New Who Review for “The Sontaran Stratagem”
Posted By Kathleen David on May 17, 2008
First of a two-parter this week.
Love the interaction between Donna, Martha and the Doctor. More about that in the spoiler section.
Interesting to see what happens when a companion decides to make a difference and keep an eye on things.
Ah the Sontarans. The Mr. Potato Heads of Doctor Who. I do like what they did with them in this episode and it was nice to see them back in the Whoverse. I think my favorite Old Who episode with them was “The Invasion of Time” which had Tom Baker acting more of a wack job than usual. Close second is their first appearance which was in “Time Warrior” which is the first Sarah Jane episode.
Then there is Rattagan which of course sent me and Peter into fits of giggles since we are both fans of the Great Mouse Detective. He reminded me of Bryce in the pilot of Max Headroom at first. Again more on that in spoilers.
Yeah, I know it is YAEC (Yet Another Evil Corporation) which makes 3 out of 4 episodes of the same ilk. But considering how the world works these days, it makes a certain amount of sense. Global companies have no boarders and therefore what happens in one country can affect the others.
I am grateful to see those potato heads again. *grin*
Well at least Sontarans have a health self esteem. “We will kill the Last of the Time Lords and be glorious in our victory.” I also love the various nicknames that they have added to their names to make them individuals. The Sontarans are rather single minded but then they have been cloned that way.
Atmos is an interesting concept and if a kid created it, then he would be a multi-millionaire a couple times over. The actor playing Rattagan does a really great job of created this kid who thinks he is so smart that he is waiting for the rest of the world to catch up with his brain. The sad thing is that I know people like that. Some for real reasons and others for delusional ones. I have a feeling that this kid had a number of atomic wedgies in school.
I loved the Doctor’s speech to Donna when he thinks that she is leaving him. I also love that Catherine Tate plays it perfectly straight until Tennant gives her the comic opening. I love the interactions between Donna and Martha. The writers went a different direction than School Reunion. I loved how Catherine Tate played that scene.
Tennant’s hair must get its own agent.
The Atmos is an interesting idea of GPS that can control the car. I swear that if it controls the car I am so not installing it. And the phrase “You have reached your final destination” goes down as seriously creepy.
So this one goes in the good pile even though the ending is a little contrived. But then it is a two parter so it did have to end on a cliffhanger even if it is artificial.
I wondered if the ATMOS deliberately directing someone to their doom was inspired by the actual case in Germany where a man drove of the road because he said his GPS “ordered” him to turn right.
A note for any “Young Ones” fans out there,
General Staal is played by Christopher Ryan aka Mike.
This was actually his second Who appearence, the first being in one of the Trial of a Time Lord stories
David
“Wack job?” Why as the Doctor once remarked himself: He’s the most dangerous man in the universe when he doesn’t know what he’s doing!
BTB, I don’t know. Frankly the Doctor’s earth companions are getting to a point where they’re too much alike for me. Although to be honest, Rose was pretty decent, and it was obvious to everyone including Mickey that she and the Doctor had the hots for each other.
Hmmm. Very enjoyable episode. Rattagan is a little too much of a cliche, but that is my only major complaint. Love the bit about the Spanish Flu as the explanation why the Grandfather was not at the wedding.
I was wondering if Rattagan was something more than just a name. It just kept poking me in the back of the head, thanks for the heads up!
As for the guy playing Rattagan…all i kept thinking was ‘gawd,he looks like Tennant the younger years” or “are they actually TRYING for Harold Chasen’?
And yep, Tennant’s hair needs its own agent…from what i’ve seen in other areas there are people who seem to be more into ‘ruffling’ than the man himself! Actually, i must be getting old cuz i just want to flip out my travelling fold up comb/brush;)
WHY do we have to wait two weeks to see the second half???
Possibly because the BBC airing is taking a break next week because of the Eurovision contest and they want to keep the same gap from BBC airing to American airing? Just a thought…
Two weeks until the Stephen Moffat episodes in the UK… 🙂
Hmmm. Nah, the reason for the one week vacation is due to the Memorial Day three day weekend. They are also bumping Battlestar Galactica for a week. Ratings are usually down for shows that air over a three day weekend.
hmm…maybe they’ll be doing days of ‘marathons’…i could easily do a Who marathon one of those days;) I’m in a sort of different area for a few weeks and will have weekends off so i hope to enjoy at least a few of them:)
Maybe a Sarah Jane marathon since its so family oriented…and i don’t think they have reaired any of those episodes, have they?
“You have reached your final destination” goes down as seriously creepy.
Particularly if you are familiar with the Final Destination movies…