TV episode review
UK airdate 5 July 2008 (BBC1)

It’s going to take more than just one Time Lord to defeat Davros…

Journey’s End packed a lot – perhaps too much – into its 65 minutes, and could probably have done with the luxury of a proper two-part slot to lose the feeling of being rushed that permeated the first 50 minutes or so. It’s not a story that could necessarily have been told in any other period of Doctor Who, but it summed up the Russell T Davies incarnation of the show, with emotion, high drama, scientific technobabble, elements from the New Adventures and dei ex machinis (literally in the case of Mr Smith and K-9).

Donna’s fate ensured that Catherine Tate won’t be asked back to reprise the role any time soon (although perhaps examining what the Doctor did to her memories wouldn’t bear close scrutiny), and it should mean the end of Rose’s involvement in the show. Clearly we’re going to see more of Mickey and Martha on one of the spin-offs soon, and it will be very interesting to see if reference is made to these events in either the Sarah Jane Adventures or Torchwood series 3.

For Doctor Who purists, this may well have been anathema, but as a piece of Saturday night television, bringing together four years of mythology and character development, it was fun. Peter Quentin

VERDICT: 7/10