤣
Same!
Excellent episodes. The doctor at his best. "Just this once EVERYBODY LIVES" gets me every time. From despair to a little hope then realisation is glorious. Love Christopher.
it's such a great line and the delivery just gives chills
Even after all these years seeing that moment makes my eyes water a little, it’s such a joyful and triumphant moment.
One of my all-time favourite stories. You'll come to recognise Steven Moffat's name appearing before many extremely good episodes with creepy monsters, and then eventually see him become the main showrunner.
One of my favourite lines or in fact possibly my favourite lines in the entire show are in this episode…
“It’s got the power of a god, and I just sent it to its room.”
Oh yes, brilliant line! 🤣👏🙌
"BARROWMAN!!!"
Love Jack Harkness. He was the first character that made me consciously realize I wasn't straight XD
One way you can tell a Whovian from a non Whovian. If you say Captain Jack to a non Whovian, they automatically think of Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean. If you say it to a Whovian, they automatically think of John Barrymore as Captain Jack Harkness. By far, one of my favorite characters in the entire Whoniverse. It is impossible not to adore him.
I'd agree with that. If I hear Captain Jack I think of Captain Jack Harkness. I need to hear Jack Sparrow to think of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Barrowman!! **shakes fist**
Captain Jack? First thing I think of is Billy Joel
I like this story for also showing the way different times reflect different attitudes toward sexuality. Jack's promiscuity and sexual flexibility, compare to the story not just of Nancy, but also the way she can blackmail someone by knowing of their bi-sexuality.
That and the steps toward healing the Doctor's PSTD are excellent elements.
Perfect way to celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th for you! With 2 of Nu-Who’s finest episodes!❤
Love love love Captain Jack. Such a fabulous character. Great Two parter. Scared the pants of my kids when they were little and we watched it live.
Welcome to the writing style of Steven Moffat, future show runner, some people love him, some people hate him, there's always turns and twists, and he's very good at playing the long game, you'll see.
Are you my mummy is an iconic line. Steven Moffat the writer takes over as show runner in Season 5. His stories are awesome.
Oh boy now I have 2 things I’m really looking forward to forward to in season 5 (the other being Karen Gilan)
@@CasualNerdReactions
I hope you find more to like in that season, but I don't necessarily want to spoil the casting/characters. For now, well, enjoy what's in front of you. (Or don't, there's no shame in not liking an episode here and there. The benefit of the series is how continuity can be fluid without snapping apart. There is a quote two seasons later which aptly describes it - you'll know it when you hear it.)
@@ZeallustImmortal 🙈 I started following her on tik tok and her personality is largely what prompted me to start Doctor Who.
I agree with you that these are the best episodes in the series so far. The good news is "so far." No spoilers, but things continue to get better and better! :) Thanks for sharing these.
I’m so excited by the “so far”. Because I have NO trouble believing it.
John Barrowman, who plays Captain Jack Harkness, went to my hometown’s public high school Joliet West. I was at the Catholic school in town a year ahead of him, so I didn’t get to know him, sad to say. But, I did know one of his best friends in school, Andy Dick, who went on to act in tv shows like Newsradio before descending in into substance abuse where he remains to this day, tragically. John’s family still lives in a nearby suburb.
This story was where a lot of people discovered that the revived series wasn't just good Doctor Who, not just good 'geek' television, but just plain good television.
Fan favorites. Many consider this the best of the Eccleston era. As for me, rewatching these here makes me appreciate him and the first series even more than before.
A stone-cold classic of a story. 😀
Remember how in the first episode Clive tells Rose that death is the Doctor's constant companion? This two-parter had fans at the time trying to work out how many stories in the "classic" (1963-1989) run didn't have any people dead at the end of the story. I can't remember the exact number (maybe four?), but "very few" definitely summed it up. And those stories took place before the Time War that you've already seen has had a huge impact on the Doctor personally. That "everybody lives" moment really is well earned for him!
"What in the Haley Joel Osment is going on" 🤣🤣
Honestly you made the best decision making this two episodes in one
Every time I see this episode, or the part when the 'ambulance' is surrounded onward, I always, always tear up. Such a wonderful episode. Still one of the best written and acted pieces that exemplifies The Doctor as an agent of hope amidst any tragedy.
Ah, Chris, you get to meet Captain Jack!
Oh also - Today was Doctor Who Day - 23 November. 60 years since Doctor Who began in England. Traditionally I sit down and watch the very first episode at the first available opportunity. No different this year :) Going to watch it with the kids on Saturday. "An Unearthly Child" part 1. When the magic began...
I've just watched The Evil of the Daleks from 1967 - and the new colourised version of The Daleks (their very first outing) from 1964 😁
@@Slate-writer Ah! Evil is pretty kewl, it's a shame that only 1 episodes still survives... At least we have the animations to help us out.
The Doctor’s jubilation over everyone living is even more significant for us long-time DW fans. One of my most bittersweet memories of Classic Who is the final episode for one of the Fifth Doctor’s companions who ends up leaving because of all of the death and destruction around him. She can’t take it anymore and ready tells him off for it, putting the blame squarely on him. Seeing Eleven’s joy is just terrific.
Happy 60th Anniversary Doctor Who! 🥂🍾
Watched the first one in black and white, hooked. Excited for 60 anniversary show tonight😊
You will get to see Captain Jack again, he even got his own spin-off series called Torchwood.
I love this episode so much. This was the one that really grabbed me. Of course I had enjoyed it already, but I was *in* with "Everybody lives!"
Agreed! These episodes really struck a brilliant balance of tone, pacing, and characters. 👏
This episode sold me. “Just this once, everybody lives!!!” From then on o was in.
The great thing about this show is you never know what sort of story your gonna get... i remember watching this back then and thinking how scary it was for a "family" show... little did i know how scary it would get in later seasons.....
the whole gas mask/infection thing is some *proper* horror writing
Ah, yes, Captain Jack. Two great episodes.
When Siri asks you if you are its Mommy, then you worry.
So enjoying your reactions. I've been watching this show since 1973 so there's lots more to see. It's got story arcs (maybe even some of the first programmes to have them) that have lasted 30+ years, and it's still a show you can just dip into. It packs so much story and world building into single episodes and on a BBC Budget. To give you some perspective this used to be around £750000 - £800000 ($970000) per episode in 2005. In 1987 Star Trek TNG was spending $1300000 per episode. And it got to reuse a lot of it's sets again and again. Doctor Who went from Platform 1 to Victorian Cardiff to 10 Downing Street. In three episodes.with very limited time in the TARDIS.
This show is silly, funny, clever, empathetic, progressive and everything else in between. It has times when it's good and times when it's less so. The one thing you can rely on is, if you don't like this bit much, it'll change soon enough. 😁
It’ll change soon enough! That’s one thing that hits already is there’s been so much variety in episodes. It’s impossible to predict what’s coming next.
@@CasualNerdReactions this is a series that's going to surprise you. If you see the old stuff that will too.
Characters you love are going to die. Don't think that anyone is safe. There will be sudden left turns. If I can offer any real advice watching it all for the first time, don't look at the DVD covers. Don't look at the episode titles until they're on screen. Ideally don't look at the episode thumbnails as there are spoilers in them (it's frustrating when watching). Good luck!
One of my favourite things about series 1 is the way its trajectory in terms of storytelling just rockets from Dalek onwards. Before that it's good, but it suddenly goes for broke about the midway point as they hit the accelerator hard.
The writer is one of my favourite TV writers full stop, but he's an old-Who fan, massive classic series fanboy. It kind of hampered him in writing this apparently because he was writing it low budget, and instead all his notes apparently were just "no! Spend our money!" Can't wait for your next few reactions.
Love the but if trivia behind the writing. It really did feel like the first five were an extended introduction. Then the show LAUNCHED with Dalek onward. So good!!
"Lighten things up" Ha ha ha ha ha 🤣
SUCH a great episode.
It is one of the best plots ever devised and one of the reason he is one of my favorite Doctors.
Jack Harkness! I do hope you'll have a look at Torchwood when the time comes, the last seasons are some of my favourite TV out there.
Currently planning on it! Tentative Torchwood premiere date is March 21st. Well, five weeks earlier for channel members & patrons.
@@CasualNerdReactionsI love Torchwood! the special Children of Earth is so good.
funfact: the closeups of the doctor's feet dancing with Rose is John Barrowman(Captain Jack Harkness) lol
Glad to see you loved this story so much! It's universally seen as a classic and as so many others have said, it's a great debut for Steven Moffat. I think the only shame here is that the actress who plays Nancy didn't stay in the profession, I thought she was great.
So that one line, "Before this war began, I was a father and a grandfather. Now I am neither. But I'm still a doctor." when The Doctor says he 'knows the feeling' he's not just talking about being a doctor. His FIRST companion back in the Classic era Who, in the very first season, was his granddaughter. Which also means he had a son or daughter (I'm not sure it's ever been stated which one he had?). So he was a father and a grandfather.
Welcome to the work of Steven Moffat....his episodes were almost universally recognized as the best of Seasons 1-4 of Doctor Who.
No you have met on of my favorite characters in Doctor Who (and Torchwood)
Captain Jack is the horn dog of the universe. You will be seeing him again.
This is one of my favorite narrative devices in all of fiction, when the creators go - what if we take a metaphorical, abstract theme/trope, like "power of mother's love defeats evil", and make it *literal*? It's such a fun cocept that it rarely ever fails to result in something good, and these episodes are great example of that.
These episodes have some of the best lines! But the sheer joy of "Just this once Rose, everybody lives!" is enough to make me want to laugh and cry at the same time.
I've become a real fan of your DW reactions. Keep up the good work!
These are the first ever DW episodes I ever saw. Randomly playing on the syfi network one night. I didn’t know it was part of a huge series. Not long after I saw that doctor who was getting a new doctor and watched some little news thing about it. I decided to watch from the 2005 reboot. When I saw these episodes I was so excited to find the random “movie” I’d watched once!
You remember WW2?
My absolute favourite 2-parter. This is how you write a story. It feels like they wrote the story down to it's most basic then built the world around it. Fleshing it out with a convincing B-story with Nancy and Jamie that turns out to be the key to resolving the problem Captain Jack inadvertently created.
Although, when the Doctor said "just this once, everybody lives" is a bit confusing because it's set in the blitz (I think it was probably part of the script for a while and the producers forgot they set the episode in a war torn Britain).
“Are you my mummy” 😀😀great reaction great episode 💯👍👍💯💯
"Is there more to Jack that we've yet to discover?" 🤣 So, so much!!
This is the first Doctor Who episode I saw. It just happened to be on while I was cleaning house, and it hooked me in. I now own anywho on dvd bc I love this series so much. Eccelston was my first Doctor, and he’ll forever be part of my heart.
By far my favorite episodes of the season, and among my favorites overall. The utter joy of the ending ("EVERYBODY LIVES!") is almost overwhelming. And on top of everything, we get introduced to Jack, one of the greatest side characters EVER.
So happy to see this reaction. I am doing a rewatch of Doctor Who at the moment (currently near the end of series 4) and it really does hit its stride with "Dalek" and pretty much keeps going from there. Watching it quickly makes it much more obvious.
Captain Jack is an awesome and popular character. Don't worry, we will be seeing more of him.
I think for the two part episodes, you should do a longer episode like this. It was fun to watch
Your reactions are the highlight of my week. Two parters watch together! Yay! \o/.
I grew up watching classic Doctor Who. Imagine having one complete story told across 4 to 6 episodes! ;-)
So you've got a taste of the writing of Steven Moffat, future* showrunner of Doctor Who (*for you that is). You'll get one story par season from him and it's always a treat. Russel T. Davies always said Moffat's script came in perfectly, never needed to adjust anything.
To give you an idea, if you are familiar with the show 'Sherlock' with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, he was the showrunner for that too.
But my heart holds fond memories for his very first show 'Press Gang' on kids tv, about the life of teenagers working for the 'Junior Gazette' and critics complained such good writing was wasted on the kids, but honestly, this was the reason why this show was so popular watched by kids, teenagers and adults. And I watched it recently and it's still better then most average shows hence why it still got high ratings on IMDB and Steven did win a BAFTA award with it for his writing, when he was only 29 years old. And boy does he have won awards ever since....
Sorry, rambling a bit, but now you know you can have legitime expectations.
Captain Jack! The loveable rogue finally appears! I love these two episodes.
Oops, got a misspelling in the title (Child) if you wanna fix that! ❤ I haven't watched yet, but I'm so excited for these. This is a great two-parter, very creepy and memorable (my mom and I say "are you my mummy" at least once or twice a month, lol) plus.. Jack!
Haha oh dang! Thanks for the correction.
"I think this might lighten up a bit" Oh no, no it will not. I'm sorry.
😅
Excited to follow along with this series. Just want to say that you’ve been doing an excellent job! I can see the effort being put into these videos and It’s turning out so well imo.
I was waiting for you to meet Captain Jack :)
It's the PACING that demanded this story be a two-parter.
How quality and confident must a series be to allow the pacing its head to determine whether it's one episode or two?
The Welsh 'reboot' is absolute quality television/storytelling.
I have been doing a NuWho rewatch leading up to the 60th and I'm really enjoying your reactions to seeing it for the first time. Just as an FYI, there is usually a 2-3 part story in the middle of each season and sometimes for the season finale as well. The episodes will have separate titles even when they're part of the same story.
This was written by arguably the best writer in dr who, Steven Moffat.... he writes a story in each season and they are universally AMAZING ..... one of his to come is regularly votes the best in the shows history and won many international awards.... he eventually took over as showrunner in later seasons...
I’m really looking forward to seeing more of his work.
That’s highly arguable. Midnight is the absolute best episode of the show and that was written by RTD.
@duvall5jd yes, I did say arguably in my statement.... midnight was ok for me but not the best... each to their own of course but if u look up moffats stories on 1mdb or rotten tomatoes (his stories during RTD's era that is) they are always highly rated if not the highest rated of the season.... if u look at the RTD stories they are more of a mixed bag....
@ this is true, RTD episodes have a very distinct style. Camp turned up to a hundred, lol.
I have an answer to your question regarding the 2-part nature of some of these stories. The format of these stories varies depending on the writer. Some stories are written for specific episode counts in mind, and the cliffhangers are placed in by the original writer. Other stories were written as a single episode and cliffhangers have to be added in during adaptation. This is how the novel Human Nature by Paul Cornell became the 2 parter Human Nature/The Family of Blood in season 3 of the show.
Doctor Who turns 60 tomorrow!!!!!
one of my favorite episodes. every dr who fan utters 'are you my mummy' at least a few times a year to scare someone.
“Maybe we’ll see Captain Jack again.” Bwaaa Haa Haa! You might say that!
These two episodes are sooo good, best ones in this season IMO.
Ah, and now you’ve been introduced to Doctor Who’s finest writers, Steven Moffat!!! ❤❤❤❤
This episode features the 1st occurrence in the new era of someone stepping into the TARDIS and saying those famous lines - "It's bigger on the inside" - after Rose said a different variation back in the first episode. Not every person has reacted that way throughout the show's history... but many have. I made a video capturing a lot of those reactions years ago - one of my faves. Recently re-uploaded. - - Oh! Sorry Chris - spoilers, probably better not to be tempted...
As for the cliffhanger ending... That was a MASSIVE part of Classic Who; Most episodes went for 25 mins, and there would be on average 4 episodes for each storyline. So you'd have about 3 cliffhanger endings per story. I was very pleased to see that whilst "most" episodes of this revival were only single-part stories, there were still some chances for cliffhangers.
Love Capt Jack!!! So glad you are enjoying this show😁
This was the episode that hooked me and I was a Whovian ever since!
One of the best, absolutely. Of the whole thing. That ending…got me in the heart. It wasn’t about monsters it was about a child wondering who their mommy is. Amazing. Btw…Siri does that to me as well. It’s like anything with a long e sound can set it off.
until this day I still wonder if Rose, Jack and the Doctor all "shared a dance" that night
Nudge, nudge, wink, wink!
funny that a sonic screwdriver is basically a screwdriver, and the actual reason it's awesome is that the doctor is a genius, not the device itself
‘Maybe we won’t see Jack again?’ Oh, sweetie.
This is my favorite storyline
Steven Moffat wrote some of the best episodes in the Who revival. Just wait till you see 'Blink' :)
I grew up watching the 4th doctor and wasn't sure about the revival in 2005, starting with Eccleston, but I've thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm glad to see you reacting to it. If there is one thing you can always take away from a Dr. Who episode it's "Where there is a will, there is always a way" sometimes you just have to think outside the box to figure it out. 🙂
The series also contain episodes and stories. So these two episodes are a story. The first series consist of 13 episodes for 10 stories.
was great to see such a natural reaction to this 2-part Who story - it's one of the best and great to rewatch - but there's much more to come... Enjoy!
The moment NuWho returned to ClassicWho's "hide behind the couch" moments :)
also it was serendipity that you stumbled into a two-parter :)
Two of my favourite episodes 😊
These ones freaked me out so much when I was little!
thank you thank you thank you, one of the creepiest 'villains' of Who - seriously, children are always creepy as heck when they begin menacing a protagonist. Plus CAPTAIN JACK!! Something to note about Jack - he's wearing suspenders and a belt. He has trouble keeping his pants on 😆
🤣🤣 oh no! Great observation.
When these episodes aired there were actual censorship warnings in the UK and questions about whether they should’ve been aired before the UK Watershed (9pm limit).
I can safely say that as a 9 year old when this aired, it HORRIFIED me
This two parter is my favorite story with my favorite new character in all Who.
And now we'll have to have Torchwood added to the reaction list!
Shhhh - spoilers!
The start of a Doctor Who writer of great significance, acclaim and controversy......
Ooh. Looking forward to exploring each of those words as his episodes continue to come my way.
You have officially been introduced to the evil genius that is Steven Moffat. His episodes are generally considered iconic for a reason.
(PS: I love your shirt.)
Oh, you will SO much see more of Jack. Including his own spinoff series that I trust you will want to react to when the time comes. Someone will have to tell you when to watch the seasons of "Torchwood" (descramble the letters you get Doctor Who) in relation to Doctor Who.
Welcome to the world of Steven Moffat and Doctor Who.
Imagine being a kid and watching this before bed 😮 (I wasn't scared though but for some it scared the pants off them) also Jack is the first canonically queer character him being omni sexual
It is one of the very best stories in the whole show.
Chris, the problem with NuWho is that most of the stories are stand alone 45 minute episodes. That isn’t inherently a bad thing (as there have been a few stories this season where it fits this format perfectly and continues to do so in future seasons), but there are some episodes that appear rushed and the writers don’t always allow the characters to “breathe” in the episode or give them some kind of character development. Many of the two parters going forwards allow this time and space (no pun intended), and it just helps the overall narrative.
Classic Who in the 1960’s would have roughly 40 episodes in a season (lasting for 40 weeks of the year), but that number was reduced to around 26 episodes (on average) from 1970 onwards (basically 6 months of the year.) Each episode was roughly 25 minutes in length and each story could comprise of the following number of episodes to tell that story: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 12! The show has had a story with just 1 episode (without the Doctor or his companions), and was a prelude to the epic 12 part story, The Daleks Masterplan.
In the last four seasons of Classic Who the programme fell out of favour with the BBC bigwigs, and the season was cut again to 14 episodes, before it was cancelled in 1989. The ideal length for a Who story was 4 episodes, but some stories have warranted more episodes and some less, but each episode would end on a cliffhanger to get you to come back to watch the next episode the following week! These extended story episodes allowed the writers to focus more on the characters (both major and minor) and develop them, something NuWho doesn’t always do as well.
This is the best Who episode in my opinion.
You'll get some hit-and-miss episodes every now and then, but overall you're going to enjoy the whole show from here on out.
Wait until you find out that the later seasons sometimes have 3 or 4 part episodes
Also the classic series had a couple 12 parters lmao