Review: Doctor Who 4.4 - The Sontaran Stratagem

So, another week, another bout of Who :D

What did I think of the Sontaran Stratagem, I hear you ask

Well, i liked it. But then I do like most Dr Who episodes :)

Let's talk about it some more....

We got to see the return of Martha, which I thought was very well handled, especially since there was no risk of the "fighting companions" syndrome that we saw in School Reunion between Rose and Sarah-Jane, and I enjoyed the Doctor questioning Martha's morality regarding UNIT, while at the same time bringing up ethical questions about his own involvement with them.

Donna getting to go and see her family was good too, and the re-introduction of the Doctor to Wilf and Sylvia was brilliant, especially as everyone realised they had all met him before!!

The evil boy genius and his academy were good fun, and the Sontarans were silly AND threatening, which is what I always thought they should have been in old Who, although they usually came off as silly in that case!

But by far the most outstanding guest star for the episode was the dude who played Ross, the UNIT officer who is assigned to the Doctor. He had such a Benton-ish quality about him, and yet was so in tune with David Tennant's performance that I just felt he would be a great companion, or possibly just a great UNIT contact for the Doctor (alongside Martha of course, unless these Martha/Torchwood rumours turn out to be true)

But still, no Brigadier Cameo :(

Maybe in the next ep, but i doubt it.

What didn't I like about the episode? It was rather formulaic, which I know is an accusation that can be levelled at Dr Who old and new, but if I hold it up against Planet of the Ood last week, even though the base elements of that story are all staples of Dr Who, atmospherically it felt new, whereas this week felt like a bit of a retread of various new and old Who elements.

But, i liked it anyway

Here's to next week :D