Russell T Davies: 'You'll be blubbing like a baby'
The writer and producer of Doctor Who, Russell T Davies, says that the finale is 'like eating chocolate and drinking whiskey on a luxury yacht in outer space'... Are you excited about everyone seeing the final episode?
"Yes! It’s like eating lots of chocolate! It’s 65 minutes long - a big, extra long episode and so much happens in it! It’s like eating lots of chocolate and drinking whiskey on a luxury yacht in outer space. It’s got more action than you can possibly imagine. It’s brilliant! Everyone gets their moment." So there’s lots of action, but we imagine with all the drama from last week with the Doctor getting exterminated by the Daleks just before he was about to see Rose, it’ll be emotional too?
"Oh yes. You will be blubbing like a baby! Many times! But lots of laughs and action, too – a full emotional ride." The Doctor was blasted by a Dalek – is he really dead? Does somebody die?
"I’m not saying a thing! You will have to wait and see. But remember in the last episode, Dalek Caan said one of them will die! So you’ll all be wondering who it’ll be." What can you tell us about the storyline?
"We’ve seen what Davros calls the children of time - which are all the companions - all coming together and they have to pull together to save the universe from Davros. It’s a story of how far would you go to save the people you love. It pushes some of the companions morally into areas they’ve never been in before - how far would you go to defend your loved ones, with the greatest loved one of all being The Doctor? Never mind the human race what about him! "There’s an action sequence featuring the TARDIS that is terrifying! What else can I tell you? You do get to see Rose meet Martha which we’ve been building up to for a while. Martha goes on a quest that takes her into new territory – even Germany at one point! It’s epic and on a worldwide scale. We also get to see the Dalek spaceship for the first time in all its glory – there are magnificent effects!" But what about The Doctor? Will he and Rose ever be reunited?
"Hmmm! What’s happening there with the Doctor dying? How is that going to reach the climax? There’s a lot more to come there. A lot of questions will be answered about the Doctor and Rose..." What was it like having everyone back on set?
It was fantastic! I know we always say how much fun we have filming Doctor Who, but we really do! All those actors cleared their diaries and were dying to come back. They were a nightmare on set though as they just laughed and laughed! Put Catherine Tate together with John Barrowman and you’ve had it! Off they went laughing together – it was an explosive pairing! They’re brilliant!" Were you impressed with Julian Bleach’s Davros?
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"He was amazing. What you saw in the last episode is just a warm-up to what happens in the finale. Davros is bonkers. It’s a thrilling performance – he’s genuinely terrifying." What’s been the highlight of your fourth series?
"This final episode. It’s what you work for and you spend the whole year summing up the nerve and energy and skill hopefully to write something like this.. I’m proud of the whole thing, though and of course working with David and Catherine has been my highlight. It’s been joyous." You’re leaving Doctor Who next year, so... what have you got planned for your life after the TARDIS?
"Well, we’ve still got the Christmas special and four specials to come – so I’ve so much more to do and in a year I will still be working on it, so it’s hard to think of anything else. I’ve got ideas but we’ll see. I’m certainly going to be having a holiday, that’s for sure!"
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