Doctor Who XXX[4].17: The End of Time, Part One
I really enjoyed that. Finally, a pay-off for the use of the name 'Harold Saxon' (which presumably got lost along the way the first time round); an intriguing extension for the Donna-coincidences trope which incorporates her grandfather and looks as if it's going to have some substance; convincing madness from John Simm and general revelling in a sick sense of humour (though I thought the Master would have demanded red meat); and lots of strong visual ideas which are an RTD trademark. Non-fans of Russell's interpretation of Doctor Who are probably unlikely to be admirers of this episode, but it's written for David Tennant and Bernard Cribbins to provide coherence through the solidity of their performances, and so they do. A pity, perhaps, that the Master is once more fragile, as it feels like we've been here before. Next week, and probably for the last time, the Time War!
ETA The Obama stuff was corny, but we are used to that; the "making do" was an unsubtle reference to the recession. David Tennant as credit boom Doctor?
ETA2 And that looks like a Seer from Ribos in the trailer (and the scene on the website), judging by her make-up... perhaps that's the really fannish thing Julie urged Russell to include anyway?
ETA The Obama stuff was corny, but we are used to that; the "making do" was an unsubtle reference to the recession. David Tennant as credit boom Doctor?
ETA2 And that looks like a Seer from Ribos in the trailer (and the scene on the website), judging by her make-up... perhaps that's the really fannish thing Julie urged Russell to include anyway?