The End of Time: Part One

After four long years, and 64 televised episodes (not counting the animated stories and charity specials) David Tennant was finally hanging up his sonic screwdriver as the tenth incarnation of the now contemporary and reinvented Time Lord. Having just previously featured in two one-hour, one-off specials rather than the now requisite thirteen episodes (ten stories) which would comprise a whole series (a move made to ease the transition as new executive producer Steven Moffat took over the reins from Russell T. Davies and the production team made redesigns to the next series TARDIS, opening credits sequence, etc.), Tennant's long-anticipated swan song, a two-part Christmas special entitled "The End of Time" hit television screens across Britain. The subject of much hype and much speculation considering the ominous prophecy imparted to the Doctor at the conclusion of the passable "Planet of the Dead". The cryptic enigma of who would knock four times would soon be answered. But as if much of the fare that we have come to expect from RTD the premiere installment of "The End of Time" promises much but delivers little in the way of a totally coherent or inspired and original plot.

The premise focuses on the Doctor having to return to the planet earth having received a vision with the aid of the elder of the Ood, whose home planet he was visiting. A vision that concerns the resurrection of the Doctor's arch-nemesis the Master who will in some way play a part at the end of time itself which will mean the destruction of future events that the Doctor currently inhabits with his alien associates. What soon follows is a rather poorly constructed and stilted resurrection scene that utilizes the necessity of the inclusion of the Master's widowed wife Lucy Saxon (who married him when he had adopted the moniker of Harold Saxon) requiring the adage of a number of one dimensional Harold Saxon cultists as best be described who with no coherent rhyme or reason (apart from that they're devoted to their "Master") are willing to sacrifice their lives to revive the deceased Time Lord. As you might imagine things don't go according to plan (due to a rather miffed Lucy throwing a figurative spanner in the works) and things come to an end rather disastrously. But not after some mind-blowing OTT performances from all involved, yes even Simm.

The story more or less develops from there and not well as would be hoped. With the Doctor being reunited with Wilfred Mott, one of RTD's more sublime and wonderful creations, and played beautifully by the brilliant Bernard Cribbens it allows the pair to have an ingeniously acted but at times nonsensical moment (given the context of the series history) in a café. The brief moments involving former companion Donna played by comedian and actress Catherine Tate do add emotional weight to proceedings and do to a slight extent forward the plot but the whole more "spiritual" angle which RTD has rather limply applied to past stories just seems like a rather lazy method of not allowing the Doctor to use his deductive powers and discover things for himself.

On top of this is Simm's given interpretation of the Doctor's adversary and fellow Gallifreyan who believe it or not is even more maniacal and twitchy than was last seen in series three's closing episodes. Although his performance is more, fine-tuned than in his initial appearance in this episode I miss the wily sociopath who the villain was, rather than the crazed Hannibal Lecter prototype that he has been molded into. A confrontation between the two rivals within a barren London wasteland though featuring some electrifying and eye-popping special effects is reasonably well handled and allows once the dust settles for Simm to deliver a solemn, reticent performance as he eloquently mulls over his and the Doctor's past childhood on Gallifrey and what they have both become. Both actors cope with the repartee between their respective protagonists/antagonists well but unfortunately, it's a moment that is all too brief and the Master is whisked away by paid mercenaries in the employ of a potty millionaire (is there ever any other kind?) Joshua Naismith, who requires the ingenious skills of the Master for his own ends which entails the Immortality Gate, a humdrum creation by RTD which is merely a variation of the Nanogenes seen in series one's "The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances" and themselves were ripped off from an old episode of "Red Dwarf". If this isn't bad enough Naismith's need for the Master and the gate which involves his daughter Abigail,(Tracy Ifechaor in a cringe-making and lamentably artificial performance)is shallow and trite to the point of boredom.

The Vincocci, a pair of alien scavengers played by "Being Human's" Sinead Keenan and Lawry Lewin, is nicely realized by the two and do add something to the part and help move things along although it's to a rather nonsensical conclusion which isn't merely laughable and looks like something out of a bad sketch of "Monty Python's Flying Circus" not to mention it makes the inclusion of the Naismith's practically unnecessary, as they add little if anything to the plot making them nothing more than disposable, gratuitous fodder.

But as the episode comes to a close and we hear the beautifully resonant and strengthening tones of former Bond star Timothy Dalton which culminates in a spectacular although not altogether surprising reveal given a certain photo that leaked onto the internet. I couldn't help but get a tad excited as to the prospect of what the following week's concluding part might bring. But given this was Russell T. Davies who had penned this story those hopes as had been the case before could be so, rudely shattered as had ultimately my hopes for this opening morsel.

The general feeling of disappointment I've had with these specials, following the tremendous fourth season continues with this - the first half of David Tennant's swansong as the tenth Doctor.

Having visited the Ood planet and learning of their nightmares from an Ood Elder (Brian Cox), The Doctor (David Tennant) rushes to Earth as he learns of a cult resurrecting The Master (John Simm). They meet and, for the first time, The Doctor discovers that the drumming in his head, that has driven The Master to madness, is real. Before he can help, the Master is captured by Billionaire Joshua Naismith (David Harewood) who plans to use technology taken in the fall of Torchwood to grant his daughter eternal life. He wants the Master to help fix the technology, which he does, but not without rewriting it to nefarious purpose.

I suppose that, for a season finale in particular, I felt this was a bit underwhelming. I was looking forward to the Master's return but here he's a corrupted version, obsessed with eating to restore his failing regeneration energy and whilst Simm throws himself into it with his usual commitment - it's not the conniving return of the Doctors intellectual equal we might have hoped for. The visual effects for his special powers is also a bit disappointing. Harewood's Naismith isn't established enough before he's seemingly lost to the plot and whilst it's nice to see the Noble's again, they don't play that big a part.

Really perhaps, the problem is that not enough actually happens in this episode. The narration leads to a reveal, but not much actual story, and I understand that the split on these two partners is to leave The Doctor in a seemingly impossible situation at the end of the episode, before reversing it next week but the pacing of this feels off, with all of it happening in the last five minutes and it all being a bit meandering up to that point.

I keep saying in my reviews of the two-part specials that, when the first one is amazing - I shouldn't go overboard as we're only halfway through. I'm hoping that the underwhelming start is made up for in a superior conclusion.

Utterly stupid and boring episode. Most plot events made no sense at all or were incredibely cheesy (e.g. resurrection of the Master, cliffhanger ending). Symptoms of lazy writing/cheap plot.

My first viewing of Doctor Who was the season of Eggleston. He and Rose captured me immediately. When the Doctor regenerated into David Tennant I was flabbergasted and said that I wouldn't continue to watch. But I did watch. David Tennant became my favorite Dr Who.

So here we are. DT is leaving. My first instinct was to leave the Whoniverse.... But I rethought that and remembered how upset I was when Eggleston regenerated into Tennant. So I will soldier on and hope there are many other Doctors for me to love.

About this episode, I didn't enjoy it. A Christmas Special? Nothing Christmas or Special about it. It doesn't stand up against the previous Christmas Specials and wastes the talent of DT.

For me The only reason to watch was David Tennant and Wilford. Both were wonderful.

The whole world is having nightmares but not Donna's granddad Wilf. The Doctor having been called by the Ood finally returns to the Oodsphere, who make a prophecy of a return of something dark, The Master, and something bigger. The Master returns, brought back by a female cult, but Lucy intervenes, seemingly sending the Master a little crazy. The Doctor meets up with Wilf, discussing his fears after the events on Mars where he played God. Millionaire Joshua Naismith and his daughter Abigail have the Master kidnapped and bound, and try forcing him to repair a piece of technology they've discovered, the Immortality Gate, but two of Naismiths' staff are aliens wanting the machinery for their own ends. Naturally being a genius, The Master takes full advantage of the technology, turning everyone into himself, not Donna, who's placed in mortal danger.

Favourite scene possibly Wilf meeting The Doctor in the Coffee shop, it's a very touching, heartfelt scene brilliantly done by both. Wasn't it nice to see some more matures actors and actresses on show.

Plots and subplots, one seeming villain, masked by another. It's a very clever plot, cleverly written. I liked lots of it, return of Donna and Lucy (only briefly admittedly,) there's a good pace, good sense of urgency. Humour is provided by The Silver Cloak, again nice to see some older talent, June Whitfield is just delightful. Talk about joy seeing the Doctor in one of my regular coffee shops (The Kardomah) so random. Wilf and The Master are both very welcome returnees.

I absolutely detest the Master's ability to jump, shoot beams and turn part skeleton, it does not work on any level. Don't really like the Naismith characters they fail somehow. Poor John Simm, his performance cannot be faulted, but the script is not so good for him, again!! I bet he had fun making it though. WHY DID HE HAVE HIGHLIGHTS!!!!

Full of flaws but full of fun, the trailer was stunning, Gallifrey was back!!

7/10