Primary Cast and Crew
David Tennant as the Doctor
Freema Agyeman as Martha Jones
John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness
John Simm as the Master
Adjoa Andoh as Francine Jones
Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Tish Jones
Trevor Laird as Clive Jones
Alexandra Moen as Lucy Saxon
Tom Ellis as Thomas Milligan
Ellie Haddington as Professor Docherty
Written by Russell T. Davies
Directed by Colin Teague
Originally aired on the 30th of June 2007 on BBC One in the United Kingdom.
Synopsis
One year later, the human race has been turned into a slave race, building hundreds of thousands of rockets to launch the Master's war against the rest of the universe. Martha Jones, after travelling the world for a year, returns to British shores for the final confrontation.
High Point
- "What would the Doctor do?" They got that bit right at least.
Low Points
- Removing the Doctor's ability to regenerate turns him into a small creature with large eyes? What?
- Possibly the lamest way to defeat a villain in history.
The Scores
Originality: this episode bears many similarities to the First Doctor story The Dalek Invasion of Earth, but without the interest. Three out of six.
Effects: aged-Doctor was impressive. Super-duper-aged Doctor wasn't, and the missile fields were entirely average. Four out of six.
Story: I could spend some time talking about how utterly straightforward and formulaic the story was, but then I'd have to note that the only reason I didn't see the ending coming was because I never imagined it would be so awful. At least maybe after the very final scenes we can take a break from Doctor-Companion suppressed romantic tension for a bit. Two out of six. Yes, two!
Acting: with a script like this, what could they do? I liked Ellie Haddington's performance as Professor Docherty though. Suitably eccentric. Four out of six.
Emotional response: I was interested for a bit, but the story soon drove me into the point where I didn't care anymore. Two out of six.
Production: three cheers for filming in quarries! Four out of six.
Overall: tedious and dreadful. The best thing about this episode is that we don't have to suffer any more of it until series four starts next year. One out of six.
Last of the Time Lords receives a total of twenty out of forty-two.
