Doctor Who "The Stolen Earth" (2008)

Knowing that the series will be going on hiatus after this season and that Russell T. Davies must want to go out in a final blaze of glory, the stage is set for a battle of epic proportions with nothing less than the safety of the entire Earth in the balance. Unlike previous seasons where there has been one visible arc through the episodes (Bad Wolf, Torchwood, Mr. Saxon) every episode this season has been peppered with several different clues leading up to this spectacular finale (missing bees, planets disappearing, Medusa Cascade, Rose's return, Donna's end). The army of allies the Doctor has amassed over the new series all team up in this episode for the return of the Doctor's greatest enemies and their creator who has been presumed long dead since the Time War. It was nice to see them all come together and I'm sure they will get to work with the Doctor more in the second part but for such a large group, six regulars listed in the opening credits, I think two parts may not be enough. The Doctor only makes it to Earth at the end of part one and so far the only interaction between all the companions has been over the subwave network so it seems we have precious little time for this monumental gathering. Of course, where the Doctor is concerned we never can have a simple happy reunion.

It was nice to see Harriet Jones's return after last seeing her in "The Christmas Invasion" and brief mentions in "Doomsday" and "The Sound of Drums". She, along with Mr. Copper from "Voyage of the Damned" are the ones responsible for uniting the companions to call for the Doctor in Earth's time of need. Little nitpick: The technology in never explained, only that it calls out to people who can communicate with the Doctor and gets all his most recent companions. Makes me wonder if it was reachable to any of his other companions that are still alive on Earth. Despite the focus on only companions that have appeared in the new series, this episode is a treat for those who are fans of either the original and/or new series. The Daleks' awareness of UNIT who they have combated before, the Doctor's mention that the Daleks had previously tried to move the Earth and Sarah Jane's claim that Davros (Julian Bleach) is supposed to be dead are great fandom touches. Of course, little does she know the Doctor encountered him several times after their joint encounter in "Genesis of the Daleks". I also found it amusing as Davies is fond of the surname "Jones" that there are no less than three Jones's in this episode: Harriet, Ianto and Martha. Coincidences like that are hard to avoid when you have recurring motifs.

The Doctor and Donna have their own mini-adventure before returning to Earth as we finally get to meet the Shadow Proclamation which was first mentioned all the way back in "Rose". It's fitting that the universal police force is made up of the Judoon and continues the finale's mission to touch upon many of the races and themes of the last four years. Donna, continuing to be brilliant, is the first to point out that the planets are being pulled out of time and not just space. We're getting more foreshadowing of Donna's loss and I'm getting worried they may kill her off. I hope they don't as I've really grown to like Donna over the past year and would like for her to be able to return in the future should she leave after the finale.

I cannot get over how much fanboy excitement there is to see all these characters together which was always saved for anniversary occasions in the original series. I'm a fan of Torchwood and although I have yet to The Sarah Jane Adventures I certainly would like to once it re-airs. You can't do episodes like this often or they lose their luster and appeal but now seems a good time to bring back all these great actors as Doctor Who is about to embark into a brand new era. The most anticipated return is quite obviously Rose's which has been hinted at since "Partners in Crime". Her sadness in not being acknowledged on the subwave network as one of the Doctor's companions and her slight jealousy of Martha (Who is she?) heighten the tension as we await her reunion with the Doctor. In fact it might have played a little too melodramatically but it can be overlooked seeing as how we've waited all season for it. I loved that the Rose theme made its return as the Doctor realized that she was standing behind him and the running towards each other was fine as well but the music changed over to a tad overly sentimental theme. It all ends with a Dalek sting however as the Doctor is shot by the enemies which have been trying to exterminate him for over forty years and ten incarnations.

The cliffhangers are always difficult as it's hard to place regular characters into believable peril but with the no holds barred approach Davies is taking prior to his departure it goes a long way to restoring that missing tension. You can pretty much do whatever you want in the end and leave the next guy to get it all sorted out. The death of Harriet Jones also highlights how no one is safe against the Daleks as she is quickly dispatched before they begin an assault on Torchwood. With the Doctor's regeneration right as he is reunited with Rose and Gwen, Ianto and Sarah Jane all facing down the Daleks and possible extermination, this just might be the best cliffhanger we have seen in the new series. It's going to be unbearable to make it through this week wondering how it will all end, but at least Sci-Fi is doing right by the fans and airing it in a ninety minute slot so nothing needs to be cut from the sixty-five minute episode. It was the most watched show in England for the week with over a third of the nation tuning in and also the highest rated episode in the series (original and new) run so I'm sure it will be one hell of a finale.

Favorite moment: After four decades of extermination and sometimes ludicrous appearances, the Daleks have become so common in Doctor Who that they may have lost their original menace when the first appeared against the First Doctor in "The Daleks". The new series has gone a long way to restoring that fear as the Daleks are considered the Doctor's most lethal enemies and the only ones to give the Doctor pause before leaping into action. The scene where all the companions hear the broadcasted message of the approaching ships with it's repeated "Exterminate!" and the realization that it's the Daleks frightens all the companions who have faced them before. Starting with Sarah Jane's look of absolute horror upon hearing the Dalek voice and her anguish at Luke being so young to Captain Jack's kissing the foreheads of Ianto and Gwen and apologetically telling them there is nothing he can do, it serves to heighten the fear of the audience as our favorite characters are truly terrified for their lives.