Gridlock
- Episode aired Jul 20, 2007
- TV-PG
- 45m
The Doctor takes Martha to New Earth, where she is kidnapped by two carjackers and taken to an underground Motorway, where the remainder of humanity on the planet live in perpetual gridlock.The Doctor takes Martha to New Earth, where she is kidnapped by two carjackers and taken to an underground Motorway, where the remainder of humanity on the planet live in perpetual gridlock.The Doctor takes Martha to New Earth, where she is kidnapped by two carjackers and taken to an underground Motorway, where the remainder of humanity on the planet live in perpetual gridlock.
- Director
- Writers
- Russell T. Davies(showrunner)
- Sydney Newman(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe couple seen in the pre-credit sequence are made up to resemble the father and daughter in the Grant Wood painting, "American Gothic".
- GoofsWhen the Doctor meets Brannigan he is told that cars can only contact other cars if they are on their "friends list". Later on, the car behind Martha manages to call and warn them even though they do not know each other.
- Quotes
The Doctor: I lied to you, 'cause I liked it. I could pretend, just for a bit, I could imagine they were still alive underneath the burnt orange sky. I'm not just a Time Lord: I'm the last of the Time Lords. The Face of Boe was wrong. There's no one else.
Martha Jones: What happened?
The Doctor: There was a war. A Time War. The last great Time War. My people fought a race called the Daleks for the sake of all creation, and they lost. We lost. Everyone lost. They're all gone now, my family, my friends, even that sky. Ah, you should have seen it, that old planet. The second sun would rise in the south, the mountains would shine. The leaves on the trees were silver. When they caught the light every morning, they lit the forest on fire. We always had...
[sound trails off]
- ConnectionsFeatured in Doctor Who Confidential: Meet Martha Jones (2007)
- SoundtracksAbide with Me
(uncredited)
"Abide With Me" Music by William H. Monk and lyrics by Henry F. Lyte
Composed by William H. Monk
The greatest strength of this story is the different levels on which it works. It is a fun adventure with humour and silliness. It also has a deeper, darker theme about society and presents a dystopian vision of a future where humans use drugs to control emotions and are willing to travel on a 'motorway' indefinitely and unquestioningly in the hope of a promised better life many years down the line. Additional, and best of all, there is a dark and emotional aspect in terms of the Doctor's feelings about the Time War, the loss of his home planet and fellow Time Lords and his relationships with companions. There are wonderful scenes where the Doctor talks about Gallifrey which link in to the classic series account of the planet. These scenes are beautifully acted by David Tennant and are very touching. Freema Agyeman continues to impress as Martha and her acting throughout is also great. The support cast are good with varied characterisations.
The effects are good and the ideas are interesting. The use of hymns is incredibly effective and overall this is a very enjoyable episode reminiscent of ideas from the classic series but done in a new way with improved effects. Nice to have the Macra given a return with CGI making them work for a new audience.
My rating: 9/10.
- A_Kind_Of_CineMagic
- Jan 24, 2019
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Filming locations
- Temple of Peace, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, Wales, UK(New New York Senate)
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime45 minutes
- Color