It was the beginning of the end for the Tenth Doctor in the first episode of the two part End Of Time story, not only was it David Tennant's last outing as The Doctor, it was also head writer Russell T. Davies final story before handing over to Steven Moffatt.
The End Of Time sees The Doctor's arch rival The Master (John Simm) returning from the dead, which sees the start of The Tenth Doctor's regeneration into the Eleventh Doctor however this time The Master has come back more insane and more powerful than ever, meanwhile The Doctor has been summoned by the Ood and has been told of a coming 'darkness' and 'the end of time itself' so off he goes on one last trip on the TARDIS to confront his age old enemy this time teaming up with Donna Noble's grandfather Wilf (played by Bernard Cribbins).
The End Of Time had been built up as a bit of a dark, scary story but to in all honesty, Davies can't write dark stories, he litters his script with too many lighter moments (such as The Doctor meeting up with The Silver Cloak a group of pensioners Wilf enlists in finding The Doctor) these moments sort of see-saw through Davies darker or more serious script moments i.e. he'll have one scene which has a serious tone to it and then in the next scene Davies will lighten the tone, very rarely combining the two but when he does, it comes off very well and natural.
However, Russell T. Davies excels at character moments, the dialogue between The Doctor and Wilf in the cafe is fantastic you really get the sense that both characters feel defeated, Wilf, by the realisation that he is the only person on Earth who can remember the nightmare the entire universe is having and The Doctor, by the prophesies that have been foretold to him as well as the knowledge of his impending death. Bernard Cribbin's is fantastic as the companion for this episode and it is interesting to see him act as a sort of fatherly figure to the 903 year old Doctor.
The scenes between The Doctor and The Master are also well written especially with The Master's constant ramblings, which John Simm makes completely believable and so flawlessly switches from his insane ramblings to his need for The Doctor to hear the sound of the drums. Simm's maniacal Master is a lot more powerful this time round but he is a man without purpose until the climax of the episode where he creates his 'Master Race'. It's here that Russell T. Davies brings about not one but three chilling cliffhangers involving The Doctor's former travelling companion and Wilf's granddaughter, Donna, the aforementioned 'Master Race' and the revelation of another, more familiar race watching from the sidelines led by former James Bond actor Timothy Dalton, all of which should make for an entertaining if not sad ending to the two-parter on New Year's Day.
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