"Doctor Who" The Sound of Drums (2007)

Director:

Colin Teague

Writer:

Russell T. Davies (written by)

TV Series:

"Doctor Who" (2005)

Original Air Date:

23 June 2007 (Season 3, Episode 12)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The Doctor, Martha and Jack return to the 21st Century eighteen months after the Doctor and Martha left. They find they've missed the election, and the new Prime Minister, Harold Saxon, is someone they've met before by another name. |

Plot Keywords:

Political Satire | Master | Alien | Time Lord | Tardis

Cast

David Tennant	...	The Doctor
Freema Agyeman	...	Martha Jones
John Barrowman	...	Captain Jack Harkness
John Simm	...	The Master
Adjoa Andoh	...	Francine Jones
Gugu Mbatha-Raw	...	Tish Jones
Trevor Laird	...	Clive Jones
Reggie Yates	...	Leo Jones
Alexandra Moen	...	Lucy Saxon
Colin Stinton	...	President
Nichola McAuliffe	...	Vivien Rook
Nicholas Gecks	...	Albert Dumfries
Sharon Osbourne	...	Herself
McFly	...	Themselves
Ann Widdecombe	...	Herself

Runtime:

45 min | 45 min (50 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Trivia:

As the Toclafane descend on Earth the dance track being played is "Voodoo Child" by Rogue Traders from the Album "Here come the Drums".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Harold Saxon puts on the gas mask, the valve is at the top. When he takes it off to speak, it has switched to the bottom.

Quotes:

Martha Jones: Dad, just say yes or no. Is there someone else there?
[pause]
Clive Jones: Yes! Just run!

Movie Connections:

Features "Doctor Who: Army of Ghosts (#2.12)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Voodoo Child

Just when you think, "Surely, the series can't be any better?"...

With "The Sound of Drums", Russell T. Davies shows that despite a smörgåsbord of treats throughout the season, there's still a lot more surprises in his TARDIS-like bag.

A dark, tense and highly original episode, "The Sound of Drums" is so good it's difficult to know where to begin. Davies' teases fans with references to The Doctor's brother (a few seconds pause seemed like an eternity in this scene), jelly babies and so on, while giving long-term viewers the best Gallifrey treat they could ever wish for in this episode. The short, beautifully shot clip of The Master's back-history is informative and manages to honour the memories of anybody who has grown up with "The Deadly Assassin" and the various subsequent Time Lord tales. This is epic stuff - there's a legendary feel to "The Sound of Drums" and the show appears bigger in scale than a television programme, having an almost movie-like feel to the proceedings. After watching this series of "Doctor Who" other science fiction offerings are going to feel tired and drawn-out compared to this lean and mean, multi-faced beast. We have seen a diverse number of stories this year but the quality has remained constant throughout.

John Simm steals the show as the psychopathic Master. He has all the best lines and eats the part up like the world's most scrumptious meal. Simm is the very picture of a maniacal genius and it's hard to imagine anybody delivering a better performance in this role. His scenes with the cabinet and the President of the USA will be difficult to forget.

The Jones family are proving more entertaining and likable than the Tylers - Trevor Laird and Adjoa Andoh are excellent as Martha's parents and Gugu Mbatha-Raw is wonderful as younger sister, Tish.

The episode finishes on the ultimate cliffhanger. This is black as night "Doctor Who" and it's an absolute delight.

10 out of 10. Again, thank you Russel T. Davies and Phil Collinson for delivering such a treat to fans everywhere, young and old. This is more than anybody could have ever expected and as each season progresses, the creative envelope is pushed ever further. Genuinely jaw-dropping entertainment.