The Sound of Drums

With "The Sound of Drums", Russell T. Davies shows that despite a smörgåsbord of treats throughout the season, there's still a lot more surprises in his TARDIS-like bag.

A dark, tense and highly original episode, "The Sound of Drums" is so good it's difficult to know where to begin. Davies' teases fans with references to The Doctor's brother (a few seconds pause seemed like an eternity in this scene), jelly babies and so on, while giving long-term viewers the best Gallifrey treat they could ever wish for in this episode. The short, beautifully shot clip of The Master's back-history is informative and manages to honour the memories of anybody who has grown up with "The Deadly Assassin" and the various subsequent Time Lord tales. This is epic stuff - there's a legendary feel to "The Sound of Drums" and the show appears bigger in scale than a television programme, having an almost movie-like feel to the proceedings. After watching this series of "Doctor Who" other science fiction offerings are going to feel tired and drawn-out compared to this lean and mean, multi-faced beast. We have seen a diverse number of stories this year but the quality has remained constant throughout.

John Simm steals the show as the psychopathic Master. He has all the best lines and eats the part up like the world's most scrumptious meal. Simm is the very picture of a maniacal genius and it's hard to imagine anybody delivering a better performance in this role. His scenes with the cabinet and the President of the USA will be difficult to forget.

The Jones family are proving more entertaining and likable than the Tylers - Trevor Laird and Adjoa Andoh are excellent as Martha's parents and Gugu Mbatha-Raw is wonderful as younger sister, Tish.

The episode finishes on the ultimate cliffhanger. This is black as night "Doctor Who" and it's an absolute delight.

10 out of 10. Again, thank you Russel T. Davies and Phil Collinson for delivering such a treat to fans everywhere, young and old. This is more than anybody could have ever expected and as each season progresses, the creative envelope is pushed ever further. Genuinely jaw-dropping entertainment.

I have watched Doctor Who beginning in the 70's. I always loved the Master and was worried how they would bring him back. But, my apprehensions were put to rest with this episode. This Doctor Who series (all 3 of them) have been updated for a new audience. I had watched John Simm in "Life on Mars" and was a little tentative of his being cast as the Master. Stupid me - he is FANTASTIC! Finally a match for the Doctor of this series - witty, cocky ... and his opposite - totally lacking in sympathy & insane. Oh, and I got the pleasure of seeing the US President being disintegrated - just what the present incumbent, George Dubbya, deserves for what he has wrought on this earth. This is my favourite episode of the new incarnation of Doctor Who. Absolutely fabulous!!

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

Review: Episodes of The Sound of Drums and The Last of the Timelords

This follows on from the brilliant Utopia in which we had the great Derek Jacobi as the Master and he was truly magnificent. Thanks to Big Finish audio adventures we get to enjoy Jacobi more but it would have been amazing to get him on screen as the Master for a bit longer.

Simm, whilst very different and shockingly bonkers is suitably menacing, fun and impressive in the role and this two parter gives him plenty of chance to treat us to a mixture of zany humour and dark threatening drama.

Both these last two episodes are very funny in the comedic dialogue and very exciting in the dramatic plot development. The story is thrilling, interesting, dark and thoroughly enjoyable. As well as Simm's fine performance we get Tennant on superb peak form, Freema Agyeman again demonstrating what a great companion Martha is and John Barrowman enjoyable as ever as Captain Jack Harkness.

The threat to Earth in the first part is wonderfully well evoked and leads to a thrilling cliffhanger.

The Last of the Timelords is harshly judged by some for being over the top and for its resolution where bad events on Earth are conveniently wiped from ever happening. I think that is very exaggerated as a criticism.

Yes the events on Earth are undone which feels a bit convenient but the whole story features the Master using a Paradox Machine and the destruction of that logically means that events that took place after the paradox began cease to exist. It makes sense (unlike quite a few stories in Moffatt and Chibnall eras). I still feel all the horrifying events shown retain most of their strength and impact despite the fact they get wiped from ever happening.

They were never going to continue with a decimated Earth for all future stories so to have a story featuring a paradox machine allowing a logical reset was, I think, a clever way to deal with it. It is pretty well executed although the way the Doctor defeats the Master is slightly hyped up for my taste.

My main complaint in this story is the way they depict the Doctor being aged into a small withered figure with out of proportion head and eyes. I would happily do a George Lucas and superimpose a better version with modern graphics over the top of the original effects haha.

My Ratings: Utopia - 10/10 The Sound of Drums - 10/10 The Last of the Timelords - 8.5/10 Overall 3-part story - 9.5/10.