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Doctor Who Series 3, Episode 3 Review: Gridlock

What did you think of this episode?

  • Sonic!

  • Good!

  • Bumpy-wumpy!

  • Exterminate!


Big fan of this one! David Tennant is hitting his stride now.


The New Earth trilogy is complete. Only Doctor Who can make a traffic jam entertaining. Actually, I take that back, One Foot in the Grave made a very amusing episode about the same subject way back when. This is Doctor Who though, so we have an underground motorway, flying cars and hungry crab things living at the bottom - as you do!!


The Doctor is a proper dick to Martha isn't he?! I really didn't realise how much of a dick to her he was. Taking her to places he took Rose where he can go literally anywhere is a shitty move. As is his constant telling her she has one trip left, as if he's doing her a massive favour. If I didn't know Martha's journey, I think I'd be screaming at her through my TV to give him a slap and stop pining after him.


"Twenty yards. We’re having a good day."


I love the reveals in this one, building on the Time War, hearing more about Gallifrey, that big old face mentioning about not being alone.


This episode is a mixture of fun with some serious moments, some lore building, and it is great stuff. Not long into it and Martha has been kidnapped and the Doctor is off to rescue her. Some of the things he says to her you wonder why he bothered?


Ardal O'Hanlan is great as Brannigan and I really think Doctor Who nails the whole cat alien prosthetics. How many peoples hearts were fluttering seeing David with the kittens? I bet there was a fair few out there.


"By all the cats in the Kingdom."


I had never heard of the Macra before this episode, but you didn't need to anyway. It was all very well done - to be expected from RTD to be honest.


There were some great scenes in this, I particularly liked the ones where the people of the motorway sing hymns. Seeing Martha so upset at how lost she is, realising she knows bugger all about the man she has run off with, as the people sing The Old Rugged Cross is heart-breaking and a delight. The same at the end when everyone sings Abide With Me.


Did anyone else get very emotional when Boe dies and poor old Novice Hame is left all alone or was that just me?


Usually in an episode I get peeved by someone, but the cast in this episode all knock it out the park.


I also just found out that Alice and May Cassini are the first homosexual married couple featured in Doctor Who. Who knew?


"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 and the mountains would shine. The leaves on the trees were silver. When they caught the light every morning it looked like a forest on fire."


Russell was having a blast here wasn't he? So was I!! Such a magical ending and listening to the Doctor explain Gallifrey was thrilling. Russell and David take a bloody bow.


I really am a massive fan of this one.


RATING: Sonic!

BEST LINE: "You are not alone."


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