Picspam: The End of Time review {Doctor Who}
Say what you will but the Tenth Doctor's final two parter was epic. And heartbreaking. And while there were of course a few ridiculously written bits in the episodes overall the story was just fantastic. The last episode gave a proper closure to a lot of things and was I suppose a suiting ending for this very human version of the Doctor. I am not quite ready to let go of him just yet, which is probably why I spent the past day(s) writing my review for both parts of The End of Time (which actually turned into a picture and quote spam). It was nice rewatching the episodes a few times for that though.
Anyway, if you've seen both parts already have a look. And if you'd like discuss the episode please drop a comment as I'd love to talk about the The End of Time with fellow weeping fans. Anything to postpone the inevitable ending just a little longer, yeah? ♥
PART ONE
The Doctor: "Last time I was here you said that my song would be ending soon. And I'm in no hurry for that."
I'd seen this bit in the previews already (as I was incredibly impatient and watched every tiny snippet of footage as it got released) but that didn't make the scene any less entertaining. It was hilarious, fast and energetic; like we know and love Ten. But the Doctor's avoidance of his 'ending song' was of course most of all heartbreaking.
On a side note, did anyone else think that maybe the bit about him getting married might not have been a joke? I mean, the Queen part obviously was, but perhaps he was referring to River Song. When we first saw her in Silence in the Library she seemed to instantly recognise him (at least if I remember correctly) which would indicate that she was familiar with his Tenth incarnation whereas he at that point wasn't familiar with her yet. So somewhere during the Doctor's time looking like David Tennant they would've have met again. This either could've happened earlier, in between seasons/storylines, or as vaguely suggested here in between Waters of Mars and The End of Time.
The Doctor: "Is that your haaaaand, Minnie!"
There really is no other reason for me including this scene other than that I burst out laughing first time I saw it. It's like fangirls swamping Tennant. Lucky Minnie!
The Doctor: "I am going to die."
Wilf: "Well so will I some day."
The Doctor: "Don't you dare."
Wilf: "Alright, I'll try not to."
The Doctor: "But I was told. He will knock four times. That was the prophecy. Knock four times and then-"
Wilf: "Yeah but I thought, when I saw you before, you were saying that your people could change like your whole body."
The Doctor: "I can still die. If I am killed before regeneration then I am dead. Even then. Even if I change it feels like dying. Everything I am dies. Some new man goes sonthering away. And I am dead."
[...]
Wilf: "How about you? Who do you've got now?"
The Doctor: "No one. Traveling alone. I thought it'd be better... But I did some things. It went wrong. I need-"
Wilf: "Oh my word, I'm s-"
The Doctor: "Merry Christmas."
Wilf: "Yeah, and you."
This was without a doubt my favourite scene in the entire first part. It was so heartbreaking <\3 Ten really isn't ready to let go of all he is and this scene was the one that showed his pain the most. Also the fact that he's so lonely is once more made very clear by not only his confession of having made mistakes (without no one there to stop him, I suppose) but mostly the reason he so openly shares his feelings with Wilf in the first place. I mean Wilf is a great character but the Doctor really doesn't know him that well. At this point Wilf is no more than the newspaper sales men he once met on a Christmas Eve and the grandfather of Donna he's seen in passing a few times. But there is no one else he can talk to thus he resorts to pouring out his heart to someone who's only a few steps away from being a complete stranger to him.
Then of course there was the bit where the Doctor ponders on Wilf's ability of finding him so fast. Others search hundreds of years yet Wilf manages to locate him within hours. There's more to be told there (and people at this point are speculating that Wilf might be a fobwatched Time Lord, perhaps even the Doctor's father - but I hope this is not the case, it would honestly ruin the character for me) and the second episode will tell I am sure.
The Master: "Please listen."
The Doctor: "I can't hear it."
The Master: "Listen!"
The Doctor: "I heard it! But there's no noise, there never has been, it's just your insanity... What is it? What's inside your head?"
The Master: "It's real! It's REAL!"
Oh, I loved the whole thing with the Master and the Doctor. From the first moment we saw the Master again (yes, even with the Harry Potter potions) until they finally sense each other and the Master 'called' the Doctor with the banging on the bins. Their relationship is so incredibly complicated and endlessly interesting, I can never get enough of them interacting together. Prime example being the Master first attacking the Doctor then, as the latter falls down, the Master rushes forward to catch him. Only to realise instantly afterwards that if he wants to play his part of villain well he shouldn't care for the Doctor like that and so he lets go.
My favourite scene between the two Time Lords in this episode was the (slashy) one where they touched their heads together as the Master in one last desperate attempt tries to show the drumming sound in his head is not an insane figment of his imagination, but it really exists. The Doctor's face when he finally hears it as well says all.
The Doctor: "Ah, right, yes. Bigger on the inside. D'you like it?"
Wilf: "I thought it'd be cleaner."
The Doctor: "Cleaner? I could bring you back home right now!"
The quote doesn't really match the picture, but no episode with Ten is complete without him either licking something or showing his tongue, so there you go ^_^
Wilf: "Oh my Lord, she's a cactus!"
This was without a doubt the funniest line of the entire episode and for that reason alone it had to be included XD
The Master: "The human race was always your favourite, Doctor. But now there is no human race, there's only the Master race."
How crazy is that? Man, Russell always manages to combine brilliant storytelling (like the cafe scene) with ridiculous ones that could've come straight out of very poor fanfiction (though I suppose as he rebooted the show in the first place having been a fan himself for a long time before that the new series really is glorified fanfiction). Admittingly this 'idea' is not as crazy as the Dobby!Doctor in Last of the Time Lords but it's a close second.
Having said that, seeing John Simm in all those different outfits, especially the female ones, had me crack up laughing. A lot. Which was a good thing because while I was excited for the Christmas special I was also very wary of how sad it was going to be and I am glad it didn't turn into one big sob fest. Also, for anyone who hasn't already seen it: watch Doctor Who Confidential for this episode, if only for all Simm's costume changes.
Time Lord: "And so it came to pass, on Christmas Day, that the human race did cease to exist. But even then the Master had no concept of his greater role in events, for this was far more than humanity's end. This day was the day upon which the whole of creation would change forever. This was the day the Time Lords returned. For Gallifrey. For victory. For the end of time itself!"
Having only ever seen the new series I am not really sure what to think/expect of the Time Lords being back. I like the idea (IF they come up with a brilliant explanation for how they've come back as the Time War and the death of the Time Lord race has been such a significant part of the new series) and I am curious to see where it will go. I just hope it won't take too much screen time away from Ten in the second part as it'll be his last ever episode.
PART TWO
"This is the Doctor and now the end of time is nigh. The Master is in control, the Time Lords are returning and it's time to face the final battle."
The Doctor: "You could be so wonderful. You're a genius. Stone cold brilliant you are. I swear, you really are. But you could be so much more. You could be beautiful. With a mind like that. We could travel the stars. It would be my honour. 'Cause you don't need to own the universe, just see it. Having the privilege of seeing the whole of time and space. That's ownership enough."
The Master: "Would it stop then? The noise in my head?"
The Doctor: "I can help."
The Master: "Don't know what I'd be without that noise."
The Doctor: "I wonder what I'd be, without you."
Oh Master and Doctor <3 I really can not get enough of their scenes together. I don't know what more I can say about the two of them together that I haven't said before, but they're just great.
Wilf: "God bless the cactusses!"
The Doctor: "That's cactii."
Rossiter: "That's racist!"
The Doctor: "Not the stairs. Not the stairs! NOOOOOOOO! Oh! oeh! aaah! Worst. Rescue. EVER!"
In an episode that's bound to be heartbreaking it's nice to have these incredible funny moments to lighten the otherwise heavy storyline. And these two were particularly hilarious, omg. Wilf and the cactii! And the Doctor strapped down to that chair when of course they encounter several (short but still) flights of stairs.
Wilf: "Listen, I want you to have this. I've kept it all this time and I thought-"
The Doctor: "No."
Wilf: "No, but if you take it you could-"
The Doctor: "No. You had that gun in the mansion. You could've shot the Master there and then."
Wilf: "Too scared I suppose."
The Doctor: "I'd be proud."
Wilf: "Of what?"
The Doctor: "If you were my dad."
Wilf: "Come one, don't start. Well you said you were told: 'he would knock four times' and then you'd die. Well that's him, isn't it? The Master. That noise, in his head. The Master is gonna kill you."
The Doctor: "Yeah."
Wilf: "Then kill him first."
The Doctor: "That's how the Master started. It's not like I'm an innocent. I've taken lives. I got worse, I got clever. Manipulated people into taking their own. Sometimes I think the Time Lord lives too long. I can't, I just can't."
Wilf: "If the Master dies what happens to all the people?"
The Doctor: "I don't know."
Wilf: "Doctor, what happens?"
The Doctor: "The template snaps."
Wilf: "They go back to being human? They're alive? And human? Then don't you dare, sir! Don't you dare put him before them. Now you take this. That's an order, Doctor. Take the gun. You take the gun and save your life. And please don't die, you're the most wonderful man on earth. I don't want you to die."
The Doctor: "Never."
Wilfred and the Doctor are just brilliant together! All their scenes so far are the highlights of these episodes to me. Who would've thought that that newspaper sales man from Voyage of the Damned would turn out to be such an amazing companion? And when the Doctor says he'd be proud if Wilf was his father, awww <3
The Doctor: "There's an old earth saying, captain. A phrase of great power and wisdom. And consolation to the soul in times of need. ALLONS-Y!"
I was so pleased they managed to get in one final 'Allons-y'! After all, it's Ten's catchphrase, like 'Fantastic' was for Nine. And it fitted the scene very well, it didn't feel like it was just added for the sake of mentioning it one last time.
I think this may be the first time we see actual blood on the Doctor (or at least in the new series, I don't know the first thing about old Who). Sure he's been hurt before, his hand even got cut off once, but we didn't see the blood. This time however there are wounds on his face and on his hands and his famous pine-striped suit is all torn up. Having these physical cuts and bruises makes the Doctor visibly vulnerable.
Lord President: "We'll ascend! To become creatures of consciousness alone. Free of these bodies. Free of time and cause and effect. And creation itself ceases to be."
Timothy Dalton! I didn't particularly get the bit with the crying woman ("the weeping angels of old"). Yes, I heard these were the only two Time Lords objecting to the escape from the Time War but why the close-up of the one woman? Why is she so important? For a moment I thought the Doctor was going to address her as his mother, but he didn't (thankfully). Yet she was significant enough that her face made the Doctor finally make up his mind about who (or rather what) he was going to shoot and with that who's side he was choosing.
The Master: "Get out of the way!"
The Master told the Doctor to move aside! He saved the Doctor's life! See, in really complicated way, he really does care for his fellow Time Lord ♥ And how sad was it that his own people made him 'insane' and then dismissed of him so easily? I can not blame him for all the anger and then taking out this rage on them.
Where did The Master go in the end though? Are we supposed to assume he got away so he may return in the (near) future? I hope that's the case, because I adore him. He will always remain the ultimate villain in this show.
The Doctor: "I'm alive. I'm still alive!"
OMG this moment! Ten was sooooo happy to be alive and so was I for just a split second until I realised Wilf was still in the radiation room. And from there on it was obvious that he was going to be the one to knock four times. How tragic is it that apparantly Wilf only met the Doctor so he could be the one to trigger Ten's death?
Wilf: "Just leave me."
The Doctor: "Okay, right then, I will. 'Cause you had to go in there, didn't you? You had to go and get stuck, oh yes! 'Cause that's who you are, Wilfred. You were always this. Waiting for me, all this time."
Wilf: "Really, just leave me. I'm an old man, Doctor. I've had my time."
The Doctor: "Well, exactly, look at you. Not remotely important! But me? I could do so much more! SO MUCH MORE! But this is what I get. My reward. AND IT'S NOT FAIR! Oh... live too long."
Wilf: "No. No, no, please! Please don't. No! Don't! Don't! please. Don't. Please."
The Doctor: "Wilfred, it's my honour."
;_____________; This is the scene that killed me. After all he's done, after the brief glimmer of hope he got that with the Master's interference he will not die after all, he still lost the battle. In the end though, after his rightful tantrum, the Doctor still chose to save Wilf's life. One human life over his own <3
I honestly thought he was gonna regenerate in the radiation room right there! And I wasn't ready for that. I kept thinking "Don't turn around and be Matt Smith, don't turn around..." so thank god that didn't happen. I knew there was another 20 minutes or so in the episode, but I figured that maybe they'd be all spent on Matt Smith. Of course they weren't, just like Tennant was only featured a brief moment in Eccleston's regeneration episode. Matt's got the whole next season (and perhaps beyond that) to play with the Tardis, but for now this was still all about Ten.
Wilf: "Where are you going?"
The Doctor: "To get my reward."
I am a sucker for good endings, closure and wrapping up every storyline there is (I am one of the 5 people who actually loved the epilogue in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows). So after hearing rumours that Rose would be back as well Donna I was really hoping RTD wouldn't dismiss of Martha easily. And he didn't! In fact, everybody was back! Well everybody that mattered in Ten's life that is. It gave a very conclusive, albeit cheesy, ending to his story.
Though how bittersweet was it that while the Doctor had time to see these people that he cared for deeply, he didn't have time for a proper goodbye? In the end he did what he had always done: lend a helping hand. He is the Doctor after all and helping people is what he does: physically (Mickey, Martha, Luke), financially (Donna) and even romantically (Jack/Alonso).
Mickey: "This is no place for a married woman."
Martha: "Well then, you shouldn't have married me."
Mickey and Martha looking awesome and badass! I loved that they were both back, albeit briefly, but I am not sure what to think of the fact that they are apparently married now. I thought Martha was happily engaged to doctor whatshisname? At least she's no longer with Unit.
Luke: "Mum? Mum! It's him. It's the Doctor."
Obligatory Sarah Jane and Luke Smith! You can see on Sarah Jane's face that she knows he's about to regenerate :(
Jack: "So, Alonso, going my way?"
Alonso: "How do you know my name?"
Jack: "I'm kinda psychic."
Alonso: "Really?"
Jack: "Yeah."
Alonso: "Know what I am thinking now?"
Jack: "Oh yeah."
This scene included many of the past aliens (Adipos! Slitheen!) as well as Captain Jack Harkness and Midshipman Frame (Russell Tovey! I rewatched Voyage of the Damned only a couple of days ago too). It was adorable and soooo Jack. I am curious to know though how long after Children of Earth this was. It's obvious Jack is alone and grieving, but we don't know if it's been days, weeks or months since we last saw him. Though it's nice to know that the Doctor forgives him in a way, with the introduction of Alonso.
The music in the background was of course from Daleks in Manhattan and combined with the Gallifrey theme that was running through these last two episodes it was nice to hear all those past Murray Gold 'classics' back. One thing I don't understand is if they were gonna go all out with the episode anyway, why not include Song for Ten? :(
The Doctor: "Was she happy? In the end?"
I was probably most pleased with the Verity Newman scene. I loved Joan and John Smith so much (in all honesty, I think they're more my OTP than Doctor/Rose ever was) and that scene broke my heart all over again. Even though John kept insisting the Doctor wouldn't love Joan as he did, the Doctor still cared for her. So much even he chose to visit her granddaughter in his dying hours to see if Joan had a good life. And when Verity asked if he was happy in the end, that was so sad <\3
The Doctor: "I just wanted to give you this. Wedding present. Thing is, I never carry money, so I just popped back in time and borrowed a quid off a really lovely man. Jeffrey Noble his name was. 'Have it', he said. Have that on me."
Donna was introduced into the series as a bride and her last scene had her becoming one once more. At least on the romantic front she's hell of a lot happier now, Sean doesn't seem like the kind of guy to sell her out to some creepy Racnoss Empress. I was a tad disappointed though they didn't find a way around her head exploding and she and the Doctor didn't get to meet one last time. He called her his best friend earlier in the episode yet he was unable to even say a proper goodbye to her :(
The lottery ticket was a very nice touch though, even more so because it was bought with the quid the Doctor borrowed from Jeffrey Noble. He just had to make sure that even after his 'dead' Donna would be well taken care off. And since Wilf had told him earlier that Donna and Sean were very tight on money a lottery ticket was his perfect gift to her, as it's a winning one no doubt.
The Doctor: "What year is this?"
Rose: "Blimey, how much you had? 2005, January the first."
The Doctor: "2005. There you are. I bet you're gonna have a really great year."
Rose: "Yeah? See ya."
And Rose. Of course. She could not be left out and I am so happy we saw Rose pre-Doctor. It would've been wrong to see her in the other reality again (with the Doctor's clone) and this was a very sweet little scene. Not overdone, but just enough for him to see her one last time (I know that technically he could visit her again as Eleven but I'm pretty sure Moffat won't ever bring her back so at least this way we got to see her one last time as well - she was a major part of the new series after all). And with that the Russell T. Davies Doctor Who years come to a full circle.
Ood Sigma: "We will sing to you, Doctor. The universe will sing you to your sleep. This song is ending, but the story never ends." <\3
Alright, so it's all a bit cheesy. But it's also very wonderful. I mean, the universe is singing for him while he's dying! How beautiful is that?
The Doctor: "I don't want to go." <\3
Amazing and heartbreaking. I am glad the regeneration was done in the same style as the previous ones in the new series (both Nine to Ten as well as the Master). And I am curious to see what Matt's Doctor is going to be like. Though those first few moments in the Tardis were way too identical to Ten imho (the energy and enthusiasm for everything around him) and even the dialogue was very much the same as the one Ten had in the Children in Need special right after his regeneration.
The Doctor: "GERONIMO!"
Still, I'll keep an open mind about this new version of the Doctor and am quite excited to see where the series will go from here on. The preview for the new season and with that the Eleventh Doctor looks incredible impressive and truly epic.
* * * * *
David Tennant: "I'm not gonna say a speech! Thank you everyone, uhm... I'm really not gonna say a speech, 'cause I'll get sad and I don't want to get sad. Uhm, course I am very happy to... O shut up, stop it! Uhm, this. I'm very proud of this and... working with all you people... Oh this is ridiculous, stop it. Uhm. Argh! I am very proud of everything we've done and uhm... Thank you all very, very much." ♥ ♥ ♥
David Tennant's little farewell speech to the crew at the end of the last Confidential was the sweetest but saddest thing, made me more upset than the two final episodes together to be honest. He was so brilliant, and regardless of how awesome Matt is going to turn out to be, I will really miss David's Doctor. Rex Is Not Your Lawyer better get picked up soon, or maybe some other fantastic project will come along for him, so we don't have to go without seeing him on television or otherwise for too long.
(Please don't hotlink, reuse, etc. as this picspam took me quite a while to make. Comments on the other hand would make me very happy ♥)