"The Poison Sky"
Picking up from the cliffhanger, ATMOS systems would-wide are out of control and spewing forth the Sontaran poison gas. Donna's grandfather is rescued by Sylvia via an ax to the windshield. Back at UNIT, the clone of Martha has been busy helping the Sontarans with the gas attack. The Doctor asks Donna to head back to the TARDIS for refuge and she receives her very own key to the time machine. Unfortunately for Donna, the Martha clone has the TARDIS teleported onto the Sontaran spaceship with Donna inside! During a communication with General Staal, the Doctor secretly signals Donna about the TARDIS's phone. Luke Rattigan's students decide to abandon ship - apparently, they'd rather be with their families than starting a new civilization with Rattigan. Against the Doctor's wishes, UNIT orders a world-wide nuclear strike against the Sontaran vessel; however, again, the Martha clone secretly intervenes and shuts down the launch via her hacked PDA and repeats the process every time the nukes come back online. Sontaran troops arrive in the factory and massacre every UNIT troop in sight. Rattigan reports back about his failure to General Staal only to have the Sontaran reveal that they were only using Rattigan for the ATMOS implementation. Rattigan escapes via teleport at the last second. The Doctor finally uses his secret weapon, Donna, by asking her to re-activate the teleports on the Sontaran ship. On the ground, Colonel Mace comes up with a plan to strike back at the Sontarans in the factory: bullets that are not rendered inactive by the aliens and the flying carrier, Valiant's engines are used to clear away the gas in the area. With this new firepower, UNIT is able to take back control of the factory. The Doctor finds and recovers the real Martha, which ends up mortally wounding the clone. They discover that the ATMOS gas is not poison but rather food for future Sontaran clones. Donna enables the teleports just as two guards find her. The Doctor teleports her and the TARDIS back to Earth then all three port over to the Rattigan Academy. Using the devices at the Academy, the Doctor is able to ignite and burn up the gas that blankets the planet. He then teleports up with the equipment to the Sontaran vessel with the intention of offering them a choice: leave or be destroyed. Of course, this means it would be a one way trip for him if they refuse. Rattigan fiddles with the teleport and exchanges places with the Doctor, then he activates the device, destroying the spaceship and saving Earth. Later, Donna says her goodbyes to her family, actually, just her grandfather as her mother would be upset. When she gets back to the TARDIS, Martha is there, saying her goodbyes as well. Suddenily, the TARDIS activates itself to cries of the familiar, "What? What?" from the Doctor.
Commentary:
Hmmm. Meh. I dunno. Yuck. Why? Ha! OoooK. Hmmmm. Yep, I really don't have much to say about this episode (other than what I mumbled to myself while watching it). There were small little moments that were classic; but the some of the whole just didn't cut it. I don't want to really harp on this anymore as it will turn out to be a rant like the previous blog. I will say this though: the main storyline could had been more thought out. Nothing more to really say... moving on.
I am beginning to think that Donna does have a crush on the Doctor. Granted, she considers him a friend... a space alien friend, but I think when she gets emotional (like being saved via the teleport or when Rattigan switches places with the Doctor), her true feelings emerge. I think the Donna this entire season might end up being an alternative Martha/season three. She can't get close to him (or cannot admit to herself that she wants to). A perfect example of this is when after she hits the Doctor because he tried to sacrifice himself at the end, she holds his arm but at a distance. Martha on the other hand is squatting right next to him in the teleport pod. Is Donna pining but she just doesn't know it?
Anyone else surprised at how violent the episode gets once the UNIT troops start a counteroffensive on the factory? I personally do not mind; however, it is shocking (in this series) to see Sontarans mowed down or shot repeatedly on-screen (I think the Doctor's complaints about guns is a way for the producers of saying, 'See? We didn't really want to use those weapons in the episode). On the other hand, I really did like that one special effect shot of the Sontaran laser weapons traveling down the hallway, striking the UNIT troops (the scene during which Ross is killed). Also, the special effects of the world-wide fireball and the Sontaran ship exploding were top notch. Hmmm. Apparently, I like visual effect violence rather than (fake) but realistic depictions of violence. Tee hee!
Ha! Pakistan and North Korea are part of the worldwide UNIT/NATO alliance as they participate in the nuclear strike. Interesting...
I did say I wouldn't complain anymore but.... ugh! It continues! I cannot stand the cheesy music in this episode! Case in point: listen up when Rattigan pulls a gun on his students (this section is from the previous episode as well as repeats at least twice in this episode). Make it stop! Please!
OMIGOD MOMENTS: The hilarious reference by the Doctor to the episodes, "The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances';" they mention of the frakkin Brigadier (was half expecting him to pop up at the end of the episode); and of course... ROSE! The Doctor's third hand makes an appearance but my reaction was, "Oh, that's what became of it."
Nitpicking:
I must preface this by saying that I know this is a science fiction television program that has wonky science to begin with. That's fine and I accept that, after all, I don't want a science lesson from the show; however, this should never be an excuse for sloppy writing and storytelling. My nitpicking is over the poison gas cloud that blankets the Earth. The Sontarans did not want any missiles to be launched at them in space because there was the possibly of the missiles igniting the gas cloud. Well, could not any type of vehicle on the ground... no wait... those were converted to ATMOS... could not any aircraft engines (or a flying warship like the Valiant) cause the gas to ignite? What about someone smoking? A forest fire? If those are all too small, they what about a lightning storm? It's a pretty big planet, so there are multiple storms raging at any one time -some high up in the atmosphere Even forgetting that, would not a world-wide fireball (as depicted via the special effects) burn up all the oxygen in the atmosphere?
I admit they might be very debatable nitpicks. Some could even claim I was just looking to to nitpick since I disliked the episode. OK, I'll give those folks that much. But... I do not believe that anyone will be able to disagree with me on this final one: since the gas cloud was depicted throughout the entire episode as being at ground level, would not everyone on the ground be burned up as well? Examples: we see the streets covered with the cloud; the Noble family has gas all throughout the interior of their house, all of London was blanketed with the gas. How did all those people survive? Billions should had died since the entire world was covered in it, right? Even if you still do not agree with me, then I must ask you why igniting a similar atmosphere within the Sontaran space ship caused it to explode? I rest my case.
Quotes:
Doctor: "So tell me, General Staal, since when did you lot become cowards?"
General Staal: "Doctor, you impugn my honor."
Doctor: "I'm really glad you did not say 'belittle' then I'd have a field day."
General Staal: "The bravery of idiots is bravery none-the-less."
The Doctor: "Are you my mommy?"
Martha: "'Never do tomorrow what you can do today' my mom always says because..."
Martha clone: "...you never know how long you got."
Donna (happily): "Did I ever tell you how much I hate you?"
Doctor: "Here we go! The old team back together... well, the new team."
Wilfred Mott: "Now you go with him, that wonderful Doctor, you go and see the stars."
Until next time! Sontar-ha!
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