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Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars preview

Lindsay Duncan as Adelaide Brooke and David Tennant as the Doctor in Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars
  • Posted at 6:10pm
  • 06 November 2009
  • by Patrick Mulkern-RT
  • 22 comments

He's visited the Moon at least four times and even been to Pluto, but amazingly the Time Lord has never set foot on Mars - until now.

Of course, the Red Planet looms large in Doctor Who mythology. Former inhabitants the Ice Warriors - those "cruel Martian invaders" who plagued Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee in days of yore - receive a namecheck here, which will gratify fans.

And there are echoes of other episodes. The Impossible Planet (2006) showed us a similar isolated base and crew. The settlers' biodomes and rocket recall Colony in Space (1971), while the "Gadget Gadget" arguably pays homage to that story's IMC robot. And the unquantifiable alien threat and its insidious effect remind me of the tenebrous creatures from Silence in the Library (2008).

While it's fun to spot such connections, that is not to say The Waters of Mars isn't innovative and tremendously exciting. The production is both gorgeous and flawless. The Taff's Well quarry shots merge seamlessly with the Mill's CGI to form stunning reddened vistas. The interiors - some are intricate sets, others were filmed at night in the National Botanic Garden of Wales - achieve a series best.

The "water monsters" maintain the Doctor Who tradition of creating something simultaneously ridiculous and nightmarish. The transformation scenes are disturbing because, although we see what's happening, we don't quite see what's happening, which cleverly halves the CGI bill but doubles the shudders.

As is the norm with such fast-paced episodes, the supporting characters are lightly sketched, but each actor gets their moment to personalise. More important to us - and to the Doctor and the future of mankind - is Captain Adelaide Brooke, and of course Lindsay Duncan is luminous.

Every role she touches turns to platinum, but here she pulls off physically demanding action (58 at time of filming, she's got plenty of puff) as well as grave philosophical duologues with David Tennant. We really do believe that if any person could take us to the stars it would be Lindsay Duncan.

Tennant starts out with his customary gabbling enthusiasm and gaping-gob, try-to-catch-a-fly shtick, but soon settles into something far more contemplative and sombre. Writers Russell T Davies and Phil Ford take the Doctor into uncharted waters: reluctance, desolation, arrogance and, ultimately, mortal fear - all of which Tennant conveys with consummate precision.

Right from day one in 1963, the Doctor has occupied his own moral universe. We've been challenged by what he will or will not do. How much can he change the past - or in this case, the future? In The Fires of Pompeii (2008), he established there were certain fixed points in time that must be respected. So how will the Lord of Time deal with his latest dilemma?

That is the crux of The Waters of Mars - a long-awaited special that, far from treading water, opens the floodgates. Without giving too much away, it ends on a further portent of doom that chills Doctor Ten(nant) to his core. Whatever can he do to escape his fate? The trailer for The End of Time will have you salivating, while a final tribute brings a lump to the throat.

**

Don't miss our great pics from The Waters of Mars - if you dare…

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Comments

  • Posted on 19 November 2009
  • at 8:04pm
  • by Rainbowmaker

Hi, As much as I love David as the doctor I thought this episode was very weak and only really got good in the last ten minutes.

  • Posted on 17 November 2009
  • at 10:56am
  • by LauraPledger-RT

FAO Jackie - The Waters of Mars is repeated on Wednesday 18 November at 8:00pm on BBC3.

  • Posted on 16 November 2009
  • at 8:32pm
  • by Dave

Why was it necessary to have so much music played over the dialogue. It completely ruined it for me.

  • Posted on 16 November 2009
  • at 8:23pm
  • by Jackie

We missed it, does any one know if it to be repeated if so when & wot time/channel

  • Posted on 16 November 2009
  • at 4:41pm
  • by Rob

I thought this latest episode very poor. A flat script that gave the actors very little to work with. On previous series and episodes I can forgive the silly running sequences and dodgy special effects, but with no decent story, it just felt stilted.

  • Posted on 16 November 2009
  • at 11:30am
  • by SueP

Oh my God it was absolutely stunning, and scary and magnificent. David was awsome and I think he should receive an award, an oscar for his performance. I will also be purchasing lots of boxes of tissues for the two episodes at Christmas and New Year. Thank you David xxxx

  • Posted on 16 November 2009
  • at 9:34am
  • by Cariffas

Afraid the teenage lads were disappointed finding 'The Waters of Mars' tediously over-dramatic !

  • Posted on 15 November 2009
  • at 8:57pm
  • by Roberto

Why o why is he leaving the role? David Tennant really is Dr. Who I also agree that Miss Duncan is beautiful intelligent and very fit. I could watch her all day especially if she were the new Dr. Who. Go on make her an offer.

  • Posted on 12 November 2009
  • at 8:55pm
  • by glueboy

how about including Chris Boucher in your writing team- he was great in Blakes 7?

  • Posted on 12 November 2009
  • at 8:32pm
  • by Carl

Very impressive :)

  • Posted on 12 November 2009
  • at 10:38am
  • by Jo

"Julian Courtney would be much better off spending his time learning to spell and puntuate properly rather than wasting his time watching Dr Who".

Oh joy! Yet another example of the Spelling Flame law :-)

  • Posted on 11 November 2009
  • at 1:58pm
  • by Castellan Spandrell

....except, of course, I've just remembered that the Dr does indeed visit Mars later in the same story. Doh!

As you were.

  • Posted on 11 November 2009
  • at 1:52pm
  • by Castellan Spandrell

Nice preview, Patrick. Am looking forward to this even more now.

Are you all sure the Dr visited Mars in 'Pyramids of Mars?' He goes through a space/time tunnel thingy to emerge in Sutekh's prison, but it's not specified as being on Mars despite the title. The signal that holds Sutekh captive is being beamed from Mars, but his prison looks the same as the Egyptian tomb which the archaelogist Scarman enters at the start of the story.

  • Posted on 11 November 2009
  • at 12:53pm
  • by Roy

Julian Courtney would be much better off spending his time learning to spell and puntuate properly rather than wasting his time watching Dr Who.

  • Posted on 09 November 2009
  • at 7:41pm
  • by Mr Astonished.

I'm astonished.

Is Aunty Beeb actually going to show this at 7pm on a Sunday? A school night. Possibly the busiest night of the week, where kids and parents are washing hair, making sandwiches for Monday's lunch, packing school bags, packing kids off to bed for a good night's sleep...by 7pm.

Does Aunty B realise that it's about to trigger World War 3? Next Sunday, all across the nation, 7 & 8-year-olds will explode upon hearing the trigger phrase: 'Bedtime!':

"What?! You cannot be serious!! It's Doctor Who! Do you realise how long I've had to wait for this episode? Like, FOREVER!!!"

"Come on now, you know the rule: 7pm on a school night is bedtime."

"But not tonight! Come-on dad, just this once! Please!"

"No - its bedtime. Anyway, this is the 20th ... er ... 21st century. I'll record it on the FleaView box for you - you can watch it tomorrow."

"No, no, no, NO! Dexter Ramsbottom's in my class and HE gets to stay up 'til 8!! AND he's a blabber-mouth! He'll tell me the whole story tomorrow, whether I want him to or not. He'll completely ruin it for me! You've GOT to let me see it tonight!"

"Er ... look, I'm sorry, but your mum'll string my fruits up on the washing-line if I let you stay up, so you're just going to have to watch it tomorrow..."

"NO! I HATE YOU! YOU'RE THE WORST DAD IN THE WHOLE, WIDE WORLD!!!".

*sigh* "Oh, go on, then."

  • Posted on 08 November 2009
  • at 12:31pm
  • by Patrick Mulkern-RT

Thanks, Henrik's. It's a fine line between spoiling and whetting someone's appetite. I hope I succeeded.

Thanks, Edzel2. The trailer for The End of Time is quite short but definitely does the trick.

Hi JD and Andrew. Yes, you're right about Pyramids of Mars. It's one of my all-time favourites! I suppose I could have specified we'd never seen the Doctor on the lovely red surface of Mars. And in a spacesuit. I'll have to go back and look at the DVD for Pyramids and see how red the Red Planet looked, if at all.

Yes, Julian. Graeme Harper is a superb director.

Hi Sogo. It will be a treat indeed.

  • Posted on 07 November 2009
  • at 5:56pm
  • by sogo

Brilliant preview. Really looking forward to this. It should be a lovely Sunday night treat!

  • Posted on 07 November 2009
  • at 5:26pm
  • by julian courtney

have you seen the trailer for this episode it is AMAZING oh shivers went down my spine when the doctor say's " today you die, today you die on mars" and when the doctor jumps to avoid the explosion of the rocket, of course it would of looked terrible if graham harper was'nt directing it i have been avoiding all clips to avoid spoiling the episode, i have even purswaded my parents and sister to wath it, but none of this would be as amazzing without the behind the scenes people from floor manager up to director and of course russle t davies oved his book looking forward to his next one....

  • Posted on 07 November 2009
  • at 3:29pm
  • by Andrew

You say the Doctor has not been to Mars, what about Pyramids of Mars, which was first broadcast in Season 13 (1975 76).

  • Posted on 07 November 2009
  • at 6:12am
  • by JD

He has been to Mars once before though it was a short visit and all indoors. Episode 4 of Pyramids of Mars when Tom Baker was the Doctor.

  • Posted on 06 November 2009
  • at 11:00pm
  • by Edzel2

A very well-researched piece, and one which makes me look forward even more (if that's possible) to this 'beginning of the end' for Doctor Ten. Would it sound utterly mad to say that I am looking forward to the trailer for The End of Time almost as much as I'm looking forward to seeing The Waters of Mars? Well, I am...and I'll be stocking up on the tissues, that's for sure.

  • Posted on 06 November 2009
  • at 7:31pm
  • by Henrik's

Nice review - a considered opinion and not too spoilery. I can't wait 'til Nov. 15!

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