Doomsday

While Doomsday is a little melodramatic for my tastes near the end with Rose, and a little heavy-handed because of that content, I still like it quite a bit. It's a fun story with a very memorable clash between the Cybermen and Daleks. That is, by far, my favourite part of the episode. Not only does it lead to a very funny and famous scene where the two legendary monsters have a well written clash of words, they also do a great job showcasing the nature of these two beings as what kind of threat they are. The Cybermen are really brutal converting people here while the Daleks really come across as a threat, being severely outnumbered yet more than a match for both Cybermen and humans. Not a lot of franchises would be willing to do that instead of treating both villains as equal, but I think Doomsday is really effective at showing just how monstrous the Daleks truly became during the Time War here.

It's very strong overall, even if the effects can be a little janky at times. I don't love the Doctor-Rose stuff, but I certainly won't deny it wasn't well acted. The only person who doesn't hold up well is Noel Clarke. It's not something I noticed the first time around, but he's a little out of place here to the point it feels like his character no longer serves much of any person this deep into Rose's arc. Her character feels long past him while Clarke's real life behaviour doesn't exactly make him feel like a welcome presence these days. Still, Doomsday is a pretty strong ending to Series 2, an uneven season of Doctor Who, but one with a lot of memorable moments. This episode is no exception.

Thirteen-year-old me thought this was a definite high for the show. It impressed its intended audience. It penetrated the public consciousness as well and created memories that people still cherish today. But, whilst its still a good romp, I'm not sure it stands up quite to that level today.

The good elements were, as with all RTD stuff, the long running characters who we have built a close investment in. Rose, her boyfriend and her family have built up such a close bond onscreen that it feels like the end of an era saying goodbye to them all at once. Billie Piper especially, in the tragic final beach scenes totally nails the sense of drama - whilst I didn't cry this time, I've cried many times watching this. Both David Tennant and Billie also create a beautifully iconic sequence pressing up against their sides of the wall. Murry Gold's finest music score for the show accompanies this moment. Among all this, I'm not sure we needed Jake back - he didn't add a great deal.

The actual plot seems to take a back seat in this one. There's a lot of shouting. The Daleks vs. Cybermen plot is great fun, the best moment being the reveal itself which I could not get over on transmission. It remains a special memory.

The human moments are directed very well by Grahame Harper, but the more action packed, effects sequences feel a little more staged. The worst offender being Rose sucked into the void, before Pete randomly appears at the last moment to catch her. The direction and writing match up to a slightly dud moment there - when you should be caught up in the height of emotion.

The campy, quirky humour throughout, mixed with the shallow plot, big monsters and huge human emotions make this an iconic, if flawed finale. Its uneven in tone but gets more right than wrong. Which is probably how I'd describe this whole series to be honest. Maybe even the whole show!