The End Of The World

I'm not sure if it's simply RTD's writing style, or a direct result of trying to shoehorn Doctor Who into a format that perhaps it isn't best suited to, but 'The End of the World' disappoints on an initial viewing in much the same way that 'Rose' disappoints. The plot felt too thin, with no very real sense of excitement, but here, unlike 'Rose', it felt like there was too little plot to fill the slot rather than too much. I might change my mind on a second or third viewing, but I felt parts of this episode dragged, with not enough happening and no genuine tension or drama.

Don't get me wrong, RTD's dialogue is sparkling, frequently very witty, and manages to convey a lot of information and detail in surprisingly few words, the scenes where Rose realises what she's gotten herself into, her homesickness and her culture shock are beautifully written and expertly played, much like the scenes where the Doctor admits to his past and the fate of his people, but the careful plotting on which this should be hung feels lacking, and the story's villain, whilst imaginative and impressively realised, never feels like a potent threat.

RTD said in the Doctor Who Confidential that followed this initial broadcast that he wanted to make a blockbuster, wanted this story to be the one that everyone remembers, and admits that this was the most expensive story of the season. Admittedly the special effects are extremely good, but I don't think the money shows on screen all that well. Images of the Earth exploding are striking, but not memorable. The spider-robots are a reasonable idea but don't play on any fears or evoke any emotion at all. Equally, the many aliens are ingenious, but none of them stick in the memory because none of them do anything apart from stand around. The Doctor then teams up with probably the least memorably designed of these aliens (the Trees look much better in photographs) and wraps up the slim plot in a sequence that is begging to be made into a PS3 game. Most of the memorable sequences from classic Doctor Who are 'doing' moments (e.g. Cybermen descending the steps of St Pauls, Sea-Devils rising from the sea, Yeti roaming the underground, giant spiders leaping onto backs, maggots hissing and wriggling etc). The threat is inherent in the image. Without threat what we have are admittedly very pretty pictures.

The above suggests that I hated this story. I didn't, I just found it a frustrating experience as individual parts were far greater than the whole. There is a cultural playfulness at work here that hasn't been seen in Doctor Who since probably 'The Chase' (who ever thought they'd hear Soft Cell and Britney Spears in Doctor Who!), and the final scenes between the Doctor and Rose are poignant, funny and probably the finest part of the show. Billie Piper is magnificent, extremely likeable, very easy to identify with and sympathise with, and really leads the viewer through the story like a companion should. Christopher Eccleston veers between moments of extreme emotion and moments when the Doctor comes across like a nerd in space, but never crosses the line and remains likeable and very watchable. It's a shame many of these reviews may be tempered by the news that he's leaving, as he makes an intriguing Doctor.

Which brings me to the episode's great revelation: the Doctor is the last of the Time Lords. I can see the sense of this approach. It makes him a lonely wanderer in time and space like he always was, creates a sense of mystery around him, and gives Rose an emotional reason for staying with him, as she doesn't want him to be on his own. It doesn't preclude him from meeting his own people on occasion (after all, they can time travel), but it does preclude stories set on Gallifrey, which has got to be a blessing. This cuts down on unnecessary continuity, which is also a good thing, in my opinion. I could imagine viewers tuning in wanting to know more about this calamity, and I'm sure they'll learn more in dribs and drabs through the coming weeks.

I'm sorry Russell, but I don't think this will be the story that everyone remembers. If I had to give 'The End of the World' a mark out of ten, I would probably give it a five.