Rate And Discuss 3.11: Utopia

[Pip Madeley]

They obviously didn't show the Doctor, Jack or Martha because it would kinda take away from the big cliffhanger...

[Larry]

Considering that he's had about 17 bodies it's the first time we've seen the Master regenerate too! Unless you count him taking over Tremas.

I could be right but apart from Planet of Spiders, I believe this is the only time we have seen a propper on screen regeneration of another Time Lord.

[Larry]

They obviously didn't show the Doctor, Jack or Martha because it would kinda take away from the big cliffhanger...

Also there was a throw away line in Utopia, about Jacks Time braclet which pretty much will explain how they get back to 21st century earth.

[Alex]

Though they did mention that said time bracelet was broken. Then again, now the Doctor's there, I'm sure he'll be able to fix it - though as someone mentioned above, it'd be great if the Doctor's hand went all 'thing-y from the addams family' and piloted the Tardis back to the end of the Universe.

I hope too that the storyline with the last humans is covered again, I'd love to see if there's life for humanity after the end of the universe!

[Darren]

it'd be great if the Doctor's hand went all 'thing-y from the addams family'

I have a different theory now.

[Doctor Vendetta]

I guess all this means my theory that 'Mr. Saxon is the Meddling Monk' no longer works...

[Carol Baynes]

Russell T. Davies' scripts leave a lot to be desired. End of the universe in what year??!!...my imgination would not come up with your pedestrain, unlikely vison, mate! It's ridiculous!!! A laclustre first half, with an unenagaging plot for me...but it was compensated by what followed.
SO! Elsewhere, snatches of true writing talent come forth!

Delgado! ROGER DELGADO! ... with joy!

"Call me by my name!" COME ONNNNNNNNNN!!!

Derek Jacobi as The Master! DEREK JACOBI!!!! John Simm as The MAster! JOHN SI...enogh said!

He IS The Master and YOU will obey him.

Plus..."Indomitable!" Tom meets David.

[Milky Tears]

TK Maxx still around at the edge of the universe, my a*se. Jason or Jon might've died during that episode.

[Rob McCow]

That hit the mark!

It would have been criminal to have got Jacobi in and under-used him in a big special effects episode, or something where the focus wasn't entirely on him, so plaudits for that.

The first half of the episode was fast and funny, but takes a more intriguing turn in retrospect. To have the Master inadvertantly helping humanity survive the end of the Universe is a brilliant turn for his character.

It seems that the stories where Doctor Who ventures into space aren't as popular, but I was quite happy with the Utopia concept. The Futurekind may have wandered straight out of Mad Max, or Cygnus Alpha, but it's a good idea and they were well realised.

Loved the cry at the gates: Let me see your teeth! Very militant, oddly xenophobic. Shame the Doctor didn't have a companion who had sharp teeth anyway, they could have dragged that out for ages!

I love that John Simm was being very camp as the Master. That's what we want!

Next week - he wears a cape. Oh yes!

[Jon Masters]

For the first time I'm really not sure what I thought of a DW episode (I've literally just finished watching it) - my gut instincts have let me down , so I'll need a second viewing (although that might not help, as all the surprises won't be surprises as it were).

Given what I've thought about the rest of this series the phrase " The end never justifies the means" seems the most appropriate at the moment, but I'm also torn by the counterargument that the end was just so damned brilliant.

TK Maxx still around at the edge of the universe, my a*se. Jason or Jon might've died during that episode.

I believe by that stage they'll have the own system of planets in the collapsed Galactic Federation

Time to ponder.......

[WhiteCrow]

Having rewatched this morning - whats interesting though is looking at the "human Master", it's a bit like he's modelled himself on the Doctor (and possibly Pertwees "stranded on Earth" Doctor).

Taking the title "Professor" as a nod to the "Doctor". A Professor is above a Doctor so still a bit of arrogance there. Likewise he's taken on an assistant, and role of "saviour of humanity".

[SiHart]

I thoroughly enjoyed it! Hooray! I love Doctor Who again!

There are a couple of interetsing things that occured to me. Firstky the reversion to primitivism in the future was a very Terry Nation idea.
Secondly, and I'm probably reading too much into this, but I found it very interesting that the Master's human form was clearly based on The Doctor. From the way he dresses to the humantarianism he displays, he's very kuch like an alternative Doctor. I want to go back and watch it soon and watch him and study this more, because it;s fascinating to see the kind of human the Master creates...

I quite liked the future setting and the glimpse of the end of things, but it was very much secondary to the main part of the plot. It was an expositional episode, but the expositon was so damn good that it didn't really matter. I loved the scene with the Doctor and Jack, with Jack at work in the radiation chamber. Brilliant. Two actors sketching in the back story, but two actors acting their socks off to make you forget that. Fantastic.

And oh god wasn'ty the regenration exciting and the way Derek Jacobi suddenly went evil and the Ainley chuckle and the Delgado speech... Oh I love Doctor Who!

Oh and I liked the musical references to Boom Town and the Torchwood theme!



Si xx

[WhiteCrow]

Secondly, and I'm probably reading too much into this, but I found it very interesting that the Master's human form was clearly based on The Doctor.

I'm so glad I got my post in seconds before you - I'd have been accused of copying someone else again!

But yes, the clothing I picked on right away as feeling a bit "out of period" compared to everyone else, which built up my suspicions I'd had from the start that Derek's character could be another Timelord. I had to say though it never occured to me that he might actually regenerate.

Was it really explained how the Master regenerated? You know "end of his lives" etc - wondered if it was residual regeneration energy in the hand or is that too Star Trek?

Oh and the wife suspected YANA as being an acronym all the time, she's incredibly clever like that, good at word thing, but not a great memory. Ah ... she said, "You Are Now Alien" ... nice try hon!

[Dirk Gently]

Oh and the wife suspected YANA as being an acronym all the time, she's incredibly clever like that, good at word thing, but not a great memory. Ah ... she said, "You Are Now Alien" ... nice try hon!

My Missus said something similar, "What does YANA mean?" to which I replied "It's the Professors name". Well kind of. "You Are Now Alien" was kind of right though, once the watch was opened he was alien.

[Carol Baynes]

And yay for John Barrowman's name in the titles - he deserves it!

Was he!??? Great! He's a genuine bona fide companion!

[Kathychick]

HELP! Confused...who is the Master?

[Anthony Williams]

some quick thoughts:

1) It was good to see a "human" Master - it seemed like a bit of a homage to the Big Finish story Master by Joe Lidster, in that The Master didn't know who he was, and was working for good.

2) Good to see Captain Jack back, and to see Barrowman's name in the titles

3) A regeneration! John Simm! Snippets of Delgado! Ainley's chuckle!

I will post a full review on my blog later this week.

Ant x

[Pip Madeley]

HELP! Confused...who is the Master?

Wiki is your friend, Kathy.

[Doctor Vendetta]

Was it really explained how the Master regenerated? You know "end of his lives" etc - wondered if it was residual regeneration energy in the hand or is that too Star Trek?

Was it really explained how he escaped from the Eye of Harmony?

[Andrew Curnow]

Oh you anorak you!!

[Stephen Morgan]

I loved this episode, it moved along at a cracking pace with everything falling into place in the last 10 minutes or so, leading up to a real cliffhanger, and what a cliffhanger it was.
Good to see some nods to the old series at last, all those sound snippets of Delgado and Ainley were most welcome, good to see some continuity with the new series too, Rose, Daleks etc.
I can't fault the episode, in fact I can't fault this current series at all, I've enjoyed each subsequent episode with the same joyous glee as every episode of the original series, Doctor Who never loses its appeal for me, and this has been no exception.
A 10/10 from me.

[Pip Madeley]

There's a big thread over at OG about the continuity problems - who gives a toss I say, the Master's back and he's magnificent, that's all that really matters. Lots could have happened in between the Eighth and Ninth Doctor's incarnations (just look at the Time War), in true Doctor Who style, best to say "I'll explain later".

My sis is still buzzing over last night's episode - in the old days (when I was collecting the classic series) she'd watch it occasionally but was rather indifferent, she's turned into a real fan of the show now, she watches it every week (with or without me). It truly is a golden age of Who we're living in, guys.

[Logo Polish]

There's a big thread over at OG about the continuity problems - who gives a toss I say, the Master's back and he's magnificent, that's all that really matters. Lots could have happened in between the Eighth and Ninth Doctor's incarnations (just look at the Time War), in true Doctor Who style, best to say "I'll explain later".

Maybe it's a non-canon remake...

[Andrew Curnow]

Zel has just insisted that I post to mention that here, at the Spoiler-Free haven of Curnow Towers, she guessed the true identity of 'the Professor' about 20 minutes before it was revealed. I'm thinking of buying her an anorak of her very own for her birthday...

[Andrew Curnow]

the continuity problems

Eh??? I don't see how there can be any (not yet anyway) since all we know is that this old bloke is actually the Master - how can that single, solitary fact contradict anything?