Doctor Who (4x05): The Poison Sky...

[fajrdrako]

I enjoyed this so very much. Everything better than I expected and feared... and the Doctor was at his best. Or better.

1. The best: loved the climax. The Doctor feeling it necessary to risk death to give the Sontarans a chance. Of course they don't take it; but it was just as wonderful to see betrayed genius Rattigan switch places with him. Sowing and reaping and paying debts and all that.
   
   
2. I had hoped from last week that the Doctor could tell the real Martha from a clone Martha at once - possibly though telepathic flavour, though smell is just as good. And he let her carry one because stopping the nuclear launch was what he wanted, and what the Sontarans wanted.
   
   
3. One of the little touches that this show does at its best is details like the moments when Captain Price kissed Colonel Mace - so irrelevant, but such a human touch.
   
   
4. And the Doctor actually mentioned Captain Jack! Has he ever done that before, in an episode where Captain Jack did not appear? I think not. Not that I understood the reference: why should Martha not wear a 'clone' T-shirt in front of Jack?
   
   
5. We saw the Valiant again! I love that, if only for the sake of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. (And yes, I still hold a grudge about "The Last of the Time Lords", but it's fading a little.)
   
   
6. The trailer for next week. Eeeeeeee! "Where did she come from?" "Me." ...?
   
   
7. Loved Gramps, and Sylvia was nicer this time round.
   
   
8. I had slightly hoped Donna would not kill the Sontaran sentry, but she did, and that was rather satisfying - even if I'd preferred she'd found another way.
   
   
9. Loved the cleansing of the Earth from the toxins.
   
   
10. I like it that Donna hit the Doctor at the end, while Martha was hugging his arm.
    
    
11. Is Martha afraid to get drawn into the spell of the Time Lord again?
    
    
12. I didn't notice any mention of the Medusa Cascade, though there was (sort of by inference) a reference to the Shadow Proclamation or its implications. Perhaps the ongoing theme is (again) breeding planets, nurseries, birth and rebirth? - And as leaps of imagination go, does that mean that the Time Lords could be reborn?
    
    
13. Glimpse of Rose. Hey.
    
    
14. Loved the scene where Luke Rattigan's students abandoned him. Rejected the world he would lead them to. Had they no idea what was going on, until that point? Or what a nut case he was?
    
    
15. Surely Ross isn't dead. He's too good to lose. And the Doctor liked him.
    
    
16. They didn't get into the subject of the dark side of UNIT (as seen in Thorchwood's "Fragments"), just the stupid side. They did mention the Brigadier, which means precious little to me, but I gather he's someone fans care about. Darkest Peru?
    
    
17. "Are you my Mummy?" Hee.
    
    
18. Nice moment:

    [The Doctor, Donna and Martha have arrived at the Rattigan Academy, and see Luke Rattigan with a gun pointing at them.]
    Luke: Don't tell anyone what I did. It wasn't my fault. The Sontarans lied to me.
    The Doctor: [Takes the gun out of his hands, and throws it away] If I see one more gun...

    
    
    
19. Looks as if Martha will be around next episode. Good.
    

Comments

[meret.livejournal.com]

I had slightly hoped Donna would not kill the Sontaran sentry

I don't think she killed him. I think she just knocked him out. Last week the Doctor knocked one out by hitting him there with a ball. I think a knife or projectile has to penetrate it to kill them. JMO.

Surely Ross isn't dead.

The bad news: Yep. He's dead.
The good news: Someone told me the actor will be in a new BBC show next year about the last of the Van Helsings. :)

the Brigadier

Classic Who companion.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Someone told me the actor will be in a new BBC show next year about the last of the Van Helsings. :)

Yup - with Philip Glenister (http://www.philip-glenister.com/projvanhelsing.html).

[meret.livejournal.com]

Cool! Thanks for the link! :)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Cool.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I think she just knocked him out. Last week the Doctor knocked one out by hitting him there with a ball.

Good point! Okay, I like that interpretation.

Someone told me the actor will be in a new BBC show next year about the last of the Van Helsings. :)

Oh. Interesting. Possibly worth looking for.

[raissad.livejournal.com]

You'll find the DW Confindential for this ep. here:
http://www.veoh.com/users/allons-y

They did mention the Brigadier, which means precious little to me, but I gather he's someone fans care about. Darkest Peru?

And he's been knighted, "Sir Alistair." Classic Fan Squee! As for Peru, either he and Doris (wife) were vacationing there, or they called him back into service (prior mission), and he got waylayed by the gas.

Is Martha afraid to get drawn into the spell of the Time Lord again?

The moment where Martha took back her engagement ring from the dead clone said it all. As much as she loves the Doctor, she loves Tom more at this point and doesn't want to risk another Year during which she could die, thus abandoning her fiancee.

"Are you my Mummy?" Hee.

I know. :)

why should Martha not wear a 'clone' T-shirt in front of Jack?

I think it's more that Jack would be just as happy with Martha bare-chested.

The trailer for next week. Eeeeeeee! "Where did she come from?" "Me." ...?

Next week's ep. is called "The Doctor's Daughter." Georgia Moffet, who plays her, tried out for the role of Rose. Furthermore, Georgia is the real life daughter of Peter Davison (Fifth Doctor, last seen in Time Crash).

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the Confidential link.

he's been knighted, "Sir Alistair." Classic Fan Squee!

Congratulations to him and his fans! Of course, his name makes me think of Sir Alastair Dunnett. Good connotations.

I think it's more that Jack would be just as happy with Martha bare-chested.

No doubt. But I think Jack would like Martha any way at all.

Georgia is the real life daughter of Peter Davison (Fifth Doctor, last seen in Time Crash).

Very pretty, too.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Not that I understood the reference: why should Martha not wear a 'clone' T-shirt in front of Jack?

I read it as more to keep the "Martha" memories fresh and in the front of her brain, because that's what made her a triple agent, and helped him win.

The Brigadier

Works for U.N.I.T. - Who companion from the 80s.

How much did I love that the Doctor *crossed his fingers* after firing the rocket into the air and whispering "please please please please please".

BEST.

And Doctor & Donna have a very fun brother/sister thing going on. I'm loving it more and more.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

as more to keep the "Martha" memories fresh and in the front of her brain, because that's what made her a triple agent

That worked nicely, yes.

the Doctor *crossed his fingers* after firing the rocket into the air and whispering "please please please please please".

Wasn't that wonderful?

Doctor & Donna have a very fun brother/sister thing going on.

They are terrific together.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

The trailer for next week. Eeeeeeee! "Where did she come from?" "Me."

:D :D :D

Do you recognize the actress?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Do you recognize the actress?

No. Have I seen her before? Very pretty.

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

I had hoped from last week that the Doctor could tell the real Martha from a clone Martha at once

And I liked that we could tell right away he wasn't fooled. Very nice. I did wonder why he was letting her carry on, but I liked that in the end the clone had been doing what he wanted as well.

Not that I understood the reference: why should Martha not wear a 'clone' T-shirt in front of Jack?

Yeah, no-one else I've seen gets that either. The best I can come up with is that Jack would get all excited about there being two of them and try for a threesome, but it's hardly a snappy, obvious reference. Nice that he got a mention though. I did wonder once or twice what Torchwood was doing about the poison gas - I suppose that is a difficulty of having the two shows together.

Loved the cleansing of the Earth from the toxins.

I want to know why that didn't kill everyone by burning up too much of the atmosphere's oxygen - but it was a cool image.

"Are you my Mummy?" Hee.

I laughed my head off at that.

"Where did she come from?" "Me." ...?

She's also being played by Peter Davison's daughter - I think he was the 5th Doctor? The one in a cricketing outfit with the celery stalk anyway.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Yeah, no-one else I've seen gets that either.

He was pushing the real-Martha memories to the fore, because that's what was making clone-Martha weaken as a Sontaran operative; if she's thinking like real-Martha, she'll act like real-Martha, against her programming.

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

Oh, okay. That makes sense. It was clearly just too subtle for the rest of us - I just went "huh?" when he said it.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

:nod: it only makes sense in context of what he says right after it "You remember Captain Jack? Of course you do, because you've got *her* memories."

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

And Captain Jack is bound to be a powerful memory!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I liked that we could tell right away he wasn't fooled. Very nice.

I thought so too.

The best I can come up with is that Jack would get all excited about there being two of them and try for a threesome

He might. Or perhaps the Doctor was just thinking of Jack's general temperament, which is cute.

I did wonder once or twice what Torchwood was doing about the poison gas

Everything they could? Of course we don't know exactly how the timelines fit now. Chances are Torchwood was keeping its eye on the Sontarans.

I want to know why that didn't kill everyone by burning up too much of the atmosphere's oxygen - but it was a cool image.

I figure it wasn't like a regular fire - it burned only the toxins, not oxygen.

I laughed my head off at that.

I think we all did!

I think he was the 5th Doctor? The one in a cricketing outfit with the celery stalk anyway.

The Time Crash Doctor.

[medelle.livejournal.com]

Not that I understood the reference: why should Martha not wear a 'clone' T-shirt in front of Jack?

I figured it was a reference to the fact that Jack wants to shag, oh everyone.. and that he'd love to have a go at two Martha's or something.......

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

If the Doctor thinks Jack would find Martha any less attractive dressed in garbage bags and sackcloth - he wrong!

[lefaym.livejournal.com]

I dunno, Jack looked kind of uncomfortable when real!Martha kissed him in A Day in the Death.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Jack looked kind of uncomfortable when real!Martha kissed him in A Day in the Death.

I thought that was... because of circumstances, not because he doesn't like or want her. And she was kind of awkward there, too. (Just compare it and contrast it to the scene where they met again, and he was positively bouncing.)

[gypsylady.livejournal.com]

If the Doctor thinks Jack would find Martha any less attractive dressed in garbage bags and sackcloth - he wrong!

And, no disrespect to Martha, but if the doctor thinks anything with a postal code would be less attractive dressed in garbage bags and sackcloth, he (I'm going to Hell for this, aren't I?) don't know Jack.

I thought mention of Jack was just a less-than-subtle way to start her on the path towards Martha-hood. Her first intro to Jack had involved a freshly risen corpse (as it were) flirting with her. Mention Jack and anything that could be interpreted as sex and you've got a strong impression of Jack no matter who you're talking to.

I have to say, I totally loved this episode except for that moment when Ross died. What a loss! He'd have been a lovely companion, don't you think?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

no disrespect to Martha, but if the doctor thinks anything with a postal code would be less attractive dressed in garbage bags and sackcloth, he (I'm going to Hell for this, aren't I?) don't know Jack.

Well, yes. Point.

(Pause to consider Jack trying sex with a Sontaran. Hee.)

mention of Jack was just a less-than-subtle way to start her on the path towards Martha-hood.

That it was. A rather vivid and personal memory of someone she knew and liked - who'd made an impression on her. And rightly so. One of the good guys.

Mention Jack and anything that could be interpreted as sex and you've got a strong impression of Jack no matter who you're talking to.

Very true.

I totally loved this episode except for that moment when Ross died. What a loss! He'd have been a lovely companion, don't you think?

He'd have been a great companion - resourceful, smart, with a sense of humour - courage, too.

[lonelywalker.livejournal.com]

*just passing through*

why should Martha not wear a 'clone' T-shirt in front of Jack?

I think it was a reference to the meaning of clone in gay culture. Google "gay clone" and you'll get some hits.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Ah - thank you - that, at last, makes sense! I had no idea.

Explanation greatly appreciated.

[gillo]

The trailer for next week. Eeeeeeee! "Where did she come from?" "Me." ...?

We know the Doctor has a grand-daughter - she was with him back in 1963. So a daughter actually makes sense. I wonder if there will be a reference to Susan?

They didn't get into the subject of the dark side of UNIT (as seen in Thorchwood's "Fragments"), just the stupid side. They did mention the Brigadier, which means precious little to me, but I gather he's someone fans care about. Darkest Peru?

The Brigadier led UNIT from the 70s onward, a sort of Companion though very much Earth-based and about the Mission. He appeared from time to time right up to the late 80s. I was pleased to see a continuity reference. I did wonder if Darkest Peru was a Paddington Bear shout-out.

"Are you my Mummy?" Hee.

Brilliant line.

And I loved the "guns are stupid" theme.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

a daughter actually makes sense. I wonder if there will be a reference to Susan?

I wouldn't bet against it. I'm wondering how we get around the "last survivor of Gallifrey" thing. Looking forward to all of it!

I was pleased to see a continuity reference. I did wonder if Darkest Peru was a Paddington Bear shout-out.

I wondered that too.

I loved the "guns are stupid" theme.

That was wonderful; and I also loved it that the Doctor liked Ross, even though he carried a gun, and defended him when he was called a 'grunt'.