Doctor Who: The Sontaran Stratagem... (4x04)

[fajrdrako]

Ahh, that Doctor. Some episodes make me love him more than ever. This was one of them. Suprrising, in that I didn't expect much of the goofy-looking Sontarans or a Helen Raynor script - "Daleks in Manhattan" didn't lead me to expect much.

But the goofiness of the Sontarans was offset by the fact that they are short. I didn't expect that. I didn't know that. That was... kind of brilliant. I'm not sure why it appeals so much, but it puts the Sonatrans just over the edge from 'pointless' to 'scary and funny at the same time'.

1. Loved Donna's reunion with her grandfather and her decision not to tell her mother anything.
   
2. Did this clarify anything about Martha and UNIT? It clarified that the Doctor didn't send her there to reform the place. He disapproves of the guns; does he know about the detention of civilians without rights? Does she? It did seem like rather a lot of ... compromise with evil on Martha's part. But maybe she's doing it in all innocence. Or maybe she thinks it's the best defense against the Master's world.
   
3. So Martha is going to marry Tom. I'm not sure what I think about that.
   
4. I like Luke Rattigan as a villain.
   
5. Loved the meeting of Martha and Donna. I lvoed Martha's 'warning'.
   
6. The Medusa Cascade is mentioned again. I wonder why.
   
7. Didn't catch any reference to lost or missing planets, though.
   
8. Do we know why the Sontarans want Earth?
   
9. Toss is cute.
   
10. I liked the closing basin.
    
11. I like the visuals on the Sontaran ship.
    

Comments

[meret.livejournal.com]

'scary and funny at the same time'.

The general strutting around kept reminding me of Lord Farquahr in Shrek. *g*

[takhys]

#7: Terraforming perhaps? The easy answer is that Rattigan's group of geniuses would be spared and brought to another planet, but they don't strike me as military enough for the Sontarans.

[dameruth.livejournal.com]

I think the Sontarans are supposed to be from a heavy-gravity environment, which is why they're short and bulky.

I was totally cheering for Martha getting engaged to Milligan.

Ross is, indeed, teh cuteness. ;) Also very likeable. I hope they keep his character around.

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

I'm just about to watch it properly for the first time - I heard much but didn't get to see a lot of it on Saturday

8 - I think it's normally just a domination and acquisition thing with them...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I can see why!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Rattigan himself isn't a militaristic type in the least; my guess is that as soon as the Sontarans have what they need from him, he'll be zapped with a disintigrator ray or some such thing.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I think the Sontarans are supposed to be from a heavy-gravity environment, which is why they're short and bulky.

Makes sense.

I was totally cheering for Martha getting engaged to Milligan.

I thought I wouldn't like that, but I actually do. But. I'll ike to see him again.

Ross is, indeed, teh cuteness. ;) Also very likeable. I hope they keep his character around.

We were hoping that, too!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I heard much but didn't get to see a lot of it on Saturday

Look forward to your reaction.

I think it's normally just a domination and acquisition thing with them.../i>

They just collect planets? Okay, that makes enough sense.

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

They just collect planets?
Well I don't think they put them in a display case or anything *G*
It's more "We are Sontarans. Sontarans strong and powerful. You lesser being - you break easy. I bash you now!" rather than anything else.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes - I was more or less wondering what they do once they've bashed everybody.

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

They're a warrior type race so I don't think they *actually* think that far ahead :D

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

But they must have planets they've already conquered. Unless they just destroy them and move on? War for the sake of war?

Or maybe they've always been unsuccessful.

[takhys]

Truefact. Which leads me to wonder why the Sontarans need terraforming technology so badly?

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

War for the sake of war maybe they've always been unsuccessful

Went to look on Wiki - just in case I was way of track with this one - and found this:
They live in a militaristic society obsessed by war. [] The Sontarans have been at war with the Rutan Host for thousands of years. In the story The Invasion of Time, the Sontarans successfully invaded Gallifrey, but were driven out again after less than a day.

So it seems like both of those statements could be held to be true :D

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Ah-hah! So it goes! No wonder they like to brag - fruitlessly!

[gillo]

The Sontarans reminded me rather a lot of the Vogon guards - same smash and destroy mentality. They do seem relatively easy to incapacitate as long as you can get behind them.

It was lots of fun, though we did find it easy to see who would have been wearing the red shirts had it been a

Star Trek

episode.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

The Sontarans reminded me rather a lot of the Vogon guards

Hee - that's what maaboroshi said when they turned up. "It's the Vogons!"

They do seem relatively easy to incapacitate as long as you can get behind them.

Or if you have a tennis raquet. Perhaps a boomerang.

we did find it easy to see who would have been wearing the red shirts had it been a Star Trek episode.

For sure.

And every time anyone got into a car I was shouting, "Don't!"

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Which leads me to wonder why the Sontarans need terraforming technology so badly?

Yes. I find their motivation perplexing. They are imperial, yes. But given their "face your enemy as you kill him" tradition, why attack the world via the technology? And clones? Seems to me there's something strange here.

[takhys]

You think it's possible that their homeworld has mysterious disappeared?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think it is possible. If I wasn't afraid of reading too much into the text I would even say that maybe it is likely - or that political problems (and some connection to the Shadow Proclamation?) might be involved.

If not the Medusa Cascade.

So intriguing!

[takhys]

I am a master of random, BS filled theories. Oh yes, it's a talent.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Me too. I love doing this. Sometimes I like my wild theories more than the stories as they actually occur.

But RTD has said there are connections, so it's valid to play with these phrases.

And it bugs me as a plot point: why do the Sontarans need or want Rattigan?

And conversely, what does he need or want with them? A grudge against Earth? A power play? You'd think he'd already have all the wealth and influence and power he could want.

[raissad.livejournal.com]

Check this out:

Doctor Who: Commentaries
The Doctor Who cast and crew discuss episode 3 of the TV series: Planet of The Ood. Episode 3 of 13.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/listenagain/sunday/

Freema talks about the make-up and submersion process she endured for the clone tank scene, among other things.

Judging from Ten's "It used to be more homespun" comment. I got the impression he wasn't aware of the new dynamic at UNIT, which suggests he recommended Martha to them because of fond memories and because Jack or no Jack, Canary Wharf destroyed any capacity he had to deal with Torchwood on an institutional level. May Yvonne rot! As for his reaction to guns, that goes back to the Classic UNIT days. The Brigadier and the others argued with him about it initially, and eventually accepted the dislike as one of his quirks.

The "If you think it's dodgy" exchange with Ross was vintage UNIT era, actually. Three spent his entire tenure having "If you think it's dodgy, why are you using that/doing that?" conversations with a variety of UNIT personnel and the civilians they interacted with. The entire period was marked by loving exasperation on both sides.

As for Martha, her reaction is understandable. She's the one who wandered and saw during The Year on her native world. But, it's obvious that she does want to fix what needs fixing. I think she'll find a balance and Ten will forgive Col. Mace for not being Lethbridge-Stewart.

DW Confidential -- Sontarans

[raissad.livejournal.com]

Here you go:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=DW+Confidential-4x4&search_type=

[gillo]

Sontaran poetry is probably pretty dire. Variations on "Crash, smash, dash, clash" I imagine. With occasional Baldrick-inspired "Boom".

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

And usually ending something about victory - and not much subtlety.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Judging from Ten's "It used to be more homespun" comment. I got the impression he wasn't aware of the new dynamic at UNIT

I thought that too. He wasn't even happy about the guns. Obviously he isn't aware that standards have changed. I liked his reaction to Martha's intent to reform.

May Yvonne rot!

Yes - and I think Jack would agree with that.

Three spent his entire tenure having "If you think it's dodgy, why are you using that/doing that?" conversations with a variety of UNIT personnel and the civilians they interacted with.

I must watch those sometime!

Re: DW Confidential -- Sontarans

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

What an utterly wonderful 'confidential'. I particularly like the comments on the Doctor and Martha.