DR Who. Last of the timelords (30/06/07) [ major spoilers ]

[Cthulhudrew]

Very disappointed here. From the minute the "One Year Later" popped up on-screen, I knew this was going to be a magic reset button episode. Can't stand those. I guess it wouldn't have bothered me so much in and of itself except that it seemed like such an artificial plot device that wasn't equally applied to the storyline. Martha's part of the plot was the only one affected in any way- with her "walk around the earth to set things up for a particular time and place" (and I'm going to assume that this was some sort of plan she, the Doctor, and Jack came up with prior to arriving on the helicarrier, and not just something the Doctor managed to whisper to her in the few seconds they had before she left, because that would just be silly.)

The Master didn't seem to be at all affected by the whole thing- he and the Doctor seemed to more or less pick up their story exactly where we left them with some cryptic commentary about the Master's plans which would be entirely pointless had they actually spent the year together (ie, they were only included to fill in the audience on things because we hadn't been there to see the year develop). It's just awkward exposition.

The escape attempt- was there a point to that? If the Doctor had really been gearing up to this climactic moment, then why risk it? (Although, to be fair, I suppose the climactic moment was a risk- probably a bigger one. As Morrus points out- getting all the people in the world to think Doctor at precisely the same moment in time? Reminds me of World Jump Day).

Just shooting the paradox machine (not to mention trying to shoot the Toclafane)? Strange. The Doctor as Mini-Me? Silly.

Disappointed to see the Master/Simm killed off, seemingly permanently (though Simm did get a bit too campy for my tastes in this episode). I did like the way he went out, though- refusing to regenerate as a last act of defiance against his hated enemy does seem appropriate. Not sure if the woman's hand with the ring is just someone picking up his ring (his "wife" perhaps? Still enthralled- which could mean the whole "death" sequence was faked in the first place) or if it means he regenerated after all- as a woman. They did leave it open-ended in typical Master fashion, though, which is cool.

I loved the Face of Boe bit. Hate that Jack is going back to Torchwood, hate that they still aren't doing anything with the whole Time Agent/Missing two years of memories/Man from the Future angle, but the revelation was great, and it definitely explains a question I had back in the day (why the Face- who had met the Doctor all of two times, referred to him as "old friend"). Why Jack didn't say anything more to the Doctor as the Face is a bit strange, though. I get why he wouldn't want to create paradoxes (the Doc hadn't met Jack at the time he first met Boe, and if he'd passed along his "warning/last words" any sooner, then he'd have gotten a lot of strange questions and could have created a paradox as the Doctor would have wanted to travel to see the Master before he and Jack and Martha actually did); he could have said a little more the second time they met, though (on hospital world), like- hey, Doc- I'm Jack let's catch up on old times!

Anyway, overall, a pretty big letdown from the heights of last episode.

 

[horacethegrey]

Just watched this, and I have to say, I was entertained.

But, like many here, I can't help but be a bit dissapointed. :\

Russell T. Davies is a good writer of human drama. He knows how to get the best out of his characters in terms of emotion and how we relate to them.

But lord, the man has shown a incredible weakness for creating a believable plot. He's also guilty of taking things a bit over the top, with the Master epsecially. I may have enjoyed John Simm's performance last episode, but here the campyness is a might overwhelming. Have to admit though, I liked the last scene with him and the Doctor. Choosing oblivion over the Doctor's mercy? Classic. Though I think the Doctor will be mighty pissed off next time they meet, after how distraught he was from his "death".

And a deus ex machina again? Argh. One was bad enough. Though in the end I accepted Rose's divinity if you will. But the Doctor tapping into the telepathic field and suddenly becoming Jedi like? I agree it was set up well, but such an incredible display of power is just too much now. I sincerely that in the future they stay away from this. And while I wasn't bothered by the paradox machine per se, it's use as a reset button for the whole thing is much too convenient. *sighs* Davies' ideas are bordering on irritating rather than inspired.

In fact, in the next season I hope Davies doesn't write the season ender altogether. His formula for Doctor Who is becoming a mite stale frankly. I do appreciate what the man has done for the show, but I think his departure will help it in the long run. Have Stephen Moffat handle it from now on I say.

But enough ranting, on to the good things about this episode. Freema Agyeman is great. Honestly, I've enjoyed Martha as a companion much more than Rose. She's far more gutsy and resourceful, and in some ways the Doctor's equal. Here she truly gets to shine, and I'll agree her "farewell" was handled beatifully. I can't wait to see what she does in the next season.

Oh, and Jack's revelation was an eye opener. I honestly didn't see that coming. Loved it though.

And the requisite "WHAT?" ending from the Doctor. Great.

 

[horacethegrey]

Just had a thought that never occurred to me until I was read something in the Outpost Gallifrey forum.

The conclusion of this episode has the good Doctor flummoxed and shouting "WHAT?!!" at the sight of a huge ass ship crashing into his TARDIS. Then, we see the ship's life buoy has the words TITANIC written on it.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't some big eared Time Lord from the season 1 mention he was on a ship that sank and ended up clinging to an iceberg?

Could it be? A multi Doctor's episode this Christmas? Will we see the impeccable Chris Eccleston once more don that leather jacket?

Argh! Can't wait!

 

[Huw]

Could it be? A multi Doctor's episode this Christmas? Will we see the impeccable Chris Eccleston once more don that leather jacket?

Argh! Can't wait!

Eccleston's Doctor's also in a Titanic-related picture that Clive (the guy in Rose who's been collecting information about the Doctor) showed Rose.

 

[evildmguy]

I have to admit to being torn on this episode.

I agree with what people have already said here. Lots of Deus Ex Machina. The ending seemed forced. A gun was all that was needed for the paradox machine. It seems like it was a lot of little things, rather than one big thing. I am also not sure about the Doctor being Dobbie as someone else said, although it does set up the Face of Boe.

The problem is having someone as smart as the Doctor as the adversary. I don't think that they really showed the differences between the Doctor and Master well enough, to see the Master's weaknesses and blind spots. And, this time, it was the Master himself that failed, not his partners who betrayed him, which is how Delgado's Master usually failed, IIRC. His (Delgado's Master) plans were usually good but it was his "servants" that failed him. This time, though, he failed himself and he didn't see it coming.

At the same time, the way the Master was defeated was quintessential Doctor. No violence. No gun. Faith, hope and love were the tools he used. And the Doctor was willing to shoulder the burden of watching the Master. It fits.

So, I am not completely sure about the episode. It did have some interesting bits, like bringing together who the Face of Boe was. I also took it that the Master's companion did it because she knew it would help. She seems to have embraced her own "drums" and that's why she was helping the Master.

I worry about the next time, if there is one, that we see the Master. Back in the day, it was just expected he would be defeated, no matter how implausible. I think we, as viewers, expect more than that today.

Just my two coppers.

edg

 

[delericho]

Russell T. Davies is a good writer of human drama. He knows how to get the best out of his characters in terms of emotion and how we relate to them.

But lord, the man has shown a incredible weakness for creating a believable plot. He's also guilty of taking things a bit over the top, with the Master epsecially.

Agreed on all points.

Have to admit though, I liked the last scene with him and the Doctor. Choosing oblivion over the Doctor's mercy? Classic.

Yep, that genuinely was brilliant.

And a deus ex machina again? Argh.

And while I wasn't bothered by the paradox machine per se, it's use as a reset button for the whole thing is much too convenient.

Again, agreed. I was particularly annoyed by the "tapping into the psychic field" thing, because earlier in the season, one of the 'Confidential' episodes made a big point of saying that everything in the show had a rational explanation, even if it was one that wasn't clear. They gave the rational explanation for Archangel, that it was a subliminal message being transmitted in the mobile phone carrier. Unfortunately, that doesn't allow for Martha's plan, even if she were somehow able to get everyone on Earth thinking the word Doctor at precisely the same time to coincide with a countdown that no-one on Earth was actually aware was happening.

My other huge annoyance with the episode is that the TARDIS got fixed so easily. The Doctor stated that he fused the time circuits permanently in the last episode. The Master has had eighteen months with it, and couldn't fix it. The Doctor gets it back, and within a few days has not only stripped out the Paradox Engine parts, and has fixed the damage Jack did, and has rebuilt the time circuits? Nope, that was just too much for me.

It was a let-down on the scale of "Phantom Menace", because the first parts had been so good as to raise expectations hugely.

And the requisite "WHAT?" ending from the Doctor. Great.

Really? I didn't like that at all. It just about worked last year, when he at least had the Runaway Bride throwing questions at him. This time it just seemed... wrong somehow. However, all will be forgiven if they remember that the Ninth Doctor should be onboard, even if it only takes the form of DT commenting that he has to avoid CE to avoid paradoxes.

 

[horacethegrey]

Really? I didn't like that at all. It just about worked last year, when he at least had the Runaway Bride throwing questions at him. This time it just seemed... wrong somehow. However, all will be forgiven if they remember that the Ninth Doctor should be onboard, even if it only takes the form of DT commenting that he has to avoid CE to avoid paradoxes.

Well I found it funny, in the sense that it makes us go "what the hell has he gotten himself into this time?"

And yes, if the writers conveniently forget that the Ninth Doctor -by his own words-, admitted to being on the Titanic, I will be sorely disappointed. But why would the Tenth be hiding from the Ninth? The multi Doctor episodes from the classic series always had them side by side with no worries about paradoxes.

 

[delericho]

But why would the Tenth be hiding from the Ninth?

Well, if they can't get Christopher Ecclestone to reprise his role, they'll need some of explanation for them not running into one another. The "it's a big ship" argument will seem awfully weak, given that the Doctor, in any incarnation, has a habit of being right in the middle of the trouble.

 

[Morrus]

I foudn this elsewhere - the finale summed up with pictures:

 

[Pseudonym]

My other huge annoyance with the episode is that the TARDIS got fixed so easily. The Doctor stated that he fused the time circuits permanently in the last episode. The Master has had eighteen months with it, and couldn't fix it. The Doctor gets it back, and within a few days has not only stripped out the Paradox Engine parts, and has fixed the damage Jack did, and has rebuilt the time circuits? Nope, that was just too much for me.

Well, it has been established that the TARDIS has multiple control rooms. Perhaps rather than being a total rebuild, he was able to pull parts from other places within the TARDIS; though why The Master couldn't is another question.