Comments on The House Next Door: Doctor Who Specials: "The End of Time, Part Two"

Without too much of interest to do, John Simm d...

2010-01-12T10:02:06.486-05:00
Without too much of interest to do, John Simm did it over and over again, louder each time, a disappointment.

I didn't expect the Master to exit the story as early as he did, although I think Simm made the most of his final scene. I enjoyed the way the Master is so suddenly behind the times and struggling to understand what's going on between the Doctor and the Time Lords, and frantically trying to work out which one to side with.

And what the hell happened to Billie Piper, who looked like a Goth shark with that eyeliner and those ravening teeth?

I did catch a brief glimpse of Series 1 Rose as she was turning away from Jackie after telling her not to stay out late. But she certainly has changed since 2005...

While I missed Ross at the helm, as long as Steven...

2010-01-10T11:51:34.069-05:00
While I missed Ross at the helm, as long as Steven promises not to regenerate I'm delighted to enter the Smith era with him. These recaps are as fun as the show.

Got around to seeing END OF TIME last night...it was good fun, but might have been better had it been either a Tennant finale or a Davies one. Combining the two led to a certain strain and a maudlin feeling, as if the show itself were going off the air rather than regenerating. Without too much of interest to do, John Simm did it over and over again, louder each time, a disappointment. And what the hell happened to Billie Piper, who looked like a Goth shark with that eyeliner and those ravening teeth? The bloom was off the Rose.

Of course Timothy Dalton, an actor with one of the zaniest resumes, had to be in this. He looked great, though, even in a goofy costume.

But really, more niggles than complaints. If Duncan says Smith's OK I'm eager to begin again. (She's an incredible actress--when she talks about a Dalek war you don't need to see the Dalek war, her intonation puts it right there in front of you.

Thanks to everyone for your compliments about the ...

2010-01-08T08:36:02.648-05:00
Thanks to everyone for your compliments about the recap - it's greatly appreciated.

k.sj -

Yes, Bernard Cribbins has been incredibly good for the show over the last couple of years. Pretty much every scene involving him has been golden. Amazing to think that he was only intended to have that little one-off appearance in "Voyage of the Damned," and only became Donna's grandfather retrospectively when Howard Attfield was too ill to be in Series 4. Which makes the part where the Doctor talks about going back in time to see Geoff Noble even more poignant.

Re Doctor Who conventions, I was at Gallifrey One in LA last year, and I've been to a few general SF conventions over the years, but I'm definitely not a regular attendee.

What a lovely write-up. You're a good writer a...

2010-01-07T16:27:34.793-05:00
What a lovely write-up. You're a good writer and picked out some of my favourite quotes too. I especially loved the scene at the wedding where he said he borrowed a pound off a gentleman, and also when Wilf Saluted him and then blew him a kiss.
What a gorgeous actor Bernard Cribbins is. Loved him since I saw him in the episode of "Faulty Towers".

Was it Murray Gold who wrote the ood song? I thought it was beautiful.

Anyway, thank you for the above - have you ever been to the doctor who conventions?

And how awesome was the cantina scene? It ...

2010-01-07T11:01:12.632-05:00
And how awesome was the cantina scene?

It was great to see it, since they wanted to do something similar last year, when the Doctor took Donna to the Shadow Proclamation in "The Stolen Earth." They were meant to land in a room containing at least one of every type of alien created for the series (including Margaret Slitheen from Series 1). Unfortunately time and budget constraints intervened, which is why we ended up with a couple of albino women standing in a public washroom. I was glad to see RTD finally managed to achieve that scene in the end.

Finally, best of luck to Matt Smith. His work is cut out for him, and I can't help but worry a little for the show's future in the hands of a guy who looks a little goofy and isn't mega superstar David Tennant. But I'll be there.

Well, Tennant wasn't a superstar when he started as the Doctor, either. Certainly a lot of people who have worked with Matt Smith have raved about his abilities, including Lindsay Duncan (Adelaide in "The Waters of Mars"). I was very happy with the brief glimpse we got at the end of the episode, and I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do.

It's an obvious observation, I suppose, but I ...

2010-01-06T12:09:40.054-05:00
It's an obvious observation, I suppose, but I was really tickled by the sudden music change when Eleven arrived, the gorgeous Tenant era giving way to something that sounded almost Bo Diddleyesque to my ears.

What a wonderful write-up! I didn't realize that the Doctor was shooting the diamond rather than the machine. That makes it much more sensible as a way of severing the link with the Time Lords.

And how awesome was the cantina scene? Who would expect you could mix the tragic figure of Capt. Jack into a cartoon atmosphere without ruining either?

And as for the sheer number of delightful aliens, imagine a scene in the original series where the Doctor enters a bar and sees Daleks, Cybermen, Zygons, Silurians, Sea Devils, Nimon, Tractators, Sensorites, Yeti, and maybe even Kandyman all consorting over drinks!?!

And kudos also to Timothy Dalton for a veritable master class in how to radiate malevolence without sacrificing believability in the slightest.

I wasn't the biggest fan of David Tennant and still wish we could have gotten a couple more years out of Christopher Eccleston, but there's no denying that he brought his A game to The End of Time, and I hope his pilot goes to series.

Finally, best of luck to Matt Smith. His work is cut out for him, and I can't help but worry a little for the show's future in the hands of a guy who looks a little goofy and isn't mega superstar David Tennant. But I'll be there.

It is gorgeous pieces of writing such as this bril...

2010-01-06T02:54:36.797-05:00
It is gorgeous pieces of writing such as this brilliant recap that makes me think I should really get into Dr. Who.

Then I watch an episode...

After hearing that ending music, the thought occur...

2010-01-05T09:05:17.070-05:00
After hearing that ending music, the thought occurred to me that it might actually be a reference back to what was being sung by the church choir at the start of Part One. However, having checked, it's just that the two pieces are in a similar style and tempo.

In any case, I thought the sudden modulation as the Doctor finally reaches the TARDIS was very striking. I also liked the way the music built up to a final full-scale rendition of The Doctor's Theme leading to the actual regeneration.

I was very happy to see the news confirmed today that Murray Gold is staying on as composer for the next series (and will also be providing a new version of the theme). It's nice to know there'll be at least some continuity between eras, and I'm looking forward to hearing what he can do under Moffat's regime.

"and a gorgeous piece of music supports hi...

2010-01-05T01:21:59.455-05:00
"and a gorgeous piece of music supports him as he staggers back to the TARDIS“

I liked the music a lot too, although many, many people did not. That last song of the Ood and the universe singing the Doctor to his sleep makes excellent use of a solo countertenor voice, with those piercing high notes of the odd timbre of a man's voice rather than a soprano. It's a beautiful nod to the English choir tradition of Tallis and later Rutter.

The piece then builds to a more expected 'Carmina Burana meets John Williams,' but I found it stirring and well-matched to the visual and the dramatics of what's going on.

Comments on The House Next Door: Doctor Who Specials: "The End of Time, Part Two"

Without too much of interest to do, John Simm d...

While I missed Ross at the helm, as long as Steven...

Thanks to everyone for your compliments about the ...

What a lovely write-up. You're a good writer a...

And how awesome was the cantina scene? It ...

It's an obvious observation, I suppose, but I ...

It is gorgeous pieces of writing such as this bril...

After hearing that ending music, the thought occur...

"and a gorgeous piece of music supports hi...