DW Rewatch - 3x11, Utopia
Feb. 27th, 2010 08:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
caz963The third season of Doctor Who has a three-part finale rather than the usual two-parter. Rusty has always tried to make each one even bigger than the last; we’ve had Daleks (S1), Daleks and Cybermen (S2)… so who better to bring back for the S3 finale than that other of the most memorable Who baddies, the Master? I remember both Roger Delgado and Anthony Ainley; that version of him tended to be rather urbane and restrained for a power-mad nutter. *g*
Utopia starts pulling together all the threads that have been planted throughout S3. The plot itself is nothing to write home about I suppose; the Doctor travels to the end of the Universe and helps save the human race by sending them to another planet - but as usual, it’s the smaller things within the bigger thing that really make it work. The way the relationship between Jack and the Doctor is initially strained, but soon gets back on track; the interaction between Professor Yana and the Doctor; the comedy "hand" moment; Martha and Chantho...
But before all that, the TARDIS needs a pitstop, so the Doctor and Martha head for Cardiff and the rift for refueling.
I think the Doctor may have seen one of those annoying blokes who wants to wash your windscreen at the traffic lights
Hang on a mo – don’t we know him?
Yep. But the Doctor isn’t keen on a reunion
Third class is really rough these days
The TARDIS isn’t pleased about the passenger, either. I’ve said before, I don’t regard it as TARDIS humping, I just love the way Ten’s so physical with it. Not to mention how bendy he is :-)
Wherever they’re heading, it looks like someone’s been let loose with the office markers and the staple gun
Their arrival has been noted. And, yes, I was all OMG, they got Derek Jacobi!! when I heard he was going to be in it. He’s one of those actors I seem to have loved forever in whatever I’ve seen him in (and that’s a crap sentence, but you know what I mean). This show really does get the cream of the crop!
Here we are then. No idea where, millions of years into the future. We’d better go home.
Like that was ever going to happen.
Okay. I get that Jack survives the journey because, well, he can’t die. I’m more interested in knowing how the hell he managed to hang on through all that!
You’d think the Doctor would be rather more pleased to see an old friend, and Martha is not a little peeved at his reaction to Jack’s apparent death. One of the high points of this episode for me, is the way the Doctor and Jack’s relationship works. Both initially very suspicious of each other, they end up working together just like old times, but it takes them a while to get there, and that’s the interesting bit. Also, DT and JB play off each other wonderfully and look like they’re having a whale of a time.
He scares the life out of Martha, and of course, before he’s even on his feet, starts to flirt with her.
Oh, don’t start.. Hee! Finally, a fella around the place who’s an even bigger flirt than Ten himself!
And now they square up to each other – the Doctor is still being very offhand
Have you had work done?
You can talk!
And now we get to the crux of the matter - You abandoned me.
Did I? Busy life. Moved on. Ten at his most – deliberately – insensitive.
Oh, excuse me. That is not time travel. It’s like I’ve got a sports car and you’ve got a space hopper.
(Nice how that comes back to haunt him in Planet of the Ood when Donna sees the impressive space ship and says You’ve got a box – he’s got a Ferrari!)
As the Doctor found out in School Reunion the only thing worse than a current companion and a previous one not getting on – is the when the two of them do get on!
But there’s that little nugget in there - Do you just get bored with us one day and disappear? Well, no he doesn’t, it’s usually a lot more complicated than that, and as we know, the companion generally leaves him
I like the sulky faces
You two! We’re at the end of the universe. All right? We’re at the edge of knowledge itself and you’re busy…blogging!
Finding the abandoned city.
I just like that picture
‘bout time there was a bit of running!
The show us your teeth bit always amuses me! Barrowman and Tennant must have two of the finest sets of gnashers this side of the galaxy :-)
The Doctor needs his blue box back.
Ten’s incredible enthusiasm for humanity shines forth again. End of the universe and here you are. Indomitable! That’s the word! Indomitable! Ha!
I know this bit is supposed to look run-down and tatty, but that shabby, retro feel extends to everything else as well. Again, with the dystopian vision of the future, which I confess I rather like (takes me back to Arthur Dent and his mattresses again). I suppose from a practical point of view it works well because it means it doesn’t immediately “date” the show. I mean, if it looks “dated” already, it won’t look… more dated in the future.
That made a lot more sense in my head.
Off to the lab, where the professor needs help with… a few things.
And Jack still isn’t allowed to say hello to anyone -
- without being told off
The Doctor is, amazingly for him, at rather a loss
Or is he? I mean, he seems to know exactly what to do about five minutes later!
The hand-in-the-jar scene.
What I want to know though is a) how did the hand end up in Cardiff and b) how the hell did Jack know whose it was?!
Also known as ‘an excuse for me to post pics of Ten in his Specs’.
You grew another hand?
Hello!
They’ve not heard of Time Lords round these parts. Blimey, the future’s humbling. I somehow think that’s not really going to bother him all that much
Oh, God the Hermit’s United thing… *sniggers*
The Doctor waffles on - but Yana is otherwise occupied with the sounds in his head
What happens if I do this? See? Didn’t take him long to figure it out :-)
I forgot to tell you. I’m brilliant.
Oh, Ten, you gloriously gorgeous, arrogant, adorable geek!
One of the times Ten doesn’t lick something to find out what it is. Probably just as well – he might have eaten an important circuit!
You’ve built this system out of food and string and staples. Professor Yana, you’re a genius.
Says the man who made it work.
That little conversation between the Doctor and Yana is an absolute gem – perfectly played by both of them.
Finally, someone who’s as clever as he is :-) (Should have given him a clue, really)
One of the pointy-teeth people has sabotaged the rocket!
Jack to the rescue! Even though he obviously failed his GCSE in electronics
Dead again
I like the way that each time Jack dies, the Doctor just stands there looking unimpressed while everyone else flaps around! I know it's because he knows what's going on but it amuses me, as does everyone's reaction to the Doctor being so blasé about it!
Was someone kissing me? Oh, Jack, you tart.
What could possibly be better than a really hot guy running along at full pelt with his long coat billowing out behind him?
Answer – two of them!
This leads to what is probably the best scene of the episode. As RTD puts it in the Confidential, the only time two blokes will open up to each other is when there’s an imminent nuclear disaster and a door between them. How right he is.
JACK: How long have you known?
THE DOCTOR: Since I ran away from you.
The TARDIS. Sports car of time travel
It's all proving a bit too much for the Professor to take in...
The way that snippets of the conversation between Jack and the Doctor are intercut with the professor’s growing awareness that not everything is as he thought it was is brilliantly done. For the Doctor, Martha and Jack, talk of time-travel and Daleks and Time Lords is just part of an every day conversation.
JACK:
In the end, I got the message, I’m the man who can never die. And all that time you knew.
THE DOCTOR:
That’s why I left you behind. It’s not easy even just…just looking at you Jack, ‘cause you’re wrong.
JACK:
Thanks.
THE DOCTOR:
You are, I can’t help it. I’m a Time Lord. It’s instinct. It’s in my guts. You’re a fixed point in time a space. You’re a fact. That’s never meant to happen. Even the TARDIS reacted against you—tried to shake you off. Flew all the way to the end of the universe just to get rid of you.
JACK:
So what you’re saying is that you’re, uh, prejudiced?
THE DOCTOR:
I never thought of it like that.
Even seen through a window and bathed in red light, David’s gorgeous.
Do you want to die?
JACK:
thought I did. I dunno. But this lot, you see them out here surviving and that’s fantastic.
THE DOCTOR:
You may be out there somewhere.
JACK:
I could go meet myself.
THE DOCTOR:
Well, 's the only man you’re ever gonna be happy with. BWAH!!
JACK:
This new regeneration, it’s kinda cheeky. Also true :-)
There ya go. Nice little chat while you're averting death and destruction. All friends again now :-)
Okay, so the clues have been flying thick amd fast for the last few minutes, but this one's the whopper! I love this moment.
The ship's ready to go
He’s got this watch. He’s got a fobwatch. It’s the same as yours. Same writing on it. Same…everything.
They died. They all died. The way his voice cracks when he says that always gets me.
He knows...
But still, he tries - don't open the watch!
Too late.
The bit where the Professor turns aroumd and announces who he really is is a)chilling and b)just amazing to watch. Derek Jacobi's performance here is incredible; his whole demeanour has changed, even his eyes are different (and I don't think anything was done to the film). And that has to be one of the scariest whisper-voices ever.
Despite everything he knows about the Master, the Doctor still tries to talk to him and tell him what's happened to their planet.
Okay, so this bit always annoys me – and it takes quite a lot to annoy me about Doctor Who.
The Master locks the TARDIS door… BY PUSHING DOWN THE LATCH! That’s the sort of thing you do at home when you lock up at night.
And so...
Master of the wonderfully bonkers!
Now who's nicked yer motor?
Even though they’re besieged by marauding Futurekind, Martha recognizes that voice. Wonder why?
Aaaaand, CLIFFHANGER! CREDITS!
Screencaps from Sonic Biro, The Medusa Cascade and Demon-Cry.net
Utopia starts pulling together all the threads that have been planted throughout S3. The plot itself is nothing to write home about I suppose; the Doctor travels to the end of the Universe and helps save the human race by sending them to another planet - but as usual, it’s the smaller things within the bigger thing that really make it work. The way the relationship between Jack and the Doctor is initially strained, but soon gets back on track; the interaction between Professor Yana and the Doctor; the comedy "hand" moment; Martha and Chantho...
But before all that, the TARDIS needs a pitstop, so the Doctor and Martha head for Cardiff and the rift for refueling.
I think the Doctor may have seen one of those annoying blokes who wants to wash your windscreen at the traffic lights
Hang on a mo – don’t we know him?
Yep. But the Doctor isn’t keen on a reunion
Third class is really rough these days
The TARDIS isn’t pleased about the passenger, either. I’ve said before, I don’t regard it as TARDIS humping, I just love the way Ten’s so physical with it. Not to mention how bendy he is :-)
Wherever they’re heading, it looks like someone’s been let loose with the office markers and the staple gun
Their arrival has been noted. And, yes, I was all OMG, they got Derek Jacobi!! when I heard he was going to be in it. He’s one of those actors I seem to have loved forever in whatever I’ve seen him in (and that’s a crap sentence, but you know what I mean). This show really does get the cream of the crop!
Here we are then. No idea where, millions of years into the future. We’d better go home.
Like that was ever going to happen.
Okay. I get that Jack survives the journey because, well, he can’t die. I’m more interested in knowing how the hell he managed to hang on through all that!
You’d think the Doctor would be rather more pleased to see an old friend, and Martha is not a little peeved at his reaction to Jack’s apparent death. One of the high points of this episode for me, is the way the Doctor and Jack’s relationship works. Both initially very suspicious of each other, they end up working together just like old times, but it takes them a while to get there, and that’s the interesting bit. Also, DT and JB play off each other wonderfully and look like they’re having a whale of a time.
He scares the life out of Martha, and of course, before he’s even on his feet, starts to flirt with her.
Oh, don’t start.. Hee! Finally, a fella around the place who’s an even bigger flirt than Ten himself!
And now they square up to each other – the Doctor is still being very offhand
Have you had work done?
You can talk!
And now we get to the crux of the matter - You abandoned me.
Did I? Busy life. Moved on. Ten at his most – deliberately – insensitive.
Oh, excuse me. That is not time travel. It’s like I’ve got a sports car and you’ve got a space hopper.
(Nice how that comes back to haunt him in Planet of the Ood when Donna sees the impressive space ship and says You’ve got a box – he’s got a Ferrari!)
As the Doctor found out in School Reunion the only thing worse than a current companion and a previous one not getting on – is the when the two of them do get on!
But there’s that little nugget in there - Do you just get bored with us one day and disappear? Well, no he doesn’t, it’s usually a lot more complicated than that, and as we know, the companion generally leaves him
I like the sulky faces
You two! We’re at the end of the universe. All right? We’re at the edge of knowledge itself and you’re busy…blogging!
Finding the abandoned city.
I just like that picture
‘bout time there was a bit of running!
The show us your teeth bit always amuses me! Barrowman and Tennant must have two of the finest sets of gnashers this side of the galaxy :-)
The Doctor needs his blue box back.
Ten’s incredible enthusiasm for humanity shines forth again. End of the universe and here you are. Indomitable! That’s the word! Indomitable! Ha!
I know this bit is supposed to look run-down and tatty, but that shabby, retro feel extends to everything else as well. Again, with the dystopian vision of the future, which I confess I rather like (takes me back to Arthur Dent and his mattresses again). I suppose from a practical point of view it works well because it means it doesn’t immediately “date” the show. I mean, if it looks “dated” already, it won’t look… more dated in the future.
That made a lot more sense in my head.
Off to the lab, where the professor needs help with… a few things.
And Jack still isn’t allowed to say hello to anyone -
- without being told off
The Doctor is, amazingly for him, at rather a loss
Or is he? I mean, he seems to know exactly what to do about five minutes later!
The hand-in-the-jar scene.
What I want to know though is a) how did the hand end up in Cardiff and b) how the hell did Jack know whose it was?!
Also known as ‘an excuse for me to post pics of Ten in his Specs’.
You grew another hand?
Hello!
They’ve not heard of Time Lords round these parts. Blimey, the future’s humbling. I somehow think that’s not really going to bother him all that much
Oh, God the Hermit’s United thing… *sniggers*
The Doctor waffles on - but Yana is otherwise occupied with the sounds in his head
What happens if I do this? See? Didn’t take him long to figure it out :-)
I forgot to tell you. I’m brilliant.
Oh, Ten, you gloriously gorgeous, arrogant, adorable geek!
One of the times Ten doesn’t lick something to find out what it is. Probably just as well – he might have eaten an important circuit!
You’ve built this system out of food and string and staples. Professor Yana, you’re a genius.
Says the man who made it work.
That little conversation between the Doctor and Yana is an absolute gem – perfectly played by both of them.
Finally, someone who’s as clever as he is :-) (Should have given him a clue, really)
One of the pointy-teeth people has sabotaged the rocket!
Jack to the rescue! Even though he obviously failed his GCSE in electronics
Dead again
I like the way that each time Jack dies, the Doctor just stands there looking unimpressed while everyone else flaps around! I know it's because he knows what's going on but it amuses me, as does everyone's reaction to the Doctor being so blasé about it!
Was someone kissing me? Oh, Jack, you tart.
What could possibly be better than a really hot guy running along at full pelt with his long coat billowing out behind him?
Answer – two of them!
This leads to what is probably the best scene of the episode. As RTD puts it in the Confidential, the only time two blokes will open up to each other is when there’s an imminent nuclear disaster and a door between them. How right he is.
JACK: How long have you known?
THE DOCTOR: Since I ran away from you.
The TARDIS. Sports car of time travel
It's all proving a bit too much for the Professor to take in...
The way that snippets of the conversation between Jack and the Doctor are intercut with the professor’s growing awareness that not everything is as he thought it was is brilliantly done. For the Doctor, Martha and Jack, talk of time-travel and Daleks and Time Lords is just part of an every day conversation.
JACK:
In the end, I got the message, I’m the man who can never die. And all that time you knew.
THE DOCTOR:
That’s why I left you behind. It’s not easy even just…just looking at you Jack, ‘cause you’re wrong.
JACK:
Thanks.
THE DOCTOR:
You are, I can’t help it. I’m a Time Lord. It’s instinct. It’s in my guts. You’re a fixed point in time a space. You’re a fact. That’s never meant to happen. Even the TARDIS reacted against you—tried to shake you off. Flew all the way to the end of the universe just to get rid of you.
JACK:
So what you’re saying is that you’re, uh, prejudiced?
THE DOCTOR:
I never thought of it like that.
Even seen through a window and bathed in red light, David’s gorgeous.
Do you want to die?
JACK:
thought I did. I dunno. But this lot, you see them out here surviving and that’s fantastic.
THE DOCTOR:
You may be out there somewhere.
JACK:
I could go meet myself.
THE DOCTOR:
Well, 's the only man you’re ever gonna be happy with. BWAH!!
JACK:
This new regeneration, it’s kinda cheeky. Also true :-)
There ya go. Nice little chat while you're averting death and destruction. All friends again now :-)
Okay, so the clues have been flying thick amd fast for the last few minutes, but this one's the whopper! I love this moment.
The ship's ready to go
He’s got this watch. He’s got a fobwatch. It’s the same as yours. Same writing on it. Same…everything.
They died. They all died. The way his voice cracks when he says that always gets me.
He knows...
But still, he tries - don't open the watch!
Too late.
The bit where the Professor turns aroumd and announces who he really is is a)chilling and b)just amazing to watch. Derek Jacobi's performance here is incredible; his whole demeanour has changed, even his eyes are different (and I don't think anything was done to the film). And that has to be one of the scariest whisper-voices ever.
Despite everything he knows about the Master, the Doctor still tries to talk to him and tell him what's happened to their planet.
Okay, so this bit always annoys me – and it takes quite a lot to annoy me about Doctor Who.
The Master locks the TARDIS door… BY PUSHING DOWN THE LATCH! That’s the sort of thing you do at home when you lock up at night.
And so...
Master of the wonderfully bonkers!
Now who's nicked yer motor?
Even though they’re besieged by marauding Futurekind, Martha recognizes that voice. Wonder why?
Aaaaand, CLIFFHANGER! CREDITS!
Screencaps from Sonic Biro, The Medusa Cascade and Demon-Cry.net
