Doctor Who review: The Parting of the Ways is still one of the best regeneration stories
By James Aggas
We see the Daleks at their worst and say goodbye to the Ninth Doctor in the brilliant Doctor Who episode The Parting of the Ways.
Continuing directly from Bad Wolf‘s brilliant cliffhanger, The Parting of the Ways kicks off at full throttle with an excellent rescue scene. The TARDIS materializing around Rose and the Dalek is such a great visual, and a great reminder of how imaginative the revival of Doctor Who was during its first year.
We then get the major reveal of who’s in charge of the Daleks this time. Not Davros, or even the Dalek Supreme, but the Emperor of the Daleks. It’s a fantastic moment that not only heightens the stakes – especially since the Emperor was clearly a key part of the Time War – but kicks off the main battle of the story.
As a result, things look more desperate for the Doctor than ever, especially in a universe without the Time Lords. It’s not surprising that he decides to send Rose away, but it is an incredibly emotional moment to watch. Especially when you see the heartbreaking look on Eccleston’s face when the Doctor makes the choice. But it’s also the right choice, because this time, the Daleks are more dangerous and deadly than ever.
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The Daleks at their best
As a Dalek story, in many ways, The Parting of the Ways is one of the best. It’s not that it fleshes them out or provides a fresh angle to them as Robert Shearman did with Dalek. On the contrary, what makes them work so well in this episode is how simple they are. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator, they’re terrifying because they’re a completely unstoppable force.
Some of the best moments from this story are a simple result of the Daleks being at their worst. Exterminating a huge group of unarmed humans just because they’re there, or seeing them attack entire continents. Scenes like these are great reminders of how dangerous and ruthless the Daleks can truly be.
But the most brutal moment has to be the death of Lynda. Played brilliantly by Jo Joyner (who UK fans will now most likely recognize as Tanya from EastEnders), Lynda came across as a rather sweet character, someone who could easily be a companion herself. This was definitely intentional on Russell T Davies’s part, making it easy to believe that she would be rescued. So seeing her silently exterminated by the Daleks is horrifying to watch. It’s also an example of how great Davies could truly be when he was at his best.
Regeneration
The resolution to both The Parting of the Ways and the whole “Bad Wolf” arc is a little unsatisfying. Even at the time, seeing Rose become a powerful god-like being because she ripped open the TARDIS was a little too much of a deus ex machina (a term that could be applied to Davies’s other finales, really). But honestly, that doesn’t matter. Not just because it’s a relatively small part of the episode, but also, because of where it leads to.
To describe the Ninth Doctor’s final scene as “emotional” is an understatement. Russell T Davies wrote one of the best regeneration scenes for this episode – a regeneration that still holds up brilliantly 15 years later. It’s an excellent way of rounding off not just an incredible two-part story, but also a strong if far too short-lived era of Doctor Who.
Next. Review: Bad Wolf is a bonkers beginning to an extremely dark story. dark
What are your thoughts on The Parting of the Ways? Is it one of your favorite regeneration stories? How well do you think it used the Daleks? Let us know in the comments below.