Well, I’ve talked a bit about how exciting the “next time” trailer was, but what about the episode itself?

Borrowing from a sci-fi staple, time is altered so that Donna never met the Doctor, resulting in his death during his battle with the Racnoss.  Its downhill for Earth from there.

This was probably one of the strongest scripts RTD has delivered.  Its always fun seeing how alternate Earths might’ve turned out, safe in the knowledge that things will be back to normal at the end.  However, this was more haunting than that.  The scenes of London’s destruction after being hit by the Titanic were incredibly well done, and it was genuinely disturbing watching things go downhill, as Earth struggles to repel the various alien menaces without the Doctor’s help.  Its not long before we hear that both Martha and Sarah Jane (and Luke, Maria and Clyde.  Ouch) died at the hands of the Juudoon, and the Torchwood team sacrifice themselves to stop the Sontarans turning Earth into their new cloning world.

Of course, all eyes were on Billie Piper’s return as Rose, however she was by no means the star of this episode.  This was Donna’s chance to shine, and Catherine Tate stepped up to the mark admirably, blowing away all her nay-sayers (yes, that includes me.  I wasn’t pleased by the initial announcement either, but in my defense, I was still smarting from Martha leaving, and a pre-season 4 rewatch of the Runaway Bride completely changed my mind).   There’s no doubt in my mind that Donna has been the perfect 10th Doctor companion.  She plays off of Tennant’s Doctor perfectly in a way neither Rose (who I’ll always view as more suited to the 9th Doctor) nor Martha did.  Catherine Tate really seized this chance to show off her acting muscles, and you really felt Donna’s desperation as she thinks she’s realised she won’t die, only to have Rose tell her otherwise.

An absolutely cracking episode.  The killer cliffhanger was only the icing on the cake.  And we even got a nice reference to Sarah Jane Adventures when the Doctor identified the Time Beetle as one of the Trickster’s Brigade (a being who wiped Sarah Jane from history and had commented that it’d be a laugh to do the same to the Doctor).

All eyes are on the finale now.  There’s no doubt in my mind that for me, this has been the strongest season yet.  The finale’s got a lot to live up to, and with juggling all those different elements and characters, its either going to be the most awesome finale ever, or a complete disaster.    Personally, I’m hyped up for it and can’t wait till Saturday.