Doctor Who, 'The End Of Time'

Every avid Doctor Who fan knew the moment was coming but as the much-loved David Tennant took his final bow as The Doctor, before regenerating into Matt Smith, you could not help but sit back it shock and amazement, a small tear in your eye as The Doctor proclaimed that he "didn't want to go". I did not want David Tennant to go either but the also departing Russel T Davies and the team behind Doctor Who managed to improve on a disappointing part one to give him an emotionally powerful and enjoyable final showing in part two of 'The End Of Time'.

It came as some surprise, that part one of the final installment was such a disappointment. The story seemed dis-jointed, lacking direction and the spark in the script that David Tennant can wonderfully portray on screen. Despite this all the cast played their part, Bernard Cribbins gave a heartwarming performance as The Doctor's make-shift companion Wilf and John Simm recreated the captivating Master for both part one and two.

Two striking similarities between the parts was how they both only managed to kick-start as the climax approached. Part one failed to ignite until the final moments, where The Master quite wonderfully created the so-called 'master race' as he changed every human (minus Donna and Wilf) into him, while part two managed to grab the audience for David Tennant's final 30 minutes. Hurtling towards Earth on board the Vinvocci Spacecraft with Wilf and two cacti like characters that added nothing to the storyline, The Doctor lept through a glass roof and straight back into the action once more.

While The Doctor's tedious gun-wielding indecision on whether to shot The Master, the returning Time Lords or nothing at all was probably necessary in the showdown that the Time Lords return was there to create, it was not until Wilf and The Doctor began their dialogue that I was properly engrossed. There was an eerie silence as I watched Wilf bang on the glass four times, the four knocks that The Doctor had been warned about. The Doctor's inevitable decision of self-sacrifice and the whole scene itself only worked so well because of the great chemistry and empathy the pair create on-screen together.

David Tennant's blistering performance as The Doctor over the last few years could quite easily have merited a barn-storming finish filled with action, explosions and enemies but Davies decided on an emotional farewell as The Doctor briefly visited old friends Martha, Mickey, Sarah Jane, Rose and Captain Jack. Returning to the Tardis alone the transformation begun and as we said goodbye to David Tennant and hello to Matt Smith and his energetic and promising cameo, it is fair to say that after a slow start, one of the best ever Doctors just about got the send-off he rightly deserved.

Picture from Digital Spy