Monday, January 04, 2010

On Doctor Who

So thanks to the power of You Tube and some lax copyright policing by the BBC, I was able to watch the final episode of Doctor Who yesterday. And although I'd whined about The End of Time Part One being rubbish, I have the admit the second episode was magnificent!

Bernard Cribbins, everybody's favorite old man, reenacting that scene from Star Wars in a laser-turret? The Doctor dodging nuclear missiles in a twirling, whirling space ship? The gratuitous, but lovely cameos by all the old stars of 'Who? And that teary farewell - with David Tennant's lip quivering as he admitted 'I don't want to go!'

Marvellous. Brilliant. A tour de force that wrapped up Tennant's reign as The Doctor with satisfying aplomb.

The only problem now? What comes next...

David Tennant - easily the best Doctor since Tom Baker - will not be easy to replace. Not only that, but the beautiful Tardis design (that's become as much a fixture of the series as he was) crumbled and burnt during Tennant's regeneration. Truly, the next series will be a new 'era' for Who - and producer Stephen Moffat has some seriously big shoes to fill.

I'll tell you this, though - the preview of 'Series 5' does look promising. Not only that, but the newest 'Who girl' - Scottish actress Karen Gillan - is utterly delicious. Not only that, but she's a bona-fide ginger, too! (Even if the Doctor isn't, as Gooseman pointed out.)

Given my love/hate relationship with Russell T. Davies, I'm going to be interested to see where Moffat takes the series. Will the Doctor be popping back, encountering old friends like Captain Jack and Sarah Jane Smith? Or will it be a clean break? Only time will tell (and fortunately, Doctor Who is a Time Lord.)

Anyway. Here's the preview to Series 5. I can't wait!



2 comments:

Lloydie said...

Totally agree with you Roland. The final episode was full of wonderful nods to the past, to Star Wars and seemed heartfelt. It also seems, in terms of storyline, that it had reached a conclusion that has been hinted at for some time.

I'm very much looking forward to the new Doctor. We're going from dashing Doctor to dishy Doctor. I'll be glued!

Tom said...

You know, I remember when David Tennant took over the role, I had little hopes. He was nothing like Christopher Eccleston, and the Doctor character was being taken in a totally different direction.

And now, years later, it's hard to think of anyone else in the role. So here's to Tennant, the best Doctor until the next one.