Doctor Who (TV Series) Doomsday (2006) User Reviews

A clash I used to dream of during the shows demise

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 15 August 2015]

Army of Ghosts had taken the show to new levels, Doomsday was even better. The Cybermen's previous outing had been less then wow, but here they were much better utilized. The Daleks were particularly deadly here too.

The Dalek/Cybermen showdown was something most fans had dreamed off, but never imagined would happen. Although a little one sided towards the Daleks it was an iconic moment. I hope in another ten years we get another showdown.

The parallel Earth is better used here then in The age of Steel, and I was glad to see Mickey and Pete back, and it's always nice to see Andrew Hayden Smith, obviously.

Jackie continues to be brilliant and funny and offers some nice relief in what's a serious episode. Her meeting with Pete is a fabulous scene, she's such a great underrated actress.

The music fits in well too, bold and epic, as well as soft and emotional when needed, it never felt intrusive. Murray Gold, is without a doubt an utter genius, he did some gorgeous music for the show.

It would have been great it this was an hour long episode, maybe some more battle scenes would have been nice.

Rose I must comment is insanely good here, I love her character and was gutted she left the show, but she got to save the world, her distress at being marooned without the Doctor is heart felt, and I think pretty real (maybe some true feelings about leaving the show. Those final beach scenes again were beautifully played out, and also explained her opening dialogue during Army of Ghosts.

Overall a hugely satisfying Series climax, which left me desperate for more Who. A well deserved 10/10

The trailer for The Runaway Bride was a treat, away with Series 3 and bring on Series 4!!

The Dalek Invasion of Cyberland...

[Xstal · 10/10 · 4 December 2021]

The Cult of Skaro make one look quite gaunt, then winding up Cybermen, who they tease and they taunt. Now to open the Ark, they need Rose's touch, but the philanderer's (for real as well) here and he does like to clutch (things he shouldn't). There are others to help from the parallel world, as the Ark spills its load and the chaos unfolds. It's holocaust, apocalypse, end of everything; Armageddon, annihilation, extermination they bring. But the Doctor's seen the light, he's a plan and he's been buoyed, there'll be no coming back, just no way to avoid, the almighty cost, the price he has to pay, the ending's a beginning, on this devastating bloomless day.

What a great finish to a great series!

[djarmhp · 10/10 · 9 July 2006]

This was an episode that brought together everything that is best about the new Doctor Who. David Tennant, alternately comic and dangerous, has completely eclipsed Chris Eccleston despite Eccleston's brilliance in the first series. Billie Piper completed her journey from ingénue to the best assistant that the Doctor has ever had. Jackie, Pete and Mickey all reappeared as the Tyler family group proved its strength in the extreme situations that the Doctor has forced them into. The face off between Daleks and Cybermen was the best moment of the two series so far with the two races bickering hilariously. Finally, in a series that has never been afraid to explore the idea of the Doctor in love there was the most satisfying and tear-jerking ending possible to the great relationship of the last two years. The final teaser for the Christmas episode was as funny as it was totally unexpected and promises much for the programme's long term future. Long live the Doctor!!

Heartbreaking...

[krystleb-1 · 10/10 · 9 July 2006]

Firstly, you will need a lot tissue if you plan to see "Doomsday". The final scenes of Rose saying goodbye to The Doctor is so painfully sad that you cannot hold the tears back. It was so good to see The Doctor show some emotion for Rose - we've all waited for their bond to finally be expressed and when it is it's too late. It's heartbreaking.. no other TV series has ever made me feel this way.

Rose commenting on how she died was appropriate, as in many ways, Rose did die. Living a normal life without him, that in a way is death. If I were Rose, I would rather be dead than be without The Doctor.

It is the best Doctor Who episode to date.

I cannot imagine how the next companion will follow Rose. And I so hope there is NO SUCH bond between her and The Doctor. It would be a lovely way to bring the "traditional" Doctor Who back to our screens if we just have someone that is his simple helper.. Let The Doctor take centre stage again.

I wish that Billie Piper will return to Doctor Who some day though, as her character really will be missed.

Just thinking about the final episode makes me want to cry even now. So sad... Brilliant script.

And David Tennant played The Doctor so well in the finale. I can't wait to see him play the role again.

Looking forward to the Christmas Special. :-)

10 out of 10

The highlight of the show's first two years

[those_who_dig · 10/10 · 9 February 2017]

If you've watched "Army of Ghosts", your expectations for this episode are probably pretty high. My advice: raise those expectations even higher. You won't be disappointed. "Doomsday" wraps up the second series of the revived "Doctor Who", and does so with the level of creativity one would come to expect from some first-rate American dramas. It's sometimes sad, occasionally funny, and consistently excellent to behold. David Tennant gives his best performance yet, and Billie Tyler delivers very well when she's at the centre of certain "Doomsday" scenes. When writing this series, emphasis was sometimes placed on imaginative sci-fi. At other times, the focus seems to be on character development and the creation of emotional, memorable moments. In "Doomsday", these two are employed together, and in perfect balance. If your taste in television is anything like mine, you will not forget this episode for a long, long time.

Heart-wrenchingly emotional

[emma-whyte32 · 10/10 · 30 July 2014]

Having first watched these two episodes as a naive 8 year old, I was absolutely amazed and flabbergasted by the storyline running through the last two episodes. Billie Piper was my absolute idol when I was 8, so you can imagine how much I cried when she left. Even now as a 16 year old I still bawl my eyes out. The acting in this episode was so raw and emotional. I have never been more upset when watching a TV show. These are two of the best Doctor Who episodes hands-down. Bring back Russell T. Davies. Moffat's story lines are incredibly intelligent but they'll never beat the RTD era. Doctor Who shaped my entire childhood and made me realise just how vast the entire universe is, even though this whole show is based on fiction.

Season 2: Tries to do some new things with mixed (but mostly good) results but always has the ol' faithfuls to fall back on (and does) (suggestive spoilers)

[bob the moo · 28 December 2006]

Fresh from his most recent transformation, the Doctor is back to full strength as he and Rose continue their journey across space and time. Together they face werewolves, clockwork robots, cat-like nuns and other new challenges but their biggest threats come in some all-too-familiar shapes.

With the first new season of Dr Who a comparative smash that left the laughable ITV schedules (Celebrity Wrestling anyone?) trailing miserably in its wake, the second season had a lot to live up to and, in particular David Tennant had to make sure that he wasn't to blame for "blowing it" if the worst did happen. The second season continues with the format re-established by the first in mixing types of stories together and providing a good range of entertainment for the diverse Saturday night viewing audience. The upside of this continues to be that the series does cover a lot of bases and give something for most viewers – sci-fi, monsters, character, romance, comedy and so on, all these are ticked off fairly regularly across the season if not each episode. The downside of this is that almost everyone will hate at least one episode and myself I did think there were one or two poor ones in there.

The writers do an OK job of modernising the series for today but not by scrapping everything that has gone before. I don't think that Davies is the second coming (or even close) but he has produced perfectly serviceable scripts, stories and dialogue for the vehicle; after Torchwood I think his ability to write for strictly adult audiences is questionable to say the least but Dr Who is certainly not aimed at adults exclusively! The creatures and aliens created are mostly not that good. Mostly they fill the episode well enough to do the job but beyond that I didn't really see many of them lasting much beyond that. It is telling that season two repeated season one by bringing back the old characters for the biggest impact (the Daleks again but the Cybermen were very good value as well). This will happen again in season three if the trailers are to be believed and it does work but it would be nice for them to be able to build on the portfolio of memorable characters they have.

Tenant settles into the part well although at times he was just a bit too panto for my liking. It is not all his doing because the script does push him into overdoing some of the elements of the character but he was very good at the smaller moments and intimacy that balanced out this reasonably well. He also does well at showing a darker streak when given the opportunity – something I would like to happen more often. Piper continues to be very good value here and she seems to be better at judging the balance and producing a more stable character. She does produce comedy, fear and character but it is much more consistent for her on the page I think and her delivery is better as a result. She ends her character well and it does make me think that filling her role will be an even bigger challenge than making the leap between Eccleston and Tennant.

Clash of the Titans

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 10/10 · 30 March 2019]

This is the second part of a two part story which forms the finale of series 2 which was David Tennant's first season as the 10th Doctor.

The story is that 10 and Rose arrive in London to find the population of the world, including Rose's mum Jackie have all become convinced their dead relatives and friends are visiting them as ghosts. Torchwood, an organisation set up following the Doctor's encounter with Queen Victoria on the Torchwood estate (in the episode Tooth and Claw) is facilitating these encounters which utilise a tear between this reality and a parallel universe which turns out to be the alternative Earth the Doctor and Rose visited earlier in the series (Rise of the Cybermen and The Age of Steel) where they battled Cybermen and where they left Rose's boyfriend Mickey. The Doctor investigates and it turns out to be far more sinister than Torchwood or anyone understands, the Cybermen are breaking through from the parallel universe. In addition there is a very strange alien vessel being kept at Torchwood which has a dark secret. It unleashes the Daleks from the void in an awesome end to part one of the story.

The way this story links in different threads and brings things to a hugely dramatic and satisfying climactic pair of episodes is brilliant. Russell T. Davies has done a magnificent job weaving all the elements into such an excellent story which is complex but still makes sense and is thoroughly great quality. This is exciting, entertaining and beautifully executed.

Over the 2 episodes there is great humour, great thrills and some very moving drama as Rose gets separated from the Doctor. The acting, the writing, the effects and the action are all top notch. This is up with the best of the great history of Doctor Who. One of my top 30 ever stories.

This second part of the story has the huge fun of seeing Cybermen versus Daleks. An epic.

10/10

Russell T. Davies managed to step up the standard from his already very good first series and created a gloriously enjoyable series 2 with David Tennant incredibly good as the Doctor. This is in my top 10 seasons in the show's history at time of writing.

Series 2 Average Rating: 8.83/10.

The first word I uttered as the end credits started rolling - "Excellent..."

[newtondkc · 10/10 · 8 July 2006]

After last week's superior "Army of Ghosts" introduced so many plot points, my main fear was there'd be no way to resolve them and give enough time to Rose's departure to do the character justice. I am happy to say I needn't have worried as this episode resolved everything (and satisfactorily at that!) and gave a pleasing amount of time for the "death" of Rose.

After reading so many rumors about what the death could mean (bringing in everything from Sunset Blvd to theories of bad writing), I didn't know what to think. I truly love the character of Rose, and especially Piper's portrayal. Giving her equal billing with the Doctor himself would have been impossible in the old days; I'm glad the new series broke new ground in this respect - it allows the new series to be easily digested by old die hard fans and new fans and casual viewers alike, not to mention allowing us all a more developed perspective of the Doctor, the way the adventures are told, and a level of identification with "real" characters never seen before (and, sadly, not even seen in many series today!).

For that, and countless other reasons, I have to tip my hat (or curtsey, or take off something, or whatever the proper "display of respect and admiration" is in vogue in Britain these days) to Russel T. Davies. We are so very fortunate to have him helming the Doctor's comeback and continuing adventures. Not only is he a fan, he is amazingly talented, and he uses his innate creativity to bring so many varying aspects of the world - nay, universe...err, "Multiverse" of Doctor Who to life. In his hands, the simplest action or scene can bring an astonishing amount of depth to any character. I first noticed this in "Rose" when the Doctor gives Rose his little speech about being able to sense the rotation of the Earth. Little speech; infinite depth. When I saw that, this shaved headed man - who bore no resemblance to any previous Doctor, or even the imagined "style" of how I perceived the character - suddenly became real to me unquestionably as "The Doctor" - that same (but always different) Time Lord from my youth.

As such, I had become so attached to Rose that I could actually envision the Doctor leaving Rose the TARDIS more easily than Rose leaving! And so the thought of killing her off was not something I wanted to see happen, and when she makes the noble sacrifice and lunges for the lever and, having "saved the world" starts the inexorable slide into "hell" - with the look on her face and the Docs - I swear I couldn't move, just sort of stuttered "N-n-NO!" I couldn't bear the thought of her facing such a fate, which inarguably would be worse than death...

All I will say, to avoid any true spoilers, is that I am 100% satisfied with Rose's exit. It did the character justice, having made her such a real and tangible "person", and gives her an honorable departure. And yes, I cried - I wonder how many people did? The last scenes of the Doctor in the TARDIS, alone with tears running down his face, saying his own personal farewell to Rose in his own uniquely Doctor-ish way, was a first for the Doctor, whose character has grown in directions never before imagined - or indeed possible - in the old series. Much of this is due - to R. T. Davies' writing and characterization skill, as well as his willingness to break the mold of what defines a companion and happily surpassing all previous boundaries. As such, the Doctor's character has also grown and allowed to become more, yet still remain an alien with his secrets, and distant while at the same time moving getting closer - possibly only by being told primarily from the companion's perspective.

I really wonder who the next companion (or companions - it's always possible they may go for an expanded crew again) will be, not only in terms of actress (is the Torchwood employee that died from the "earPod" really who will portray her or is that rumor? Or is it the Bride? I noticed an "Introducing..." in the credits - is that a red herring to make us believe this is THE new companion or something else? Yes, we had a cliffhanger - not so sure I'd rate it as the previously described "massive", and it's almost a welcome one simply to know the Doc wouldn't be left to his lonely misery which we would be endlessly contemplating until Christmas!

In any case, this truly was an incredible episode, and right now it's easy to vote it the Best Episode Ever.

Here's to the future, and I hope whoever we get will be as "real" as Rose - though obviously Billie Piper leaves some big (and talented!) shoes to fill. But half the fun is getting to know a character - and in Rose's case, we're not just losing Rose, but for all practical purposes, a cast of 2 other "recurring" companions of Mickey and Jackie (and to a lesser extent Pete), both bringing quite a bit of welcome familiarity and entertaining perspectives of their own. The TARDIS will seem very empty indeed...

Here's hoping Russel and the Gang keep the quality and the entertainment stakes equally high - if so, then I will be an eager viewer of WHO for many seasons to come.

[e-mail]

Annoyed... but a great episode nonetheless

[Dark_Side_Mistress · 10/10 · 10 July 2006]

I was really upset that Billie decided to leave, but what a great way for her to go! The only thing I was annoyed with is the fact that the link to the Christmas episode was harsh, considering it followed a moment of such high emotion. Oh, and having the new assistant play a character other than that? A little confusing...

Overall, this was a fantastic finale! Can't wait until Christmas, but it won't be the same without Rose Tyler!

Just a personal thing... If David Tennant decides to leave next season, I will scream! He is the best Doctor yet, and the on-screen partnership with Billie is the best I have ever seen. If they wanted chemistry with the new assistant, I say bring back Madame Du Pompadour!

THE most iconic Doctor Who story of all time.

[W011y4m5 · 10/10 · 1 April 2020]

"The Army of Ghosts" & "Doomsday" are two episodes which define the show; they are undoubtedly the very definition of "Doctor Who". By the sheer power of association, they're the two most memorable episodes of our generation & continue to remain equally as powerful now as they were then at the time when they first aired. It's not an overstatement to acknowledge the fact that this story is Russell T Davies' magnum opus & culminates to form an event which will go down in British television history.

Here marks the installment where we lose the beloved companion "Rose Tyler" - played by the outstanding Billie Piper... Yet it's not just Rose the show loses in the finale but the whole family dynamic; Russell changes everything; we lose Mickey Smith, Pete & Jackie Tyler too - the entire reoccurring cast from the past couple of years... And the support network we - the audience - watched the Doctor slowly build up over two seasons just gradually crumbles away like a sandcastle under the wave of a tide... So by the denouement he's left alone again, all by himself - back to square 1 where we first found him at the beginning of "Rose".

In fact, what makes the Bad Wolf Bay scene so heart wrenching is this: Rose's devastation isn't just just for herself but for the Doctor - as she's consciously aware of the reality that she & Jackie were the only two people left on Earth who were keeping his character grounded - so in losing him, he also loses her & thus, she knows he's more trapped than she is on an entirely different planet with the others.

It's a beautiful tragedy - akin to Romeo & Juliet; she - this wonderful starry eyed girl, so full of youthfulness, vigour & life - made him better, fixed him when he had lost hope & was broken - & in return, he showed her the universe. Together, they brought out the best in each other during their travels & made for an extraordinarily strong pairing. Yes, thanks to her, he's somewhat repaired or on the road to recovery but his unexpected isolation risks regressing all that progression & she's not there to ensure that doesn't happen. At that point, he's vulnerable - & they know it. Therefore, they're not just crying because they miss each other - it's because they needed one another & their absence has left - ironically (or rather geniusly, if this was intentional) - a perceptible "void".

Funnily enough, that's not all either. Watching Doomsday back with adult eyes (it's been a while since I've rewatched the tale), it's surprising how emotionally complex the story quickly becomes in any regard & equally impressive how well Russell T Davies manages to strike a perfect balance between all the plates which are spinning in the air.

For instance, the conclusion's way more complicated than anyone gives it credit for; as an example, Pete's character is still grieving the loss of his wife from Tom MacRae's two-parter "The Rise of the Cybermen" / "Age of Steel" & so upon meeting Jackie here, he instinctively does anything & everything in his power to save her - he's already lost one, he won't lose another. Hence, he goes out of his way to ensure her safety - teleporting himself & her through to the parallel world without so much as a hesitation... But then the clever twist occurs - Rose jumps back to be with the Doctor. At first, this may seem like just a progression of Rose's character - reinforcing her established personal motivations - but it's also to challenge him as his initial reaction is to stop Jackie from following - not because of the apparent damage it would do to the atmosphere but because he refuses to mourn the loss of her again so suddenly after experiencing her death & then being reunited. Thus, he naively thinks he's accomplished what he intended to achieve - by preserving her life at any cost - not considering the long term consequences; his arc is not yet complete.

From this situation, an immediate dilemma presents itself: there's no way this Jackie will be with him if he allows their daughter (the one he has no attachment to - because unlike her, he never grew up with a child) to perish... So he realises in that brief moment that in order to save this second Jackie & to gain another chance, he has to additionally save Rose. It's also more than that too - throughout S2, Pete from the parallel universe continually rejects he's her father (saying instead she's the child of a dead man), but by saving her, he accepts that's a false statement & she is his personal responsibility. To be with Jackie, he must become the parent he denied he ever was in the first place & thus, his arc is completed in an act of redemption - literally physically embracing Rose, taking her back to his world so they could be together as one whole family again - & in doing so, their collective story comes to a natural close. It's conveyed so subtly & it's told in such a simplistic way, you'd be forgiven for assuming it was simple - but it's actually extremely intricate & brilliant.

Totally Excellent

[jane-337 · 10/10 · 31 October 2006]

I have been an avid Sci Fi fan for as long as I can remember. At the age of 5 I had a toy Dalek and I have followed the Doctor and his adventures ever since. When it was announced that there was to be a new Doctor for a new Millennium, I was eager to see what the BBC could produce. They have not disappointed me in the slightest. I have watched this particular episode something approaching 10 times and every single time I cry buckets for Yvonne doing her duty for Queen and Country, for Rose losing the man she totally loves, for the Doctor losing a huge part of himself and quite selfishly, for myself. Apart from the quite amazing (for TV budgets) CGI the story line is very carefully crafted dipping between fun, madness, scariness and the total despair of Rose as the void closes. I have been told that crying for Rose and the Doctor is a "girl thing" but watching the Doctor's face as he sees Rose's fingers slip from the lever, or the possibility that Rose was pregnant is a human thing and quite honestly I have never cried so much at a piece of TV or film since "Silent Running" Long may this roller-coaster of emotion and action continue .... and as for being a "girl thing" I don't care and will continue to be one and continue to love Sci Fi in all its guises.

Sometimes Awful . Sometimes Brilliant

[Theo Robertson · 7/10 · 25 June 2008]

Boy oh boy . Daleks versus Cybermen . Has there ever been a fan who hasn't dreamed about this battle royal ? I don't think so either but watching this episode it becomes rather obvious why previous producers haven't come up with this before and that is you've got to sacrifice plot . Even so there's much to dislike bout this episode such as the dialogue between the Daleks and Cybermen which borders on the ridiculous . I honestly kept expecting one or the other to screech " OH CHECK HER . I'LL SCRATCH YOUR EYES OUT DUCKIE " There's another flawed aspect and that is RTD has made the Daleks invulnerable to weaponry . Anyone else feel themselves getting bored as the Daleks exterminated millions of CGI Cybermen without a single loss ? I also thought that director Harper could have used a much longer battle sequence between the Cybermen and the soldiers on the bridge . What about those big rayguns the freedom fighters from the parallel universe brought with them ? Didn't they look ridiculous ? What about that sequence where the " Cyberwomen " suddenly regains her humanity to let the good guys out of a hot spot . Was RTD writing this as he was going along ?

On second thoughts I shouldn't be getting too cynical because while Russell T Davies is a far from brilliant writer he does at least know what makes the show a success and that is imagery . He also knows that if you convert a child in to being a fan of the show they'll follow it for life . So what can be more compelling than seeing literally thousands of Daleks flying above the London skyline exterminating everything that moves ? I promise you any child watching this scene will never be able to forget it as with the Daleks being sucked in to Torchwood Tower . Yes they'll never think of Canary Wharf , it'll always be known as Torchwood Tower

I doubt if any younger fan of the show will be able to forget the departure of Rose either . The first season of the revival made Rose th focus of the show rather than the ninth Doctor and she was superbly played by Billie Piper . I remember feeling very , very sad in 1973 when Jo Grant was written out of the how nd totally empathised with the third Doctor as he drove in to the sunset alone . But even so this pales compared with the departure scene here . Again you could be cynical and claim Davies has over egged the pudding but again any child fan would like the Doctor be reduced to tears . Congratulations are also in order for introducing Catherine Tate without any pre publicity

The finale is called Doomsday and the episode itself is one

[lrhughes-60024 · 5/10 · 11 August 2015]

To start off I am a massive fan of doctor who, of new and old who, but this episode for me just doesn't work. Even as a child i didn't like the episode (or really the both 2 parts of the finale).

So the Daleks battle against the cybermen showing very cool scenes of drama and action, and how 4 daleks can win against thousands of cybermen. but other than the villains and the occasional good scene maybe with the people from parallel earth or a good doctor scene the episode is for one slightly boring in parts with some acting a bit off. but the worst part is the relationship between Rose and the doctor!!!

The doctor is a timelord, a mighty race and then there is Rose a whining cockney, some times arrogant girl. They have been building up on their relationship all series and now they kick it in... TOO MUCH! As well as making everyone emotions kick in presides mine (i just found it all ridiculous). Why should the doctor care so much about rose, shes not exactly a Sarah Jane or an Ace. You may say "they have a romantic interest in each other" then i say "he shouldn't" and as Sylvester McCoy and Colin Baker once said in a documentary interview type thing, that "The doctor shouldn't be messing around and having a love interest with earth girls" *cough* and he is 903 *cough* and if you were to keep saying its just love then i would face palm.

To conclude this episode is meh, it has great action scenes and some good drama but then there is just the whole relationship rubbish that gives it a 5/10.

But i do like series 2, well the first half of it XD

What a great finale!

[cassandra2006 · 10 July 2006]

Loved and cried my way through this episode. Highly satisfactory all round. DT is a truly magnificent actor and a superlative Doctor and Billie was just perfect in the angst of her closing scenes.

And yes, if the Doctor were not such a gabby alien, for whom dozens of words and a gob full of complex sentences are never enough, he *would* have said the three short little words - just 8 letters! - that mean so much! But his two minutes ran out before he was even part the way there.

Rose knew though. Of course she did.

And she is right. She's dead. Dead inside, dead of grief, but dead all the same.

<>SOB<> ETA May 9, 2015. Caught a repeat of this episode on TV a few days ago. Found that I still love it unreservedly. Spent some time noticing how very good Camille Codouri is as Jackie, Rose's mum. I mean, she is REALLY good. And yes, I still cried when Ten closed the breach, leaving a distraught Rose on the other side, locked in the Alt Universe. Thanks, RTD. You are much missed.

<>SOB<>

Doctor Who - Doomsday

[lukey90 · 9/10 · 8 July 2006]

This Episode is superb, and i must say a fine and delightful way to end the series.

It has the emotion value from "The Girl in The Fireplace", and has the action value from "The Parting of Ways" and "Dalek".

The overall main plot finish's at 35minutes and the last 10minutes show the after events that aren't relevant to the story but if they weren't there it would be an outrage to all viewers (i.e Bad Ending).

The series ends on a high and thankfully doesn't end with a cliffhanger, well a relevant one (The Runaway Bride, Christmas Special). It's worth the wait to see each Doctor Who episode and this one fills a nice gap that we all had for the finale - that it was a good one!

Best. Episode. Ever.

[markianhlynka · 10/10 · 10 July 2006]

I've probably seen nearly every Dr. Who episode out there, and this may be the very best. If not, it certainly ranks up there with Adric's death, or Nyssa's departure, or Tegan's struggles. And let's not forget Ace, who had a special relationship with a very erratic doctor.

Others have already written excellent reviews, so I won't be redundant. Doctor Who shows time and again that science fiction can be about people, and not merely about remodulating the polarity of the main deflector's tachyon flow. The structure of Dr. Who allows the producers fabulous flexibility, and keeps an audience on the edge of their seat. Anything could happen to anyone at any time. Whether Rose confronts a Dalek, or Ace attacks a cyberman, we're never sure if that's their last moment.

Has it occurred to anyone else that the whole time-war background story might be the seed for a truly excellent Dr. Who movie? Also, I think that it's time for the Doctor to have a crew again. I don't think he'll be able to commit to a single assistant for a while now, and I believe I would be disappointed to see him do so.

In conclusion, I'll say it once again: Best episode ever!

What an ending

[little_woman86 · 10/10 · 13 July 2006]

This was definitely one of the best episodes of Doctor Who that I have seen. It was packed full of emotion and events that kept you on the edge of your seat, and If I may say so David Tennant and Billie Piper were superb. The war against the Cybermen and the Daleks is going to be one of those classic moments in TV history, despite it being rather noise, it was tense and was conducted well.

This episode was also a real tear jerker the scene where the doctor and Rose are on either side of the wall was heart crushing, the scene on the beach where Rose tells the doctor she loves him is touching, but when you see the tears running down David tennant's cheeks that was devasting and if you didn't cry then you have a heart of stone.

I did feel that the funny moment at the end was prehaps slightly to soon, but what a surprise to see Catherine tate in the doctor's TARDIS. I guess we will just have to wait and see what the Christmas episode brings.

Last of all, Rose's exit was a sad one, but a good one, although she's 'technically' dead, she is still alive which means maybe, just maybe the door is still open for her return...maybe.

The perfect 'New Who' episode

[studioAT · 10/10 · 23 September 2016]

If ever there was an episode of the new 'Dr Who' that people remember it's this one. In my opinion the first two series of the modern 'Who' were the best and nothing has topped them.

This episode has loads of great qualities. It's funny, it's scary, it's got depth. It also reminds people why David Tennant was such a good Doctor and why Rose Tyler rivals Sarah Jane Smith as top companion.

The final scene (well, the scene before the set up for the highly annoying Christmas special that followed) is perfect. we know what the Doctor wants to say but can't. I find Russell T Davies' work a little inconsistent at times, but there's no doubt he's on the money here.

A fab Dr Who finale. I don't think it's come close since.

An amazingly powerful close to the episode.

[crazyman-5 · 10/10 · 23 December 2006]

If you take Rose Tyler out, you make an all to familiar error in episodic television. People want a face, a person, an emotional investment for the show to carry, cherish even protect. This show moves from danger to danger and a new generation of viewers is following and Rose is our steady link to this chaotic light speed introduction into "the Doctor's" world. With so many things that we're asked to accept you must give us our constant attachment to Billie Piper's face and Rose's innocence turned confidence in the face of multiple calamities. If you move on without giving us our face, I may still follow but you'll never get the same emotional investment nor the same desire to follow.

Billie Piper, oooh. Well played. I'm not some renowned critic or some stiff aristocrat spouting opinions in the Queen's English. I'm not going to effect your life in the slightest way with my feelings. But by golly that was some impressive acting, for TV or any other medium. Brava!

A Great Finale!

[wetmars · 10/10 · 9 August 2020]

Again, I love this episode to death. Loved everything, the first ever interaction of Cybermen and the Daleks! This episode had heartbreaking moments, shocking moments, was very intense, we get to see the Doctor when he is painfully sad...

Too bad we didn't get that "Daleks are deadly af" sort of vibe (( They were kinda terrifying in this episode? Don't hurt me. =^[ )) but instead we get the "Cybermen are terrifying" sort of vibe, not enough close to the Tenth Planet though.

The Doomsday song is still amazing today and gives us tears, man, what a great finale this was. Very very well done! Murray Gold did his job, what an amazing composer he is, again, I wish he stayed.

We got that ironic 3D glasses, I dare say that this is perhaps the most ambitious crossover event in history, haha. Man, the companion departure was very heartbreaking. Tennant did a great job at being the Doctor. I absolutely adore this episode, fantastic.

Last statement, I forgot how heartbreaking companion departures are, damn. Great unexpected ending though, haha. 10/10!

Impressive, and genuinely moving, series finale

[jrarichards · 9/10 · 25 March 2016]

If Dr Who is still at least partly for - and watched by - kids, then this grand finale episode (and follow-on, if major mood-change, from the "Army of Ghosts" episode) has a lot to offer them. Putting Daleks and Cybermen together was perhaps the "trick up the sleeve" that one can use only once, but if so it was put to pretty good (and even funny) effect, and hopefully had the world's junior citizens "behind the settee" either physically or metaphorically, as it did us in an earlier generation.

But there is plenty more here. Perhaps we can take as obvious (but still as valuable, precious and beautiful), the idea that Mickey Smith (the ever-better Noel Clarke) and Dr Rajesh Singh (Raji James) are fully ready to give their lives for their country, which one of them does.

It is taken as read, too, that the United Kingdom is again at the centre of world events. There is patriotic, British assertiveness here - and far more so (even to "guilty-pleasure" dimensions) from Tracy-Ann Oberman as Torchwood's extremely sassy Empire-(re)builder Yvonne Hartman, all the more so given the extremely important (and surprisingly affecting) role the character ends up playing, helping to solve the problem she is more than a little responsible for. But she shoulders that responsibility, and tries to make good her mistake. And her dogged, stubborn determination and self-belief speak volumes, and are, let's say, "out there" - not capable of being swept back under any politically correct carpet.

A perfect antidote to Hartman is the down-to-earth (family-centred, but still ultimately patriotic) Jackie Tyler, and it is a little bit of poetry in motion to have the two together in several scenes. Camille Coduri has a lot to do here and clearly enjoys herself, which is a rewarding experience for all. Likewise Shaun Dingwall as the successful, decisive, in-control version of Pete Tyler gives us the kind of mammoth dose of food for thought that "alternative universe" episodes are wont to do. This reaches a crescendo towards the end, with a "mix-and-match" approach taken to the Tyler circle of family and friends, and the Doctor's domineering decision as regards Rose - as knocked back into his court by her fully-aware balancing of what's important set against what she just can't do without...

This is then another "Dr Who" episode in which strong supporting characters appearing and interweaving around our central pair work wonders in pressing home the message and pushing forward the story. In this regard, the return of Andrew Hayden-Smith as Jack Simmonds is also welcome. And - of course - this does not stop Billie Piper and David Tennant from having their here-absolutely-huge moments too.

And so once more to the idea of the take-home-message for kids. Here they get to learn that, no matter how clever, determined, sassy, self-assured, well-organised, convinced, emotionally "up for it" you may be - sometimes you just don't get what you want in life, and have to go on anyway. It's a huge, huge principle, expounded to perfection by the lead-pair and those around them (even if the Doctor and Rose DO in fact have one last - brief and half-virtual - chance, in which Rose gets to say the words, but the Doctor in fact, actually, really, does not).

It's all big, clever, vastly imaginative and extremely meaningful stuff that fully meets the criteria for quality-time family watching, given that there is plenty for all ages. Major further congratulations to Russell T. Davies for his creative genius.

... if a Torchwood could torch wood.

[southdavid · 8/10 · 6 January 2021]

The second season of rebooted "Doctor Who" draws to a close with "Doomsday" the second half of the two-part story that says goodbye to Rose Tyler as a regular companion.

Two of the Doctor's (David Tennant) greatest foes, the Daleks and the Cybermen clash on the streets of London with Torchwood's Canary Wharf tower as ground zero. The Doctor desperately searches for a way to defeat both enemies and permanently close the breaches in space/time, but his plan may come at a terrible cost.

This was a really good episode, both to end the two-part story and tie up the various strands of the season. It doesn't quite pack the emotional punch that it did in 2006, because we now know that Rose Tyler will reappear in the series a few times, but it is a wonderful downbeat almost "Empire Strikes Back" ending, where though the world is saved again, the loss is almost more than the Doctor can take. David Tennant and Billie Piper play this really well and a reuniting, of sorts, for Rose's parents was a nice touch.

It's interesting comparing this era of Doctor Who with today's (2020's). Though I don't think that the RTD era got absolutely everything right, one thing I do really like is that the show isn't afraid of itself, of its own plot and the audience's ability to remember it and to tie moments back in. The pay off from the first seasons Dalek episode, about Rose's time travelling radiation being a conduit to restore them is really well done. Speaking of the Daleks, I like the sass from this version telling the Cybermen that they are useless and not even a match for one of them.

Occasionally the effects are showing their age, particularly the frying of Raji James' brain being a bit first season ropey. There is the occasional lapse in logic, particularly related to the portal at the end and it's a shame that we couldn't see more of Tracy Ann Oberman's character - though she does have a hero moment of sorts near the end.

It's probably the high point of the first two seasons and one of the most memorable episodes from the whole series.

"This is the story of how I died..."

[The_Sandheaver · 6/10 · 13 December 2006]

In Billie Piper's last appearance in Doctor Who as Rose, the Doctor prepares to find a way to get rid of both the Daleks and the Cybermen who have declared war on each other when they meet in the Torchwood Institute. As always, Rose is determined to do whatever she can to help the Doctor get rid of them, but with danger at every turn, will her life be the price that has to be paid to stop them?

This was an exciting ride as the two worst enemies of the Doctor were finally pitted in battle against each other, and there are some excellent scenes of battle and it all comes to a very emotional climax. The whole cast do this incredible finalé justice, and the way the story comes together should keep any Doctor Who fan on the edge of their seats throughout.

A Very Tearful End To A Remarkable Second Series

[xxgood_charlotte_galxx · 10/10 · 8 July 2006]

Doomsday, well a fantastic but tearful end to a magnificent second series with David Tennant as the new doctor. 7:00PM BBC 1, saw the second part to army of ghosts(episode 12) seeing the doctor having to fight both the daleks and cybermen with Rose,Jackie,Pete,Jake and even Mikey! The daleks and cybermen battle to be top, but each compete with each other and they both get trapped into a void that must be closed by The Doctor. What happens to Rose, Mikey, Jackie and Mikey? Well there's love between jackie and Pete, who are from two different worlds, as its a parallel universe, so they hook up, Pete continues to say he don't know them, because of the parallel idea. so they go to the other half along with rose, but as the doctor's forbidding her to go back with him, like series 1, episode 13, she goes back, like always. We see that she although she helps him, she also looses him in the process, and he loses her. Its a very teary episode; having to see the doctor and rose for the last time together, it does make you cry, i did! the chemistry is such a high its hard not to, as its like 2 hearts being broken. Its a must see for any doctor who fan, that doesn't mind a little tear or adventure and determination.