Doctor Who 2007: The Sound of Drums

[The Grumpy Celt]

What's the line from Logopolis?

"..., please attend carefully."

Oh, and remember, Trial of a Time Lord took place on Gallafrey (after the Five Doctors).

I think that was supposed to be in a space station.

 

[Plane Sailing]

No no, I just thought we were making light banter. Perhaps "condescension" was too harsh a word. Teasing a bit. I guess I should apologize if it was taken any other way.

I didn't realise that it was supposed to be teasing banter, sorry if I seemed harsh.

All friends again now, eh?

 

[sniffles]

And for me, that was most of "The Sound of Drums". It was one huge act of fan service. And I loved it.

- UNIT returns...with a helicarrier. A HELICARRIER, PEOPLE!
- Jelly Babies!
- The Master quoting himself from Logopolis.
- The Master's history
- Visions of Gallifrey (the first time since the Five Doctors)
- The first on-camera black Time Lord
- Both sets of Time Lord outfits (from The War Games and The Deadly Assassin)
- about a kajillion references to previous episodes in the new series

This is, to me, Dr. Who at it's finest. I can't wait to see how Martha Jones saves the Doctor, who in turn saves the day. For that matter, will we see Torchwood? Oh, and Martha's dad sticks it to Da Man.

It all changes, all right. You know what I really like? That the show hasn't pretended that everyone's ignored every single alien invasion and collection of weirdness. Continuity builds and they can't keep pretending that nothings happened. I mean, you've killed the President of the United States and if things proceed as they started, 10% of mankind.

You said everything I've been thinking.

I'm just loving it that while trying to please the old guard fans they're introducing new things. They're not trying to sway the show to one audience or the other. For me that's a good thing. It's enabled my fiancee and I to get several friends of ours hooked on the show who had no interest in the original series because it was too cheesy and campy. They can enjoy the new series with us even though they don't know all the history, and we can enjoy all the historical references the writers manage to slip in.

 

[WizarDru]

Well, you certainly have a point there. Several, in fact.

What's the line from Logopolis?

Oh, and remember, Trial of a Time Lord took place on Gallafrey (after the Five Doctors).

In Logopolis, the Master broadcasts "People of the Universe, please attend carefully..." This episode features him saying the same thing, merely replacing 'Universe' with 'Earth'.

And Trial of a Time Lord took place OFF of Gallifrey, on a space station at an unknown location. In fact, at one point they receive news of an insurrection on Gallifrey, making it clear that wherever they are, it's not the homeworld of the Time Lords. It may be orbiting Gallifrey, but we never actually see it on camera.

 

[Felon]

And Trial of a Time Lord took place OFF of Gallifrey, on a space station at an unknown location. In fact, at one point they receive news of an insurrection on Gallifrey, making it clear that wherever they are, it's not the homeworld of the Time Lords. It may be orbiting Gallifrey, but we never actually see it on camera.

Didn't catch the space-station part mentioned, though I suppose ultimately that if it all takes place in a courtroom, it's not much of a view of Gallafrey.

 

[lrsach01]

I honestly found his combination of camp and menace quite effective. I was rivetted watching the first two parts of the series finale.

I agree. I love the old episodes with the Master, but I love the change. I was actually a bit scared that Sound of Drums would have Saxon with a mustache and all emo about everything. This new Master is a lot like the Doctor, just a lot more scarey.

 

[WizarDru]

Didn't catch the space-station part mentioned, though I suppose ultimately that if it all takes place in a courtroom, it's not much of a view of Gallafrey.

In point of fact, the special effects shots of the TARDIS being pulled into the space station was one of the most expensive effect shots done for the old series, due to the creation of the space station model and the precision camera that was used, especially remembering that this was a BBC TV show in 1986.

And from the looks of it, they're not even near Gallifrey, but somewhere deep in space.

See for yourself. WARNING: Latter part of video is Spoiler-rific. Don't watch the whole thing if you haven't seen it and plan to.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I agree. I love the old episodes with the Master, but I love the change. I was actually a bit scared that Sound of Drums would have Saxon with a mustache and all emo about everything. This new Master is a lot like the Doctor, just a lot more scarey.

I was wondering if he is really more scary than the Doctor, because the doctor can be quite scary, too - think of the Familiy of Blood. But then, the Doctor was (and will always be) on "our" side. The Master is just as smart as the Doctor, but he isn't on our side...

 

[Felon]

I agree. I love the old episodes with the Master, but I love the change. I was actually a bit scared that Sound of Drums would have Saxon with a mustache and all emo about everything. This new Master is a lot like the Doctor, just a lot more scarey.

"emo'?

 

[WizarDru]

"emo'?

Yeah, you know...emo

Like Tickle Me Emo , for example.