And so the Parting comes about, and in far more impressive fashion that the slightly lopsided Bad Wolf. Speaking of which, the title should absolutely have been saved for the season finale, where it would have made a lot more sense.

There are so many grin-wide moments here that it might be best to get the negatives out the way first...

1) The opening five minutes. It is blatantly clear now that this was always a single-part story, shoehorned into the reality-tv idea in order to make a two-parter, as Rose's rescue and a shedload of exposition is covered in the opening exchanges. The discovery of the mysterious voice as the Emperor Dalek was slightly underwhelming - Davros or at least the lone Dalek from the episode of the same title would have been more dramatically effective. The religious spin of the Emperor as creator was interesting, though.

2) The Daleks. I might be in the minority here, but where the episode Dalek showed just how the creatures could be updated, Parting seem to undo a lot of that good work. They glided slowly around. They repeated stock phrases. They exterminated. But they never at any point felt as unearthly as the Gelth or menacing as the gas mask corpses in Empty Child.

3) Pulling the console open with a recovery van. Yes, the dramatic weight of Mickey and Jackie pitching in was important, but it was still kind of naff.

4) Super-Rose. Expect the Buffy fans who have been accusing the new series of ripping off their show (unfairly) to start showing you their copies of the episode Primeval. Buffy's influence on Russell is huge here. Also, Rose destroying the Dalek fleet was lovely dramatically but seemed a bit too much of a deus ex machina cheat, plot-wise.

And on to the good stuff...

Everything else. Like the rest of the season, the dramamtic beats were what made this episode. The Doctor's deception of Rose was one of the most beautifully written and played scenes of the season. Jack's goodbye kiss to both his friends might elicit some complaints from the less egalitarian viewers, but made perfect sense for the character. Rose's outburst in the cafe was Billie at her finest. Lynda's death was surprisingly touching.

And the great stuff....

The Bad Wolf revelation. Yes, you have to skate over it pretty quickly to make it work, but who cares when it gives you spine tingles? Rose ends the season exactly as she began - central to the entire story.

Jack's death. Played perfectly, and made me regret hearing John Barrowman would be back, since it gave me a comfort line when I watched him thrown back against that wall. I actually thought that maybe his missing two years would have been be spent with the Tenth Doctor, but since he was brought (again, somewhat sketchily) back to life, that mystery is yet to be resolved. And we had that lovely moment when he realises he's been left behind.

THE KISS. Of course, Paul McGann beat Chris Ecclestone to the chase when it comes to fans complaining about the Doctor getting romantic, but anyone who claims that they didn't want this to happen is a barefaced liar. It's been coming and it was timed perfectly.

The Doctor's final decision. Flashes of Genesis of the Daleks and the culmination of a season which has shown this man to be broken and unstable. In the end, knowing Rose is safe, he takes the high ground.

How it all tied together. Not just Bad Wolf, but thematically. Gwyneth's sacrifice is mirrored, Rose learns a lesson from having met her father, the right to kill referenced in both Dalek and Boom Town is revisited. Parting rounds off the Ninth Doctor's arc very well indeed.

Which of course leads us to....

The regeneration.

One of the best, with a beautifully understated build-up that was tear-jerkingly touching for fans and must have been hugely shocking for new viewers. If there is one thing RTD nails here, it is the slight melancholy that comes with each change. The Doctor is not dying, but is saying goodbye to Rose in his current form, in the persona that has become her best friend. At this moment you really can believe that each incarnation is, in some way, a different being. And we get a final 'fantastic'.

And then we suddenly have David Tennant, who was allowed to begin with a lovely little throwaway piece of dialogue which was only spoiled for me by the fact that he seems to have been asked to speak in an English accent. Apparently it's okay for the Doctor to come from 'the north', but not too far north.

This has been one of the best seasons of Doctor Who ever produced, with easily one of the best Doctors and (don't even try to argue) the finest, best developed companion he has ever had.

Christmas is just too damn far away.

Urgh. What a mess.

I enjoyed this episode at the time I was watching it, it provided several rather excellent set-pieces that got the blood singing through my veins (backed up as ever by beefy, clichГ©d, OTT music from Murray Gold) В– notably RoseВ’s communion with the heart of the TARDIS and the shots of the predatory Dalek saucers circling the ruined Earth В– but as soon as I started thinking about it afterwards it became clear what a self-indulgent, morally incoherent failure this episode was, and I began to hate myself for reacting to it just how they wanted me to.

First of all, I loved the Emperor Dalek, a remarkably faithful homage to the insane colossus from В‘Evil of the DaleksВ’ (still, for my money, the best Dalek story). Second, I loved Billie Piper as Rose, and I am so, so glad that this remarkable actress is staying with us for all of Season 2 (and maybe afterВ…?) Thirdly, I loved LyndaВ’s death, as the Daleks appeared outside the window (В‘SensoritesВ’ homage, anyone? If youВ’ve got to copy, copy the bestВ…) and the extermination of the people who chose not to fight В– dying as they had lived, like worthless cattle, in what I interpret as a ringing condemnation of the moral decay of contemporary society.

ThatВ’s it though, all that stands up. Christopher EcclestonВ’s performance has obviously grown on me whilst I wasnВ’t looking, because I found myself rather impressed with him for the fifth week running, but the Doctor in this episode returns to the finest RTD tradition, a useless twВ…erp who gets a load of people killed and then gives up at the end anyway and has to let Rose do everything. What were they thinking? Who let this rubbish reach the screen? Were we supposed to cheer and agree with the Doctor at the end when he said В“YouВ’ve been fantasticВ… you know what? SoВ’ve I!В” В– a smug tribute to the success of the incarnation, and surely of RTD himself В– after what we had just seen?

The Doctor is weak, fundamentally weak, at the end of В‘The Parting of the WaysВ’, and lets himself and, by his own implication, the peoples of the universe, down utterly. I liked the soundbite, В“Coward [rather than killer] any dayВ”, until I realised just what it meant, just what his cowardice stands for. The Doctor knows the EarthВ’s continents have been laid waste by the Daleks. There is nothing, no one left to fight for, all his plans and desperate, last-gasp improvisations have cost the lives of everyone on the Station, but they are at last ready. He can win. He thinks he knows that no help is coming. The Daleks have survived, when they should have died В– now, unchecked, they can destroy everything that is good. Only the Doctor is left, on the frontline of the battle between good and evil. The DoctorВ’s hands are on the lever that will put an end to them forever. Just as it should be. Then he stops, and surrenders himself to them. He decides В– oops, no, he will lose after all, just for the hell of it.

Why doesnВ’t he do it? Because it would make him a killer? Of Daleks? Again, after the Time War? So bloody what?

This series has been notable for its characterisation of an impotent, morally detestable Doctor. If that was the characterisation of the Ninth Doctor, I for one am damn glad to be rid of him, whether or not EcclestonВ’s performance would have got better and better (as, unfortunately, all evidence shows would have been the case). We must be very clear on this В– THIS IS NOT THE DOCTOR. Not as we know him anyway. The hero of old, the mighty champion of justice, fearful of nothing, always ready to make that final sacrifice, to pull the rabbit out of the hat, is dead (despite appearances to the contrary in В‘The Doctor DancesВ’), killed in a post-modern, pseudo-liberal revision of the basic values of heroism, justice, what it means to have responsibility, to act and do what is right, no matter what it costs you. The story, the series, is an icon for the 2000s В– empty, vacuous, aesthetic, pretentious, immoral, devoid of wonder or sympathy В– full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. And that is so sad I just want to cry.

Jesus, Russell. Why have you done this to us?

I have just finished watching the finale of the new Doctor Who season and as a result this review will also contain a review of the season as a whole.

"Parting of the Ways" is the concluding chapter of a Dalek two parter, the first part was quite good and ended with the Doctor facing a Dalek invasion force of almost half a million Daleks!! Well unfortunately I personally thought this second part sucked!

I was expecting a rip roaring finale with the Doctor going against insurmountable odds and overcoming them with his innate genius and unpredictability but what we get is another Deus ex Machina ending that even me in all my glorified geek status could not make much sense of!

The explanation for how the Daleks survived is also in my opinion very weak and many of the theories given by online fans would have been much better! Simply it seems the emperors ship survived, thats it. What I want to know is that did they the writers know how they have undermined the great episode "Dalek" with that weak explanation? tsk tsk.

The great Dalek invasion scene was nothing more than the inhabitats of the space station getting wiped out in less than dramatic fashion by the Daleks and the only bit that gave me any cheer was the scene of the Ann Droid frying a few Daleks and calling them the weakest link! Even then I had to assume that her beam is no longer a transportation device but had been modified by Captain Jack! Yes I am even helping out the writer by mentally filling in some gaping holes!

Basically the whole solution to the problem was the same as in the episode Boom Town, Rose opens the heart of the Tardis looks into it and gets power beyond all reckoning, kind of like the Dark Phonenix for those who get the reference.

She just points and destroys all the Daleks and revives a dead Captain Jack. Which by the way it seemed as if only Jack was revived and nobody else among the dead defenders of the station or anybody on planet Earth!!

This episode really flunked in my opinion and was a massive let down.

In the end we get a regeneration sequence and the new Doctor appears, I wish him well and hope he stays for more than a season to allow him to grow into the role.

Overall this new first season was better than I thought it would be. It had three great gems that I absolutely loved and many decent episodes. There were a few really bad episodes but hey it's the first season. Hopefully they will get better as they go along.

As for Christopher Eccleston he was not a bad Doctor and had some great moments but has not come anywhere close to my favourite Doctor Tom Baker.

So see you all at Christmas for our next Doctor who fix.

Let the dust settle... literally.

I've just sat through 45 minutes of documentary... trailers... the final 45 minute episode... and then 30 minutes more Who documentary. Saturday's were never like this... (well once thirteen weeks ago...)

Savour that for the moment.

Now... RTD wants to evoke 'feelings'... and I am awash with them. Sadness, hope, excitement, enthusiasm, shock, despair, disbelief, frustration, joy... I could go on. 'Parting of The Ways' did exactly what it said on the tin.

It embraced the 'classic' series and mythology... whilst additionally stamping all over it with ANOTHER revision... which smacked of a cop out. Now I know that now that sentence has been written there will be howls of derision....

Think of how many times the 'Time Vortex' could have saved the day????

But I shouldn't complain... this episode again demonstrated effectively all the highs and lows of Who in 2005.

How you might ask can I say that. RTD is 'GOD'. "Worship him! Worship Him!'

But I believe in being balanced and fair. After the credits rolled on 'Parting'... I felt a twinge of sadness that there was not a new episode to watch next week. After confidential I reflected that for all it's flaws there has been an awful lot right about the new Who.

The re-invention of the Daleks... Billie Piper has been a revelation as 'Rose'... Saturday's have become 'must-see' TV night... Doctor Who is no longer a 'niche' show for anoraks (although I subscribe to the view that it was never 'niche' during the Baker glory days...)... Captain Jack has developed into one of the strongest male companions... Eccleston has acted his socks off.. and some of the CGI has been truly breathtaking.

ALL were showcased here. The Emperor re-invention was great.. the 'Dalek' invasion was good... particularly the 'massacre of the innocents'... the rousing 'if you hear us dying' Jack speech.... Eccleston and Piper's final hurrah... the Doctor still unable to push the button (echoing 'Genesis'...)... the regeneration resulting in..'new teeth'...!

So with all this GOOD... why did I feel letdown? Do I want perfection?

Well, no. But I was really disappointed with the resolution and the 'Bad Wolf'' resolution... Little Red Riding Hood (check out Rose's costume throughout this and the previous episode) is revealed as the Bad Wolf... and it means nothing... everyone who has invested time energy and excitement in trying to understand it... sorry... not as clever as we had hoped it would be. So from that point of view RTD has achieved his aim of being very British and NOT following the lead of other American sci-fi shows.

There is always a danger that when you set up a continual mysterious thread you are going to leave yourself short if the resolution doesn't pack a punch.. and RTD fell, unfortunately, into this trap. (The answer, by the way, was always on the BAD WOLF website). I really wanted this to be clever and demonstrate the often discussed genius of RTD... unfortunately I remain unconverted...

Oh... and did I mention Mickey and Rose's mum... No?

I really wish I didn't have to. I understand the setup in Rose's emotional journey... and I can see the interest in grounding the companion's motivation in her reality, but the mini & chain... and the the Recovery truck???? Come on...!!!! We're talking end of humanity... Dalek invasion... destruction... massacres... and they're eating chips in the cafe? It was almost as if Eastenders had manifested itself into Who once again... I mean I'm surprised the cafe wasn't in Walford... any minute Ian Beale could have turned up... Sorry RTD... too much over exposure of these minority characters. Now if you'd allowed Rose to bring Mickey to come back to the Gamestation to be exterminated I could have forgiven you.

Compare, if you will, this lame excuse for a character with the bold, noble and valiant 'last man standing' extermination of Captain Jack. Shame the BBC had blown the 'resurrection' by stating that he'd be back later in Season 2 in all the 'new series' blurb that the sci-fi press has been commenting on. By the end of this episode I decided I Liked Jack and was sad to see him 'go'... our last glimpse of him echoed that of 'Tegan' at the end of 'Time Flight'.

There is actually SOOO much that could be discussed about this episode... on both sides of Good and Bad.. Eccleston's finest episode...countered with plot 'cop outs' ...so the Tardis can now materialise around / on top of objects/people? (Could have been handy in the Classic series)... and and it's now got an extendable outside force field... and the TARDIS flies through space like a spaceship...

I'm sure if I was 7 and this was my first experience of Who I'd be ecstatic... WOW.. but I refer to Mr Eccleston... 'if you get them early {child viewers} with strong drama and quality TV, when they'll grow up they'll expect more from TV'

I couldn't put it better myself... the original series certainly had that effect on me and I think that is ultimately why I feel as I do tonight. I've grown up and I expect more... but I'm also acutely aware that the real success that Who 2005 can be attributed with is that it has started that same chain reaction going in a whole new generation of Who fans.

For that, not your scripts, Mr Davies I will salute you.

And now to my final rhyme
Which speaketh on matters Time,
Of Who Nine, oh so fine
Which taketh me in memory back to my prime-
When upon my father’s knee or behind yon settee
I would shieldeth my eyes
From that monstrous creation which scared me so.
Aliens, wobbly sets, comedic actors – and that quarry!
November 63 in black and white to Sylvester at tea.

And lo, to my final verse
Which thinketh on matters worse,
No Who Chris, most perverse
Which saddens me, remembering his portrait terse.
Yet upon my knee sits daughter ten who will agree
She has shieldeth her eyes,
And wept as Rose left, and smiled with me at Chris-
His loving, lonely, portrayal, thoughtful and manic.
Ta to Billy, Davies, Jack, writers and crew. Ta to Chris- fantastic!

A Doctor’s Lament as ol’ blue eyes would sing……

Dear Rose, the time is nigh
And so I drink the Tardis Vortex.
My sweet, away you’ll fly
From my nature, that which is complex!
I've lived a life that's full
I travelled through ev'ry galaxy
And more, more than thirteen, I did it my way.

Regrets, just one or two-
That I received less time, than your complexion.
I gave my best acting, to breathe new life, a resurrection
I planned for Doctor Nine, each crafted move, from my body,
And face, yes with my art- I did it my way.

But, those estates, where you did grow.
When your Mum, and Rick slowed down the show.
Rose-your success, was my downfall.
Much less of me, to set my stall
Acting writer’s words, I stood tall, to do it Rose’s way.

I've loved, I've gurned and tried
So well to fight, my share of aliens.
But now, as Daleks fade, I thank the Mill, effects so fine
For my ship, a new myth,
And my jacket, giving me a modern feel.
Clap, praise Chris for bringing me alive again.

For what is a Who, what do I have
To grab the kids, and fans so old?
I am unique, so moral too, crazy, scary, lonely, fantastic!
Chris brought me back, so very well, and did it HIS way!

Whaaa, ooooooh,diddley ee diddley ee.

This fantastic series ended as excitingly as it began - with a flash and a wink of what is yet to come. I have an empty feeling inside me, after seeing Eccleston's last moments. You really were fantastic.

The episode was full of excitement and action. The Daleks using human flesh, and being tortured mentally because of this irony was chilling and you almost felt sorry for them. I wonder if that was why the Doctor dipped his head against the TARDIS doors when he got back into his machine; as if to say "The poor wretches!". They are the complete anaethma to this Doctor; they hate their own existence, he's just beginning to enjoy his.

The body count at the end of this was probably the biggest of the whole series. None of the supporting chracters survived, even Lynda! I really did think she was going to become a companion, and she is arguably hotter than Billie Piper (have you seen Jo Joyner's chin? mmmm). I was very surprised to see Captain Jack killed, but when he came back to life and tried to get back into the TARDIS, I did feel slightly short changed. Why bring him back to life, but then not have him join the TARDIS crew? That was my only quibble though with this episode.

I think after many years of seeing the Daleks as worthwhile enemies, this episode really made me scared of them. They appeared en masse - more Daleks in one area than we have ever seen before in the series. And the massacre on level 0 was so savage and indiscrimate I actually believed in the Dalek terror. Having them surround the whole station and round up the Doctor had me thinking, "Oh Lord! What are they going to do now?" Excellent. I reckon that human malice was still present in their bodies behind the armour.

The regeneration scene was done well, and Tennant is certainly a real contrast from Eccleston. It was weird hearing the Queen's English coming out of the Doctor's mouth again - Tennant almost sounded poncey to be honest. I'm sure he'll be fine though. I think the reason behind the regeneration should be have been clearer; the threat seemed to just creep up on him. It would have been better for the Daleks to exterminate the Doctor rather than have him suddenly go, "Oh crap I have to change".

Still a fantastic end to a fantastic series. Tennant's got some shoes to fill but I'm glad Billie Piper is still staying. While not every episode was brilliant, the majority were and we will look back on this season as a golden age. Just you wait. I remember Nev Fountain saying back in the 1970s fans were getting annoyed at the constant horror pastiches or alleged pastiches in the Hinchcliffe era, but now they dominate our top ten!

Roll on season two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight nine...