Time Of The Doctor: My Review
I have to admit, the thought of a regeneration episode at Christmas wasn't something I immediately looked forward to. David Tennant's The End Of Time had left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. As brilliant as the Tenth Doctor was, I didn't particularly enjoy his swan song; the main reason was that it just wasn't any fun at all. Had it been on at any other time of the year, I might have enjoyed it more...but what I've come to love from Christmas specials is the fun of it all; the ingenious festive themes, from a Dickensian planet (complete with flying sharks) to killer Christmas trees and snowmen. So, having enjoyed the many dark themes introduced through Matt Smith's era (the Silence, the cracks in space), I was apprehensive about these plot liens coming to a head at Christmas. And while I loved many, many things about The Time Of The Doctor, if there was one fault I could find, it was that it wasn't the kind of festive episode for casual viewers. Christmas episodes always get higher viewing figures and I'm sure there were many people asking Silence Will fall? The Kovarian sect? What on Earth is that? But for me, a fan that has followed every episode since the show came back in 2005 (and then watched masses of Classic Who over the last 3-4 years), The Time Of The Doctor was a fantastic episode that nicely rounded up the epic Name / Day / Time Of The Doctor Trilogy. And it was epic, as the 50th anniversary was deserving of. It tied up all the main story strands that had followed the show since The Eleventh Hour, making for a satisfying four years of television. I'll focus more on those threads on the next page, but here I wanted to capture some of the other moments that made this episode so good. Jenna Coleman and Matt Smith were never better than they were here (and they were bloody good in The Day Of The Doctor!!!). The scene as they watch the sunrise over Christmas (a rather saccharine place...but hey it was a Christmas special) is beautifully moving, particularly Clara's desperate plea to convince the Doctor to change his fate. While I would have liked more of a build up to the Doctor's death (knowing that he had no more regenerations), this scene certainly shone despite a lack of build-up. If anything, I would rather have Moffat had not announced that The Eleventh was in fact the last Doctor in the build up to the Christmas special. It would have a lovely revelation here...something my wife, who was unspoiled by that nugget of 'news', appreciated. I mean...its bad enough when the tabloids leak spoilers, but the man in charge? That being said, I'll still forgive Moffat because he delivered on all angles. A very personal journey for the Doctor here. Another great female character in Tasha Lem. The brilliant culmination of the 'Silence Will Fall' story line and a great throw back to the Doctor's worst fear in series six's 'The God Complex'. (The cracks). The brilliant Angels in the snow sequence that was better than anything they did in The Angels Take Manhattan. Silence versus Daleks; they're good now???!!!!! The wooden cyberman. Handles; how can you make a Cyberman's head dying sad? Because it was! Very much the Wilson of Doctor Who! Credit too for introducing the potential return of Gallifrey last month and linking it right back to the origins of the Eleventh Doctor's story. Whether it was all planned in advance or not (I think the final Doctor story line wasn't as he was clearly trying to regenerate at Lake Silenco in The Impossible Astronaut) Moffat brought every full circle and closed off all those plot points he has teased. And some of the very best music Murray Gold has ever produced for the show. The reprise of the theme from the Rings Of Akhaten as the Eleventh Doctor regenerated was truly emotive; topped only by the cameo of Amy Pond to say goodbye to her 'raggedy man'. Matt Smith's stunning final speech and the blink and you'll miss it regeneration into Peter Capaldi's Doctor. An amazing final five minutes. I would discuss it more, but fellow Whatculture writer Mark White has already summed up the
10 most beautiful things about he Time Of The Doctor. Instead, I'll finish of my review by saying that with the best performances yet from Smith and Jenna, the best music from the show, plenty of festive cheer in the town of Christmas and a strong resolution of the Silence story line, Moffat has closed off the Eleventh Doctor's tenure with one hell of a bang! And talking of a bang...wasn't the poem from Clara's cracker just priceless?