📝6/10

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time! 

THIRD IMPRESSIONS: “DOOMSDAY”

One issue I have with Army of Ghosts and Doomsday is that the episodes feel overly packed—Russell T. Davies crammed in every major plot thread and character from the season into one story. While this certainly adds to the epic scale, it also leads to a fractured and overstuffed narrative. These episodes didn’t need to juggle the return of both the Cybermen and the Daleks, set up Torchwood and Pete’s World, reunite Jackie and Pete, and write out Rose all at once.

The main focus of Doomsday initially revolves around the clash between the Cybermen and the Daleks, which delivers plenty of laser battles and memorable one-liners. The conversion scenes are especially brutal and impactful, even more so than earlier in the season. The introduction of the Cult of Skaro, which escaped the Time War and hid in the Void, serves as a clever setup for future Dalek stories, including their eventual grand return in Victory of the Daleks in Series 5.

Jake and Pete’s reappearance from Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel feels somewhat unnecessary, except for establishing the connection between our world and Pete’s World, which is crucial for Rose’s exit. Still, the heartfelt reunion between Jackie and Pete is undeniably a standout moment.

The third act ramps up the melodrama as Rose resists being sent to safety, culminating in her being pulled into the other universe while trying to hold the gateway open. It’s an intense, emotional moment, and the goodbye sequence on Bad Wolf Bay is beautifully executed. The Doctor being a jerk and draining a star to communicate with Rose adds a dramatic touch, and both David Tennant and Billie Piper deliver excellent performances. While I’m not a fan of Rose or her dynamic with Ten, her farewell scene is one of the most memorable in Doctor Who history—though I could have done without the “I love you” exchange at the end.

Rose comes across as particularly overconfident here, which makes her fate feel earned. Tennant, meanwhile, leans into smugness, especially in his scenes with Piper. Noel Clarke (Mickey) is largely sidelined, and Tracy Ann Oberman (Yvonne Hartman) doesn’t get many moments to shine, apart from one cool Cyberman scene.

Doctor Singh’s death is especially graphic and unsettling, standing out as one of the more visceral moments in the revived series.

From a production standpoint, Doomsday must have been a dream project for Nicholas Briggs, who voices both the Cybermen and the Daleks. The famous verbal sparring match between a Dalek and a Cyberman is equal parts amusing and awkward.

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:

• I love the Tenth Doctor’s line about the sonic screwdriver being good at opening doors. It’s a fun and quintessentially Doctor-ish moment.