Doctor Who: The End Of Time Part 2 Review – Welcome Matt Smith!!!
SPOILERS AHEAD.
The story of the tenth Doctor is complete- David Tennant‘s swansong as the legendary Time Lord has aired, and soon we will be entering the era of the 11th Doctor, Matt Smith. So how was this highly anticipated episode? Part One had its issues, which had made me fear for the remaining episode, but this super-extended episode (73 minutes!) managed not only to tie up all of the loose ends from the first part, but also tie up the entire Russell T Davies era of Doctor Who in magnificent style. I would imagine that, viewed back to back with part two, that shaky first episode will work much better.
We certainly got the epic pay-off that Davies promised. David Tennant played the part perfectly in tonight’s episode, with the right balance of energy and gravitas. Bernard Cribbins was about as perfect a companion we could have hope for, John Simm finally felt like the Master, the return of the Time Lords was stunning (if somewhat less epic than expected), and despite the odd cop out here and there, such as the manner in which the Master’s plan was reversed, ‘The End of Time‘ was one of Doctor Who‘s finest hours since the show returned.
If I may fly my geek flag for a moment, one thing I did take issue with was Timothy Dalton’s Time Lord character being referred to as Rassilon. In the continuity of the series, Rassilon is long dead before the Time War even started (we saw his massive tomb and ghostly consciousness during the special episode ‘The Five Doctors‘ during the eighties). It grated on me that this highly revered character would be shown as a madman. That aside, I was most pleased with Dalton’s powerful delivery and much needed presence as president of Gallifrey.
The process of the Doctor coming to terms with his time running out during the episode is played out beautifully, and the revelation of who actually brings about the Doctor’s regeneration was a surprise. I thought I’d got the ending sussed, but no, RTD took me by surprise and did us all proud.
It was those final minutes, in which the Doctor revisits each of his most beloved companions, that was the most wonderful part for me. Seeing Martha and Mickey as freedom fighters, Sarah-Jane Smith and her son, the Captain Jack cameo, Donna’s wedding and finally that trip back to before the Doctor met Rose were gorgeous glimpses at stores we never got to see. The brief exchange between the Doctor and the younger Rose was something special.
The regeneration, when it came, was much more spectacular and moving than we’ve ever seen in the show previously. This was a final goodbye not only to the tenth Doctor and David Tennant, but also this magnificent era that has seen a cancelled and much derided TV show about an odd time traveller in a blue box come back and redefine British family entertainment. There have been a few less than classic episodes along the way, but on the whole it has been exactly what was promised- the ride of a lifetime.
How does Matt Smith seem? From the brief scene following the regeneration and the clips from the teaser, he seems superb. I already love the new catchphrase. He comes across as excitable, odd and distinctly Doctorish from the word go, or rather, “Geronimo!”
The teaser for the next series looks superb too, and carries what I can only describe as a distinctly old school feel to it. While the production values are light years away from those of the classic series, there seems to be a similar energy to those brief shots we saw. After all of the worries that David Tennant leaving the show would spell disaster for it, I am most pleased to report that it looks like the TARDIS is in safe hands.
Goodbye David. Hello Matt.