The End of Time (TV story)

The End of Time is the title of the two-part Doctor Who special that will be broadcast during the 2009–2010 Christmas season. This will be the last story for David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor prior to the character's regeneration into his eleventh incarnation, who will be played by Matt Smith. It will also be the last Doctor Who story written by Russell T Davies, who shepherded the series' return to British television in 2005 and has been the series' executive producer and chief writer since. Davies will be succeeded as executive producer and showrunner by Steven Moffat.

The title The End of Time was first attributed to this story in a trailer unveiled at the San Diego ComicCon in July 2009; it was subsequently confirmed as the proper title for Part 2 in Doctor Who Magazine #412. On 19 November, the BBC announced that both parts will carry the title The End of Time, marking the first occasion since Survival in 1989 that the same title has been used for more than one episode. .

Part 1
Its the Tenth Doctors final journey – but his psychotic nemesis the Master has been reborn, on Christmas Eve. With both determined to cheat death, the battle ranges from the wastelands of London to the mysterious Immortality Gate, while the alien Ood warn of an even greater danger approaching, as a terrible shadow falls across the entire Universe.

Part 2
The Doctor faces the end of his life as the Master's plans hurtle out of control. With the sound of drums growing louder, and an ancient trap closing around the Earth, the Doctor and Wilf must fight alone. But sacrifices must be made, and the deadly prophecy warns: "He will knock four times."

Part 1
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Part 2
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Cast

 * Tenth Doctor - David Tennant
 * Eleventh Doctor - Matt Smith
 * Wilfred Mott - Bernard Cribbins
 * Donna Noble - Catherine Tate
 * Sylvia Noble - Jacqueline King
 * The Master - John Simm
 * Lucy Saxon - Alexandra Moen
 * Verity Newman - Jessica Hynes
 * Jack Harkness - John Barrowman
 * Sarah Jane Smith - Elizabeth Sladen
 * Luke Smith - Tommy Knight
 * Harriet Jones - Penelope Wilton
 * Joshua Naismith - David Harewood
 * Rose Tyler - Billie Piper
 * Jackie Tyler - Camille Coduri
 * Minnie Hooper - June Whitfield
 * The Narrator - Timothy Dalton
 * Oliver Barnes - Barry Howard
 * Sean Temple - Karl Collins
 * TBA - Claire Bloom
 * TBA - Sinead Keenan
 * Alonzo Frame - Russell Tovey
 * TBA - Lawry Lewin
 * Time Lord/Leader of Council - Roger Bailey
 * Miss Trefusis - Sylvia Seymour
 * Governor - Teresa Banham
 * Nerys - Krystal Archer
 * Mr Danes - Simon Thomas
 * Σ|Ood Sigma - Paul Kasey
 * Ood Voices - Silas Carson
 * Elder Ood Voice - Brian Cox (voice heard in the post-Waters of Mars trailer and CIN Preview)

Crew
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Airdates
Because the US airdate is now known to be December 26th, the UK one must be before this, effectively confirming it as Christmas Day 2009. Although there is fan speculation that Part 2 will air on 1 January 2010, and individuals involved with the programme have suggested same in interviews, this has not been confirmed by the BBC, and other possible airdates including Boxing Day (26 December) and New Year's Eve have also been suggested.

Both BBC America and the Canadian Space network have confirmed plans to air the two parts during the Christmas season, but exact dates have yet to be announced. Part 1 airs in the US on December 26th 2009, it was leaked on Twitter. Broadcast plans for Australia and other regions have yet to be announced.

Story Notes

 * This will be David Tennant's last appearance as the Doctor and also Matt Smith's first appearance.
 * John Simm will be returning to play the Master.
 * The second part is confirmed to be 75 minutes, 4 longer than Voyage of the Damned. Thus it will be the new holder of the title of third longest single episode, behind the 85 minute long TV movie and the 90 minute long The Five Doctors.
 * David Tennant has revealed that not all the episode will be set on Earth.
 * A preview of Part One has been announced as part of the 2009 Children in Need Appeal special scheduled for broadcast on 20th November.
 * With this, his final Doctor Who story, Davies will have written or co-written no less than 10 consecutive episodes (this number counts two-parters as separate and also includes a mini-episode, but does not include Torchwood), an unprecedented accomplishment in the history of the franchise.
 * This is the first story since Survival to have one overarching title. It is unknown if this is one-off or will be continued under Moffat.

Ratings
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Filming Locations
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Rumours

 * All the Tenth's Doctor's companions have been seen as appearing, except Martha and Mickey.
 * It has been confirmed that Jessica Hynes will appear as Verity Newman and published Journal of Impossible Things
 * Timothy Dalton was seen on set wearing Time Lord robes: this could mean the return of the Time Lords. Additionally, Roger Bailey is credited as playing "Time Lord".
 * The Ood will appear in this episode, as they may have been in the trailer.
 * Timothy Dalton will play "The Narrator"
 * The BBC confirmed both the Master and Lucy Saxon would be returning.
 * David Harewood will play Joshua Naismith, who he described as a "a rather strange individual. He wants to do something remarkable and he seeks the help of probably the most evil person in the universe. And by seeking his help, he sets in motion a series of events that could possibly bring about the end of the world". He also did scenes with John Simm, meaning that Naismith may work with the Master.
 * The Gate was mentioned by The Trickster in The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith: how this will tie in to the finale is unknown.
 * The Gate was also mentioned in an interview given by Russell T. Davies with the Radio Times in 2008 for the release of The Next Doctor. He said: "But oh, what a Christmas that’s going to be. Let’s just say that dark forces are gathering already. The Gate is waiting and life will never be the same again…”
 * Another mention to 'The Gate' was made in another Radio Times interview, given by Davies. He said: "The Master's return is just the start of our biggest, most heart-breaking story yet. The Immortality Gate is waiting."
 * Prior to the BBC's official announcement in mid-November, it was unclear whether Part 1 and Part 2 would both carry the same title (as prior to this only the title of Part 2 had been confirmed by the network). Following the broadcast of The Waters of Mars, Russell T. Davies was quoted in the media as saying the title of Part 1 would have six words, leading to speculation over what it might be before it was announced that the two chapters would share the title The End of Time.

Trailers

 * A teaser trailer was shown at Comic-Con 2009. The voiceover is provided by Timothy Dalton.
 * "It is said that in the final days of planet Earth, everyone had a bad dream". An unknown person laughs after this. We then see multiple clips, including those of the Tenth Doctor, what may be a crazed Ood, Donna Noble, Wilfred Mott, Sylvia Noble and a unknown man which some fans think may be Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor, David Harewood as Joshua Naismith, and a hooded man.The mood is very dark. A female voice (possibly Lucy Saxon) says "He returns". Then the Master is shown, with a dyed, blonde hair. He says, "My name is the Master". The tag line at the end of the trailer is "The End of Time", "Christmas 2009".


 * A trailer has been shown at the end of The Waters of Mars on 15th November, RTD has said in DWM Issue 415 that a well known Hollywood actor will be voicing an alien in the episodes and has be heard in the trailer. It is unknown if this will be Timothy Dalton (who has been confirmed as playing a character called The Narrator) or another famous actor.


 * The trailer at the end of Waters of Mars depicts The Master laughing insanely and somebody screaming silently, The Doctor on what appears to be a spacecraft or possibly in the immortality gate, an Ood saying "Every night, Doctor, we have bad dreams", Joshua Naismith in a large house, The Doctor on a construction site, The Doctor talking to Wilf in a cafe, Donna, an explosion in the middle of a town and the Doctor falling over, Lucy Saxon in prison, the Doctor in Naismith's mansion, Wilf closing his eyes as if he doesn't want to see the thing in front of him, The Doctor holding someones hand, The Master on a construction site in a black hoodie, the Doctor saying "I'm going to die", Donna on her phone crying, The Doctor on a construction site, The Master's eyes possibly, The Master saying "My name is the Master", The Doctor on a construction site with a load of explosions and electricity, The Master laughing and his flesh phasing out, revealing his skeleton beneath, and the Doctor staring with his face full of horror. A voice plays over the  trailer: "Because a shadow is falling over Creation, and something vast is stirring in the dark... the darkness heralds only one thing... the end of Time itself."


 * A specially packaged preview of the first episode will be shown as part of the BBC Children in Need telethon on Friday 20th November. It was originally rumoured that the pre-credits teaser would be shown; however, Russell T Davies has confirmed in DWM Issue 415 that this sequence is too plot heavy to be broadcast out of context.


 * The Doctor arriving on Ood Circle dressed in his brown suit, but wearing a cowboy hat and necklace of flowers from Hawaii. Ood Sigma is waiting for him, the Doctor is in a funny mood, Ood Sigma tells the Doctor he "should not have delayed", the Doctor replies that he's not going to go rushing to his death. The Doctor follows Sigma to a city built by the Ood. Sigma reveals that it has been a hundred years since the Doctor's last visit. The Doctor looks around in surprise and says that they could not have advanced that much in such a small amount of time (showing themselves to the Doctor in another time, building the city, telepathy). Sigma continues to say that the Ood mind is troubled, and everynight they have bad dreams. Sigma then takes the Doctor to the Ood Elder (one is dressed in white and has a larger brain) who is talking more to himself than anyone else saying it is returning and he is returning and they are returning, The Ood tell the Doctor to join them. The Doctor sits down and holds hands with them. The Doctor sees the image of the Master laughing. He says defiantly and darkly "that man is dead".

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors
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Continuity
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DVD release

 * It has been announced that the four specials plus The Next Doctor will be released in North America on both DVD and Blu-Ray in a box set on 2nd February 2010.
 * This episode will also be released with The Waters of Mars.