The Parting of the Ways

The Doctor first crossed my personal time line during the Tom Baker years; science fiction in general (with the exception of the first Star Trek series on television) with the fourth volume of Isaac Asimov's "Foundation Trilogy in 1981." I must admit that I was at best a tepid fan of science fiction before discovering Dr. Asimov's page-turners and of the Doctor's before discovering David Eccleston's intense, intensely sexy Doctor (not to mention John Barrowman's Captain Jack and the remarkable dramatic comedy of Annette Badland's Cardiff Mayor Margaret! While she was last seen as the collapsed skin suit on the floor of the Tardis, I do hope some way will be found to have *her* time line cross the future or past of one of the Doctors or Captain Jack) in 2005 in the admirably written, reconstituted series.

The "modern" Doctor Who series (and Torchwoods) have gone on from strength to strength, but if a parallel can be drawn from an earlier series, just as the overwhelming quality and technological shift from the original Star Trek to the Next Generation made going back to appreciate the simplicity of the earlier series difficult, after Eccleston's new "First Series" with the often over-rated CGI effects (in that, well executed as they are, they threaten to overwhelm and distract from the vastly improved writing!), all previous Doctor Who episodes and stories became decidedly "BACK numbers." Calling the all too brief Eccleston Season "The First Series" as the DVD release does, is hardly hyperbole. In a very real sense it is a practical reality and a great new starting point. Bravo.

A Brilliant send off to a brilliant Doctor. The Daleks are shown to be more powerful here then they were in Dalek. And that's down to the fact this time there's an entire fleet of Daleks that must be stopped. This is a real tear jerker, and the episode will have you on the edge of your seat. It's that brisk with the pacing, and it aligns with the scaryness and the power that the Daleks have. Even shooting at the Tardis and it hits it, but that was part of the trick from the Doctor. Bad Wolf can still be seen from anywhere, and the seasons arc throughout remains one of the most successful arcs this show has ever had. And the final send off to the Doctor is chefs kiss, Christopher Eccleston was a brilliant Doctor. And in comes David Tennant, I think he's going to "Barcelona" haha, his words not mine.

The Daleks are confronted by the Doctor in the best way, he's not dealing with their mess, he's their to solve it. He's not wasting any time, and Jack being immortal was a decent and interesting route to take as he's always been a delight on screen. Both the Doctor and Captain Jack's energy is a breather and they all collectively make these episodes so much better and stronger with the writing, the stakes and the storytelling.

And the Doctors end speech will always be an Iconic scene. It mastered it's true identity and extended the genre in many ways, superbly done and the episode feels abit less rushed and less dated for that reason with excluding the game series.

Merit does have to go to the Daleks really taking centre and showing their brute force for the first time with a fleet, so that'll always remain Iconic for that reason too.

The Emperor's mutant Daleks begin their first attack, while the Doctor builds a Delta Wave from bits he's found to hack. The blue box is sent into hiding, with a flower trapped inside residing, and the knowledge she will never be allowed to come back. However, a wolf is paradoxically created, a brave return quickly dictated, with the atoms of the Daleks dislocated, severely negated, un-replicated, evacuated - and a fallen friend immortally resurrected, reinstated, and then finally isolated.

Grade: B+ Doctor's Grade: Fantastic! That's all ok,