Context
“The End of the World” is the second episode of Doctor Who’s 2005 revival, written by Russell T Davies and directed by Euros Lyn. It follows straight after “Rose” and is the first time in the new series that the Doctor takes his companion into space and into the far future. The show at that point had to prove itself. It had to demonstrate that Doctor Who was no longer the cheap and shaky old program from the past, but something modern and cinematic. This episode really was its moment to show off.
The old Doctor Who was often mocked for its wobbly sets and monsters that looked like they were made of cardboard. But “The End of the World” stands in total contrast. It was one of the most expensive episodes of that first new season, and it’s very clear when you watch it. Every shot feels big and ambitious. There are more VFX shots here than in many Hollywood blockbusters at the time, which is wild to think about for a BBC show. It’s like the production team was saying to the audience: “Look what we can do now.”
A lot of the episode was filmed at the Temple of Peace in Cardiff, which would later become one of Doctor Who’s most used filming locations. It’s a very distinctive place and it perfectly fits the idea of Platform One, a luxurious space station floating near the dying Earth. I actually had the chance to visit the Temple of Peace myself when I went to Cardiff, and it’s strange but wonderful to stand in a place that feels both sacred and futuristic at once. You can totally see why they used it.
Behind the camera, Russell T Davies and the team wanted to push imagination to its limits. They filled the episode with dozens of alien creatures, actually more than had ever appeared in a single Doctor Who story before. Some were simple masks and costumes, a nod to the show’s classic roots. You can sometimes spot them in the background if you look attentively. But others were much more detailed and creative: the blue-skinned Moxx of Balhoon, the silent and mysterious Face of Boe, and the elegant tree-people from the Forest of Cheem, whose wooden skin looks so real you almost forget it’s makeup. And then, of course, there’s Cassandra, “the last human”, a sheet of skin stretched tight on a frame. Created through CGI, she’s equally funny and disturbing, and she’s also a sharp commentary on celebrity culture and obsession with beauty.
Synopsis
The Doctor takes Rose five billion years into the future to witness the end of Earth as the sun expands and burns it away. They land on Platform One, where the galaxy’s richest and most powerful species gather to watch the planet’s death like it’s an event show. But something goes wrong, the station’s shields fail after sabotage, and danger spreads among the guests.
Review
What really stands out about “The End of the World” is how big and small it feels at the same time. On one hand, it’s packed with effects, makeup, and design, the kind of thing you’d never expect from Doctor Who in a similar level back in the day. Even watching it now, almost twenty years later, the visuals still look strong. The burning Earth and the glass shield reflecting the sun are striking. But what makes this episode last in people’s minds isn’t just how it looks, it’s what it says and how it feels.
When the Doctor brings Rose here, it’s partly to show off. He wants her to see the wonders of time travel, to impress her. But it’s also a strange choice, because going that far into the future is something he doesn’t often do. It suggests that before meeting Rose, he was lonely for a long time. He’s seen his own planet destroyed, and now he’s watching another one die, except this time it’s a natural end, not a war. Maybe he wants to remind himself that endings don’t always have to be tragic. For him, the death of the Earth is a normal event in the life of the universe. Rose doesn’t see it that way yet, and their different reactions make their relationship feel more real.
This episode is also the first time we see the Doctor having scenes away from Rose, especially with Jabe. Those moments are gentle and sad, hinting at the grief he carries but doesn’t talk about. Through Jabe’s kindness, the audience sees another side of him. He’s vulnerable but still full of purpose.
The alien designs help build that world beautifully. The Forest of Cheem are especially well done, their wooden faces full of expression. The Face of Boe, silent but wise, adds mystery. And Cassandra, well, she’s unforgettable. A paper-thin remnant of humanity obsessed with youth and appearance, she’s both hilarious and tragic. Davies has said she was inspired by celebrity culture, where people were starving themselves and changing their bodies for attention. The Doctor calling her a “bitchy trampoline” is one of those perfect bits of camp humor that sums her up.
Speaking of camp, this episode absolutely embraces it. The moment Britney Spears’ “Toxic”plays while Earth is burning is so ridiculous that it becomes genius. It’s the kind of absurdity only Doctor Who can pull off with a mix of tragedy, comedy, and pure spectacle. Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” appears too, making the whole event feel like a cosmic nightclub. It’s a reminder that Doctor Who doesn’t just live in darkness or seriousness, it can be wonderfully strange, even while talking about death.
Plot-wise, there are a few clunky moments. Rose spends a long time unconscious, and the Doctor crawling through the rotating fans to switch on the shields feels like something included just for spectacle. But honestly, that’s fine. It fits the episode’s showy tone. On the bright side, the countdown to Earth’s destruction is timed almost perfectly with the length of the episode itself, which makes the whole thing feel neat and well-paced.
And then we come to that ending. The Doctor and Rose standing in what looks like modern London, surrounded by real life passersby who didn’t even know they were filming Doctor Who. It’s such a simple but powerful moment in the episode. After all the color and chaos of space, we’re back on Earth with people walking and life continuing. They talk quietly, still processing what they’ve seen. It’s one of the first truly emotional moments in the revived show, where we see their bond start to form even more. They ground each other. He shows her the stars and she reminds him what it means to be human. That’s the heart of Doctor Who, and “The End of the World” captures it perfectly.