AirLockAlpha.com

The following contains MAJOR SPOILERS for "Journey's End," the fourth season finale of BBC's "Doctor Who."

After the ending of "The Stolen Earth," it didn't look like David Tennant and Billie Piper were ever going to get the on-screen reunion that has been building since the beginning of the fourth season.

And while their get-together is most certainly a joyous one, gone is the momentum that propelled "The Stolen Earth" with such intensity, and in its wake are false promises, an overly convoluted plot filled with Trek-style techno-babble and a TARDIS load of throwaway lines. Still, at least there wasn't a reboot.

Last week's "The Stolen Earth" was a magnificent convergence of all things Whovian, as "Doctor Who," "Torchwood" and "The Sarah Jane Adventures" all come together for a singular adventure. Unfortunately, once The Doctor and Rose are reunited in the opening moments of "Journey's End," all of the characters go their separate ways and descend to cameo status. The addition of Jackie Tyler (Camile Couduri) and Mickey Smith (Noel Clarke) and subsequent absence of Gwen (Eve Myles) and Ianto (Gareth David-Lloyd) certainly didn't help matters much as they bring with them an assortment of McGuffins that will get the leading players out any sticky situation.

Also, for the second time in the revitalized "Doctor Who's" run, a prophecy has been laid out that one of the Doctor's companions will perish in a great battle ... and it is also the second time all of the foreshadowing and intense arc building has been cast to the side on a technicality. Had it not been for the top-notch performance of Bernard Cribbins, the "death" of Donna would have been entirely forgettable. Instead, Cribbins brings a touch of class and genuine loss to Donna's situation and brings the episode to a very touching conclusion.

What Worked

Once again, Davros shows himself to be the scariest villain in the entire Whovian universe. In the original series, the creator of the Daleks proved he could be more scheming and sinister than any other baddie the writers could think up, and the same holds true to his latest appearance and the whole New Empire set-up pulls on more classic mythology than the average viewer may realise.

For throughout the original series, the Daleks were encased in more than a simple metal suit of armour: they also came concealed in complexity and intrigue. In several adventures, the weapons of war turned on themselves in an emotionless civil war as factions formed and faded with the un-killable Davros at the center. This time, after creating a New Dalek Empire, Davros is subsequently lowered to the levels of pet as once again his creations rise above him and declare war on the universe.

Even though many of the returning stars were downsized considerably in this installment, there were plenty of the fine characterisms that made each so much fun to watch in the first place. Among the finest examples is Donna?s embrace of Capt. Jack and also Jackie?s role on the TARDIS during the long flight home.

Instead, it is Tennant that carries this episode from beginning to end, showing so many facets to The Doctor's character (and that is without the silly duplication plotline). As a prisoner to Davros (Julian Bleach), hints of the Time Lord soldier that stopped The Time War were revealed in a darker light than expected, and there was also a sharper edge to The Doctor after the final battle when he returns Donna to her home in Chiswick (particularly when he addresses her mother). "You were brilliant" was a fantastic moment of nostalgia from the Christopher Eccleston adventures against the Daleks just prior to his regeneration.

What Didn't Work

The one line explanation as to why The Doctor didn't regenerate (as if the over-used camera panning to the hand in the last episode wasn't obvious enough) was more than a little disappointing. Given the magnitude of the ending to "The Stolen Earth," "Journey's End" should have been made of stronger stuff.

Having two Doctors may have allowed for a happier ending to Rose's entrapment in Pete's World, but ultimately was unnecessary and seemed like an easy get out clause to the dire predicament all of the companions find themselves in. Even his write out -- and Rose's -- turned out to be something of a disappointment even though everyone received a happy ending. In a similar sense, having the Daleks defeated through some switch flipping was anti-climactical and could have held some greater excitement.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

"Doctor Who" stars David Tennant, Catherine Tate, Freema Agyeman, John Barrowman, with Elisabeth Sladen and Billie Piper. It airs Saturday nights at 7 p.m. GMT on BBC 1, and then on Friday nights on The SciFi Channel at 8.30 p.m. ET. "Journey's End" was written by Russell T. Davies and was directed by Graeme Harper.

Alan Stanley Blair is the assistant news editor for Airlock Alpha and its sister site Rabid Doll. Contributing from his home country of Scotland, he is currently studying for a diploma in freelance journalism and can be reached at anytime at ablair@airlockalpha.com.

Vote now for your favorite actors, television shows, movies and more in the 2008 SyFy Genre Awards! Find out all the details by clicking here, and watch a video showcasing all the nominees right here.

Feeling a little horrific? Get your daily dose of horror news straight from The Doll, Rabid Doll that is at www.RabidDoll.com.

Hear Michael Hinman on SyFy Radio every Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT at www.BlogTalkRadio.com/SyFyRadio.