The End of Time
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DVD NTSC
Region 1
5-episode
box set
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DVD PAL
Region 2
5-episode
box set
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Standard DVD
2-episode
volume
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See below for Blu-Ray options
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(Doctor Who Story No. 207, starring David Tennant)
- written by Russell T. Davies
- directed by Euros Lyn
- produced by Tracie Simpson
- music by Murray Gold
- 2 episodes @ 60 min. and 73 min.
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Story:
After an extended jaunt full of unseen adventures,
the tenth Doctor returns to confront the prophecy
of the end of his life, and a
resurrected Master is seen to be at the heart of it.
But how is Donna's grandfather Wilfred Mott connected?
What is the mysterious machine that the rich and sinister
Joshua Naismith and his daughter are working on? And why
is the "end of time itself" being heralded?
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DVD Extras include:
- Part One audio commentary by
David Tennant (The Doctor),
Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), and
director Euros Lyn.
- Part Two audio commentary by Tennant, Lyn, and
John Simm (The Master).
- Doctor Who Confidential documentary: Lords and Masters (57 min.) with
Tennant, Lyn, Simm,
Bernard Cribbins (Wilfred Mott),
Jacqueline King (Sylvia Noble),
Sinead Keenan (Addams),
June Whitfield (Minnie),
Lachele Carl (Trinity Wells),
writer Russell T. Davies,
1st assistant director (producer?) Peter Bennett,
executive Julie Gardner,
designer Ed Thomas, and others...
- Doctor Who Confidential documentary: Allons - Y! (57 min.) with
Tennant, Lyn, Simm, Cribbins, Keenan,
Davies, Bennett, Gardner,
Timothy Dalton (Lord President), and others...
- David Tennant's Video Diaries (20 min.)
- Deleted and Extended Scenes (2 min.) - introduced by Davies
- "Doctor Who at Comic-Con" convention panel in California,
summer 2009,
with David Tennant, Russell T. Davies, Julie Gardner,
Euros Lyn and John Barrowman. (21 min.)
- Doctor Who Christmas 2009 BBC Identification clips
Buyers' Guide Review
by Martin Izsak
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(A more in-depth analysis, containing "SPOILERS" and intended
for those who have already seen the program, can be accessed
here.)
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This adventure easily turns out to be the best and most enjoyable
in the "Complete Specials" box set, making good use of its extra length.
Although it feels fairly typical of writer Russell T. Davies' recent
season finales, Davies plays more towards his strengths in this tale,
and chooses a cast of characters that better suit those strengths.
The opening narration - itself not so unusual when you consider
stories like "Doomsday" (story no. 181) or
"Father's Day" (story no. 167) -
seems to be meant to impart the gravity of the stakes in the adventure,
but actually has an opposite and disappointing effect.
Davies may think
he's doing things on a grand scale, but it rather shows how small his
galactic imagination really is. I can't believe he originally titled
this story "The Final Days of Planet Earth". That could be the title of
nearly all of Davies' stories for goodness sake. It says nothing.
Christmas is gotten out of the way fairly quickly in this tale,
with a melancholy opening that emphasizes the prayerful side of the
holiday. The sci-fi
story itself takes center stage so successfully afterward that Christmas
merely becomes background, as it should be.
The Doctor certainly starts this story off VERY right, with a solid
materialization for the TARDIS on a half-decent alien planet. As Ood Sigma
fulfills the traditional role of the Doctor's companion through a few
critical set-up scenes, we learn that the Doctor's travels between this story
and the last one have been quite numerous. This is EXCELLENT.
This is space for audience imagination, fan fiction, spinoff audio projects,
official novels, Steven Moffat's referenced encounters with
Professor River Song, and later multi-Doctor appearances of David Tennant to
be squeezed into his known chronology in a manner easily accepted by all fans. This is so much better than the compressed continuity links of dreadful
prophecy that plagued the last two stories, not to mention its all-too-early
introduction in
"Planet of the Ood" (story no. 196).
The only thing missing for perfection would have been to make David Tennant
up as a much older man, to indicate that the Tenth Doctor had had a full
life of something like 150 years of traveling and exploring before needing
to regenerate into yet another, younger form. As for reports of his age,
Davies and co. remain blissfully ignorant of where he was at previously
during the
Sylvester McCoy era: 953 years old.
Anything less than 1000 years of age now seems very wrong.
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No attempt is made to hold back on the Master's involvement in this
story, allowing one to market his presence in the tale without really
giving away any spoilers. Early on, Davies needs to tidy up the mess
he last left the Master in during
his last adventure, and it's not any particular
improvement in quality or believability than much of what occurred
during that tale. However, once past that mandatory bit, we get to see
John Simm's Master at his best so far. He still leans towards the mad
side, but doesn't seem to be as over-the-top with it as before. I think
a lot of that is simply down to the way other characters are written
to respond to him - in this story you can easily believe it.
The plot remains successful in its simplicity early on, allowing its
two obvious opposition forces to clash successfully against a superb
backdrop - a section of the story that is very
effectively directed and executed. Nice stuff.
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Music by Murray Gold
A suite of original music new for this story
is available on:
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Davies tends to enjoy focusing on the discovery and exploration
of as many characters and new sci-fi concepts as possible while ignoring
the "goals vs. obstacles" stratagems that many action stories require. This
story successfully centers around characters
which help play down the requirements
for opposing stratagems and boosts the importance of conversation
and investigation into character and motivation. While on this safer ground,
Davies turns out a cracking good tale while playing more towards his own
writing interests and strengths. Nice one.
Bernard Cribbins is always wonderful as Wilfred Mott, and here his role
is expanded until he becomes the de facto companion for the adventure.
EXCELLENT move. Cribbins hasn't had this much importance and screen time
since "Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150" back in
the sixties. Donna's mum is back as well, and gets to showcase her comic
timing - possibly her most enjoyable appearance in the show yet.
A good plot does brew up after a while, all building to a spectacular
cliffhanger. Oh yes.
Timothy Dalton is great casting as well, giving us a very strong
and most commanding presence for one of the story's key characters.
Nice one.
Not wanting to give much more away, I will have to save a good deal
of discussion for the
in-depth analysis version of this review.
Come back to it after you've seen the show.
Though the exploration of ideas and character are once more the
strongest focus, we do get a very lively action sequence building towards
the final confrontation in this story with excellent strategic countering
in place - one of Davies' finest moments.
Figuring out who to root for does become problematic though, as the
story progresses, although it isn't too bad. But it does feel as
though the audience isn't being given enough backstory to get into quite the
same emotional space about these events as Davies is obviously in.
Well, we fans who watch these things over and over again will always
find little points to pick at and argue over, especially if we're in our
intellectual left-brain while watching. But try switching to the
emotional right-brain for a viewing. Everything flows, and makes sense
within its own context. David Tennant and his co-stars give amazing
performances. The special effects and exciting soaring scores are all
there. Director Euros Lyn is in top form and produces his best work
on Doctor Who yet. The whole thing is excellent and thoroughly enjoyable.
"The End of Time" turns out to be the best New Millennium Doctor Who story
first broadcast during Christmas holidays, and one of the higher ranking
of all David Tennant stories. Though it perhaps goes a little too crazy
in many places to be a masterpiece, it does deliver a very engaging and moving
emotional ride, sending Tennant out with style. It's a worthy cap-off to the
successful Tennant/Davies era.
And Doctor Who continues.... Onwards!
"The Complete Specials" Rankings:
"The End of Time" has become available on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Click on the Amazon symbol for the location nearest you
for pricing and availability:
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DVD NTSC Region 1
5-episode box set
for the North American market:
in the U.S.
in Canada
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DVD PAL Region 2
5-episode box set
for the U.K.
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DVD NTSC Region 1
2-episode volume
for the North American market:
in the U.S.
in Canada
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DVD PAL Region 2
"Winter Specials"
3-episode volume
for the U.K.
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Blu-Ray NTSC Region 1
5-episode box set
for the North American market:
in the U.S.
in Canada
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Blu-Ray PAL Region 2
5-episode box set
for the U.K.
|
Blu-Ray NTSC Region 1
2-episode volume
for the North American market:
in the U.S.
in Canada
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