Well, that was a thing that was on television.
Okay, watching it in the moment, it's actually not bad, kind of enjoyable in fact. It's only afterwards when I think about it I realize, it didn't really make a lot of sense. The plot actually reminds me of a really sarcastic movie review I read years ago which said something along the lines of "there's a plot that's about something." That more or less sums up the plot of this episode, it's about something. And ultimately, meh, who really cares.
I will say, the character moments are what really saves this episode. We really do get some nice and great stuff there. Which reinforces that Chibnall actually is a good writer when it comes to character oriented stuff. I don't know why he didn't decide to take his era of Doctor Who in a more character oriented direction. But whatever.
And really, bland and forgettable storyline with brilliant character work. That pretty much sums up the Chibnall/Whittaker era precisely. So I guess when you look at it like that, this episode is the perfect representation of its era which makes it the perfect tribute to and send-off for it. So it has that going for it anyway.
The episode is definitely paced too fast at times, that's my biggest gripe.
The story itself is almost standard fare in terms of a Master vs Doctor plot, arguably too thin in areas, and many elements seen previously, but the characters are handled so well and a lot of the plot ideas have enough innovation to them.
Even with the loose ends about Gallifrey, the Timeless Child, and so on.
The Cyberlords regenerating at the start almost feels like a payoff to TTC, but doesn't quite make it. The revelation they figured out how to get around gold had a better impact, for me anyway. At least we see a Cyber victory, that's been long overdue. And instead of the usual grand epic episodes, one scene showing a smaller victory can let a viewer think of others that have happened elsewhere. I'll roll with it.
Reversing the TCE is interesting, though I doubt the Master would use it too often. It could also easily be a more recent development.
The Master has numerous assorted, sordid quips and there is a quiet sense of loathing that begins to bubble over how vile he is.
I had to giggle with the Boney M gyrating dance session - all while eye-rolling. It's a tad much, but nowhere as much over the top as Simm's Master was in series 3, where all I was doing was eye-rolling.
The Dalek traitor, who turns out to be an actual traitor (wow!), was a nice touch - completely believing it was a trap, with the Doctor explaining away the "It's worth the risk" nicely.
The paintings - shades of the Master plopping his face onto everyone across Earth except this is a lot more refined. It's almost something the Monk might do, except he's amoral and not evil. And the Master is trying to get the Doctor's attention. Just seeing the paintings with his face all over them was adequate. He's doing it to goad the Doctor. Nothing more.
Still wish they did more with the Rasputin ruse, though. That felt too much like an aside...
Multiple TARDISes again was nice. "HAHAHAHA HAHA" on the front door is a nice innovation on what the Master would do as well. The interior with different sounding cloister bell was a clue to his latest machinations as well. But definitely had those robust Whovian vibes...
Oooh, the biggie and Chibnall nails it: The notion that Earth could become a manufacturing center for Daleks and Cybermen explains all of the recent Dalek stories set on Earth impeccably well. Obviously the Daleks and Cybermen would eventually have a falling out, but they didn't win so it's a nonissue.
Obviously, how Tegan survives falling - meh, the Doctor did that thing she had revealed later on and Tegan kept it a secret.
Ace's use of "Professor" seems a tad off compared to how she said it in 1988, but so was Susan saying "Grandfather" in 1983 - same cause and reason.
So lovely to see the companions all get into the TARDIS. Lovely stuff.
The Master, now that I recall, mentioned ingesting the Cyberium harrypotterlmercurialblob and thus learning all of everything or something. I just rolled with it.
The revisiting past Doctors was really nicely innovated. Chibnall writes for Hartnell's Doctor better than Moffat had. Didn't realize how old Davison is now. So lovely to see Sixie again. Seven and 8's sparring is, of course, not to be missed - it's truly all on form.
Ian... as with Tom Baker, I fear William Russell's age is catching up with him as well.
But it was lovely to see Jo and Mel back, even if they have nothing to say. The scene was the perfect size and a poetic coda. Almost perfect. I was yearning for Barbara, Ben, Polly, Dodo... So glad they could get as many 20th century Earth companions back, and the dialogue really is top notch.
And speaking of, people have said Dan's exit was bad. Try living in 1966 when Dodo left! Ouch!!
I cheered when the "Fugitive" Doctor appeared. She may have been an aside to the era, but at least we got one more moment and it was a damn good one.
The era, one of more downs than ups but, dang, were the ups good ones, ends on a high note. Leaving us wanting more, as well as feeling - perhaps unintentionally - as a celebration of the whole of the franchise. That's honestly how to do it (IMHO) and he got it right. Heck, this feels more of a proper celebration of the entire show than The Name of the Doctor had. It kept true to legacy and new, while tying up as many loose ends as it could. I think Chibnall had to ditch TCC thanks to covicooties clobbering the production of Flux, with episode count reduced and now having to end his era. Could enough of this finale, with everything it's set out to do, be "deleted" to explore TCC in a more satisfactory way? Not likely. TCC was comparatively easier to accept than some of the stuff put out in the classic era, 1996, and modern eras.
Jodie's impending regeneration had me initially thinking "Oh good, another one delayed yet again" and yet there's just enough emotional impact and intercutting with the companion support group to keep the denouement going. Especially as it all felt like an inverse of 10's emo wallowing, despite this being the same basic theme. Chris was playing to some huge strengths in writing Jodie's exit. And that bit about the final sunrise line... effectively dying alone, on top of everything else. The only thing worse would be how the 2nd Doctor was forced to regenerate by the Time Lords, but the underlying context is a lot more sinister with the Master. With any luck, Tennantwo (
officially the 14th Doctor and not a bunch disparate of specials or distractions of warm cozy teddy bears and blankets until something hopefully new is tried with Gatwa*) will have companions coming in who'll be designed for Ncuti in mind. With luck, NCuti will be more than a Tennant retread too. Impossible to say but the trepidation some people have right now is rightly valid.
A- if not A for me.
* whom a contingent of fans would rather see because he's actually NEW and a true blank slate. In retrospect, get this, will Tennantwo be Tennant's original run or be different (save for the costume that's clearly the same motif as 10's)? There's a fun one to simmer over until next year. So as much as those of us who'd rather skip ahead to Ncuti, I'd still opine to see what Tennantwo has to offer - if the other articles from the last few months saying RTD has big and different plans, let the imagination soar as to what might happen... then be pleasantly surprised and/or pleasantly annoyed over what is put onto the screen next year.
