Creators and Cast:
- Written by Russell T. Davies
- Directed by Richard Clarke
- Episode Cast:
- David Tennant ... The Doctor
- Freema Agyeman ... Martha Jones
- Ardal O'Hanlon ... Brannigan
- Anna Hope ... Novice Hame
- Travis Oliver ... Milo
- Lenora Crichlow ... Cheen
- Jennifer Hennessy ... Valerie
- Bridget Turner ... Alice
- Georgine Anderson ... May
Official Summary:
The Doctor takes Martha to the planet New Earth, in the far future. But when they find the streets being ruled by the sinister Pharamacists, they must brave the ordeal of the mysterious Motorway in order to discover the terrible secret at the heart of the city.
Key Moments:
The delightful Irish cat-alien, Brannigan, is played by popular actor Ardal O'Hanlon ("My Hero," "Father Ted"). This race of cat people was previously seen in the season 2 premiere "New Earth." When Martha is abducted, this seems to be the moment that the Doctor stops thinking of her as a transient presence in his life and really takes responsibility for Martha's safety.
Doctor Backstory Revelation:
The Doctor is willing to lie to Martha about his people rather than face reopening old wounds, but in the end Martha shames him into coming clean. The last moment of the episode feature a rare description of Gallifrey itself, as it was in the Doctor's youth (in words that echo a previous description from the First Doctor era: "at night the sky is a burnt orange; and the leaves on the trees are bright silver...").
Fun Guest Alien Factoid:
The Macra, crablike aliens introduced and abandoned in the
Second Doctor episode "The Macra Terror," here resurface, but in an unintelligent mutated form as the monstrous infestation at the lowest level of the Motorway.
Season 3 Mister Saxon Reference:
The Face of Boe tells the Doctor he is not alone, which clearly means there's another Time Lord out there. The Doctor doesn't believe it, but it turns out later in the season that there's a good reason why the Doctor can't "sense" the other Time Lord presence.
Bottom Line: Worth Watching?:
The trapped-in-a-traffic-jam motif, while innovative, starts to feel a little claustrophobic. But this is an important step in the developing Martha-Doctor relationship, and an interesting counterpoint to the Doctor's earlier visit to the same stomping grounds with Rose ("New Earth").
