The Ninth Doctor: Parting Of The Ways
Jumping ahead to 2005, we entered the era of Nu Who with Christopher Ecclestones Ninth Doctor. His first series was a triumphin some ways the best of Russell T Davies run, though I preferred Tennants Doctor overallCome to think about itI think Matt Smiths first series was Steven Moffats bestcoincidence? Perhaps. In terms of shock value, we all knew this was coming. The day after
Rose aired, there were already reports in the papers that Ecclestone was leaving after one series. That being said, when it came to his final bow, the show delivered, in my opinion, the best regeneration to date. It was suitably epic. The Daleks had returned in force. Earth stood on the brink of invasion, carefully manipulated by the exterminating pepper pots for decades. The Emperor Dalek himself was back and everyone started dyingsemi-companion Jack Harkness included. Despite a ballsy rescue of Rose in the opening moments of the series finale
The Parting Of The Ways, by the end everything was looking pretty hopeless. The Doctor knew it too; sending Rose and the Tardis back to her own time. But it was Rose, the Bad Wolf who returned, absorbed the heart of the Tardis and set about wiping out the Dalek menace with a single thought. As a deus ex machina, it was pretty spectacular and satisfying too. And suddenly the heroes had won So much in fact, that as an audience we were questioning what was going to happen next. We all knew Ecclestone was leavingbut the enemy was gone and the Doctor was still alive. And then the regeneration scene that followed was brilliant. Realising that Rose would die from the energy she had consumed, the Doctor kissed her, absorbing the power even though he knew it would destroy him. As he prepares to change, the Ninth Doctors story ends on an oddly upbeat note. No longer the battle-scarred loner that Rose met, the Ninth Doctor ends his life content, confident that he was spectacular. So much he congratulates himself (and Rose). And why not? He deserved it! Its a bittersweet ending with an emotional heart, coming on the back of an epic battle to the death with the Doctors most feared enemy. You couldnt get better than that! Ranking: 1st Shock Value: 4 Epic Scale: 9 Emotional trauma: 9