The Sontaran Stratagem / The Poison Sky: time for the perpetual ‘Big Bad No. 3’ to make their New Series debut. The blue armour looks a bit CBBC but otherwise it’s a good update.

And it wouldn’t be a Sontaran story without the traditional reveal via a helmet removal. #DoctorWho

Rattigan’s an uncomfortably believable depiction of what certain tech billionaires we could mention were probably like as teenagers…

And like so many others in #DoctorWho who allied with Daleks, Cybermen, etc, the idiot ends up dead. Though at least in a noble self-sacrifice.

*Me in 2008 watching the first battle between UNIT and the Sontarans*

God, poor UNIT. They’re getting slaughtered.

*Me watching the second battle where they could shoot back*

YES! FINALLY!! WE’VE WAITED 40 YEARS FOR THIS! GO ON UNIT! FUCKING MURDER THEM!!! 🤬

#DoctorWho

Poor Martha gets such a raw deal here. She’s only in it to be hived off into the side-story about the Hath.

And then they have her be a terrible medical doctor when Jenny is shot, instantly declaring there’s no hope and not bothering to do anything to try to save her. #DoctorWho

“Hello Sweetie!”

River is noticeably much calmer here in her first (last?) appearance, not so much the outrageous ‘could-out-flirt-Captain-Jack’ whirlwind of a character she later becomes. #DoctorWho

Its overused in the years to come, but even this first example is a bit silly, telling the Vashta Nerada to “look him up”.

What if they did, but still kept coming? What would he do? What could he *actually* do to stop them?? Always feel it’s a bit of a lazy get-out. #DoctorWho

Midnight: a masterpiece from RTD, a horrible exploration of the worst excesses of humans when paranoid and terrified.

And credit to the director and sound editors too, for their achievements in getting the whole concept of this mysterious creature on to the screen. #DoctorWho

I’ve heard of ‘multi-screening’, but the entertainment system here is ridiculous. How could anyone watch that?

Although… if the alternative is the Doctor being one of those annoying twats who wants to engage you in conversation on the bus… maybe it’s not so bad! 😬 #DoctorWho

People like Val are of course the real monster of the episode, domineering and bullying the less confident members of the group like Jethro and Deedee to fall into line. “It’ll be you next!”

And that barbed comment comparing the Doctor to an immigrant… #DoctorWho

It’s a good update to Davros, going back to his classic look from Genesis, but of course fanboy Russell had to make sure to give him a metal hand after what happened in Revelation.

And another great fan-pleasing moment to have him and Sarah Jane recognise each other. #DoctorWho

I’ll grit my teeth again to get through the last stage of Ten and Rose. Right… blah blah, you and metacrisis Doctor, off to your parallel universe, etc. Done. Now stay there this time!

Back to the proper drama of poor Donna’s fate. It only happens to the best, Donna! #DoctorWho

Always liked Dervla Kirwan’s performance as Miss Hartigan. There’s a very dark backstory there, hinted at in a few lines. Same with Rosita.

All the crap Moffat got for how he wrote women, and RTD writes the only #DoctorWho episode ever where all the female parts are prostitutes!