Doomsday
After last week's classy finish, we were left gasping for more...
Maybe it is just me but the computer graphics and all those Daleks and cybermen do look very, well, computer generated. No surprises there obviously but what Doctor Who has done best so far has been the one to one relationships, particularly the "Dalek" episode from the first series.
It was all still very visually impressive though, and don't get me wrong, this is the stuff we always wanted to see from reading all those Dalek comics and annuals from the 60s and 70s.
There was some great exchanges between Rose and the daleks, as well as the Doctor who seemed to be very sure of himself. You got the feeling though that to a certain extent there was re-treading of old ground when the Doctor deliberately pushed Rose into the other dimension ... and of course, she came back again.
For me the highlights of this episode did not really involve the Doctor's two historic enemies but it was the coming together of Rose's Mum and Dad, and then of course, the grande finale when Rose disappeared into another parallel universe. It was great that Rose did not die. I think that would have been too upsetting and it does leave it open should she ever return. But I would have thought it would be more for a Sarah Jane Smith style School Reunion than a fully blown return.
Billie Piper gave a real tearjerking performance. She certainly wasn't the only one bubbling away.
Even some of the Dalek's lines were pretty funny during the story but the funniest was Jackie's reaction to meeting Pete Tyler again ... brilliant stuff.
In a sense, Rose got what she had always wanted as well going back to Father's Day as she wanted to see her father and be re-united with her parents again when Pete Tyler was alive. In the end she got her dream but at a cost in that she lost the man she loves in the shape of the Doctor.
There was plenty of intrigue about the episodes with the sphere hiding a dark secret then the Genesis Arc. I am sure a few of us who had been reading message boards in recent weeks fully believed that Davros was making his return but it was not to be... perhaps that might be another adventure.
The final parting scenes which were supposedly in Norway but my money was that it was a cold spring's day in Wales (!), were beautiful and eloquent. I thought the musical score really was first class throughout this two parter which really hit the heights.
While there have been some new monsters, I think the old monsters like Daleks, Cybermen, and even the good guys Sarah Jane and K-9 have been among the strong episodes, I would hope that more old baddies could come back as has been suggested. Ice Warriors and Yeti please in series three, NOT the sontarans or Sil! Let's go back to the hammer horror period of 60s Who!
The finale was quite brilliant with the Tardis spinning next to the heart of the universe as the Doctor actually managed to have some parting words with Rose in a beautiful exchange. Has a parting of the ways ever been as touching as this (Christopher Eccleston's leaving is on a par). I liked the fact that her mother burst forward to hug her at the end as the Dr vanished or de-materialised into another universe.
A neat little surprise cliffhanger for the Christmas special too. Should thurst the Doctor into a surprising new situation he has not been involved in before! All in all, an absolute epic of an episode. I still can't believe they crammed so much into 45 minutes as you were left gasping at the end of it. Altogether, it was a beautiful end to a beautiful story of the Doctor and Rose. Billie Piper has played an incredibly huge impact and leaves a void almost as big as the gulf between the Doctor and Rose in different parallel universes on an emotional level. Like David Tennant had to do when Christopher Eccleston left last season, Freema Agyeman has to step up to the challenge and showcase her acting talent as the two original lead actors from the new series leave along with the Rose's family who have all been terrific. There was a fresh and real vibrance about Doctor Who because of Rose and Rose's Mum played by Camille Coduri and of course, Mickey, played by Noel Clarke. The series has lost some very strong actors and actresses. I hope the show can continue and flourish and in the hands of Russell T Davies, who has shown himself to be a true admirer of Who old and new, the show is in very safe hands.