Doctor Who Watch A Thon Season 1 Episode 8 "Father's Day"

As an effort to justify our somewhat obsessive T.V watching Meghan (Of Coffee and Wizards and @MegTao on Twitter) and myself have decided to undertake a Doctor Who Watch-a-long. We'll be starting with the beginning of the 2005 relaunch and will be posting about one episode each Friday, on our respective blogs. We hope you'll join in – whether as a re-watch or to discover the Doctor for the first time!

*just a heads up each post may contain spoilers for that episode and then ones before it*

Episode Summary

Written by: Paul Cornell
Directed by: Joe Ahearne

In the TARDIS, The Doctor agrees to take Rose to the day her father died so that she can be there when it happens. They witness the accident but Rose is unable to move when The Doctor tells her to go and be with her dying father. After Rose recovers, she asks The Doctor if she can try again. The Doctor allows it, but warns Rose to not run until their former selves have left to prevent a paradox. As the accident is about to happen, Rose runs out and pushes Pete aside, saving his life, but her former self and The Doctor vanish. The Doctor angrily warns Rose about the damage to the timeline but Rose dismisses it, believing Pete to just be an average person. While Rose goes with Pete to the wedding, The Doctor storms back to the TARDIS, only to find that it is now an empty shell, and thus realizes something is very wrong. Elsewhere, strange flying beasts appear and begin consuming people.

My Thoughts on the Episode

Ahh this episode fills me with near irrational rage. 

Rose wants to go see her father because he died when she was a baby and she never knew him. She specifically wants to go to the moment that he dies, so that he won't be alone. Don't get me wrong I totally understand why she wants to do this but do neither her or the Doctor she how highly problematic this is? Not only could she potentially mess with the fabric of time (because who wouldn't when presented with the chance to save their parent's life) but wouldn't it also be incredibly traumatizing to watch your father die not once but twice?

And then when she does exactly what any sane person would do, the Doctor gets all pissed off,  but honestly he has no one to blame but himself. You've lived for 900 years! How did you not see this coming!

Then they have quite the lover's spat. Including such classic lines as “For once you're not the most important man in my life!” You tell him girlfriend! Although this is followed by “Why does everyone think we're a couple?” Well perhaps it's because you act like one? Just kiss already you crazy kids!

Oh and then despite being specifically warned not to touch baby Rose, she takes the baby when it's handed to her. Rose, this episode is not the best example of your strong reasoning skills. I still adore you but I'm just a little disappointed. 

So this really became more of a rant about this episode than anything else. Sorry about that! To make up for it I'd love to hear what you liked about this episode!

Favourite Moment
When Rose and her Father are in the car after she saves his life, the radio is playing "Never Gonna Give You Up". We've been Doctor Who Rick Rolled!