Review #4

The End of The World

This story wasn't good in my opinion. It felt dragged and could've done so much more. Cassandra wasn't a good villain and I just kinda felt bored  1.5/10

Moisturize me, moisturize me

Rose leaves the Earth for the first time, experiences a lot of culture shock

Cassandra is a really good villain, kind of the ultimate metaphor for bloodline purity and inbreeding, as well as having some really memorable dialogue

"What are you going to do? Moisturize me?"

"...with acid."

Following Rose, The End of the World is once again an excellent story, really showcasing what the show can do with modern effects and a half-decent budget. All of the aliens are so fantastical and wonderful but, more importantly, they all look great! The same goes for the set and CGI. The story itself is good, providing some nice character moments with plenty of action.

Rose having the whole "damn I just ran off with some man I know nothing about to SPACE" crisis is something so overlooked imo. She remains an extremely complex character and despite being the most popular NuWho companion, I believe she is underrated when it comes to her writing. Rewatching this show is like living a whole different experience, knowing what will happen and what happened. Nine's reactions to the mention of home and the war makes my heart break into a million pieces. On the other hand, just an awesomely written, iconic episode. Toxic by Britney you will always be famous.

2025 Rewatch

• I have always had a soft spot for this episode and it continues one, it's a perfect second episode
• Fully takes advantage of the idea of going to the future, it's a story of loss and endings
• It was great to see Rose fully react to everything, you don't always get that realistic characterisation, especially not anymore
• I love that the story slips into the sub-genre of the murder mystery/espionage
• It's just a lot of fun, I adore the world of 'New Earth' it's one of RTD's best additions to the show

From what I can remember, it’s pretty solid! I like the setting quite a lot and I enjoy seeing all those different aliens in that setting, they all work wonderfully!
From what I remember, the best scenes are with 9 and that tree woman, where he gets a bit more vulnerable. It’s nice to see this darker incarnation of the doctor getting some needed doctory silly moments and overall I think it’s a solid good second Episode, far from the Highs of this Series, but still a pretty fun watch!

Cassandra is in so little of the show as a whole but is cemented as one of the most iconic villains of the entire franchise with the two episodes she has.

A fun follow-up to Rose. Eases the new viewer into more aliens and the system of time travel within the universe. The overall plot is nothing to write home about, but it does the job it needs to. Platform Nine is an absolutely gorgeous set, and I do quite enjoy the overall design language of this episode. However, this is definitely not an episode I revisit often, as I feel that, despite taking place billions of years in the future, this is one of the most dated-feeling episodes of this series. Something with the color palette, I don't know. Overall, an enjoyable enough story, and a great second episode

The Doctor modifying Rose's phone so it can call Jackie even that far into the future is so sweet. Cassandra, despite immaculate skin care, is a nasty woman.

This is a very similar episode to the first one and is worth being binged right after it as it follows the previous attempt at reintroducing to a new audience what Doctor Who is and especially here, the "standard" formula of the Doctor's adventures as well as giving us more information on his backstory.

Overall I think I liked it less than the previous one. There was a lot of good and engaging ideas (I really like the gimmick of reusing Tainted Love and Toxic for comedy bits) and there was a lot of emotional writing about Doctor's backstory and him being the last Time Lord. But I think overall it was just a bit forgettable. Cassandra is not an engaging enough villain to carry a whole episode like that and while I respect a lot its attempt to blow your mind with crazy visuals and being over the top, I think it just ends up being a pretty standard, although pretty good Doctor Who story (and Eccleston is just that great of an actor as always).

I think I liked it less upon rewatching and it might just be more effective if it's your first time watching it.

One of the best episodes of this show, period, full stop.

f**k yeah tree people. f**k yeah trans people. f**k yeah.

Episode twos are always difficult for any television series. Ninety nine percent of the time the production crew tend to focus their efforts mostly on the first episode in order to entice people to watch the show and the second episode ends up overlooked. This is clearly the case with The End of the World, which whilst not terrible isn't quite up to the standards of the previous episode Rose.

The End of the World has a brilliant premise for a Doctor Who episode. The sun is expanding and about to destroy the Earth; on Platform One, the richest beings of the universe are gathering to watch it end on the Observation Desk including Cassandra (Zoe Wanamaker), Jabe (Yasmin Bannerman), the Mox of Balhoon (Jimmy Vee) and the Face of Boe (Struan Rodger). The Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) and Rose (Billie Piper) arrive to find someone is trying to sabotage the space station with robotic spiders.

The problem with this episode is that what should be an engaging narrative is actually rather boring. It doesn't help that the pace is slowed down by Rose's call to her mum Jackie (Camille Coduri). As well-written the conversation between Rose and Jackie is, it doesn't help to enhance the plot and this feels like an episode that would work better with more emphasis on the main story and less on the familial elements (especially when the whole planet is about to die with everyone on it - something that should be very emotional to see for Rose given this is her home planet).

There are some great scenes - the stuff with the Doctor and Jabe in the air conditioning chamber trying to navigate giant rotating fans is a fantastic action piece well-directed by Euros Lyn - but they are too far and few between. I can't help but feel that later into Russell T Davies' run, the production team would have done a much better job as they would have learnt from experience how to execute the concept. It is a very ambitious idea for the first series of the show's idea and one that Russell T Davies should have perhaps kept back for series four.

The special effects in this story however are very impressive and still hold up today. These are some of the best special effects in the new series of the show; it actually feels like we're watching the real sun expanding to destroy the real Earth and every one of the alien guests look like species you may find in a big Hollywood movie rather than a television series.

The Face of Boe is a brilliant character too; there's something immensely likeable about the big head in the jar known as Boe. I'm not entirely sure what it is that's so appealing but I just really enjoy watching his scenes and was glad when he returned in New Earth and Gridlock. I hope one day the series confirms that Jack was definitely the Face of Boe (as stated in the later three parter Utopia/The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords as it would explain how he knows to warn the Doctor about the Master).

Cassandra, on the other hand, I'm not too keen on. I'm not sure how she became a recurring character as whilst Zoe Wanamaker is good in the role, I found her nothing more than an annoying future Katie Price. She's basically what would happen if a Kardashian became the last surviving human and whilst that makes her a suitably unlikeable antagonist for the Doctor, it doesn't make her a particularly entertaining one. She's just plain irritating and initially it was a relief that she seemed to die at the end of the episode, until they decided to bring her back a year later for New Earth! I mean, what the hell Russell T Davies? Why would you want to inflict that pain on us? If anyone had to return from The End of the World alongside the Face of Boe, it should have been the Mox of Balhoon. He had much more mileage and Jimmy Vee was great in the role.

Let's talk about the main actors: Christopher Eccleston and Rose Tyler. I was never much a fan of Christopher Eccleston's Doctor and I don't think he was too brilliant here. He seemed a bit uncomfortable in the role and it felt like he was phoning in some of his lines during this episode. He certainly wasn't terrible but it wasn't his best performance as the Doctor either (that would be Dalek). Billie Piper, on the other hand, is as brilliant as she always was - especially during her conversation with plumber Raffalo, which helped to demonstrate her character's caring side when realised the plumber wasn't allowed to talk and gave her permission to.

Overall, The End of the World is one of those typical second episodes of a television series where the quality takes a sudden drop after a great episode one. The story has a strong premise but ultimately it doesn't deliver, providing a boring story with too many scenes that fail to drive the plot. There are some great scenes though and the special effects are still great eleven years on. The Face of Boe is also a great character who thankfully made the return appearances he deserved. Cassandra is annoying though and Christopher Eccleston seems uncomfortable in his performance as the Doctor.

Following on from a great opening episode is tough, but this episode manages it pretty well. It’s never been a favourite of mine, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like it. From the opening scene, the dynamic between the Doctor and Rose is further solidified- ‘you think you’re so impressive’ ‘I am so impressive’- they’re having fun together, even though neither really knows the other. That lack of knowing forms the basis for most of the character-based conflict, which takes a more important role for the majority of the episode than the metal spiders running around in the background do. It’s a way of showing Rose’s impulsivity- rushing off with a stranger- and then the culture shock of suddenly being dropped into this alien situation- ‘the aliens, they’re so alien. I mean you look at them, and they’re alien’.

Why would the Doctor bring Rose to watch her planet explode on her first proper trip with him? It makes no sense, except, right there at the end we learn his planet has exploded too. That tells us more about the Doctor, his want for connection, the need to have someone somewhere understand what it’s like to be the last one, and Rose says it herself when confronting Cassandra- if anyone onboard Platform One is the Last Human then it’s Rose, not the bitchy flap of skin.

The darkness Nine shows after saving the day, (everything has its time and everything dies) is the first real hint of the Doctor being dangerous that we get in the revival - obviously the previous episode had danger, but that wasn’t him, it was the aliens, yet here, that darkness comes to the fore and shows another side to the Doctor that I think Nine portrays fantastically throughout his short run.

As with the previous episode and a lot of series one, the side characters here feel developed- with such a large cast this time, it’s less-so here, but Cassandra and Jabe are used very well to show that a connection to Earth isn’t simply a human-thing, and that not all humans have the best in mind for the Earth. Jabe, the beautiful tree lady, spends most of her time flirting with the Doctor which makes for some great lines. Knowing what we know from future series’, I wish the Face of Boe had had more to do, though it is his dodgy plumbing that allows more of the world to be explored- Raffalo’s conversation with Rose is short, but it gives an insight into the post-Earth future. We also get the first Bad Wolf namedrop here from the Moxx of Balhoon, who I can only assume is Doctor Who’s answer to Star Wars’ Max Rebo, in a blink and you’ll miss it comment that even BBC iPlayer’s subtitles get wrong.

Overall, I think The End of the World is a solid second episode, and throws a lot of information out to a new audience without being overwhelming, whilst exploring these new characters and their dynamic. Having the early episodes be so character-centric is, as Nine would say, fantastic.

This is a fun and dynamic story, and a pretty heartfelt start to the new series.

Of course, it gets dogged for some goofy costumes and special effects, the latter of which I would argue is definitely the weakest aspect of the episode of the four categories, but it also is what I love most about these episodes. It's a sincere and lovely take on not only the human experience but also all the wacky and wonderful aspects of the franchise. It isn't afraid to be alien as hell, all the while working in plenty of great character moments for the Ninth Doctor and Rose.

I'm not surprised this episode isn't considered the strongest among the fan community, but it is a lot of fun and does good work in establishing how weird Doctor Who can be. That it happens so early in the new franchise is a blessing I really appreciate.

There is a lot of fun mix of humour and neat ideas too. From the idea of one final "pure" human against an ocean of normal people that just have a bit of alien in them this far into the future, to the "classical music" played on the jukebox (which never gets old to me as a joke), there's a lot to like here.

Stuff like the Doctor having to go through a video game level to save the day, with the whole moving fan bit, is quite silly, but even that services to show us (especially new viewers) how special and alien the Doctor really is. The CGI and practical effects can be a bit wonky, but by 2005 television standards, they are on the whole more impressive than not.

It's certainly not an ideal jumping on point with Rose a single episode away, but an excellent second episode for new viewers.

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

"THE END OF THE WORLD: WHERE THE NEW WHO TRULY BEGINS"

After the grounded, contemporary setting of Rose, The End of the World catapults the series into a dazzlingly alien future, showcasing the full potential of Doctor Who’s revival. Set five billion years ahead, as Earth meets its inevitable demise, this episode blends grand sci-fi spectacle with deeply personal storytelling, proving that the show can be both absurdly fun and emotionally resonant.

ROSE’S FIRST STEP INTO A LARGER UNIVERSE

By centring the episode around Rose’s perspective, Russell T. Davies ensures that the audience experiences this strange new world through fresh eyes. Billie Piper continues to shine, perfectly balancing curiosity, wonder, and skepticism. Her conversation with the Doctor about her home planet’s destruction subtly reinforces how little she truly knows about him—an air of mystery that Christopher Eccleston plays to perfection.

The Doctor, meanwhile, reveals more of his complexities. Eccleston’s performance moves seamlessly between charming tour guide and haunted survivor, giving us glimpses of the weight he carries. His scene with Jabe, where her simple kindness almost brings him to tears, is a standout moment, hinting at the devastation of the Time War long before it’s fully explained.

A COLOURFUL CAST OF ALIEN GUESTS

The episode revels in its imaginative creature designs, presenting an eclectic mix of extraterrestrial dignitaries witnessing Earth’s final moments. From the bulbous blue Moxx of Balhoon to the robotic-faced Adherents of the Repeated Meme, the aliens strike the perfect balance between silly and convincing.

Zoë Wanamaker’s Lady Cassandra steals every scene she’s in, her stretched-skin, aristocratic snobbery making her an instant classic. Her shrill demands to be moisturised, her casual disdain for “lesser species,” and her eventual comeuppance make her both hilarious and chilling. Jabe, played with grace by Yasmin Bannerman, provides the episode’s emotional core, forming a quiet but powerful connection with the Doctor before her tragic sacrifice.

VISUALS, MUSIC, AND STAKES

The setting is a striking contrast to the usual sterile sci-fi space station. The Platform One interiors are vibrant and colourful, with rich textures that help ground the futuristic setting. While some of the CGI has dated—especially the exterior shots of Earth’s destruction—the practical effects and costume work remain impressive.

Murray Gold’s score elevates the episode, blending sweeping orchestral themes with playful contemporary music. Britney Spears’ Toxic playing as Earth’s death is toasted might seem jarring, but it encapsulates Doctor Who’s unique ability to mix the profound with the ridiculous.

The tension builds masterfully, with standout action sequences such as Rose’s near-incineration in the sun filter chamber and the Doctor’s dramatic sprint through whirring fans. However, the quieter moments carry the most weight, particularly the final conversation between the Doctor and Rose. His confession about Gallifrey’s destruction adds a layer of tragedy that redefines his character for a new generation.

📝VERDICT: 8/10

The End of the World solidifies Doctor Who’s return, proving that it can be funny, thrilling, and deeply moving—all in the same breath. The mix of whimsical aliens, strong character moments, and bold visual storytelling sets the stage for the adventures to come. While some effects show their age, the heart of the episode remains timeless.

This is where the revived series truly finds its soul.

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:

• How exactly is phoning someone 5 billion years apart from yourself supposed to work?
• I love that Toxic is considered "a traditional ballad" in the future; I'm happy to hear that my childhood crush Britney is still appreciated long after my death!

In terms of excitement, emotions and characters this is another watertight reinvention of Doctor Who. It’s so far in the future, and so widescreen, with so many monsters - but still a connection back to humanity, watching our Earth’s dying days and the “last human”. You get an interdimensional phone call home and Rose quite rightly challenges The Doctor for letting the TARDIS get inside her head - a completely new spin on the Doctor/ companion dynamic. You continue to see the universe afresh through Rose’s eyes.

This second episode looks a lot stronger than Keith Boak’s opening one as well, it looks less rushed, more confident, more expensive. The effects sequences are also (for 2005) state of the art.

Some of the internal logic of the story is what stops it from being a classic. For example, a single button on the controller’s desk that lowers the sun filter, that when pressed the controller seemingly doesn’t know how to reverse. Also, there are deadly fans running across a platform that you need to pass in order to access important controls. Untidy plot points like these make the high stakes drama feel a bit forced in places. But this doesn’t matter because the main takeaway is the human drama.

The growing relationship between Rose and The Doctor is incredibly successful. They are funny together. She is so relatable and he is so alien. They are already an iconic duo.