What did you think of these episodes?
Sonic!
Good!
Bumpy-wumpy!
Exterminate!
A two-part epic that serves as David Tennant’s final bow as the Tenth Doctor, the end of an incredibly successful era. An era that Doctor Who is still trying to reach to this day. I don't think that is possible for many reasons, not because the show is crap, just because times have changed.
I love John Simm, so I was delighted he was returning to help see off Tennant.
The big question - did David Tennant get the send off his hugely popular run deserved? Kind of, yeah.
"Every night Doctor. Every night we have bad dreams."
Let's start with the plus points, and there were many.
Bernard Cribbins being the companion was a genius idea, the man was and always will be a complete legend. I have said this a few times in previous reviews, but he elevates every scene. He seemed to be a jovial, happy chappy, but he is so good at the emotional moments. He breaks your heart every, single time.
The opening sequence with Wilf in the church, with Murray Gold's music, is so good. I love it.
David Tennant and John Simm were both great as well in this two part epic finale.
Barack Obama was a very RTD Doctor Who cheesy moment, and I was all in for it. It still makes me chuckle. That said, can a President really end a worldwide recession over night? Would people here in the UK really be celebrating and looking forward to hearing a Presidents plan about the economy? Our family would be more likely to talk about who was in the Strictly Christmas special, but I still loved it anyway.
I seem to remember the Master turning into everyone didn't go down all that well at the time, but I have to say I loved it. The last five minutes of Part 1 were so crackers, and I was all over it. He's set the template to human!!!! Aaaaaaaaand zero!! The music, all those John Simm's, and the Time Lords, so bloody epic!!
"Don’t you see? You need her, Doctor. I mean, look, wouldn’t she make you laugh again? Good ol’ Donna."
Some negatives. The main one was Ten was very mopey, I do remember watching this when it aired and at points I was thinking poor old Matt Smith. If you were watching it without any knowledge of the show you would of thought it was the end, no more Doctor Who. No David Tennant, no more show.
Of course that is very much not the case. However, from the very beginning of these episodes the Doctor mentioned on a number of occasions he was going to die or at best some new bloke would be taking over and that is as good as dying.
Obviously Ten has a bit of an ego, but I did think this was stretching it a bit far.
The other negatives I had were the Master's return was a bit far fetched. I know, it is Doctor Who, get over it, but it was pretty laughable. It didn't help that the acting in the prison was pretty ropey. Once all of those troublesome plot sticking points were out the way though I loved it.
I was slightly disappointed The Waters of Mars ending wasn't explored more. Maybe it was and I missed the point, but it didn't seem like it ended up being that big a moment and all the pay off was, was the Doctor wearing sunglasses.
Oh, one final negative - Martha and Mickey. Where was the good Doctor? What happened there?! Martha doesn't need Mickey, Mickey could of just been running after Rose in the Powell Estate if wanted him included.
"Thank you for your opinion. I will not die! Do you hear me? A billion years of Time Lord history riding on our backs. I will not let this perish. I Will. Not."
As we had two long specials there was a chance for some more quiet moments, the Doctor and Wilf in the café being the stand out for me. The Doctor and Master also had some great moments. I loved the scenes in the wasteland, the Doctor chasing the Master and then when the Doctor hears the noise in his head.
I was a big fan of the Vinvocci, I have a soft spot for Sinead Keenan after watching Being Human so I was always going to love her character. What did happen to Addams and Rossiter though? They just disappeared.
I wonder what the Fourth Doctor would make of the Tenth Doctor's jump from the spaceship? He was probably a bit peeved he didn't survive his fall.
Timothy Dalton was brilliant as Rassilon, his voice is just perfection. That said, his end was a bit shit. One minute he has an all powerful glove/gauntlet that can change all the Masters back to humans, it can kill a Time Lord with a flick of the wrist, but it couldn't stop the Master when he had a few chances to dispatch of him. He could of also done something whilst the Doctor was pointing his gun around. Not to worry though, this was Ten's day not Rassilon's.
The first time I watched this I seem to remember Tennant's farewell tour going on for bloody ages. It is actually a lot quicker than I remember. Was it a bit too much? Maybe! Will I let Tennant and RTD off for a bit of indulgence? Of course I will!
Weirdly for me, the one moment that really got me choked up, was Joan Redfern's great-granddaughter. I loved that moment so much.
I wonder if the regeneration would of hit me harder without the farewell tour? The Tenth Doctor's demise was beautiful in that he was destined to save just one ordinary (but brilliant) man. After all the Doctor had done, everything he had seen and defeated, this was the cause of his regeneration. Wilf's quiet knocks made my stomach turn the first time I watched.
"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. Well it’s not fair! Oh… I’ve lived too long."
I love that Doctor Who is OTT, I love that it is camp, I love everything about the show. I love that we got Time Lords, the Master, Gallifrey, a spaceship being chased by hundreds of missiles, I love Wilf, I love Donna. I love that Doctor Who was so big it aired on Christmas and New Years day.
I just thought it went a bit overboard on the David and Russell farewell tour, and it kind of reduced the emotional impact for me. So for that reason, it will never be my favourite regeneration story, but it was still bloody epic nonetheless.
Goodbye David Tennant, until we meet again, who knows, maybe I will see you more than once.
RATING: Good!
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