Those Damned Drums …

Doctor Who – The Sound of Drums

[USUAL SPOILER WARNING]

An interesting episode – tying up all the threads from this year to build to a great finale.

I thought that the method of the Doctor, Martha and Jack escaping the future and getting back to present day earth was a bit obvious (Jack had talked a bit too much about this transporting watch, and the sonic screwdriver does seem to be able to fix anything!)

The character of the Master was played just right – not too obviously evil, but not too panto villain either, somewhere in between.

There were a few bits I really loved – the Master saying “I am the Master” (although I had hoped for the “and you will obey me” bit to follow). And the bit where the Master asked his wife if she would like a jellybaby – from a paper bag! The use of the Torchwood music when Jack spoke about Torchwood. UNIT being mentioned. And the American president taking over the alien contact made me laugh.

But what I really loved was the filling in of all the stuff about Gallifrey – ever since it was first mentioned in the Christmas episode it seems to have been building to this. There was all the stuff about the academy and looking in to the eye of the vortex, and the Time Lords even had their funny old robes – it was a really good catch up for all the fan who’ve just discovered the Doctor through the new series (and a reminder for all us oldies).

And I loved the exchange between the Doctor and Martha when he was explaining who the Master was – Martha said “I thought you were going to say he was your brother or something”, to which the Doctor replied “you’ve been watching too much television”. I think this was a bit of a dig at the age old debate as to the relationship between the Doctor and the Master which has been dragging on since the Pertwee days. I’m glad its been buried – in the right way!