I was assuming that after series four davies and co would move on as heavily suggested, and that someone new would come in. (Please by Moffat - aside: who just won a second hugo for Girl in the Fireplace, after winning his first for empty child/doctor dances), and also perhaps bring in a new doctor, although that would maybe depend on the new exec's and if they could persaude tennant to stay if they wanted him.
A year's break would seem to jive with that, give the new team, time to get settled and plans sorted, and not have to rush any decision on recasting of Who.
But in the official statement on this, it states that there taking the break so that Tennant can do Shakespeare with the RSC.
Personally I hope it's the former, i'd hate for the entire DW team to be stood down for a year while Tennant does Shakespeare just so he can feel like a real actor and makes up his mind about s5, that just doesn't strike me as being very like him.
For me the fourth series plus christmas + 2008 specials should be it for tennant, that would take him past the average tenure of a Doctor.
]]>To be honest I was crossing my fingers and hoping very hard the new companion would be Sally Sparrow from Blink, that I would have been very excited about.
]]>Btw, what do think to Catherine Tate being taken on full time?
]]>But I think I can just about forgive.
]]>A lot of people I've spoken to complain that the ending of Last of the Time Lords is something of a Deus Ex Machina, but I disagree, everything that happens is setup beforehand- perhaps a shade too neatly, but the clues are there.
My only other complaint is RTD's infuriating insistence of throwing a cliffhanger in at the end of the season. Ok, first season I'll let him off because of the regeneration thing, but seasons two and three were unnecessary and could have easily been the teaser of the xmas special instead.
]]>Also, anyone seen Stephen Moffat's "Jekyll", which has followed Doctor Who the previous two weeks, it's very good, another excellent addition to his growing collection.
]]>I'd say it doesn't quite top Blink for me (though i'm reserving a certain amount of judgement until we see the conclusion to the story), I say that because really there was pretty much nothing I disliked about Blink, where as I did have a few qualms with Sound of the Drums.
I'll reel of some of the bigger issues for me, then get on to the good stuff. Alot of momentum was robbed from the story due to the way the episode opened, I really wanted that feeling of picking up exactly where we left off, and there seemed to be very little reason to do the escape the way there did, perhaps to cover the "screwdriver + doctor's genius = instant solution" thing thats starting to get on my nerves again.
All the stuff with Martha's family seemed a little OTT, and I really didn't find myself caring about them.
Over indulging in flash-backs, bugged me last week too, used well and at the right time it can be very effective, done the way it was, it was I started to think I was watching a clip show, again robs the story of momentum, to see it done well see last episode of series 1 when Rose figures out the Bad Wolf thing. We're not idiots, don't insult us, and aren't there enough recaps in the Radio times as it is?
Some of the scale strecthed the budget to breaking point, or so it looked.
Finally, John Simm stealing the episode (on it's own good, but), wanting to see more of the Master, and less of the Doctor is probably not a good thing.
Anyway, good stuff. The Master/Doctor phonecall is up there with my favourite scenes since the shows return.
John Simm. Some will think he was over the top, and he probably was, but I was glued to the screen, doesn't really matter how he did it, but he was the best thing in the episode. Debate over as far as i'm concerned.
The rather scathing relevance of a politician who is smart, charming and wins everyone over without any policies.
The sheer amount that was packed into the episode.
There is more, but it all pretty much revolves around the Master.
....
Overall I await the finale with baited breathe, and hope that there not left regretting a cliff hanger of such proportions, and that they find a realisitic way of resolving it.
]]>My only fault was the cliffhanger did seem slightly too drawn out, but that could be personal preference rather than an actual problem.
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