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I thoroughly enjoyed the finale. And yes I was a little choked up on several occasions!
I didn;t watch part one on Christmas day 'cause I was at my bros. So I downloaded it from i-player...then cuoldn;t bring myself to watch it for days! During which time I read several very mixed reviews (avoided the spoiler-ridden ones) and my best friends J and J both said that the first part was 'pants'. J(f) said it had no real story to it, was just confused and she hated the Master in it blah blah blah. Nothing much really happened, and she hoped part two wold be better.
I knew at the time I'd probably enjoy it more than that because...well because I do generally :P But it meant when i sat down on 1st Jan to watch my download, a couple of hours prior to the finale being shown, that I had low expecations.
I loved it! I don;t understand all the negativity around part one. It had a very clear story. Several very clear story strands in fact. It was tightly paced and fast moving, but managed to get in several really emotional scenes (the ones between Wilf and the Doc nearly had me blubbing, especially the cafe scene). I honestly don;t know what it was that people were expecting to see that they were disappointed with it. Maybe it was just too hyped. Nothing could live up to that level of hype I guess.
The second part was brilliant. Really dark and when the four knocks came...having been so much a part of the build-up they were surprisingly unexpected.
Sat down today and rewatched part one wioth Mum, who hadn;t seen it. She was thrilled by it. She also nearly cried dring the cafe scene and likewise has no clue what J(f) was talking about when she said it had no real story to it.
I think Doctor Who, and especially the big seasonal episodes, have to be watched without cynicism. It's the only way they work.
I noticed in the reviews of this as with other big episodes, a lot of criticism of RTD. I think he's made the cardinal sin for this country of becoming mega succesful. Once that happens people take against you. Also a lot of criticisms over the jack scene. People see that as RTD's gay agenda (?) Which I just think is bizarre.
Of course some of the reviews were very warm and positive. One of them was by a chap who'd been watching it withhis seven year old son. As he was watching it he was thinking: what was all the hype about? This just isn;t very good. The bad guys aren't scary...the story line is unclear. Then he had an epiphany. It came in two parts; first when he realised that every time the master appeared on screen his son jumped and grabbed his arm. Second when the closing credits scrolled for part one and his son turned to him and said "That was the best christmas telly ever!"
That's the way to truly get Who: watch it with a 7 year old. I said that to J: he said yeah....a seven year old or you!
Anyway....that's it. The RTD/tennant era is over, and the Moffat/Smith era has begun. Good luck to them. I hope it continues to be as fresh and cynicism-free as it's been for the last 5 years.
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