Rate and Discuss: The End of the World

[SiHart]

The Doctor takes Rose to Platform One, to see the death of the Earth in The End of the World.

Bitchy trampolines, robot spiders, walking talking trees, The Moxx of Balhoon, giant fans! It's episode 2 of series one!

Si xx

[Rob McCow]

An incredibly brave episode so early on. Fortunately there are some really good and imaginative aliens in the foreground while the cheap guys with a bit of whicker on their faces are kept in the background.

Moxxy, Captain Jack (as we now know him), Tree Lady and Cassandra are aliens worthy of propping up whole episodes on their own! The Moxx of Balhoun in particular is the Vega Nexos of the new series; loads of publicity for what is essentially a bit-part character.

So after a great fun 45 minutes with exciting aliens and an entertaining story, this was the one where Batman At The Controls came on line to tell us that the series was dead (or words to that effect). There were people who really seemed to hate this story - after the rush of the new series, The End of The World was the first time we really experienced the vitriol.

I'm hardened to it now. Honest!

[WhiteCrowNZ]

The shock revelation about the Time Lords! How shocking that was!

[Rob McCow]

It's a shame he brought the Time Lords back. Should have stayed buried!

[duncan]

Much, much better than the previous outing and visually stunning.

[Lissa]

It's clear that the opening trio of episodes was very carefully thought out. The first was full of things people could relate to and places they'd visited, the second was a full-on sci fi extravoganza with space ships, aliens and special effects that destroyed the "wobbly sets" jokes in just under 45 minutes, and the third was a historical ghost story with a famous face and the sort of atmos that only the BBC costume department can produce. Everything that New Who had to offer is there in those three episodes. Not unlike An Unearthly Child (present and past) and the Daleks (spectacular sci fi).

[Dino]

Another straight 10 from me. In fact the first three episodes were perfect.
I thought this was a pretty good story. And it adjusted me to the 45 minute format better than the first one did. I'm not suprised to hear some hated it, but I thought it was another brilliant episode. So clearly I'm a bad fan! lol...

[SiHart]

This was the episode where I became sure that Doctor Who could work in 45 minutes. Yes, it may not be a hugley complicated episode, but it does a great deal in its 45 minutes- takes Rose to meet aliens, the Earth explodes, we get our first hints about the Time War and the fate of Gallifrey, we establish that the Doctor is a little damaged from his recent experiences, we meet some fabulous aliens, there's satire and an incredibly moving ending too... "can you smell chips?"

I love this episode.

Si xx

[Si Hunt]

It's a goodie, but it's not ageing well and there were a few parts where the budget was stretched; it's good in a way like "Battlefield" (no, stick with me) in other words I can see why WE like it, but I can see why other people don't like it. Some of the aliens are a little 'bloke in silly hat-esque', and there's the ending with the Story Reset Button behind some big fans.

However, this was a pivotal part of the New Series establishing itself, and it shows the Universe opening up; the CG shots of the station in space are breathtaking, and Lady Cassandra is an inspired creation, the bitchy trampoline. Jade is played really well and they manage to make an alien into a sympathetic character, which is important - and creepy spiders was a good thing too.

So much to enjoy, if you are the sort of person that can turn a blind eye to things that are easily mocked.

Si.

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

it's good in a way like "Battlefield" (no, stick with me) in other words I can see why WE like it

Speak for yourself; most people know what I think of Battlefield!!!

I'm kidding; I know exactly what you mean. I have to say that I love this episode (TEOTW, not Battlefiled); it's one of my favourites of the New Series.
It's still Oksana's favourite New Who episode.

I think for me; it's the fact that it's not set on Earth (even if it is about the Earth) plus it has lots of aliens in it.
The kid with the overactive imagination in me loves this one.
Plus it has Billie's excellent reaction to the saliva gag!

[Larry]

not really sure what to make of this episode the first 35 minutes are good but average it's the last 10 minutes where you have Rose and The Doctor, looking out onto the destroyed earth combinded with a brilliant musical score from Murray Gold that are the highlight of this episode. As for the CGI, effects well I think this episode was certainly the one that eased any doubts we had that Doctor Who, could live with anything the American' tv networks could offer.

[Andrew Curnow]

I watched it again last week and still really like it - I still laughed in the same places, and got a little misty-eyed in the same places, and enjoyed the ride. It's a bit simplistic perhaps in terms of plot, but is full of great moments.

[J.R. Southall]

On the whole, though, it's a fantastic introduction to new viewers, of what Doctor Who is capable of and how far it can go. The fact that much of it is not played entirely straight is a very wise decision, or else Doctor Who could have rapidly moved into becoming a niche show for "sci-fi" fans. As it is, characters like Cassandra and the Moxx of Balhoun, together with jokes about the I-pod and "classical music", plus the telephone call to Rose's mum and the epilogue with the chips, make The End of the World plausible entertainment for people who don't "like" sci-fi. Brilliantly set up, and brilliantly executed. The only shame is that it crams so much into 45 minutes, in a way it's the plot itself that suffers, but that's forgiveable.

[Llordllama]

After Rose this one left me...a little disapointed. All the fears that Doctor Who would week by week just become a bit old school formula with crappy looking aliens came back. The walking tree people of NewForestria 9 were actually quite a high for makeup, and I'm sorry we've not seen them again and Bo Harkness was nicely alien. But a lot of the others - hmn, looked like a LARP festival let out earlier rather than the "far distanct reaches of time". Then again the Futurekind in Utopia were likewise a bit crap. The future of evolution is more of the same it seems.

That aside I liked the overall story, the cheeky use of the "classical" music, the arc revelations, the tiny robots and the thin-skinned human race (just didn't feel Zoe Wanamaker's voice was right, but it's a minor "meh").

[Rob McCow]

like a LARP festival let out earlier rather than the "far distanct reaches of time".

This is one of the key things about RTD's era and TV/Movie sci-fi in general. It's always preferable to have actors on screen because most people can relate to that. Notice how people failed to relate to Jar-Jar Binks, for example. But the most expressive thing you can get on screen is a human face, or a human body. That and the factor of cost means that you're always going to end up with people in outfits representing aliens.

For some reason, it's different with animation where they can go absolutely potty with character designs and get away with it.

[MacNimon]

An enjoyable enough episode, although I've always felt it was the weakest of the opening 3 episodes. I can't put my finger on why exactly, it's just a matter of taste, but it's simply not my favourite story. There's plenty to enjoy in it, and it looks great, but I'm just not a huge fan of this or it's (first) sequel, New Earth.

6/10