4.4-5: The Sontaran Stratagem / The Poison Sky
Synopsis: Martha Jones calls the Doctor back to Earth as a UNIT operative, as she now works for the paramilitary outfit of Doctor Who's days of yore. They investigate a device that reduces vehicular emissions to zero, as UNIT suspects alien involvement. However, the brains behind the emissions system, ATMOS, is Luke Rattigan, a (human) teenaged genius who runs a school for other geniuses. Their research, the Doctor points out, could allow a human being to establish a home on another planet. It is revealed that Luke is in cahoots with the Doctor's old enemy, the Sontarans, who have coaxed him into selling/installing the ATMOS devices to four hundred million cars on Earth, in exchange for transporting him, and his students, to another planet, to form a new life.
Inside the ATMOS factory, Martha is taken prisoner by Sontaran drones and subdued, and a clone is made. Martha herself is kept alive, in order to keep the link open, giving the clone access to her memories and knowledge.
Eventually, all of the ATMOS devices on Earth detonate at once, emitting a poisonous gas that begins, literally, to choke the planet. UNIT goes into overdrive and attempts to nuke the Sontarans, but the Martha-clone sabotages their launch, repeatedly. They enter the ATMOS factory and awaken the real Martha, which causes the clone to die, but not before she reveals the secret of what is in the toxins: clone feed. The Sontarans are planning to build an army of billions by using the gas to kill all humans, and feed the new Sontarans.
At the Rattigan Academy, the Doctor finds an air-adapting apparatus, designed to burn away alien atmospheres and recalibrate for human breathing. He uses it to dissipate the Sontarans' gas. Next, he uses the same machine, and teleports into the Sontaran ship, threatening to do the same to them (igniting their air, killing all of them) if they don't leave the Earth alone. At the last moment, Rattigan rigs the teleport to switch places with the Doctor. He ignites the air, saving the Doctor, but killing himself, and the enemy threat.
Golden Comic Moment: It's a story whose overall feel is, one might say, of grandiose absurdity. There are big, flashing sci-fi clichés (actors-in-alien-makeup, laser guns, an irrational, militant foe, who speaks in stilted, overly-formal phrases, cloning, insider drones, teleports, an alien control room that looks like a 1980's arcade), however, fortunately, it doesn't take itself very seriously. Also, it's really well-written! Almost every minute is entertaining to watch, and contains some gem of dialogue that makes the characters (even the bad guys) shine.
It was super hard to pick a Golden Comic Moment, because, quite apart from the fact that the Sontarans are just inherently funny, it's just kind of a funny story! Yes, in spite of the fact that the Earth almost chokes to death. We wanted to mention far too many funny moments, like when Martha mentions, "We needed an expert," and the Doctor momentarily wonders who they got (false modesty or not). Like Wilfred Mott's general fascination with aliens (very cute). Like Martha running around in the Doctor's coat (which practically swallows her whole).
But this, my friends, is the real Golden Comic Moment:
Luke: (Aiming a gun at the Doctor) Don't tell anyone what I did! It wasn't my fault - the Sontarans lied
to me, they...
Doctor: (Walks toward Luke, takes the gun without even looking at him, tosses it aside.) If I see one
more gun...
I should mention, it was quite tempting to name the "If I see one more gun" line as the Golden Moment itself because it's so cool, so calm, so VERY Tenth Doctor, and very symbolic of how he has felt about the whole debacle from the start. He is reluctant to work with UNIT because they point their guns at people. The Sontarans are a general pain in the ass because they so love war and fighting and death and violence... sigh. He repeatedly warns the UNIT officers not to fight Sontarans, he allows the Martha-clone to continue ambling about because she stops the humans from nuking the Sontarans. At this stage, he just wants to be left alone, no more shooting, no more fighting... the line is brilliantly delivered, the bravado is perfect, Rattigan's reaction is highly appropriate and who are we kidding? The Doctor is just plain hot doing this. (Sorry).
Golden Fangirl Moment:
Cringeworthy Moment:
Golden Moment:
Why I Beg To Differ:
Inside the ATMOS factory, Martha is taken prisoner by Sontaran drones and subdued, and a clone is made. Martha herself is kept alive, in order to keep the link open, giving the clone access to her memories and knowledge.
Eventually, all of the ATMOS devices on Earth detonate at once, emitting a poisonous gas that begins, literally, to choke the planet. UNIT goes into overdrive and attempts to nuke the Sontarans, but the Martha-clone sabotages their launch, repeatedly. They enter the ATMOS factory and awaken the real Martha, which causes the clone to die, but not before she reveals the secret of what is in the toxins: clone feed. The Sontarans are planning to build an army of billions by using the gas to kill all humans, and feed the new Sontarans.
At the Rattigan Academy, the Doctor finds an air-adapting apparatus, designed to burn away alien atmospheres and recalibrate for human breathing. He uses it to dissipate the Sontarans' gas. Next, he uses the same machine, and teleports into the Sontaran ship, threatening to do the same to them (igniting their air, killing all of them) if they don't leave the Earth alone. At the last moment, Rattigan rigs the teleport to switch places with the Doctor. He ignites the air, saving the Doctor, but killing himself, and the enemy threat.
Golden Comic Moment: It's a story whose overall feel is, one might say, of grandiose absurdity. There are big, flashing sci-fi clichés (actors-in-alien-makeup, laser guns, an irrational, militant foe, who speaks in stilted, overly-formal phrases, cloning, insider drones, teleports, an alien control room that looks like a 1980's arcade), however, fortunately, it doesn't take itself very seriously. Also, it's really well-written! Almost every minute is entertaining to watch, and contains some gem of dialogue that makes the characters (even the bad guys) shine.
It was super hard to pick a Golden Comic Moment, because, quite apart from the fact that the Sontarans are just inherently funny, it's just kind of a funny story! Yes, in spite of the fact that the Earth almost chokes to death. We wanted to mention far too many funny moments, like when Martha mentions, "We needed an expert," and the Doctor momentarily wonders who they got (false modesty or not). Like Wilfred Mott's general fascination with aliens (very cute). Like Martha running around in the Doctor's coat (which practically swallows her whole).
But this, my friends, is the real Golden Comic Moment:
Luke: (Aiming a gun at the Doctor) Don't tell anyone what I did! It wasn't my fault - the Sontarans lied
to me, they...
Doctor: (Walks toward Luke, takes the gun without even looking at him, tosses it aside.) If I see one
more gun...
I should mention, it was quite tempting to name the "If I see one more gun" line as the Golden Moment itself because it's so cool, so calm, so VERY Tenth Doctor, and very symbolic of how he has felt about the whole debacle from the start. He is reluctant to work with UNIT because they point their guns at people. The Sontarans are a general pain in the ass because they so love war and fighting and death and violence... sigh. He repeatedly warns the UNIT officers not to fight Sontarans, he allows the Martha-clone to continue ambling about because she stops the humans from nuking the Sontarans. At this stage, he just wants to be left alone, no more shooting, no more fighting... the line is brilliantly delivered, the bravado is perfect, Rattigan's reaction is highly appropriate and who are we kidding? The Doctor is just plain hot doing this. (Sorry).
Golden Fangirl Moment:
Cringeworthy Moment:
Golden Moment:
Why I Beg To Differ: