I think it’s one of those funny things, you can hype up something for weeks, have your own expectations and ideas and then when it comes it’s a bit like, “oh, well that was a bit flat.” That my friends is what happened with me and Death In Heaven.
Now, before people jump on me and tell me I’m wrong, let me explain.
It had everything in there, the makings of one of the best finales in years. I can safely say every single series finale of the modern era have excelled and surpassed any expectations we all had. I just don’t think this one was quite up there with the others.
Missy, played by Michelle Gomez, was absolutely phenomenal. EASILY my joint favourite now alongside John Simm, (Roger you’re demoted. Soz) I adore the way she is portrayed, she is truly terrifying yet so funny and that is something we don’t get enough of when it comes to enemies. We all know the Master is cruel and evil, but Missy’s incarnation takes things to a whole new level. She is the Moriarty to the Doctor’s Sherlock. The scene where she is ‘tied up’ and with Osgood, was first class. “I’m going to kill you in a minute.” Her eyes are insane, literally.
I don’t know how to see Missy and the Doctor anymore. In recent years, we have had a more brotherly hatrid relationship between 10 and Simm’s Master. They showed signs of compassion towards each other, more so on the Doctor’s part, but they still hated each other. Now, it’s more complicated to me. Does Missy fancy the Doctor? Does the Doctor in turn now like Missy? The whole concept of her doing all of her evil plans as a ‘birthday present’ to him was interesting, and confusing. Why would Missy/The Master go to so much trouble for him? The way that 12 kissed her in the graveyard was intriguing as well, I like complex relationships me but now I’m utterly confused as to whether I ship them or not.
Anyway, Missy wasn’t the issue. However the way she went was. The scene in the graveyard with a fairly grim looking Cyber-Danny/Clara and 12 was mostly great, but I cannot believe that after EVERYTHING, and all the hype that has surrounded Missy this entire series, it was so lacklustre in the end? The Doctor agrees to ‘kill’ Missy instead of Clara, and tries to use her device against her. However as he’s about to shoot she gets killed by another person, (see below). Now, I refuse to believe that it was that easy for the Doctor to almost do that. After The End of Time and the events in RTD era, the Doctor would’ve done anything for the Master to survive. When he found out Missy was ‘him’ his face had some sort of joy in it, as well as fear. I don’t think after just discovering she’s alive again, that it would take little effort to get rid of her. So I believe that Missy isn’t dead, the character will obviously come back in the future (I hope not too long) so there must be a escape mechanism or button on the device that maybe just materialises you and displaces you in time, much like the one from Series 1’s The Parting of the Ways.
Osgood and Kate Stewart, the unstoppable two-some from UNIT. I am so glad they returned, particularly Osgood they both definitely deserved another outing. Osgood wearing the bow tie was a bit of a kick in the ol’ heartstrings, saying “bowties are cool” cemented her as a new firm favourite with me. Both women are so well written, it’s a shame they aren’t brought out more often to be honest. Osgood is THE perfect companion material, The Doctor even asks her to join him. She is everything that a companion should be, intelligent, feisty, a good heart and a good dose of confidence too. When Osgood dies at Missy’s hand I was genuinely quite shocked and gutted. This is Moffat, so of course any character that is a favourite with any potential has to die. I’m gutted as it looks like it is forever. It’s always the good ones isn’t it Moff?! Kate didn’t really do much in my opinion. She is fantastic and Gemma Redgrave is always brilliant, however her character didn’t really do much in the episode. When she fell out of the plane though my mouth opened, I didn’t think they would try and kill BOTH off in one episode. At the end of the episode we discover she is alive, thanks to the help of the last surviving Cyberman, the Brig himself. What a lovely little touch at the end I think. I had a hunch that given the graveyard setting that we would have some sort of reference or nod to a past character but I didn’t even think of the Brig, but he finally got his salute from the Doctor and that was actually quite moving for me.
Another thing that was quite moving was the scene where the Doctor realises Missy was lying about the co-ordinates and starts hitting the TARDIS console. That was the first time we have seen 12 looking vulnerable and genuinely emotional, and I just wanted to give him a hug. So heartbreaking and beautifully done by Capaldi.
Now onto Clara. I’m sorry but I have really really really gone off of her. There are moments where I sympathise and can defend things she has said and done but lately she has been too much. I hate the way she thinks she has control over the Doctor, and she really doesn’t. Her attitudes changed so much in the past few weeks, her ability to lie to both the people she loves being one. I didn’t like how at the start she tried to make the Cybermen think she was the Doctor. I can see her logic but she came across so arrogant because she thought she was getting away with it, I was actually hoping that she would get zapped by a Cyberman. Which she did, but then turned out to be CyberDanny which was all too predictable. CyberDanny was pretty cool. Seeing him turn on the mortuary slab was quite chilling.
The look and the effects of the episode were brilliant. I LOVED the water trickling down through the streets and into the sewers, that reminded me of The Waters of Mars. You can tell they’ve thrown the whole budget onto this series, it does pay off massively and one of the redeeming factors for me.
The scene in the graveyard where CyberDanny takes off his helmet and Clara is conflicted as to whether to turn his emotional inhibitor on, that was a tough scene. It was well acted from both Sam and Jenna, and for once I did feel like they were a couple. However when after the Doctor arrives and Clara does eventually activate him, she barely cried, I don’t know why but that bothered me.
So the plot itself then. It’s a good one, and was executed well. I just didn’t really get too excited about it. The whole thing was essentially a ‘birthday present’ for the Doctor from Missy? That seems a bit lame. Why all of a sudden would Missy/Master be nice to the Doctor, it seemed quite random if I’m honest. The Cybermen themselves were great, however they didn’t really do much. I felt sorry for them more than anything, but I suppose that was the point. It makes me wonder though, if all the dead/new Cybermen flew up and sacrificed themselves, there are now millions of empty graves across the world? What are they going to do about that?! And also, they can fly now?! What happened to their super speed aswell!? I’m picking holes I know..
Sanjeev Bhasker was a great cast choice, however he was a waste; He was barely in the episode, his character was completely insignificant and frankly he didn’t really have any impact on the plot. It’s such a shame and a waste of a good actor. Reminds me of The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe where Bill Bailey and Arabella Weir were also incredible wastes of talent. Anywho..
Chris Addison made a welcome return as Seb, although not in it as much as I would’ve liked. I am pretty gutted that he did not get a scene with the Doctor. That would’ve made for great viewing. He I think provided one of the best moment of comedy gold in the episode. “Permission to SQUEEE.” I found that hilarious, shame he wasn’t a real person.
In the end scenes where Danny, who is now properly dead, uses the bracelet to being the child he killed as a soldier back to life. I liked this touch, I was afraid Danny was going to become a Rory and come back to life multiple times in one episode. Alas, Danny Pink has gone and I’m actually quite sad about it. What I’m not sad is the fact that Clara seems to be on her way out. It’s about time now, they’ve been skirting around the idea that Clara is thinking about going, or a departure of some kind for a few weeks. It has been confirmed Jenna is in the Christmas special but it is rumoured to be her last episode, here’s hoping, although to be honest I like the way they basically walked away from each other at the end which makes me think she shouldn’t be brought back to just go again. I predict she is pregnant though.. there you go. You heard it here first.
As the end credits roll it cuts back to the TARDIS, to a rather sombre Doctor. Who can that be at the TARDIS door? Only ruddy Santa Claus! Nick Frost looks hilarious and brilliant in the role and the christmas special does look like it has potential to be really good. We shall see!
I’m sad now the series is over, I don’t know what I am going to be doing with myself of a saturday evening now, however it’s been fun reviewing the episodes for you all in my own special way.
Geronimo!
Latest News
