Doctor Who : Lonely Gods and Legends
Jun. 30th, 2007 10:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
talkingtotheskySo how fantastic was the Series 3 finale? Here are my thoughts (a lot of incoherent rambling) on the end to the series and just the show in general.
I should probably have reviewed before this, especially after Utopia (I was literally jumping in the air for an hour or so afterwards). But with cliffhangers abundant and so many things still left to find out, I figured I'd wait till now.
The verdict? Oh, words cannot describe. Where's the Oscar already? The show outdoes itself time and time again and I love it. RTD is a genius (how many times have I said that over the past couple of years? Got to be at least a hundred, surely...) and the endless references back and forth just add another layer to the series. Up to the point when you start seeing links that aren't really there; I was convinced by the end of this episode that we'd seen Tom Milligan before, in 42. Then I went back and remembered that the guy Martha had kissed was called Riley, and that I was being paranoid. *rolls eyes*
Now, on to the important stuff! The Master! I loved every second of John Simm's performance - what screen chemistry DT and JS have together! His dancing to Scissor Sisters, his Jelly Babies in the previous episode (I bought two packets of the things earlier in the week to celebrate!) just the general all-round wackiness! Of course, I am totally disgusted by him, obviously, he's evil! You cannot like the evil person who destroys all of humankind with their own future selves! Oh, no...!
And his death was just heart-rendingly beautiful. The Doctor alone again, just when he thought there was someone there after all- forever the Lonely God. The Master's last revenge.
Let us not forget the famous Martha Jones! I loved the 'One Year Later' setup; it gave it scope to believe that these people were really living through hell and that gave it more credibility and feeling because they'd been suffering, and so would fight all the harder. The woman betraying Martha to try and find news of her son is a brilliant example of just how desperate things had gotten in that year.
Martha really excelled herself in this episode, travelling around the world to spread the word of the Doctor, and legend attached to her as well! There is a real sense over this series of the companion really equaling the Doctor in every way. I hate to admit it, but Martha does this almost every episode, as opposed to Rose who did save the world but only after she'd been captured and then rescued a few times. Martha has proved herself to be such a strong character: walking away from the TARDIS with her head held high - and now I know I have finally accepted and begun to love her as a character. Great message about "Getting out" too; a very human, simple message amongst all the interplanetary wars and 900-year old Gollum impersonations. ;D
I was a little disappointed they didn't use Jack very much, apart from that fantastic revelation at the end. I can't believe it never clicked before about the whole Boe thing; how he becomes a face though I am not entirely sure! Jack was worried about getting grey hairs; Captain, you'll have no hair and sprout tentacles!
And just when the audience is getting teary over Martha's departure, the TARDIS seems like it's gone and blown up again. For some bizarre reason that we shall have to wait five months and 25 days for, the Titanic has just ploughed into the side of the TARDIS and all the Doctor can say, yet again, is: "WHAT!?"
I spent this finale episode entirely on my feet, jumping up and down and dancing and then standing stock still on the really dramatic bits. Then I go listen to the Podcast on the BBC DocWho website, and they say more exciting news is to come on Monday about Martha Jones and Series 4! So at this point, as you might have guessed, I'm supremely happy. Which is strange, when you consider how dark an episode this really is. It has a lot of comedy in it too; but I wouldn't call the Doctor lighting a funeral pyre with the last of his race except himself exactly kids light-hearted TV, you know? Wouldn't say the Master torturing the Doctor in front of millions just to get a message to Martha Jones is easy viewing! The fact that Lucy Saxon is the one that finally pulls the trigger on her 'husband' (did everyone notice her black eye?) is dark, dark stuff indeed.
But, that's DW! And us fans are depressing bastards, really. With a sense of humour, though, even if that does mean resorting to getting the Prime Minister to watch the Teletubbies. ;)
So, cheers Doctor Who series 3! It's been a hell of a ride! Now I'm looking forward to Torchwood, and the Christmas special: Voyage of the Damned!
The verdict? Oh, words cannot describe. Where's the Oscar already? The show outdoes itself time and time again and I love it. RTD is a genius (how many times have I said that over the past couple of years? Got to be at least a hundred, surely...) and the endless references back and forth just add another layer to the series. Up to the point when you start seeing links that aren't really there; I was convinced by the end of this episode that we'd seen Tom Milligan before, in 42. Then I went back and remembered that the guy Martha had kissed was called Riley, and that I was being paranoid. *rolls eyes*
Now, on to the important stuff! The Master! I loved every second of John Simm's performance - what screen chemistry DT and JS have together! His dancing to Scissor Sisters, his Jelly Babies in the previous episode (I bought two packets of the things earlier in the week to celebrate!) just the general all-round wackiness! Of course, I am totally disgusted by him, obviously, he's evil! You cannot like the evil person who destroys all of humankind with their own future selves! Oh, no...!
And his death was just heart-rendingly beautiful. The Doctor alone again, just when he thought there was someone there after all- forever the Lonely God. The Master's last revenge.
Let us not forget the famous Martha Jones! I loved the 'One Year Later' setup; it gave it scope to believe that these people were really living through hell and that gave it more credibility and feeling because they'd been suffering, and so would fight all the harder. The woman betraying Martha to try and find news of her son is a brilliant example of just how desperate things had gotten in that year.
Martha really excelled herself in this episode, travelling around the world to spread the word of the Doctor, and legend attached to her as well! There is a real sense over this series of the companion really equaling the Doctor in every way. I hate to admit it, but Martha does this almost every episode, as opposed to Rose who did save the world but only after she'd been captured and then rescued a few times. Martha has proved herself to be such a strong character: walking away from the TARDIS with her head held high - and now I know I have finally accepted and begun to love her as a character. Great message about "Getting out" too; a very human, simple message amongst all the interplanetary wars and 900-year old Gollum impersonations. ;D
I was a little disappointed they didn't use Jack very much, apart from that fantastic revelation at the end. I can't believe it never clicked before about the whole Boe thing; how he becomes a face though I am not entirely sure! Jack was worried about getting grey hairs; Captain, you'll have no hair and sprout tentacles!
And just when the audience is getting teary over Martha's departure, the TARDIS seems like it's gone and blown up again. For some bizarre reason that we shall have to wait five months and 25 days for, the Titanic has just ploughed into the side of the TARDIS and all the Doctor can say, yet again, is: "WHAT!?"
I spent this finale episode entirely on my feet, jumping up and down and dancing and then standing stock still on the really dramatic bits. Then I go listen to the Podcast on the BBC DocWho website, and they say more exciting news is to come on Monday about Martha Jones and Series 4! So at this point, as you might have guessed, I'm supremely happy. Which is strange, when you consider how dark an episode this really is. It has a lot of comedy in it too; but I wouldn't call the Doctor lighting a funeral pyre with the last of his race except himself exactly kids light-hearted TV, you know? Wouldn't say the Master torturing the Doctor in front of millions just to get a message to Martha Jones is easy viewing! The fact that Lucy Saxon is the one that finally pulls the trigger on her 'husband' (did everyone notice her black eye?) is dark, dark stuff indeed.
But, that's DW! And us fans are depressing bastards, really. With a sense of humour, though, even if that does mean resorting to getting the Prime Minister to watch the Teletubbies. ;)
So, cheers Doctor Who series 3! It's been a hell of a ride! Now I'm looking forward to Torchwood, and the Christmas special: Voyage of the Damned!
