This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Series 4 Boxset:
Series 4 Part 1:
Series 3 Boxset:
Director:
Douglas Mackinnon
(TV: The Sontaran Stratagem, The Poison Sky)
Screenplay:
Helen Raynor
(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...
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Series 4 Boxset:
Synopsis:
The Doctor is urgently called back to Earth by Martha Jones, as the warmongering Sontarans prepare to attack the planet...
The Sontaran Stratagem works on a number of levels for fans of the show:
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.
