Doctor Who: Every Series 1 Episode Ranked Worst To Best

18 years on, it’s very strange to look back at Rose and know that this is where it all started (again).

Especially since, if we’re being honest, this feels like a low-budget student film, especially compared to the huge productions with impressive CGI that the show becomes in a few short years. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, however, and there is undeniable charm to this pilot, with some latent potential and real cleverness.

The Autons are a strange choice for a first villain, as they exist merely to set up the character work of Eccleston, Piper, and company (including an amazing, under-loved performance from Mark Benton as Doctor conspiracy theorist Clive).

By framing the episode through Rose’s point-of-view, we are swept along on this crazy adventure alongside the strange man in a box with a Northern accent. We are expertly introduced to Rose’s world with Mickey and Jackie, as well as all the running and techno-babble of the Time Lord.

But it's Rose who's the true hero of this serial, which is important in setting up why the Doctor’s hardened shell cracks, and why he lets her into his life.

This episode is far from the best of the bunch, but nearly two decades later, it's brimming with the excitement of what's to come.