Alright, now I’ve come out of the closet as a Whovian (ouch – up that boy’s Nerd Test score now!), I might as well blog about my first love. The final episode of Doctor Who Series 3 seems to have split fans down the middle. Some think it was a messy piece of trash TV filled with cop outs; others, like me, think it was wonderful, and a reminder of how lucky we are to have Russell T Davies writing for television.
I’ll try not to spoil it for those who’ve yet to enjoy – but if you really don’t want to know anything before you get around to watching it, you should probably read no more of this post.
As had been widely publicised long before the big onscreen reveal in episode 11, the finale saw the return of The Master – the thinking man’s supervillain. Played rather theatrically by current golden boy of British TV John Simm, his plan was to destroy the earth, and then the universe, and this wasn’t played out in comic book style – quite the opposite – as Davies’ made several visual nods to the Third Reich. In fact, the episode began in a kind of ‘what if the nazi’s had won the war?’ scenario, with a people enslaved, armed police patrolling the streets and giant weapons under construction everywhere.
However, the biggest cultural reference seemed to be 30BC. A people desperate for a saviour whose name had become legend. Check. Said saviour turning up and saying – ‘don’t look at me, there’s someone else coming along whose sandals I’m not worthy of untying…’ Check. And the conclusion – which I’ll not spell out here – is so very Christ-like that you’d be forgiven for thinking that well-known humanist Mr Davies has violently switched his religious allegiances. With a little explanation, this episode has perhaps unintentionally become the best evangelistic tract since Journey into Life. And that never had any monsters in it.
What’s that all about then? Could it be that Jesus’ story is so important, and so true, that it’s woven into the fabric of creativity itself? Did Russell T Davies have any idea Who’s story he was really telling? I’d love to know the answer to that.
Anyway – great television, and another successful season for the show they claimed was dead. Bring on the Christmas Special – allegedly starring Kylie Minogue!
