whosontpoison

THE SONTARAN STRATAGEM/THE POISON SKY by Helen Raynor

Story 37

Synopsis:
Martha calls in the Doctor, and he lands the TARDIS shortly before UNIT move in to tackle the ATMOS factory. ATMOS is a revolutionary Sat-nav system in 800 million cars worldwide. When 52 identical deaths happen around the world at the same time, and the only link is ATMOS, the Doctor was called in to check it out. Whilst Donna goes home to check on her folks, the Doctor pays a visit to the Rattigan Academy, where boy genius Luke Rattigan, inventor of ATMOS, has plenty of other products on the way. The Doctor finds that the Sontarans are helping Rattigan, and he narrowly escapes the Academy in a UNIT jeep. An attempt to use the jeep's ATMOS to kill him fails, so he goes to find Donna. Meanwhile, Martha is lured into a trap, and cloned by the Sontarans. As the Doctor examines another ATMOS, the Sontaran leader, Staal, activates 400 million ATMOS units, which release a noxious gas into the air. The Doctor heads back to UNIT, sending Donna into the TARDIS, which the Sontarans promptly teleport to their ship. Whilst Martha's clone hijacks NATO's files, and thwarts UNIT's nuclear missile attack on the Sontaran ship, the Doctor gets Donna to affect the Sontaran teleport system. Rattigan tells his Academy students of his plans, but they all reject him, and when he goes to Staal, finds he's been used. The Doctor leads the clone of Martha down to where the real thing is being held, whilst UNIT distract the Sontarans in battle. Releasing Martha shortens the clone's life, but not before it reveals the gas is designed to turn Earth into a clone factory. Rescuing Donna from the Sontarans, and returning the TARDIS to Earth, the Doctor, Martha and Donna go to the Rattigan Academy, where the Doctor constructs a device that ignites the Sontaran gas in the atmosphere, burning it all away. He then rejigs the machine and teleports to the Sontaran craft, threatening to destroy it unless they agree to surrender. But Staal refuses. Rattigan rejigs the teleport so he swaps places with the Doctor, and blows up the Sontarans, killing himself. With UNIT having held off the Sontarans, and people turning away from cars, Martha goes to the TARDIS to say Goodbye again, but it launches with her, Donna and the Doctor aboard...

Review:-
Time once more for an alien invasion of Earth, and an old enemy to step up to the plate. This time, it's the Sontarans, and their threat to the world is... Sat-navs. And gas.
The staid formula of the New Series is the biggest problem here, where the companion gets to visit her parents again, after a brief trip into time and space. Donna's problem is compounded by meeting her predecessor, Martha, who is jaded from her experience, and perhaps puts Donna on the wrong track.
The Doctor gets distracted from this worthless addition to the story by the prospect of Sontaran invasion, and also a proper chance to see UNIT in action for a change. Since Torchwood systematically belittled and diminished UNIT, it's a pleasant surprise to see Colonel Mace rather stolid and dependable, if a little gung-ho when out of his depth. Though quite why the Doctor should be quite so irredeemably nasty to them all just for carrying guns and saluting (they are an Armed Force, what else would they do?!) is a mystery.
The Sontarans have made human allies, and as in The Invasion, amongst others, it's a one-way alliance but Rattigan doesn't realise that. For a supposed genius, he's lacking in common sense. Well, thanks for that.
There are deep flaws in the story. The pervading success of ATMOS makes UNIT smell a rat, but they can't prove anything and have to use the things in their vehicles. How far the network spreads is never quite explained - 400 million units are activated, but are they just cars? Why do UNIT need ATMOS anyway? Surely a military operation of any magnitude would not rely on a computer voice going "please turn left, it's not a minefield"? More disappointingly, after showing that the system could be used to control vehicles and lead to one quite good action sequence, this ability is supplanted by their seemingly limitless capacity to emit the noxious Sontaran clone gas.
This gas enables the mystery to continue long enough until the answers start coming. It seems to be only toxic in sufficent qualities, but whilst Donna's mum and Wilf seem to be running out of time, UNIT strut about like it's nothing. The repeated countdown to the fateful % seems to be under-acted by all and sundry, as a result.
Luckily, of course, the Sontarans have under-estimated the human factor, as the Doctor sees through the charade of Martha's clone until it's expedient for him to put a stop to it, Donna outwits the Sontarans aboard their own ship (!), and UNIT prove more resilient than expected. Though quite why they would 'play dead' for so long is anyone's guess. And of course, Rattigan finds that not only do his students have no interest in his little power games, but Staal was using him all the time. Which prompts him to seek revenge. Or it would if the acting/scripting was up to it.
As over-complicated if exciting 'deus ex machina' finishes go, this isn't that bad, although the scientific implausibility of launching a fire that would only eliminate the Sontaran gas, at all levels of the atmosphere, is a bit much. Whilst the central point that a child watching needs to know is that fire burns gas, the demonstration here is so OTT as to be silly. And then when the Doctor goes for an encore in the Sontaran ship, the moment is spoiled when his bluff is called, and his moral need to give Staal a chance is a waste of time. Lucky that Rattigan takes his place and redeems himself.
Despite its faults, though, there is a lot of greatness here. After hit & miss revivals before, the Sontarans come out pretty well, Chris Ryan in particular excelling as Staal the Undefeated. Despite their wholly ludicrous short size and naff (and worthless, it seems) armour, their aims and motivations are well handled, and they never let themselves down.
UNIT, too, come out quite well, although it takes a long time for that to become clear. Mace is one of their best ever officers, and despite being cast down by the Doctor, retains his dignity and gets a moment of triumph in downing Skorr the Bloodbringer.
The return of Martha is less successful, as neither script nor acting can rescue a character who nosedived almost from the get-go. Her total failure to notice when she interviews someone who is clearly hypnotised makes one wonder what use she is to UNIT, except maybe as a 'forlorn hope'.
Donna, by contrast, keeps it together, with help from Wilf (Bernard Cribbins excellent as ever), proving her use to UNIT, and putting one over on the Sontarans, despite her fears.
And the Doctor? He shows disrespect to UNIT and has to eat his words, he treats Rattigan like a child and shows no regard for the Sontarans, either. He uses the clone of Martha to thwart UNIT's nuclear aims, but can still coax Donna into turning the battle and getting the TARDIS back. He also teaches Rattigan a lesson, devising a way to get rid of the gas. And he lets UNIT have their chance.
As the story ends, it seems all boxes have been ticked, but regrettably Martha is kept on, which doesn't bode well.
Overall, though far from ideal, this is a stronger story than expected, forsaking proper science for entertainment, and doing wonders for UNIT and the Sontarans.

Disclaimer: I have watched this story.