Rate Dr Who Episode 13 the Parting of the Ways - spoilers -

The daleks are back - and out for vengance.

Good, but a long way below the best in the series IMO. There were some great moments of emotional impact but as a whole it was a little less epic than expected. Apart from the epic bit of course. I think I'm talking myself into liking it more - although there are still some niggling questions e.g. .

Cheers

The zapper burnt out after 1 shot.

The show was a literal "deus ex machina" and the solution made the rest of the episode pointless - ie I didn't like it. Spoiler







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If interfacing with the TARDIS lets you win that easily, why did the Doctor spend all that time mucking around with the Delta wave? Also why wouldn't he use it, considering that the Daleks had already obliterated most of the planet? It was the first new series Dr Who ep I have sat through, I thought it was really stupid & gave it a 4.

Because you shouldn't look into the time/space thingy. I didn't bother me that much.

The whold meging with the tardis seemed cliched, and why choose BadWolf? How does that remind you to look into the vortex thing? Why didn't it turn Rose into a baby?

Good stuff otherwise.


I'm waiting for the christmas invasion....

Quite excellent.

Only peeve is: What, you wiped out the Daleks? Again? Twice in one series? Y'know, if
you don't wipe them out it's much easier to bring them back.


I wonder how it originally ended, though, as I got the strong sense that the regeneration
scene was tacked on in late post-production (ignoring the obvious timing of Eccleston's
departure, it just felt out of synch with the rest of the episode).

I wonder if it just ended with them Tardis-ing out and cut to credits, or if they cut out
a scene and replaced it with the new one.


So... next episode at christmas? Damnit.

I gave it a four, the Doctor didn't act like I think the Doctor would, and he was useless overall in the episode, not the first time this season either. The Dalek scenes were the only good thing. I give it a 4.

This season just fell apart the last three shows.

I only gave it an 8. Like Plane Sailing says, there were a couple of really good emotional scenes, but overall I don't feel it lived up to the promise of the cliffhanger of last episode. The whole Badwolf/Rose/Tardis thing was too little of a payoff for what it turned out to be (especially given its prevalence as a running theme all season). Not to mention the brief mention of the Time War and all that it entailed. I wanted to know more, darn it!!

Viking Bastard mentions he thinks the ending was originally different, and I agree on one major point-

[sblock]I get the sense that Jack was supposed to have really died, and that he was resurrected because of the popularity of the character. For a second, knowing he returns next season, I was thinking that the Jack we see next season is the Jack who had two years of memories wiped out, and that when he finishes his next season arc, he'd be mindwiped- and, hence, wouldn't remember meeting the Doctor and Rose this season... but that he'd still be dead as of this episode. Does that make sense? Willan on haven it maden sense?[/sblock]

In any case, am very sorry to see it all end. Eccleston was a bit shaky to me in the first two episodes, but quickly grew into the role and did a bang-up job. Glad to see Rose sticking around- Billie Piper has done a wonderful job, and the continuity of companions will be a boon to David Tennant's performance. Not familiar with the actor, so I hope he'll do a good job. I liked the little bit we saw of him here, so I'm hopeful. He seems a bit more lighthearted than Eccleston, so that may be a different take on next season.

A good run. Looking forward to more, and picking this up on DVD. Can't wait for the Cybermen, and hopefully we'll see a return of the Master next season as well.

I don't know about Jack. I hadn't thought of that. Perhaps. Interesting thought.


I'm more just thinking of the Doctor's regeneration scene. He absorbs the energy and
sends it back to the TARDIS. Then they reveal 'No! He's not allright, even he if he
appeared to be right back then. He's dying! GASP, David Tennent!'

I wonder if it originally just ended with them TARDISing away or if there was a scene
afterwards, perhaps inside the TARDIS, that the regeneration scene replaced.

I'm glad we don't seem to have any kind of post-regeneration-shock thing going on.


The Doctor seems to be gettin' really sloppy with his regenerations. Eccleston comments
on his 'floppy lookin' ears' in the first episode as if he just regenerated. The First Doctor
was little over 700 years old but the Ninth Doctor (Eccleston) is over 900 years old.
Meaning he went through nine regenerations out of twelve over a 200 year period. The
Sevent Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) was also over 900 years old, so the Seventh and Eight
Doctors probably didn't last that long each (although it *could* be decades, as such).

Of course, before the Doctor went rogue he probably didn't run into as many life
threatening situations, just living in relative peace on Gallifrey, explaining how his first
incarnation got so old.


Hey, anyone else think 'Dark Phoenix Rising' when UberRose appeared?

I thought it was great. Really enjoyed it. Looking forward to Christmas!

One thing I forgot to mention. I'd been hearing all sorts of rumors about "redesigned" Daleks, and it was nice to see that they weren't given a makeover after all. Wasn't quite sure how "spider-Daleks" would look. I think there is still something that could probably be done with them to make them look a little less clunky, but if anything is done, I hope they keep the general Dalek form that they've always had.