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Series 4 Episode 4: “The Sontaran Stratagem” (Part 1 of 2)Broadcast on BBC1, Saturday April 26th, 2008 As premiered ondanowen.blogspot.com
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 Dalekstwo-parter (good ideas, weak execution) writer Helen Raynor tries her luckagain in another epic two-part story; this one contemporised and involvinglesser-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 peopleor innocuous items into deadly weapons and enemies, and that’s exactly whatThe Sontaran Stratagem counts on with its ATMOS device. These “AtmosphericOmissions Systems” are now attached to the world’s 800 million vehicles, buttheir environmentally-friendly appearance (and helpful in-built sat-navs) areactually miniature Trojan Horses for a devastating alien attack…
The Doctor (David Tennant) has to cut short a TARDIS-driving lesson withDonna (Catherine Tate), after receiving a phone call from former-companionMartha Jones (Freema Agyeman), who’s now a qualified doctor, engaged toTom 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 ofthe ATMOS devices, after 52 people simultaneously died worldwide from some kindof 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 sobadly fudged after a great introduction last year), although her interim appearanceson Torchwood means her reappearance isn’t as exciting as it could have been.
- 2. The prospect of seeing two companions together is interesting to seeplay out, but the script is quick to shoot down any antagonism between Donna andMartha. I suppose that’s fair, as both women are adults, Donna’s yet tostamp 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 thinkthe writers shied away from having two companions bickering (thus fuellinganti-Donna sentiment from Martha fans), which is fair enough.
- 3. The return of a popular Who villain like the Sontarans is bound toget old-school fans salivating at how modern techniques can breathe life intothese potato-headed, cloned super-soldiers… who were always hamstrung bylow-budget effects in the ’70s/’80s.
After a muted performance last week, The Doctor is back on top form as he’s broughtup 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 asclichéd as usual although it does once again involve a secret room.
Inside, two UNIT soldiers find a faceless, naked human submerged in a tub ofgreen, stinking goo. Curious.
Martha imparts some advice to Donna about ensuring her family know about heradventures, so Donna decides to head home to catch up with her family. WithMartha engaged with UNIT-related matters elsewhere, The Doctor actuallyspends a large chunk of the episode with a new “companion”, in the shape ofUNIT grunt Ross (Christian Cooke). Together, they investigate RattiganAcademy, the abode of young genius Luke Rattigan (Ryan Sampson), theteenage creator of ATMOS who’s in cahoots with the orbiting Sontarans, led byGeneral Staal (Christopher Ryan).
The performances are all very good here. As I mentioned, David Tennant isreally back on form after a slight dip last week, as Helen Raynor’s scriptgives him more opportunities for inventive wordplay, jokes, and fuel forthe impish glee Tennant excels at. Without a decent script, Tennant alwaysbrings enthusiasm and playfulness to things, but he’s at his best when thestrength of the dialogue matches his performance.
A scene where he mistakenly thinks Donna has decided to leave him for good, aftersuch a short time, before it dawns on him she just nipping home for a fewhours, was beautifully done. And only Tennant could get away with puns like“intruder-window” after teleporting aboard the Sontaran ship, which wouldonly 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 thatinstrumental to the Sontaran-focused plot. Her trip back home to Chiswick, tosee her Gramps (Bernard Cribbins) and mother Sylvia (Jacqueline King),wasn’t particularly interesting, although it was amusing when Donna realised herGramps has already met The Doctor (during Voyage Of The Damned) andher 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 anadded bonus, it’s the loss of wearisome introductions between the Time Lord andhis companion’s extended family.
Freema Agyeman can be slightly limp and occasionally wooden (was that really thebest line deliver of “Doctor, I’m bringing you home” the director couldchoose from?), but she has a strange habit of getting better as you watch. Ithelps that the adjustment of her character (all done off-screen, but seen inTorchwood this year) has certainly helped, but I don’t think Martha willreturn to the TARDIS as a regular ever again not if she’s found her place inlife and has a fiancé now.
Martha’s more proactive and in-charge than we’ve seen her before here, and itworks well even when she’s captured and reverts to being a damsel in distressagain. But as a result, Freema’s fans get to see a naked clone-Martha covered inslime — 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 themake-up for all the Sontarans finally do justice to the idea (which ’70s/’80smake-up couldn’t achieve.)
They’ve always been the silliest-looking Who aliens (with their bullet-shapedheads), but the revamp here works extremely well. And it’s nice to have an iconicvillain 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 entertainingmoments and lots of Who mythology for older fans to savour. It worked brilliantlyas a set-up for next week’s The Poison Sky, although plot specifics wereslightly too routine and clichéd to fire my imagination. A brilliant Tennant,likeable Agyeman, the presence of UNIT and the wonderful Sontarans ensure there’snever a dull moment, but I’m hoping The Poison Sky gets Donna moreactively 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 episodesfor any new Who season, suggesting the production has found its groove…
Join in the discussion about this episode atDan’s Media Digest
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.