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Doctor who: The end of time Review.

Holy crap I'm actually doing it. Yes ladies and gentlemen I'm reviewing one of the more controversial and talked about episodes of doctor who. The final episode of David Tennant's era of doctor who. This episode has changed in my opinion from when I first saw it. I originally loved this episode as one of my favorites if not my favorite but something changed in the way I think especially about the ending but I'll get to that in a bit.

People knew david tennant's era as a doctor was coming to an end. The false regeneration, The first of the specials being called the next doctor and the prophecy which called for the end of his life and this was the answer. On new years eve and day these two were broadcast leading to the regenerations of the tenth and the beginning of the 11th. So is this a grand finale or going out with a wimper....uh...both?


I'll start with the story then.

The stories main focus is around the return of the master and the completion of the prophecy that fortold the doctor's end. The master returns after the obvious hint that it was going to happen at the end of the last of the time lords but he was a bit different and this is the first big thing with the story. The master is less the sarcastic joker-esque loonatic and more a rabid wolverine who can't stop eating. He goes back and forth from psychotic and again very threatening to....uh chewing the scenery among many other things. In the end I do think he did a good job with a few odd moments here and there but back to business. 

After coming back in a rather jarring funny moment after the soul crushing end to waters of mars. (Seriously stop doing that it's mood whiplash) He finds out from the ood that the master is returning and with him the end of time. He returns to find Donna's grandfather wilfred trying to find him. And might I say Bernard Cribbins does an amazing job during this special and I'd even say the best acting in the episode.

However he also finds the master as well who has gained some new powers after his resurrection went wrong but is also draining his life. The two meet and the doctor discovers that the drums in the master's head are in fact a real thing and not just insanity and I am skipping ahead here but this is something I want to talk about. It's found out later that the drum beat is in fact a time lord signal meant to let them break out of the time war. This is kind of iffy. A while back there was a big ruckus over the fact that it was believed the doctor's name would be revealed. Now while that didn't happen I am glad it didn't Because the master's drums being revealed as a signal is a bit of a joy kill to me. it feels very wrong knowing what they are but It does make for a good story if I can give it anything.

Nonetheless the master is taken by a man named Joshua Naismith and made to build a gate to make his daughter immortal. Suffice to say he turns it into a device to turn the whole human race into clones of him cause you know.

He's the master.

The first episode ends with the human race being the now the master race ( see what he did there ) Donna starting to remember the doctor (which as you may recall will cause her to die. I'll talk about that later) And the revalation that the time lords are coming back.

Part two starts off with donna being fine and evantually firing off what I think is regeneration energy to knock out the master's near her. Okay I need to bring this up. when donna first had that happen to her and her mind was wiped the doctor spoke to her then left. So was it safe at first? Now that the energy wave passed is it okay now? Was that the whole thing some weird defence mechanism? Or was it actually like he said and he just can't now? It raises a few too many questions if you ask me.

We also come back to a few helpful cactus people helping the doctor escape....uh don't ask alien race. and going to a spaceship to plan out while the master tries to trace the signal in the drums. It's here I realize that these two episodes don't have all that much going on in them. seriously In maybe 4 paragraphs or so I just described an episode and a half in pretty decent detail but again I digress.

When the doctor realizes that the time lords are coming back and planning to use the ultimate weapon the end of time. I'm not sure what that entails or how they'd do it but I'm being tangential again. They would have during the time war but have decided to use it now instead of going to modern galifrey and rebuilding they decide to so screw everything anyway cause...

 They're the time lords.

The Doctor believes that his only choice is to kill one of them to stop the link and send the time lords and gallifrey which also returned back into the time war. So they wouldn't have to even rebuild the modern Gallifrey they could just use their own and still they wanted to end time. Something gives me the idea Rassilon was the time lord who took his ball and went home when he lost.

Nonetheless of course he shoots the machine causing the link and the master beats the tar out of Rassilon and they both end up in the time war. While the doctor believes he escaped the knock four times prophecy and will live until he hears wilfred knock four times on the glass control box and realizes he's as good as dead. What's funny is that It's both a tragic moment and a bit funny seeing as you can clearly hear Nelson from the simpsons laughing after you hear the knocks. Seriously give it a listen. Anyway this is where the ending kicks in and where some problems and some good things come in.

The doctor immediately begins arguing with himself. He knows that if he rescues Wilfred from the rad chamber he went in while the master and Rassilon were fighting he will die or at least regenerate. I have to say I always loved this part. He knows he could do a lot more for the universe then wilfred ever could and live longer then him. But he can't let him die. It's a very interesting scene to watch all in all but of course he ends up saving him cause..

Well you know.

He starts off finding his old companions and doing favors and whatnot for them as a final gift to them as well as seeing they are okay. To quote him "His reward". Again a bit over dramatized maybe but good. But after he meets with rose the year before she ever went on their adventures it begins as he heads to the Tardis. Here is where we have a good meeting with bad situation. The song playing vale decem is gorgeous and near the end incorporates the tenth doctor theme in it. it is a gorgeous theme. that being said as he takes his last lap around the tardis he places it in orbit around the planet and says four words that became infamous.

" I don't wanna go"

Where do I begin?

Let me get my feelings in total about the tenth here. I like him in general quite a bit sans two things but I'll get to those. He is quite charismatic and a lot of which is due to the actor David Tennant who does a damn good job. See the satan pit in season two for details there. He's likable he's fun to watch and he's full of energy and that's to me what makes a good doctor. The one thing is though he almost seems too human. Too normal. For me at least it doesn't make him as interesting to watch. That's not really a massive problem but to me it's just something that girks me a little.

But the two issues I have Are near the start and near the end. First off near the start. Rose. I don't dislike rose or the tenth but I have to say their relationship feels very weird. I don't mind sexual tension between the doctor and companions but flat out relationships feel very weird and I won't lie it just felt forced to me. Again I don't blame either actors it's just it felt too obvious and yet again forced. Plus after she left Donna and Martha both had to put up with her shadow. When the ponds both left the 11th and died he had one episode being depressed about it and it was never brought up afterwards. That just bothers me and it places this one massive Shadow over the tenth. The other problem is his last words.


While Not as bad I feel this makes him seem really weak in the end and instead of going out with dignity he goes out with a whimper. A desire of regret and unlike the ninth who went out proud of himself and rose a very weak end to a fairly strong character.

But after the regeneration comes matt smith's first scene and it's something. It Shows him as a much more comical and random then the tenth. Cartoony if you will. And I won't lie you got me interested quick. I don't really have much else to say other then not a bad first scene.


 Hoo boy this is an interesting one. On one side The master is excellent as he was before if maybe a bit overacty this time but nothing horrible sans one scene. Rassilon played by Timothy Dalton was incredible and as usual the regulars like Bernard Cribbons and David do an excellent job. But again some issues drag it down the hard headed time lord strategy and david's final words namely. But all in all there is a reason this was my favorite episode for a while. It's rather enjoyable if you turn your mind off a bit during a few parts.

But on the eve(ish) of Matt smith's regeneration the next season is matt's first and I'll get to that.....hopefully before I turn 80.