The End of David Tennant - Part 2

*****Major Spoilers Warning*****

Part 2 of David Tennant's last story as the Tenth Doctor has finished, and although I wasn't as impressed with the story itself as I had hoped that I would be, the epilogue (which is the only real way that the end scenes can be described) was fantastic and more than made up for any failings. I am glad that I had some tissues standing by though!

*****I warned you*****

It started well, with David Tennant (as the Tenth Doctor) acting as continuity announcer for the program himself. It set the mood just right.

The second part started with plenty of action going on, but I just wanted to get to the real story. I wanted to know what was happening, who was the Time Lord President, who was the woman in white etc., etc. So, I did not actually get to enjoy the Doctor managing to escape from the Naismith's estate with the help of Wilf and the Vinvocci, including the "worst rescue ever" involving the Doctor still strapped in a chair being wheeled through corridors, and an obvious dummy being bumped down some stairs in the chair in his place. I was disappointed by that.

Hopefully I will enjoy the whole episode more with a second viewing, which will probably happen tomorrow as I know I will have nothing better to do.

There were a couple of nods to Star Wars: A New Hope in this episode too, with Wilf getting into one of two gun turrets of the Vinvocci spaceship, the Hesperus, which was reminiscent of Luke Skywalker in the Millennium Falcon. Later on there was a spoof Chalmun's Cantina scene too, nice touch.

The mystery woman in white never actually revealed who she was and, although The Doctor saw her and Wilf asked him directly, he never revealed who she was either. Wilf had asked her himself and she replied "I was lost. So very long ago." With my limited knowledge of Dr Who history I think I may have worked out who she was. At first, actually from Part 1, I thought that she was a(nother) reincarnation of Romana(dvoratrelundar), but, just as Part 2 ended, I worked it out that this was AT LAST, the return of Susan Foreman. If you don't know who she is then look it up on Wikipedia (and shame on you!).

The name of the Time Lord President was revealed and I was correct to think that he was Rassilon. I am still not sure if his name was revealed in the Part 1 credits by mistake, or if I had a vision of the name, or what happened. I was right though, which is all that matters.

I am kicking myself for not spotting the cause of the Doctor's need for a regeneration earlier, as it is there staring you in the face, several times, in Part 1. I really should have guessed. I'm an idiot.

The last few short scenes, prior to the Doctor regenerating, were the best part of the whole program.

We get to see Martha, as a freelance alien hunter with her husband, who is surprisingly Mickey Smith and not the gorgeous Tom Milligan (sorry Noel you are cute, but Tom Ellis is GORGEOUS!).

The alien cantina scene that I mentioned before was where we saw Cap'n Jack and a major surprise appearance from Midshipman Frame, from Voyage of the Damned, who are fixed up together by the Doctor. (Alonso Frame. Gay! Who knew? Who knew! That's who!)

Then Luke and Sarah Jane Smith, with Sarah knowing, without saying, what is happening to The Doctor with just one glance.

A visit to his former love, Joan Redfern's granddaughter, Verity, who is doing a book signing of her grandmothers story entitled, "The Journal of Incredible Things."

He goes to see Donna getting married and hands a present to Wilf and a forgiving Sylvia, which turns out to be a (winning) lotto ticket to give to Donna, purchased by the doctor after he went back in time and borrowed a pound from Geoff Noble, Donna's deceased father and a nod of respect to the actor who played him, Howard Attfield, who died soon after he had played the character in "Runaway Bride".

Lastly he goes back in time, to 2005, to get a final glimpse of Rose Tyler (before he actually meets her), and we briefly see he with her mother before parting and having a brief, anonymous chat with the Doctor, who informs her that she will have a brilliant year.

The regeneration scene was pretty typical, with the Doctor being confused afterwards, but I hope that may just be a part of the new reincarnation's personality. I would be great to see a bit of a dappy Doctor once again.

I also think that, now the overpowerfully brilliant presence of David Tennant has left the show, and once Mr Smith is settled in there, there could be a possibility of two short-changed actors to get another chance on screen as the Doctor. I think it would be brilliant if, for the first (or maybe second) Christmas special, they have a Three Doctors special with Matt Smith, Christopher Eccleston and Paul McGann all together to give them all a chance to shine once more.

With the end of this two-parter we are left with lots of questions, which is always a good thing. Mainly:

Were the Time Lords actually returned to the time-locked Time War?

Was the Master actually taken with them? If not did he die anyway?

But also:

What will Matt Smith be like as the Eleventh Doctor, or should I just say, What will the Eleventh Doctor be like? (Sorry mate, but until you regenerate again, there is no more Matt Smith!)

P.S. I just have to share this, as it amused me: While editing what I had written above I had to delete a four letter word and so tapped the backspace key four times consecutively, which made a distinctive four-beat sound. It was completely unintentional and so made me laugh for a bit. Though I am guessing that you had to be there!