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Episode recap: "The Sontaran Stratagem"
Martha Jones, now working for UNIT, calls the Doctor (via her cell phone last seen in the season three finale, "The Last of the Time Lords") to help investigate an ATMOS factory. ATMOS (Atmospheric Omission System) is a device that has been installed and integrated on half of the world's vehicles. Besides acting as a GPS, ATMOS also reduces carbon dioxide emissions. What brings it to UNIT's attention is that 50-plus deaths have occurred in cars with ATMOS installed. Martha believes they were poisoned; however the toxin leaves the system immediately after death. As a result, UNIT believes the technology is alien in origin. The Doctor goes off to investigate the boy genius creator of the device, Luke Rattigan, who runs a private school. After a brief talk with Martha, Donna decides to visit her family instead of going with the Doctor to the academy. Donna reveals her secret to her grandfather but not initially to her mother. In the meantime, Martha is lured away from her duties by two UNIT soldiers who have been brainwashed by the warlike, Sontarans. She is cloned but kept alive to provide memories for her doppelganger. At the Rattigan Academy, the Doctor happens upon a "thing" which turns out to be a teleport. It takes him to the Sontaran spaceship and he quickly uses the device to return to Earth. The Sontaran leader, General Staal, follows just as the Doctor disables the teleport. After a brief exchange, the Doctor stuns Staal by bouncing a ball into the Sontaran weak point. The Sontarans use the ATMOS device in the Doctor's jeep to kill him and his guard. The plan fails but the Sontarans think the Doctor has perished. He meets up with Donna and her grandfather, who recognizes the Doctor from the previous Christmas' encounter (see episode "Voyage of the Damned"). Donna's mother pops up and she no-so-fondly remembers the Doctor from two Christmas' ago (see episode “Runaway Bride”). Needing a car, the Doctor starts fiddling with the ATMOS device in Donna's car, which secretly signals the Sontarans. General Staal knows it's the Doctor so he orders their plan to be stepped up to the next level. Donna's grandfather gets himself trapped inside the care as all ATMOS cars worldwide start spewing a toxic gas.
Commentary
Yay! Freema's name appears in the opening credits! Not that I missed her or anything. Oh phooey! Who am I kidding? I missed her. Nice reference to Tom Milligan (Martha's now fiancé from the season three finale, "The Last of the Time Lords."). Also nice play on words in regards to Tom (see Quotes section). The Doctor seems slightly surprised that she is now a "proper doctor" having forgotten how he helped with the pushing of paperwork (mentioned in Torchwood —although this could be to bring non-TW viewers up to speed). I wish the Doctor and Martha had more alone time to catch up. Glad your back (until the next episode), Freema!
Seeing the Doctor officially interact with UNIT brought a big smile to my face. I chuckled at the Doctor's uncomfortable reaction to the salute Colonel Mace gives to him as well as the revelation that, technically, the Doctor is "still on staff." His response to Donna's query about him working for UNIT is also smile inducing.
It's been a while, but I cannot remember the previous incarnations of the Doctor attitudes towards weapons, specifically guns. Continuity-wise, the Tenth Doctor has not been fond of them and it continues to be so here -especially when one considers the events of the season three finale (man, I like referencing that episode) as well as his scolding of Captain Jack over his sidearm. He chews out Martha for working with UNIT (even though he helped get her the job) but her reasoning is sound and he comes around —a more mature Martha to be sure! Later, Colonel Mace notes that the Doctor does have weapons (in the TARDIS) and that he likes to give orders, which produces the cute "cheeky" aside from the Doctor.
Donna seems very grim in this episode as she witnesses, firsthand, the UNIT raid on the ATMOS plant. Although I had an issue with this (see Nitpicking section), Donna is able to show UNIT that they need not rush in with guns ready as simple paper work is all that's needed sometimes.
Kinda shocked that Martha has that attitude towards the Doctor (see Quotes section). She even states that it was not the Doctor's fault. The warning to Donna is understandable but, Martha has to understand that without the sacrifices her, her family, Captain Jack and the Doctor made in the previous season, the Earth would not now exist. Maybe it was mean to scare Donna into reacting right away, but it did seem a little harsh coming from her.
With the addition of Catherine Tate, I fully expected the humor quotient to be raised and every episode seems to have a wee bit more comedy than previous seasons. The scene in this episode that comes to mind is when the Doctor gives (yet another) heartfelt, goodbye speech to a departing companion only to realize that Donna is just leaving to visit her parents. We didn't get the old "we're not married" line but they certainly acted like an old married couple here. I really appreciate how the show can parody itself! One wonders what they will do if/when Catherine Tate leaves the show.
Did anyone like the performance of the actor playing Rattigan? I found him overly annoying but that could be what the actor/director were trying to achieve.
Sontarans! Yes! Another old enemy has returned. Ironic how the Staal calls the Doctor a 'face changer' and yet employs one of sorts with the clone of Martha. Also, he mentions the time war between the Time Lords and the Dalek. I'm confused as to how the Sontarans would know about that war (do they have time traveling capabilities?) as none of the details have been released. Like I said in a previous blog, I believe a BBC TV movie or mini-series of this Time War featuring the Ninth Doctor is in order here!
Music: Yes! Martha's theme! No more debate! There it is! Sadly, there are only a few interesting selections in this episode as I was disappointed by the majority of the score (please refer to my nitpicking rant for the rest). Of note:
—(of course) the Doctor and Martha's first meeting (which turns into the obnoxious music that's heard when UNIT takes over the factory)
—the horror-like piece that's heard when the two UNIT soldiers discover the clone. It's intriguing because the music is mixed with the factory machinery sound effects (which one of the soldiers even comments on) to produce an eerily sounding score.
—The Doctor's goodbye speech to Donna. Humorously melodramatic which, after a pause, turns into a playful laugh at the Doctor's expense.
Camera/editing: I was impressed by this scene/series of shots after the TARDIS initially lands:
1 - Camera booms down to Martha with an empty alleyway behind her. TARDIS lands behind her. She turns to face it.
2 - Close up of Martha smiling.
3 - Closer shot of the TARDIS in the alley (Martha's point of view). TARDIS door opens.
4 - Reverse angle of the alley. TARDIS in foreground with Martha at the end of the alley. The Doctor exits, looks down the opposite way then the other and sees Martha.
5 - Medium shot on the Doctor facing the open TARDIS door. The Doctor exits the TARDIS. Behind him, inside the TARDIS, we can see Donna with a blank look on her face, slowly walking towards the entrance of the ship.
6 - The scene continues with dolly/tracking shots of the two old friends greeting each other, then Donna exits the ship (didn't want to bore ya'll with any more than this -heh).
Why this is relevant is that the shot selection the director choose for this small scene could represent the way the Doctor or better yet Donna feel about the current companion sitch. If it's the Doctor, then he seems to have briefly forgotten that Donna was there. If it's meant to represent Donna POV, then she feels left behind or pushed aside in the face of meeting the Doctor's old companion. In either case, could this small sequence represent some underlying motivation or emotion for either character? I noticed this because of shot #5 as there was no real reason to go to the expense of shooting a special effect shot (Donna inside the TARDIS), so why is it there? Notice in shot #4 how the Doctor looks the other way and sees no one there, then turns to see Martha, where possibly 'no one' = Donna. When Donna exits the TARDIS (shots 6 and on), the Doctor seemed, for a moment, slightly surprised that Donna is there. Does this foreshadow the future? Will Donna be forgotten if/when... Rose... returns? Could this be a fear of Donna's (not of Rose, but in general)? Is she afraid of being abandoned by him? See how much fun it is to analyze this show (or any show that puts thought behind it's production)? Of course, the director could had just thought shot #5 "looked cool" and nothing more. Even then, the show/storyline could take a life of it's own. Once this season is complete, it could be an unintentional foreshadowing. Or... I could just be talking out my frakking butt... On the other hand, with all of the Doctor's knowledge and experience, he fails to notice Martha's engagement ring!?! Poor thing probably still thought that Martha had a crush on him. It took Donna to ground him... again.
Visual effects: very cool (heh) CGI when the camera pulled all the way back from Rattigan and Staal on the Sontaran ship.
Nitpicking
It's debatable how a person can remain spoiler free with the power of the Internet and the mighty water cooler at their disposal (note: at my department at TV Guide, there is no water cooler). I try my best to keep my friends and co-workers spoiler-free as much as possible and even go so far as to not share anything, even if they ask, as there could be a remote chance that they will see the content in question (or course, they are always free to ask or search elsewhere, but at least the spoiler did not come from me). Why do I bring this up? I felt bad that Martha Jones' return was highly publicized (press, Internet, trailers) so much so that it might not had been a surprise when she popped up on-screen. There was almost no way to avoid not knowing Freema would return. Fine. However, the producers/writer did have one way to avoid another spoiler: the frakking episode title itself! Why even hide the Sontarans from appearing when we already know they are the villains? They did such an amazing job keeping Rose's appearance in the first episode a secret that I was disappointed by this spoiler. Now, new Doctor Who fans would not know who the Sontarans are so I guess it wouldn't affect them too much. Still... I hate spoilers /rant off
TORCHWOOD SPOILERS: Not entirely happy with the way Martha Jones was handled in TW and now in this episode. That three episode stint of Martha on Torchwood was adequate because I felt she was out of her environment. She ended up being underused after the first episode. She placed in peril in both of her first appearances in TW and Doctor Who? Hey everybody! Look! It's the great Martha Jones! The same one who organized the world resistance against the Master (although time was changed in that episode). She's so great that she gets captured and has weird things done to her body in both of her series returns (insect egg and now cloned). Grrr! They should had waited until episode 2 of her arc before using her as an incubator. Instead, her remaining two episodes on TW dealt with the Owen's death and resurrection storyline, which I also disliked. Her interaction with Captain Jack was good, but seeing how the producers had her skirt around the more adult themes in TW bothered me. For some reason, I kept waiting for her to drop the F-bomb (which she did not... I think). As you can see, ya'll probably would not want me to write that blog - heh. END SPOILER
Not sure I cotton to the idea that current, real world events be brought into this show. I might have complained about this before: references like this sometimes bring me out of the fiction that I am experiencing. I am not saying it cannot be addressed in some fashion; however, when some real life event is referenced in DW, I begin to wonder why the Doctor does not intervene. But this could be explained away as the timeline for those events are not in-flux etc. However, I'm sure the people affected by the real world situation would be glad to know that they are the subject or reference in a fictional work? See? Told ya it brings me out of the fantasy. I will say that at least the humor at the end of Donna's rant does help bring us (or just me) back into the show.
Martha: "We got massive funding from the United Nations and in the name of homeworld security.”
Col: "A modern UNIT for the modern world."
Donna: "And that means arresting ordinary factory workers, in the streets, in broad daylight? It's like more like Guantanamo Bay out there! Donna, by the way, Donna Noble, since you didn't ask. I'll have a salute."
Although I am not taking any political sides here (I'll stay away from all political discussion, thank you very much), the point the show's producers might be attempting to make fails as UNIT was correct in it's assumption about the ATMOS plant.
Music: I don't know what happened, but it seems like this episode's composer was on holiday half the time. I don't expect Mozart here. What I do expect is something better than this mess. Examples that made me, on occasion, cringe: UNIT raiding the ATMOS factory (not that bad, but not good); the horrible dun-dun-dah nonsense that is heard when Martha's clone pops up -yuck! (variation is played when the clone preps to 'go to work'); although the scene was humorous, the silly sounding score that is heard over the Doctor and Ross' escape from the ATMOS controlled jeep; the scene when the Donna calls Martha after the Doctor arrives at her mom's house (clone's theme?); the piece that starts once Donna's grandfather is trapped in the car and continues to the end of the episode. Seriously, what the heck happened here? Booo!
For the love of all that is good, Doctor! Just break the frakking window! Stop standing around like you are in shock and use the sonic screwdriver to shatter the glass. Ugh! Totally uncharacteristic way to depict the Doctor and a terrible cliffhanger to boot!
Quotes:
Martha: "And yes, I know. I got a doctor who disappears off to distant places."
Donna: "Is that what you do to them? Turn her into a soldier?"
Donna: "What you used to work for them?"
Doctor: "Yeah. Long time ago. Back in the 70's or was it the 80's. But it was a little but more homespun back then."
Martha: "You need to be careful because you know the Doctor. He's wonderful! He's brilliant. But he's like fire. Stand too close and people get burnt."
Doctor: "You're just popping home for a visit. That's what you mean."
Donna: "You dumbo!"
Doctor: "Then you're coming back..."
Donna: "Know what you are? A great big, outer-space, dunce."
Doctor: "People don't questions things. They just say, nerrrr, it's a thing."
Ross: "He's like a potato. A baked potato. A talking, baked potato."
Rattigan: "That's just so cool."
Staal: "is the temperature significant?"
Although I was excited at the return of another enemy from the Doctor's past, I had love/hate issues with this episode. Hopefully, part two will help redeem this story arc in my mind's eye.
Until next time, be seeing you!
(needed to quote Lost/The Prisoner after dealing with this episode!)
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May 19, 2008 3:28 AM
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I have been a lurker on this blog for awhile, but I had to jump in and thank you for an amazing recap and commentary. I have to admit I had never put so much thought into some of the camera angles/editing. Thanks for giving me so much to think about. Just wishing I still had this episode on DVR so I could go back and rewatch it.
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May 19, 2008 10:58 AM
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"As you can see, ya'll probably would not want me to write that blog - heh."
"That blog" being Torchwood. As enough of a TW fanatic that I actually wrote a recap, and would have written more if needed, I'm not so sure. I totally agree with your assessment of the underutilization of Martha Jones in the TW story arc, and how ridiculous it is that she suddenly needs rescuing every time we turn around. This woman saved the darned planet, fer cryin' out loud! When they lured her into the trap, then the scene ended with her screams echoing down the hallway, I was ready to chew nails & spit staples. They hadn't even done anything to her yet!!
Yes, the timeline was restored at the end of "The Last of the Time Lords", but if you recall, everyone at the hub of the change retained the memories from that timeline. That's why everyone keeps asking Martha how her family is doing - they remember the whole thing. Martha is still the person who organized a planet-wide resistance. The way they've used her since then makes me nuts.
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May 19, 2008 12:45 PM
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I really enjoyed the episode, and I guess I just don't notice the music that much.
I've read some reviews on Indy 4 and many take the music to task, and like this, mention the themes by name.
I just don't have the time or need to learn the names of the various themes within tv shows and movies. I doubt I could pick Martha's theme out from a group of 5 movements. But, I guess that's just me.
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May 19, 2008 2:35 PM
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I so enjoyed seeing Martha and the Doctor together, but I believed when the Doctor believed Donna was leaving him he showed more emotion than in his good-bye scene with Martha last season. I guess the Doctor is uncomfortable if the companions how him any emotion beyond friendship.
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May 19, 2008 3:25 PM
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Andrea White ...but I believed when the Doctor believed Donna was leaving him he showed more emotion than in his good-bye scene with Martha last season.
You know, I thought that exact same thing when I was watching that scene. It made me really feel for Martha. In so many ways, I think she was a "rebound" companion after the loss of Rose.
I think with Donna, the Doctor is in a better place to open up to someone new.
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May 19, 2008 3:50 PM
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" I guess the Doctor is uncomfortable if the companions show him any emotion beyond friendship."
Of course he is. Have you ever had someone care more for you than you could for them? It's painful and uncomfortable - you can't give them what they need from you, but you don't want to hurt them. The best you can do is back off and let them leave gracefully.
Catherine Tate is a hoot, and it's great that they have a companion where there isn't a lot of tension, thus leaving the doctor free to mouth off in the style he does so well.
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May 19, 2008 6:23 PM
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Thanks for another great recap and critique!
I have to agree with your take on the way The Doctor is being written this season. I expect better than handwringing from The Doctor. And while Donna is the comic relief, her proselytizing is getting on my last nerve. Finally, Martha needs to go to Torchwood as the new medic.
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May 19, 2008 8:27 PM
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If you can, watch the entire two-parter on YouTube instead of on Sci-Fi Channel--there's a damn commercial every five minutes!!
Anyway, great to see Martha Jones back again...like tvfan, do-gooder Donna is beginning to get on my last nerve too.
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May 20, 2008 10:21 AM
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It was great seeing Martha and the Doctor back together again!! (I totally agree about her being kinda helpless though) Love Freema! I only wish we had been able to see her hunky fiance Tom too.
Hated the end of last season and wish Martha could have stayed. I started watching DW from the very begining of this series starting with the 9th Doctor and there has been too many changes,IMO. I would like to get through a few seasons with the same Doctor and his companion.
I ike Catherine Tate but not sure I can see her being a long term companion....a lot of people agree with me on that. I smell another change in the works *sigh*
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May 21, 2008 2:27 PM
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To answer your questions:
It's been a while, but I cannot remember the previous incarnations of the Doctor attitudes towards weapons, specifically guns.
One of the character traits of the Doctor across the incarnations has been pacifism. The Doctor has generally been contemptuous of all weapons, not just guns (see "Remembrance of the Daleks," for example), and he always looks for the nonviolent solution when possible.
Also, he mentions the time war between the Time Lords and the Dalek. I'm confused as to how the Sontarans would know about that war (do they have time traveling capabilities?) as none of the details have been released.
Not only have the Sontarans demonstrated an ability to travel in time (after all, the story in which they were introduced was called "The Time Warrior"), but they even attempted to conquer the Time Lords' home world in one story from the old series.
My only question is with their size -- they weren't that short in the original series. I wonder what's up with that?
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May 22, 2008 12:53 PM
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I know this is a late post, but something occured to me that I wanted to comment about. First I want to say that none of what I am going to say is from viewing upcomming episodes or reading spoilers, just a theory I put together.
I re-read the episode re-cap of the last episode of season 3, because my memory isn't good enough for this detail. I seemed to remember (and as it was written in the blog) that a womans hand picks up the masters ring at the end. We all know that what that means is the Master will be back. We've actually seen Rose, not to mention some references to her as well. I think the hand belonged to Rose, and that she and the Master are together. Now is it the real Rose? Who knows, since she was trapped in an alternate universe, would it have been possible for the master to have taken her from a past point in her life without creating a paradox?
If I am right, and anyone knows it don't tell me. If I'm wrong, I guess it wouldn't hurt to know.
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May 23, 2008 11:12 AM
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Interesting theory, matt1158. I have no information on the subject, but it will be interesting to see if you are right.
Bummer there's no episode this week.
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May 24, 2008 1:59 PM
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"My only question is with their size -- they weren't that short in the original series. I wonder what's up with that?"
Posted by mark114 May 22, 2008 12:53 PM
Yeah, I was a tad curious about that one, as well; in their last appearance (Sixth Doctor Colin Baker, episode titled "The Two Doctors"), the Sontarans were an easy 5'6" and in shiny tinfoil suits; here, they're maybe 4'10" and wearing black rubber outfits with sculpted chests/abs that make them look like the Mr. Potato Head version of "Batman Begins"
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May 26, 2008 5:29 PM
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'...black rubber outfits with sculpted chests/abs that make them look like the Mr. Potato Head version of "Batman Begins"'
ROTFL!! Good one!
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May 27, 2008 1:05 PM
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