I'm going to try something different this time and type out my thoughts in real time. That's sure to make them more coherent and less disjointed...right?

The effect of materializing the TARDIS around Rose is cool.

It's interesting that the Doctor talks about the Time War in somewhat abstract terms - it's his people that destroyed the Daleks - but the Dalek Emperor seems to lay the blame more squarely on the Doctor.

This is the first "Oncoming Storm" nickname. I'd honestly forgotten where it came from.

A little convenient that the Emperor's ship just happened to be the one that survived the end of the war.

The whole "we've been hiding on Earth for centuries" thing really makes no sense, and has no emotional resonance for me at all. We probably needed to see some of the humans they speak of being converted.

That said, a Dalek cult is a fun idea.

The sound mix is terrible, and I can barely make out the dialogue.

My library-issued DVDs are scratched, so I missed the scene where the Doctor tricks Rose into going home. From what I remember, it's pretty good.

The scene in the restaurant is great - I love Rose and Jackie's debate over whether the battle is happening 200,000 years in the future, or right now. And good on Mickey for helping Rose, despite the things she's saying about there being nothing for her in the present being incredibly hurtful. The scene where Rose tells Jackie she met Pete is also dynamite.

It's a lot of fun watching the civilians getting picked off. Waht can I say - I like these sorts of stories. RTD's bloodlust is in fine form here, and he gives each of them just enough characterization for you to give a damn, if only a little.

I wonder if there's an alternate universe - maybe the one in which Eccleston had stayed on - where Rose doesn't survive staring into the heart of the TARDIS, and regresses to an infant or something.

Billie Piper is decent as the Bad Wolf entity, but it's interesting to see the contrast between this and her second time 'round in "The Day of the Doctor".

Hey, who's this new guy? He'll never last.

This episode belongs to Christopher Eccleston, and he makes the most of it, running the full spectrum of the Ninth Doctor's emotions. He turns on a dime from despondent, to aloof, to furious, and everything in between.

And that's a wrap on series 1. I think it's a pretty mixed bag overall - they're definitely still figuring things out. But there are flashes of brilliance throughout. It's definitely not my favourite series, but Eccleston will be missed.