The Sound of Drums

Watching this episode is like someone giving you all your favourite food . Salmon , steak , pasta , , curry , blancmange and apple crumble all on the same plate . Seeing as the chef is Russell T Davies he'll also give you everything you don't like such as rabbit , marmite and appropriately tripe on the same plate as your faves .

The Sound Of Drums gets off to a bad start with a quite terrible resolution to the previous week's cliffhanger . What is with episodes dovetailing in to one another ? The writers can't seem to make an effort at all with The Doctor Dances and Age of Steel both suffering from ridiculous resolutions and this episode is no different . The story continues with aspects that left me thinking I was watching a children's programme . We see a bunch of red sticks with the word " Dynamite " written on them which is kind of like seeing a cannonball with a burning fuse , and we're treated ( RTD's words not mine ) to umpteen ridiculous examples plot contrivance like " perception filters " , what a load of nonsense

There are good aspects too such as John Simms take on a Tony Blair type of character and the use of The Rogue Traders rave track Voodoo Child which shows Nu-Who in a radical light . Imagine away back in 1973 we had Roger Delgado's Master as a prime minister who was in to sailing and conducting orchestras battling against Jon Pertwee against a Slade soundtrack . You'd never be able to conceive that would you ? All this helps The Sound Of Drums but it's far from being a classic episode

Lke Jack Nicholson/Heath Ledger in Batman, John Simm totally was the star. He made David Tennant look like Colin Baker in the Dr Who stakes. Every bit of screen time he had, was classic. It's always more fun to play baddies and he needs to come back to this show ASAP. The Master has always been the No1 Dr Who baddie- period. However compared to John Simms, The previous actors come off as Dick Darstidly gone wrong! I have worn out my VHS seeing his scenes. Don't forget the Scissor Sisters Scenes- very funny and when regenerates- pure quality. Even when he dies, he refuses defeat. Please resurrect his character, as you need a flamboyant pyschopath with a taste for camp retro themed disco music on Saturday Evening TV!!!!!!!!!!

First of all I'll say whoopey doo, a finale that doesn't feature the daleks, this tried to do something very different. The tenuous link from Utopia to Cardiff begins, and we learn of Saxon's rise into Blair-esque Prime Minister and the reveal of his plan to end the world. All seems lost, and all eyes are on Martha to save the world.

John Simm's performance is boundless, his energy and pizazz are phenomenal. He brings the script to life, and even at this early stage I want more of him. He steals the show.

The tapping and drumming asks a lot of questions, it's cleverly realised, the concept of the phone network is a good one too.

The brief appearance of Nicola McAuliffe was fun, and I can't answer why but I'm really drawn to Lucy Saxon.

I like that we get an insight into the Doctor's youth, finally we see some of Gallifrey, we see Time Lords, and we get to see a young Master, at last!!

I kept wondering about Utopia, were the humans left to be destroyed by the Future kind, and the resolution is a nasty one. Not too sure about the Toclafane though.

Martha's family story continues and starts to be revealed, they are still annoying and i'm still missing Jackie, but at least they're given more then just bickering.

Finally the question i'd asked about Torchwood's link from Who and from the show is answered.

It's very good, pieces of the jigsaw from the series are coming together, a few little flaws stop it from being brilliant, the Toclafane, little irritations with the script, but it's big and bold, the use of The Rogue Traders Voodoo Child is so fitting, it fits John Simm's Master so well.

8/10

The story is continuous, no slow build up, there is always something happening. Really enjoyed the music that was use throughout the entire episode, then here come the drums later was also use brilliantly. Was good to hear the Cloister Bell being used, a a trip down memory lane to the Doctor Who of old (might have been a good idea to explain it again for the younger viewers who never saw original classic Who but i suppose their plates were already full). Finally of course we have The Masters final words at the end of the episode, icing on the cake

The Sound of Drums isn't a bad episode of Doctor Who, but it's just really disappointing after Utopia, which is arguably one of the best episodes the show has put out so far. The direction isn't very good, the visual effects are not good at all, (and that's saying a lot for RTD era Doctor Who) and the performances are way too hammy for my taste. It's a noticeable step down in quality when compared to the Human Nature two parter, Blink, and Utopia, which have all been consistently great episodes. 6 out of 10