It wouldn’t be a Russel T. Davies “Doctor Who” series if it doesn’t end in tears. Alas, this episode we seemingly close the book on the story of Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) and her adventures with the 15th Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa).
“Empire of Death” has all the making of a terrible blockbuster: A huge CGI wave that kills everyone we all know will be reversed in some way, a less than satisfying conclusion to a mystery that’s been teased throughout the story and a villain that’s defeated almost stupidly easy.
Yet somehow, it works, even if it’s mostly because of the show’s charm, which works overtime. In many ways, that’s what kept “Doctor Who” alive during Davies’ initial run. Yes, it was often filled with crap costumes for unconvincing monsters and it was oozing with cheese and its storylines were often melodramatic and hard to take seriously, but it was brimming with this warmth that made you overlook all that.
When Steven Moffat was showrunner, his finales were often ripped apart by those nostalgic for Davies’ era, but this series puts on full display how the past isn’t as great as you remember it.
Sure, Davies gets the important things right — a Doctor we can get behind with excellent range, a brilliant companion that compliments him and scripts with unique concepts to keep things fresh. But he’s also not so great at resolving things, hence why he felt the need to bring back Donna Noble for the 14th Doctor’s specials and how messy the 10th Doctor’s exit was, which failed to get people excited for 11.
“Empire of Death” has everything great about Davies’ finales — a sense of grand scale, a shocking reveal and a heartbreaking ending — but it also much of their weaknesses, like how lackluster the reveal of who Ruby’s mother was (spoilers: She is an ordinary person, with her ability to make it snow not really explained).
I still like the conclusion to Ruby’s story because it has excellent emotional resonance. She finally has found her birth family, who accept her (the best possible outcome). But the Doctor also decides it’s time for him to leave her.
Why he decides this we don’t know, at least fully. It seems like Davies has set up mystery boxes, J.J. Abrams-style, that he doesn’t have any real answer to.
Sutekh (Gabriel Woolf) is expectedly banished, and there is an embarassing reveal that he was apparently clinging onto the TARDIS since his episode inthe classic era. The show needs to stop adding things that have been present for the Doctor’s journey for the whole time, because quite frankly, the universe is getting cluttered with these and they have lost their meaning. The show should have retired this plot device after Clara’s “impossible girl” storyline leading up to the 50th anniversary episode.
With that being said, this finale is still better than anything in Christopher Chibnall’s era, even if it does fall flat compared to much of Moffat’s era. Say what you will about Moffat, but he knows how to tie everything up with a hint of tragedy, while giving viewers closure of the era that’s ending, while getting people excited for the new.
This series as a whole is the best one since Peter Capaldi’s last season, even if it doesn’t top it. Sorry, “The Doctor Falls” is a really hard episode to top.
“Doctor Who” Season 1: Episode 8 “Empire of Death” gets a 7/10
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