New Who Review #60

The End of Time - Part Two 🔥

This is it. The big one. 1 whole season of build up did it pay off? Let's find out!

So like I said last time they saved everything for part 2 which is good it means Tennant can have a big send off. It was sad seeing Tennant regenerate after everything he's gone through. It was so clear that he wasn't ready to change and he could do so much more with this incarnation. It was heartbreaking seeing the realisation on his face of I guess this is it my time Is up. The "I Don't want to go" was the final nail in the coffin for me cos that's when I got all teary eyed. I'm really looking forward to Matt Smith's incarnation and I have so many favourite story's from him and my fave series of the revival (series 6). Let's Talk about the rest of the episode. So Wilfred was amazing I really enjoyed having him as a sort of companion for this story it was a blast. Having the master back was nice and having a creature that looked similar to Bannakafalata was a real treat because that is a nice callback to Voyage of the damned. The farewell tour was sad to see. As I said the doctor knew his time was up but was determined to die after seeing all his friends one last time. I liked that because this incarnation was a sociable friendly doctor that had a lot of good friends and it's only right he goes back and sees this again one last time. Overall a really big and sad finale for the 10th doctor he will be missed by so many. But I am so excited for Matt Smith the pain will be cushioned a bit. 8/10

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Immense scale with masterful (HAHAHAHAHA) performances all the way through, a really interesting way to wrap up RTD's vision of the time war and version of how the characters involved handled it. The story-line does feel somewhat overcrowded despite the small cast, it sort of gets in its own way, constantly raising the stakes to beyond where they should be at an almost nauseating pace. The ending however, is thankfully brilliant. The return of Gallifrey, 10 and Wilf's duologue, The Master's switch and the impeccable realisation of the four knocks prophecy.

Most of the Doctor's present their 'alien-ness' in varying ways, Tennant's most consistent showcase of his otherness was his superiority and power in whatever situation he found himself in. This version of the Doctor was heavily mythologised (as seen in the first part of his finale and 'The Fires of Pompeii') to the point he was represented as more of a Time God than a Lord. The Doctor himself realised this. Perhaps more than other incarnations, this incarnation grappled with loss and loneliness - whenever he found someone to drown out his survivor's guilt, he lost them not too long after. As I say, this Doctor is repeatedly hailed as a hero, and a winner by those he saves - and even by himself at his darkest. At the point we find him in The End of Time, these titles are practically the only thing left he has in his life.

All of this to say, the resolution of the four knocks is beautifully poetic. The 10th Doctor, the hero, the winner chooses to lose. When all is said and done, The Doctor saves people, not for the glory but because he knows it's the right thing to do. This moment is one of the heights of the series, lifted there by some of the best performances ever put to screen and supported by THE Murray Gold, who actually might be a god.

The episode probably should end here, but the slightly self indulgent rehash of Journey's end is nice enough. Of course 10 wouldn't want to be alone at the end, what's to come for him is already scary enough.

When Tennant eventually regenerates, it's devastating and bleak. His final plea to stay has traumatised generations of fans. One of the most beloved Doctors of all time, and maybe its out of fashion to say it these days, but rightfully so.

epic

piece of shite episode.

eu amo esse episodio mas não gosto do que fazem com o mestre, aqui o plano dele é horrível, esses poderes dele não da pra tankar, tudo que envolve o mestre nessa historia é bem ruim mas fora do mestre eu acho maravilhoso, os ápices são muito bons, estou seguindo meu coração!!!!!!!!!!!

In my opinion, The End of Time – Part 2 is solid episode, being both exciting and emotional.

The end of an era! Or at least Russell T Davies’ first era. You have to marvel at everything that was achieved between 2003-2009 by that team. The resurrected a beast that, even now, looks so difficult to kill. In no small thanks to David Tennant who gives it his all here.

My marathon is going at a very leisurely pace nowadays as I make time for all the contemporary DWMs, commentaries, Confidentials, books, podcasts and more. I’m doing this marathon once and I’m doing it throughly!

The End of Time Part One leaves a nasty taste in the mouth unfortunately. It’s schlocky. A potion bringing back the master, who is now a magic Skeletor version of himself who can fly high into the air and shoot beams of destructive light from his palms?? That’s definitely worse than when The Master was a snake. John Simm is very good in the role, making more than the most with what he is given, but it doesn’t clear up the mess.

I was surprised that after several years of not watching Part One that it was… not that great? An epic finale devoid of sense and full of random chance. Unusually, the reliable Murray Gold has gone crazy as well; the whiplash between kooky and moody sections simply don’t work providing an annoying soundtrack track. The Master’s plan with the eternity gate changing everyone’s genetic template falls very closely to that of the nanogenes in The Doctor Dances, much worse effect of course.

Part Two however pulls this all back. After resolving the events of Part One successfully, it zones in on the emotional beats that RTD is so good at writing, making the most of the incredible cast through exploring the relationship between the Time Lords and The Master; The Master and The Doctor; then finally The Doctor and all of his companions. David Tennent’s death march is indulgent but beautiful and totally earned. You get the final appearance of characters we have come to love, all given their moment in the sun, and a beautiful sign off from a brilliant producer and Doctor. There is a fitting final appearance for Sarah-Jane in the main show.

It is Bernard Cribbins’ Wilf though, who steals the show, providing an emotional anchor through which we can appreciate the 10th Doctor’s passing. The one on one conversations between him and The Doctor, describing his time in the war and his willingness to sacrifice himself for people he loves is so tender, so pure.

All in all, Part Two manages to pull back The End of Time from a dire place and make it, in the end, utterly compelling, emotionally heightened viewing. I’m looking forward to seeing what this production team and Doctor do next!