Where there's tears, there's hope." One of the most significant reasons why I like Steven Moffat as a writer is that he concentrates on the small scale. He doesn't blow stories into epic proportions for a climactic end, he condenses them into one important message that should be heeded without refusal. The Doctor Falls is a fine example of how Moffat deftly writes a conclusion. I'm not blaming Russell T. Davies for writing with too much flare and flamboyancy, it's just a different way of writing. Sometimes the small is bigger than the big, as can be used to describe the TARDIS, and Moffat has the skill to write it.
The Doctor Falls is all about its characters. This season introduced Bill Potts, and following last week's traumatic denouement, she's currently fighting her own mind, quite literally. Moffat tricks us into believing that the Doctor may actually have reverted her conversion, but in fact we were just seeing what she believed we should see - normal Bill, still alive and healthy. But, as with the darker elements of this story, she comes to realise that she's actually a Cyberman, as instigated by the Master. Nevertheless, her resilient mind lives on, combating her new and alien brainwaves, desperately trying to survive whilst in the Doctor's presence. Her emotional journey here is very emotional, and her loyalty to the Doctor is the only thing that keeps her going, even in questioning the meaning of her own life now that it's been changed forever. Her final moments may be the weaker parts of the episode, but they have a strong message in their execution. Bringing back Heather was a surprising decision by Moffat and one that actually made sure that Bill's story was completed. It's a great way of reminding the audience that hope is a powerful urge of the Human race - this parallels nicely with Clara's ending last season as she started her travels throughout the Universe with Ashildr. In truth, saving Bill was typical of this showrunner's storylines, but it reminds us of the Doctor's morality and why doom and gloom should never always be inevitable in Doctor Who. Happy endings are exactly that...happy. Nardole had a lovely role in this year's finale - not only helping to protect a small society of Humans on Floor 507, but finding someone to love in Hazran. Always the comedian, Matt Lucas has been quite honestly the comic relief of the series, but he's always been a strong friend of the Doctor's, and the pain in his ass whenever it came to Missy and his oath. He will surely be missed by a lot of people, but as with many of the Doctor's companions, he will be left behind in the knowledge that he has helped an angel save lives, even if it's only temporary. It was great to see his technological side reach its peak though, as he blew up Cybermen with glee. The Master is possibly one of the most complexly written characters in the history of Doctor Who, apart from the eponymous man himself. In this case, Steven Moffat has a chance to emulate the renegade Time Lords' egotistical personality twofold - by using both the Master and Missy as sounding boards for each other. John Simm and Michele Gomez are wonderfully compatible together and equally mad. Simm reminds us how sever his incarnation could be especially in the presence of Cyber-converted Bill. But it's the final moments together that really hammers things home. Here are two facets of a character who is so in love with their own person, that they equally have to thwart themselves. Whether Missy had truly turned to the 'good side' is by the by - she never truly got the chance to show her remorse as both incarnations have killed each other. In the shared laughter they realise that this was their destination - Simm's Master into Missy and Missy to...well, death I suppose. But we can never be too sure with this tricksy Time Lord. The man of the hour though, above everyone else, is the Doctor. Peter Capaldi has poured so much life into his incarnation of this wonderful being, that he is effortless in his portrayal in the finale. Filled with wisdom and emotion, he's the real reason why many audience members are crying around the world after seeing this finale. It may only be the beginning of the swan song, but Moffat has given his all into writing the Doctor as someone who does things for the sake of saving innocent lives. Hence why the scene where he confronts both incarnations of the Master is so pivotal. This is his last chance to impart his kindness onto them and hopefully change their thinking-process. Despite everything that he did regarding Missy this season, he still feels as though he's failed. On top of that, he has already discovered that he's at the stage of his death - his regeneration is near. The beautiful shots of him running through the forest and causing explosions shows the Doctor at the end of his tether - credit to the immensely talented Rachel Talalay for the nuanced imagery. This is all about the final moments though, after Bill's exit from the TARDIS with her new perpetual friend, Heather. A wounded Doctor awakens from unconsciousness after experiencing flashbacks of his previous companions - a nice tribute to Russell T. Davies from Moffat there. I adore the continuity references to previous moments of regeneration - Capaldi imitates them all well. But it's the Twelfth Doctor we're concentrating on, and as Moffat has promised recently, his regeneration will have a different edge. In the final scene, the Doctor attempts to halt the regeneration, before being approached by a figure in the snowy mist. For a massive Who fan like me, this is a defining moment in the show's history as its first incarnation reappears for one final adventure. This will be the best gift for unwrapping at Christmas. Low-key, but undeniably significant in the perspective of any Whovian, the Doctor Falls is brimming with references, love and care by a writer who has devoted the last eight years of his life to one of Britain's greatest entertainment treasures. In my opinion, he has almost never let it down. With one more story to tell, can he uphold that immense standard and give Peter Capaldi the extraordinary ending he deserves? 9.5/10 Season 10 - 8.5/10
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