The End of Time

The final adventure of the Tenth Doctor would always have been a significant story in of itself- David Tennant is the only actor to have successfully challenged Tom Baker for the title of most popular Doctor. And what a story it is- two and a quarter hours in length (a six-parter in old money) with cameos from every actor to have played a regular role and the return of the Time Lords. The plot is simple and just about works, albeit with an odd structure. There are a few problems with the script. The resurrection of the Master is presented as a necromantic ritual, a move which could work had the emphasis been different. However, mentions of ‘potions of life’ and ‘the secret books of Saxon’ are a bit too Harry Potter. The plot means that the critical characters of Naismiths are given short shrift in the second episode- a pity, considering David Harewood’s fine performance. The means by which the Time Lords escape, although comprehensible, is in danger of being misread. Donna’s ‘defence mechanism’ seems to have been constructed purely to season the cliffhanger.These are all valid criticisms all raised by perceptive critics of the programme (together with others raised by those who cannot tell the difference between a plot hole and something that they have failed to spot). However, like The Evil of the Daleks, like Logopolis, The End of Time manages to overcome these shortcomings to produce a story of real wonder and excitement.

However, once the Master is properly back after his Voldemortesqe resurrection, we are again blessed with John Simm’s electrifying take on the character. The Master started off being simply an evil opposite to the Doctor, but since The Keeper of Traken, he has become a Time Lord who is physically, as well as mentally 'wrong'. His return in "Utopia" was as a fully fledged Time Lord, but his botched rebirth here leaves him a nightmarish horror- his flesh repeatedly vanishing to reveal the skeleton beneath, able to fire lightning from his fingers; and all the time, he is ravenously hungry, as shown in scenes that must have caused Yuletide gastric discomfort in a few viewers. The relationship between him and the Doctor is as deftly written as ever. Both need each other on a visceral level- the Master instinctively holds the Doctor as he falls from his own assault. However, once he finds out what is returning, he is perfectly willing to let the Doctor die- his visceral feelings were grounded in his own selfishness.

The story starts off by an imposing voice narrating events in a rather florid manner (but who are the ones who have an infinite capacity for pretension?) which reaches a crescendo in the middle of the first episode- to reveal the face of the Narrator. The Master Plan with his Master Race is only a small part of the grand scheme- for the Time Lords have returned. We are treated to Gallifrey on the last day of the Time War- the dome of the Capitol shattered, the wrecks of Dalek saucers strewn around. The High Council are in session and it is clear that these are a grimmer, more ruthless race than we have ever seen before. The Lord President (as the Narrator turns out to be) deals out disintegration for dissent and, as they descend on Earth, bringing the raging inferno that is the dying Gallifrey with them, it is clear that the destruction of the Time Lords was no accidental side effect. Twisted by the Hell that the war had become, they chose to ascend to godhood- ripping space-time apart in the process, as the final act of the war. Davies’ depiction of the final days of the Time War prove that it is an event that should never be explored on screen- how can anything compare to the images in our minds of The Nightmare Child, the Horde of Travesties and, most wonderful of all, the Could-have-been King with his army of Meanwhiles and Never-weres? It should remain a series of images in our head that point to something we can never fully understand. The Lord President is played with relish by Timothy Dalton, arguably the best actor to play James Bond. He is actually named as Rassilon himself by the Doctor, which makes sense- if the Master was brought back as the ultimate warrior, it makes sense that the founder of Time Lord society be resurrected to lead his people- a people who become just as much the Doctor’s enemy as the Daleks. The Time Lords are truly awesome in their power, Rassilon overcoming the Master’s schemes with a flick of his gauntlet (The Great Glove of Rassilon?) but it is clear that they know that the Doctor is not someone to be underestimated, even with something as primitive as a service revolver in his hand.

Euros Lyn is often overlooked as a director, despite his amazing track record. As the revived programme’s longest serving director, it is fitting that he helms Tennant’s finale. The spectacle demanded by the script is easily realized by Lyn, from the stunning scenes set on Gallifrey to the wonderful Star Wars inspired sequence where the Vinvocci ship has to evade and shoot down seemingly every missile on planet Earth. The appearance of Gallifrey is as awesome as it should be (it seems to be as large compared to the Earth as we are to the Moon). Lyn makes sure every performance counts (even in minor roles such as the Visionary and Shaun, we have Brid Brennan and Karl Collins). I must also mention the incredibly likeable Sinéad Keenan as Addams and a cheeky role for the legendary June Whitfield, in the wonderful sub-plot of the ‘Silver Cloak’- Wilf’s network of OAPs who know everything there is to know in London. Then there is the appearance of the legendary Claire Bloom as a woman who guides events to try and help the Doctor. We never find out who she is (or indeed, her fellow partisan, whose face is never revealed) which is for the best- until we do find out, let us revel in our theories.

There is spectacle to be had, for sure, but there is a heart to the story- the relationship between the Doctor and his companion. Here, that role is taken by Donna’s granddad, Wilf. It is great to see his joy in seeing the Earth from space and to feel the thrill he has in finally sharing in the adventures his granddaughter had. It is in the quieter moments between the Doctor and Wilf that the characters really shine. Both are old men, reaching the end of their lives, which means the Doctor is more open, more emotional with Wilf than he has been with anyone else. Wilf’s decency comes through in every scene, from his refusing to be shamed by the fact that he never took a life as a soldier, to the scene where he immediately rescues a man he has never met from being sealed in the Nuclear Bolt chamber, even though it means he gets sealed himself. Bernard Cribbins is wonderful in the role, mixing his natural lovability with a really strong performance.

But he does get stuck, which leaves us with the Doctor. He has prevailed against the Master, against Rassilon and his Glove (and, no doubt, his Key, Rod and Sash). However, the four knocks come- Wilf in the chamber. The Doctor knows that this is why Wilf has figured so often recently- he is the bringer of his Doom. He will not give his life to save the Universe or even Earth- but to save one man. On Mars he was at his most arrogant, speaking in condescension of ‘the little people’. It is for such a little person that he will make the ultimate sacrifice. He rages like an alcoholic Welsh poet, but in the end, in a scene of genuine heart-wrenching emotion, he saves Wilf, while the old man begs him not to. The scene of the Doctor’s irradiation itself is shot simply- it would scarcely have looked different twenty years ago. Although he gets up, it is clear that the regeneration has started. In the short time given to him, he visits his friends- Martha, Mickey, Sarah Jane, even the descendant of Joan Redfern in a series of scenes that have been earned and therefore avoid being self-indulgent. Although he cannot speak to Donna, he does make sure that she is secure for the future, before taking a trip to the Powell Estate in 2005. But his time has run out.

David Tennant has made the Doctor his own in the hearts and minds of millions in a way no-one has done since Tom Baker. He never failed to put in a great performance and, in some stories, he put in the best performance yet in the role. In watching the entire programme from the beginning one thing is clear- William Hartnell finally has his match in this fantastic actor. It is fitting that the Tenth Doctor’s passing nearly rips the TARDIS apart, in a scene that is shot and scored immaculately. ‘I don’t want to go!’ are his last words- and I’m sure that no-one sane wanted him to go either. Matt Smith seems good enough in his short appearance as the end- but he has a hell of an act to follow.

"Silence in the Library"/"Forest of the Dead"

The Stephen Moffat story is always a highlight of the relaunched Doctor Who and here, he is given a two-parter for the first time since 2005. Moffat’s previous stories have had interesting ideas, explorations of primal fears, great characters and fantastic dialogue and "Silence in the Library"/"Forest of the Dead" certainly has that. The setting is a planet called ‘The Library’, because that is what it is, a repository for every book ever published. But The Library is silent, its aisles and reading rooms empty. Into this, the Doctor and Donna land and are soon joined by a group of archaeologists in the pay of Strackman Lux (whose family own the library) trying to find out what happened- and find something horrible. The main monsters in the story are the Vashta Nerada, microscopic creatures that can strip a human body of its flesh in less than a second and hunt in swarms that look like shadows. Any shadow. Moffat has taken a very common childhood fear and relaunched it in our consciousness with instantly effective results. However, his inventiveness doesn’t stop there. The communications system that the archaeologists use is ‘wirelessly’ connected with the user’s nervous system, an arrangement that has a disturbing side-effect. When the user dies, their thoughts are stored for a while in their communicators- a ‘data ghost’. In a very memorable scene, the ditzy Miss Evangelista is killed by the Vashta Nerada, leaving only a skeleton. However, her voice remains, asking where it is, asking to speak to Donna (the last person who was kind to her) before her thoughts eventually break down and her voice loops on one phrase: ‘ice cream’.

All this occurs in "Silence in the Library", but there are greater terrors to follow. Donna is teleported back to the safety of the TARDIS, but her teleportation stream is intercepted. "Silence in the Library" ends with Donna’s face on an information node stating repeatedly: ‘Donna Noble has left The Library. Donna Noble has been saved. In "Forest of the Dead", we find that she is seemingly living a normal life, but she soon figures out something is wrong. Her life appears to be edited like a film, with boring bits like walking cut out. However, the mysterious figure of Doctor Moon is there to reassure her that everything is fine and she settles down. But a visit from Miss Evangelista (who has also been saved, but imperfectly) brings to light something terrible- her children are not real. Donna refuses to believe this and, when even they say ‘We’re not real, are we Mummy?’ she sobs, holding them tight in a vain effort to stop them blinking out of existence. This is something which must have stirred a feeling of solipsistic horror with anyone who was watching, particularly parents- what if our loved ones only existed in our minds? This is connected to the key to this whole mystery- the strange girl who dreams of the library in her sleep. We first see the Doctor and Donna as intruding characters in her dreams. Doctor Moon is there too and he chillingly states to her: ‘The real world is a lie, and your nightmares are real’. For ‘Doctor Moon’ is really the virus-checking satellite of ‘The Library’ and the girl is the personality and mind of Strackman’s aunt, who suffered from a terminal illness as a child- Charlotte Abigail Lux: CAL. She stored the teleportation streams of all the survivors to her hard drive- they have, quite literally, been saved.

There are so many ideas in this story, it seems fit to burst- but it never does. One reason for this is that Moffat never forgets character. Each character is well written and played, with Steve Pemberton making Strackman Lux more than the usual ruthless magnate and Talulah Riley being delightful as the scatter-brained Miss Evangelista. We have the inimitable Colin Salmon as Doctor Moon. Moffat even comments on the fact that you seldom see two people with the same name in a story, so we have two Daves here. However, the key supporting character is River Song. This is a character who is engaging from the very start, but it is clear that she knows more about the Doctor than appearances would indicate. She is a companion from his future, one whom he has known as a fellow traveller and, perhaps, as something more. She can send messages to the Doctor’s psychic paper. She has a future version of the Sonic Screwdriver at her disposal. And, most critically, she whispers the Doctor’s greatest secret into his ear- his true name. This is great stuff on paper, but it would not work anything like it should were the performers not up to scratch. Alex Kingston is utterly electrifying from her entrance and her rapport with Tennant is fantastic. This is the reason why we believe it when the Doctor dives into the core of The Library to save a woman he has just met. The Doctor is more compromised than he has been for ages, yet he is as bold, brilliant and downright fantastic as he has ever been. Catherine Tate, however, is not to be overshadowed and her performance, especially in the scenes in the virtual reality of CAL.

Euros Lyn puts in his best work yet in this story. The ‘CAL world’ is like a 21st century version of the Matrix in The Deadly Assassin and Lyn’s work would do David Maloney proud. A huge array of moods and settings are thrown up by the story and Lyn is more than equal to the task of moulding them into a cohesive whole. He is helped by the usual sterling efforts of the production team, with great cinematography, sets, costumes and special effects.

"Silence in the Library"/"Forest of the Dead" broke Doctor Who’s winning streak at the prestigious Hugo awards, but this is still a fantastic piece of television that is full of emotion, terror and excitement. Most of all, it has hope for the future, that the Doctor’s best days are ahead of him- a man who can quell an army with a single glance, who can open the TARDIS with a click of his fingers. I can’t wait...

NEXT: "Midnight"

"The Runaway Bride"

By the broadcast of this Christmas 2006 episode, Doctor Who had lost both of the leading actors that it had relaunched itself with. Yet, by this time, David Tennant had long since ceased to be the ‘new boy’ and was Doctor Who in the hearts and minds of millions, which meant that his first episode without Billie Piper had little to prove in terms of his ability to go it alone. The plot is frenetic and full of technobabble, but it works well enough dramatically. However, Russell T Davies is clearly aiming to have a bit more fun this time, presumably because of the presence of Catherine Tate in the ‘companion’ role. There are a lot of gags, most of which are very funny- the varying reactions to Donna in her wedding dress, Donna’s story of how she became engaged to Lance, her less than dashing escape from the web. However, this is not a simple ‘comedy’ episode, with Davies keenly observing the Doctor’s need for a companion- without them, his ruthlessness can be horrifying.

Euros Lyn is, as always, perfectly in tune with Davies’s writing, realising the story perfectly from the aforementioned comedy, to scenes of sheer wonder, such as the journey to the time of the Earth’s creation. Then there’s the show-stopping and utterly jaw-dropping chase sequence- makers of the 1996 TV Movie take note, this is how you do a car chase in Doctor Who! The production is excellent across the board, with a truly excellent monster in the shape of the Empress of the Racnoss and a wonderfully explosive finale.

The performances are all very strong, with Don Gilet making Lance believable as both concerned fiancé and scheming liar and Jacqueline King being very effective as Donna’s Mother. The lovely Sarah Parish is almost unrecognisable, but is great fun as the Empress- it is nice to see an adversary with a sense of humour (albeit a very poor one!) However, there is one performance which had everyone looking forward to with a mixture of apprehension and dread. I am sure I am not alone in failing to see what is funny about The Catherine Tate Show and her appearance at the end of "Doomsday" made me momentarily wonder if I was dreaming. Happily, Tate is very good here. Earlier in the story, she does make Donna a bit gobby, but Tate is excellent in making her seem real and sympathetic- Donna’s betrayal by Lance is effectively played as is her genuine wonder at what the Doctor shows her. However, if you watch the end where Donna refuses to accompany the Doctor and still think Tate does not have what it takes then… best to say no more. Then, of course, there is our leading man, who portrays the playfulness, ruthlessness and sadness of the Doctor as flawlessly as he has ever done.

Again, Cardiff give us a Christmas present to treasure in a very entertaining Christmas romp.

NEXT: "Smith and Jones"

"Fear Her"

"Fear Her" boasts an original alien race in the Isolus and an intriguing premise- people can be turned into drawings- that recalls such things as Catherine Storr's book Marianne Dreams (filmed as Paperhouse and Escape Into Night) and M.R. James’s short story "The Mezzotint". Set in London at the start of the 2012 Olympics, the story involves the disappearance of children and a sinister child who may be responsible. The writer, Matthew Graham, was the co-creator of the beloved Life on Mars. It has all the ingredients for a great story, yet it doesn’t quite come off- in fact it is probably the most hated Doctor Who story to have been broadcast since 2005. While I do not believe that it deserves the bile directed at it, there are some large-ish problems with the story. Graham’s script, as said, plays with some interesting ideas, but doesn’t spin them into a wholly cohesive story. The two key issues- Chloe Webber’s possession by the Isolus child and Chloe creating a nightmare vision of her dead father are not fully integrated with each other, meaning that what could have been a deft exploration of the loneliness of children and the breakdown of the nuclear family seems to be rushed. This is a pity, as the concepts show a degree of depth. Graham realises something about children that can be terrifying- they exhibit less empathy than adults and behaviour considered normal for a child would be seen as psychopathic in an adult. This is brought into light in the characterisation of the Isolus, but Graham fails to make Chloe/Isolus truly frightening, which is unfortunate, considering the name of the story. a child with great power is something to be feared. There is also the much maligned climax, where the Doctor lights the Olympic Torch. It is important to remember that this does make sense within the context of the story, but it does have to work very hard to not be cheesy- whether it fails is up to the viewer.

Euros Lyn makes this a very polished production, as we have come to expect, with all the scenes shot in a very competent manner. However, there is the problem that this should be a very scary story and it fails. The teaser is perfect, with the boy disappearing and becoming a drawing- which then runs screaming towards us. However, this sense of horror never returns after that, which is a mistake- even the monstrous drawing of her father does not come off well. This is not to say that there are no memorable scenes- Rose being attacked by a scribble, ‘fingers on lips!’ and the hilarious materialisation of the TARDIS, but Lyn is certainly capable of better. There are some nice performances from Abdul Salis, Edna Dore and the lovely Nina Sosanya. Abisola Agbaje is sound enough as Chloe, but she isn’t as scary as she could be although, as said earlier, the script doesn’t help. Tennant and Piper have a last chance to play Rose and the Doctor as happy-go-lucky and succeed admirably.

Despite what many others have said, this is not a bad story, but it could have been so much better. Things that shouldn’t move, but do, are terrifying. It’s a good thing that someone else would realise that a year later…

NEXT: "Army of Ghosts"/"Doomsday"

"The Idiot's Lantern"

"The Idiot's Lantern" takes us back to 1953 where the broadcast of the coronation of Elizabeth II means that millions would buy their first TV set in a state patriotic fervour. What better environment for a disembodied alien intelligence that feeds off neuro-electrical activity? Mark Gatiss conhures a breezy little tale with an original villain- The Wire (no relation to the superlative HBO TV series) that manifests itself in a time that is often misunderstood by the average person, who believe that nothing happened in Britain between VE day and The Beatles. Gatiss evokes the time very well and it is full of the sharp dialogue that we have come to expect of him. The story is also a celebration of television itself, with references to contemporary programming, video tape and colour television. Gatiss is of the generation that was warned that too much telly 'rots the brain', just as I was of the generation that was told that it gave you 'square eyes'. Here, television can bring together communities and, indeed, nations, but it can also, quite literally, suck your face off! However, there is a problem with this story that cannot be ignored- it's conceptually ingenious, but the realisation of these concepts, both in terms of plot and plausibility is very inconsistent. Why the Wire's feeding leaves the victim literally faceless is not satisfactorily explained, especially when the defeat of the Wire suddenly restores the victims. However, the way in which the Doctor defeats the Wire is both true to the stories ingenuity and well realised- The Wire is trapped on a Betamax tape!

Euros Lyn has a field day with Gatiss's concepts, filling the story with memorable images- the faceless victims are genuinely scary, as is the sight of dozens of stolen faces screaming for help on black and white screens. Lyn uses Dutch angles (or, to be less showy-offy, he tilts the camera) a lot, giving parts of the episode a Third Man-esque look in places. The production values are excellent throughout, as we have come to expect from the team.

Of the supporting players, only the Connollys are proper characters. Gatiss attempts to tell the story of the breakdown of a family as well, but the problems here are more severe than the plot problems. We may not be seeing the family at its worst, but Eddie Connolly does not seem that much worse than the average lower middle/ working class father of the early 50s- there is nothing to suggest that he is even mildly physically abusive, and he just comes across as a pompous blowhard. Jamie Forman, who I have been impressed with in other productions, plays Eddie a shade too broadly, although Debra Gillett is very effective as his wife Rita. The actual dialogue is well written, but we never really believe in the situation- however, the scene where Tommy goes to carry his father's case is very effective.

Ron Cook is brilliant as Magpie (a rather underwritten role) but it is Maureen Lipman who makes the biggest impression. She is obviously hugely successful in portraying the Wire as a 50s BBC announcer, but her natural likeability makes the feral snarl she projects as the monster beneath all the more frightening. Tennant is a ball of energy throughout and Rose becomes wholly likeable again in a very impish performance by Piper.

Despite some fairly serious problems, "The Idiot's Lantern" is good fun and well worth a watch:

NEXT: "The Impossible Planet"/ "The Satan Pit"

"The Girl in the Fireplace"

After "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances", fans eagerly looked forward to what Steven Moffat would come up with next and he certainly didn’t disappoint. Moffat tells the tale of a spacecraft in the 51st Century that contains ‘time windows’ that lead to various stages in the life of one woman- Jeanne-Antoinette ‘Reinette’ Poisson, better known as ‘Madame de Pompadour’. For some reason, the maintenance robots on the ship need her head- but only when she is ‘complete’. This is a story where the Doctor fights the monsters and wins, but it is also the story of a woman who has loved the Doctor her entire life and the Doctor’s deepening feelings for her, despite the fact that, from his perspective, he has known her for only a few hours. This can be seen as an illustration of the Doctor’s view of his human companions in "School Reunion"- Reinette grows from childhood to youth to middle age in front of our eyes, as well as the Doctor’s. Moffatt’s writing of the relationship between Reinette and the Doctor is as excellent as you would expect from the writer of Press Gang and Joking Apart. For her, the Doctor is prepared to do something he has never done before- being stranded for the rest of his life on one time and place and, crucially, we are prepared to believe he will do so. Reinette comes to life magnificently via Moffat’s pen, highlighting her intelligence, wit and irresistible je ne sais quoi with some choice lines- her description of her trans-temporal relationship with the Doctor is sublime writing. There is also the wonderful scene where she uses the Doctor’s telepathic technique to look inside his head. Moffat, being Moffat, also includes some brilliantly funny lines that somehow work hand-in-hand with the horror aspects. Moffat also makes the sci-fi aspects work magnificently, with intriguing concepts like the clockwork robots and their gristly repair plan. Like "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances", there is no villain, just an automated system that has followed its program a bit too literally.

Euros Lyn commands a sumptuously triumphant production. The period detail for 17th century France is phenomenal and the grimy spacecraft is equally successful and Lyn manages to make them both work together magnificently- sometimes within the same shot (the linked sets are a very bold and eminently successful move) with beauty and futuristic squalor being juxtaposed perfectly. There are a multitude of memorable scenes- showpieces like the monster under the bed, the attack on Versailles and the wondrous scene where the Doctor bursts through the mirror on horseback work wonderfully, but there are also quieter scenes such as Rose and Mickey waiting on the other side of the broken mirror, which work just as well.

The performances are sublime, but the key guest role is Madame de Pompadour herself, played to perfection by the very talented and very beautiful Sophia Myles. David Tennant is outstanding as the Doctor, combining the humorous heroics that we associate with the character with something more tender. Piper and Clarke are in more in the background, but they do not slacken, by any means. A special mention must be given to Arthur the horse- the bit where the Doctor tells him to stop is one of the best pieces of animal acting I’ve seen!

I have said before that, although plot is important, it is not the only important part of the story and, in certain cases, other factors should take precedence. "The Girl in the Fireplace" contains an intriguing plot that would work well on its own, but, more importantly, it deals with the question of what an immortal loving a mortal must feel like. This is why, when we find out the reason for the robots’ interest in Madame de Pompadour, it does not feel like a massive twist ending, but an ironic coda in an ultimately tragic story, as the episode ends on a note of subdued and beautiful melancholy that hasn’t been seen since The Green Death. This is one of the most moving, intriguing and beautiful stories ever to be broadcast under the Doctor Who banner.

NEXT: "Rise of the Cybermen"/"The Age of Steel"

"Tooth and Claw"

"Tooth and Claw" has a fair bit in common with The Horror of Fang Rock. Both were rush-written to replace another story. Both have a climax where the Doctor uses a diamond to focus light to destroy the enemy. However, here we have actual lycanthropy, in another take on the legend of the werewolf. Davies’s script is highly inventive and, like the best of the Hinchcliffe/ Holmes stories, gives its own spin on an old legend, with folklore being deconstructed and applied scientifically, weaponising mistletoe and moonlight ("Mistletoe and Moonlight" would have been a great alternative title, by the way). The pace is relentless, but it is quite easy to figure out what is going on and Davies makes sure that character is not sacrificed- we get a real sense of who Sir Robert is and are even given little glimpses into Captain Reynolds and Flora, the maid. Of course, for the first time, we have a Victorian story that actually features the Crowned Saxe-Coburg herself. Victoria is presented as coping well with the death of Albert, eighteen years earlier (incidentally, it is odd, though quite understandable plotwise, that John Brown is not with her in a story set in Scotland!). She is depicted as still very much possessing the formidable personality that made her such an iconic figure. As said, the dénouement is similar to The Horror of Fang Rock, but Davies creates a wonderful steampunk contraption to house the diamond- the Koh-i Noor, no less. At the time, the ending looked rushed, but it is actually paced very well.

Euros Lyn makes a very welcome return to the programme and is perfectly in tune with the script when it comes to visualising it. There is rapid cutting, kinetic camera work and a mastery of combining different moods- somehow the wire-fu works in this context and is very skilfully realised. The effects are stunning, especially the utterly astonishing werewolf. In my opinion, it was better than similar creatures in the likes of Van Helsing and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Lyn commands a fine cast of both seasoned and new actors. Pauline Collins returns to the programme after an absence of 39 years as Victoria and is very good, if a trifle mannered. Derek Riddell is very sympathetic as Sir Robert and Ian Hanmore very menacing as Father Angelo. The regulars are clearly having a whale of a time and put in great performances with David Tennant giving us a chance to hear his natural accent.

"Tooth and Claw" is tremendous fun and impossible to dislike- and, of course, the seeds of something important are sown…

NEXT: "School Reunion"

"Born Again"- Children In Need

Or "Pudsey Cutaway". But I don’t really care about the name. Doctor Who makes a return to Children in Need for the first time in 12 years in a mini-episode that can actually be deemed (deep breath) ‘canonical’. "Born Again" addressed the fact that Doctor Who in the 21st century can’t spend 15 minutes having the Doctor examine his new body in detail and gets it out if the way in this fun little skit, written with Russell T Davies usual zest. Piper is good, as always, but it was very brave to have David Tennant make his first performance as the Doctor in an eight-minute episode. Tennant is buzzing, but sensitive, and always makes damn sure we know who the leading man is. It is an excellent taster, which whets the appetite for what is to come- although it’s odd that they seem to change the lighting scheme completely, midway through the episode!

NEXT: "The Christmas Invasion"

"The Unquiet Dead"

A trip to the future was followed by this jolly trip into the past. Mark Gatiss weaves a very enjoyable tale of ghostly gaseous aliens, a rift in time and space, zombies and Charles Dickens. It is, perhaps, this story that really highlights the differences in pacing between the old programme and the new. The period setting already makes it reminiscent of the likes of The Talons of Weng-Chiang, but the 45-minute length means that the story has to be told in a very different way. The Gelth are a very simple idea, but are brought across well and the ‘zombies’ that they create are frightening without being too much for the kids. There are brief, but effective, musings on the difference between morality and propriety and- as will become more evident over the seasons- hints of a greater tragedy beyond. Such is the skill of Gatiss that we get an alien invasion story that feels like a Victorian ghost story that manages to weave its spell and have some excellent characterisation and dialogue. The ending also works well, although it seemed rushed at the time.

As said before, the characterisation is great and the excellent cast do the script justice. Alan David is wonderful as Mr Sneed (a wonderfully Dickensian name) and Eve Myles brings real humanity to Gwyneth- Gatiss wonderfully paints her as being naïve, but not unintelligent and Myles makes her very appealing. However, the most wonderful thing about this story is Simon Callow’s Charles Dickens. Callow is an authority on Dickens and has played the part many times- it is wonderful that he had enough faith in the programme to allow what is, for him, something that is more than simply another part, to be included. Gatiss paints Dickens as a man who, despite the great things he has done, is questioning the worth of his life. This portrayal is so convincing that we never, for one moment, see Dickens’s joy at the end as being anything other than wonderful. The regulars are wonderful as ever and we see them truly confirming their friendship- ‘I’m so glad I met you!’

Euros Lyn again directs with great energy. The séance scene is perfect, as are the zombie scenes. It is wonderful how he can have sedate scenes (such as the very start) and frantic ones and not have them ruin the flow of the story. He is helped, of course by fantastic production values- the excellence that the BBC has always shown with period dramas is combined with some wonderful special effects.

"The Unquiet Dead" is a wonderful story and comes highly recommended.

NEXT: "Aliens of London"/" World War Three"

"The End of the World"

If "Rose" was a low-key story that gently introduced the viewer back into Doctor Who, "The End of the World" pitches them headlong into the crazy worlds that Doctor Who can take us to. Following on directly from the end of "Rose", it can be seen as 100,000 BC to "Rose"s "An Unearthly Child", taking us from the familiar to the incomprehensible. The plot is a whodunit in space, but this merely the skeleton for the story. We are taken to the year 5.5/apple/26, when the Earth finally meets its end, with an audience of the far-future’s rich and famous come to pay their respects. This includes an alarming array of aliens, creatures that evolved from the trees of the Brazilian rain forest and Lady Cassandra, the last human- a piece of skin stretched over a frame with eyes and a mouth. This evocative mix of Olaf Stapledon and Douglas Adams is a wonderful setting which Russell T Davies populates with some memorable characters. Jabe, one of the trees, actually plays the role of companion for most of the story and works very well with the Doctor. This is helped by a wonderful performance by the very talented and very sexy Yasmin Bannerman- her fate shouldn’t leave a dry eye in the house. Cassandra is a CGI creation, deliciously voiced by Zoë Wanamaker. Davies also makes minor characters such as the Steward and Raffalo come alive.

However, while this is going on, there is a deeper purpose. This is about Rose starting her journey with the Doctor- we sense the shock that Rose feels when confronted with. At the same time, we start to get to know the Doctor a bit more. The manic bonhomie is mixed with tragedy, for it is here that we find that the Doctor is alone and Gallifrey has been destroyed. The sequences where the enormity of the Doctor’s loss are revealed are beautifully written and performed. The story also deals with the emotional consequences of time travel- when Rose speaks to her mother thanks to the Doctor’s jiggery pokery with her phone, she realises that she is talking to someone whose fossilised remains will shortly be vapourised. The destruction of the Earth is followed by a scene showing a very ordinary London street that is full of life. Everything has its time and everything dies- but not yet. Together with Rose, we want to continue this journey, after we’ve had some chips! The regulars are wonderful in this, with Billie Piper effectively conveying Rose’s confusion at being thrust in this alien environment. Eccleston shows the pain the Doctor is hiding (we see a single tear on his face) and his compassion (comforting Jabe’s companions) but we see a ruthless side in his allowing Cassandra to rip apart.

"Rose" was as kinetic as 21st Century television usually is, but it is clear that Euros Lyn is in a different league to Keith Boak. "The End of the World" is flawlessly directed with Lyn conveying scenes of jollity, such as the Doctor dancing to "Tainted Love" and scenes of great tension and managing to make them work together. Lyn is helped by a very impressive production, with the various aliens being excellently realised- The Moxx of Balhoon is a very minor character, yet the effort put into his realisation is phenomenal. The CG spacecraft and robot spiders are things that 20th century fans could only dream of, yet Lyn does not allow them to overwhelm us.

"The End of the World" proves that Doctor Who is funny, scary and completely bonkers- which is why we love it!

NEXT: "The Unquiet Dead"