There are times when I think I've become a cynical old bastard, but there are times when I realise (due to my great delight I can assure you) that I still retain the child within me and it is there bubbling to get out and be impressed and delighted by the world around me.
Tonight's episode of Doctor Who was the most sentimental, most cloyingly upbeat happy piece of television broadcast in a long time - and I loved every single moment of it. Oh yes, I went teary-eyed when the goodbyes were said; I applauded when K-9 appeared; I cheered when the Doctor survived the regeneration. Because every so often - in a world which is usually so depressing - you just need to watch something that is unashamedly positive.
If you were a fan of the classic series of Doctor Who, you might remember The Five Doctors in which four Doctors (I know, I know), a bunch of companions and a tonne of monsters all turned up in the same story to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Doctor Who. Tonight's episode was essentially that same concept. I've just read the review of this episode by a chap called Lawrence Miles -
I was almost worried that RTD was going to pull another "Last Of The Time Lords" style endings on us when Sarah Jane revealed she had this amazing pendant which could destroy the world, or some such, but happily it was just a throwaway thing to highlight what the Doctor does to his companions, something which Davros (not unlike Mr Miles) missed the point of; he does inspire his companions fight, but he inspires them to fight the good fight. Martha, Jack, Mickey, Jackie (awww...how great was it to see those guys again?) and Sarah were all fighting to save the Earth and the universe. They were even prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to save others. That is what Doctor Who is about - it's about doing the right thing no matter how hard it is, and it's fighting for what is right because there is nothing wrong with being beaten if you tried. The Doctor is never ashamed of his companions, and the reason for that? Because they prove that there is so much more to being a human. And for all those Donna haters out there, she is the best example of all of that. Unlike Rose and Martha, Donna was very unimportant and very average. But she proved that even the average can be something more than just that. She just needed someone to believe in her - the Doctor - and that made her the companion that she became; the woman who fought for what she believed in and fought for what was right.
So onto individual things to pick out - and let's start with Davros. Julian Bleach really made Davros his own in these two episodes. The character has the ranting of the Davros we saw in later years, coupled with the cold calculation of the original version. When, at the end, his ship was falling apart around him, I have to admit I felt a bit sorry for him. But after too much "dodgy Doctor morality", the Doctor tried to save him and once again restored my faith in the tenth Doctor.
So I should probably take the chance to praise Tennant for his performance. We've had three years with him as the Doctor, and although I wasn't keen on him in the first of those, he has certainly made the part his own in the last two. Tennant's eyes show much of the Doctor, and if any description fits the tenth better it is "lonely god". He is old and alone and I so wanted him to have Rose by his side, but as she has her own Doctor (a curious synthesis of the ninth's attitude in the tenth's body) the poor old Doc is left alone again.
All the old companions got ample screen time and also some wonderful scenes both with the Doctor and with another companion - the primary four additions to the titles getting the best scenes and earning their place in the grand opening, but it was really Catherine Tate that lorded it over all four of them. This was truly her episode and her performance thoughout was moving and clever and ultimately very, very sad. I really, really didn't want to see Donna go and the pain she felt at having to leave the life that she so desperate craved was heart wrenching. Add to that yet another amazing performance by Bernard Cribbins at the end of the episode and the fact that we are losing the Noble family is quite sad.
This episode feels like the end of an era, and part of me thinks (as much as I didn't particularly want this to happen) that this should have been the end of the Tennant's time as the Doctor. The episode was hugely ambitious and very, very powerful. Yes you could pick at it if you wanted to, but you can find fault with the Mona Lisa if you are so inclined (and I'm not comparing this episode to that painting, just making a point). Watch it for what it is; care about the characters involved. You'll enjoy it.
"A+"
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