Doctor Who (TV Series) The End of Time: Part Two (2010) User Reviews

The End of Tenure...

[Xstal · 10/10 · 10 December 2021]

Replicated all over the world, The Masters plan spread out and unfurled, but the Doctor escapes, to the skies with his mates, a crescendo about to unfold.

The end of time and all of its days, Rassillon, The Master, Gallifrey, time to reminisce, Time Lordian bliss, going out with an almighty blaze.

Allons-y Doctor Who number ten, let's hope you get to do it once again, Blink, Midnight were sublime, Rose the finest of all time, where will Moffat take eleven with his pen?

Shhh.

The End of an Era

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 9/10 · 28 March 2019]

On the one hand I think this is a hugely underrated, very high quality story but on the other hand I do not think this was quite as amazing a finale as the 10th Doctor deserved or Russell T. Davies era deserved.

This incredible era was, for MY taste, the most consistently high quality era since the Hinchcliffe & Holmes era with Tom Baker in classic Seasons 12 to 14. My ratings for the 10th Doctor's era edge ahead of any other Doctor's era, even the hugely consistent 3rd Doctor era. So it is slightly unfortunate this era comes to an end with a story that is not one of the very best.

Having treated us with stories like Midnight, Turn Left, The Stolen Earth and The Waters of Mars in his recent writing efforts, RTD seemed to slightly over extend his ideas in this story in my opinion. However, I still think it gets very overly harshly judged by some fans because I think it is actually very good.

The downsides in my view are:

A few aspects of the plot which are a bit overblown.

The Vinvocci aliens are a little bit cheesy and silly imo.

Naismith, his whole entourage and his plans are all a bit underwhelming.

The Master turning into a superpowered, super hungry monster and then turning all humans into him are entertaining but a bit over the top.

Loads in this story is of top standard though:

It is exciting, fun and emotionally strong.

It features the Doctor's great nemesis the Master and has brilliant scenes between him and the Doctor.

It has powerful aspects about the return of the Time Lords.

It has superb acting from Tennant, John Simm, Timothy Dalton and the wonderful Bernard Cribbins.

It has a mysterious cameo from Claire Bloom and a small, touching return for Catherine Tate as the great companion Donna.

It is very well produced with effects, music, direction etc all at top level.

It has some amazing dialogue, particularly between Tennant and Cribbins which are extremely moving right up to the tear-jerking regeneration scene.

All of this deserves huge praise and it shows off Davies' writing skills and Tennant's immense acting prowess.

Overall this is very high quality in most respects. While I think it falls slightly short of reaching the greatness it deserved, it is still a very strong finale.

David Tennant was, for me, one of the best Doctors with his awesome acting and emotional range. He was a joy to have as our hero.

Russell T. Davies deserves huge thanks and praise for all his excellent work in bringing the show back, making it so successful and creating so many incredible new stories for us to enjoy.

Thanks David & Russell, your era was one of the best ever.

My ratings:

Part One - 8/10 Part Two - 9/10 Overall - 8.5/10.

Hauntingly Beautiful

[borgter · 10/10 · 4 January 2010]

If you hadn't guessed it was the end of an era beforehand, Russell T Davies and his team left you in no doubt by the time the credits rolled this time. There had been promises that there wouldn't be a dry eye in the house by the episode's end, and after an epic, breathtaking hour, they'd pretty much delivered on that promise.

What I loved about the episode is, it had everything that makes Dr Who great. We've never had this: 20 minutes for a Doctor to deal with his impending demise, here though we got him visiting his former assistants, essentially saying goodbye to the Davis's era, before Moffat revamps the entire show with the new production.

He called all this his reward, but really, it was our's. This was the first outright emotional regeneration, and it deepened the process immensely. Usually, the emotions are dealt with afterwards, as the new Doctor gets used to his new body. Here, an outgoing Doctor got to face the ramifications of what was about to happen, and it was explored exceptionally well. The fiery regeneration really hammered home the violence and terrifying nature of the process. As the Doctor said in part One, it is essentially a death and rebirth. Tennant really conveyed the character's vulnerability when undergoing this transformation. He's usually had people around him for his change, but this time he was alone, which only contributed to his fear.

I loved the fact the four knocks was something as simple as Wilf trapped in a chamber all along. But it was all so wonderfully small and poignant. And what a moment: just at the moment the Doctor thought he'd survived, Wilf knocks, and The Doctor knows he is doomed. It was goosebump good.

I'd argue Wilf is the best assistant that Tennant got to travel with, as when Cribbins' tears start to roll, it takes some resolve not to well up yourself (admission: I failed). When Wilf realised his part in the Doctor's demise, it was haunting, simply because it was so brilliantly underplayed. "You're the best man I've ever met and I don't want you to die!" Kudos.

But this was David Tennant's show, and a near-80 minute exercise in just how much he's going to be missed. Tennant was always at his best in these more sombre episodes and he was magnetically brilliant here. This was a character being slowly torn apart over the course of the episode, and Tennant's eyes alone told the story. It was an amazing performance. The Doctor was torn apart long before the regeneration started, and the broken Time Lord that we first got to see properly in The Waters Of Mars was fully exposed here. Credit too for the reappearance of the Ood to sing the Doctor out. "The universe will sing you to your sleep", they said. That's just great writing.

As brilliant as the back end of it was, the hour that preceded it was far from shabby itself. Here, The Master was a little bit more measured, and it helped enormously. "What would I be without you?", the Doctor asked him, and it really felt like a proper and welcome battle of minds.

Then there was Timothy Dalton's Lord President also thrown into the mix. It wasn't an episode for villains, but Dalton was doing perfectly well – even getting over how quickly he reversed a plan that had taken The Master an episode to put together - until he was rushed to his demise.

And this does hint at the flaws in the episode. It seems churlish to criticise a piece of television I enjoyed so much, but there were a couple of niggles. The Time War has been the unexplored part of the narrative that Davies has introduced and this is the closest we've got to it being addressed. Yet it was ultimately, a side attraction and for those of us who had wondering how the Time Lords got to this point, there's an element of opportunity lost there.

While the villains did ultimately take the back seat, we got the interesting shoot out sequence with the Doctor. It was a great scene - with the tension was brilliantly amplified from the director Euros Lyn but the torture on The Doctor's face as he battled his conundrum over which way to point, was once more a testament to Tennant's acting.

Part Two was a jam-packed testament to everything Davies has done with Who. It was pure blockbuster entertainment with a hell of an emotional wallop, and some inspired plotting that dug deeply into the stories of the past four years. The bar has been left high here, and Davies is damn sure going to be missed.

I did feel a bit for Matt Smith who had to pop up in the last few minutes and open up the story of a new Doctor, a minute after we've seen such a terrific closing of another Doctor's chapter. But I'm not going to judge him based on a minute of frantic footage - He's got 13 episodes coming up, when the whole process starts again.

Instead, I'm content to sit back and applaud what I thought was a terrific episode of Doctor Who, and the end of a major era in the show's history. It's a major achievement to build up expectation levels for an episode over the course of pretty much an entire year, and then exceed them with the end result. That's precisely what's happened here and both Tennant and Davies have left some very big shoes to fill.

Over to you then, Mr Moffat and Mr Smith. We'll see you in the Spring. In the interim, I suspect The End Of Time is going to be watched a few more times yet...

"This song is ending, but the story never ends".

Not the Best Premise, but Gorgeously Executed

[Exayevie · 9/10 · 15 April 2010]

Ever since the series four finale, my biggest concern with the new Doctor Who series is that they're making things too big too fast. This is a show I hope will last for many, many, many series to come. But how long can it go on at this rate? Not even the beginning of the fifth series, and the Doctor has already faced the end of existence itself - and now, the end of time? This is BIG stuff!

The returning Time Lords answered too many questions, revealed too many secrets and layers. By the end of this episode, there are precious few overriding story arcs and long-term questions left unresolved. I can't help but wonder, what's left? The Doctor has just faced the end of time and existence themselves - how could the stakes possibly get higher? Wouldn't the return of the Time Lords be better suited for the final episode of the entire show?

Yet despite my fears that the show is burning out too quickly, this episode managed to keep me enthralled. Why? The character dimensions. And nothing shows this better than the very end. Here we have the Tenth Doctor, who through his entire existence has shown no hesitation or even concern at the thought of dying as a last resort. But faced with a prophesy of his own demise, unbelievable dimensions come in to play - the Doctor, for what seems like the first time, struggles with his own mortality. And Tennant executed it STUNNINGLY.

I could watch the very last scenes of this episode over and over and over again. Having saved the earth once again, and finding himself still alive, the Doctor shows for the first time an overwhelming appreciation for his own survival - only to discover the real meaning of the prophecy "He will knock four times, and you will die." Now, instead of himself or humanity, the Doctor is faced with the choice of saving himself or a single ordinary man. And here, the character of the Doctor breaks down in a way deeper than ever seen before. Truly and selfishly scared, he begins to say things you would never suppose the Doctor to say.

"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. IT'S NOT FAIR!"

If you don't feel your heart breaking in that scene, you might not have one. And even the last words of this Doctor, who had spent his entire existence ready to go at any moment, were a testament to his own mortality, and (to what extent the phrase could apply) his human nature – "I don't want to go."

Whatever you feel about the return of the Time Lords, about Gallifrey and the Master, or any other part of the episode, there is no denying that the end of the Tenth Doctor was truly, heart-rendingly, exceptionally executed.

The day the time lords return.. and a devastating goodbye.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 30 August 2015]

The Master has literally become everyone, and Donna is in mortal danger, having been the only person, apart from the Doctor, Wilf and the two Vinvocci not to change. On a devastated Gallifrey The Lord President talks to the high council, the Visionary sees their imminent destruction, but in defiance The Lord President refuses to give up and seeks a return, and uses a device through the Master. The Doctor, Wilf and Vinvocci escape into deep space, and the Master links up to hear the the sound the Timelords had sent him and the link. The Doctor returns in the ship and breaks into The Naismith House where the Master is based, but the Master has started to bring Gallifrey through, and a desperate battle begins.

The Visionary was awful, like that silly woman back in The Ribos Operation, otherwise the return of Gallifrey was very good.

Timothy Dalton was very strong as The Lord President, such a commanding performance, hugely charismatic.

Catherine Tate is not given enough screen time, although the ending is a satisfying one for her, it was also nice to see the forth Doctor's crew get a final moment.

Bernard Cribbins is utterly glorious once again, Wilf has been such a lovable character, it's great we learn so much more about his character, what a cruel twist of fate..

The first part was a bit hit and miss, this was much better. I was delighted to see the return of Gallifrey and the time lords, they were particularly well realised. John Simm has had a much better script, way better in Part 2. Tennant is truly magical, he has given one of the best ever performances, from the scenes with Wilf at the start to the devastating ending. The ending itself is truly phenomenal, talk about epic and heartbreaking, THE moment made me go cold, and what of the Master? it's no surprise Missy was a bit miffed! 9/10

One unanswered question, was the woman in white the Doctor's mother or a weeping Angel? Or both, how he looked at Sylvia and Donna, a clue?

Beautiful conclusion to an awkward final chapter for the Tenth Doctor

[DJPilkington · 8/10 · 20 March 2019]

As a collective whole, "The End of Time" is a very difficult piece of work to review. The story is overall very weird and disjointed, but scattered throughout it are some of the most amazingly beautiful, epic and well-acted sequences in the entire series. The story is controversial for many other reasons, particularly among hardcore 'Whovian' purists, but it has left a magnanimous impact on British pop culture for good reason.

The Master has successfully enacted his plan to transform the entire human race into copies of himself (the "Master Race"), but his plan is quickly dwarfed when the Time Lords make their grand return back into the universe in a desperate bid to escape the Time War; the Tenth Doctor has to come to terms with the fact that this adventure will surely be his last. Tonally, Part 2 is still quite messy like Part 1. The silly cactus-like Vinvocci are rather artificial comic relief in an otherwise sombre episode and serve little narrative purpose besides getting the Doctor and Wilfred off-world to plan their counterattack. Overall, though, they don't distract too much from the drama and seriousness of the story.

There's some other plot oddities that are quite hard to take seriously. One of the main omens for the Time Lords' return is when Rassilon throws a piece of jewellery at a hologram of Earth, somehow making it crash as a meteor on the real Earth. How the hell does that work? Surely the time-lock would've prevented that? Whatever. Also Donna not having her memories restored after Russell blatantly baited with the possibility is a bitter missed opportunity.

But the emotional centre of the story is still the Doctor and his relationship with Wilfred, and oh boy do their interactions in this episode pack tearful wallop after wallop. Tennant and Cribbins make for an unlikely duo but both are absolutely on top form here. I'm still at a loss for words as to how amazingly written, acted and scored the scenes with them together are. A memorable scene midway through the episode where Wilfred desperately tries to convince the Doctor to take his gun is one of the only pieces of media that you can use to make me cry on command.

I love the contrast between the feeling of epic scope and this tight, character focused drama. There's not so much action and explosions (though there certainly are a few) as past finales, and the climactic "battle" comes down to three old aliens having a Mexican standoff in a mansion. This episode simultaneously reveals a lot about the Time War while also keeping enough details to the imagination, making it all seem larger than we can comprehend.

Many people like to characterise the Doctor in this episode as whiny and angsty for his anxiety over the possibility of regenerating -- he equates it with death, as his current self ceases to exist while a new man with a new personality goes sauntering off. Fans point out how much more dignified previous Doctors were in their regeneration stories, but the Tenth Doctor has consistently been portrayed as more emotional or "too human" for his own good, as well as quite vain and prone to struggling with temptation. Like it or lump it, it's just how it is.

But honestly, David Tennant's performance during his sacrifice scene is nothing short of outstanding. People make fun of the impotent dribbling and thrashing about as he curses his fate, but that's the point -- there's no question about whether or not the Doctor will sacrifice himself to save Wilfred, but he's sick of the inevitability of it. The look on his face when he hears Wilfred's ominous knocking conveys everything there is to know about who the Doctor is -- this was the moment he truly died, not when he went into the radiation chamber. It's enviably genius direction.

Last but not least, there's the controversial ending montage of the Doctor visiting past companions and allies. It may be self-indulgent as it's almost exclusively Russell T. Davies' characters, but I think it's a nice farewell to an era that viewers around the world cherished. Martha and Mickey getting married offscreen despite barely knowing each other is surely a WTF moment, though.

Overall, "The End of Time" is a mixed bag, but the outstanding individual scenes in this part in particular more than make up for it.

Simply...wow.

[schooledge · 10/10 · 6 January 2010]

Laughed, cried, and cheered.

Everyone who loves The Doctor has an actor who endeared this character to them. I could never get on board with The Doctor as a kid due to the poor production value but once I heard it was coming back with today's technology I couldn't wait. We can argue back and forth about Who's the best (pun intended) but it will always be a subjective battle of personal experience and opinion. My first was and will always be David Tennant. Christopher was great, no question, but David took us with him... It pains me to know he is now in Hollywood among the average and over-rated. I wish you luck there (as you deserve more than waiting rooms and screen tests) and hope your past will help you through the cold reality of Los Angeles and its executives who still think Who was your characters last name... At the very least, you'll be able to afford to learn to surf in your spare time! David, to me, you were, and always will be the actor who brought The Doctor to life for me, job well done sir....

As soon as the final episode was over I took a breath, a short leak, and started watching it again. Thank you Mr. Davies, you have made my imagination find whole new worlds and given me the most amazing television escape of my life to date...I know this sounds a little over-board and over zealous but in my opinion you and your staff have done the stories proud...

For all the haters out there, I challenge you to equal the journey that these men carried us over the past few years. Sure, there were lows, but we live in a time where more people know Paris Hilton than where Paris, France is so kudos to you for staying the course and keeping the fire burning...

Now if only I had kids so that I could make it through Seasons Two and Three of Sarah Jane to fill in the story gaps of my mind...

More Timothy Dalton

[somercet · 9/10 · 3 March 2018]

There's an old science fiction trope about time travel, that only *one* species at a time may possess it, since another group of time travelers will simple go back in time and wipe out the first group.

Eventually, there can be only one.

R. T. Davies actually proposes a new wrinkle to this idea: if you can't travel to the Past and defeat the Time Lords, you can travel to the Future end of time and extinguish all they had hoped to create, or preserve.

Fortunately Davies shunts less of Part Two's script into risible action scenes (jumping out of a flying vehicle, through a skylight, and onto a marble floor? With no broken bones? Phwa) instead of the Last Time War he created for the Ninth Doctor. Timothy Dalton's Rassilon (think of the phrase, "Alt-Right Time Lord") Is a treat; it's too bad Davies is so intent on tearing down Time Lords, instead of addressing issues like war, the Spenglerian life-cycle of Culture, and mortality.

I was also amused at how Sinêad Keenan's blue eyes stood out in the green Vinvocci make-up. I don't normally notice eye color, but the combination was quite striking.

Wilfred Mott

[brianirwin-72979 · 10/10 · 23 July 2022]

Spectacular close to the 2 parter. A lot of highs but can we all agree that Wilfred Mott is one of the best characters in the series!? Love the character and role he had in these episodes.

In The Words Of The Master..."This Should Be...Spectacular"

[nahid_h · 10/10 · 1 January 2010]

And Ohh Boy Was It The Most Amazing Ending Episode For A Doctor I Have Ever Seen!! This is the ending of all endings, this is the way a Doctor should go out and who else but the man himself, David Tennant.

What a performance by David Tennant, even thought this whole episode showed him in his agony of knowing he is about to die and still being able to give us those laughing moments.

The Master played brilliantly by John Simm was a massive build up, the whole way throughout he was the bad guy and right at the end he gave his life to destroy the returning Time Lords. The Lord President gave a performance that will be remained in the Doctor Who History books.

The Precise moment when the Doctor, the man who would never use a gun, picks up that gun from Wilfred and has a major plan, that is sequence brilliantly with the Doctor handling a ship and boy was it a good action sequence.

When The Doctor has his moment with Wilfred, well,simply put, it may well have been the best performance made by both men in Doctor Who, maybe ever!! The ending was simply superb, when The Doctor meets all his old companions, Martha, Micky, His Girlfriend back in the episodes "Human Nature & The Family Of Blood", and he also met his love Rose but she didn't know who he was and all fitting to the Ood, who predicted his prophecy, giving him a song fitting just before his regeneration in to Doctor No.11 (Played By Matt Smith) and what a regeneration, The whole TARDIS is in disaster mode, and is crashing and the new Doctor shouting "Geronimo" and waves into the last ending for the Tenth Doctor, & The new beginning of The Eleventh Doctor.

DOCTOR WHO's (The End of Time) was AWESOME

[shannaraazsunner · 2 January 2010]

Russell T. Davies wrote an excellent script. Some nice twists and shocking turns.

John Simm's performance as The Master was incredible. From his performance as the bad guy to his tears and sacrificing his-self for the Doctor. Or was it also out of vengeance for what the Timelords did to him?

Bernard Cribbins was outstanding. Wilfred Mott's adventure with the Doctor was very emotional.

Loved the Doctor's line "FIXED THE HEATING". As always fixing what's broken and off to saving the day. With a cool action scene following.

David Tennant had me in tears the last 20 minutes of the show. With his sacrifice in saving Wilfred to saying his farewells to all his friends was heartbreaking.

Then the Ood singing the Doctor's Song. I was rolled in a ball, gasping in tears.

The tears came harder when the Doctor uttered his last words before he regenerated.

The incredible regenerating scene with the TARDIS exploding inside and spiraling back to Earth on fire.

Lastly, Matt Smith had me laughing at the end.

It was genius from the writing, directing, acting and music. AWESOME!

Very nice send off for David Tennant and Russell T. Davies.

Typical RTD Times Squared

[Theo Robertson · 4/10 · 3 January 2010]

I really enjoyed the first part of The End Of Time . My initial reaction was that my parents enjoyed it too . My mother did confess later that she didn't like it much and my dad spent the broadcast of this episode doing something else which probably speaks volumes . After seeing this finale I would probably have been somewhat doubly embarrassed watching it with both my parents . My mother later told me she'd have rather played Mafia Wars on her PC than watch the show . I couldn't't blame her . This is a major disappointment after what had gone before and it can all be laid at the door of Russell T Davies

The whole tone of the structure veers all over the place . One scene such as the Shimmer creatures feels it's written for 5 year olds then we get a sometimes touching human drama scene followed by TRANSFORMERS type action sequences . Unfortunately after 20 minutes your head will be spinning as to what all this adds up to . Donna expends psychic energy from her body , Gallifrey appears above Earth , The Doctor threatens to shoot The Master and Rassilon but at no point do we get credible explanations for all this . Every drama must have have its own reality but with something as far fetched as this its own reality must be even more important . There is none so it falls apart as drama

There are some good elements . Bernard Cribbins gives a touching performance whilst Timothy Dalton is quite simply superb as Lord Rassilon . The unfortunate thing about this is how terrible they show everyone else to be . Simms changes from entertaining camp to irritating camp and Tennant leaves little impression which is unforgivable as it's his swansong from the show

There is a massive goodbye sequence that makes the ending of RETURN OF THE KING appear as a blink and you'll miss it moment which will undoubtedly satisfy the show's younger/teenage fans but for older and more cynical fans will come as no surprise since we're used to RTD's writing . It goes on and on and is rather cheesy and self indulgent , Thankfully since RTD has left we can perhaps look forward to more subtle season finales

The big showpiece is the regeneration sequence so I'll be reserving judgment until I've seen more of Matt Smith but so far I've not been too impressed . More shouty moments and a catchphrase of " Geronimo " and the BBC trailer seems to show we'll be seeing lots of running about , Doctor snogging companion , and things blowing up . Let's hope they've shown all the bad bits . I can see however The End Of Time becoming the point when many audience members will claim it's the last time they really enjoyed the show

A Fitting Conclusion to the Tennant/Davies Era of "Doctor Who."

[1stbrigade · 10/10 · 2 January 2010]

In 2005, with huge attention from the media and the general public, "Doctor Who" returned to television, with Executive Producer/Head Writer Russell T. Davies at the helm, and with Christopher Eccleston in the lead role of the Doctor. Eccleston left after one season, handing the keys to the TARDIS over to David Tennant. For three regular seasons, and five specials between 2008 and 2010, the show reached the height of its popularity, even once reaching the top of the ratings for the first time in its 46-year history. But as with all good things, they never last. And with "The End of Time, Part Two," we see the end of the Tennant/Davies era of the series. And was it a worthwhile end? You'd better believe it! The episode delivered everything expected of a finale: excitement, humor, and strong storytelling delivered by a first-rate cast. From the first moments of the Time Lords plotting their return, to the final moment when David Tennant regenerates into Matt Smith, every moment fits perfectly into this epic conclusion to a two-part story. Kudos must definitely go out to David Tennant, who has delivered an incredible final performance as the Doctor, showing a real depth to the character that's so brilliant, we'll definitely miss him in the role. John Simm as always delivers a strong performance as the Master, and Bernard Cribbins is always wonderful as Wilfred Mott. Timothy Dalton was also fantastic as the Time Lord President Rassilon, delivering a chilling character that rivals that of the Master. What made this one memorable is how the Doctor chooses to save Wilfred's life by sacrificing his own, and then goes to make sure all of his extended "family," Martha and Mickey, Sarah Jane and Luke Smith, Captain Jack, Donna and her family are all alright, and to see Rose one more time, before regenerating for the tenth time. It definitely was a finale that brought tears to my eyes, as we said farewell to the man that has defined the character of the Doctor for this generation as Tom Baker did for his. But now, we can look forward to a new era, as Steven Moffat takes over as head writer and executive producer, and Matt Smith comes on board as the Eleventh Doctor. Based on his brief introduction here, we're in for quite a ride. A wonderful finale to this era of "Doctor Who." Now, on to the next. Allons-y! Grade: A+

Doctor Who - The End of Time Part 2

[Scarecrow-88 · 9/10 · 3 January 2015]

The last hurrah (so to speak) of Tennant's tenure as the Doctor has him against a great deal of difficulty. The Time Lords, led by Timothy Dalton's Lord President, plan to return through a link that can be provided by John Simm's The Master, thanks in part to a white diamond "star" applied to the Vinvocci "medical device". Describing plots for Doctor Who often make me giggle. Anyway, the Doctor must deal with a psychopathic, unhinged Master who had previously transformed all of the planet into his likeness, with his consciousness. Donna attains "a part of the Doctor" which keeps her from suffering a similar fate. Wilfred gets to tag along with the Doctor and through his own dignity and integrity (what he has experienced, his stories, are an inspiration to the Doctor who totally understands why he continues to defend and protect mankind as he has for so long) is quite a significant ingredient in how the "man in the blue box" is able to summon strength and make specific decisions that will possibly halt bloodshed and end their conflict with a different resolution than death. Naismith's mansion, notably where the Vinvocci medical device is located, is primarily where a brunt of the plot takes place, besides the Vinvocci spaceship orbiting earth. The "Green Cacti" alien Vinvocci duo "disguised as human" to be a part of the Naismith team kept their ship in orbit and it helps the Doctor contemplate what his next move needs to be as Wilfred provides some support most helpful. Dalton provides his typical gusto and robust delivery as this towering leader of a unique alien race the Doctor and The Master derive from. Simm, with his hyperactive mania, teeters between genius and madness, see-sawing between devoting himself to the Time Lords' cause and trying to understand how their mission would either hinder or help him. And the Doctor, with a gun provided by Wilfred, standing between both the Lord President and The Master, with the fate of mankind hanging in the balance. Of course, the Doctor, when all seems to be hinging on what he does with a pistol, he makes the exactly correct decision few, if any, would be able to. Following the conclusion of the storyline involving Gallifrey (the Time Lords' planet, it coming through the "link" like the aliens who live on it) as Earth and its humankind face extinction, Tennant gets a chance to help characters during the time his Doctor was involved with them during his era as the Time Lord. He gets to rescue Wilfred, who had put himself in a booth that was loaded with radiation during the Time Lord standoff, and interfere positively in the lives of those he truly cared for. Tennant's realization that his time is over as a much beloved character (and he himself much beloved as the character) was about to end is quite palpable and emotionally potent indeed. A fine send off to one of the all time greats to play the popular sci-fi character. Seeing Donna's marriage and bidding goodbye to Wilfred one last time (and dropping off a nice present for her) before his transformation into Matt Smith allows the Doctor closure. The impending knowledge that your time is up even though you don't want to leave is really constant throughout this, especially at the end. While one song ends, another story is far from over. Matt Smith's emergence, as if a gung-ho rodeo-rider taking in excitedly the adventures ahead, really stamp his entire three year tenure as the Doctor just ahead. Tennant's work with Ribbins in their scenes together--as in the previous episode--are poignant and heartfelt.

Christmas Special 2009: A bit too much "it goes up to 11" about it, but Tennant's performance makes it work while the effects, plot and noise keep it entertaining (spoilers)

[bob the moo · 3 January 2010]

With the success of the reinvention of Doctor Who (in particular the seasons with Tennant in the title role) there was always going to be a lot of pressure on this double bill to deliver a suitable climax so that fans can go away content and get on with the business of wringing their hands over the selection of a twelve year old child as the new Doctor. With this in mind it is perhaps understandable that everything about it is as "big" as it is, because not only does this have to satisfy the requirements of being the BBC's Christmas "must-see" special but it is also concluding this successful period for the show. While this broadly works I will be honest that at times I would have liked it not to have put everything up to 11 for the majority of the show simply because it did seem to have too much going on and a lot of noise in doing it.

The return of the Master is the subject of the first half, building to the release of the Time Lords and the end of time in the second. All of this provides the big noisy spectacle and global-extinction level threat that is required for this type of thing and in that regard it does work. It does all happen very quickly though and nothing has very long to build particularly. The threat of The Master hardly has time to sink in before we have Time Lords turning up and again they are dealt with reasonably quickly. It is entertaining enough and quite exciting but it didn't ever have enough in the way of substance to make me care about it so much as just enjoy watching it as the spectacle that it was. The plot itself is generally a bit messy as well because of it having too much kicking around. There are things we are not meant to understand/know mixed in with things that we should know if we have been watching and remembering every episode of New Who, then there are things that don't totally make sense – all of these come together in a way where it is not the easiest to follow. Adults and fans should not struggle too much but I did wonder for the younger viewers what they would be able to make of it.

This "up to 11" effect also impacts on the smaller moments because again there is this pressure to have an "end of an era" effect rather than just a season of a television show coming to an end. This means that we have lots of loops being completed, connections being made etc as the Doctor goes round checking on his companions etc and although some of these are good, it did feel unnecessary and a bit overblown in terms of getting emotion from the viewer. Tennant is rewarded though with a couple of scenes where he actually gets to act (as opposed to doing a "solemn stare" like he normal has to do) and he is moving when he gets the chance. Likewise his scene with Wilfred (when the "he will knock four times" prophecy is given a brilliantly impacting reveal) is great and to me was more engaging that all of the bigger special effects moments. Tennant will undoubtedly be missed from this show. Although this conclusion is a reminder that the material didn't use him well enough often enough, he is a good actor and he has delivered when enabled to do so. The role is his and one does have to feel a little bit for the massive job that Matt Smith has in carrying this on – a job not helped by him looking like he would be more at home representing his public school at a polo match than in the Tardis.

The supporting cast is good. I've never really cared for Donna or her extended family, but Cribbins is on good form here and works well with Tennant in the moments where the special effects stop and it is just the two of them. Simm has a great old time as The Master and although he is working right at the end of "good ham" he never tips over it into bad ham; not sure why we had to have him flying everywhere but his performance was good. Dalton is a good addition in theory but he suffers from the "too much going on" problem because he never has a chance to be more than a "famous face doing a stern presence" type performance and as a result he doesn't carry a lot of threat or weight – doesn't help that his scenes appear to have been shot in a conference room with really thick curtains. Tate does her thing but I'm not sure what possible value June Whitfield added to proceedings. Everyone else is not particularly great and there is a prevalence of so-so acting below the top two or three names, but special mention should go to Ifeachor (the PM's daughter), because she is surprisingly wooden considering she is part of the RSC.

The End of Time is still a good double special though. It comes with the usual noisy effects and excitement and global threats that you expect from the Christmas specials but also does its best to draw an emotional close to the era of Tennant as Dr Who. It does suffer from having too much going on and this constant feeling that everything is being pushed to be as big and as meaningful as possible, which does hurt it to a certain degree but Tennant's performance helps it a lot and the rest of the noise and energy helps keep the viewer from losing interest in it. Not as great as I had hoped perhaps but still a good conclusion and certainly better than some of the specials leading up to this point.

So much life and warmth in the Doctor's death!

[kate1138 · 10/10 · 3 January 2010]

Oh my. I had expected this to be ... maybe a little over the top as IMO sometimes RTD would get in season finals and Christmas specials. But no! This episode is great, it's RTD at his best.

It's hard to believe that an episode about death has so much life and heart and warmth in it. I love that the Doctor chooses to die for Wilf. He didn't die for grander things like saving the earth/universe/existence/time itself - he is simply on top of those. He died because of 'unimportant' ones that he loves.

At first I didn't like the idea of Wilf being the Companion in the Doctor's last episode. But when he gets all excited seeing earth from space, and then wonders about his late wife, he simply won all my heart.

I love the way the Doctor dies. He died gracefully. He had time to see all those he loved - he deserves that! I love that Russell T. Davis chooses to write the death of the Doctor in this way.

This is a really sad and heart warming episode! It had me crying and laughing all through. A proper farewell to David Tennant and Russell T. Davis himself.

While loving this ep so much, it gives me a slight worry over Steven Moffat and Matt Smith. The Moff obviously writes clever stories. But I realized that the core of my love for Doctor Who lies in the spirit in Russell T. Davis' writings, which all showed in the final episode! However, it seems RTD is very comfortable in handling over to Moff and also optimistic about Matt Smith. So I trust that the Whoniverse is still in good hands. It's a real treat to be a Who fan.

Brilliant!

[Franz24 · 10/10 · 3 January 2010]

After seeing the fantastic first part of 'The End of Time', I couldn't wait for Part Two. Now after seeing part two, I know that my waiting is rewarded.

The episode itself is written fantastic, it starts great, in the middle there's one or two minutes that are a bit less interesting, but that doesn't matter anymore after seeing the FANTASTIC ending, I'll not spoil it for you, but RTD did an awesome job here, it couldn't be better.

I hope RTD will continue with Torchwood, after finishing writing for Doctor Who, and maybe write once in a while another DW episode.

I recommend this special to everyone!

A Sadly (But Nobly) Prophetic Titling ...

[RixPersonal · 10/10 · 3 January 2010]

... and no, that's no spoiler, as even my pug was aware this was the Tenth Doctor's last show, and that he wouldn't be taking all of Time itself with him.

That said, if David HAD to go, this was a warm and very well-written vehicle for his departure. For our last viewing, we saw many of the best facets of the Tenth Doctor's character played with a true Master's style (pun intended) ... his boundless energy always on display in the darkest of moments ... the self-sacrificial placing of his own being into the dangerous place on the planet ... wrestling with his own soul, back and forth between having to kill one of the anti-heroes or the other to save the day, and coming to a conclusion he could be at peace with - even if he thought he only needed that peace for a short time ... the cascade of emotions at having survived one crisis only to face the bitterness of having his own sense of rightness force him into making yet another sacrifice.

All of these, portrayed with a natural skill that let the Doctor's fans laugh, cheer, suffer and grieve with his fortunes and his fate, without the inconsistencies that, in a lesser effort, would simply drop the viewer back into just watching an actor playing a character in a story.

And from there ... well, no other Doctor has ever had so much time between his mortal injury and his regeneration ... and he made use of it to visit and smooth the way for those he cared for through his life. Martha Smith-Jones' situation seemed a bit contrived (where was her doctor? and running from a "dumpling"?), and I missed Jenny ("The Doctor's Daughter"), but overall, it was a fine demonstration of how a Time Lord sees the universe (as he had explained to Donna at Pompeii), as he arrived at a nexus of destiny in each life he visited.

Bernard Cribbins was just the right Companion that The Doctor needed at each step along the way (and just the WRONG one, at one certain critical juncture!), and John Simm's damaged Master was a dark delight, carrying the story forward from one crux to the next. Subtle nuances made it easy to see Claire Bloom as The Doctor's mother ... even if the cast listing didn't make that clear. And Timothy Dalton's Time Lord showed a clear difference between the ills inflicted by the damaged and diseased mind of The Master, and the absolute destruction that could be conceived and executed by a truly evil and psychopathic leader, corrupted by his power in a massive war to the point that he was no longer concerned about the effects of his "Ultimate Sanction", only about his ability to change the destiny of so many ...

It was a fine story for Russell Davies to make his swan song, leaving a set of massive shoes for Steven Moffat to attempt to fill. And that with a newly-decanted Eleventh Doctor in Matt Smith, who will have some very spacious Converse sneakers of his own to inhabit. They will have to make a massive splash of attention-arresting story and style to go on from where the iconic team of Davies and Tennant have left us ... and for all our sakes, I wish them good luck.

And finally, on another tangent, one comment about an earlier review. One should always stop to think before making authoritative pronouncements ... A Time Lord has (as once noted) a total of twelve regenerations in the extended arc of his full life. David Tennent was the Tenth Doctor, which means that The Doctor had gone through nine (9) regenerations before his Doctor saw the light of day. We can add another to his total for the regenerative energies used by him in "Journey's End" to both recuperate without fully regenerating, and for the partial regeneration of his surplus hand (up to a full human). Add in the one that hands off the body from David to Matt, and we end up with a total of eleven (11). Which means that Matt will not be the last Doctor, at least not on Gallifreyan extra-biological grounds ... because that body's still got (at least) another change coming.

That said, I can hardly wait to see the new Doctor's style ... "Geronimo!" made me cringe, but a buzzword doesn't define a character ... does it?

Was a good ending to the 10th Doctor

[Neko_Cat · 9/10 · 5 January 2010]

End of Time was a fabulous ending to the 10th doctor. I thought it was well done. There were aspects I didn't like, but there was far more I did like. I'm not going to nitpick it to death. If you watched the previous seasons, if you've seen all the episodes, sit back, watch the show and enjoy it for what it is.

What I will say is it could have been longer. I feel it was wrapped up too quickly, the story seemed rushed. Davies put too much story in a condensed amount of time so it all happened at once. He depended on the viewer to keep up. I think most will but if he took his time, allowed more to happen, less facial expression, less immediate intensity, more Galifrey, more story behind the Timelords (he said very quickly explained these Timelords, the rest is inferred), it could have been far better. Timothy Dalton did a fabulous job as the President, I can't think of anyone else preforming in that role, he could have used more screen time, hence, longer show.

All in all, I will be watching it again, 5 or 600 more times. Bernard Cribbins did very well, I always saw him as a Donna back up, but seeing him as a Doctor side kick was surprising. I miss Donna and to finally hear the Doctor say she is his best friend is a closure.

Watch it, enjoy it, don't knit-pick it. Have fun with it. Time to see what Matt Smith can do with the role.

Farewell Daved Tennant

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 2 January 2010]

After a successful run it is time for David Tennant to step down from his role as The Doctor, but not before he has saved the world from his own race: The Time Lords.

In this second part to the story we learn why The Master hears a constant beat of the drums and how the Time Lords communicate with him so they can escape from their temporal prison without realising they planned to end time. Meanwhile after escaping from The Master, The Doctor and Wilf find themselves teleported to an orbiting spacecraft belonging to the green aliens we first saw in episode one. With The Master in control of the Earth's defences getting back to Earth to prevent the return of the Time Lords will not be easy, and once back the price will be high for this incarnation of The Doctor.

While I don't think this was quite as good as part one it was still a good episode and it was nice to see him get a chance to see the people he worked with over the years one last time. I thought the Time Lords looked like camp extras from the 1980 version of "Flash Gordon" a feeling which was heightened by having Timothy Dalton playing the leader of the Time Lords, that said he did a great job in the roll as did John Simm in his role as The Master.

After three seasons as The Doctor is is a shame to see David Tennant leave the roll which he made his own in a way that no actor since Tom Baker, Matt Smith certainly has some large shoes to fill and I look forward to seeing what he will make of the role.

The End of Time: Part Two

[MrFilmAndTelevisionShow · 9/10 · 5 April 2021]

A spectacular end to this two parter, to the five special episodes, to David Tennant's Doctor. Farewell ten you will be missed, hello eleven I cannot wait!

Another victim of RTD putting spectacle ahead of coherence

[The-Last-Prydonian · 2/10 · 23 March 2010]

After its opening episode failed to impress, part two of "The End of Time" I hoped would have much more to offer. What with the closing moments of Part 1 heralding the long-awaited return of the Time Lords in an aesthetically glorious and bombastic cliffhanger. The result that I yearned for was unfortunately not what I had hoped it might have been. The upshot is that "The End of Time" proceeded on its downward trajectory. Self-indulgent and lacking the basic remnants of a coherent plot it's a story that is a victim of RTD's determination to pull out all the stops and afford David Tennant the right to a colossal send-off. Putting spectacle ahead of coherence it also feels like a self-congratulatory pat on the back by Davies who was quitting the series as its executive producer to pass the torch on to renowned writer Steven Moffat. Fairly large in its ambitions but small in logic the Welsh writer/executive producer has become a victim of his own success. It has become patently obvious that resurrecting the Doctors own people who he long thought dead is an obligatory conceit and that he had waited to unleash upon his audience at the last moment. The mechanism of their return to be fair, although contrived functions well on its own. However, with RTD at the helm, it follows that he adds one strand to the plot which within the context of the narrative leaves one of the numerous gaping plot holes. Not to mention that when we are initially reintroduced to the Time Lords it quickly becomes apparent that they have been reduced to becoming third-rate pantomime villains with former James Bond actor Timothy Dalton leading the charge as the malevolent and determined Lord President. An antagonist whose exact personae aren't made clear until nearer the episode's conclusion and which then feels like a shamefully gratuitous, obliging nod to the show's past.

The entrance of the Time Lords also comes at the expense of one major plot line established in Part one. After setting up the building blocks he took the time to construct, he unconscionably wipes the slate clean utilizing an all too accessible plot device which just feels tired and lazy. Leaving a somewhat bemused-looking John Simm here once more as the crazed arch rival the Master who has been reduced to being a disposable plot device rather than a major threat. In the place of the previous plot, we're left with a supposed Time Lord stratagem which in essence and application makes zero sense as to the motive behind it. A victim it may be of RTD once More attempting to mold a clumsily constructed analogy of his views on religion.

Nevertheless, the performances on display are of the highest order. David Tennant pours out his soul and gives a heart-wrenching performance as the Doctor, whose "song" is coming to an end. Although in context with previous incarnations of the protagonist his gnashing of teeth and wailing at the injustices of his symbiotic "death" seem rather undignified for the man who has gazed into the gaping black hole with more restrained fortitude. Bernard Cribbens is once more effortlessly endearing as the Doctor's pseudo-companion the charming Wilfred Mott who combines wisdom, compassion, and valor in another breathtaking performance. Dalton soldiers on the best he can with the questionable material he has been given and does manage to evoke some menace as the Lord President while John Simm is more than competent as the twisted, psychotic Master who is not at fault for how the villain's personae, has been left devoid of the more rational, charming unprincipled villain audiences had become accustomed when Roger Delgado first took up the part in the early 1970s. The rest of the cast which includes Catherine Tate reprising her role as former companion Donna Noble, Jacqueline King as her mother Sylvia as well as Sinead Keenan and Lawry Lewin as the alien Vinvocci add solid support. However, neither they nor the primary actors can save the whole sorry farrago drowning in a sea of overindulgent ineptitude, leaving it wallowing in a pool of absurdity. What with a daredevil Doctor plummeting god knows how many feet from a Vinvocci spaceship and through a sky-glass, rising relatively uninjured to an overdrawn finale where the Doctor visits those select companions and acquaintances he has known throughout his tenth life. Another conceit simply feels like a convenient excuse to have John Barrowman, Billie Piper, Freema Agyeman, and Elizabeth Sladen ET AL. Make obligatory cameos.

As for the final revelation as to he who will "...knock four times" to RTD's limited credit, it does come as an astonishing and less overwhelmingly grand twist and nicely opens the way toward Tennant's final farewell. And with him emotively uttering his final words and expressing his unwilling-less to depart us the entrance of a new Doctor is heralded. After the flashy, eye-pleasing light show is over and we're left with a wavy fringed, manic, befuddled-looking Matt Smith who yells the now requisite catchphrase "Geronimo!", I'm left with a feeling of uncertainty as to what the future will bring. For not only are we welcoming a new Doc at the TARDIS console but a new executive producer in Steven Moffat. But with a Dalek, the return of the weeping Angels, the now confirmed reports of the Cybermen resurfacing as well as the Silaurians, the Great Vampire and UNIT. It might be a little too chock full of old ideas but still fun.

Over to you Mr Moffat

[simonrobertrussell · 2 January 2010]

Someone ought to remind Mr Davies that sometimes 'less is more'. I am a huge fan of Dr Who and have been since the early 70's, I have also loved most of what Russell has done to make the new Doctor Who such a success after the abysmal 80's - but quite simply, this was not good. SORRY ( as Russell would have the Doctor say, repeatedly ).

The whole re-generation thing is a UNIQUE plot device that should be used to great dramatic effect - it exists nowhere else, you want to replace Kirk, then launch a new starship and crew, you want a new Mulder ( let's not go there ).

This is what should have happened - he saves the world, defeats the Timelords and gives The Master his release ( John Simm - you are the greatest actor of my generation ). He then faces the ultimate sacrifice. He dies ( regenerates ) with Wilfred and Donna by his side.

Oh no. Russell draws out the whole thing by an eon and drags the dramatic tension from a level of 10 down to a lukewarm 2 ( watch an episode of Eastenders to see what I am talking about ).

If you thought the multiple endings of Lord Of The Rings were bad enough, then put on the kettle, sit back and get ready to WAIT.

Just get it done.

I was hoping for edge of my seat tension, I was hoping for the emotion of Spock's death in Star Trek II, I was hoping for the shock of Blake's 7s final moments.

I was bored.

A tearful goodbye to the tenth Doctor

[dkiliane · 9/10 · 11 March 2019]

Now this is how you end an era! Picking up right where part one leaves off we have a story for the ages. The Doctor's escape is exciting and is a bit of a last humorous hurrah before the epic conclusion gets going with a more serious tone.

And epic it is! Dodging missiles in a spaceship in true Milennial Falcon fashion, the return of the Timelords, the Doctor's Impossible choice between them and the Master, the Master's subsequent revenge on the Timelords and the twist fulfillment of the "4 knocks" prophecy is thrilling from start to finish.

Still a slight amount of camp with the missile scene and the Master becoming the human population but truly entertaining nonetheless. Wonderful standout performances by David Tennant, Bernard Cribbins, and even John Simms (who finally nails the tone of the Master just right by the end).

And our final goodbye to the tenth Doctor is done with aplomb, also giving us a final farewell to beloved characters from the RTD era of Doctor Who. 9.5/10

A great send-off

[jagaroth · 8/10 · 2 January 2021]

This is a review for The End of Time Parts One and Two. Recently I rewatched all the Christmas Specials in preparation for the new Revolution of the Daleks. I used to and still do think that The End of Time is overrated but that doesn't mean it's not good. There are many aspects that make this story amazing: David Tennant's performance throughout (no matter what emotion he portrays, he hits the nail on the head every time), Bernard Cribbins being the best companion-that-never-was of all time, Donna and Sylvia just being Donna and Sylvia, the majority of John Simm's performance, Rossiter and Adams being the most human aliens ever, The Master's plan being mental but brilliant, the cyclical structure of The Doctor's visit to the Ood-Sphere and his final meeting with Ood Sigma, The Doctor visiting all his old friends ... Sure, there are flaws: The Time Lords are disappointing to say the least, Tommo and Ginger cannot act, and it's obviously padded in parts, but, its glorious. Its a fitting end for The Doctor that we were all going to miss.