Goodbye Peter Capaldi, Hello Jodie Whitaker.
This is one of my favorite episodes of the entire series. I love how it’s more small scaled with Capaldi teaming up with the First Doctor to simply save a WWI soldier who initiates the ceasefire that both sides had for Christmas during WWI (and the fact that something like that actually happened in real life is incredible).
I absolutely loved Capaldi’s regeneration scene. Fun fact: a lot of it was actually written by Capaldi himself from what I’ve heard. That makes his goodbye scene even more special since these are his actual words being said to us.
I’m gonna miss the 12th Doctor. It was fun to see a Doctor who was much older than the previous three. Eccleston, Tennant and Smith were much more traditional tv leads, being the younger more attractive actors. Capaldi however felt more like a cool teacher, which is what Doctor Who originally was. He brought an elegance to the role that I don’t think has been seen since the original show ended in the 1990s.
David Bradley was also fantastic as the First Doctor. William Hartnell has sadly been dead for years now so they of course had to use a new actor, but it still genuinely felt like I was watching the first actor to ever play the Doctor. David Bradley is always known for playing really awful old jerks like Walder Frey in Game of Thrones and Filch in Harry Potter, so seeing him as the First Doctor was so surreal but also a lot of fun.
Funnily enough, the scene where you see the First Doctor regenerate is actually footage of the very first regeneration from the original show. The actual episode in which that happens is actually lost. No footage of it exists anymore aside from that moment and a few other scenes that with the Cybermen (who actually made their first ever appearance in that episode). This episode is a great alternate take on what that original episode could’ve been since we’ll never be able to see the full version.
Overall this a fantastic and heartfelt ending to the 12th Doctor’s run. I’m gonna miss Peter Capaldi. David Tennant was my favorite actor to play the Doctor. Matt Smith had the best writing during his time on the show, but Capaldi’s 12th Doctor will always be my favorite Doctor overall. What else can you say but “Here we go. The long way around.”
Adam Grunther
2025-01-19 23:00:07 +0000 UTC
I don't think Peter Capaldi could have had a better send off. I love everything about this episode, from the silly comedy the show is known for to the serious heart breaking moments. It's a perfect full circle moment for the doctor, seeing where he started to who he's become. The tie in with the soldier being the father of one of the doctors closest allies and grandfather of the leader of Unit was well done, and they even gave him some really great dialogue when he was speaking with Bill about how a soldier faces death. Those final ten minutes had me in tears the first time I watched and even now still get me really emotional. The soldier accepting his fate only to be saved by a Christmas miracle, bill and Nardole saying goodbye to the doctor, and of course the doctor getting his memories of Clara back. The moment Clara's theme started playing and you see Peter's face light up is probably my favorite moment of the entire show and it had me crying and smiling like crazy. Also, his regeneration was done to perfection, with the shepherd's boy playing while he repeats the same speech he gave Clara right before he lost his memories with a few added lines. Gets me every time. I won't say how I feel about the next Doctor because I don't want to impact your opinions if you do react to it, but you are correct that Capaldi's run deserves a lot more praise and that there was definitely a lot of negativity about the doctor being a woman. A lot of it can be boiled down to misogyny sadly, and for Capaldi the younger generation that fell in love with Matt Smith didn't like that the new doctor was older and tuned out after the first season which is disappointing since his second and third were his best ones. Great reaction, and looking forward to seeing what you think of the new doctor if it gets voted back in someday.
Ricardo Bautista
2025-01-15 15:26:06 +0000 UTC
This was a fantastic send off to Peter Capaldi's Doctor, as well as Bill, Nardole, Clara again, I love that moment with the Doctor getting the memories of Clara back and Steven Moffat as the showrunner as well as the previous episodes send off of the Master/Missy as we move on to a new showrunner, Doctor and Companion.
I have to say, despite David Tennant being my absolute favorite Doctor, I really love how much you both enjoyed Peter Capaldi in this role, I feel like he doesn't get the appreciation he deserves, so it was fun to watch.
This was a great episode, very well done, dealing with a lot of Classic Who with the original Doctor and TARDIS, as well as the father of the Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart who played an important part in Classic Who and the grandfather to Kate Lethbridge-Stewart who played an important part in NuWho. The acting was great, the story was really interesting, having Bill back was also great and as I mentioned before I loved seeing Clara again.
Great reaction, I've enjoyed your reactions to Doctor Who from the beginning, where you weren't sure why we were getting you to react to it, to making it here to Series 10 and watching you both come to really enjoy the show. I look forward to seeing more reactions to the new Doctor played by Jodie Whittaker if or when the show gets voted back in or sponsored.
Jeremy Burch
2025-01-15 11:10:06 +0000 UTC
Wow, you guys made it the end of series 10, I can't believe it. Firstly, just to say you were right about the soldier being related to Kate (head of UNIT), that's her grandfather. We'd never been introduced to this particular character before, but his son (Kate's father) was a prominent part of Classic Who, just as Kate is to NuWho.
It was great getting that moment with Clara, and the Doctor's face says it all. I don't even think Capaldi was acting to be honest; he and Coleman got very close on set, almost like father and daughter so I know that Capaldi would be been all smiles seeing her again.
You are right that the next iteration of the show wasn't well received. I'd say if this is being sponsored or back in rotation, try not to let that sway you. Some people were against a female Doctor, some didn't like that Murray Gold (composer) left, some people just weren't a fan of Chris Chibnall (the new showrunner). Even the VFX team was replaced, and Christmas specials are replaced with New Year specials. All of that combined just rubbed some people the wrong way. If you just take each episode as it comes rather than focusing on what used to be, then you'll have fun with it.