It's Day 11 of my NaBloPoMo challenge! Today's episode: Series 1, Episode 11, "Boom Town."
In this episode, the Doctor, Rose, and Jack stop off in modern-day Cardiff to refuel the TARDIS at the Time-Space Rift. Remember that Rift Gwyneth sacrificed her life to close in episode 3? Well, it's still closed, but kind of like in the His Dark Materials trilogy (which had tears in the fabric of space made by the Subtle Knife), there is still a scar of it left, and the power from that is apparently just right for refueling the TARDIS.
Meanwhile, Mickey meets up with the trio to give Rose her passport, and they wander around Cardiff to pass the time till the Rift opens.
However, trouble is brewing. Remember those Slitheen from episodes 4 and 5? Well, turns out one of them - Blon Slitheen, alias Margaret Blaine of MI5 - survived the bombing of 10 Downing Street by teleporting out at the last minute and has installed herself as the Lord Mayor of Cardiff in the six-month interim. And she's got her hands on a super high-tech pan-dimensional surfboard which she intends to ride on straight out into space using the power from the Rift.
There isn't much action in this episode, not to the extent there is in the original Slitheen-focused 2-parter. There is some character and relationship development, though, which is good so close to the finale. Mickey and Rose finally get some alone time after being separated for ages, and the Doctor has an awkward (perhaps that's an understatement) date with Margaret/Blon. All while poor Jack is left alone making repairs to the TARDIS.
Margaret attempts to make herself a sympathetic character in this episode, but it's hard to imagine she's actually sincere, considering the very name of the game for her kind is deception (through the wearing of skin suits) and murder. And in the end, it's revealed that she intends to take the TARDIS out with her using the Rift's power, while she surfs to safety on her high-tech surfboard (and she even tries to take Rose with her).
But instead of killing her - or taking her back as is to her home planet, where she and her whole family have been sentenced to death - the Doctor does something pretty surprising. He gives her a second chance. He has her look into the Heart of the TARDIS, which was exposed due to the damage done to the ship by the Rift, and she regresses to an egg (leaving her skin suit behind). They then head off to Margaret's unpronounceable home planet to give her egg to a different family so she can get a fresh start.
It's also notable that in this episode the Doctor realizes the "Bad Wolf" theme has been following him and Rose. (The reference in this episode is Margaret's nuclear station project, called "Blaidd Dwwg," or "Bad Wolf" in Welsh). He, however, dismisses it as coincidence.
Well, next time the finale starts! See you then!
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NaBloPoMo Special:
The Love of the Doctor and Rose Tyler
Part Eleven: The Love Triangle
Since the theme of NaBloPoMo this month is "Love and Sex" (probably because of Valentine's Day), I feel compelled to write something about love in my posts. Hence, since I am exploring Series 1 and 2 in this challenge, I am going to write a little special essay throughout the month about the growing love between the Doctor and Rose. Please note I am in no way an expert on relationships.
This episode brings to the forefront something that was bound to come up sooner or later in the Doctor and Rose's relationship: the issue of the love triangle between the Doctor, Rose, and Mickey.
Mickey finds out that Rose's request for her passport was a ruse, and is excited that she wants to spend time with him. He suggests they go out for a drink, and possibly even stay at a hotel overnight (clearly one of those euphemisms intended for the adults watching), since the TARDIS can't leave till the next day anyway. Rose agrees, and they go off together (which we see the Doctor watching on a CCTV-like monitor in the TARDIS, though when he's asked about it, he brushes it off). But all she talks about are the places she visited with the Doctor. Finally Mickey decides it's time to Define the Relationship:
MICKEY: So, what do you want to do now?
ROSE: Don't mind.
MICKEY: We could ask about hotels.
ROSE: What would Trisha Delaney say?
MICKEY: Suppose. There's a bar down there with a Spanish name or something
ROSE: You don't even like Trisha Delaney!
MICKEY: Oh, is that right? What the hell do you know?
ROSE: I know you, And I know her. And I know that's never going to happen. So who do you think you're kidding?
MICKEY: At least I know where she is!
ROSE: There we are, then. It's got nothing to do with Trisha. This is all about me, isn't it
MICKEY: You left me! We were nice, we were happy. And then what? You give me a kiss and you run off with him, and you make me feel like nothing, Rose. I was nothing. I can't even go out with a stupid girl from a shop because you pick up the phone and I comes running. I mean, is that what I am, Rose, standby? Am I just supposed to sit here for the rest of my life, waiting for you? Because I will.
ROSE: I'm sorry.
...
MICKEY: I'm not asking you to leave him, because I know that's not fair. But I just need something, yeah? Some sort of promise that when you do come back, you're coming back for me.
It's been pretty clear all series that Rose has never cared for Mickey as much as he does for her. Or if she did once, she doesn't anymore. And this episode more or less clenches that. Mickey doesn't break up with her officially till next season though, so I suppose this love triangle will last a bit longer (though I guess it's a love square actually, with Jack in the mix).
The Doctor also acknowledges Rose's relationship with Mickey, not only by allowing Mickey to help him, Rose, and Jack catch Blon, but also by being willing to delay the TARDIS leaving so Rose can find Mickey. Rose turns down the offer, however, which may be because she and Mickey kinda left on a sour note.
How will the Doctor and Rose's relationship hold up going into the Series 1 finale? We'll see!
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Check in tomorrow for Day 12 of the challenge, covering Part 1 of the Series 1 finale!
Quote from The Doctor Who Transcripts
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