Rate & Discuss 3.12: The Sound Of Drums

[Si Hunt]

Because that's what it says in the script...?

What an odd comment! I clearly meant why, within the logic of the series, would they be slashing people up with knives.

Si.

[Larry]

Also why would they be slicing people up with knives?

Si.

suppose just makes it feel a bit more dramatic and scarey being sliced up with a knife rather than just being zapped .

[Si Hunt]

Argh! Why can no-one see my simple point!

Why would such a peaceful and ancient race suddenly be zooming about killing people? Doesn't seem much like them!

Si.

[Rob McCow]

I agree with Si (again) :yawn but it kind of rules out any of the more benevolent races, such as time lords, humans, the liberal democrats etc.

[Dirk Gently]

I've been reading these posts & I had a thought...what if the Toclafane are Time Tots that were not deemed good enough to enter the Academy & were removed from time? Wouldn't that break the Doctor's hearts?

[Anthony Williams]

as I posted on my blog:

The Sound of Drums - the much anticipated second part in the finale trilogy of the third series of 21st Century Doctor Who.

Yet, The Sound of Drums was a huge disappointment. Showrunner Russell T. Davies seems to be relying on set-pieces which he's used so many times before. The ending to the episode featured yet another huge army of aliens invading Earth, culling a huge number of humans. RTD seems to be trying to out-do himself each year, by enlarging the alien hordes each time, and enlarging the body count. This year, it's stopped being believable, and has become simply embarassing. Likewise, the idea of a politician using trickery and murder to get his way into government has been done at least twice before, by RTD (in Aliens of London and in Boomtown).

The episode provided a barely satisfactory conclusion to last week's cliffhanger, with a somewhat rushed flashback. Why didn't they simply start where they left off, rather than having a flashback that takes from from the end of the last episode right to the beginning of this one?

Likewise, the whole "invention" of The Master's life as Saxon was completely unnecessary. Why only have him arrive 18 months previously, when he could have arrived, say, 20 years ago? It makes very little sense. Further, John Simm's portrayal of The Master annoyed me. It was clear that he'd been scripted to be a parallel to David Tennant's portrayal of The Doctor. However, there was a fundamental difference in that David Tennant's portrayal of The Doctor gives the character gravitas, whilst John Simm, who is obviously having SO much fun, is merely acting like a buffoon.

Other than acting gripes and plot holes, this episode held very little substance. We hear that the Doctor and crew are on the run, but there's no sense of danger... they hide in a warehouse, and the Doctor fixes up a "perception filter" to help them avoid detection. Lazy plotting on behalf of RTD, there.

The main scene that seems to have held so much excitement to the online fan community is that of the representation of Gallifrey. This somewhat unusual scene, depicting the costumes, much of the scenery and the citadel so accurately seems to have made people unable to see how unbelievably lacking the rest of the episode was.

Strangely, to me, the episode's saving graces were in Lucy Saxon and Clive Jones, Martha's father. With the latter, following weeks of seeing Martha's mother collaborating with The Master's minions, it was fantastic to see him stand up to his ex-wife, and to The Master's cronies. Indeed, when one contemplates the former, the fact that one of the most likable characters in the story was a woman who has married this chap who is supposedly evil incarnate, and who dances whilst the world is being destroyed, makes it clear that something is incredibly wrong with the script.

At the end of the day, The Sound of Drums was extremely disappointing, and rather dull.

Oh, and two other things. Sharon Osbourne. Just no. "Paradox Machine" - just no.

Ant x

[Andrew Curnow]

I think the Toclafane turning out to be sort of Timelords would be very disappointing, and a bit daft. Why would they be in whizzy balls? I think it would be much more interesting, say, if they were from a parallel universe (which I assume, what with the sky ripping open and all, they are) and are that universe's version of the Daleks - and are in the middle of their own Timewar (Dimension War?) with some parallel Timelord types.

Although I'm not sure 45 minutes is enough for all that, plus 'defeating the Master'!

[Milky Tears]

Ant's last post instantly gets 100 points knocked off for using the word "gravitas". My Who Fan Clichmeter has exploded!

[Jon Masters]

I think the Toclafane turning out to be sort of Timelords would be very disappointing, and a bit daft. Why would they be in whizzy balls? I think it would be much more interesting, say, if they were from a parallel universe (which I assume, what with the sky ripping open and all, they are) and are that universe's version of the Daleks - and are in the middle of their own Timewar (Dimension War?) with some parallel Timelord types.

Although I'm not sure 45 minutes is enough for all that, plus 'defeating the Master'!

Not that we're supposed to be speculating here , but given its RTD he could get all that done in 5 minutes, leaving 40 minutes for an emotional Mr & Mrs Jones reunion, and a Martha 'I'll always love you " speech

[Si Hunt]

I think the silver balls are all that remains of the Time Lord's final Lottery Rollover. From the draw held on the eve of the Time War, not only did no-one win the jackpot, but the balls themselves developed sentience, snuck down a wormhole and now menace humankind.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

[QUOTE]Likewise, the whole "invention" of The Master's life as Saxon was completely unnecessary. Why only have him arrive 18 months previously, when he could have arrived, say, 20 years ago? [QUOTE]
Because then people would be saying 'What was he doing for those 20 years?!'

whilst John Simm, who is obviously having SO much fun, is merely acting like a buffoon.

I thought he was rather good, very funny! It makes him a very different kind of villain.

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

I thought he was rather good, very funny! It makes him a very different kind of villain.

I agree!!!
Personally I wouldn't have brought the Master back with this kind of character; I'd have kept him more in the traditional style - but having said that I'd have brought the whole show back in the more traditional style - but sadly I don't think it would have lasted very long at all in today's world!!

The Delgado/Ainley thing has been done - I don't think it will be topped by a different actor so changing the entire character of the Master for John Simm seems like a good idea to me.

[Logo Polish]

I think it comes down to whether the actor is enjoyable to watch. For me, Simm isn't in this part. I find him flat, completely lacking in conviction, charisma, authority or screen presence, as well as being irritating, charmless and unfunny. Whether the problem is the acting or the writing I don't know, but I don't find him a remotely enjoyable villain either way.

[Rob McCow]

completely lacking in conviction, charisma, authority or screen presence

Now I thought he had all those things.

In summary - if you don't like this new take on the Master, you're not going to like this episode.

Perhaps they should have asked Rob Shearman's wife all the reasons that she thought the old Master was silly. If he'd been re-invented like the Daleks with a new gold outfit and a rotating mid-section, they'd have been onto a winner.

[Wayne]

Nice of Ant to post his thoughts on his own forum for a change.
Good point about Lucy Saxon. I agree with you there!

[Logo Polish]

Now I thought he had all those things.

In summary - if you don't like this new take on the Master, you're not going to like this episode.

Perhaps they should have asked Rob Shearman's wife all the reasons that she thought the old Master was silly. If he'd been re-invented like the Daleks with a new gold outfit and a rotating mid-section, they'd have been onto a winner.

Rob, AFAIC at least this has nothing to do with the old Master (who was never a character I was that interested in anyway) (and anyway, which old one? Was Ainley much like Delgado except in appearance? Was Roberts much like either of them?), it's just a question of watching an actor giving a performance as a baddie and having an opinion on that. He's by no means the first Master I've disliked, so it's not that a big a deal.

[Rob McCow]

Didn't mean to kick up a fuss, Logo - only the first bit of my post applied to what you said, the last paragraph was just a standard facetious comment, meant as a joke nothing more. Sorry!

What I was getting at is that if you don't like John Simm's performance, you're not going to like the episode, because he's carrying the story almost entirely by himself. Like with Blink, if you don't think the statues are scary, the episode falls apart.

[Wayne]

I agree with the comments i've read that they've just created an alter-ego for Tennat's 'zany' Doctor. Which is fair enough up to a point, but i personally think John Simm's characterization goes way too far down OTT street to be convincing. Here's another word for James' clichometer: Panto!
I hope Derek Jacobi wakes up in the shower in the final episode & finds that the regeneration was just a dream.

[Logo Polish]

Didn't mean to kick up a fuss, Logo - only the first bit of my post applied to what you said, the last paragraph was just a standard facetious comment, meant as a joke nothing more. Sorry!

What I was getting at is that if you don't like John Simm's performance, you're not going to like the episode, because he's carrying the story almost entirely by himself. Like with Blink, if you don't think the statues are scary, the episode falls apart.

OK, sorry from me too - I've edited my post down a bit now, but that was before I saw your reply.

I think you're basically right though, yes, in that as he's more or less carrying the main body of the episode, it stands or falls by what impression he makes on you. Maybe he'll come over better next week. I dunno.

Funny you should mention Blink, as I must admit I didn't really find the statues all that scary either (I could understand kids being frightened, but it didn't strike me as the sort of thing adults would get too worked up about). I didn't think it was that bad an episode (it improved with a second viewing) but I wasn't quite as fervid about it as some.

[Rob McCow]

Logo

You see, joking is like this... ... serious is like this... etc!

[WhiteCrow]

The Master is insane because he can't get "I hear the sound of distant drums" out of his head.

He obviously spent some time in hospital then. Jim Reeves is big business on Hospital Radio.

It all makes sense now ...

[Si Hunt]

In summary - if you don't like this new take on the Master, you're not going to like this episode.

Whereas I liked the new take on the Master, but didn't like the episode!

Or maybe I'm just an awkward bugger!

Si.

[Rob McCow]

Whereas I liked the new take on the Master, but didn't like the episode!

Now that I really don't understand - seeing as it was the new Master showboating for 90% of the episode!

I loved that bit where he was opening the door listening to the screams
I've been watching the video feeds off the Harold Saxon website and the speech he does to camera is brilliant. The way he delivers 'The Christmas Star... that came to kill.' has me in stitches every time.

[Si Hunt]

It was because everything apart from the Master had been done before (and more excitingly).

My forthcoming column of woe on The Vervoid will extrapolate further.

Si.

[Milky Tears]

Doctor Who fandom is full of awkward buggers.