30.04: The Sontaran Stratagem

[HoopyFrood]

Oh my goodness...What's The Doctor going to do! Gas, everywhere, how can he possibly stop all of that!

Unless the gas isn't intended to kill, but for something else -- I think I just heard on the trailer for next week something about needing the gas for something. But what a cliffhanger.

I do like Donna -- she brings The Doctor back down to earth. While he's looking at the wider picture, she sees the small things, digging through the paperwork while he's deciding how he can save the world again. And I like the lines she has: "He's too skinny, when you hug him, you get a paper cut," and "Donna Noble, since you didn't ask and you can give me a salute". Feisty!

Oh...and I still don't like the music to the beginning. To much going on in it now.

[Dave]

I watched it again but don't have much more to add. I have a personal pet hate of evil-twin-clones-grown-to-adult-size-with-all-the-memories-of-the-donor, but I'll let that slide if the story is good enough.

That's very good continuity to have the Atmos logo on a taxis in the first episode.

I have the 'Time Warrior' (with June Brown!) and 'The Sontaran Experiment' on VHS and I don't think the Sontarans in that are particularly short either.

Why don't they just smash the car window with a brick to rescue granddad from the gas?

Oh, and Donna's mother is too annoying.

It is very un-Sontaran like behaviour though. They decided before that Earth was of no strategic importance, and it seemed that they were unaware the Doctor would be on Earth.

My TV Guide has a spoiler that was not in the episode, so it must be revealed next week. They are searching Earth for a Rutan I never understood how the Sontarans could be at War with that alien species for so long though. The individual that we got to see in 'The Horror of Fang Rock' looked like a piece of bubble wrap, spray-painted green. Hardly a match for the Sontarans!

[HoopyFrood]

Yes, I was very close to yelling (as I do) "just smash the window, you fools!"

[Foxbat]

I do like Donna -- she brings The Doctor back down to earth. While he's looking at the wider picture, she sees the small things, digging through the paperwork while he's deciding how he can save the world again. And I like the lines she has: "He's too skinny, when you hug him, you get a paper cut," and "Donna Noble, since you didn't ask and you can give me a salute". Feisty!

I agree. Not normally too keen on Tate but her character is definitely growing on me.

[PTeppic]

Originally Posted by Dave

I have a personal pet hate of evil-twin-clones-grown-to-adult-size-with-all-the-memories-of-the-donor, but I'll let that slide if the story is good enough.

I got the impression it was cloned physically and then had the memories "downloaded". She seemed to be wearing a tiara-scanner for a while...

[Dave]

Originally Posted by PTeppic

I got the impression it was cloned physically and then had the memories "downloaded". She seemed to be wearing a tiara-scanner for a while...

Yes, I think the idea was that it was a kind of 'blank' waiting for a personality and memory to be added at a later point (but same difference.)

The umbilical cord to the same place in the neck as the Probic Vent was a suggestion that it was how the Sontarans grow their own kind. The 'water bath' thing was very similar to that in a recent 'Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles' episode where a Terminator grew a new skin - though it that the bath was filled with O Negative blood rather than Fluorescein water dye.

[Kostmayer]

Originally Posted by SpaceShip

... and the *spoiler* clone? Kostmayer?

Yeah, maybe they'll do something really brave like kill the original and leave the clone undiscovered.

But I doubt it

[Ice fyre]

The Sontarons were about human size in the old series was a bit shocked to see them being so small. Although it was a nice touch, normally the enemies are bigger than us. The re-imagining of them was good.

The dynamic between Martha and Donna was good, the cringe worthy going away scene was so incredibly well handled, dare I say well written? I too had issues with the daleks in Manhattan I really did not like it at all.

Lots of snapy lines and subtle jokes. I forgot the Sontarons had been at war. Looks good for next week.

[Briareus Delta]

Not a lot to add. I really enjoyed the episode. Not only harking back to the Doctor Who episodes,but at times I felt I was watching one of the old Saturday morning matinees (Flash Gordon etc.) complete with cliffhanger. Good stuff! I only wish I was nine years old again, so I could enjoy it even more.

[Selati]

I really enjoyed this episode too, but for some reason it left me with not liking Martha. I thought she was a great companion when she was with the Doctor and liked her in Torchwood so I'm not really sure why I don't like her now.

I really hope they can rescue Donna's Grandad as I want him to have a little trip in the tardis too!

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Ice fyre

The Sontarons were about human size in the old series.

It does make sense for them to be short given that they are meant to come from the high-gravity world, Sontar, in the southern spiral arm of the galaxy, so if that is the biggest change they make I don't mind. I'm interested in what they will do with the Rutans though, as practically anything they do would be an improvement.

Originally Posted by Selati

I really hope they can rescue Donna's Grandad as I want him to have a little trip in the tardis too!

Do you think Wilfred Mott is any relation to Special Constable Tom Campbell (Dalek Invasion: Earth 2150)?

There is almost as good a likeness as Martha and her cousin.

[Raalix]

Originally Posted by Selati

I really hope they can rescue Donna's Grandad as I want him to have a little trip in the tardis too!

Given his preoccupation with space, stars and planets - not to mention his acceptance and support of Donna's role as companion, it would be unkind to disallow him at least one TARDIS trip!

[Selati]

Originally Posted by Dave

Do you think Wilfred Mott is any relation to Special Constable Tom Campbell (Dalek Invasion: Earth 2150)?

There is almost as good a likeness as Martha and her cousin.

hehe I wonder how many more of these 'cousins' will be popping up!

Originally Posted by Raalix

Given his preoccupation with space, stars and planets - not to mention his acceptance and support of Donna's role as companion, it would be unkind to disallow him at least one TARDIS trip!

It sure would! Let's just hope they manage to get him out of the car in one piece!

[Purdy Bear]

I did wonder if Donna and Martha would get on, the tension is brilliant between them, even if it is in a friendly manner.

The Donna character is so with it and she just makes me laugh so much.

I loved the fact her grandfather (Bernard Cribbins?) is in there too.

That teenager entrepeneur bloke, just needs a good "£$%^&. I hope he gets his due on Saturday.


This series is definately taking me back to the good old days of John Pertwee, needless to say, I'm loving it.