# Doctor Who S3 Ep. 12 - The Sound of Drums **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 23, 2007, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163 "2007-06-23T22:05:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2007, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/41 "2007-06-24T22:30:18Z")
[QUOTE=bonzer] What annoys me about this BBC aging makeup technique is that everyone always winds up looking like the same elderly man. [/QUOTE] I thought Anne Widdicombe’s make-up was excellent… very scary. [The Doctor](http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/episodes/2007/photostories/s3_12/32.html) [Dr Lazarus](http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/gallery/s3_06gallery/800/22.jpg) Hmm.. there’s similarities, but I don’t think that they’re as similar as you suggest. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2007, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/42 "2007-06-24T22:30:47Z")
[QUOTE=Alan Smithee] I do. Thanks. I’d feel even better if I could follow the conversation without worrying that I’ll stumble on something that is a real spoiler for the next episode. [/QUOTE] Apparently there won’t be any - the BBC isn’t issuing preview discs for the finale. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/43 "2007-06-24T23:00:47Z")
[QUOTE=Usram] Is it a coincidence that there are 6 billion Totra… Tocra… spherical droid thingies, and the population of the Earth is 6.6 billion (6 billion after decimation)? [/QUOTE] As soon as the Master said that, I was thinking “Aha! They’re going to take over the bodies of the people on Earth!”. Apparently not. ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2007, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/44 "2007-06-24T23:28:48Z")
Couple more things I’ve noticed: The TARDIS has a perception filter! Interesting that, in Season 1, Nine spent a good five minutes implying to Mickey that the reason no one notices the TARDIS is because humans are more than a bit thick, when he could have just said “Perception filter” and let it drop. Nine did enjoy his digs at humanity, didn’t he. Jack certainly knows how to push the Doctor’s buttons. “Yes, I’m now working for alien-murdering, Cyberman-conjuring, girlfriend-disappearing Torchwood.” “How could you!” “But I rebuilt it in _your honour_!” “…Well, then…” You can hear the TARDIS’s bell ringing again during the whole scene on the _Valiant_, when the Doctor is turned old. Hmm. The music playing after Martha teleports is _very_ reminiscent of the _Doomsday_ music (which I’ve been listening to on a loop lately). Again, hmm. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2007, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/45 "2007-06-24T23:42:57Z")
It wasn’t as good as previous episodes. As \*\*Bonzer \*\*says it rehashes so many things from previous episodes. ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/46 "2007-06-25T00:39:39Z")
A joke about Romana is a spoiler? ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/47 "2007-06-25T01:12:22Z")
I haven’t seen most of those episodes since I was a kid. I don’t remember how “time tots” is a Romana joke. But more to the point, I thought it was a response to something posted _about a future episode_, in which case it very likely would have been a spoiler. ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/48 "2007-06-25T01:42:14Z")
Hm, fair enough. I just watched the episode now, and my first thought is - and this isn’t a spoiler: “President-Elect?” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/49 "2007-06-25T02:39:24Z")
I noticed that. I did think it was an odd thing (especially since the episode presumably takes place in, what–May?) but I wondered if maybe it indicated some odd tragedy in the US, such that there _wasn’t_ an actual president, but the President-elect was acting as de facto head of state. Probably they just screwed up, but it wasn’t enough to bother me. Unlike most people, I loved this episode. It wasn’t as good as Blink or Human Nature/Family of Blood, but so what–it was still a great, fun episode. I especially loved the Master asking where Gallifrey went. The fact that both he and the Doctor chose their names was also interesting, as was the fact that the Master saw the horror of the Time War and ran, while the Doctor did what he saw as his duty and suffered for it. There was some neat, deep stuff in with all the capering. And _Doctor Who_ is supposed to be gleefully incoherent! ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/50 "2007-06-25T02:52:41Z")
I really loved it. The Master’s performance as Anti-Doctor covered over any flaws and then some. He was just great. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/51 "2007-06-25T10:25:44Z")
[QUOTE=Struan] Teletubbies - the new Clangers [/QUOTE] Now hang on a second! I obviously get the reference though. Anyone else notice the the Skybase corridors seem to have been lit by the same guy who did the original Enterprise? Too busy to put a critique together right now, I’ll just say there seemed to be some of ‘borrowing’ of ideas from elsewhere. Someone else’s problem field Total Perspective Votex Other stuff I missed. . . ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2007, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/52 "2007-06-25T12:30:49Z")
[QUOTE=Small Clanger] Someone else’s problem field Total Perspective Votex [/QUOTE] Adams was a Who writer, so it could be a valid homage. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/53 "2007-10-01T16:18:37Z")
Reviving as I haven’t seen a new thread. Spoiler policy: If it has aired in the US, it does not need to be spoiled. For instance: That The Master had the floating globes of death kill one tenth of Earth’s population does not need to be spoiled. That it’s reveled next week that the ten percent were all those fools who use the self-check out in the grocery store, but have no idea how to follow simple on screen instructions, so he was actually do everyone else a favor should be spoiled. * * * I found myself rather liking John Simms as The Master, more so when he wasn’t chewing scenery. He had a nice blend of charm and evil. I also liked, “People of Earth, please attend to me…” Nice throwback. I, too, hope The Doctor de-ages soon. The old age make-up was rather painful to see. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/54 "2007-10-01T16:29:35Z")
Can’t say much as last week they aired the final two episodes back to back on CBC and I don’t want my mixed up memory to say things that may be from the other episode and therefore spoilers. So I’ll be very general. Liked the New Master. Interesting Carrier. Old Doctor transformation was kinda goofy looking for something that was going to be dramatic. Oh and I miss the Master’s Tissue compression unit ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/55 "2007-10-01T16:43:10Z")
[QUOTE=kingpengvin] Oh and I miss the Master’s Tissue compression unit [/QUOTE] True - The Master isn’t really The Master without a trail of little, dead Barbie Dolls. ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/56 "2007-10-01T16:52:00Z")
So odd reading my initial reactions to this episode earlier in the thread. Honestly scared me, it did. Now I just love and enjoy it. Thumbs up for evil, hooray! SciFi cut Jack’s “You too, huh?” line. Also the Master offering to make grits. Spoilers for what will be cut from the finale: They’re cutting the Scissor Sisters song! You bastards! Honestly, everyone: just buy the DVD when it comes out - you won’t believe how much got hacked away to fit in more previews for _MegaSnake_ or _IceAttack_ or whatever latest crapfest SciFi is hawking. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/57 "2007-10-01T17:13:15Z")
> [@ArizonaTeach](#): > > “President-Elect?” Yes, that was stupid. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/58 "2007-10-01T17:15:37Z")
[QUOTE=NailBunny] So odd reading my initial reactions to this episode earlier in the thread. Honestly scared me, it did. Now I just love and enjoy it. Thumbs up for evil, hooray! SciFi cut Jack’s “You too, huh?” line. Also the Master offering to make grits. Spoilers for what will be cut from the finale: They’re cutting the Scissor Sisters song! You bastards! Honestly, everyone: just buy the DVD when it comes out - you won’t believe how much got hacked away to fit in more previews for _MegaSnake_ or _IceAttack_ or whatever latest crapfest SciFi is hawking. [/QUOTE] You mean SciFi was afraid to show the hint that Jack is bisexual? How silly is that… I wonder what they’d do with Torchwood. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/59 "2007-10-01T17:20:27Z")
Are the Doctor Who airings on BBC America cut in the same way as the SciFi airings, or do they preserve all the BBC content? They’re a season behind, so I haven’t been paying it any attention. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163/60 "2007-10-01T17:39:33Z")
[QUOTE=ArizonaTeach] “President-Elect?” [/QUOTE] Yeah, I caught that. I suppose there was more to that on an earlier draft of the script. That was the only time he was the President-elect. * * * [Hijack] Besides a President-elect wouldn’t handle something like this. The President would. I wonder if the British system is different. Would an upcoming PM take over duties prior to taking office? [/Hijack] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-s3-ep-12-the-sound-of-drums/409163.md?page=4)