Journey's End

"Behold the might of the true Dalek race."

Writer: Russell T Davies 

Format: TV

Broadcast: 05 July 2018

Series: 4.13

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna, Rose, Martha, Captain Jack, Sarah Jane, Mickey

Synopsis 

As Davros and the Daleks threaten the entire universe, the Doctor's companions join forces. However, the prophecy declares that one of them will die...

Verdict 

Journey's End is an excellent episode to conclude the fourth series of Doctor Who! It really does feel like a finale even more so than other series of the modern era because in a way it kind of does bring the curtain down on a large aspect of the era. It’s the last series for the Tenth Doctor. Donna departs as a regular companion and it’s an emotional end for Rose. We also see Martha, Captain Jack, Sarah Jane, Mickey and more for the last time that’s not a cameo in this era and it all ties up very nicely with Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures teams having a strong involvement. Of course, it picks up where The Stolen Earth left off with the Doctor mid-regeneration and the use of the hand in the jar is still something I question. I remember being a little disappointed on broadcast that we weren’t getting a new Doctor as I’m a sucker for a regeneration. I had myself wondering here if the skipped change here will have anything to do with the Fourteenth Doctor taking a familiar form. I’m not entirely sure what but with Donna also set to return I can’t help but feel this episode will play at least a small part. The helplessness of the Doctor and his companions here is staggering and it’s incredible really to see the Daleks and Davros almost in complete control. They render the TARDIS useless and this usual safe haven is nothing more than a wooden box. That’s quite the concept to deal with! Once the regeneration change doesn’t happen, the reaction of Jack is still something I adore and it’s nice for Rose to still have her Doctor there. She’d come a long way! The mentions of the Dimension Canon were good and I thought that was fun to hear now I’ve blogged the first two series of Rose’s spin-off series for Big Finish under the same title. That was good. Mickey and Jackie showing up to save Sarah Jane was terrific and we really did have everyone together! I loved that Rose was able to see how good Martha was when she was threatening Davros with the Austerhagen key, and her reaction towards Rose was wonderful as she knew the Doctor had finally found her. One benefit of Davros destroying all of reality and seeing the walls between dimensions break down! The meeting between the Doctor and Davros is great with the former able to goad the latter from his position in the vault as his own creations’ pet. He didn’t take well to that and the deranged and maniacal performance is Davros at his best. He almost gets consumed when his plan of the reality bomb is coming into fruition which is just tremendous to see. This is also a stellar performance from David Tennant as the Doctor. On more than one occasion he shows such despair at what’s happening. The scale and audacity of the reality bomb is one thing, but the idea of his former companions being weaponised hurts the most. That’s a very powerful thing and is arguably Davros at his best. He revels in the Doctor’s sorrow. As if losing the TARDIS and Donna wasn’t enough! The arrival of the Meta-Crisis Doctor is sensational and whilst it’s probably slightly far fetched, it’s so much fun to have a version of the Tenth Doctor that has a bit of Donna thrown in. Yes he arrived naked in all his glory, but the moments where he and Donna bounce off each other with insults and he’s shushing her is just tremendous. It’s so well done. I love the acknowledgement of Genesis of the Daleks with Davros recognising Sarah Jane from being there on Skaro at the creation of the Daleks, and it’s lovely that she mentions she’s learned to fight since then. It’s a magnificent moment. The return of the TARDIS is brilliant just as Davros thinks he’s wiped out reality, with the reactions to another version of the Doctor being stellar. Jack’s thoughts are quite something! But it’s Donna who then steals the show amidst the backdrop of warnings from Dalek Caan that one child of time would still die. That was so ominous and this version of Caan is chilling. I’d love to get a depiction of him in the Time War. Davros shooting Donna with the electric bolt and giving her the boost she required to become the Doctor-Donna and part-Time Lord was good stuff and Catherine Tate just owns it. She revels in her newfound knowledge and defeats the Daleks with relative ease sending 26 planets back home. The way everything comes together at the end with Mr Smith linking the Torchwood Rift around the TARDIS brings all three shows together very nicely. There’s even a lovely reference to The Unquiet Dead as the Doctor and Rose see Gwen who looks very familiar! The moment on the beach with Rose back home in the parallel universe is strong stuff as she is told she has to carry the burden of the new Meta-Crisis Doctor. He can grow old with her and he even tells her he loves her, just what the actual Doctor didn’t get to say in Doomsday. That just had to be tough for the Doctor to see a version of himself get to have a life with Rose that he never could. I’d never really considered that before so that hit home here. The ending with Donna is so sad as she realises what’s going on and having her memory wiped is such a shame. I don’t like it when that happens but the emotion here was uncharted. It’s a somber end for an incredible companion! Overall, a sensational episode. 

Rating: 10/10