The Poison Sky

No worse either, and yes for a guest star Bernard Cribbins is killing it in his role as Donna's Granddad, so that was good to see. Another problem is I see this episode as a way of putting Donna and Martha together to "compete" you know the same way they already did in season 2 with Sarah Jane Smith and Rose

The Unit force are now trapped at base where the Sontarens try and take them down, Ross was seriously injured and died instantly from one Sontaren Shot. The Doctor, Donna and Martha all help to try and save the world, and hopefully the Planet. Sontarens seem much less of a joke here, and more of a threat. Not that they weren't in the First part, but it seemed like set up, whereas Part II shows the Sontarens being there brutal selves and killing innocent Soldiers. They all go down in Battle, but the Sontarens are too strong for the humans, with there guns and the technology they have, the Doctor is the only one who can stop them. I like How Donna also goes up to the Ship. And the Ship does blow up, but it sets up the Sarah Jane Episode really well. And Siries 2 of the Sarah Jane Adventures was probably the best Written and Produced. Maybe I'll rank them next after all of siries 1-14's are done.

Sylvia comes to the rescue with an axe, but would the Doctor have been so dim??

Toxic gas is pouring out of the cars, and the (small) Sontarans are preparing for war. The Doctor accuses them of cowardliness and learns their ongoing war with the Rutans is going badly. Martha's double is proving a thorn in the side. The Sontarans invade the base (at last,) but UNIT retaliates. The Doctor discovers what the gas is and sets about putting it right.

The Sontaran ship is a fantastic design, I liked the Sontaran invasion, the music was good. I loved the brig mention too.

I wasn't overwhelmed with Part 1, but it did have a few small redeeming features, The Poison Sky doesn't have too many, the performances are great in general, but the script is dreadful.

Are we due an episode with the Rutans? would be good to have a re imagining of them.

I will forever remember 'back of the neck,' loved Donna clubbing the Sontaran.

Is it a total disaster? not quite, there are some nice bits, the battle scenes are well played out, some of the effects are great, I quite like the Sontarans, they are well realised, other then that it's lacking on so many levels, all really due to the bad script, the actors gave their best, but poor 4/10

The second part of the story is better. Watching it from a 2022 rewatch, it's actually amazing how much this episode predicted. A petulant man-child using "emissions" to pretend he cares about anything but his ego. And of course everyone having to seal themselves in their homes because it's deadly outside.

While it's not the best in season 4, it was fun to come back to earth to see Donna's family. The conversation around collateral damage is a good one to keep having, and it presents a good before and after between Martha and Donna. I think it's also a good contrast between the two, and shows how the shoe benefits without the sexual tension or crush. When the companion is simply a companion, the doctor is at his best.

As others have said, this second part is a bit better, but certainly this is not an example of the show at its best.