The Sound of Drums

"Oh, look! It's the freak & the girly, though I'm not sure which one's which." - Russell T Davies made John Simm's Master SO iconic & quotable.

To be quite honest, "The Sound of Drums" somehow feels like a trial run for Torchwood: Children of Earth; a political thriller with a dark sci-fi twist.

Not exactly subtle either but momentous fun all the same.

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.

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

Arriving back on Earth, the Doctor, Martha and Jack find the Masters alter ego a.k.a. Harold Saxon occupying the top seat in the British government where...

He starts with the cabinet slain, then a journo gets to feel the pain, gathers up Martha's family, builds on his popularity, then embarks on his wicked campaign.

Meanwhile the time travelling trio are pursued and hunted before perceptively making it onto the aircraft carrier Valiant after discovering the secrets of the Master's mind games.

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