Spoilers for part two of the "Doctor Who" trip back to 1913 coming up just as soon as I check the time...Okay, now I get it.
When I wrote my review of part one, I said I didn't yet see the brilliance that the BitTorrent people had been promising me in this story, while acknowledging that it could easily come in the conclusion. And, boy, did it. I think I'd still have to put next week's "Blink" (which I can't wait to discuss with y'all) as my favorite of the season, but it's a much harder call now. Paired with "Human Nature," this was a really moving tale of the pros and cons of mortality vs. godhood.
Good as Tennant was as John Smith in the last episode, he was even better tonight. As I mentioned last time, the premise of the Doctor living another man's life without realizing his true nature wasn't entirely a new one on me. But the return to the original life has never been presented quite like this, and Tennant made Smith's struggles feel painfully, understandably real. The Doctor would have no problem sacrificing his life to save the world, nor would mortal characters like Martha or Rose. But not all of us are so strong that we could rush headlong into a heroic suicide -- and that's exactly what Smith was being asked to do -- without at least some pause. It was a really powerful contrast to see Smith essentially have to be told what to do by Joan Redfern, in much the same way the companions often need the Doctor to give them guidance.
Tennant was just as good when he returned to being the Doctor, capable of being cold and cruel and aloof in a way that I think separates Ten once and for all from Nine. I loved the punishments he dished out to members of the Family, and even more loved the scene where he tried to invite Joan to join him as a companion. That's twice now this season (if we're counting "Runaway Bride") where a potential companion rejects the Doctor on the basis that he's too dangerous and capricious about the lives of mere humans -- really, why was it a good idea for him to hide from genocidal aliens at a school for boys? -- but what was really interesting was the different tone this invitation had from the one he offered Donna Noble. With Donna, he seemed to genuinely want her to come (whether because of genuine affection or just because he was sick of being lonely), where here he comes across like he's trying to do a favor for Joan -- or to the very tiny bit of John Smith that still exists somewhere in his consciousness. This was largely a pity invite, and Joan could sense that on top of her pre-existing issues with the man who replaced her Mr. Smith.
(Nice acting, by the way, by Jessica Hynes, whom I only recognized as Daisy from "Spaced" after my wife insisted we knew her and that I had to look her up on IMDb. Funny and a good dramatic actress, too.)
One minor complaint -- maybe. I kept waiting for an explanation of Tim Lattimer's precognitive abilities and never saw one. The Wikipedia page for the episode mentions the pocket watch explaining that Tim had "an extra synaptic engram," but either that was cut from the version I saw, or my brain temporarily shut down at hearing that kind of technobabble. I don't know.
(And speaking of things I may or may not have actually seen, what was the purpose of the brief flashback in the previous episode to Martha in modern dress running past Tim? Are they fated to meet again? If this comes up in a future episode, please don't spoil it here.)
What did everybody else think?
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