# UK Dopers, Doctor Who 3x11 Utopia **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 16, 2007, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277 "2007-06-16T19:13:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/1 "2007-06-16T19:13:02Z")
Worth waiting for then? Pretty much, makes up for a lacklustre first half to the season and a wonderful re-introduction for a well loved bad guy šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/2 "2007-06-16T19:29:44Z")
Oh yes! ---
**Author:** ![Saitou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Saitou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saitou)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/3 "2007-06-16T19:33:04Z")
Overall I think the episode was a bit uneven but those last 10 minutes made up for it. ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/4 "2007-06-16T19:33:06Z")
I am so jealousā€¦Iā€™m stuck at work and canā€™t watch it until tomorrow morning. I have been _dying_ to see this episode! **Dying**! _forlorn sigh_ ---
**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 16, 2007, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/5 "2007-06-16T19:40:44Z")
Although I thought I was spoilered out the wazoo it turned out I wasnā€™t, not really. What started as a run-off-the-mill Old Who, complete with dodgy prosthetics and a quarry, just cranked-up and cranked-up until, wellā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/6 "2007-06-16T19:55:05Z")
wonder why Martha recognised his new voice? I assume he must have gone back and interacted with her in the past ---
**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 16, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/7 "2007-06-16T19:57:42Z")
[QUOTE=One And Only Wanderers] wonder why Martha recognised his new voice? I assume he must have gone back and interacted with her in the past [/QUOTE] The Master is Harold Saxon, the PM back in Marthaā€™s time. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/8 "2007-06-16T20:22:02Z")
[QUOTE=Saitou] Overall I think the episode was a bit uneven but those last 10 minutes made up for it. [/QUOTE] We had to suffer techno babble worthy of an episode of ST Voyager and a tacked on plot that didnā€™t stand well by itself to get those 10 minutes, but it was worth it. From when the watch came out, it was pretty clear what was happening, but it was done oh so well. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/9 "2007-06-16T21:59:19Z")
Interesting that you-know-who managed to do you-know-what, even though he supposedly ran out of those a while back ā€¦ does this suggest that the Doctor also is no longer limited to the regulation quota? ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/10 "2007-06-16T23:07:49Z")
[QUOTE=Steve Wright] Interesting that you-know-who managed to do you-know-what, even though he supposedly ran out of those a while back ā€¦ does this suggest that the Doctor also is no longer limited to the regulation quota? [/QUOTE] His imprisonment in the Tardisā€™ eye of harmony in the TV movie is canon according to RTD, so I can imagine that his renewed cycle of regenerations can be explained away using that. Apparently Rose let him out when she opened the heart of the Tardis in ā€œThe Parting of the Waysā€. Oh and (spoiler for the next two episodes): Apparently this story ends the season on a cliffhanger involving a fleet of Timelord warshipsā€¦ although Iā€™m taking that with a pinch of saltā€¦ but thatā€™s as much of the spoilers as Iā€™ve dared read. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/11 "2007-06-16T23:19:50Z")
After three fantastic episodes, I thought this was a let down. I realize it was setting things up for the finale, and those episodes rarely stand well on their own, but stillā€¦ Iā€™m beggining to think that the show works best when it explores humanity, not when thereā€™s a lot of running and screaming. And Iā€™m a guy who enjoys space opera and explosions. Itā€™s good to see Jack and get some more background, though I donā€™t see how they can merge this with Torchwood. And the alien chick was kinda cute. Iā€™d do her (preferably before Jack, 'cause he must have an enormous tonker, considering the amount of testosterone heā€™s shedding). ETA: John Simmā€™s star is raising. This guest spot, after Life on Mars, is sur to keep him in the publicā€™s eye. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/12 "2007-06-17T01:20:45Z")
[QUOTE=Charlie Tan] Itā€™s good to see Jack and get some more background, though I donā€™t see how they can merge this with Torchwood. [/QUOTE] How so? I didnā€™t notice anything mentioned in this episode that wasnā€™t mentioned or hinted at in Torchwood, even the way in which Jack was picked up at the start tied in with the final episode of Torchwood. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/13 "2007-06-17T09:04:25Z")
[QUOTE=Steve Wright] Interesting that you-know-who managed to do you-know-what, even though he supposedly ran out of those a while back ā€¦ does this suggest that the Doctor also is no longer limited to the regulation quota? [/QUOTE] My personal feeling is that itā€™s a new series. Unless something from the old show is brought up in context then it simply didnā€™t happened. So if the guy who follows Tennant leaves the show and Iā€™m not going to complain when the new one isnā€™t evil. The ā€œmainā€ plot was kind of generic even for Dr. Who but I suppose that was to give a framework to hang the real story on. They probably should have shifted things a little bit further toward character study, though, just to keep the show from feeling too unbalanced. Iā€™m not certain if I like the idea of a more manic Master. The Master should be more of a counterpoint to the Doctor and having him be more energized may throw off the interaction. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/14 "2007-06-17T12:07:16Z")
As a throwback to the old programmes, it even started in an old quarry. I wonder if that was intentional ? ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/15 "2007-06-17T14:45:14Z")
[QUOTE=Just Some Guy] My personal feeling is that itā€™s a new series. Unless something from the old show is brought up in context then it simply didnā€™t happened. So if the guy who follows Tennant leaves the show and Iā€™m not going to complain [/QUOTE] Not that easy. The Tennant Doctor has already acknowledged all of his past, back as far as William Hartnell, by scribbling references to them in his notebook when he became human two or three episodes ago. Iā€™m not saying the writers wonā€™t find a way around the regeneration ā€˜problemā€™ when the time comesā€¦ just that this canā€™t be it. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/16 "2007-06-17T14:51:58Z")
I was a little disappointed that they didnā€™t stay with the original actor, but given that heā€™s nearly 70, it is understandable. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/17 "2007-06-17T15:06:02Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] I was a little disappointed that they didnā€™t stay with the original actor, but given that heā€™s nearly 70, it is understandable. [/QUOTE] Errā€¦the original actor is long dead. ---
**Author:** ![Lars\_Aruns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Lars\_Aruns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lars_Aruns)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/18 "2007-06-17T15:21:40Z")
[QUOTE=Szlater] Errā€¦the original actor is long dead. [/QUOTE] I reckon heā€™s talking about the chap who was playing Professor Yana. That was the very first episode of Dr Who I ever saw, yay! ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/19 "2007-06-17T15:34:31Z")
[QUOTE=Lars Aruns] I reckon heā€™s talking about the chap who was playing Professor Yana. [/quote] Iā€™m not sure I follow. > [@Lars Aruns](#): > > That was the very first episode of Dr Who I ever saw, yay! Did you like it? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277/20 "2007-06-17T15:38:18Z")
[QUOTE=ianzin] Not that easy. The Tennant Doctor has already acknowledged all of his past, back as far as William Hartnell, by scribbling references to them in his notebook when he became human two or three episodes ago. Iā€™m not saying the writers wonā€™t find a way around the regeneration ā€˜problemā€™ when the time comesā€¦ just that this canā€™t be it. [/QUOTE] Yes there was some stuff with the older Doctors, but that didnā€™t include things like the twelve regeneration limit or the Valeyard. Unless they bring that up in the show then Iā€™m not going to worry about it. They can just ignore it when the time comes and it will be okay by me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-doctor-who-3x11-utopia/408277.md?page=2)