The Tenth Doctor: The End Of Time
If there was one regeneration that you could confidently say brought a lump to peoples throats, it was probably this one. Like the Ninth Doctor, the Tenth Doctors regeneration went epic with the return of the deranged Master, a glimpse into the Time War, the return of Gallifrey and the revelation that the Doctor had destroyed his own people because they had become the bad guys. For me, however, this was a great opportunity that turned into a mess of a story. Firstly, part one was just plain grimthe Doctor was feeling his impending doom and for a Christmas day episode it was just too depressing. Also, the Master seemed
too crazy, humanitys transformation into a race of Masters was plain silly and Donnas final storyline became a bit of a damp squib, making the whole shell die if she remembers from
Journeys End a bit of an exaggeration. She faints. Bit of an anti-climax really. In terms of an epic ending,
Parting Of The Ways was much better. Of course it did have Bernard Cribbins Wilf and Tennant is still great and they definitely made the most of this story, leading to the heartfelt sacrifice of the Doctor saving an old man by absorbing the radiation that was killing him. The he will knock four times is played beautifully. And so to separate the regeneration from my disappointment that was the majority of
The End Of Time becomes a little difficult, but Ill try. To start, its a drawn out, self-congratulatory ending that is as much about Russell T Davies stepping down as Tennant. Dying of radiation, it seems a little ridiculous that the Tenth Doctor would spend so much time hopping across time and space to check in on his companions and hook up Captain jack like some intergalactic pimp. At the same time, its a lovely run of short scenes that bring a smile to my face. His final scene with a pre-Doctor Rose was beautiful. What is so utterly saddening about this regeneration, is that after all the people the Tenth Doctor has had in his life, he dies alone. Thinking back to the crowded Tardis of
Journeys End as the Doctor, his clone and companions tow the Earth back homeand seeing him frightened and alone nowits heart breaking. You really feel Tennants delivery of that line
I dont want to go. It might be another dollop of self-indulgenceafter all, the Doctor isnt dying, hes regeneration and hes accepting his death many times beforebut you believe it anyway. Ranking: 4th Shock Value: 3 Epic Scale: 8 Emotional trauma: 10