Last of the Time Lords

Time has a funny way of getting away from you.

Here it is almost a full week since the final episode of series three, and I'm just getting around to posting my thoughts.

This final episode was a good overall representation of series three. Parts of it were great, and parts of it were, to put it kindly, not as great.

On to the spoilers and the ever popular whatnot.

Russell T. Davies keeps trying to outdo himself, and it doesn't always work. For the most part LotTL works as a spectacular end to series three. We see Martha come into her own, the defeat of the Master and the Doctor's triumph. It's just that the telling of these things leaves a bit to be desired.


"Doctor, look at all that destruction that the audience just has to take our word on that it's there."
I liked how the story picks up a year after the last episode, and we are made to feel (in a small TV show budget way) that that time has passed on Earth, but on the Master's flying fortress the Valiant, it feels as no time has passed. Sure the Doctor lives in a tent, and Martha's family are dressed as servants, but they could have redressed the set a bit more, make the Doctor's clothes shabbier or something.


The Master and Doctor Dobby
And while that is a minor nit, I really could have done without the Doctor turned into Dobby the house-elf. Why, when aged umteen years, does the Doctor shrink into a gnome-like creature? And why did they make him a little suit just like his normal clothes? That was just stupid. What, the Master felt the Doctor needed to be dressed well while being humiliated? If the guys at The Mill could have come up with an original look for the ancient Doctor, then maybe that bit might have worked for me, but as it was it was just silly.


The power of the Doctor compels you!
Then at the end, just because Martha traveled the world telling everyone about the Doctor, and to think about him at precisely the same time around the world, the energy of their thoughts somehow flows into the Master's satellite network and makes the Doctor de-age hundreds of years (not to mention makes his Dobby-sized clothes change back into Doctor-sized clothes), makes him fly, and gives him god-like powers and a glowy forcefield. As someone I know said it was the clap for Tinkerbell scene. "I do believe in the Doctor!"


The invading heads in balls from the future
And even though time gets spun back to before the invasion, and most of the world forgot that the Master took over the Earth and the Doctor saved them, I really really hope that they can come up with a better end for series four than to have the earth invaded yet again.


If you look closely, you might make out the devastation on Earth.
I would have liked to see some shots of the destruction the the world, rather than just hear about it. I know they have a limited budget, but it seems easy enough to slip in a couple quick shots. Maybe that would have been too horrific for a family show?


Who's picking up the Master's ring? Mrs. Saxon?
I'm glad that this doesn't really seem to be the end of the Master, but disappointed that it looks like John Simm won't be back in the role. That's the problem with casting a big, or rising, star. I felt that with just two episodes he didn't have enough time to flesh out his character. but that's the world of this new fast paced Doctor Who.


So how exactly did the Titanic crash into the TARDIS console room?
We'll have to wait until X-mas to find out.
Over all I'm happy with season three, and eagerly await the X-mas special, Torchwood series two, and season four of New Who.

It's good to have Doctor Who back on TV, and almost feels like it never went off. Tonight starts series three season on Sci-fi Channel here in the US, so I'm sure that'll bring in a few more hits to my blog. I know that there have been a few people checking out these reviews/thoughts of series three, and thanks for stopping by.