Doctor Who: Series 1, Episodes 4-5 – “Aliens of London” / “World War Three” (2005)

*Episode premise spoilers.*

Look, it is what it is. It’s not new Who’s finest hour, and it’s proof that the fart jokes in “Space Babies” didn’t come from nowhere. There’s a lot that’s ridiculous here, but even some of the more “oof” episodes of Who have their bright points. I mean, this is the story that gave us Harriet Jones! It can’t be all bad.

Back in London after her first few adventures in the TARDIS with the Ninth Doctor, Rose deals with the challenges and questions that come with being home. It’s almost a relief when a UFO lands in the Thames! But the spaceship is only the beginning—there’s something deeper going on here than anyone realizes.

Yes, this is the debut story for the Slitheen. Yes, they’re goofy farting aliens, and yes, their actors are giving panto levels of subtlety out here. Along with the plastic Mickey stuff in the pilot, it makes series 1 a bit tricky when it comes to introducing new folks to Who. You either have to be selective with your episode choices or ask them to have faith that it gets better. “Just wait until episode 6!”

And I dunno, maybe I’ve just seen all of these episodes enough times that I’m inured to the hokiest bits, but there honestly is a lot to like in new Who’s first two-parter. Rose’s homecoming is much more dramatic than she anticipates, and all the family stuff is good. We kick off the Doctor’s long and storied history of contention with their companion’s mothers, and Mickey gets to come into his own more as a character. (Side note: ugh to Noel Clarke.) There’s fun stuff too, like the Doctor and Rose getting stuck at her flat watching the news about the UFO unfold on the telly because they can’t get through the gridlock.

As I said, Harriet Jones is a terrific character, and her introduction here is a hoot: a faithful backbencher MP who’s shown up at Downing St. in the midst of a UFO crash. Nobody knows who she is, and she can’t get in to see anyone who matters, but she’s here now and isn’t about to be counted out. All her appearances on the show are memorable, but her debut story is definitely my favorite of hers—by the way, kudos to Who for memorably featuring so many female characters over 40 throughout the years. And it was only canonized retroactively, but I also like that we get our first appearance of Toshiko Sato here!

And regardless of how silly a story might get or how many cringeworthy moments it has, the Doctor and Rose are always worth watching together. In this story, I like watching Rose find ways to contribute on her own when the Doctor is whisked away as an extraterrestrial expert, I love seeing the Doctor bluff his way through a tense standoff with the Slitheen, and there’s a great scene between them when it’s down to the wire and the Doctor knows their options are both limited and dangerous. Not to mention, Christopher Eccleston’s delivery on, “Excuse me, do you mind not farting while I'm saving the world?” is impeccable. It’s a goofy line, but he sells it so well.