Doctor Who 4.13 Journey's End

[selenak]

This will probably not be my last post on the episode, or the season, or several themes and characters of same (season 4 = my favourite season of New Who, bar none), but I'm leaving for Bali tonight, courtesy of the Aged Parents, so I'm getting this first review done before I possibly (don't know yet) lose internet access for the next two weeks.




First and foremost: I never believed Donna was literally going to die, precisely because of all those anvils, but her getting a Jamie and Zoe fate was one of my guesses, with Donna turning into a TARDIS the crack!other guess. (Explanation for New Only Whovians: Jamie and Zoe were the Second Doctor's companions, who at the end of his run were forced to separate from him, with their memories of their travels together taken away by the Time Lords.) However, I had no idea how the Jamie and Zoe fate would be justified since there were no other Time Lords to take the blame for it, and if it had happened via Davros or whomever, the Doctor would have no reason not to reverse it. The way it's been done - Donna burning up inside if the Doctor didn't do it (and btw, must think about Caan-Donna parallels/contrasts in further posts) - and dying works for me. Works in the sense of "I cried and cried and cried", mind you, but I couldn't see him letting her die rather than take her memories. No. And you know what, I think it was the right decision, despite what it took from Donna - all those wonderful adventures, all that she had become - because when they met, back in Runaway Bride, she already was a force of nature in her own right, and brimming with potential. As opposed to many a viewer, I fell for Donna right from the start, obliviousness to world wide events and all. She became more, true; she still can, even without the Doctor. Turn Left illustrated that in a dark way, and I firmly believe it will become true in world that's not going to pieces as well. (And of course I will yearn for fanfic in which a way is found for Donna to regain her memories without dying, much as a lot of Old School fans believe in season 6b, aka canon weirdness caused by multiple Doctor episodes that allows for the possibility at least Jamie might have regained his memories and travelled with the Doctor some more.)

If this was the last we've seen of the Doctor and Donna together on screen, though (and I wouldn't be sure about that - again, good old Jamie made it back in the multiple Doctor eps, once as a ghost and once as himself) - the biggest love declaration to characters and actors were the two Doctors and DoctorDonna scenes. You could see Catherine Tate and David Tennant merge each other's performances so wonderfully, really selling us on the DoctorDonna. The DonnaDoctor. The resolution of the cliffhanger I first thought lame, but then thought totally worth it because of Blue!Donna'ish Doctor and TennishDonna, and Donna saving the day. (Also offers some good character stuff re: Human!Doctor repeating the Time War solution, but that will have to wait for another post.) Brilliant on both a characters and actors level.

Excuse me, I need to cry some more.

Okay, back. Also squeeworthy was the TARDIS steered by six, Sarah Jane using the sonic lipstick, Sarah Jane's own little standoff with Davros (and Davros recognising her - he'd better!), Sarah Jane throughout, Tosh saving the day post-mortem, the Doctor recognising Gwen (sort of) as Gwynneth-related (and Rose doing the same) - all the crossover goodness, and lest we forget: the Doctor hearing about Harriet, which we all hoped he would.

As predicted, there was Davros rant (he always ends up doing that); as not predicted, Dalek Caan basically came to the conclusion the Dalek in the Big Finish audio Jubilee (the one the New Who episode Dalek is loosely based on) did: that not only he needed to die but all the Daleks did. As I said, I'll have meta stuff later, whenever later will be, because Caan actually got development over seasons if you think of it, and much as that particular two parter wasn't a highlight, his scenes in Daleks in Manhattan/ Evolution of the Daleks, with the World War I allusions, the Dalek Sec argument and the last Caan-Doctor exchange where the Doctor explicitly draws parallels between them really paid off here. As for Davros, his most effective blow against the Doctor was the whole "you turn people into weapons and make them die for you" argument, which is the twisted kind of partial truth a good villain excels at.

The Osterhagen Key: was suitably chilling, slightly impaired for us German viewers by the fact everybody had none too stellar accents when speaking German and "Exterminieren" just sounds funny. (Also, Nuremberg? Subtlety, thy name is not RTD, but then again, it's completely in the tradition of Terry Nation who invented the pepperpots, so that's not a complaint.) But I thought letting someone make the counterargument to Martha was a good idea, story telling wise, and also conveyed Martha feeling the enormity better than a monologue would have done.

Stop it with the UNIT bashing, Jack. You're just envious because they're better organized and have the far longer history with the Doctor. If you continue to do that on Torchwood, I'll reconsider my season 2 caused love for your show. However, this definitely makes it look like Martha and Mickey will be replacing Tosh and Owen next season. Also, Jack's mind wandering to where Jack's mind would when confronted with two Doctors and a DoctorDonna was priceless.

Rose: you know, I'm torn. On the one hand, the ending with Rose and Blue!Doctor in the parallel world didn't come across as trite, which was what I feared when indiscreet people posted rumours without spoiler warning. (NO THANKS, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. ) Because it was actually more with the bitter than with the sweet, if you ask me; the Doctor very deliberately manouevred her into accepting that other self and that other self into distracting her and being distracted by her, and made his getaway, and Rose ended up basically where she started, in more than one sense. (Not just where she started after the end of s2 but at the end of Rosewhen she first hooked up with Nine.) Which is why I'm torn; I'm not invested in Rose the way I am in other companions, but I would have preferred it if in the intervening years she had moved on to the point where she, like Sarah Jane or Jack or Martha, could leave the Doctor because she had her own life to get back to. I also expect massive fanwank over this, both from shippers and anti-shippers. But as I said - lack of true emotional investment makes for a shrug on that front.

The Doctor: I predict massive debates on that point, but to me he came across as emotionally better than after the last two finales because the way the farewell with Sarah Jane played out to me was that he believed her re: family. He's on his own again now and has just lost the best friend he had in this regeneration, but he knows he still has friends to come back to. And Wilf. That scene with Wilfe just tore out my heart some more.

*back to crying*


Brief glimpse in the future: yay for David Morrissey at Christmas!

Comments

[wondygal.livejournal.com]

I can't even say anything coherent. Catherine Tate was so excellent, it's almost unbelievable, and Donna, my God, Donna, I have to believe she will fulfill her potential again, like she's done twice before. Oh, my heart.

There is already a denial/fix-it comm: season4b. I am a little ashamed of my denial, but I need it right now. Damn.

You make interesting points about Rose. I've already changed my opinion about it some four times. I need to rewatch and be calmer to figure out what I think.

[wondygal.livejournal.com]

Oh, and: woot, Bali.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Like you, I loved Donna from "The Runaway Bride" and have no doubts that she will become magnificent again, especially now that her mother won't be grinding her down anymore.

[butterflykiki.livejournal.com]

*wibbles and agrees and is already working on fic* Not denial-fic, but just... something to ease the edges off this. SO not fun.

Wilf just made me cry out loud, man. Not fair.

I tend to agree on all points on the Rose thing, including not being all that invested.

But Donnnnnnnnaaaaa....

[skywaterblue.livejournal.com]

I hope it wasn't me who spoiled you; I'm so piss poor at it. (I KNOW I was the person who burnt you on the Mickey Martha Torchwood deal, which I still feel guilty about... sorry, again.)

This finale reminded me why I'd been so good about not getting too invested in the show prior to this season. On the other hand, now Rose is gone for good good, so...

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Absolutely. She's Donna. Speaking of her mother, do you think the Doctor's statement to Sylvia shows Donna told him about the put-downs of old, or did he know from sharing her mind?

[selenak.livejournal.com]

It's my Dad's 40th wedding anniversary present for my mother. As their offspring, I was invited along.*g*

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I believe in Donna. She's unstoppable. And again, I think that was one of the main reasons why we got Turn Left - not simply to present us with an AU without the Doctor but to show us that Donna would always end up a heroine.

Probably the first thing I'll do after returning from vacation is checking what fanfic has been written, though...

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Wilf - and to think: if the actor playing Donna's father hadn't died, Wilf the character would never have existed beyond Voyage of the Damned. Oh, Bernard Cribbins, you were so good in that role, and I do hope we'll see you again one day, in addition to Donna.

Ease the edges fic is good. I hope I'll be able to read it in my hotel tomorrow or next week, because if I have to wibble for two weeks sans online access...

Oh, Donna.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Re: two Doctors? No, that wasn't you.

Still trying to read reviews as fast as I can before being called to more last minute suitcase packing adjustments, but I think I'm in the minory in thinking that given Catherine Tate was available for only one season, this was a good solution. (Hate the argument that Donna dead by sacrifice to save the world would have been better than Runaway Bride Donna - this implies Donna at the start of RB is regarded as worthless. Shame on everyone who thinks so.) Given that as opposed to Martha, she was written as happy in the life of adventure with the Doctor and had no reason to leave on her own volition, and I've just given my opinion on killing her off. Going for the Jamie and Zoe solution, with the double precedent that you can bring a mindwiped companion back years later if the actor becomes available again for at least a special, works as both tragic and sense making within this particiular narrative.

[kathyh]

her getting a Jamie and Zoe fate was one of my guesses

Mine too. The one I didn't like to voice, because I find it so intensely painful, but I certainly don't think permanent death would have been better and (after my initial weepiness has worn off) I do think Donna will find a way to shine again. CT did say in the Confidential how much she'd enjoyed herself playing the role so I'm hopeful there's a chance we'll see her again and if not, well, that's what fanfic is for *g*. My favourite season bar none too :)

Because it was actually more with the bitter than with the sweet

I thought so too. Rose got a Doctor, but not the one she wanted, and that came over strongly to me. Billie Piper hasn't given her strongest Rose performance in these episodes but I did think she played that scene well.

I predict massive debates on that point, but to me he came across as emotionally better than after the last two finales because the way the farewell with Sarah Jane played out to me was that he believed her re: family.

I was devastated for him at the end but actually I think you're right. He may have lost Donna but not the experience of having a true friend who really knew him and that's got to count for something.

Bernard Cribbins' speech at the end broke my heart as did the restrained "thank you". And now I'm starting to sniffle again.

Hope you and your parents have a wonderful holiday :)

[skywaterblue.livejournal.com]

Also: thank god.

Based on the limited number of Whofen on my flist, I think the majority think the memory!wipe is okay due to the fact it leaves Tate open to return someday.

That death=better position annoys me too, but of course, I wouldn't have offed Donna anyway. As I posited to a friend tonight, my solution to make this a tighter episode is to eliminate hand!Ten and only have Donna!Doctor to save the universe. She's the one who presses the button and then horrified because she's now committed genocide, she wants the memories wiped herself.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

I still haven't really processed this (epic trauma from season finales, oh lolz...). I thought it was a pretty outrageous ending, but I have to admit "wiping your mind for your own good" plots are a great hate of mine. So intrusive.

But I think you are right, Donna grew all by herself two times, she'll do it again. And she'll be magnificent. Especially if Sylvia actually takes Ten's words to heart and stops pounding on her once in a while.

Davros ranting: I remembered you saying he would, so this scene was pretty giggleworthy for me. Caan turning on him was a surprise, but was of course foreshadowed a bit by Planet of the Ood, where the Bad Guys' servant patiently did the same in an admittedly rather opposite consolation.

Osterhagen Key: and here I was convinced it would be something Scandinavian, but no... I think it's about time that German actors going international write down in their resumes that they do speak authentic German accents. Between JJ Abrams' productions (seen the Fringe pilot yet?) and now DW it is rapidly becoming a useful skill...

I have to admit that the scenes between Martha and the... guardian? Housekeeper? didn't work for me at all, because at first I didn't understand why the lady was trying to stop Martha and mostly thought "Oh, great, Martha is accosted by the evil, dangerous, elderly German. Run, Martha!" (And yes, it should have been obvious that the key would do something really bad, but I'm currently nursing a fever, not everything makes it way through, thinking-wise), and after I got it, I was wondering why she doesn't just spend the 50 to 100 bucks for a flight and goes to London if she loved it that much. I mean, couldn't it have been Sydney, or New York, or Tokyo, or something else with a bit of a distance? It rather failed to invoke "the world is beautiful, don't let it die."

With you on the UNIT bashing. WTH? Is it ever cleared up on TW why Jack hates them this much, or is he just jealous of the berets?

Rose and her ErsatzDoctor: I'm fundamentally creeped out by this. It's like she got a pet. He isn't the Doctor. She loves the Doctor, I doubt she'll see him as anything but a pale copy - and he doesn't even get to decide whether he wants this or not. Just - no.

Wilf. Sniff. I think I'll miss Bernard Cribbins almost more than Catherine Tate, it's freaky.

yay for David Morrissey at Christmas!

And the most exciting question remains: will they dance?

Have great fun in Bali! Your parents, too, of course.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

The one I didn't like to voice, because I find it so intensely painful, but I certainly don't think permanent death would have been better

The more reviews I read, the more I get freaked out by people saying that. To coin a fandom phrase, WTF? Death is better than life as a completely healthy amazing woman who has decades of her, and who already found ways to save the universe in two parallel worlds already? Bah.

I thought so too. Rose got a Doctor, but not the one she wanted, and that came over strongly to me. Billie Piper hasn't given her strongest Rose performance in these episodes but I did think she played that scene well.

Agreed on Billie Piper (who didn't exaggarate when saying she had trouble finding Rose again in interviews), both in general and that scene.

I was devastated for him at the end but actually I think you're right. He may have lost Donna but not the experience of having a true friend who really knew him and that's got to count for something.

Also, since he's an incorrigible optimist and given that there is the Jamie precedent from The Two Doctors, he might have the hope that some day he'll figure out a way to return Donna's memories without them destroying her. In any case, he knows how magnficent she is, and always will be, and I think he is the better off for it, even after losing her.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

But I think you are right, Donna grew all by herself two times, she'll do it again. And she'll be magnificent. Especially if Sylvia actually takes Ten's words to heart and stops pounding on her once in a while.

I should hope so; Sylvia might be set in her ways but isn't a heartless supervillain, and all that happened should be an eye opener. In any case, as I said, in retrospect, that was the most important reason for Turn Left: to tell us Donna is bound to grow no matter the circumstances.

Caan turning on him was a surprise, but was of course foreshadowed a bit by Planet of the Ood, where the Bad Guys' servant patiently did the same in an admittedly rather opposite consolation.

Oooh, neat parallel, you're right. In retrospect, I thought of the Daleks turning on Davros at the end of Genesis of the Daleks as the other precedent.

London nostalgia instead of just getting a flight to London: actually, one of my grandmothers was a bit similar, in that she could have afforded travel but each time it came to it got cold feet for anything further away than Berchtesgaden, so settled for sighing wistfully over photos. It was frustrating, but that's how she was. So I could handwave that bit.

Is it ever cleared up on TW why Jack hates them this much, or is he just jealous of the berets?

Well, there was the WTH??? Tosh flashback in Fragments in which they had UNIT imprison her in Guantanomo Bay style and Jack saving her after blackmailing her to work for him and "calling in favours", but given the depiction of UNIT on DW, the only way to explain that part of Fragments is that Jack conned Tosh from A to Z. My own fanon re: Jack and UNIT is that he showed up during "Spearheads from Space" (having heard via reporters about the alien in the hospital and the blue box before the Brig issued his denials), tried to talk with the Doctor (he couldn't know whether this was a pre- or post-Nine regeneration) and was promptly denied access by the Brigadier who had heard about Torchwood's anti-Doctor mission and didn't trust Jack's assurances one bit, finding him unprofessional to the max. After a couple of similar put-downs, Jack grew anti UNIT.

And the most exciting question remains: will they dance?

I think Rusty owes us this after traumatizing us again.

OT: Stratford, accomodation related, rather last minute...

[bimo.livejournal.com]

but I'm leaving for Bali tonight, courtesy of the Aged Parents, so I'm getting this first review done before I possibly (don't know yet) lose internet access for the next two weeks.

So glad I caught your travel announcement, while scrolling down my f-list desperately trying no to get spoiled for the DW season finale...

Looking forward to seeing the Tennant Hamlet in Stratford more than ever, it just dawned upon me that I still need to book my flight and train tickets.

Could you please tell me the exact traveling dates again, and for how many nights you've booked accommodations?

Sorry for being so disorganized at the moment. Have a great time in Bali! Best wishes for you and aged parents! :-)

[rivrea.livejournal.com]

*scrolls down spoilery post very quickly*

I haven't seen the finale yet, but do enjoy your trip to Bali! It sounds wonderful.

[aralias.livejournal.com]

completely agree with you, about everything. i thought tate, in particular, was just fabulous in this episode and that actually she deserved somethng worse than a tearful deathbed scene.

p.s. i fucked up my spoiler cut the first time i posted. if that's what you saw, i'm very sorry.

[aralias.livejournal.com]

oh, and have a great time in bali!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Thank you, and no, I didn't see your post - I was careful not to look at lj before I watched the episode, because I figured even if people were übercareful their above cut reactions would be telling. I got spoiled about the two doctors rumour in a community entry talking about Midnight, of all things.

[aralias.livejournal.com]

phew.

and actually i got spoiled about the two doctors thing too, but only becuase th person who told me thought it was too ridiculous to be true... i got that along with 'harriet jones is the dalek supreme" which was fortunately not true.

[greenpear.livejournal.com]

First: Have a great time in Bali
Second: Look forwad to more thoughts on the season.

I was wondering how they'd make Donna a one-season companion since she was deteremined to be with the Doctor "forever". It was a very sad solution but I can't think of another one that would work.

And the hug from Sarah Jane was priceless. I'm hoping to see a meeting with Sarah and Eleven (whenever that might be) in the future...

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I was wondering how they'd make Donna a one-season companion since she was deteremined to be with the Doctor "forever".

Not only that, but she had no reason to leave on her own. She was doing what she wanted, travelling. Her relationship with the Doctor was angst-free and happy, so she wouldn't have left to travel on her own, either. I've seen people say she could have found Lee from the Library world again and left to marry him, but you know, THAT would have annoyed me. Nothing against Lee, but "leaving to marry" is a Companion exit we should leave in the 60s and 70s; what would have been in character, had Donna found Lee again and discovered she loves him in the real world, would have been asking the Doctor to take him along on their journey, and that would have left the show still with the "we don't have Catherine Tate for more than a season" problem unsolved. So, it was either death or amnesia, and I rather prefer amnesia and Donna having the chance to be amazing in new ways some more.

(Not to mention that if they ever do persuade CT back, amnesia is far easier to reverse than death.)

Sarah Jane must meet Eleven, whenever he's due, yes.

Re: OT: Stratford, accomodation related, rather last minute...

[selenak.livejournal.com]

You've got mail!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I've never been there and am very much looking forward to it!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Death is better than life as a completely healthy amazing woman who has decades of her, and who already found ways to save the universe in two parallel worlds already?

Absolutely. I don't get that either, but then I don't know why people love the last ep of B7 so. I hate it's message that fighting wrong is useless, and that people I like die.

As for Donna, what I can't stand is that someone who thought she wasn't anything special and found that she was, that she was brilliant and mattered and saved the world, has lost all of that. At least she's got Wilf, but he has to hold things back from her and that might become a barrier she won't understand.

But then I identified with Donna because I have a lot in common with her except that she has more self-confidence. :-P

[estepheia.livejournal.com]

Yes, the scene wiuth Wilf at the end was brilliant, but ouch, it hurt. *sigh*

I just watched the finale, and I'm still kinda reeling with shock. *sniff*

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

The more reviews I read, the more I get freaked out by people saying that. To coin a fandom phrase, WTF? Death is better than life as a completely healthy amazing woman who has decades of her, and who already found ways to save the universe in two parallel worlds already? Bah.

As someone who's sort of said this, I want to clarify my own thought on that. I don't think it would be a better thing objectively, or a better thing for Donna, but narratively a heroic death has a certain satisfying, even uplifting quality, IMO (e.g. Harriet Jones', which was an utterly, utterly marvelous death scene, and made me love the character even more than I already had). Whereas the ending we got... just sort of tasted of ashes. Better for Donna, yes, certainly, but not a satisfying ending to her story arc, and not at all a pleasant thing to watch, not even in the achy, tragic kind of way that a good death scene is.

[morebliss.livejournal.com]

I think Jack might well be down on UNIT due to their treatment of Tosh when they imprisoned her without trial.

But I totally agree with you about Donna. She'll be brilliant even without the Doctor. Though I am going to miss her so very, very much.

I think the Doctor needs to get a cat.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

BTW:

"Exterminieren" just sounds funny.

Someone on my flist said that: "The German for 'exterminate' was part of a fandom trope with the Daleks having invaded earth during the Nazi era." I don't know any more than that.

[ceindreadh.livejournal.com]

Stop it with the UNIT bashing, Jack. You're just envious because they're better organized and have the far longer history with the Doctor.

Plus they have the cute red hats and won't share ;-)

[queenspanky.livejournal.com]

Donna was my fvourite and I'm just going to miss her so much! But I'm determined not to let this colour my views of next season's Who like all the Martha bashing that happened.

I just watched it last night so when I cease crying, I'm sure I'll have something interesting to sat! Meanwhile, have fun in Bali!

[hence-the-name.livejournal.com]

I don't have a ton to add, but I just wanted to register my agreement on your last point--and to add that I think knowing Donna put him in a place where he's better able to heal, despite his devastation at losing her.

I also join you in your feeling that it was the right choice on the part of the writers to handle Donna's "death" as they did.