# Dr. Who Series Premier: Rose & The End of the World **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2006, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858 "2006-03-18T02:00:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![shamrock227](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@shamrock227](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shamrock227)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/61 "2006-03-22T03:41:52Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > It’s like this - Dude has a ship that can appear anywhere and anytime in the universe. They spend all their time around Earth and it’s all somewhat interconnected. At least one episode to some random planet might have been cool. aaahhh. Gotcha. Thanks, I never really thought about it that way. I _ahem_ “acquired” the next couple of episodes. I am loving Eccleston as The Doctor and I really like the chemistry between him and Rose. Damn shame that he’s only around for one season. I won’t spoil them for anyone, but IMHO the next episode is just so so, but the two after that are real nail biters. I’ll be interested to see what you all think. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/62 "2006-03-22T10:23:35Z")
> [@shamrock227](#): > > I am loving Eccleston as The Doctor and I really like the chemistry between him and Rose. Damn shame that he’s only around for one season. The new guy is very good as well so it’s not that much of a problem. There was a xmas special episode on BBC which introduced him and he was very promising indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Monkey\_Chews](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@Monkey\_Chews](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkey_Chews)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/63 "2006-03-22T15:11:35Z")
> [@shamrock227](#): > > IMHO the next episode is just so so, but the two after that are real nail biters. I’ll be interested to see what you all think. I thought pretty much the exact opposite of that. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![shamrock227](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@shamrock227](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shamrock227)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/64 "2006-03-22T17:31:38Z")
> [@Monkey Chews](#): > > I thought pretty much the exact opposite of that. 😃 It’s ok. There’s no shame in being wrong. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/65 "2006-03-22T21:28:44Z")
According to Outpost Gallifrey, the [ratings were good](http://www.gallifreyone.com/news.php#newsitemEEuFpuFkuuHcktIgwY). That always helps. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/66 "2006-03-22T23:21:17Z")
Stupid, perhaps pointless question, but: Does the name “Gallifrey” come from anywhere, or was it made up for the show? Does it mean anything in terms of the syllables in old/middle French or English? ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2006, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/67 "2006-03-23T01:25:22Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Stupid, perhaps pointless question, but: > > Does the name “Gallifrey” come from anywhere, or was it made up for the show? Does it mean anything in terms of the syllables in old/middle French or English? The name was made up by series writer Robert Holmes. It has no etymologic significance that I know of. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2006, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/68 "2006-03-23T08:25:31Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > I thought Doctor Who was actually celebrated in England as the Kids show you watched by “peeking from behind the Couch.” Well, on the couch but behind the cushions. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2006, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/69 "2006-03-23T12:59:40Z")
> [@MrFantsyPants](#): > > For those that care, I’ve watched the whole season. My initial reaction was “meh”. But it certainly does get better as the season progresses. I feel it was worth sticking with. Even more so, there are a few episodes with good HARD Sci-fi stories and stuff to give little kids nightmares. Dr. Who was always about that. (EX TER MI NATE!) ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/70 "2006-03-25T05:31:39Z")
These episodes are so … short. I’m used to settling down for at least an hour and a half to enjoy the good Doctor’s adventures. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/71 "2006-03-25T09:24:16Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > These episodes are so … short. I’m used to settling down for at least an hour and a half to enjoy the good Doctor’s adventures. They used to be shorter. Adventures used to be four or six or whatever episodes of half an hour. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/72 "2006-03-25T12:35:49Z")
Exactly, they used to be 90 minute or 2 hour stories, albeit split into multiple episodes. These stories are much shorter, though yes the individual episodes are longer. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/73 "2006-03-25T16:30:48Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > They used to be shorter. Adventures used to be four or six or whatever episodes of half an hour. You’re not American, I presume? Over here, the public broadcasting stations would stitch all of the episodes of one story into one gigantic mass. It was like getting a new Doctor Who movie every week! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/74 "2006-03-25T16:41:52Z")
> [@Peter Morris](#): > > Exactly, they used to be 90 minute or 2 hour stories, albeit split into multiple episodes. Occasionally even longer, say [five hours](http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/wargames/), necessitating two 90-minute movies when shown in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/75 "2006-03-25T16:45:08Z")
Erm…two 150-minute movies. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/76 "2006-03-25T16:47:47Z")
I’m less concerned about the stitching together as the overall shortness. Dr. Who stories were varying lengths (especially in the early days, where they ran between one and 12 episodes), but settled down by the third doctor to four episodes of about 22 minutes per show (with one six-episode story a year). The vast majority of stories were four episodes each, which fits into 90 minutes when edited together. There was nearly always a cliffhanger at the end of each episode. But cutting out a half-hour of story time, though, it requires either a simpler plot or short, quicker scenes. You don’t have as much a chance to get to know peripheral characters, and see less of them. It’s bound to affect the storytelling, especially since, with room for commercials, it looks like the running time is probably only slightly more than two episodes of the old show. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/77 "2006-03-25T18:50:55Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I’m less concerned about the stitching together as the overall shortness. > > Dr. Who stories were varying lengths (especially in the early days, where they ran between one and 12 episodes), but settled down by the third doctor to four episodes of about 22 minutes per show (with one six-episode story a year). The vast majority of stories were four episodes each, which fits into 90 minutes when edited together. There was nearly always a cliffhanger at the end of each episode. > > But cutting out a half-hour of story time, though, it requires either a simpler plot or short, quicker scenes. You don’t have as much a chance to get to know peripheral characters, and see less of them. It’s bound to affect the storytelling, especially since, with room for commercials, it looks like the running time is probably only slightly more than two episodes of the old show. I agree completely. I don’t even have anything to add to what you said. I much prefered the old format, stitched together or not. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858/78 "2006-03-26T06:35:47Z")
Sorry I didn’t start another thread yesterday for “The Unquiet Dead.” I was doing duty at my baby sister’s birthday party looking after 13 eight-year-olds. I meant to start the thread beforehand, but didn’t manage. Having seen finally seen the episode on DVR, though, and since there seems to be sustained interest, I went ahead and started [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7234123), even though it’s late. As far as the issue of episode length goes, I’m not sure I don’t like this format better. I haven’t seen that many classic episodes as an adult, but from what I have seen, it seems that even the best stories often had awkward pacing. They veered between ubearably long scenes of running through tunnles and rushed and out of place climaxes. I think the problem was not the legnth of the overall stories, but the shorntness of the individual episodes, which just weren’t able to build enough steam before having to put someone in danger. As a result, the movies often lost focus and momentum as the Doctor wasted time until suddenly and without reason to he had to rush in and confront the villain at the end of 22 minutes. I’d rather see more two- and three- (or even four-)part stories made up of 46-minute (or whatever it is) episodes. The best of both worlds! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-series-premier-rose-the-end-of-the-world/348858.md?page=3)