Doctor Who (TV Series) Father's Day (2005) User Reviews

Get out your hankies

[abs_is_back · 9/10 · 23 March 2008]

While I agree with nshapero that obviously the Doctor changes time in SOME way every time he travels, what caused this change to be a damaging one was the paradoxes - two Roses and two Doctors in the beginning and then Rose holding Baby Rose. The Doctor said with the Tardis he could fix the problem and leave Pete alive - until Rose held Baby Rose - that paradox was too much to fix. Thus, Pete had to die to return circumstances to their original point.

There is some cheesy dialog and forcible tear jerking in this script - they do squeeze the emotion for all it's worth - but it's worth it. To see Pete slowly figure out what was happening and why. To knock that "this is just a great adventure" attitude out of Rose and make her grow up a little, to see her parents' marriage wasn't a perfect love story but that they were human with human flaws, even Mickey gravitating straight to Rose the first time he sees her, each moment had its effect and its meaning.

And then there's the repeated idea that Pete's life and career would never have taken him anywhere even if he had lived.... but, well, that's another story....

Fantastic

[Theo Robertson · 9/10 · 11 May 2007]

After the tedious Long Game the new series picks up again and it's at this point you realise you're not only watching a new series but an entirely new show . The Doctor takes Rose through time to 1987 on the day her father died and lets her witness the event , but Rose is overcome by emotion and intervenes causing the laws of time to be enforced

Russell T Davies and Paul Cornell have conspired to write a tale that no one else thought about in the classic series , one that revolves totally around the depth of the companion . It's true that Rose Tyler is the most thought out , most multi layered companion there has ever been in the show and one complaint that can be levelled with some justification with the first season is that we're watching a show called ROSE TYLER and in the hands of a lesser actress this wouldn't be so well received but Piper does not disappoint in her performance

Praise too for the great Christopher Eccleston . I was shocked when it was announced he was going to be The Doctor since despite being an outstanding actor I thought he was wrong for the part , but then I had no idea he was going to be playing it in the style that he's best known for - An angry , brooding , introspective man . Watching the scene where he scowls Rose for being " another stupid ape " is one of the great moments of 2005 television and there's no way you could envisage a scene like this taking place in the old series

The older audience will be able to recognise these dramatic strengths and enjoy them while the younger fans are very well catered for by the appearance of The Reapers , demonic space bats that have arrived to sterilize the wounds in time caused by Rose's actions . If you've seen the original series 1963 -89 and didn't think much of it then watch this episode and don't tell me you didn't enjoy it

Rose's moment

[MaxBorg89 · 8/10 · 25 February 2009]

Father's Day has been criticized by some fans for having a supposedly absurd premise which would effectively contradict the essence of the show itself. That's not the case. Instead, it's a pretty touching story that centers on Rose and allows the character to be a lot more than just another sidekick.

With the Editor defeated and the "boyfriend" gone, Rose asks the Doctor to take her back to the day her father Pete Tyler (Shaun Dingwall) died, since she never really got to know him and would like to see him one last time. The Time Lord complies, but warns her that if a time traveler alters his or her own life story, a time paradox will be created. Obviously, Rose doesn't pay attention, and so she saves Pete from being run over by a car. The consequence is that strange winged creatures appear and start wreaking havoc. Everyone (including a younger Jackie Tyler and an infant Rose) hide in a church, but that won't solve the problem: the only way to get things back to normal is to restore the original time-line, otherwise they will all die.

The main criticism aimed at the episode is that it's quite ridiculous for the Doctor to talk about paradoxes when he alters events on a daily basis (well, as daily as it gets for someone who constantly leaps through time and space). In reality, it's a widely accepted notion in science fiction literature, cinema and television (and it's fiction, not real science) that time travelers can do whatever they want, as long as they don't try to mess with their own history (case in point: the 2002 film version of H.G. Wells' The Time Machine states pretty clearly that the protagonist can't change his own past, no matter how hard he tries). This is also why the Doctor has never considered going back in time and saving the other Time Lords - he can't do it without possibly destroying the Universe.

That said, does Father's Day qualify as a good episode? Yes, because it does to Rose what the Dalek episode did to the Doctor: it gives the characters an opportunity to show the full extent of their internal tragedy, thus establishing them as real people (in the Doctor's case, as real as a 900-year old alien can get) and not just two goof-balls who use the TARDIS whenever they please. Dingwall, playing a role originally intended for Simon Pegg (who took the part of the Editor in The Long Game because of scheduling conflicts) adds plenty to the dramatic arc, and Camille Coduri gets to do a bit more as well, as opposed to the pure comic relief she was asked to provide in earlier episodes.

Any downsides? Well, there's the usual problem with some of the visual effects (the winged creatures look like video game monsters), but that's about it. Everything else - writing, directing, Eccleston, Piper et al - makes for another 45 minutes of above-average British sci- fi.

Profoundly moving and a template for the future success of the programme

[Fireplace-Man · 10/10 · 8 December 2007]

This is an emotional roller-coaster - a great example of a television show reinventing itself, and demonstrating an intelligence not usually seen in family TV. Having drawn the (new) audience into the exploits of Rose Tylers life with the previous seven episodes, the production team subject the viewers to a profound study in loss and humanity which is best seen not as a stand alone episode, but really can be best appreciated in the context of what has gone before.

Shot through with a sly knowing humour, Paul Cornell's script is well served by a stunning visualisation by Joe Ahearne. Billie Piper and Chris Ecclestone excel here - and the menace is very convincingly conveyed, as the 'Reapers' close in on the participants in a world, spun into a retrograde state of disintegration: a world collapsing in on itself. A touchstone for the fantastic reinvention of an iconic series.

A perfect mix of high emotion drama and Sci fi

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 11 August 2015]

Peter Alan Tyler , Rose's dad died in 1987, during the wedding of Sarah Clarke and Stewart Hoskins. Rose decides she wants to travel back to that time to meet her him. We discover he's dies alone because of a hit and run driver and Rose wants to be there for him. After a failed attempt, the pair return and the second Rose breaks all the rules of time by saving him. The Doctor gives Rose a glare that we've not seen the like of before and indicates that changes to the time line can have huge consequences. How right he was, Rose's meddling has indeed wreaked havoc, giant creatures are appearing all over the skies and eradicating everyone. The Doctor, Rose and surviving wedding guests retreat into the Church (which boasts a stunning Stained glass window.) Rose realises that her parents didn't perhaps have the dream marriage she thought, Pete is a bit of a letch. We get to see the monsters that have taken advantage of the change in time, they attack and drive everyone into the locked church. The monsters try but fail to gain entry, but all goes wrong when Rose touches her junior self, causing another crack in time enabling one of the creatures to appear inside the church and destroy the Doctor. Only Pete can save the day by resigning himself to his original fate in a heartbreaking scene.

Filmed in Cardiff, it looks very much of the time period, with no obvious goofs I can spot (maybe an out of place BMW 3 Series and Ford Fiesta.) It has some lighter moments, Peter and Jackie's wedding is hilarious as is Jackie's 80's hairdo and peach bridesmaid's outfit. The fashions were meticulously selected, totally 80's. This really tugs on the heart strings when Pete realises Rose is his daughter, the pair play out a beautiful and highly moving scene, it's amazingly well done.

The scenes of abandoned cars, bikes and shoes etc are very reminiscent of the opening scenes from Invasion of the Dinosaurs, very nicely done.

Without a shadow of a doubt my favourite episode of Series 1, Paul Cornell's script is glorious, the acting is first rate, as a viewer I totally connected with the characters. Father's Day is an emotional roller-coaster and will bring a tear to the eye. The best from Series 1, and one of Nu Who's best too. A stonking 10/10

Brilliant ***SPOILERS***

[jasonblack_123 · 10/10 · 5 June 2013]

I am currently 16 and I remember 2005 as though it was yesterday. Christopher Eccleston was my first Doctor and I immediately fell in love with Doctor Who when I saw the first episode "Rose", I mean, a show about a time-travelling 900-year old alien who has a spaceship disguised as a police box that could travel anywhere in the universe to fight aliens and save different planets? What more could a 9 year old kid from Northern Ireland want? But up until then none of the episodes reached me as much as "Father's Day" did. (WARNING: DO NOT READ ON IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE EPISODE :SPOILERS:) In this episode, Rose asks the Doctor to take her to 1987 to the moment her dad died so she could be with him to make sure he doesn't die alone. In the heat of the moment, something with which we could all identify, Rose pushes him out of the way and in the process changes the timeline, tearing a whole in the space-time continuum. This causes aliens known as the Reapers to appear to "sterilise" the wound left behind, which forces Pete Tyler to make the biggest decision of his life.

This episode is 100% Doctor Who, well acted, well directed and well written. One of the most memorable episodes of the current run of Doctor Who in my opinion. As I said before, who among us wouldn't want to change the world if it meant our dads could live? Oh and by the way, the star of this episode wasn't Christopher Eccleston or Billie Piper, it was Shaun Dingwall. To me, his performance as Pete was BAFTA worthy and you would have to be very cold hearted if you didn't bawl like a baby when Pete accepted his fate in order to save his family...

I love Doctor Who. End of. 10/10

One of the best Doctor Who episodes

[red_aloe_2011 · 8 January 2014]

This episode has one of the strongest plots in the Doctor Who series. Yes, it is from season one. And the lead actors Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper have good chemistry. The supporting cast does their job well too. The premise of the episode is going back in time to try to save a life. The emotional dialogue and acting made this episode interesting. Rose is really likable and the Doctor is at it again! The Doctor also shows some bravery. Rose's dad is a funny character but he also has some redeemable traits. And Rose's mother is funny too. The monsters in the episode are not too scary for a younger audience to watch. And the special effects were cool.

The 9th Doctor at his best

[studioAT · 8/10 · 6 November 2016]

He may have only had ownership of the TARDIS for one series but I thought Christopher Eccleston's Doctor was great, and never better than in this smart and heartfelt episode.

It's a simple "what happens if you alter something in time?" premise, but the performances given by Shaun Digwell and Billie Piper elevate it to being so much more.

For his part Eccleston may not have to carry the drama, but everything he does say, every little facial expression speaks volumes.

Since these early 'new who' episodes the show has got increasingly complicated, over dramatic and dull. These early series episodes were accessible and enjoyable.

I think this was one of the best episodes from his one series as the Doctor.

Father Time

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 10/10 · 6 December 2018]

Rose tells the Doctor she wants to go back and see her father at the moment he was killed. This happened in 1987 when she was a baby and she never got to know him except by the stories her mother told her which have painted him as a perfect man. She just wants to be with him when he dies. The Doctor is reluctant but thinks it will not interfere with history as he will be dying and she will not interact with any other people or events. Rose freezes, understandably, when she sees the accident so asks to go back again to try a second time. The Doctor feels sorry for her and agrees even though this means there are two Rose's and two Doctors present. Rose then suddenly decides to run out and save her father's life which causes the fabric of time to be damaged and creatures called Reapers appear. They attack things weakened by the damage to time and start to devour everyone.

In terms of dialogue quality, interest, entertainment and emotion this is top standard. The negative some viewers note is the concept of The Doctor agreeing to let Rose travel to this moment of her known history not once but twice. In my view the first time makes sense as it is not meeting her father in life which could change history, only holding his hand as he dies. The second time the Doctor takes a risk based on him thinking that it still won't make them cross paths with themselves. It is a believable mistake I think.

The Reapers are basically the exact same thing as Vortisaurs from Big Finish audio adventures and other media. I think it is easy enough to say they ARE Vortisaurs and 9 just calls them Reapers as a common term used to describe them. They are good scary monsters and the idea of them is interesting. There are lots of great scenes and ideas which are fascinating and fun.

Eccleston is on top form with his darker, more intense side being his strength. Rose is given great character development too and her parents are also engaging and believable. The escalation of events is exciting and leads to really dramatic moments and the choice her Dad makes in order to set things right is emotionally impactful. Great stuff.

My rating: 10/10.

Carefully considerate.

[bendtnerfc · 9/10 · 4 December 2021]

Emotional. Heartfelt. Crushing. Uplifting. The un-appreaicted gem of the season, an incredibly engaging and thought-provoking plot is capitalised upon with hard-hitting acting and the freakish Reapers - the adversaries of the piece. The deletion of a few un-needed scenes and tighter editing are the minimal complaints one can have with this, sensitive chapter which represents coming to terms with loss and death.

Be Careful What You Wish For...

[Xstal · 7/10 · 22 November 2021]

Pterodactyl Bat Witch Scorpions are unleashed on the unsuspecting after Rose interferes with an event that even the most cavalier of Doctors could not prevent. Salvation is found within a building that pays homage to a character who is less likely to exist than the scorpionlike creatures flying around the structures anterior (and posterior). Thankfully a sacrifice is made (as all religions require), the debt is repaid, and a body can be re-laid or laid (take your pick, but will it rise again?) and the sky stops falling down. All praise the lord (of time), although he was not much help on this occasion but we should still raise a few halleluiahs just to be safe.

A noble sacrifice embiggens the smallest man.

[MrFilmAndTelevisionShow · 9/10 · 17 March 2021]

Rose's father sacrifices himself because he knows it is the only way to save the world, essentially, and it makes for one amazing ending. Even if his death does look a little like he's taking a nap on the road because there's no blood or scratches.

Top notch performance from Billie...

[stevenjlowe82 · 7/10 · 2 October 2023]

I find myself at odds with this episode as it's premise is one of my least favourite tropes used in Sci Fi media. The protagonist using time travel to fix something in their life and to hell with the consequences. I was genuinely surprised to see the Doctor be so cool with Rose doing this. I would have at least expected a scene of him strongly enforcing some ground rules and the potential hazardous situations that could arise should anything go wrong. Also wasn't a fan of the dodgy CGI bat things.

Billie Piper's performance is why I rate this episode so highly as she really excels in this episode. Despite me being frustrated at her choices throughout the episode my heart really did break for her in that final scene on the road with her father.

Not the best episode for me and it's saved really by some top notch acting.

Bad logic, bad script

[nshapero · 1/10 · 27 June 2006]

This was a terrible script; everything the Doctor DOES interferes with the "original" time stream (if this has any meaning when time travel is possible). So stopping Rose's father from being killed is (in effect) no different from going back and stopping aliens from taking over the Earth starting in the time of Queen Victoria. Same bat logic, same bat channel...

Disbelief is not so much suspended as hung, drawn and quartered.

We don't need to have a "you can't change history" rule imposed on a series which, by its very nature, insists that you can "change history". Just by traveling in time, the Doctor changes events (if by no other means than that he displaced some air that otherwise wouldn't be displaced). So why don't the "monsters that destroy worlds whenever the time stream changes" hunt him down?

For that matter, why do the monsters have to delete the world -- a time change in itself?

No, the logic is just plain BAD in this one.

Rose saves her father

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 12 February 2018]

Rose's mother always told her that her father was a fine man but Rose has no memories of him; he died alone in a road after being hit by a car that failed to stop when Rose was still a baby. Rose asks the Doctor to take her back to the day he died so that she can ensure he doesn't die alone but as she watches the accident she can't bring herself to go to him. She asks to try again and this time she impulsively rushes out and saves his life. The Doctor is disappointed and tells her that their travels together are over. It soon becomes apparent that her actions are having severe consequences beyond the fact that her father is now alive. The Tardis is just an ordinary police box and creatures from another dimension are snatching people from the streets. The Doctor, Rose, her family and they various friends take shelter in a church while The Doctor tries to find a way to save the day. Meanwhile Rose gets to know who her father really was.

This episode is one of the most emotional yet; the scenes between Rose and her father were touching as Rose gets to know the real man rather than the person her father told her about. The conclusion isn't really a surprise but that doesn't weaken the episode; if anything it intensifies the importance of Rose's interaction with her father in the church. Rose's actions may be seen as wrong but I'm sure every viewer can sympathise her choice. Billie Piper and Shaun Dingwall really impress as Rose and her father. The monsters are scary without being too scary for younger viewers and there are some amusing moments. Overall I'd say this was a superior episode with a relatable story.

Pretty good

[ianweech · 8/10 · 18 January 2021]

What's with the bad reviews on this episode? The idea and concept of this episode were cool. The execution of said ideas and concept was pretty good. The monster is amazing and the episode was good. I liked it.

Jesus. The feels.

[jackparrishjp · 8/10 · 21 June 2019]

I love this episode. It's not Amazing by any stretch of the imagination but it really sets up a great platform for rose to come to terms with her father lose, it was so interesting to see what Mr Tyler was like and how death can create an idealised form of someone in an effort to keep the memory alive of a loved one. Another great example of using sci fi concepts to help speak of the human condition. Further adding to this, the time wound concept really adds weight to the rest of the series as it caused an apocalyptic event when one person was saved, really emphasising the importance of keeping time as it is. Brilliant!

Pops His Clogs

[southdavid · 8/10 · 15 April 2020]

It's strange how perception can change over time. My recollection was that the episode "Dalek" was the standout from the first season, though I was underwhelmed watching it again, and also that "Father's Day" was a bit of a filler episode, with bad visual effects - so I was surprised about how well written and considered it was.

Rose (Billie Piper) and The Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) travel to 1987, to the day that Rose's father, Pete (Shaun Dingwall) was killed by a hit and run driver. Initially intending just to comfort Pete as he died, instead Rose saves his life, pushing him out of the way of the car and in doing so changing her own history and rips a hole in the fabric of space/time. Through this hole appear Reapers, winged creatures who devour humans.

So yes, there are some negatives. The show is a little inconsistent on what the Reapers actually are, they're supposedly there to fix the rip, but are clearly attacking humans only tangentially linked to the change in history. Whilst we're on the subject of the Reapers, they are one of the first season's poorest effects. Cartoonishly drawn and lacking in depth, they remind me of characters from an augmented reality game.

But the plotting of the episode is excellent. The Doctors anger at Rose's decision, coupled with the call back to the first episode when he said that Rose only becomes interested in leaving when he says his machine can travel through time, is a great moment. You understand his betrayal and genuinely feel like he might leave her. The scenes between Rose and Pete are really nicely done, once they're over the early "Back to the Future" moment it's a genuinely touching relationship as Pete works out who he is to her, what it must mean and what he needs to do.

Genuinely much better than I anticipated.

S1, E8 - Fathers Day: 'I Did It Again, I Picked Another Stupid Ape!'

[liamdonovan2010 · 5 October 2011]

Fathers Day in my opinion is a very love or hate episode. It all starts off with Rose asking the Doctor to take her back so she can see her father. She sees him and Jackie get married and then travels to see his death but saves him leading to a wound in time. Soon enough huge dragon- like monsters called Reapers arrive to heal the wound taking as many lives as possible. The Doctor, Rose, Jackie, Pete and a baby Rose are all trapped in a church with others who are attending a wedding. The Doctor finds a way out but Rose touches her baby form and a paradox allows the Reapers to kill the Doctor. It is down to Pete to give his life in order to heal the wound and save the Doctor.

This is an episode which never impresses me. I just don't get it and I can name so many other times when times has been changed. What about 'time can be rewritten'. How comes the Reapers have only appeared once? There are some nice moments. Piper puts in a good performance here as does Ecclestone and Pete Tyler is played to a tee. The final scenes as he gives his life are among my top five moments for the series. Piper and Dingwall (Tyler) have brilliant chemistry. I also think Codouri (Jackie) plays her part excellently.

The Reapers are not the most impressive looking creatures. They are quite menacing but with no back-story or voice it is hard to take anything from them as characters. The story itself just drones on for me and it isn't catchy or interesting enough to hang on to my attention. I just don't quite know why I don't like this episode because some love it. I can appreciate the good work in it but the story just doesn't resonate with me.

OVERALL - 5.0: An episode which features some good work but not one that means too much to me. I don't quite understand the theory behind it as there doesn't seem to be consistency. Long story short, an episode I just didn't get.

Severely overrated

[robertmooring-13902 · 8/10 · 5 April 2018]

Although this episode is very well written and is entertaining, I can't help but feel disconnected with the story. I can't empathise with either Rose or her Father and since this episode relies on the emotional connection between those two, I can't help but not over praise it

The Ultimate Sacrifice

[wetmars · 8/10 · 1 August 2020]

A fantastic emotional episode, this is just Rose's first moment that made her as a likable character, the dad really made the ultimate sacrifice, bravo!

Fathers Day ruined by bad CGI and story

[dkiliane · 7/10 · 15 January 2019]

The acting and the character drama is so good in this episode but the story is so ludicrous. Why would her fathers death be a fixed point in time? Even later on the Doctor says he could fix it in a way where her changes (saving her father) stay with no lasting negative effects. That really makes no sense. Further, all the concepts in this episode are basically abandoned after this episode with no real explanation (not even timey-wimey ones).

And this episode can't seem to decide if the creatures are inter dimensional temporal bacteria that got in or if they are there to sterilize the wound in time (although their behavior seems more bacterial in nature) so it seems the writers couldn't even keep their own plot straight. And the CGI! Oh, it's so bad! It's just really bad.

But the acting all around is amazing, and really allows the audience to connect to the characters. There are so many good performances and good moments, especially between Rose and her father, that really stand out and would have elevated this episode to an eight or even a nine If the story had been handled better. But as it stands... 7.5/10

Was it good?, Or bland

[rohanumpleby-34057 · 9/10 · 8 August 2022]

Nice character moments for Rose and her farther in this episode. We know he's dead though in the future, Rose knows that but she wants to go back and save time, which leaves to a difficult disishion for her, with brilliant writing and character diologues makes for a more emotional sci-fi episode. Rose is very well developed. Her trying to save her farther is a nice moment. The Reapers were pretty bland villains, but in fairness they weren't the main focal point of this episode. And whenever someone tried to change something in the course of history which was an interesting concept, but you don't see them much. The side cast had depth to there characters as well, also decent acting between the supportive cast. The scenes the sets were also good, as the scenarios that they were left in was intense, and clostrophobic as they were only in the church. The music and score was great as always, and elevates the story. The character pieces between the cast were really well done. The pacing of this episode was also good, and didn't feel like a Filler episode even though it had to cover a lot.

The characters were its saving grace.

[Otter_ · 6/10 · 13 November 2018]

Unfortunately the monsters of the week were a bit of a let down and plot holey - to my memory, they don't show up again, even though the Doctor and others frequently do change history.

As I said in my review of the last episode, it makes no sense to me that Adam was condemned for trying to change history, but Rose barely got a slap on the wrist for what she made happen here. I also can't help but think... history was still changed. Dramatically. Instead of Pete dying in a hit and run, he stepped in front of a car of a young man who immediately called for help. This a) affects the hit and run driver. What if that's what he needed to buckle down and become a better person? Does he do it to someone else? b) That poor boy killed someone. Surely that affected him deeply. c) Jackie herself said Pete stepped out for seemingly no reason. Would she not have come to the conclusion that he'd tried to kill himself? Would that not have had an impact on her?

All in all, at times, it was boring, but generally okay. The character relationship between the Tylers was great and its saving grace.

A Heartbreaking Journey Through Time and Loss

[hwiltshire-06889 · 9/10 · 3 April 2024]

Father's Day hits a nerve that few Doctor Who episodes manage to touch. It's a story about love, loss, and the impossible choices that come with tampering with time. While the episode features its share of monstrous creatures, the true heart of the story lies in its emotional complexity.

Billie Piper delivers a knockout performance as Rose. Desperate to fill the hole left by the loss of her father, she throws caution to the wind, creating devastating consequences. Watching Rose's desperate hope crumble under the weight of her actions is crushing. Shaun Dingwall as Pete Tyler breaks hearts as a well-meaning man thrust into a terrifying situation.

The episode doesn't shy away from darkness. The Reapers, drawn by the paradox Rose creates, are genuinely horrific. The tragedy of Pete's sacrifice is made all the more poignant by his love for his daughter. Christopher Eccleston's Doctor, often flippant, is deeply affected by Rose's grief and the consequences of her actions.

While there's some expected sci-fi silliness, Father's Day isn't afraid to explore the pain of loss and the ethical dilemmas the Doctor faces. This isn't just a story about saving the day; it's about accepting that sometimes, there are no easy solutions, there's only love and the heartbreaking consequences of choices.