THE SEASON FINALE OF DOCTOR WHO HAS JUST AIRED, AND ROSS HUGHES IS SMILING FROM CHEEK TO CHEEK……..
Its times like this when I really want to stand outside and scream to all those who have missed what can only be described a “TV” event! “YOU IDIOTS!”
While many are outside enjoying the sunshine, having a barbecue and slipping a few beers, unknown to them, they have just missed what can only be described as one of the greatest 45 minutes that the BBC has ever produced.. Doctor Who the season finale just aired and with it many WHO fans probably all sat back in their chair once the final credit rolled, let out a sigh of joy while one word echoed around their head: “WOW!”
Lets make no mistake, this is was perfect TV, a rollercoaster that had you at the edge of your seat with either thrill, scare, sadness, joy and then anticipation. This was grade A stuff that made me want to re-watch the whole thing. Am I being carried away, heck no! This was probably everything we hoped it would be and more so, and no doubts cements Matt Smith as one of the greatest Doctor’s to be behind the stick of the Tardis.
So while I write this with such joy, let me get some composure going and go back to the beginning, when this new season began and we were greeted with the opening episode that showed the death of the Doctor. We watched as an impossible Astronaut rose from the lake and shot down our beloved hero, there was no way back and for the remaining episodes it was all about getting to this point, the moment where the Doctor arrives in Utah to meet his fate. On the way we had many questions to linger over, who was River Song? who were the Silence? and who was the person in the Astronaut suit that was the reaper to the man who has many lives?
Over the last few months, fans have been causing an internet meltdown with theories, some which I have to say were pretty impressive but it was only one man who had the whole idea where this was going and that was Steven Moffat, the genius head writer who has had to put up with a lot of stick over recent weeks thanks to some fans voicing their concern about how the series has become so complicated.
Yes, this WHO does make you think, but damn in it nice to have a show that demands your attention all the way, and I bet those who complained who watched tonight’s episode had many of the answers they required even though like “LOST!” Moffat teased us with a few more.
The mid season break let us digest the news that River Song was in fact Melody Pond, the daughter of Amy and Rory but to be fair the Autumn return as put that plot in the backburner as we have had a few standalone episodes until of course the build up, the one in which we all wanted to find out, how can the Doctor die?
The moment this episode started we saw a world gone to chaos. Winston Churchill was still alive, Pterodactyls roamed the parks, cars floating in air tied to balloons (surreal) and the doctor bearded and chained! Winston wanted answers, why was it always the same time and day, he asked the question and the doctor gave it to him, the reason why history was colliding is because he was still alive and it was all thanks to a girl.
The first quarter was all about the set up, the Doctor running around time and space trying to prevent his impending death while gaining answers about “who the Silence was “, these mysterious creatures of time who want him dead! In a mad frantic dash, the doctor could not get the answers he wanted, even though we were greeted to an amazing scene of skulls that would not look out of place in an Indy film, but soon he realised that no matter what he done, he had to be on that beach that day to meet his maker, and so he set off and we were right back to the very first episode, in which it was revealed to be River behind in the Astronaut suit. Unlike before though, the doctor does not die, River can not do it and so history changes for the worse and before we know it, we have Amy doing a Bond impression while looking sexy holding a machine gun, Rory being well Rory, and just a mad frantic final rush in which everything just all kicked off.
One of the lasting images I will take from this series is the “Silence” breaking down the door, what a fantastic creation they are, they oozed the scare factor and probably will become to the show what the Daleks have for many of years. Also another thing I will take from this is how good Moffat is as a writer, not that I did not realise before, it was just to be reminded.
The moment where River and the Doctor stand for their final confrontation, the dialogue linked an episode from years back when David Tennant was in the role and we first met this hell in high heels. Its amazing to think that Moffat probably had this idea all the way back in those days and you only have to admire a man who had a vision and as patiently stuck by it through out!
For time to resume, the Doctor knows what no one will admit and that is he has to die, there is no other outcome and we watched in awe when after a final kiss he ended back on the beach to face the Astronaut, and then we had it. The death and in a Star Wars kind of funeral, we watched his body burn, this was it, after years of Doctor Who, the longest running Sci Fi show in the world had finally reached its end.
Of course every fan did not believe this even more so when it was announced that 2011 Christmas Special was being filmed, so the question was “how the heck did the man get out of this?”
My main complaint is that the “previous” montage before the episode began gave the game away, a little snippet of a previous show gave me the answer that I required but it was still fun to find out. What the finale has given us is something that many fans have wanted for a few years and that is bring back the mystery side of the character. At this season start, all the world knew who he was but as the final scene rolled out, we were left with no doubt that the show has now gone back to its roots.
I was probably not the only fan who just had a rush of excitement at the end, even when Moffat was already given us the set up for the next season, “Doctor Who!” was the cry as the camera panned onto the face of the wonderful Matt Smith, he may be dead but his name will still be talked about for many years to come!
Roll on the Christmas Special…….
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