Just watched "The End of Time" pt. 1

[izhilzha]

...and have no idea what to think. O_o

I love Wilf and his silver cloak. *g*

I adore the Doctor; the moment in the cafe was startlingly unexpected and perfect.

Comments

[fpb]

I'm afraid that - if you think of DR.Who not as a work of fiction, but as a franchise - bringing back the Time Lords seems almost inevitable. All aspects of a successful franchise are valuable, and the owners (who are NEVER the creators) will simply not tolerate not having access to it. That is why superheroes get resurrected all the time.

And the last apparition of the Master was really bad, because of the ideology behind it. I dare say that there still is some serious balance to be regained in dealing with that character.

[izhilzha]

And the last apparition of the Master was really bad, because of the ideology behind it.

I don't understand at all what you mean by this. (BTW, I am a huge fan of John Simm, so that colors my reaction to this version of the Master a bit.)

[fpb]

Perhaps the whole political "Saxon" crap put me off. Anyway, I DID NOT LIKE IT. I liked it so little that I kept switching.

However, you really want to read this: http://wemyss.livejournal.com/237298.html - it's great fun and takes it less seriously than I do.

[jhall1]

On balance, I enjoyed the episode. I'm not sure that the Time Lords are going to return permanently. I have the feeling that when the Doctor puts right whatever has been going wrong, they might cease to exist once again. However unlike you, I would like them to return.

I too prefer the Master to be suavely menacing rather than manic. Of course, most of their intended audience won't be faniliar with the "old" Master, and it probably won't be a problem for those people.

[izhilzha]

I also rather wonder if the Time Lords are just for this story. I think I would probably prefer that, to be honest; not because I hate the Time Lords, but for the same reason I'm annoyed that the Daleks keep coming back: I am tired of major events that don't have consequences. *glares @ RTD*

I've actually seen very little old skool Master (the TV movie and "Terror of the Autons," I think, and that's all), but even compared to Harold Saxon this is...out there.

[jhall1]

I wouldn't regard the TV movie's Master as being "old skool". I thought that Eric Roberts' version totally failed to capture the charm that is an important part of the character. John Simms' Master does at least do that.

I don't think it was ever feasible that the Daleks wouldn't keep coming back - they are way too popular for that. Of course you can argue that in that case they shouldn't have pretended to exterminate (to coin a word) them.

[mosinging1986]

I was going to comment, and then I saw your icon and my brain went blank. Srsly. O.o

Ahem.

I watched it again to get rid of my first reaction to the episode, but I came away feeling the same. It was too busy, too LOUD and the Master was too crazed, where he didn't need to be. I loved his first appearance where the actor was allowed to y'know, ACT. This was to the point where it was hard to watch.

I was surprised at the return of the Time Lords because weren't they all dead? This is where I wish I knew the original series so I could have more background! But at least seeing that made things more interesting. Up to that point I was just overwhelmed with sight and sound. And really, not in a good way.

[rj_anderson]

I read some reviews and decided to spare myself the agony and just not watch it.

I suppose I'll have to watch Part II for the regeneration scene if there is one, or maybe I'll just pick up the relevant clip on YouTube.

I look forward to RTD pushing the giant reset button at the end of the episode and unmaking everything he's done to date (which is what I fully expect is going to happen). Nothing like a fresh start -- roll on Moffat and Eleven. If he is Eleven that is, and not actually Nine because... oh, you know.

[izhilzha]

...ouch.

You're really not on board with this show anymore, are you? Unexpected cynicism is actually a little bit unexpected.

I can't agree with you, because I HATE big reset buttons, and if that's what happens I may drop the show altogether, Moffat or no Moffat, because if there are stories without consequences then the entire past 3 years of watching has been utterly pointless.

[rj_anderson]

There are many episodes of the RTD era that I thoroughly enjoyed. I think David Tennant is a terrific actor. Martha is one of my favorite companions of all time and Donna is up there as well.

And I will never, ever stop loving DOCTOR WHO as a show, as a concept, as whatever. Even though I refused to watch nearly the entire Colin Baker era and didn't catch up on Sylvester McCoy until long after his run had ended, I still considered myself a fan.

I just don't think that RTD can leave soon enough, and I also think that the harm he has done to the character of the Doctor would be far better undone with a giant reset button than left to stand for posterity.

However, I am looking forward to the Moffat episodes, because I have yet to see a Moffat ep I didn't like. And I'm more than willing to give Matt Smith a chance to win me over, so I will definitely be tuning in once the new season starts.

[tree_and_leaf]

I'm all in favour of the Time Lords coming back; I've got heartily sick of the "last of the Time Lords"/ "lonely god" schtick (especially the latter), and I always liked the Doctor better when he was a vaguely disreputable run-away, rather than The Greatest Authority There Is. But I quite agree with you about the Master; my favourite iteration of the character was always Roger Delgado, who wasn't all that different from the Doctor - amoral and selfish*, but mostly quite sane, and even capable of working with the Doctor when it was in his best interests, even if it did involve saving the Earth (see: The Claws of Axos, which is not a very good story as a whole, but the Doctor/ Master interactions are great).

* The Doctor can be quite selfish at times, too - but he does recognise duty and obligation.

[izhilzha]

I agree that the "lonely god" thing has gotten quite old, and that's one reason I'm looking forward to seeing what Eleven is like under Moffat...but bringing back the Time Lords? After taking all the trouble and drama of the past few years into account? I just...it'd be like the bad episodes of Star Trek. "Oh, all that never happened! Here we go, back to the good old days!" *gags*

And imho, except for "Waters of Mars," I've mostly seen the newer Doctors as essentially that same disreputable runaway, except without an actual place/culture to run away from (which is one reason the Time War crushed him so, his whole identity gone).

I do need to watch some more old skool Master. *puts stories on Netflix queue*

And I agree with you, that the Doctor and the Master are great nemeses because they are so, so much alike. It would not take much for them to be a great team either for good or evil...but they're both terribly stubborn. :)