The End Of Time Part 1 - Comment & Grading SPOILERS

[Timby]

The episode would have made a lot more sense if Naismith had been the one to bring back the Master. Instead, it's simply a horribly convenient coincidence that the Master got access to the Immortality Gate. He didn't have a grand plan -- he just came up with the 'Master race' idea during the five minutes he was working on it.

Really, this was just such a horribly disjointed episode. Outside of the coffeehouse scene, the conversation in the quarry and a few bits here and there ("Skeletor," the "cactus" line, Donna being Donna), there wasn't a whole lot to like. The Master as Gollum is one of the most ridiculous things I've seen all year -- and I saw Angels & Demons in the theater. The whole episode felt like it was a series of scenes put one after the other, with no connection, incredibly amateurish. This was a preliminary draft script that somehow made it all the way through to filming, and God only knows who edited it together.

Really, it feels like Davies wrote about an episode and a quarter of plot, and is stretching it across two hour-plus specials.

 

[Mitty]

Re Donna, I think the thing that turned everyone else into the Master will "save" Donna at the same time.

And the woman in white... is it Romana? President Romana? My only other prediction is that she is the Doctor's mother.

 

[Canadave]

I noticed that too on first viewing and thought "cheap, cheap"

yes I noticed that too, was not best impresed.

I noticed it as well, but... so? I mean, have any of you people watched this whole Star Trek thing?

Anyway, I liked the episode. Was OTT, yeah, but I found it to be enjoyably so. There were enough character moments to keep it grounded, as well, I thought. Ultimately, it'll be up to part 2 to make or break the whole thing.

 

[Admiral_Young]

I'm quite surprised that everyone seems to be judging the TWO PARTER by the first episode. Was it slow and bizzare? Oh yeah I'll grant you that. I could have done without Minnie grabbing the Doctor's ass joke, but I think it's folly to judge something based on it's opening part. I'm not saying don't like the episode but after reading some of the posts you guys seem to be dumping on both parts without having even seen the second episode yet. As for the Masters "superpowers" I'm also surprised people are having problem with that since he'a frakking Time Lord! Are they superman? No but they're a pretty fucking advanced race and have done some astonishing things in the past, like building organic time machines that are bigger in the inside than out for instance. Manipulating stars and black holes, etc. I don't have any problem with the Master exhibiting "powers" and the Doctor pointed it out quite well I thought why he had abilties in the first place. Over the top? Maybe but the Master is a pretty over the top character.

 

[Kelso]

And the woman in white... is it Romana? President Romana? My only other prediction is that she is the Doctor's mother.

If it must be someone from the old show... then what about the White Guardian?

 

[Admiral_Young]

My theory and I have nothing to base this on except for the line she told Wilf not to tell anything of what she said to the Doctor...is that it could be Romana. It will probably turn out to be someone else. I do think it's a Time Lady for some reason though.

 

[Shazam!]

The episode would have made a lot more sense if Naismith had been the one to bring back the Master. Instead, it's simply a horribly convenient coincidence that the Master got access to the Immortality Gate. He didn't have a grand plan -- he just came up with the 'Master race' idea during the five minutes he was working on it.

Really, this was just such a horribly disjointed episode. Outside of the coffeehouse scene, the conversation in the quarry and a few bits here and there ("Skeletor," the "cactus" line, Donna being Donna), there wasn't a whole lot to like. The Master as Gollum is one of the most ridiculous things I've seen all year -- and I saw Angels & Demons in the theater. The whole episode felt like it was a series of scenes put one after the other, with no connection, incredibly amateurish. This was a preliminary draft script that somehow made it all the way through to filming, and God only knows who edited it together.

Really, it feels like Davies wrote about an episode and a quarter of plot, and is stretching it across two hour-plus specials.

I'll buy that.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I liked it, but it was mostly build-up and the pay-off was slight (the Time Lords thing is a big deal to lots of folks, I know, but it was hardly a shocker and the reveal was just static and tackily melodramatic. With spittle).

Cribbins and Simms' performances definitely the high point. And the "Master race" pun was cute.

 

[Timby]

(the Time Lords thing is a big deal to lots of folks, I know, but it was hardly a shocker

Yeah, I'm not understanding the "holy shit, the last ten seconds!" reaction, considering that Dalton appeared in Time Lord robes about halfway through the episode.

 

[Peacemaker]

The fact is that a lot people haven't seen the Time Lords so they didn't make that connection. Those robes could have been one of the Guardians or some other character.

 

[Starkers]

^Yes but one Timelord is one thing...a whole host of Timelords is something else!

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

(the Time Lords thing is a big deal to lots of folks, I know, but it was hardly a shocker

Yeah, I'm not understanding the "holy shit, the last ten seconds!" reaction, considering that Dalton appeared in Time Lord robes about halfway through the episode.

And that the whole Time Lord return business has probably been the worst-kept secret on this show...ever.

That the "beat of drums" is the signature beat of two hearts is clever, but odd that Tennant's character never noticed.

I'm going to have to be sold on this show all over again after next week. The departure of Davies and Tennant along with all this attendent redesigning/rethinking doesn't leave me with much to be more than mildly curious about. I know British DW fans are used to this and consider it wonderful, but given that I found about nine-tenths of the "Classic Doctor Who" shows more annoying than entertaining I've no reason to get excited by the disappearence of everything that's made NuWho worth watching...

^Yes but one Timelord is one thing...a whole host of Timelords is something else!

Yep, one Time Lord is a long-in-the-tooth Timothy Dalton in a cheesy robe raining spit on the camera - a whole host of Time Lords is bedraggled Dalton and a lot of background players in goofy robes...

The clip online from Part II makes them a bit more intriguing...and at least Dalton isn't stuck in one of those ridiculous collars.

 

[Snick27]

Re Donna, I think the thing that turned everyone else into the Master will "save" Donna at the same time.

And the woman in white... is it Romana? President Romana? My only other prediction is that she is the Doctor's mother.

Im calling it now. Wilf is the Doctors Dad!

 

[Allyn Gibson]

And the woman in white... is it Romana? President Romana? My only other prediction is that she is the Doctor's mother.

Claire Bloom was reported over the summer as playing the Doctor's mother. She's not how I picture Penelope Gate, though. Alex Kingston would actually be closer.

 

[Peacemaker]

Odd that nobodies commented on the fact that Donna is getting her memories back.(holy crap!)

I did. I am very concerned as to what will happen to her. I think it's unlikely she'll be killed off, so will she become kind of Time Lord and join up with Dalton's crew (assuming they don't get sent back where they came from)? Where are the Time Lords anyway - out of sync with the rest of time? Did Gallifrey go with them or is it just a surviving council? I'm gonna be a dissenting voice and say if the Time Lords are coming back, they should stay back. They can be used sparingly, if ever, and it would be more satisfying to me than a 75 minute lease of pointless life.

Oh yeah - how can the Doctor put the TARDIS out of sync with the rest of time anyway? If he can do that, why was breaking into the Medusa Cascade, also out of sync by one second, such a problem?

It's a nod to the Keeper of Traken. The Master had a device that was part of his TARDIS weaponry it seems and he fired it at the Doctor's TARDIS. It disappeared. When the Doctor found it, he said it had been placed slightly out of synch with time.

As to the Time Lords...agreed. It looks like, if anything, if the Time Lords do return we're back to the godlike Time Lords, which will be great.

That said, from Dalton's last line, one wonders if they know the Time War is over.

I also wonder about the "how" they came back now. It may be connected to the sound of drums? Or is the sound of drums some sort of artifact of his resurrection or something implanted in his resurrected DNA like a psychic transmitter? maybe it's the Master's DNA...he applied it to humanity, but the use of it triggered the gate to restore the Time Lords and Gallifrey via the sound of drums. Maybe the Vinvocci's interference, which the Master didn't seem to know about was involved?

 

[Timby]

The fact is that a lot people haven't seen the Time Lords so they didn't make that connection. Those robes could have been one of the Guardians or some other character.

Anyone who saw "Last of the Time Lords" could have made the jump in reasoning. I'm not saying that it was blindingly obvious, but even my wife, who has never seen an episode of the classic series in her lifetime, immediately said, "Well, shit, that's a Time Lord."

 

[Sci]

Seriously, I had hoped this was two-parter was going to be more about people having bad dreams and it progressed to The Doctor having his own nightmares (which would have led to the cameos of countless people). Instead, we got this utter rubbish where very little happened.

The juxtaposition of these two sentences amuses me.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT?!"

Holy. SHIT! I thought I would never see the day.

And like Starkers, I can't believe I'm about to defend Davies to you. For the most part, I didn't mind that scene because it felt a bit like Classic Who,

Well, then, no wonder I hated it!

 

[Cutter John]

On a different note, I wonder if we're going to get the scene of Ten in the bookshop with the "A Journal of Impossible Things by Verity Newman" signing. (remember those early leaked photos?) Deleted scene? The Master situation resolved soon enough to work it into Pt 2?

 

[Jax]

You know what no matter any issues in the episode, that final bit with the return of the timelords is simply spine chilling and epic among words

I need part 2 now

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Seriously, I had hoped this was two-parter was going to be more about people having bad dreams and it progressed to The Doctor having his own nightmares (which would have led to the cameos of countless people). Instead, we got this utter rubbish where very little happened.

The juxtaposition of these two sentences amuses me.

Well, well...fuck.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT?!"

Holy. SHIT! I thought I would never see the day.

And like Starkers, I can't believe I'm about to defend Davies to you. For the most part, I didn't mind that scene because it felt a bit like Classic Who,

Well, then, no wonder I hated it!

Indeed!