Context
The End of Time Part Two aired on January 1 2010 and was the last full episode for David Tennants Tenth Doctor. It was an extra long feature length special that finished a two part finale and also acted as a farewell to showrunner Russell T Davies whose era began with the 2005 revival. This episode had the big job of closing four seasons of character arcs themes and emotional journeys while also moving the series into the Steven Moffat and Matt Smith era.
Behind the scenes the episode was made as a celebration of the Tenth Doctors legacy. Tennant had become one of the most loved Doctors in the shows history and Davies wanted his last story to feel big emotional and very personal. Bernard Cribbins who returned as Wilfred Mott was used a lot because the audience cared for him so much and because of the touching bond between him and the Doctor. The production team aimed for something large and grand with global stakes the return of the Time Lords and a finale that mixed action with close character drama. The extra length gave space for all these ideas letting the story rise breathe and finish with a quiet farewell tour that became one of the most remembered endings in modern Doctor Who.
Synopsis
The End of Time Part Two follows the Doctor as he tries to stop the Master whose plan has thrown the whole world into chaos. At the same time the Time Lords return from the Time War bringing an even bigger danger that could destroy reality. The Doctor must face impossible choices while protecting Wilfred Mott and trying to prevent the Time Lords from taking control again. In the end he saves Wilf but the act leads to his own regeneration marking the final story of the Tenth Doctor.
The Review
The End of Time Part Two is an ambitious sometimes uneven but finally emotional farewell to David Tennants Tenth Doctor. It has more action than the first part with global trouble explosions and increasing chaos from the Masters plans. But the real heart of the episode is in the character relationships. Like Part One the strongest scenes come from the Doctors bond with Wilfred Mott. Bernard Cribbins gives warmth vulnerability and a grounded human feeling that lets Tennants Doctor show emotional sides we do not often see. Their quiet talks hit deeper than the action reminding us that even with universe sized danger the Doctors ties to normal people are what define him most.
The relationship with the Master reaches a sad and powerful peak. John Simm plays the Master with raw energy unstable hurting and looking for meaning. The scene with the gun shows their whole relationship two lonely broken Time Lords tied by history and a strange kind of care even if they stand on opposite moral sides. The Masters last act turning his anger on Rassilon instead of the Doctor feels like a short tragic moment of truth showing that the Doctor is the only one who ever truly understood him. It is one of the strongest emotional parts of the episode.
In comparison the plot with the return of the Time Lords is interesting but also oddly safe. After seasons of hints and talk about the Time War, the return of Gallifrey and Rassilon seems like it will change everything but it is undone very quickly. The Time Lords come back only to be pushed away again resetting their place. This can feel disappointing since it suggests something huge then pulls back. Still for a regeneration story it makes sense because this finale is really about the Doctor not the Time Lords. It focuses on his fear of death his loneliness and how he accepts his coming end. The story centers on him as it should since this is his final bow.
As a final story for the Tenth Doctor it works very well. The tone emotional big and sometimes melodramatic matches Tennants Doctor completely. He was a man who loved humans strongly felt loss deeply and lived with intense emotion. His final sacrifice choosing to save Wilf even though he knows it will kill him shows everything noble and sad about this version of the Doctor. His tired line I could do so much more so much more followed by quiet acceptance is one of the most unforgettable moments of the whole first Davies era. It closes his time perfectly repeating the themes of heroism kindness and reluctant mortality that defined his Doctor.
The long farewell tour is often discussed but it stays one of the most memorable parts of modern Doctor Who. When seen as a victory lap of themes it becomes very moving. Each visit honors a relationship that shaped the Tenth Doctor. The moment with Martha and Mickey now married and now freedom fighters gives closure to two characters who grew a lot since their early days. The meeting with Captain Jack in the bar giving him a small moment of hope with Alonso reminds us of their strong friendship and Jacks role as the Doctors wild immortal ally. Sarah Janes emotional look at him feels especially touching because of their long shared history.
But the visit to Donna Nobles family hits the hardest. Donna who lost her memories to survive remains one of the Doctors biggest heartbreaks. His quiet gift a winning lottery ticket for her wedding made possible by a pound borrowed from her father long ago ends their story beautifully. It is small human and very fitting for the Tenth Doctor. He cannot restore what they had but he can give her a better future. This completes Donna’s arc and ties together the emotional thread of the whole Davies era.
The last stop visiting Rose in 2005 before she meets him brings everything full circle. It connects the finale to the start of the revival finishing a four season loop and showing the huge impact Rose had on the Doctor. The way he looks at her knowing this is goodbye for him but a beginning for her is quietly heartbreaking. It shows again that his journey even with all its cosmic scale was always about the normal people he loved.
In the end when he returns to the TARDIS and says “I don’t want to go”, the line carries the weight of everything he has faced and everything he will lose. It is not only the Doctor speaking but also David Tennant, Russell T Davies, the cast and the fans who spent years with this version. And this is why even with some flaws The End of Time Part Two works. It is more than a finale it is a celebration. It is imperfect, emotional a bit too much at times, but sincere just like the Tenth Doctor himself. And as the closing to his era, it is hard to imagine anything more fitting.