Rose (Doctor Who episode) viewed by 10.81 million viewers in the UK, the most viewed "Doctor Who" episode since "The Creature from the Pit" in 1979, and received positive reviews from critics, though there were some criticisms of its use of humour. Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), a teenage shop assistant, is being chased by mannequins in the basement of Henrik's, the department store where she works. She is rescued by the Doctor (Christopher Eccleston), who destroys the building with an explosion. The next day, the Doctor visits Rose at her home, where he is attacked by a plastic mannequin arm which he and Rose
Companion (Doctor Who) "what constitutes a Doctor Who companion is no longer clear". During the Doctor's latest incarnations, his primary companions, such as Rose Tyler and Martha Jones, have fulfilled a distinct dramatic role, more significant than other, less-prominent TARDIS travellers such as Adam, Jack, and Mickey. The British press referred to Martha as the "first ethnic minority companion in the 43-year television history of "Doctor Who"" and the "first black assistant", despite the presence of Mickey Smith in the previous season—including several episodes in which he travelled in the TARDIS with the Doctor. Similarly, some characters who appear to qualify as companions