HeroPress: Doctor Who: Last of The Time Lords

Saturday, 30 June 2007

Doctor Who: Last of The Time Lords

It was inevitable really - the momentum that had been built up over the past two weeks couldn't be maintained. Not that Last of The Timelords was a weak episode - far, far from it - but the moment that 'one year later' message appears on the screen and the world has been remade in the Master's image you just know that at some point down the line the reset button will have to be pushed or else the whole nature of the show will be changed forever.

The Master is in total control of the Earth, with his Toclafane buddies running the show at his whim, as he uses The Doctor and Martha's family as his slaves - the Doctor being kept in a cage like a dog and eventually zapped into a wizened, 12 inch high Yoda-like homonculus!

But for its lack of The Sound of Drums' manic power, this is still the best written of the three season finales so far as Martha becomes a folk hero and resistance leader walking the world, spreading the Doctor's message. There's even a slight dig at the 'Deux Ex Machina' twists of Doomsday and Parting of The Ways.

The 'Utopia' sub-plot from Utopia is paid off brilliantly, tying up that loose end; the Toclafane's true identity turns out to be one of the most popular fan speculations (thank God, they weren't redesigned Daleks ... I think there would have been a civil uprising if that was the case) and it turns out that Lucy Saxon's secret is simply that the Master has shown her End of The Universe and she's gone totally insane.

And even though the Master's fate seems quite definite, we get that beautiful Flash Gordon homage in the closing moments.

But most shocking of all the revelations, and the confirmation of growing fear nurtured by Britain's 'lovely' tabloid press, is the exit of the gorgeous Martha Jones. Sadly, it's a logical resolution of the whole 'unrequited love' storyline, but it's still a sucker punch for the audience. However, thankfully for all her fans (and I include myself in that number), the TARDIS door has been left open for her and the Doctor to team up again ... and there are already strong rumours that she does return in at least some episodes next year.

Balancing that though was the amazing explanation of the Face of Boe's advanced knowledge of events that he couldn't have lived through in the natural course of things!

The Doctor returns in the Christmas special, Voyage Of The Damned - which starts with the TARDIS seemingly rammed by the Titanic! You never know - having told us that he'd never bring back the Master - Russell T Davies might be planning a two Doctor story as Christopher Eccleston's Doctor stated quite clearly that he was on the Titanic when it sank!

8 minions have something to say about this!:

PMikey30 June 2007 22:31
GAAAAAHHHH!!!!

I HAD TO LOOK!

I HAD TO LOOK!

And Now I wish I hadn't! :(

A top-notch review, Flea!

But OH! I WISH I HADN'T LOOKED ! ! !

There will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth in regards to the Martha Jones situation.

And I will be at the front of the procession, wailing and gnashing louder than all the rest!

Goodbye, Martha Jones.

We loved you!
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The Acrobatic Flea30 June 2007 22:40
You were warned :-)
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PMikey1 July 2007 05:07
Well, after finally shooing my gaming buddies out of the house I settled in to watch the episode that had been downloaded several hours previous.

I thought the "gun" idea was pretty hokey. I was glad to see that it was all just a ruse to cover what Martha was really doing. People tend to forget that Time Lords are by nature telepathic (one of the reasons it takes a Time Lord to "prime" a new TARDIS).

Different Time Lords have exercised these telepathic abilities in different ways. The Master has always use his as a bludgeon to force his will upon others. The Doctor, however, has always used his in the past to reach out to others.

Having the Doctor tap in to the psychic energy of the entire planet was sheer genius (and in keeping with things he has done before).

It's obvious that The Master isn't gone. Lucy was completely loyal to him. I think he had Lucy pre-programmed to "kill" him if it looked like he was going to be caught.

She was also programmed to recover his ring which, I'm sure contains his memory/genetic code, in much the same way as the pocket watch did, to allow him to possess/regenerate a new body (he's stolen bodies on several occassions before so it's a very old trick for him).

It will be interesting to see if The Master can pick himself up another TARDIS somewhere. Will he build/grow a new one or will he recover/reclaim an abandoned TARDIS out there somewhere in the universe? After seeing the episode "SHADA", I can think of one at Cambridge that isn't doing very much. ;)

I loved the "origin" of The Face of Bo. I thought it was a nice way of coming full circle with that story.

I hated to see Martha go but the way she left, and the terms upon which she left, just showed that she had too much self-respect to do anything BUT leave The Doctor.

Plus, it's nice to think that she actually might have found someone to replace him. Unlike Rose who has to settle on Mickey. Poor lass.

The question is...will Martha call The Doctore first or will he call her. Hmmmmmm...

...it might even be as soon as the first episode of the new season. You never know.

Now here's an interesting thought...The Toclafane are still out there, at the end of time. The Paradox Machine merely allowed them to come back and destroy their own ancestors without causing a Paradox. There's nothing to say that The Toclafane can't come back (or be brought back) to subjugate some other race in the future.

After all, who's to say that the myths and legends of the Time Lords regarding the Toclafane weren't based in fact?
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The Acrobatic Flea1 July 2007 09:18
I almost groaned aloud when the "gun in four parts" was introduced (out of nowhere), so when it turned out to be a canny distraction I was very impressed! Clearly RTD has learned from his mistakes in previous years :-)

I don't except the Master to be back anytime soon - it's just 'comforting' to know he has the option!
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The Acrobatic Flea1 July 2007 12:53
According to RTD (on the episode commentary/podcast), there will be a major announcement about Martha's future on the BBC website on Monday, then Tuesday/Wednesday the press should have news about the 'guest star' in the Christmas Special ... which starts filming soon!

It was also said that the shot of the hand taking the Master's ring was inserted for "future" production teams to pick up on or not; and that the current team have NO plans to bring the Master back. But then we know RTD lies :-)
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PMikey1 July 2007 14:10
Let's hope that Martha gets her own series.

That'd teach Billie Piper for running out on us. ;)

"Hey girl, you shoulda stuck around...you mighta got your own series. :)

You might very well be right at to the identity of the special "guest star" on this year's Christmas Special.

It's not like he's been doing much, lately. He was in...what...four episodes of "Heroes"...?

Hardly enough to pay the rent, now is it?

I think it would be a neat opportunity to do a two-doctors story. Also, good reason for temporarily getting Martha out of the way. Wouldn't want for The Doctor to have too much advance knowledge of his upcoming companion.

Which means that Martha just might return some time in the beginning of the next season (hey, I can *hope*, can't I???).
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PMikey2 July 2007 21:21
Dang stupid machine ate my last post...

...here goes.

Upon watching this episode again (for the 3rd? 4th? time) I noticed the symbols on The Master's ring were the same as the symbols on the pocket watch. Proving that The Master is alive and well in memories and genetic coding held within the ring.

I still have no doubt that Lucy Saxon was the one who picked up the ring (from post-hypnotic conditioning by The Master...one of his oldest tricks).

So...the questions new remain...

1) Can Lucy "hear" The Master in the ring as that psycho-sensitive young lad could in "Family of Blood"?

2) Will Lucy seek out a suitable host for The Master or keep the ring to herself, thereby becoming her tormentor's new "jailer"

3) Will The Master reincarnate himself as Lucy. No one would ever think to look for The Master as a woman (although Lucy is pretty recognizable).

The third one is a little far-fetched but it would make for an interesting twist.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
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The Acrobatic Flea3 July 2007 05:38
It's possible that the Master could 'steal' Lucy's body (as he did with Eric Roberts' in the TV movie)but that's probably too easy an option for him!

I expect when he does return it will via a far more twisted route!

For all we know, this could have been a long-term plan drawn up by the Master and Lucy (not even requiring hypnotic suggestion) to make sure he gets his 'revenge' on the Doctor, but still survives in some form.
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