I enjoyed it more on second viewing than the first... possibly because of things I fear would happen.
!!!!Spoilers follow!!!!!
I suspected that the regeneration was just a ruse. But then I'd read that during filming of the Christmas special not only was there an actors chair for "The Doctor" (occupied by David Tennant), but also one for "The Other Doctor." It got me thinking how brilliant a subterfuge it would be to have Tennant at the filming of the Xmas special, but not actually be the Doctor any longer. I think that line of thought made the regen on first viewing seem much more of a cop out. (Don't get me wrong I'm very happy that Tennant is staying...)
Before my first viewing, I was also thinking that knowing how much Davies seems to like the Universal reset button, that: the regen would happen (new actor); but because Donna was special in some manner; she'd travel to the time war; stop Dalek Caan; events never occur; Tennant Doctor again (still); Donna goes insane (like Caan); dies (foreshadowing) or is made to forget.
It was very entertaining and emotionally satisfying, but not without faults. The Bad: - The techno-babble was in the highest concentrate I can remember in the entire new series. Doctordonnas solution to the whole Dalek problem was pushing buttons for long adjectives and big words - It felt very Next Gen Trek (closer to Voyager), and not in a good way - not gratifying in the slightest. Funnily enough, I nearly posted recently about how little techno-babble there's been in series four (and how pleased I've been because of it). - The sudden appearance of the warp star necklace - it felt too useful for so little set up. - Not sure how they can ratchet the danger up in any future series than destroying all the universes.
The good (at least some): - Tennant remains. - The Davros/Sarah Jane encounter. - There should be no more, Rose needs to come back because they love each other (blah...blah...blah). She is finally really gone now (a feeling due more to new fandom rather than the series itself). - The Tate/Human Doctor interaction - German speaking Daleks! - Wilfs promise to the Doctor. - Donna pushing Sarah Jane out of the way to hug Jack.
Other comments you had: take seriously Davros' curse naming the Doctor as... In Davros' mind, the Doctor is the destroyer of worlds.
...Doctor is too busy wallowing in failure to deal with that. I disagree. By his nature as a traveler, he is a lonely figure. No matter how long he travels with someone, he knows that they'll leave him. In The Pyramids of Mars, when asked by Sarah Jane about being distant the 4th Doctor responds, "I'm a timelord, I travel in infinity"... so the lonely Doctor is not a new concept to the series.
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!!!!Spoilers follow!!!!!
I suspected that the regeneration was just a ruse. But then I'd read that during filming of the Christmas special not only was there an actors chair for "The Doctor" (occupied by David Tennant), but also one for "The Other Doctor." It got me thinking how brilliant a subterfuge it would be to have Tennant at the filming of the Xmas special, but not actually be the Doctor any longer. I think that line of thought made the regen on first viewing seem much more of a cop out. (Don't get me wrong I'm very happy that Tennant is staying...)
Before my first viewing, I was also thinking that knowing how much Davies seems to like the Universal reset button, that: the regen would happen (new actor); but because Donna was special in some manner; she'd travel to the time war; stop Dalek Caan; events never occur; Tennant Doctor again (still); Donna goes insane (like Caan); dies (foreshadowing) or is made to forget.
It was very entertaining and emotionally satisfying, but not without faults.
The Bad:
- The techno-babble was in the highest concentrate I can remember in the entire new series. Doctordonnas solution to the whole Dalek problem was pushing buttons for long adjectives and big words - It felt very Next Gen Trek (closer to Voyager), and not in a good way - not gratifying in the slightest. Funnily enough, I nearly posted recently about how little techno-babble there's been in series four (and how pleased I've been because of it).
- The sudden appearance of the warp star necklace - it felt too useful for so little set up.
- Not sure how they can ratchet the danger up in any future series than destroying all the universes.
The good (at least some):
- Tennant remains.
- The Davros/Sarah Jane encounter.
- There should be no more, Rose needs to come back because they love each other (blah...blah...blah). She is finally really gone now (a feeling due more to new fandom rather than the series itself).
- The Tate/Human Doctor interaction
- German speaking Daleks!
- Wilfs promise to the Doctor.
- Donna pushing Sarah Jane out of the way to hug Jack.
Other comments you had:
take seriously Davros' curse naming the Doctor as...
In Davros' mind, the Doctor is the destroyer of worlds.
...Doctor is too busy wallowing in failure to deal with that.
I disagree. By his nature as a traveler, he is a lonely figure. No matter how long he travels with someone, he knows that they'll leave him. In The Pyramids of Mars, when asked by Sarah Jane about being distant the 4th Doctor responds, "I'm a timelord, I travel in infinity"... so the lonely Doctor is not a new concept to the series.