Is Hope Enough in Gridlock? My Breakdown of Doctor Who S3:E3 Feeling claustrophobic after "Gridlock"? Me too! But there's more to this episode than meets the eye. In my new video, we explore the glimmer of HOPE hidden within the despair. Click the link below to see the Doctor fight for a brighter future! th-cam.com/video/8H5LPwYwnXk/w-d-xo.html
I was lucky enough to write the official audio spinoff story Backtrack, which features the Tenth Doctor and Martha, and takes place immediately after this episode.
The Macra had their one and only appearance in Classic Who in 1967, a story called The Macra Terror. The story has since been wiped, but the soundtrack still exists. A couple of years ago, an animated version of the story, using that original soundtrack, was released.
In terms of social commentary, I think there were various points being made. I do remember appreciating the nod to the idea that those in a hopeless situation will often develop some kind of superstitious faith system in order to make their lives bearable, and around which they can unite in order to feel less alone.
Nah syntell you ain't gonna cut off my boy David monologuing lol. Loving the reactions you guys have a great unique voice that is wonderful to watch. I Love your reactions and hearing your views
The Christian hymn at the end (& the one played to give hope to the drivers) is "Abide With Me" It is beautifully sung at funeral, military & sporting events like the FA Cup Final (Football/Soccer) in England just before the match begins every May. It's a sight to see it sung by a huge crowd & works extremely well as 10 talks to Martha about Galifrey here 😭
“A Time Lord would be like a Time CIA agent.” This is an interesting observation, because in Classic Who there was a 4th Doctor story which properly delved into Time Lord society (the most we’d ever seen up to that point) where it was alluded that the Doctor had worked for, or been involved with, the Time Lords clandestine organisation, the CIA (Celestrial Intervention Agency!) The story was a political thriller, and the writer of the story (and script editor at the time, Robert Holmes), was heavily influenced by the American political film thriller, The Manchurian Candidate (1962), as well as similar films of the early to mid 1970’s, like Three Days of the Condor and The Parralax View, and thought it funny to change the American letters of CIA (and what they stood for), for his own version!
Macra were first monsters appeared in the Classic with the second Doctor (Patrick Troughnton) Season 4 Macra Terror. They were like hidden underground in mines of the tunnels behind closed doors hypnotising up the whole colony of people with gas on hiddden around the chambers. While people were sleeping. There is an animation of this story well designed.
Like the previous episode, this one draws its inspiration from a Doctor Who comic strip, End of the Line, published in 1981, and featuring the Third Doctor.
When Martha came into the picture I was like "finally! a competent fucking companion!" I never really was a Rose fan, and I know I'm in the minority there, but I think she's overhyped when she spent 2 seasons being a selfish damsel in distress. I love Martha, she's one of my favorite companions and the most underrated
13:35 OMG, 🤣I don't know where I got it from but I still say "I tried to told ya," to people! The Macra is a looooong call back to a 60s story in the Classic series, there was a 2nd Doctor story called The Macra Terror. I like Martha putting her foot down here, making the Doctor talk, she is way more effective at that than her dad was with his lil hoochie! 🤣 I always like this episode, but Syntell, you're right, there are so many questions about food, water, and bathrooms in those little cars! As for the meta meaning of the story, yeah, you hit the nail on the head again, it is all about stagnation of the working under class, not being able to escape their crippling circumstances, there being no real upward mobility, and then also taking part in things/substances to escape the privations they are subjected to day in and day out. And yes, Rekkai, society all over the world is leaning right wing because people have forgotten to care about each other. These false idols and backward prosperity doctrine crapshows are taking root and perverting all our institutions into this hateful self-centered navel gazing nonsense where all people care about is what affects them personally, and to hell with everyone else, other's rights, other people's humanity. People are becoming cold heartless cowards and it breaks my heart because when I was a kid I was raised to believe in equality, and strength through diversity, and power to the powerless was the right way forward. Now people cheer for orange dictators, and phobic bigoted authors, and I wish I had faith it was gonna get better, that justice will prevail, but I would be lying if I said I was not deeply concerned.
I really love this episode whenever I rewatch it. It builds the lore of the Doctor and his home planet. The soundtrack was immense in this episode particularly in the climax. The prophecy in the end of the episode by the Face of Boe becomes such a pivotal moment in the season and series overall (no spoilers here). Martha’s character starts to have a conflict with the Doctor that becomes a massive arc in this season. Rekai said it well, it’s a sombre episode where it explores faith and the socioeconomic struggles that comes with poverty. It’s relatable even till now. So glad you watched this episode!
RTD teased/trolled fans that he was bringing a monster back from the classic series and we get... giant crabs!!! Other comments have given you the skinny on those obscure, lost 1967 monsters. The different characters in the vans were a quick form of visual storytelling: they were reusing the same van set redressed so had to make the characters extra visually distinctive. RTD said he drew inspiration from Judge Dredd from 2000AD comics (a complete institution for we sci fi geeks in the UK), where there were often similarly quirky characters in the comics. So we get Grant Wood's American Gothic painting come to life, chintzy grandmas that are married, hippy nudists, bowler hat businessman and so on.
A painting of a farmer and his spinster daughter that people always think is of a married couple. There was a good radio play called "Canadian Gothic" several -years- decades back.
":...On two of the worst dates ever!" @nupefromdaville, you haven't lied to us yet!!! LMAO!!! THANKS to the two of you for going back to spoiling us again!!! LOL!!! But with this season onward, you tw/oo will benefit!!! :)
When the Doctor blows off Martha;s advances on him you tell him to read the room. Martha is the one who needs to read the room. The Doctor has no romantic intrest in her yet she keeps copping an attitude about it. Other than that I liked her. And they're not on dates...this is just the Doctor;s' life and she's the companion du jur.
When he first met her in the hospital, he laid a passionate kiss on her to give her some"DNA residue" or whatever.... and he even said that he lost her this episode trying to flex and impress her... why impress her if you are not trying to date her... she has no idea what the doctor's life is. He needs therapy...lol
He pushes her away and pulls her in -- and then we're going to blame her for that? I don't think so. She isn't making advances to him anyway. She didn't like his taking her places he took Rose (except a worse area, really), and she's not wrong to say so. She doesn't know much about him to know what his life is. She can only go by how he acts, and it's quite erratic. At least he opened up and shared a bit with her at the end.
@@HuntingViolets As a character I can say without spoiling anything that a consistency for Martha Jones is her ability to stand up for herself and be very honest :)
This is one of my favourite New Who episodes and your discussion of the themes is the best I've ever watched. Thank you for your reactions as always, and can't wait for the next one from my all-time #1 Who season!
hearing your comments have been amazing and you guys are so incredibly insightful. I didn't really even put two and two together until now the correlation to the time period that this episode came out and how they were referencing it in the show...that's flipping ....my mind has imploded! Edited: I would however disagree with posing the assumption that the people up top didn't care about the people down below. 'Bliss' acted SO fast across the world, that there was no time to think of a way to help them other than to lock them there and declare the planet unsafe so that no one else would be hurt by it. The cat nurse said, 'the last act of congress was to declare this world in a state of lockdown for such n such years in the hopes that when the quarantine ends, the planet might possibly be habitable once more with the virus dead and gone.
You mentioned how the Judoon were like Judge Dredd - the fingerprints of Dredd and 2000AD are all over this one. The setting is very Mega City One, there's a cameo based on Max Normal the Pinstripe Wierdo, and Sally Calypso is inspired by the holographic anchor Swifty Frisko from the Halo Jones strips. Also, John Wagner had a running gag where APBs sent out to the Judges would often feature a warning for Judges to be on the lookout "two men in rhino suits". I doubt very much that the writers did *that* much of a deep dive but I wonder if there was an unconscious influence.
My LEAST favorite detail of the writers handling young female companions is the heart eyes they give them for the Doctor. It’s just a TOTALLY unnecessary layer that (for me) diminishes BOTH characters. I don’t care how good he looks in a suit jacket - if an ALIEN sweeps me off planet for some tom foolery mixed with constant near death adventure - I’m not wanting to reach in his pants or propose. And HIM! He’s pushing 1000 yrs old - that’s some Twilight level gross. What do you have in common with a planet locked infant human woman? Just gross. Don’t get me wrong - I like the companions but I would LOVE for the “it’s complicated” story archs to be gone. This is why I LOVED Donna (the runaway bride) who reacted to the Doctor in the most believable way. Sarcasm, mockery, respect, and fear. It made so much more sense .
Most of the fandom had heart eyes for this Doctor. DT just inspires that in people an it makes sense that this Doctor would, too. I don't think it was a bad thing for the writers to explore unrequited love for the Doctor. It makes sense that this would happen and the Doctor would need to figure out how to deal with it.
@@sallyatticum Did you notice how I referenced several times that this was my opinion? In my SUBJECTIVE opinion - it’s fine to think David Tennant is the bees knees because he is - but an audience member crushing is OBJECTIVELY different then a character crushing. Like I mentioned twilight - it’s one thing to be a fan and find that romance exciting - it’s another to be an actual teenager hooking up with an ancient vampire. It’s a detail of new who I just find ick from both the companions and from the very old man.
I think with Rose it at least makes sense because the Doctor was lonely and very vulnerable and she probably helped him feel kind of normal again like he used to after all the Time War stuff. Rose's feelings toward him and not thinking about the bigger implications could be chalked up to being young and reckless and it does get explored in the series and not just glossed over. Martha was pretty one sided. She probably starts out liking the superficial parts of him like his appearance and the excitement of the adventuring and all that but over time realizes it isn't going anywhere and that life with him has become complicated so she breaks it off amicably. Donna never goes there with him so it's moot. Amy had a fixation with the Doctor since childhood and was a little unstable as a result but she grows out of it once she realizes Rory is the one that actually matters to her that way. Clara I've got nothing for lol, I guess she calls him on his shit now and again and stays at arms length in terms of consistently traveling with him but she's all over the place relationship-wise Bill is very much a student / teacher relationship
The crabs are again a repurposed classic who monster - they used to be intelligent but timeline wise to this episode that was millions and millions of years ago. Sadly this is a missing episode of the classic show, but there is an animated reconstruction of it.
The Macra weren't new the Doctor has encountered them once before in Classic Who during the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton) era back in 1967 in a story called "The Macra Terror". The catman the Doctor was with in the cab with the kittens was actor Ardal O'Hanlon who is best known as Father Dougal McGuire from the 1990's irish sitcom "Father Ted". Martha fancies the Doctor but he doesn't think of her in that way he always sees and treats his companions no more than friends the Doctor is an a-sexual alien being he's beyond all that i will say however the whole constant reminding of The Doctor not over Rose did start to get alittle annoying by this point because he's had many companions in the past prior to Rose who were also close to him. It was nice to see The Face of Boe again one last time.
I think losing his home, even though he disliked a lot about it, has given him more of an openness to forming connections with others. It's his loss, and recovery arc that makes relationships like w/Rose possible. He's still mostly asexual, but he loves his friends deeply, perhaps age allows them to creep deeper into his hearts and make him care all the more because he's lost so much.
Is Hope Enough in Gridlock? My Breakdown of Doctor Who S3:E3
Feeling claustrophobic after "Gridlock"? Me too! But there's more to this episode than meets the eye. In my new video, we explore the glimmer of HOPE hidden within the despair.
Click the link below to see the Doctor fight for a brighter future!
th-cam.com/video/8H5LPwYwnXk/w-d-xo.html
I was lucky enough to write the official audio spinoff story Backtrack, which features the Tenth Doctor and Martha, and takes place immediately after this episode.
That's a big flex! So cool! I'd love to write professionally❤
WOW!!!!! CONGRATS!!!!
I would love to hear that!!!!
Awesome!!
Big Finish?
Love to see the love for Martha, she deserves it so much.
Yes, she so does. Freema too.
@@IsiahBradley Yes.
WE LOVE MARTHA!!! ❤❤❤
Why is it always inverted
"His been dying for like 3 seasons now" gave me a chuckle 😅
The Macra had their one and only appearance in Classic Who in 1967, a story called The Macra Terror. The story has since been wiped, but the soundtrack still exists. A couple of years ago, an animated version of the story, using that original soundtrack, was released.
AAAAAAAA🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 the doc who episodes are more often now, u can't imagine my excitement
They inverted the footage
Why have they inverted the footage
@@JacksomLacke so there won't be copyright issues I think
Thanks for jumping back into the TARDIS with both feet. You’ll be in love by the end of Martha’s run….. probably sooner, she’s so awesome.
In terms of social commentary, I think there were various points being made. I do remember appreciating the nod to the idea that those in a hopeless situation will often develop some kind of superstitious faith system in order to make their lives bearable, and around which they can unite in order to feel less alone.
Nah syntell you ain't gonna cut off my boy David monologuing lol. Loving the reactions you guys have a great unique voice that is wonderful to watch. I Love your reactions and hearing your views
The Christian hymn at the end (& the one played to give hope to the drivers) is "Abide With Me" It is beautifully sung at funeral, military & sporting events like the FA Cup Final (Football/Soccer) in England just before the match begins every May.
It's a sight to see it sung by a huge crowd & works extremely well as 10 talks to Martha about Galifrey here 😭
“A Time Lord would be like a Time CIA agent.” This is an interesting observation, because in Classic Who there was a 4th Doctor story which properly delved into Time Lord society (the most we’d ever seen up to that point) where it was alluded that the Doctor had worked for, or been involved with, the Time Lords clandestine organisation, the CIA (Celestrial Intervention Agency!)
The story was a political thriller, and the writer of the story (and script editor at the time, Robert Holmes), was heavily influenced by the American political film thriller, The Manchurian Candidate (1962), as well as similar films of the early to mid 1970’s, like Three Days of the Condor and The Parralax View, and thought it funny to change the American letters of CIA (and what they stood for), for his own version!
Okay commenters, this is getting pretty interesting, no spoilers anyone!
I adore this story. It’s super underappreciated.
Yes, and Martha keeps her head under trying circumstances.
Tenth Doctor + kittens = perfect combination!
I read that David Tennant adopted one of the kittens from this episode.
Macra were first monsters appeared in the Classic with the second Doctor (Patrick Troughnton) Season 4 Macra Terror. They were like hidden underground in mines of the tunnels behind closed doors hypnotising up the whole colony of people with gas on hiddden around the chambers. While people were sleeping. There is an animation of this story well designed.
Like the previous episode, this one draws its inspiration from a Doctor Who comic strip, End of the Line, published in 1981, and featuring the Third Doctor.
When Martha came into the picture I was like "finally! a competent fucking companion!" I never really was a Rose fan, and I know I'm in the minority there, but I think she's overhyped when she spent 2 seasons being a selfish damsel in distress. I love Martha, she's one of my favorite companions and the most underrated
13:35 OMG, 🤣I don't know where I got it from but I still say "I tried to told ya," to people!
The Macra is a looooong call back to a 60s story in the Classic series, there was a 2nd Doctor story called The Macra Terror. I like Martha putting her foot down here, making the Doctor talk, she is way more effective at that than her dad was with his lil hoochie! 🤣 I always like this episode, but Syntell, you're right, there are so many questions about food, water, and bathrooms in those little cars!
As for the meta meaning of the story, yeah, you hit the nail on the head again, it is all about stagnation of the working under class, not being able to escape their crippling circumstances, there being no real upward mobility, and then also taking part in things/substances to escape the privations they are subjected to day in and day out.
And yes, Rekkai, society all over the world is leaning right wing because people have forgotten to care about each other. These false idols and backward prosperity doctrine crapshows are taking root and perverting all our institutions into this hateful self-centered navel gazing nonsense where all people care about is what affects them personally, and to hell with everyone else, other's rights, other people's humanity. People are becoming cold heartless cowards and it breaks my heart because when I was a kid I was raised to believe in equality, and strength through diversity, and power to the powerless was the right way forward. Now people cheer for orange dictators, and phobic bigoted authors, and I wish I had faith it was gonna get better, that justice will prevail, but I would be lying if I said I was not deeply concerned.
I really love this episode whenever I rewatch it. It builds the lore of the Doctor and his home planet. The soundtrack was immense in this episode particularly in the climax. The prophecy in the end of the episode by the Face of Boe becomes such a pivotal moment in the season and series overall (no spoilers here). Martha’s character starts to have a conflict with the Doctor that becomes a massive arc in this season.
Rekai said it well, it’s a sombre episode where it explores faith and the socioeconomic struggles that comes with poverty. It’s relatable even till now. So glad you watched this episode!
"I do like me some Martha..."
One of the best seasons and that’s FACTS, can’t wait for the reactions to come keep it up guys 👏🏻
RTD teased/trolled fans that he was bringing a monster back from the classic series and we get... giant crabs!!! Other comments have given you the skinny on those obscure, lost 1967 monsters.
The different characters in the vans were a quick form of visual storytelling: they were reusing the same van set redressed so had to make the characters extra visually distinctive. RTD said he drew inspiration from Judge Dredd from 2000AD comics (a complete institution for we sci fi geeks in the UK), where there were often similarly quirky characters in the comics. So we get Grant Wood's American Gothic painting come to life, chintzy grandmas that are married, hippy nudists, bowler hat businessman and so on.
"Bowler hat businessman" is a direct reference to Max Normal (The Pinstripe Wierdo) from Judge Dredd.
@@simongiles9749 was trying to remember his name! Thanks.
@@simongiles9749 He reminded me a bit of John Steed, but he was missing _his_ companion.
that couple are from American Gothic by Grant Wood
A painting of a farmer and his spinster daughter that people always think is of a married couple. There was a good radio play called "Canadian Gothic" several -years- decades back.
":...On two of the worst dates ever!" @nupefromdaville, you haven't lied to us yet!!! LMAO!!! THANKS to the two of you for going back to spoiling us again!!! LOL!!! But with this season onward, you tw/oo will benefit!!! :)
That is my kind of woman!!! 2 of the worst dates EVER and she was still down for him!
@@nupefromdaville I think that the reality that he is a Doctor who saves people means a *lot* to her.... :)
When the Doctor blows off Martha;s advances on him you tell him to read the room. Martha is the one who needs to read the room. The Doctor has no romantic intrest in her yet she keeps copping an attitude about it. Other than that I liked her. And they're not on dates...this is just the Doctor;s' life and she's the companion du jur.
True. But the Doctor is in denial about the dynamic. He knows it because he talks about it [CENSORED].
When he first met her in the hospital, he laid a passionate kiss on her to give her some"DNA residue" or whatever.... and he even said that he lost her this episode trying to flex and impress her... why impress her if you are not trying to date her... she has no idea what the doctor's life is. He needs therapy...lol
It goes both ways.
He pushes her away and pulls her in -- and then we're going to blame her for that? I don't think so. She isn't making advances to him anyway. She didn't like his taking her places he took Rose (except a worse area, really), and she's not wrong to say so. She doesn't know much about him to know what his life is. She can only go by how he acts, and it's quite erratic. At least he opened up and shared a bit with her at the end.
@@HuntingViolets As a character I can say without spoiling anything that a consistency for Martha Jones is her ability to stand up for herself and be very honest :)
This is one of my favourite New Who episodes and your discussion of the themes is the best I've ever watched. Thank you for your reactions as always, and can't wait for the next one from my all-time #1 Who season!
hearing your comments have been amazing and you guys are so incredibly insightful. I didn't really even put two and two together until now the correlation to the time period that this episode came out and how they were referencing it in the show...that's flipping ....my mind has imploded!
Edited: I would however disagree with posing the assumption that the people up top didn't care about the people down below. 'Bliss' acted SO fast across the world, that there was no time to think of a way to help them other than to lock them there and declare the planet unsafe so that no one else would be hurt by it. The cat nurse said, 'the last act of congress was to declare this world in a state of lockdown for such n such years in the hopes that when the quarantine ends, the planet might possibly be habitable once more with the virus dead and gone.
See, this is why I use the subway in NYC. The traffic is awful!
I was very surprised when I found out the cat man is played by father McDougall
You mentioned how the Judoon were like Judge Dredd - the fingerprints of Dredd and 2000AD are all over this one. The setting is very Mega City One, there's a cameo based on Max Normal the Pinstripe Wierdo, and Sally Calypso is inspired by the holographic anchor Swifty Frisko from the Halo Jones strips.
Also, John Wagner had a running gag where APBs sent out to the Judges would often feature a warning for Judges to be on the lookout "two men in rhino suits". I doubt very much that the writers did *that* much of a deep dive but I wonder if there was an unconscious influence.
My LEAST favorite detail of the writers handling young female companions is the heart eyes they give them for the Doctor.
It’s just a TOTALLY unnecessary layer that (for me) diminishes BOTH characters.
I don’t care how good he looks in a suit jacket - if an ALIEN sweeps me off planet for some tom foolery mixed with constant near death adventure - I’m not wanting to reach in his pants or propose.
And HIM! He’s pushing 1000 yrs old - that’s some Twilight level gross. What do you have in common with a planet locked infant human woman?
Just gross. Don’t get me wrong - I like the companions but I would LOVE for the “it’s complicated” story archs to be gone.
This is why I LOVED Donna (the runaway bride) who reacted to the Doctor in the most believable way. Sarcasm, mockery, respect, and fear. It made so much more sense .
Most of the fandom had heart eyes for this Doctor. DT just inspires that in people an it makes sense that this Doctor would, too. I don't think it was a bad thing for the writers to explore unrequited love for the Doctor. It makes sense that this would happen and the Doctor would need to figure out how to deal with it.
Wow really anti race mixing? Wow just wow
@@sallyatticum
Did you notice how I referenced several times that this was my opinion?
In my SUBJECTIVE opinion - it’s fine to think David Tennant is the bees knees because he is - but an audience member crushing is OBJECTIVELY different then a character crushing.
Like I mentioned twilight - it’s one thing to be a fan and find that romance exciting - it’s another to be an actual teenager hooking up with an ancient vampire.
It’s a detail of new who I just find ick from both the companions and from the very old man.
@@VonPatzy I did notice. See, how this works is: You give your opinion and other people, if they so choose, give their opinions in response.
I think with Rose it at least makes sense because the Doctor was lonely and very vulnerable and she probably helped him feel kind of normal again like he used to after all the Time War stuff. Rose's feelings toward him and not thinking about the bigger implications could be chalked up to being young and reckless and it does get explored in the series and not just glossed over.
Martha was pretty one sided. She probably starts out liking the superficial parts of him like his appearance and the excitement of the adventuring and all that but over time realizes it isn't going anywhere and that life with him has become complicated so she breaks it off amicably.
Donna never goes there with him so it's moot.
Amy had a fixation with the Doctor since childhood and was a little unstable as a result but she grows out of it once she realizes Rory is the one that actually matters to her that way.
Clara I've got nothing for lol, I guess she calls him on his shit now and again and stays at arms length in terms of consistently traveling with him but she's all over the place relationship-wise
Bill is very much a student / teacher relationship
The crabs are again a repurposed classic who monster - they used to be intelligent but timeline wise to this episode that was millions and millions of years ago. Sadly this is a missing episode of the classic show, but there is an animated reconstruction of it.
3 in 3 days. You are spoiling us Who fan. Or is it you are so entertained you just gotta watch more?
The Macra weren't new the Doctor has encountered them once before in Classic Who during the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton) era back in 1967 in a story called "The Macra Terror".
The catman the Doctor was with in the cab with the kittens was actor Ardal O'Hanlon who is best known as Father Dougal McGuire from the 1990's irish sitcom "Father Ted".
Martha fancies the Doctor but he doesn't think of her in that way he always sees and treats his companions no more than friends the Doctor is an a-sexual alien being he's beyond all that i will say however the whole constant reminding of The Doctor not over Rose did start to get alittle annoying by this point because he's had many companions in the past prior to Rose who were also close to him.
It was nice to see The Face of Boe again one last time.
I think losing his home, even though he disliked a lot about it, has given him more of an openness to forming connections with others. It's his loss, and recovery arc that makes relationships like w/Rose possible. He's still mostly asexual, but he loves his friends deeply, perhaps age allows them to creep deeper into his hearts and make him care all the more because he's lost so much.
@@R.senals_Arsenal It's always interesting seeing the different views people have of the Doctor.
Every time the people start singing the "Old Rugged Cross" hymn, I weep. And I'm a damn atheist.
Season 3 is so good I'd give it a 9.1/10 or 4.55/5 stars.
You realize 4.1/5 equates to 8.2/10 right
@@cornparade6874 Maybe a 4.55?
@@cornparade6874 I don't fracking care about math but if I did what Hunting Violets said.
...for me a pretty good, undervalued episode... i suppose because of whats to come, its low down in the pecking order of this season...
There's a ghost in this episode
Where?
Macra yuck ! Martha is taking no crap and The face of BOE returns.
16:53 Grandpa at it again.
Hi moloid
15:05 👀
❤
Martha is definitely not 2nd best!