The episode received an 87% audience share with 11.6 million people tuning in and part two received an 89% share with 11.8 million viewers.
In addition to bringing back John Simm as The Master the episode featured Bernard Cribbens as the 'companion'. This marks the second time that the tenth Doctor has had only a male companion and there fore the opening credits for both this episode and The Next Doctor as the only ones not to feature a female name.
There was a big furor over the big name guest star, the fourth James Bond, Timothy Dalton, who would appear as a Time Lord and the episode narrator.
The episode also featured several other great British stars in cameo roles, June Whitfield CBE, from Happy Ever After, Terry and June and Last of the Summer Wine, Claire Bloom, famous for her many theatre roles and on film she has shared the screen with Laurence Olivier, Paul Newman, Laurence Harvey and Richard Burton and Barry Howard from Hi-de-Hi.
Filming took place from March 21st through to May 21st, 2009, which was David's last day of shooting.
At the end of part two the Doctor would go back and visit his many friends from the past including the granddaughter of Joan Redfern, the woman John Smith fll in love with in Family of Blood/Human Nature.
Even though that scene was at the very end of part two it was the first scene to be filmed at Blackwell's Bookshop in Cardiff University.
March 30th - April 3rd saw them back at Tredegar House, as Naismith's mansion and the very moving scene in the cafe with Wilf was filmed at Kardomah Cafe in Swansea on April 13th.
Snow opens and closes the episode - The Doctor arrives on the Oddsphere, summoned by the Ood, that planet is covered in snow and at the very end of his life after he see's Rose, it is snowing in London and Ood Sigma appears so that the Ood may sing the Doctor to his end.
The song, Vale Decem, written by Murray Gold, was performed in Latin: (translation form TARDIS WIKI)
| Vale Decem | Farewell Ten | |
|---|---|---|
| vale decem ad aeternam di melioria ad aeternam vale decem di melioria beati pacifici vale decem alis grave ad perpetuam memoriam vale decem gratis tibi ago ad aeternam numquam singularis numquam dum spiro fido vale vale vale vale ... | farewell ten on to eternity the fates be with you on to eternity farewell ten the fates be with you oh, blessed he who brought us peace farewell ten lay down your burden we will remember you forever more farewell ten we give you thanks on to eternity you are not alone never trust to the last farewell farewell farewell farewell ... |