Favorite Doctor Who Episodes: The End of the World

One of the things I remember most from the first time I saw "The End of the World" was the big grin on the face of the Doctor when all of the alien species arrive on the spaceship to witness a historic event. He watches Rose's amazement as she sees each one, and smiles the whole time. You know that the Doctor has met many, many aliens in his many years of traveling through multiple universes, yet he still has so much joy and excitement in meeting new species. And he's so excited for Rose to see things she's never seen before.

Rose has just decided to leave her boring life behind and travel with the Doctor. He asks her if she wants to go backward or forward in time, and she says forward. Does he take her 100 years into the future? Ten thousand years into the future? No. He takes her 5 billion years (i.e., the year 5.5/Apple/26) into the future to witness the day the sun expands, the burns the Earth. If you can go anywhere in time, you might as well go to the ends of the Earth.

I love that when the Tardis arrives at their destination the Doctor rings a service bell. It's as if he's telling Rose, "Order up!"

We meet the Face of Boe for the first time in this episode. The Doctor will meet the Face of Boe a few more times in his future travels, and he will prove to be very significant.

We also meet Cassandra, the very last human. She has had so much "plastic surgery" that all she she is now is just a thin layer of stretched-out skin with only two eyes and a mouth. She's quite the sight for Rose. Cassandra brings an old-fashioned jukebox as a gift, and tells the guests that, according to the archives, it was called an iPod. When they play "Tainted Love" on the jukebox, and the Doctor starts to jam with the music, it's such a great moment.

Rose, however, isn't feeling the love. It's an emotional time for her. She's far away from home (in miles and billions of years), the only alien she's ever met is the Doctor, and now suddenly she's surrounded by a bunch of them (even Cassandra isn't technically human now). And to top it off, her home planet is going to burn in 30 minutes and everyone is partying.

I love it when the little blue alien valets are parking the Tardis in a "proper" place, and one of the valets hands the Doctor his valet ticket and the ticket says, "Have a Nice Day."

In the middle of a growing threat that no one on the spaceship is aware of, there is a wonderful exchange between Rose and the Doctor. Rose is so overwhelmed by everything she has seen, especially watching the sun as it slowly burns the Earth, and hearing the countdown of "Earth death" over the intercom. The Doctor comes in and thinks that Rose must be having a great experience, simply because he brought her there. Rose talks about how everyone is just so "alien." The Doctor knows that she's talking about him as well. And a friendly conversation turns very tense. When the Doctor tells Rose that everyone speaks English because the Tardis has a "telepathic field that get into your brain and translates," Rose becomes very upset that he didn't tell her that the Tardis is able to get inside her brain and change her mind. Then the Doctor gets upset when Rose tries to get the Doctor to tell her where he's from. She has realized that she's "hitched a ride with a man" that she doesn't even know, and she's scared. And then, the Doctor jimmy's her mobile phone so she is able to call her mom. Rose talks to her mother when she's 5 billion years in the future. It's a great scene, and very well acted by Christopher and Billie.

Quotes:

Rose : You think you're so impressive.
Doctor: I am so impressive.
Rose: You wish.
Doctor: Right, then. You asked for it. I know exactly where to go.

Doctor: You lot. You spend all of your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids. But you never take the time to imagine the impossible - that you'll survive.

Rose: So, when it says "guests," does that mean people?
Doctor: Depends what you mean by 'people."
Rose: I mean people. What do you mean?
Doctor: Aliens.

Doctor: The great and good are gathering to watch the planet burn.
Rose: What for?
Doctor: Fun. Mind you, when I say "the great and the good," what I mean is the rich.

Rose: The planet looks the same as ever. I thought the continents shifted and things.
Doctor: They did, and the Trust shifted them back. That's a classic Earth.

Blue Alien: Who the hell are you?
Doctor: Oh, that's nice. Thanks.

Doctor: I'm a guest. Look, I've got an invitation. Look. (shows his "psychic" paper) You see. It's fine. You see. "The Doctor plus one." I'm the Doctor and this is Rose Tyler. She's my plus one. All right?

Doctor: The paper's slightly psychic. It shows them whatever I want them to see. Saves a lot of time.
Rose: He's blue.
Doctor: Yea.
Rose. Okay.

Blue Alien: Representing the Forest of Cheam, we have trees, namely Jabe, Lute and Coffa.

Cassandra: Behold, I bring gifts. From Earth itself, the last remaining ostrich egg. Legend says it had a wingspan of 50 feet, and blew fire from its nostrils. Or was that my third husband? No, don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines.

Rose: So, you're a plumber?
Raffalo: That's right, miss.
Rose: You still have plumbers?
Raffalo: I hope so, else I'm out of a job.

Raffalo: Where are you from miss? If you don't mind me asking.
Rose: No, not at all. Um... I don't know. A long way away. I just sort of hitched a lift with this man. I didn't even think about it. I don't even know who he is. He's a complete stranger.

Blue Alien (over the intercom): Would the owner of the blue box in Gallery 15 please report to the Steward's office immediately. Guests are reminded that the use of teleportation devices is strictly prohibited under peace treaty 5.4/Cup/16. Thank you.

Rose (picks up the baby tree in a pot): Hello. My name's Rose. That's a sort of a plant. We might be related. I'm talking to a twig.

Doctor (to the little aliens parking the Tardis): Oi, now. Careful with that. Park it properly. No scratches.

Doctor: What do you think, then?
Rose: Great. Yeah. Fine. Once you get past the slightly psychic paper. (pause) They're just so alien. The aliens are so alien. You look at 'em, and they're alien.
Doctor: Good thing I didn't take you to the Deep South.

Rose: All right. As my mate Shereen says, "Don't argue with the designated driver." Can't exactly call for a taxi. (gets out her mobile phone) There's no signal. We're out of range. Just a bit.
Doctor: Tell you what, with a little bit of jiggery-pokery...
Rose: Is that technical term? Jiggery-pokery?
Doctor: Yea. I came first in jiggery-pokery. What about you?
Rose: No. I failed in hullabaloo.

Rose (on the mobile talk to her mom): What day is it?
Jackie: Wednesday. All day.

Rose: I was just calling 'cause I might be late home.
Jackie: Is there something wrong?
Rose: No. I'm fine. Top of the world. (hangs up)
Doctor: Think that's amazing, you want to see the bill?

Rose: That was 5 billion years ago. She's dead now. Five billion years later, my mum's dead.
Doctor: Bundle of laughs you are.

Jabe: And your wife?
Doctor: Oh, she's not my wife.
Jabe: Partner?
Doctor: No.
Jabe: Concubine?
Doctor: No.
Jabe: Prostitute?
Rose: Whatever I am, it must be invisible. Do you mind? Tell you what, you two go and pollinate, and I'll catch up with the family. Quick word with Michael Jackson. (points to Cassandra)
Doctor: Don't start a fight. (to Jabe) I'm all yours.
Rose: And I want you home by midnight.

Doctor: I was on board another ship once. They said was unsinkable. I ended up clinging to an iceberg.

Doctor: So, what you're saying is, if we get in trouble, there's no one to help us out?
Jabe: I'm afraid not.
Doctor: Fantastic.
Jabe: I don't understand. In what way is that fantastic?

Doctor: So, tell me Jabe, what's a tree like you doing in a place like this?

Jabe: And what about your ancestry? Perhaps you could tell a story or two. Perhaps a man only enjoys trouble when there's nothing else left.

Jabe: I know where you're from. Forgive me for intruding, but it's remarkable that you even exist. I just want to say... how sorry I am.

Doctor: That's a great bit of air conditioning. Nice and old-fashioned. I bet they call it retro.

Cassandra: The planet's end. Come gather! Come gather! Bid farewell to the cradle of civilization. Let us mourn her with a traditional ballad.
(They play "Toxic" by Britney Spears on the jukebox)

Doctor: Anyone in there?
Rose: Let me out!
Doctor: Oh, well, it would be you.
Rose: Open the door!
Doctor: Hold on. Give us two ticks.

Doctor: The whole things jammed. I can't open the door. Stay there. Don't move.
Rose: Where am I going to go? Ipswich?

Cassandra: This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe. He invited us. Talk to the Face! Talk to the Face!

Doctor: Five billion years, and it still comes down to money.

Doctor: You lot, just chill.

Jabe: Stop wasting time, Time Lord.

Doctor: You've seen how dangerous it is. Do you want to go home?
Rose: I don't know. I want... Can you smell chips?
Doctor: Yea.
Rose: I want chips.
Doctor: Me too.
Rose: Before you get me back in that box, chips it is. And you can pay.
Doctor: No money.
Rose: What sort of date are you? Come on, then, tight wad. Chip are on me. We've only got five billion years 'til the shops close.