By JOSHUA RIEBEL, Opinions Editor
A few weeks ago, Chris Chibnall and Jodie Whitaker teamed up for their very last episode of “Doctor Who” in the nearly feature-length episode, “The Power of the Doctor.” Chris Chibnall’s three season, five-year tenure as the official Who showrunner has been controversial to say the least. The show’s writing which had enthralled fans since Eccleston and Davies revived the show back in 2005 had deteriorated, and episodes became increasingly sporadic, such that waits between a season and a special were stretched out to the point where fans were left waiting for new episodes for up to a year. While many fans did enjoy Whitaker’s 13th Doctor and her companions, did her swansong live up to the hype?
Honestly, no. While the special did some things right, it did also encapsulate many of the issues surrounding the Chris Chibnall Who era. Once you strip away the layers of fan service and visual effects (we’ll get there later), the story itself was not entirely coherent. At times, the writing made no sense even by Who standards, and seeing how fans were willing to believe that David Tennant could portray a 900+ year old alien who married Queen Elizabeth the First, that’s more than a bit concerning. In fairness, the critique may be a bit harsh, but if you want to tell a Doctor Who story that involves regeneration and the Master, it is hard not to compare it to Russell T. Davies’ final special (of his first run), “The End of Time (I & II).” Where that episode built up the kinship relationship between the Doctor and the Master, as well as discovering the Master’s impending demise, this one had the Master dressed as Rasputin, dancing to the Rasputin song, with the Daleks and Cybermen looking on in confusion. Where “The End of Time” depicted the triumphant return of Rassilon and the Time Lords for the first time since the end of the Last Great Time War, this one has a moon base with a laser pointed at Earth. I mean, cool, but when the Justice League animated tv show does it better (JL season 2 episodes 7-8 “Maid of Honor”), maybe it’s time to worry.
Now, let’s talk about what everyone remembers from the episode: The fan service. Even before the episode aired, fans were promised the return of two classic era companions (and a pseudo-classic non-companion). That’s right! Tigan, Ace, and Kate Lethbridge-Stuart all returned for this episode. They didn’t do much, but they were technically there so, I guess points to Chibnall for being a big enough fan to want to give Ace proper send-off she deserved since the show was canceled in 1989. While Ace pulled out the classic bomber jacket and baseball bat, Tigan and Kate stayed locked in a building for most of the episode. While the building was full of cybermen trying to kill them, we didn’t get to watch that story as much as we did the main plot of Yaz piloting the TARDIS while trying to save the Doctor (because I guess learning how to pilot a machine that can literally transcend dimensions isn’t that hard anymore). However, the big addition to the episode was the return of four (and a half) classic doctors reprising their roles in admittedly a uniquely fun way. While the 5th, 8th, (and recast) 1st Doctor have all gotten the chance to reprise their roles in the new series, the (often maligned) 6th and 7th Doctors have not. Even better, the 5th and 7th Doctors got the chance to reunite with their old companions from decades prior, allowing for really sweet moments like the 7th Doctor and Ace finally getting a proper sendoff. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see as much exploration into Tigan’s character, as much as teased to the audience that while we could explore how betrayed and hurt she seems to feel about being forgotten by the Doctor, we won’t.
Finally, the episode ends with a beautiful scene where the Doctor stands on top of a cliff and accepts her regeneration with grace (a nice change of pace), becoming the 14th Doctor, and all I can say is wow! What a great final scene, and what a way to lead into Russell T. Davies’ return to the show next fall.
