Dan Owen reviews
Series 4 Episode 4: "The Sontaran Stratagem" (Part 1 of 2)
Broadcast on BBC1, Saturday April 26th, 2008
Series 4 Boxset:
Series 4 Part 1:
Series 3 Boxset:
Director:
(TV: The Sontaran Stratagem, The Poison Sky)
Screenplay:
(TV: Daleks in Manhattan, Evolution of the Daleks, The Sontaran Stratagem, The Poison Sky)
Cast:
The Doctor: David Tennant
Donna Noble: Catherine Tate
Martha Jones: Freema Agyeman
General Staal: Christopher Ryan
Colonel Mace: Rupert Holiday Evans
Commander Skorr: Dan Starkey
Wilfred Mott: Bernard Cribbins
Sylvia Noble: Jacqueline King
Jo Nakashima: Elenor Matsuura
Luke Rattigan: Ryan Sampson
Ross Jenkins: Christian Cooke
Prvt. Harris: Clive Standen
Prvt. Gray: Wesley Theobald
Worker: Rad Kaim
ATMOS Voice: Elizabeth Ryder
Synopsis:
The Doctor is urgently called back to Earth by Martha Jones, as the warmongering Sontarans prepare to attack the planet...
"Is that what you did to her; turn her into a soldier?"
-- Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) to the Doctor, on Martha
After last year's disappointing Daleks In Manhattan/Evolution Of The Daleks
two-parter (good ideas, weak execution) writer Helen Raynor tries her luck
again in another epic two-part story; this one contemporised and involving
lesser-known classic Who villains The Sontarans, first seen in 1973's The Time Warrior...
Doctor Who has a long history of finding ways to turn innocent-looking people
or innocuous items into deadly weapons and enemies, and that's exactly what
The Sontaran Stratagem counts on with its ATMOS device. These "Atmospheric
Omissions Systems" are now attached to the world's 800 million vehicles, but
their environmentally-friendly appearance (and helpful in-built sat-navs) are
actually miniature Trojan Horses for a devastating alien attack...
The Doctor (David Tennant) has to cut short a TARDIS-driving lesson with
Donna (Catherine Tate), after receiving a phone call from former-companion
Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman), who's now a qualified doctor, engaged to
Tom Millington (the handsome soldier seen in Last Of The Time Lords)
and working for UNIT.
She's calling because she needs The Doctor's help in identifying the origin of
the ATMOS devices, after 52 people simultaneously died worldwide from some kind
of poisoning whilst driving ATMOS-equipped vehicles.
The Sontaran Stratagem works on a number of levels for fans of the show:
- 1. It's obviously great to see Martha Jones back (her character so
badly fudged after a great introduction last year), although her interim appearances
on Torchwood means her reappearance isn't as exciting as it could have been.
- 2. The prospect of seeing two companions together is interesting to see
play out, but the script is quick to shoot down any antagonism between Donna and
Martha. I suppose that's fair, as both women are adults, Donna's yet to
stamp her authority as a companion, and Martha's moved on from The Doctor --
but it still seemed like a missed opportunity in some ways. I actually think
the writers shied away from having two companions bickering (thus fuelling
anti-Donna sentiment from Martha fans), which is fair enough.
- 3. The return of a popular Who villain like the Sontarans is bound to
get old-school fans salivating at how modern techniques can breathe life into
these potato-headed, cloned super-soldiers... who were always hamstrung by
low-budget effects in the '70s/'80s.
After a muted performance last week, The Doctor is back on top form as he's brought
up to speed on events from Martha and UNITs Colonel Mace (Rupert Holliday-Evans),
who has just led an assault on an ATMOS manufacturing plant looking for answers.
Yes, there's a sinister underbelly to the ATMOS factory, but it's not quite as
clichéd as usual – although it does once again involve a secret room.
Inside, two UNIT soldiers find a faceless, naked human submerged in a tub of
green, stinking goo. Curious.
Martha imparts some advice to Donna about ensuring her family know about her
adventures, so Donna decides to head home to catch up with her family. With
Martha engaged with UNIT-related matters elsewhere, The Doctor actually
spends a large chunk of the episode with a new "companion", in the shape of
UNIT grunt Ross (Christian Cooke). Together, they investigate Rattigan
Academy, the abode of young genius Luke Rattigan (Ryan Sampson), the
teenage creator of ATMOS who's in cahoots with the orbiting Sontarans, led by
General Staal (Christopher Ryan).
The performances are all very good here. As I mentioned, David Tennant is
really back on form after a slight dip last week, as Helen Raynor's script
gives him more opportunities for inventive wordplay, jokes, and fuel for
the impish glee Tennant excels at. Without a decent script, Tennant always
brings enthusiasm and playfulness to things, but he's at his best when the
strength of the dialogue matches his performance.
A scene where he mistakenly thinks Donna has decided to leave him for good, after
such a short time, before it dawns on him she just nipping home for a few
hours, was beautifully done. And only Tennant could get away with puns like
"intruder-window" after teleporting aboard the Sontaran ship, which would
only cause eye rolls in lesser hands, but got a big smile from me.
Catherine Tate is pushed into the background rather a lot, as she's not that
instrumental to the Sontaran-focused plot. Her trip back home to Chiswick, to
see her Gramps (Bernard Cribbins) and mother Sylvia (Jacqueline King),
wasn't particularly interesting, although it was amusing when Donna realised her
Gramps has already met The Doctor (during Voyage Of The Damned) and
her mother remembers him from her wedding reception (in The Runaway Bride).
If there's one thing Donna's elevation to companion status has achieved as an
added bonus, it's the loss of wearisome introductions between the Time Lord and
his companion's extended family.
Freema Agyeman can be slightly limp and occasionally wooden (was that really the
best line deliver of "Doctor, I'm bringing you home" the director could
choose from?), but she has a strange habit of getting better as you watch. It
helps that the adjustment of her character (all done off-screen, but seen in
Torchwood this year) has certainly helped, but I don't think Martha will
return to the TARDIS as a regular ever again – not if she's found her place in
life and has a fiancé now.
Martha's more proactive and in-charge than we've seen her before here, and it
works well – even when she's captured and reverts to being a damsel in distress
again. But as a result, Freema's fans get to see a naked clone-Martha covered in
slime -- so I doubt there'll be any complaints!
Guest star Christopher Ryan (The Young Ones) is excellent as General Staal –
with his voice particularly perfect as a dictatorial "little man", while the
make-up for all the Sontarans finally do justice to the idea (which '70s/'80s
make-up couldn't achieve.)
They've always been the silliest-looking Who aliens (with their bullet-shaped
heads), but the revamp here works extremely well. And it's nice to have an iconic
villain that The Doctor can properly act opposite – as the Daleks and Cybermen
(while both great for other reasons) are faceless automatons.
Overall, The Sontaran Stratagem is a strong episode, packed with entertaining
moments and lots of Who mythology for older fans to savour. It worked brilliantly
as a set-up for next week's The Poison Sky, although plot specifics were
slightly too routine and clichéd to fire my imagination. A brilliant Tennant,
likeable Agyeman, the presence of UNIT and the wonderful Sontarans ensure there's
never a dull moment, but I'm hoping The Poison Sky gets Donna more
actively involved and manages to explain Stratagem's less successful elements;
like Rattigan's role, the cloning pool, and the Sontarans' ultimate aim...
Whatever next week brings, this is definitely the best opening run of episodes
for any new Who season, suggesting the production has found its groove...
Join in the discussion about this episode at
Dan's Media Digest
Review copyright © Dan Owen, 2008.
E-mail Dan Owen
The following is a list of all the Doctor Who content reviewed to date :
2008 Series 30, Episode 13 - "Journey's End", by Dan Owen
2008 Series 30, Episode 12 - "The Stolen Earth", by Dan Owen
2008 Series 30, Episode 11 - "Turn Left", by Dan Owen
2008 Series 30, Episode 10 - "Midnight", by Dan Owen
2008 Series 30, Episode 8 - "Silence in the Library" (part 1 of 2), by Dan Owen
2008 Series 30, Episode 7 - "The Unicorn and The Wasp", by Dan Owen
2008 Series 30, Episode 6 - "The Doctor's Daughter", by Dan Owen
2008 Series 30, Episode 5 - "The Poison Sky" (Part 2 of 2), by Dan Owen
2008 Series 30, Episode 4 - "The Sontaran Stratagem" (Part 1 of 2), by Dan Owen
2008 Series 30, Episode 3 - "Planet of the Ood", by Dan Owen
2008 Series 30, Episode 2 - "The Fires of Pompeii", by Dan Owen
2008 Series 30, Episode 1 - "Partners In Crime", by Dan Owen
2006 Series 28, Episode 1 - "New Earth", by Dan Owen
2006 Series 28, Episode 2 - "Tooth & Claw", by Dan Owen
2006 Series 28, Episode 3 - "School Reunion", by Dan Owen
2006 Series 28, Episode 4 - "The Girl in the Fireplace", by Dan Owen
2006 Series 28, Episode 5 - "Rise of the Cyberman", by Dan Owen
2006 Series 28, Episode 6 - "The Age of Steel", by Dan Owen
2006 Series 28, Episode 7 - "The Idiot's Lantern", by Dan Owen
2006 Series 28, Episode 8 - "The Impossible Planet", by Dan Owen
2006 Series 28, Episode 9 - "The Satan Pit", by Dan Owen
2006 Series 28, Episode 10 - "Love and Monsters", by Dan Owen
2006 Series 28, Episode 11 - "Fear Her", by Dan Owen
2006 Series 28, Episode 12 - "Army of Ghosts" (Part 1 of 2), by Dan Owen
2006 Series 28, Episode 13 - "Doomsday" (Part 2 of 2), by Dan Owen
2005 Series 27, Episode 1 - "Rose", by Dan Owen
2005 Series 27, Episode 2 - "The End of the World", by Dan Owen
2005 Series 27, Episode 3 - "The Unquiet Dead", by Dan Owen
2005 Series 27, Episode 4 - "Aliens of London", by Dan Owen
2005 Series 27, Episode 5 - "World War Three", by Dan Owen
2005 Series 27, Episode 6 - "Dalek", by Dan Owen
2005 Series 27, Episode 7 - "The Long Game", by Dan Owen
2005 Series 27, Episode 8 - "Father's Day", by Dan Owen
2005 Series 27, Episode 9 - "The Empty Child", by Dan Owen
2005 Series 27, Episode 10 - "The Doctor Dances", by Dan Owen
2005 Series 27, Episode 11 - "Boom Town", by Dan Owen
2005 Series 27, Episode 12 - "Bad Wolf", by Dan Owen
2005 Series 27, Episode 13 - "The Parting of The Ways", by Dan Owen
2005 Series 27, Episode 1 - "Rose", by Dom Robinson
2005 Series 27, Episode 1 - "Rose", by Paul Manners
And the Audio CDs :
2000 04: The Land of the Dead
2000 06: The Marian Conspiracy
2000 10: Winter for the Adept
2000 12: The Fires of Vulcan
2000 14: The Holy Terror
2000 15: The Mutant Phase
2001 16: Storm Warning
2001 18: The Stones of Venice
2002 28: The Chimes of Midnight
2002 30: Seasons of Fear
2002 31: Embrace the Darkness
2002 35: ...Ish
2002 39: ...Bang-Bang-A-Boom!
2003 Doctor Who Audio CDs: An introduction
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DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV
connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and
played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier.
PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
Since Nov 2005: Intel Pentium D 830 3.0Ghz, 1Gb RAM, 128Mb nVidia GeForce 6700XL, Windows XP
Since Aug 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.66Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb GeForce4 MX440 graphics, Windows XP
Since May 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.6Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb ATI Radeon 9600TX graphics, Windows XP
Since Jun 2002: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, 64Mb ATI Radeon 8500LE
Since May 2000: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, Voodoo 3 3000 AGP
