The Sound of Drums (TV story): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Story SMW
|image          = LucyBehindSaxon.jpg
|season number  = Series 3 (Doctor Who 2005)
|series episode number = 12
|story number    = 187b
|scripturl = https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/documents/doctor-who-3-episode-12-the-sound-of-drums-green-revisions-06032007.pdf
|doctor          = Tenth Doctor
|companions      = [[Martha Jones|Martha]], [[Jack Harkness|Jack]]
|featuring      = Francine Jones
|featuring2      = Clive Jones
|featuring3      = Tish Jones
|featuring4      = Trinity Wells
|featuring5      = Leo Jones
|featuring6      = Newsreader (Invasion of the Bane){{!}}Newsreader
|enemy          = The [[Saxon Master]]
|setting        = [[London]], the [[2000s]]{{note|According to the episode ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'', [[Martha Jones]]' present day during [[Series 3 (Doctor Who 2005)|series 3]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' takes place over a six-day period, with {{Simm}} being elected three days after ''Smith and Jones'', and the [[Toclafane]] [[Toclafane invasion|invading Earth]] five days after ''Smith and Jones''. However, [[Aliens of London dating controversy|sources differ on which dates these stories are set]]. According to [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Paradox Moon (short story)|The Paradox Moon]]'', the Toclafane invasion happens on [[23 June]] [[2007]], placing the events of ''Smith and Jones'' on [[18 June]]. According to [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Hysteria (audio story)|Hysteria]]'', ''Smith and Jones'' takes place in [[2008]], with a [[UNIT]] mission log in [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Recruits (audio story)|Recruits]]'' referring to the recovery of moon rocks from [[Royal Hope Hospital]] in [[March]] 2008. A newspaper clipping in [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Secret Lives of Monsters (short story)|The Secret Lives of Monsters]]'' places ''Smith and Jones'' on a [[Sunday]] [[4 June]], thus placing the Toclafane invasion on [[Friday]] [[9 June]]. In the real world, these dates do not fall on a Sunday and Friday in either 2007 or 2008.}}
|writer          = Russell T Davies
|director        = [[Colin Teague]]
|producer        = [[Phil Collinson]]
|confidential    = The Saxon Mystery (CON episode)
|broadcast date  = 23 June 2007
|network        = BBC One
|format          = 1x45 minute episode<br/>Part 2 of 3
|production code = 3.12
|series          = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
|prev            = Utopia (TV story)
|next            = Last of the Time Lords (TV story)
|clip            = The Legends of Gallifrey - Doctor Who - The Sound of Drums - BBC
|clip2          = Here Come The Drums! - Doctor Who - The Sound of Drums - BBC
thwr            = 50
}}{{you may|The Sound of Drums & Last of the Time Lords (reference book)|n1=the reference book of the same name}}
'''''The Sound of Drums''''' was the twelfth and penultimate episode of [[Series 3 (Doctor Who 2005)|series three]] of ''[[Doctor Who (TV series)|Doctor Who]]''.


It marked the first full appearance of [[John Simm]] as [[the Master]], disguised as [[Harold Saxon]], revealing the significance of that name across the series; the Master had been behind the scenes in the modern day since ''[[Love & Monsters (TV story)|Love & Monsters]], ''having arrived a year and a half prior to ''[[Torchwood (TV series)|Torchwood]]{{'}}''s story ''[[End of Days (TV story)|End of Days]]''. It also introduced a fictitious version of the [[President of the United States|United States President]]. At the end of this episode, [[the Doctor]] appeared profoundly defeated, with catastrophic consequences for his [[companion]]s and the residents of the planet [[Earth]].


The episode is also notable for showing the Master as a child, making it the only known appearance of the Master's first incarnation on television. The story also revealed Jack's involvement with [[Torchwood]].


{{Quote
== Synopsis ==
|1 = "And as I gazed down on my new domain, I felt..good!"
The [[Tenth Doctor]], [[Martha Jones]] and [[Jack Harkness]] return to present day [[London]], horrified to discover that Prime Minister Harold Saxon is [[the Master]]. "Saxon" informs the world about receiving contact from an alien race called the [[Toclafane]]. Framed as fugitives, the Doctor, Martha and Jack try to sneak in and stop the Master before he unleashes a wave of terror. But his dark ambitions reach beyond the stars...
|2 = The Master
}}


== Plot ==
The [[Tenth Doctor]], [[Martha Jones]], and [[Jack Harkness]] are trapped by the [[Futurekind]]. The Doctor fixes [[Jack Harkness' vortex manipulator|Jack's vortex manipulator]] to get them to [[21st century]] [[Earth]]; the trip, however, is not comfortable, with the Doctor complaining that [[time travel]] without a capsule is "a killer". Martha says that [[the Master]] could be anywhere in time and space with [[the TARDIS]], but the Doctor asserts that he is on Earth in this period of time.


Meanwhile, Harold Saxon is on the news with his wife [[Lucy Saxon|Lucy]], having just come from [[Buckingham Palace]] after winning the election and being confirmed as [[Great Britain]]'s new [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]]. Martha tells the Doctor that she recognised the Master's voice inside the TARDIS: it was that of Harold Saxon. The Doctor realises with horror that not only is the Master now Prime Minister, but he is ''married'' as well!


[[File:Gasmaskmaster.jpg|thumb|left|The Master prepares to gas the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet]].]]
In [[10 Downing Street]], the Master is on his way to his first [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet meeting]]. He meets [[Tish Jones]], who now works at 10 Downing Street. After speaking to Tish, he walks into the [[Cabinet Room]]. He tosses dossiers into the air, but his enthusiastic attitude only manages to elicit a smile from [[Albert Dumfries]]. The Master quickly changes his attitude and insults the Cabinet, calling them traitors for abandoning their political parties and jumping on his political bandwagon as soon as they saw the vote swinging his way. As their "reward", he quickly sits down and puts on a gas mask. Albert asks the Master why he is wearing a mask, and the Master replies that he's wearing it because of the gas, a process made difficult to explain because the mask muffles his voice. Before anyone can figure out what he means, toxic gas is sprayed into the room from the two deskphones' speakers. Albert manages to splutter out, "You're insane!" to the Master, who replies with a double thumbs up, before he drops dead on the table, following the other ministers. The Master, surrounded by his dead cabinet, begins to tap his fingers on the table in a four-beat rhythm.


'''The Sound of Drums''' is the 12th episode of Series 3 of ''[[Doctor Who]]'', and aired on the 23rd June 2007.
Martha returns home with Jack and the Doctor and they quickly set up a [[computer]] search about "Harold Saxon" which shows he was the former Minister of Defence who entered the public eye when he had the [[Racnoss]] [[Webstar]] shot down on [[Christmas Eve]]. Martha points out that he has a complete biography; his education and achievements are all known to the public.


At Downing Street, Lucy Saxon is speaking to Tish when a woman named [[Vivien Rook]] arrives from the ''[[Sunday Mirror]]'', saying she is there to interview Lucy about being the Prime Minister's wife and asks Tish to leave. After Tish leaves, Rook confronts Lucy about her husband's fictitious life story: he only appeared shortly after the downfall of [[Harriet Jones]], but all of his background prior to that has been forged, and curiously, no one is bothering to question the forgery. Lucy responds that she made her choice for better or worse, revealing the Master's presence in the room. The Master admits that "Harold Saxon" doesn't exist, at which point he conjures [[Toclafane|four robotic balls]] the size of footballs. He tells one to kill Vivien as he and Lucy leave. As they rush in on Vivien and slice her to death with tiny knife blades, Lucy angrily remarks that the Master told her that "Archangel" was 100 percent sure and questions him on how Vivien knew everything; the Master demurs, admitting it was more like 98-99 percent. Lucy then fearfully remarks that other people may be asking questions about them and that their time is running out. The Master embraces his wife and promises her that tomorrow, the world will end.


At Martha's flat, Jack suggests that the Master could have been living in Earth for decades, but the Doctor explains that when he used his [[the Doctor's sonic screwdriver|sonic screwdriver]] on the TARDIS as the Master stole it, he fused the coordinates so that it would only go to the last place and time it had landed in, that being 21st century Earth. He estimates that the Master couldn't have arrived more than eighteen months earlier, so doesn't understand how he has the entire country supporting him in such a short time, even if he was "always hypnotic". Martha and Jack admit they thought he was a nice guy, and they had even planned to vote for him. The Doctor asks what exactly Harold Saxon stood for, but Martha struggles for an answer stating he just had a voice she felt she could trust. During this, Martha begins tapping her fingers in a four-beat rhythm which the Doctor picks up on. Suddenly a Saxon Broadcast comes on the [[television]]. In the broadcast, the Master mentions several previous alien attacks, namely the destruction of [[Big Ben]], the [[Fire Trap|spaceship]] over London, the [[Cybusman|ghosts and metal men]], and the [[Webstar|Christmas Star]] that came to kill; and how the government kept them secret. He then says he has been contacted by a new species, called the Toclafane. The Doctor is aghast upon hearing the name, knowing it's false. The Master then claims that tomorrow morning, "We will take our place in the universe. Every man, woman, and child. Every teacher and chemist and lorry driver and farmer. I don't know — every ''medical student?''" The Doctor, knowing the Master is talking to them, looks behind the television and finds a bomb; he, Martha and Jack run out on to the street just before it explodes, destroying Martha's flat.


{{Infobox NewTV
[[File:Martha get out.jpg|thumb|Martha's family are arrested.]]
|story name= The Sound of Drums
The Doctor, Martha and Jack climb into a car and Martha calls [[Francine Jones|her mum]] against the Doctor's advice. Francine asks her to come to her house, claiming she has plans of getting back together with [[Clive Jones|Clive]]. Martha realises something is wrong, as she knows her mother can barely stand to be in the same room as her ex-husband under normal circumstances. Francine hands the phone to Clive, and Martha asks him to just say 'Yes' or 'No' when she asks if anyone is there with him, not knowing Miss [[Dexter (42)|Dexter]], a government official working for the Master, is listening to the conversation. Clive, after considering for a second, answers "Yes," and tells Martha to run. Miss Baxter orders the [[police]] to arrest the entire Jones family. Martha phones Tish at Downing Street, just as Tish is dragged away by two guards. Martha, the Doctor, and Jack arrive at Francine's house as Francine and Clive are being forcibly dragged by police to a jail transporter van. As they screech to a stop, Francine shouts a warning to Martha, and Miss Dexter orders armed police to ready their rifles. With no choice but to make a run for it, Martha quickly puts the car in reverse and drives off as the police officers open fire, bullets shattering the back windshield and the sides of the car. As they drive off, the [[police officer]]s shove Francine and Clive into the back of the van and lock the back doors.
|image= [[Image:The_Sound_of_Drums_01.png|250px]]
|series=[[Doctor Who]] -<br/>[[TV stories|TV Stories]]
|number= [[Series 3 (Doctor Who)|Series 3]]
|story number = 12
|doctor= [[Tenth Doctor]]
|companions= [[Martha Jones]]<br>Captain [[Jack Harkness]]
|enemy= [[The Master]]<br>[[Lucy Saxon]]<br>[[Toclafane]]<br>[[Miss Dexter]]
|setting= [[London]], [[2008]]
|writer= [[Russell T. Davies]]
|director= [[Colin Teague]]
|producer= [[Phil Collinson]]
|broadcast date= [[23rd June]] [[2007]]
|format= 1x45 minute episode
|production code= 191 b
|previous story= [[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]
|next story= [[Last of the Time Lords]]
}}


As the three of them abandon the car, Martha phones [[Leo Jones|Leo]], who is in [[Brighton]] with his partner and child visiting a friend. As Martha warns her brother to hide, the Master interrupts the phone call. The Doctor takes the phone and talks to his old enemy, demanding to know who the Toclafane are as he knows there's no such race. The Master changes the subject and asks about [[Gallifrey]], and is surprised to learn that the planet is gone, the Daleks are almost wiped out and the two of them are the last Time Lords. The Master says that the [[Time Lord]]s resurrected him as the perfect warrior to fight in the [[Time War]], but he ran away in fear when the Dalek Emperor took control of the Cruciform, explaining that he used a [[chameleon arch]] to turn himself into a [[human]] and fled to the end of the universe so he couldn't be found. The Master realises that as the Doctor survived the [[Last Great Time War|Time War]] then he must have been the one to end it, and tries to get under his skin by asking how it felt to have two mighty civilisations die by his hand. The Doctor keeps his cool and begs the Master to leave Earth alone. The Master refuses and informs the Doctor that he, Martha, and Jack have now been deemed as armed and extremely dangerous terrorists and that [[Torchwood Three|Jack's friends]] have been sent on a wild goose chase to the [[Himalayas]]. The Master then suggests that the Doctor turn to the right. The Doctor turns, sees a surveillance camera there, and realises that the Master is watching him through it. He promptly shorts it out with his sonic screwdriver. They decide to take the Master's advice and take off running.


That evening, one of the Toclafane appears before the Master asking if "the machine" is ready. The Master informs it that it will reach a critical mass at 8:02 AM, two minutes after the "first contact". The Toclafane reminds him of the darkness that is coming from which the Toclafane must run, but the Master merely reminds the creature of their deadline.


==Synopsis==
As the TARDIS crew hide in an abandoned warehouse, eating takeaway chips, the Doctor gives Martha and Jack some insight into the Master's origins. After denying Martha's suggestion that he and the Master were brothers, he explains that at the age of eight, initiates were taken by the Time Lords to look into a gap in the fabric of reality known as the [[Untempered Schism]], through which could be seen the whole of the [[time vortex]]. Some were inspired; some ran away and some were driven mad. While the Doctor ran and has never stopped running, he believes the Master went mad. Jack then receives a posthumous message from Vivien Rook to Torchwood Three about the [[Archangel Network]]. The Doctor is initially disgusted about Jack's involvement with Torchwood, but Jack insists that not only was the old Torchwood regime destroyed at [[Canary Wharf]], but that under his command Torchwood no longer perceives the Doctor as a threat. Vivien's message reveals that the Master has been using the Archangel Network of communication satellites to hypnotise people to vote for him. This also kept the Doctor from detecting him earlier — Time Lords have an ability to sense when another one of their own is around, as well as recognise another Time Lord after they have regenerated. The Doctor then produces three keys equipped with [[perception filter]]s allowing himself, Martha, and Jack to be seen, but not detected if they put them on.
[[Tenth Doctor|The Doctor]], [[Martha Jones|Martha]] and [[Jack Harkness|Captain Jack]] return to the 21st century after [[the Master]]'s theft of the [[TARDIS]]. A new [[Prime Minister]] has been elected: [[Harold Saxon]].
What are the [[Toclafane]] and what's at the heart of the ''[[Valiant]]''?


==Plot==
[[File:TARDIS Paradox Machine.jpg|thumb|left|The Paradox Machine.]]
The Story continues after the events of [[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]] where the Doctor, Martha, and Jack were trapped by the [[Futurekind]]. The Doctor uses Jack's [[vortex manipulator]] to get to [[21st century]] [[Earth]]. When they arrive they discover Vote Saxon posters everywhere. Martha tells The Doctor that Harold Saxon is a politician on planet Earth and he must have won the election.  
The [[President of the United States|American president]], [[Arthur Winters]], arrives in [[Air Force One]] in London. He tells the Master that [[UNIT]] has control over the operation, citing a United Nations protocol. Winters insists on moving the first contact to the neutral ground of the UNIT aircraft carrier ''[[Valiant (aircraft carrier)|Valiant]]'' and conducting the meeting with the Toclafane himself. The Master brings along Francine, Tish and Clive, and the Doctor and friends follow using Jack's vortex manipulator. On board, they find the TARDIS, its [[cloister bell]] ringing, and the interior glowing an ominous red. It has been changed by the Master into a [[paradox machine]], set to go off at 8:02 AM, two minutes after the first contact. The trio head for the room in which the first contact is being held. The Doctor has a plan: if he manages to put the TARDIS key around the Master's neck, then everyone will see the Master for who he truly is.


Meanwhile, [[Mr Saxon]] is on the news with his wife [[Lucy Saxon|Lucy]]. He has, in fact, just won the election and is the new [[Prime Minister]] of [[Britain]]. Mr. Saxon then walks to a cabinet meeting. He meets [[Tish Jones]] (who worked for [[Richard Lazarus]] two days previously and now works at [[10 Downing Street]]). After speaking to Tish, he walks into the cabinet where he meets his first cabinet. He then gasses the room after accusing them of deserting their political parties after Saxon's popularity rose.
[[File:Winters.jpg|thumb|[[President of the United States|President]] [[Arthur Winters|Winters]] begins his address.]]
When the first contact begins, the Toclafane complain that the president is not their "Master". The Master reveals himself to the entire world and tells the Toclafane to kill the president; Winters is promptly incinerated on sight. The Doctor is captured by the guards — the Master had seen past the perception filter and knew he and the others were there all along. The Master temporarily kills Jack with his [[laser screwdriver]], equipped with LazLab's Genetic Manipulation technology. With access to [[DNA]] from the Doctor's [[The Tenth Doctor's hand|hand]], it allows the Master to artificially and visibly age the Doctor by 100 years adapted from [[Richard Lazarus]]'s de-ageing technology. The Master brings in the Jones family to witness this attack, revealing their betrayal in doing so.


Martha returns home with Jack and the Doctor and switches on the news. She tells them that Saxon was a party leader and that she recognized his voice when [[the Master]] [[regeneration|regenerated]]. The group realizes that Saxon is the Master.
[[File:50j.jpg|thumb|left|The Toclafane invade Earth.]]
With the paradox machine ready, the Master tells the people of [[Earth]] to witness the end of the world. The paradox machine activates, creating a massive [[time rift|rift]] above the ''Valiant'' from which six billion Toclafane descend as the Master and Lucy dance to "[[Voodoo Child]]". The Master orders them to kill one tenth of the Earth's population. When asked, he refuses to reveal the true identity of the Toclafane, saying it would break the Doctor's [[Binary cardiovascular system|hearts]]. Whilst the Master is distracted, the Doctor whispers something to Martha and, with a regretful look at her friends and family, she teleports to Earth using Jack's vortex manipulator. As she watches the Toclafane descend and start laying waste to Earth, she promises that she'll be back, and runs away from the city.


At Downing Street Lucy Saxon is speaking to Tish when a woman named [[Vivien Rook]] arrives from the Sunday Mirror saying she is here to interview Lucy about being the Prime Minister's wife and asks Tish to leave. After Tish leaves, Rook tells Lucy that she knows the truth about Saxon. She says he only appeared since the fall of [[Harriet Jones]] and that he made his past life up. Lucy refuses to believe this as Saxon walks in and he produces [[Toclafane|four robotic balls]] the size of footballs. He tells one to kill Vivien as he and Lucy leave.
Back in the ''Valiant'', the Master and Lucy look down on the planet with the aged Doctor between them, forced to confront his failure.


Meanwhile, at Martha's flat, the TARDIS crew watch a political broadcast by Saxon about first contract with an alien race called the [[Toclafane]] and that he and his wife will be meeting them. He claims that "we will take our place in the universe. Every man, woman, and child. Every teacher and chemist and lorry driver and farmer. I don't know--every medical student." The Doctor looks behind the television and finds a bomb. The gang runs out on to the street just in time to see the flat explode. Martha, the Doctor and Jack get into a car and phone [[Francine Jones|Martha's mum]]. Francine asks her to come to her house, claiming she has plans of getting back together with [[Clive Jones|Clive]]. Francine hands the phone to Clive. He hesitates his breath for a moment and tells Martha to run. However, Miss Dexter, a government official loyal to Saxon, is listening to the conversation and tells the police to arrest the entire Jones family. Martha phones Tish at Downing Street, just as Tish is dragged away by guards. Martha, the Doctor, and Jack arrive at Francine's house but are forced to drive away as the police start firing at her car.
== Cast ==
* [[Tenth Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[David Tennant]]
* [[Martha Jones]] - [[Freema Agyeman]]
* [[Captain]] [[Jack Harkness]] - [[John Barrowman]]
* {{Simm|n=The Master}} - [[John Simm]]
* [[Francine Jones]] - [[Adjoa Andoh]]
* [[Tish Jones]] - [[Gugu Mbatha-Raw]]
* [[Clive Jones]] - [[Trevor Laird]]
* [[Leo Jones]] - [[Reggie Yates]]
* [[Lucy Saxon]] - [[Alexandra Moen]]
* [[Arthur Winters|President]] - [[Colin Stinton]]
* [[Vivien Rook]] - [[Nichola McAuliffe]]
* [[Albert Dumfries]] - [[Nicholas Gecks]]
* [[Sharon Osbourne (in-universe)|Herself]] - [[Sharon Osbourne]]
* [[McFly|Themselves]] - [[McFly]]
* [[Ann Widdecombe (in-universe)|Herself]] - [[Ann Widdecombe]]
* [[Newsreader (Invasion of the Bane)|BBC Newsreader]] - [[Olivia Hill]]
* [[Trinity Wells|US Newsreader]] - [[Lachele Carl]]
* [[Chinese newsreader (The Sound of Drums)|Chinese Newsreader]] - [[Daniel Ming]]
* [[Dexter (42)|Sinister Woman]] - [[Elize du Toit]]
* [[Toclafane|Sphere Voices]] - [[Zoe Thorne]], [[Gerard Logan]], [[Johnnie Lyne-Pirkis]]


As the three of them abandon the car, Martha phones [[Leo Jones|Leo]], who luckily is in Brighton. As Martha warns her brother to hide, Saxon interrupts the phone call. The Doctor takes the phone and tells [[the Master]] how the Time War ended. The Master says that the [[Time Lord]]s resurrected him in order to fight but he ran away in fear, explaining that he used a [[Chameleon Arch]] to turn him into a [[human]], as the Doctor did in [[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]. He informs the Doctor that he, Martha, and Jack have now been deemed terrorists and that [[Torchwood 3|Jack's friends]] have been sent on a wild goose-chase in the Himalayas.
=== Uncredited cast ===
* The Master (aged 8) - [[William Hughes]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://play.bbc.co.uk/play/pen/gcfgw7c643|title=''Ultimate Doctor Who Fan Quiz: The Master Edition'' {{!}} BBC|date of source=|website name=BBC|accessdate=26 July, 2016}}</ref>


One of the Toclafane appears before the Master asking if "the machine" is ready. The Master informs it that it will reach a critical mass at 8:02 AM: two minutes after the "first contact." The Toclafane warns him of "impending darkness" and suggest that he flee but he merely reminds them of their deadline.
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As the TARDIS crew hide in an abandoned warehouse, the Doctor gives Martha and Jack some insight on the Master's origins, explaining that at the age of eight, the Time Lords, look into the [[time vortex]]. Some are inspired; some run away and some are driven mad. The Doctor ran and never stopped, but believes the latter happened to the Master. Jack receives a posthumous message from [[Vivien Rook]] to [[Torchwood Three]] about the [[Archangel Network]]. The Doctor discovers that the Master has been hypnotizing people to vote for him, which also kept the Doctor from detecting him. The Doctor produces three keys equipped with [[perception filter]]s allowing himself, Martha, and Jack to be seen, but not detected, if they put them on.
== Worldbuilding ==
* On board the ''[[Valiant (aircraft carrier)|Valiant]]'', the Master and his wife are seen eating [[Jelly baby|jelly babies]] from a white paper bag.
* The Master watches an episode of the ''[[Teletubbies]]''.
* The Doctor states that the "children of Gallifrey" are 8 years old when they enter the [[Time Lord Academy]].
* Saxon offers President Winters some [[grits]] on board the ''Valiant''.
* The Doctor, Jack and Martha watch television in the window of [[Crossgate Cabs]].
* Jack accesses [[dailyexamineronline.co.uk]].
* The Master uses a [[Condition Red]].
* [[AFC]] is a brand.
* [[Interstate 15]] is seen.


The [[President Winters|American President]] arrives in [[Air Force One]] in London. He tells Saxon that [[UNIT]] has Control over the operation, citing a United Nations protocol. Winters insists on moving first contact to the neutral ground of the UNIT aircraft carrier [[Valiant]] and conducting the meeting with the Toclafane for himself. The Master brings along [[Francine Jones|Francine]], [[Tish Jones|Tish]] and [[Clive Jones|Clive]], and the Doctor and friends follow using Jack's [[vortex manipulator]]. On board, they find the [[TARDIS]], its [[cloister bell]] ringing, and the interior glowing an ominous red. It had been changed by [[the Master]] into a [[paradox machine]], set to go off at 8:02 AM. The trio head for the room in which the first contact is being held. The Doctor has a plan: if he manages to put the TARDIS key around the Master's neck, then everyone will see the Master for who he truly is.
== Notes ==
* This episode is part of a continuous [[Story arc|arc]] which begins in the ''[[Torchwood (TV series)|Torchwood]]'' episode ''[[Captain Jack Harkness (TV story)|Captain Jack Harkness]]'', is developed in the ''Torchwood'' episode ''[[End of Days (TV story)|End of Days]]'', switches over to ''Doctor Who'' in ''[[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]'', develops in this episode, and ends in ''[[Last of the Time Lords (TV story)|Last of the Time Lords]]''.
* [[Russell T Davies]]' interpretation of the Master was influenced by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_Traders Rogue Traders] song "[[Voodoo Child]]", and he asked script editor [[Simon Winstone]] to clear its use in the story even before he had begun writing the scripts. Indeed, the lyric, “Here it comes, the sound of drums,” provided the episode with its title. Davies almost forgot to include the song in the narrative and was reminded by Winstone at a late stage.
* This is the first three-part story since ''[[Survival (TV story)|Survival]]'', which incidentally was the last of the ongoing series to feature the Master.
* [[Sharon Osbourne]], [[McFly]] and [[Ann Widdecombe]] appear as themselves endorsing Harold Saxon.
* In an interview with ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'', [[Russell T Davies]] stated that the eponymous drumbeat was not inspired by the opening bars of [[Ron Grainer]]'s original [[Doctor Who theme|''Doctor Who'' theme tune]] (as many fans believed), but by his alarm clock which plays a sound similar to the aforementioned sound of drums when it goes off.
* The series 4 track, "UNIT Rocks", plays on the President's arrival in Britain. However, it switches to the series one and two track, "UNIT", on his departure.
* Many aspects of the episode all revolve around the number four. There are four drum beats; when the Toclafane are first shown, there are four of them; and on each Toclafane there are four spikes on the bottom plate and four spikes on the middle plate.
* This episode shows the surface of [[Gallifrey]], the [[Capitol]] and other [[Time Lord]]s.
* The [[Seal of Rassilon]] is visible on various elements during the Gallifrey flashback.
* When Jack logs onto the Torchwood system, the ''[[Torchwood (series)|Torchwood]]'' theme tune plays in the background.
* The Master wears variations of various outfits from different stories. He wears a black single-breasted suit, white shirt and black tie, from ''[[Planet of Fire (TV story)|Planet of Fire]]'', albeit without the black leather gloves worn in the original costume. He also wears a black overcoat with red satin lining, like [[Jon Pertwee]]'s early outfit and black leather gloves during his airport meeting with President Winters.
* This is the first time a Gallifreyan child has appeared on screen, although there had been previous references to "[[time tot]]s" during the Fourth Doctor era, and [[Susan Foreman]], the Doctor's granddaughter, was said to be 15 in ''[[An Unearthly Child (TV story)|An Unearthly Child]]''. In ''[[Smith and Jones (TV story)|Smith and Jones]]'' the [[Tenth Doctor]] refers to having played with röntgen-bricks in the nursery.
* It is indicated that Jack has possible romantic feelings for the Doctor: in ''[[The Parting of the Ways (TV story)|The Parting of the Ways]]'' he kissed the [[Ninth Doctor]] as well as Rose and when the Doctor uses the analogy of being in love with someone who doesn't even realise it, Jack asks Martha, "You too?" with a serious look on his face.
* When the Doctor and the Master are speaking to each other the phone, they really are talking to the other person. Instead of having the lines read to them on the set, [[David Tennant]] and [[John Simm]] called each other in order to make the scene more authentic.
* As the Toclafane remove one tenth of the population [[Noel Clarke]]'s voice can be heard during the alarm calls.
* Martha's suggestion that the Doctor and the Master are brothers - dismissed by the Doctor - was [[Russell T Davies]]' response to a popular fan theory he found rather daft.
* Some of the car action sequences in this episode were filmed by [[Freema Agyeman]] herself rather than a stunt double.
* [[David Tennant]]'s makeup in which the Doctor is aged 100 years was inspired by [[William Hartnell]].
* The Gallifreyan headpiece was an original prop from the classic series. At the suggestion of [[Gary Russell]], the young Master's outfit reflected the earlier Time Lord costumes established in ''[[The War Games]]''.
* The car chase was originally much more elaborate. It was scaled down due to budget concerns.
* [[Russell T Davies]] decided against bringing back the Master's [[Tissue Compression Eliminator|tissue compression eliminator]], despite his fondness for it. He decided that he had enough tricks to use against the Doctor.
* When Saxon addresses the nation, his first words are "Britain, Britain, Britain". [[Tom Baker]] used these words often as a narrator for the comedy series ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Britain_(TV_series) Little Britain]''.
* [[Mysterious man (The Lazarus Experiment)|The Mysterious Man]] from ''[[The Lazarus Experiment (TV story)|The Lazarus Experiment]]'' was due to make a cameo appearance. But when [[Bertie Carvel]] was not free, the character became Sinister Woman instead.
* Vivien Rook was named for journalist [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Rook Jean Rook]. [[Russell T Davies]] would later use the name again in ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Years_and_Years_(TV_series) Years and Years].''
* Having already examined a well-meaning, if flawed, Prime Minister in the form of [[Harriet Jones]], [[Russell T Davies]] was now eager to explore what would happen if the Prime Minister were a truly malevolent figure such as the Master.
* Searching for a suitable humiliation which the Master could inflict upon the Doctor, [[Russell T Davies]] turned to [[Neill Gorton]] and [[Millennium FX]], who handled various monster costumes and prosthetics. They had won a [[BAFTA]] Craft Award for transforming [[Paul Whitehouse]] into an elderly man for ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help_(British_TV_series) Help]'', and Davies confirmed that they could likewise give [[David Tennant]] the appearance of decrepitude.
* The Archangel Network was originally named Angel One.
* A more elaborate car chase sequence was excised after it was found to place too great a strain on the budget.
* [[Colin Teague]]'s wife Marjorie played the woman watching television with her baby.
* The cafe scene had originally been scheduled for Mac's Cafe in Cardiff, but had been postponed and was instead recorded at Forte's in Barry.
*


When the first contact begins, the Toclafane complain that the President is not the Master. The Master reveals himself to the entire world and tells the Toclafane to kill the President. The Doctor is captured by the guards and the Master temporarily kills Jack with his [[laser screwdriver]], equipped with LazLab's Genetic Manipulation technology. With DNA from the Doctor's hand (stolen during the events of [[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]), it allows the Master to artificially (and visibly) age the Doctor by 100 years. The Master brings in the Jones family to witness this attack.
=== Ratings ===
* 6.9 million viewers - Overnight ratings
* 1.09 million viewers - BBC3 Sunday repeat ratings
* 7.51 million viewers - Final ratings<ref>[http://guide.doctorwhonews.net/info.php?detail=ratings&start=100&type=date&order= Doctor Who - consolidated ratings]</ref>


With the paradox machine ready, the Master tells the people of [[Earth]] to witness the end of the world. The paradox machine activates, creating a massive [[time rift|rift]] above the Valiant from which six billion Toclafane descend from. He orders them to kill one tenth of the earth's population. When asked, he refuses to reveal the true identity of the [[Toclafane]], saying it would break the Doctor's hearts. Whilst the Master is distracted, Martha glances at the Doctor, Jack and her family. She teleports to Earth using the manipulator, given to her by Jack, promising to return as she watches the Toclafane descend. The Master and his wife look down on the planet, calling it his "new dominion", with the aged Doctor between them, forced to confront his failure to stop the Master.
=== Myths ===
* The drumbeat was based upon [[Ron Grainer]]'s theme music for ''Doctor Who''. ''As noted above, according to Russell T Davies an alarm clock inspired it.''


==Cast==
=== Filming locations ===
*[[Tenth Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[David Tennant]]
* Hensol Castle, Miskin, Pontyclun, Mid Glamorgan, South Wales
*[[Martha Jones]] - [[Freema Agyeman]]
* Esplanade, Cwrt-y-Vil Road, Queen's Road, High Street, Arcot Street, in Penarth
*Captain [[Jack Harkness]] - [[John Barrowman]]
*[[The Master]]/[[Harold Saxon]] - [[John Simm]]
*[[Francine Jones]] - [[Adjoa Andoh]]
*[[Clive Jones]] - [[Trevor Laird]]
*[[Tish Jones]] - [[Gugu Mbatha-Raw]]
*[[Leo Jones]] - [[Reggie Yates]]
*[[Miss Dexter]] - [[Elize du Toit]]
*[[Lucy Saxon]] - [[Alexandra Moen]]
*[[Vivien Rook]] - [[Nichola McAuliffe]]
*[[Albert Dumfries]] - [[Nicholas Gecks]]
*[[President Winters]] - [[Colin Stinton]]
*BBC Newsreader - [[Olivia Hill]]
*Chinese Newsreader - [[Daniel Ming]]
*[[Trinity Wells]] - [[Lachele Carl]]
*[[Sharon Osbourne]] - Herself
*[[McFly]] - Themselves
*[[Ann Widdecombe]] - Herself
*The Master (aged 8) - [[John Sandilands]] (uncredited)


==Crew==
* The Friary, Cardiff
''to be added''
* Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
* Maelfa Shopping Centre, Llanedeyrn, Cardiff
* College Green, Abingdon Street, Westminster, London
* Wenallt Woods, Wenallt Road, Caerphilly
* University Place, Splott, Cardiff
* MOD St Athan, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan
* Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff
* Whitmore Bay, Barry Island, Vale of Glamorgan
* Fortes, Barry Island, Vale of Glamorgan


==References==
=== Production errors ===
*The Doctor, Jack and Martha return to Earth via Jack's [[vortex manipulator]].
{{discontinuity}}
*Jack reveals to the Doctor that he works for the [[Torchwood Institute]].
* When the Master first puts on his gas mask, it is the correct way up. It then cuts to a different shot where it is upside down. It then goes back to the first shot where it is the correct way up again.
* On board the ''[[Valiant]]'', the Master and his wife are seen eating [[jelly babies]] from a white paper bag. This refers to the same habit of primarily the [[Fourth Doctor]].
* When the Master stands up on the ''Valiant'' to announce that he is "the Toclafane's Master", President Winters is visible in the background, only the Toclafane aren't there. In the next shot, they return, buzzing around Winters' head.
*[[10 Downing Street]] was destroyed during the [[Slitheen]] attack. The Master here states it was rebuilt.
* When the Master runs to the window to watch the spheres descend, he presses against the wall, which visibly bows out.
* The Master's clothing was identical to that worn by [[Kamelion]] when he was in Lazarote and on the planet [[Sarn]].
* This episode shows the surface of [[Gallifrey]], the [[Citadel]] and other [[Time Lord]]s.
*The [[Seal of Rassilon]] is visible on various elements during the Gallifrey flashback.
*The Master watches The Teletubbies, much in the same way he watched [[The Clangers]] when he was imprisoned by UNIT in the [[1970s]].
*The Doctor constructs a [[perception filter]] for himself, Martha and Jack using his TARDIS keys.
*The Doctor states that Gallifreyans are 8 years old when they enter the [[Academy]].
*Vivien Rook refers to the fall of [[Harriet Jones]].
*The Master mentions [[Richard Lazarus|Lazarus]] and the Doctor's involvement with his machine.
*The [[Toclafane]] once quotes that "the everlasting darkness is coming, and the coldness", this could be a reference to the events in "[[Journey's End]]." ''However it is more likely it is merely referring to the fact that the last of the universe's stars are close to exhausting their fuel.''
*[[The Master]] says the phrase 'please attend carefully' as a reference to Logopolis where he says the same line.


==Story Notes==
== Continuity ==
*The Rogue Traders song "[[Voodoo Child]]" plays as the Master launches the attack on Earth, it contains the lyrics ''"So here it comes, the sound of drums. Here come the drums, here come the drums!"''.
* The Doctor reacts badly to Jack working for Torchwood; remembering their part in the [[Battle of Canary Wharf|Canary Wharf Battle]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Army of Ghosts (TV story)|Army of Ghosts]]''/''[[Doomsday (TV story)|Doomsday]]'') Defending himself, Jack says "there's only a few of us left." ([[TV]]: ''[[Everything Changes (TV story)|Everything Changes]]'')
*This is the first 3 part story since [[Survival]], which incidentally was the last of the ongoing series to feature the Master.
* Saxon describes himself as a doctor. The [[Reborn Master]] once pretended to be the Doctor. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Dominion (audio story)|Dominion]]'')
*Sharon Osbourne, McFly and Ann Widdecombe appear as themselves endorsing Harold Saxon.
* Whether intentional or coincidental, the Master's speech at Saxon's victory reflects how the [[Seventh Doctor]] once proclaimed that the universe was sick and needed a doctor. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Two Masters (audio story)|The Two Masters]]'')
* The 'sound of drums' heard throughout the episode is the rhythm of a few versions of the Doctor Who theme.
* The Doctor recalls Time Lords in their ceremonial dress. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Deadly Assassin (TV story)|The Deadly Assassin]]'', et al.)
* Martha asks whether the Master is the Doctor's secret brother, to which the Doctor replies that she's been watching too much TV. It was originally rumoured that the Master would be revealed as the Doctor's brother in a story at the end of [[Season 10]]; however, this storyline was pre-empted by the unexpected death of [[Roger Delgado]]. An unfinished statement made by the Master at the end of ''[[Planet of Fire]]'' spoken by [[Anthony Ainley]] has also been interpreted as a possible reference to this. Also, in ''[[Smith and Jones]]'' the Doctor states (for the first time on screen) that he has a brother.
* The Doctor and the Master discuss the [[Last Great Time War]], ([[TV]]: ''[[Dalek (TV story)|Dalek]]'') specifically the Doctor's role in ending the war, ([[TV]]: ''[[Doomsday (TV story)|Doomsday]]'') and how the [[War Master]] ran away to the end of the universe. ([[TV]]: ''[[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]'') The Master mentions he saw the [[Dalek Emperor]] take control of the Cruciform. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Heavenly Paradigm (audio story)|The Heavenly Paradigm]]'')
* Assuming the American political system works the same in the Doctor Who universe as it does in the real world, the involvement of the American President-Elect indicates the events of this episode must take place between November 5, 2008 (the day after the US presidential election) and January 19, 2009 (the day before the inauguration of the new president). Also if Winters had use of Air Force One, then it is likely that Winter's had just won re-election.
* The Doctor tells the Master that the Daleks are all dead "more or less". In his last encounter with the [[Cult of Skaro]], the Doctor had seen the escape of [[Dalek Caan]], who he believed to be the last Dalek in existence. ([[TV]]: ''[[Evolution of the Daleks (TV story)|Evolution of the Daleks]]'') However, he is soon to see a [[New Dalek Empire]] made by [[Davros]] thanks to Caan rescuing him from the Time War. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Stolen Earth (TV story)|The Stolen Earth]]''|''[[Journey's End (TV story)|Journey's End]]'')
* The Doctor mentions how he tried more than once to end the Time War in a better way. The [[Eighth Doctor]] told the [[Dalek Time Strategist (The Shadow Vortex)|Dalek Time Strategist]] he'd do so. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Restoration of the Daleks (audio story)|Restoration of the Daleks]]'') The [[War Doctor]] tried to convince the [[High Council]], and was outraged by [[President]] [[Rassilon (The End of Time)|Rassilon]]'s [[Battle for the Tantalus Eye|plan]] to use the [[Tear of Isha]] on the [[Tantalus Eye]] in order to prevent the [[Dalek Empire]]'s plan to wipe [[Gallifrey]]; knowing it mean the [[genocide]] of many worlds. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Engines of War (novel)|Engines of War]]'')
* The outfit the young Master wears is similar to that which the Time Lords wore at the [[Second Doctor]]'s trial. ([[TV]]: ''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]'')
* The destruction of [[Big Ben]], ([[TV]]: ''[[Aliens of London (TV story)|Aliens of London]]'') the [[Sycorax]] [[Sycorax ship|spaceship]] over London ([[TV]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion (TV story)|The Christmas Invasion]]'') and [[Racnoss]] [[Webstar]] at [[Christmas]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Runaway Bride (TV story)|The Runaway Bride]]'') are mentioned.
* [[Albert Dumfries]] calls the Saxon Master insane before his death. [[Gharman]], a [[Kaled]] rebel, calls Davros insane for removing morality from [[Dalek mutant|Kaled mutants]] to make [[Dalek]]s, and is killed by [[Genesis Dalek]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Genesis of the Daleks (TV story)|Genesis of the Daleks]]'') The [[President of Great Britain]] on [[Pete's World]] considered [[John Lumic]] insane for planning to [[Cyber-conversion|cyber-convert]] [[human]]ity to [[Cyberman|Cybermen]] because it mean costing them their [[Emotion|souls]], and ends up killed by a [[Cybusman|Cybus Cyberman]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Rise of the Cybermen (TV story)|Rise of the Cybermen]]'')
* Harriet Jones was a previous Prime Minister. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion (TV story)|The Christmas Invasion]]'')
* The Master references Professor Lazarus and his Genetic Manipulation Device, and reveals he used Martha's family as his pawns. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Lazarus Experiment (TV story)|The Lazarus Experiment]] '')
* The Master still has the Doctor's hand which he lost in a [[sword]] fight with a [[Fadros Pallujikaa (The Christmas Invasion)|Sycorax leader]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion (TV story)|The Christmas Invasion]]'') which Jack had with him while in charge of Torchwood, ([[TV]]: ''[[Everything Changes (TV story)|Everything Changes]]'' et al.) and took with him when he met up with the Doctor. ([[TV]]: ''[[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]'')
* The Doctor was artificially aged many years previously on [[Argolis]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Leisure Hive (TV story)|The Leisure Hive]]'')
* The Doctor, Jack and Martha eat [[chips]] together. The [[Ninth Doctor]] and [[Rose Tyler]] previously did this. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of the World (TV story)|The End of the World]]'')
* The Master's line, "Peoples of the Earth, please attend carefully", is similar to his previous call for the attention of the "peoples of the universe". ([[TV]]: ''[[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]'')
* Martha Jones' television set is built by [[Magpie Electricals]], the same electronics company which helped [[the Wire]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Idiot's Lantern (TV story)|The Idiot's Lantern]]'')
* The Master watching [[Teletubbies]] marks the second time he is seen watching a children’s show. During his imprisonment on [[Fortress Island]], he watched the puppet show [[Clangers]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sea Devils (TV story)|The Sea Devils]]'')
* The Master has caused people to age prematurely before. His experiments with the [[TOMTIT]] machine resulted in [[Stuart Hyde]] becoming very old, then reverting back to normal. Conversely, [[Sergeant]] [[Benton]] regressed to a [[baby]] and was later turned back into an adult. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Time Monster (TV story)|The Time Monster]]'')


===Ratings===
== Home video releases ==
*6.9 million viewers - Overnight ratings
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
*1.09 million viewers - BBC3 Sunday repeat ratings
File:The Complete David Tennant Years Region 1 US DVD cover.jpg|The Complete David Tennant Years DVD<br />Region 1 US cover
*7.51 million viewers - Final ratings
File:Series-3-boxset.jpg|The Complete [[Series 3 (Doctor Who 2005)|Series Three]] DVD box-set
File:Bbcdvd-s3-v4.jpg|thumb|Series 3 Volume 4 DVD Cover
File:Bbcdvd-series1234.jpg|thumb|''Doctor Who: The Complete Series One to Four'' DVD box-set
File:Bbcdvd-series1234567.jpg|thumb|''Doctor Who: The Complete Series One to Seven'' DVD box-set
</gallery>


===Myths &amp; Rumours===
* This story was released with ''[[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]'' and ''[[Last of the Time Lords (TV story)|Last of the Time Lords]]'' on the Series 3 Volume 4 DVD.
*In the episode [[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]], the rumour that John Simm's character, [[Mr. Saxon]], is actually [[the Master]] in disguise was verified, with the regeneration of Professor Yana/The Master.
* It was also part of the series 3 DVD box set.
*The drum beat was based upon [[Ron Grainer]]'s theme music for ''Doctor Who''. As noted below, according to Russell T. Davies an alarm clock inspired it.


===Location Filming===
== External links ==
''to be added''
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/episodes/2007/312.shtml Official BBC Website - Episode Guide: '''The Sound of Drums''']
{{dwrefguide|who_tv31.htm|The Sound of Drums}}
* {{whoniverse|s03_12|The Sound of Drums}}
* {{locguide|soundofdrums|The Sound of Drums}}


===Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors===
== Footnotes ==
*When Vivian and the President were killed, the paradox was not in place, so the Toclafane should have cancelled them selves out, but they don’t. (Vivian and the President were not likely to have children at this stage in their lives). ''Also it is highly unlikely the death of two individuals would result in the extinction of the future human race; given the population is currently over 6 billion.''
=== Notes ===
*When the Master first puts on his gas mask, it is the correct way up. It then cuts to a different shot where it is up-side down. It then goes back to the first shot where it is the correct way up again.
{{notelist}}
*When the Master refers to the [[Battle of Canary Wharf]], he only mentions the [[Cybus Cyberman|Cybermen]] but not the [[Dalek]]s hovering above [[London]]. ''Because the Daleks weren't around for as long, people may not have noticed, also the Cybermen were shown to be in peoples' homes.''
=== Citations ===
*When Vivian interviews Lucy, she tells Tish to take the coats out of the room, by calling her Tish, but Tish had never introduced herself to Vivian. ''She may have before the scene started; or, if she's a thorough journalist, she's done her research.''
{{reflist}}
*President Winters refers to himself as "President Elect" when introducing himself to the Toclafane, but in all other instances is referred to as the U.S. President. ("President Elect", someone who has won the election but not yet taken office, is strictly an informal term, carrying no real legal weight.) This was likely a simple scripting error.
{{DWTV}}
*Near the start of the episode Martha says "But at the end in the TARDIS..." but she says the end, implying the end of Utopia, but isn't it their life not a TV programme episode? ''She is referring to the end (heat death) of the universe, before the Master left with the TARDIS.''
{{Master stories}}
*When the Master stands up on the Valiant to announce his that he is "the Toclafane's Master", President Winters is visible in the background, only the Toclafane aren't there. In the next shot, they return, buzzing around Winters' head. ''They were threatening othe world leaders.''
{{Saxon Master stories}}
*When the Jones family is being taken in and Martha drives in, they shoot the back window which breaks but is then repaired in the next scenes.
{{UNIT stories}}
*It has been previously shown and indicated that Time Lords have extremely long, almost indefinite, life-spans and can remain healthy and strong in one incarnation for centuries, indeed the First Doctor regenerated at the age of 450, yet the Master reduces the Doctor to infirmity by aging him a mere 100 years. ''Perhaps his health failed because of artificial aging not natural aging see ''[[The Leisure Hive]]
{{TitleSort}}
*When the Doctor's flashback of Gallifrey is shown, the Time Lord headdresses are different and that they do not have the Seal of Rassilon on each side. ''Perhaps there are different headdresses for different parts of the Time Lord society but the Seal of Rassilon is seen below the Untempered Schism''
[[it:The Sound of Drums (TV)]]
*When the Master explains that he grew mad because of the [[Untempered Schism]], this would appear to contradict how he came to be in [[Master (audio story)|the story of his name]] as he was Death's companion. ''The production team may not be taking The Big Finish audios as canon, or it could be that both are canon but the Master only 'recalls' the Schism as a result of the Doctor's deal''
[[ru:Барабанная дробь]]
*Why does the Master need to become Prime Minister? ''Possibly because he is an egotistical, delusional, megalomaniac with a power fixation? In addition, getting elected to the highest seat of office in the land also proves that the hypnotic control effect of the Archangel Network is working.''
*If the TARDIS had been locked to the co-ordinates it had most recently visited, i.e. 21st century London and the planet Malcassairo in the year 100 trillion, how did the Master travel to Utopia to 'recruit' the Toclafane? ''Still, the Master could choose any spatial destination, although the temporal coordinates were affixed. then why couldnt the master leave earth?" The Doctor indicates that the coordinates are locked approximately.''
*The flashback of the Master as a novice looking into the void depicts him as a boy. But it is stated in ''[[Lungbarrow]]'' that Time Lords by his time were born/created in Looms as fully grown adults. ''The production team may not count the various novels as canon.''
* The sky of Gallifrey was exactly the same as ours in all its previous appearances, and not orange. ''In [[The Invasion of Time]], the scenes outside the Citadel are filmed in an orange tint.'' And if the Master always had the drumming, why has it never been mentioned as of now? ''The sky is the similar to how it was described previously. Like the Earth's sky, it is not necessarily the same color at all times. As for the drumming, the Master may have just decided not to mention it. In fact he only mentioned it first in relation to the Doctor's question. Also, the drumming may have only started after the Master was resurrected during the Time War. It was never specifically said that the drumming started when the Master was a child. Also the Doctor says in The War Games that the time lords could control there environment, meaning the time lords liked to have different coloured skies at different times.''
* On the in uninverse website: [http://www.haroldsaxon.co.uk www.haroldsaxon.co.uk], it states that Harold Saxon 'Dared to stand aprt from the party system' which suggests that Mr Saxon has no political party. So how could he be elected prime minister? As the prime minister of Great Britian is the leader of the political party with the majority of votes. ''This isn't strictly true under the parliamentary system. Remember, the Master chides his cabinet for abandoning their own parties and joining with him. It would seem that the Master became prime minister under some kind of coalition government. They may have elected him as prime minister because of the mind control of the Archangel network.''
* According to Jack his Vortex Manipulator only worked as a Teleport after the Doctor fixed it, so how did he teleport to Earth from Satalite 5 in The Parting Of The Ways'' As you said, teleport. It's a teleporter which can go forward and backwards in time. Jack teleported back to Earth, but got the wrong year and landed in the 1800's.''


==Continuity==
[[Category:Doctor Who (2005) television stories]]
*The Master watches the Teletubbies in a similar fashion as he did with the Clangers in [[DW]]: ''[[The Sea Devils]]''. (This was Confirmed to be intentional on the DVD Commentary)
[[Category:2007 television stories]]
*[[Tish Jones]] wears the exact same clothes that [[Diana Goddard]] wore in [[DW]]: ''[[Dalek (TV story)|Dalek]]''.
[[Category:Saxon Master television stories]]
*This is the first appearance of Gallifrey on screen since [[DW]]: ''[[The Five Doctors]]''.
[[Category:Stories set in the 2000s]]
*The Time Lords seen in this episode are wearing the ceremonial dress first seen in [[DW]]: ''[[The Deadly Assassin]]'' and last seen in [[DW]]: ''[[The Ultimate Foe]]''.
[[Category:Time Lord television stories]]
*The outfit the young Master wears is similar to that which the Time Lords wear in [[DW]]: ''[[The War Games]]''.
[[Category:Television stories set on Gallifrey]]
*This is the first time a Gallifreyan child has appeared on screen, although there had been previous references to "time tots" during the Fourth Doctor era, and [[Susan Foreman]], the Doctor's granddaughter, was said to be 16 in [[DW]]: ''[[An Unearthly Child]]''.
[[Category:Series 3 (Doctor Who) stories]]
*The events of [[DW]]: ''[[Aliens of London]]'', [[DW]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]'' and [[DW]]: ''[[The Runaway Bride]]'' are mentioned and footage is shown.
[[Category:Stories set in the City of Westminster]]
*The Master states that he was resurrected, which neatly absolves any continuity problems caused by [[DW]]: ''[[Doctor Who: The TV Movie]]''.
[[Category:Stories set in 100000000000000]]
*The Master states that Downing Street has been rebuilt; it was destroyed in [[DW]]: ''[[World War Three]]''.
[[Category:Stories set in Brighton]]
*Harriet Jones last appeared in [[DW]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]''.
[[Category:Stories set in the United States]]
*Professor Lazarus and his Genetic Manipulation Device appeared in [[DW]]: ''[[The Lazarus Experiment]]''.
*The Master still has the Doctor's hand which he lost in ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]'', Jack had with him while in charge of Torchwood ([[TW]]: ''[[Everything Changes]]'' et al), took with him when he met up with the Doctor (''[[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]'')
*The Master wears variations of various outfits from different stories; A black single breasted suit, white shirt and black tie (from [[DW]]: ''[[Planet of Fire]]'', albeit without the black leather gloves worn in the original costume). He also wears a black overcoat with red satin lining, and black leather gloves during his airport meeting with President Winters.
* The Seal of Rassilon is visible for the first time on screen since ''[[Doctor Who: The TV Movie]]'' and last featured on a novel cover of [[EDA]]: ''[[The Gallifrey Chronicles]]''.
* The Doctor has been artificially aged many years on a previous occasion: on [[Argolis]] in [[DW]]: ''[[The Leisure Hive]]''.
* The Master's line, "Peoples of the Earth, please attend carefully" in this episode is similar to his call for the attention of the "peoples of the Universe" during the events of [[DW]]: ''[[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]''.
*References to [[Tom Baker]] are made in this episode; the Master's opening line in his televised introduction of the [[Toclafane]] ("Britain, Britain, Britain...") is the beginning line to the introduction each episode of the comedy series "Little Britain", which Baker narrates. Also, the Master is seen offering [[Lucy Saxon]] Jelly Babies, the [[Fourth Doctor]]'s favorite sweet.
* When Jack logs onto the Torchwood system the Torchwood theme tune plays in the background.
* When the Doctor, Martha and Jack first arrive back in 2008 the Doctor describes Time Travel without a capsule as "nasty". In [[NSA]]: ''[[Only Human]]'' a Neandathal named Das accidentally uses a (dirty) rip engine to travel to modern day Bromley and is unable to return to his time without the vortex pressures tearing him apart as a side affect of his unprotected journey. ''The difference is that Jack's vortex manipulator was used by an organization in the 51 century not a half-way built engine used by a Neanderthal''
* Martha Jones' television set is built by [[Magpie Electricals]], the same electronics company who helped [[The Wire|the Wire]] in [[DW]]: ''[[The Idiot's Lantern]]''.
* In an interview with [[Doctor Who Magazine]] Russell T. Davies stated that the eponymous drumbeat was not inspired by the opening bars of [[Ron Grainer|Ron Grainer's]] original Doctor Who theme tune (as many fans believed) but by his alarm clock which plays a sound similar to the aforementioned sound of drums when it goes off.
 
==DVD and Other Releases==
[[Image:Bbcdvd-s3-v4.jpg|thumb|120px|Series 3 Volume 4 DVD Cover]]
*This has been released along side [[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]] and [[Last of the Time Lords]]
*It is also part of the series 3 DVD boxset.
 
==See also==
*[[DW]]: ''[[The War Games]]''
*[[DW]]: ''[[The Three Doctors]]''
*[[MA]]: ''[[The Dark Path]]''
*[[PDA]]: ''[[The Face of the Enemy]]''
*[[DW]]: ''[[The Deadly Assassin]]''
 
==External Links==
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/episodes/2007/312.shtml Official BBC Website - Episode Guide: '''The Sound of Drums''']
 
 
{{Series 3}}
 
 
 
{{Master stories}}
[[Category:Tenth Doctor episodes|Sound of Drums]]
[[Category:2007 television stories|Sound of Drums]]
[[Category:Stories set in London|Sound of Drums]]
[[Category:The Master episodes|Sound of Drums]]
[[Category:Stories set in 2008|Sound of Drums, The]]
[[Category:Mr. Saxon arc]]

Latest revision as of 20:38, 3 November 2024

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You may be looking for the reference book of the same name.

The Sound of Drums was the twelfth and penultimate episode of series three of Doctor Who.

It marked the first full appearance of John Simm as the Master, disguised as Harold Saxon, revealing the significance of that name across the series; the Master had been behind the scenes in the modern day since Love & Monsters, having arrived a year and a half prior to Torchwood's story End of Days. It also introduced a fictitious version of the United States President. At the end of this episode, the Doctor appeared profoundly defeated, with catastrophic consequences for his companions and the residents of the planet Earth.

The episode is also notable for showing the Master as a child, making it the only known appearance of the Master's first incarnation on television. The story also revealed Jack's involvement with Torchwood.

Synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Tenth Doctor, Martha Jones and Jack Harkness return to present day London, horrified to discover that Prime Minister Harold Saxon is the Master. "Saxon" informs the world about receiving contact from an alien race called the Toclafane. Framed as fugitives, the Doctor, Martha and Jack try to sneak in and stop the Master before he unleashes a wave of terror. But his dark ambitions reach beyond the stars...

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Tenth Doctor, Martha Jones, and Jack Harkness are trapped by the Futurekind. The Doctor fixes Jack's vortex manipulator to get them to 21st century Earth; the trip, however, is not comfortable, with the Doctor complaining that time travel without a capsule is "a killer". Martha says that the Master could be anywhere in time and space with the TARDIS, but the Doctor asserts that he is on Earth in this period of time.

Meanwhile, Harold Saxon is on the news with his wife Lucy, having just come from Buckingham Palace after winning the election and being confirmed as Great Britain's new Prime Minister. Martha tells the Doctor that she recognised the Master's voice inside the TARDIS: it was that of Harold Saxon. The Doctor realises with horror that not only is the Master now Prime Minister, but he is married as well!

The Master prepares to gas the Cabinet.

In 10 Downing Street, the Master is on his way to his first Cabinet meeting. He meets Tish Jones, who now works at 10 Downing Street. After speaking to Tish, he walks into the Cabinet Room. He tosses dossiers into the air, but his enthusiastic attitude only manages to elicit a smile from Albert Dumfries. The Master quickly changes his attitude and insults the Cabinet, calling them traitors for abandoning their political parties and jumping on his political bandwagon as soon as they saw the vote swinging his way. As their "reward", he quickly sits down and puts on a gas mask. Albert asks the Master why he is wearing a mask, and the Master replies that he's wearing it because of the gas, a process made difficult to explain because the mask muffles his voice. Before anyone can figure out what he means, toxic gas is sprayed into the room from the two deskphones' speakers. Albert manages to splutter out, "You're insane!" to the Master, who replies with a double thumbs up, before he drops dead on the table, following the other ministers. The Master, surrounded by his dead cabinet, begins to tap his fingers on the table in a four-beat rhythm.

Martha returns home with Jack and the Doctor and they quickly set up a computer search about "Harold Saxon" which shows he was the former Minister of Defence who entered the public eye when he had the Racnoss Webstar shot down on Christmas Eve. Martha points out that he has a complete biography; his education and achievements are all known to the public.

At Downing Street, Lucy Saxon is speaking to Tish when a woman named Vivien Rook arrives from the Sunday Mirror, saying she is there to interview Lucy about being the Prime Minister's wife and asks Tish to leave. After Tish leaves, Rook confronts Lucy about her husband's fictitious life story: he only appeared shortly after the downfall of Harriet Jones, but all of his background prior to that has been forged, and curiously, no one is bothering to question the forgery. Lucy responds that she made her choice for better or worse, revealing the Master's presence in the room. The Master admits that "Harold Saxon" doesn't exist, at which point he conjures four robotic balls the size of footballs. He tells one to kill Vivien as he and Lucy leave. As they rush in on Vivien and slice her to death with tiny knife blades, Lucy angrily remarks that the Master told her that "Archangel" was 100 percent sure and questions him on how Vivien knew everything; the Master demurs, admitting it was more like 98-99 percent. Lucy then fearfully remarks that other people may be asking questions about them and that their time is running out. The Master embraces his wife and promises her that tomorrow, the world will end.

At Martha's flat, Jack suggests that the Master could have been living in Earth for decades, but the Doctor explains that when he used his sonic screwdriver on the TARDIS as the Master stole it, he fused the coordinates so that it would only go to the last place and time it had landed in, that being 21st century Earth. He estimates that the Master couldn't have arrived more than eighteen months earlier, so doesn't understand how he has the entire country supporting him in such a short time, even if he was "always hypnotic". Martha and Jack admit they thought he was a nice guy, and they had even planned to vote for him. The Doctor asks what exactly Harold Saxon stood for, but Martha struggles for an answer stating he just had a voice she felt she could trust. During this, Martha begins tapping her fingers in a four-beat rhythm which the Doctor picks up on. Suddenly a Saxon Broadcast comes on the television. In the broadcast, the Master mentions several previous alien attacks, namely the destruction of Big Ben, the spaceship over London, the ghosts and metal men, and the Christmas Star that came to kill; and how the government kept them secret. He then says he has been contacted by a new species, called the Toclafane. The Doctor is aghast upon hearing the name, knowing it's false. The Master then claims that tomorrow morning, "We will take our place in the universe. Every man, woman, and child. Every teacher and chemist and lorry driver and farmer. I don't know — every medical student?" The Doctor, knowing the Master is talking to them, looks behind the television and finds a bomb; he, Martha and Jack run out on to the street just before it explodes, destroying Martha's flat.

Martha's family are arrested.

The Doctor, Martha and Jack climb into a car and Martha calls her mum against the Doctor's advice. Francine asks her to come to her house, claiming she has plans of getting back together with Clive. Martha realises something is wrong, as she knows her mother can barely stand to be in the same room as her ex-husband under normal circumstances. Francine hands the phone to Clive, and Martha asks him to just say 'Yes' or 'No' when she asks if anyone is there with him, not knowing Miss Dexter, a government official working for the Master, is listening to the conversation. Clive, after considering for a second, answers "Yes," and tells Martha to run. Miss Baxter orders the police to arrest the entire Jones family. Martha phones Tish at Downing Street, just as Tish is dragged away by two guards. Martha, the Doctor, and Jack arrive at Francine's house as Francine and Clive are being forcibly dragged by police to a jail transporter van. As they screech to a stop, Francine shouts a warning to Martha, and Miss Dexter orders armed police to ready their rifles. With no choice but to make a run for it, Martha quickly puts the car in reverse and drives off as the police officers open fire, bullets shattering the back windshield and the sides of the car. As they drive off, the police officers shove Francine and Clive into the back of the van and lock the back doors.

As the three of them abandon the car, Martha phones Leo, who is in Brighton with his partner and child visiting a friend. As Martha warns her brother to hide, the Master interrupts the phone call. The Doctor takes the phone and talks to his old enemy, demanding to know who the Toclafane are as he knows there's no such race. The Master changes the subject and asks about Gallifrey, and is surprised to learn that the planet is gone, the Daleks are almost wiped out and the two of them are the last Time Lords. The Master says that the Time Lords resurrected him as the perfect warrior to fight in the Time War, but he ran away in fear when the Dalek Emperor took control of the Cruciform, explaining that he used a chameleon arch to turn himself into a human and fled to the end of the universe so he couldn't be found. The Master realises that as the Doctor survived the Time War then he must have been the one to end it, and tries to get under his skin by asking how it felt to have two mighty civilisations die by his hand. The Doctor keeps his cool and begs the Master to leave Earth alone. The Master refuses and informs the Doctor that he, Martha, and Jack have now been deemed as armed and extremely dangerous terrorists and that Jack's friends have been sent on a wild goose chase to the Himalayas. The Master then suggests that the Doctor turn to the right. The Doctor turns, sees a surveillance camera there, and realises that the Master is watching him through it. He promptly shorts it out with his sonic screwdriver. They decide to take the Master's advice and take off running.

That evening, one of the Toclafane appears before the Master asking if "the machine" is ready. The Master informs it that it will reach a critical mass at 8:02 AM, two minutes after the "first contact". The Toclafane reminds him of the darkness that is coming from which the Toclafane must run, but the Master merely reminds the creature of their deadline.

As the TARDIS crew hide in an abandoned warehouse, eating takeaway chips, the Doctor gives Martha and Jack some insight into the Master's origins. After denying Martha's suggestion that he and the Master were brothers, he explains that at the age of eight, initiates were taken by the Time Lords to look into a gap in the fabric of reality known as the Untempered Schism, through which could be seen the whole of the time vortex. Some were inspired; some ran away and some were driven mad. While the Doctor ran and has never stopped running, he believes the Master went mad. Jack then receives a posthumous message from Vivien Rook to Torchwood Three about the Archangel Network. The Doctor is initially disgusted about Jack's involvement with Torchwood, but Jack insists that not only was the old Torchwood regime destroyed at Canary Wharf, but that under his command Torchwood no longer perceives the Doctor as a threat. Vivien's message reveals that the Master has been using the Archangel Network of communication satellites to hypnotise people to vote for him. This also kept the Doctor from detecting him earlier — Time Lords have an ability to sense when another one of their own is around, as well as recognise another Time Lord after they have regenerated. The Doctor then produces three keys equipped with perception filters allowing himself, Martha, and Jack to be seen, but not detected if they put them on.

The Paradox Machine.

The American president, Arthur Winters, arrives in Air Force One in London. He tells the Master that UNIT has control over the operation, citing a United Nations protocol. Winters insists on moving the first contact to the neutral ground of the UNIT aircraft carrier Valiant and conducting the meeting with the Toclafane himself. The Master brings along Francine, Tish and Clive, and the Doctor and friends follow using Jack's vortex manipulator. On board, they find the TARDIS, its cloister bell ringing, and the interior glowing an ominous red. It has been changed by the Master into a paradox machine, set to go off at 8:02 AM, two minutes after the first contact. The trio head for the room in which the first contact is being held. The Doctor has a plan: if he manages to put the TARDIS key around the Master's neck, then everyone will see the Master for who he truly is.

President Winters begins his address.

When the first contact begins, the Toclafane complain that the president is not their "Master". The Master reveals himself to the entire world and tells the Toclafane to kill the president; Winters is promptly incinerated on sight. The Doctor is captured by the guards — the Master had seen past the perception filter and knew he and the others were there all along. The Master temporarily kills Jack with his laser screwdriver, equipped with LazLab's Genetic Manipulation technology. With access to DNA from the Doctor's hand, it allows the Master to artificially and visibly age the Doctor by 100 years adapted from Richard Lazarus's de-ageing technology. The Master brings in the Jones family to witness this attack, revealing their betrayal in doing so.

The Toclafane invade Earth.

With the paradox machine ready, the Master tells the people of Earth to witness the end of the world. The paradox machine activates, creating a massive rift above the Valiant from which six billion Toclafane descend as the Master and Lucy dance to "Voodoo Child". The Master orders them to kill one tenth of the Earth's population. When asked, he refuses to reveal the true identity of the Toclafane, saying it would break the Doctor's hearts. Whilst the Master is distracted, the Doctor whispers something to Martha and, with a regretful look at her friends and family, she teleports to Earth using Jack's vortex manipulator. As she watches the Toclafane descend and start laying waste to Earth, she promises that she'll be back, and runs away from the city.

Back in the Valiant, the Master and Lucy look down on the planet with the aged Doctor between them, forced to confront his failure.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Uncredited cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

General production staff

Script department

Camera and lighting department

Art department

Costume department

Make-up and prosthetics

Movement

Casting

General post-production staff

Special and visual effects

Sound



Not every person who worked on this adventure was credited. The absence of a credit for a position doesn't necessarily mean the job wasn't required. The information above is based solely on observations of the actual end credits of the episodes as broadcast, and does not relay information from IMDB or other sources.


Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • This episode is part of a continuous arc which begins in the Torchwood episode Captain Jack Harkness, is developed in the Torchwood episode End of Days, switches over to Doctor Who in Utopia, develops in this episode, and ends in Last of the Time Lords.
  • Russell T Davies' interpretation of the Master was influenced by the Rogue Traders song "Voodoo Child", and he asked script editor Simon Winstone to clear its use in the story even before he had begun writing the scripts. Indeed, the lyric, “Here it comes, the sound of drums,” provided the episode with its title. Davies almost forgot to include the song in the narrative and was reminded by Winstone at a late stage.
  • This is the first three-part story since Survival, which incidentally was the last of the ongoing series to feature the Master.
  • Sharon Osbourne, McFly and Ann Widdecombe appear as themselves endorsing Harold Saxon.
  • In an interview with Doctor Who Magazine, Russell T Davies stated that the eponymous drumbeat was not inspired by the opening bars of Ron Grainer's original Doctor Who theme tune (as many fans believed), but by his alarm clock which plays a sound similar to the aforementioned sound of drums when it goes off.
  • The series 4 track, "UNIT Rocks", plays on the President's arrival in Britain. However, it switches to the series one and two track, "UNIT", on his departure.
  • Many aspects of the episode all revolve around the number four. There are four drum beats; when the Toclafane are first shown, there are four of them; and on each Toclafane there are four spikes on the bottom plate and four spikes on the middle plate.
  • This episode shows the surface of Gallifrey, the Capitol and other Time Lords.
  • The Seal of Rassilon is visible on various elements during the Gallifrey flashback.
  • When Jack logs onto the Torchwood system, the Torchwood theme tune plays in the background.
  • The Master wears variations of various outfits from different stories. He wears a black single-breasted suit, white shirt and black tie, from Planet of Fire, albeit without the black leather gloves worn in the original costume. He also wears a black overcoat with red satin lining, like Jon Pertwee's early outfit and black leather gloves during his airport meeting with President Winters.
  • This is the first time a Gallifreyan child has appeared on screen, although there had been previous references to "time tots" during the Fourth Doctor era, and Susan Foreman, the Doctor's granddaughter, was said to be 15 in An Unearthly Child. In Smith and Jones the Tenth Doctor refers to having played with röntgen-bricks in the nursery.
  • It is indicated that Jack has possible romantic feelings for the Doctor: in The Parting of the Ways he kissed the Ninth Doctor as well as Rose and when the Doctor uses the analogy of being in love with someone who doesn't even realise it, Jack asks Martha, "You too?" with a serious look on his face.
  • When the Doctor and the Master are speaking to each other the phone, they really are talking to the other person. Instead of having the lines read to them on the set, David Tennant and John Simm called each other in order to make the scene more authentic.
  • As the Toclafane remove one tenth of the population Noel Clarke's voice can be heard during the alarm calls.
  • Martha's suggestion that the Doctor and the Master are brothers - dismissed by the Doctor - was Russell T Davies' response to a popular fan theory he found rather daft.
  • Some of the car action sequences in this episode were filmed by Freema Agyeman herself rather than a stunt double.
  • David Tennant's makeup in which the Doctor is aged 100 years was inspired by William Hartnell.
  • The Gallifreyan headpiece was an original prop from the classic series. At the suggestion of Gary Russell, the young Master's outfit reflected the earlier Time Lord costumes established in The War Games.
  • The car chase was originally much more elaborate. It was scaled down due to budget concerns.
  • Russell T Davies decided against bringing back the Master's tissue compression eliminator, despite his fondness for it. He decided that he had enough tricks to use against the Doctor.
  • When Saxon addresses the nation, his first words are "Britain, Britain, Britain". Tom Baker used these words often as a narrator for the comedy series Little Britain.
  • The Mysterious Man from The Lazarus Experiment was due to make a cameo appearance. But when Bertie Carvel was not free, the character became Sinister Woman instead.
  • Vivien Rook was named for journalist Jean Rook. Russell T Davies would later use the name again in Years and Years.
  • Having already examined a well-meaning, if flawed, Prime Minister in the form of Harriet Jones, Russell T Davies was now eager to explore what would happen if the Prime Minister were a truly malevolent figure such as the Master.
  • Searching for a suitable humiliation which the Master could inflict upon the Doctor, Russell T Davies turned to Neill Gorton and Millennium FX, who handled various monster costumes and prosthetics. They had won a BAFTA Craft Award for transforming Paul Whitehouse into an elderly man for Help, and Davies confirmed that they could likewise give David Tennant the appearance of decrepitude.
  • The Archangel Network was originally named Angel One.
  • A more elaborate car chase sequence was excised after it was found to place too great a strain on the budget.
  • Colin Teague's wife Marjorie played the woman watching television with her baby.
  • The cafe scene had originally been scheduled for Mac's Cafe in Cardiff, but had been postponed and was instead recorded at Forte's in Barry.

Ratings[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • 6.9 million viewers - Overnight ratings
  • 1.09 million viewers - BBC3 Sunday repeat ratings
  • 7.51 million viewers - Final ratings[2]

Myths[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The drumbeat was based upon Ron Grainer's theme music for Doctor Who. As noted above, according to Russell T Davies an alarm clock inspired it.

Filming locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Hensol Castle, Miskin, Pontyclun, Mid Glamorgan, South Wales
  • Esplanade, Cwrt-y-Vil Road, Queen's Road, High Street, Arcot Street, in Penarth
  • The Friary, Cardiff
  • Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
  • Maelfa Shopping Centre, Llanedeyrn, Cardiff
  • College Green, Abingdon Street, Westminster, London
  • Wenallt Woods, Wenallt Road, Caerphilly
  • University Place, Splott, Cardiff
  • MOD St Athan, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan
  • Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff
  • Whitmore Bay, Barry Island, Vale of Glamorgan
  • Fortes, Barry Island, Vale of Glamorgan

Production errors[[edit] | [edit source]]

If you'd like to talk about narrative problems with this story — like plot holes and things that seem to contradict other stories — please go to this episode's discontinuity discussion.
  • When the Master first puts on his gas mask, it is the correct way up. It then cuts to a different shot where it is upside down. It then goes back to the first shot where it is the correct way up again.
  • When the Master stands up on the Valiant to announce that he is "the Toclafane's Master", President Winters is visible in the background, only the Toclafane aren't there. In the next shot, they return, buzzing around Winters' head.
  • When the Master runs to the window to watch the spheres descend, he presses against the wall, which visibly bows out.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Home video releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The Complete David Tennant Years DVD Region 1 US cover

    The Complete David Tennant Years DVD
    Region 1 US cover

  • The Complete Series Three DVD box-set

    The Complete Series Three DVD box-set

  • Series 3 Volume 4 DVD Cover

    Series 3 Volume 4 DVD Cover

  • Doctor Who: The Complete Series One to Four DVD box-set

    Doctor Who: The Complete Series One to Four DVD box-set

  • Doctor Who: The Complete Series One to Seven DVD box-set

    Doctor Who: The Complete Series One to Seven DVD box-set

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ According to the episode The Sound of Drums, Martha Jones' present day during series 3 of Doctor Who takes place over a six-day period, with the Saxon Master being elected three days after Smith and Jones, and the Toclafane invading Earth five days after Smith and Jones. However, sources differ on which dates these stories are set. According to PROSE: The Paradox Moon, the Toclafane invasion happens on 23 June 2007, placing the events of Smith and Jones on 18 June. According to AUDIO: Hysteria, Smith and Jones takes place in 2008, with a UNIT mission log in AUDIO: Recruits referring to the recovery of moon rocks from Royal Hope Hospital in March 2008. A newspaper clipping in PROSE: The Secret Lives of Monsters places Smith and Jones on a Sunday 4 June, thus placing the Toclafane invasion on Friday 9 June. In the real world, these dates do not fall on a Sunday and Friday in either 2007 or 2008.

Citations[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ Ultimate Doctor Who Fan Quiz: The Master Edition | BBC. BBC. Retrieved on 26 July, 2016.
  2. ↑ Doctor Who - consolidated ratings
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Doctor Who television stories
 
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Season 12: 1974-1975
Season 13: 1975-1976
Season 14: 1976-1977
Season 15: 1977-1978
Season 16: 1978-1979
Season 17: 1979-1980
Season 18: 1980-1981
 
Seasons 19-21: Peter Davison
Season 19: 1982
Season 20: 1983
Children in Need 1983
Season 21: 1984
 
Seasons 21-23: Colin Baker
Season 21: 1984
Season 22: 1985
Season 23: 1986
 
Seasons 24-26: Sylvester McCoy
Season 24: 1987
Season 25: 1988-1989
Season 26: 1989
 
TV Movie & 2013 specials: Paul McGann
TV Movie: 1996
Specials: 2013
Minisodes
 
Series 1: Christopher Eccleston
Series 1: 2005
Regular episodes
 
Series 2-4: David Tennant
Series 2: 2005-2006
Minisode
Christmas Special
Regular episodes
Series 3: 2006-2007
Christmas Special
Regular episodes
Animated special
Series 4: 2007-2010
Minisode
Christmas Special
Regular episodes
Minisodes
Animated special
Seasonal specials
 
Series 5-2013 specials: Matt Smith
Series 5: 2010
Regular episodes
Series 6: 2010-2011
Christmas Special
Minisodes
Regular episodes
(Part 1: Apr 2011)
Regular episodes
(Part 2: Aug 2011)
Minisode
Series 7: 2011-2013
Christmas Special
Minisodes
Regular episodes
(Part 1: 2012)
Minisode
Christmas Special
Regular episodes
(Part 2: 2013)
Specials: 2013
 
Series 8-10: Peter Capaldi
Series 8: 2014
Regular episodes
Series 9: 2014-2015
Christmas Special
Minisode
Regular episodes
Christmas Special
Series 10: 2016-2017
Christmas Special
Regular episodes
Christmas Special
 
Series 11-13: Jodie Whittaker
Series 11: 2018-2019
Regular episodes
New Year Special
Series 12: 2020-2021
Regular episodes
New Year Special
Series 13: 2021
Minisodes
Regular episodes
Seasonal specials
 
60th Anniversary Specials: David Tennant
Specials: 2023
Minisodes
60th Anniversary Specials
 
Season 1 (2023)-present: Ncuti Gatwa
Season 1: 2023-2024
Christmas Special
Regular episodes
v • e
The Master stories
Early life
Television
Prose
Comic
Audio
Webcast
"Inventor"
Audio
War Chief
Television
Prose
UNIT era
The cycle
ending
Decayed
Master
Tremas
Master
Old
Master
Television
Prose
Bruce
Master
Android/
Echo
Webcast
Prose
"Preacher"
Comics
Reborn
Master
"Merlin"
Prose
Pryce
Television
Child
Master
Comics
War Master
Saxon Master
Missy
The Lumiat
Audio
Spy Master
Unclear
incarnation

Prose
.
Other
realities
Barusa's universe
Prose
Unbound Master
Inferno Earth
Prose
The Warrior's universe
Audio
From stories
considered
not part
of the DWU
by this Wiki
"DWM"
Prose
"Battle"
Games
"Exclusive!"
Prose
"DWMS"
Comics
According to one account, the Master had the appearance of Roger Delgado while on Gallifrey. According to another, he had Anthony Ainley's likeness. According to another one, the one with James Dreyfus's appearance was the incarnation who ran away from Gallifrey.

Divided Loyalties, A Brief History of Time Lords and The Legions of Death feature, or otherwise acknowledge, the War Chief, but in the process contradicted the notion put forward by other stories that he was an incarnation of the Master.

One account suggests that the incarnation portrayed by Roger Delgado may be the same as the one portrayed by Peter Pratt while some others distinguish them.

According to one account, the incarnation portrayed by Gordon Tipple is the one portrayed by Anthony Ainley, while some others state that the Ainley one was already lost by then.

While fighting to extend his life at the end of his regeneration cycle, many bodies were possessed by the Beevers incarnation, but all kept somehow reverting to his real being until he finally regenerated into the MacQueen one. Hence, these sections cannot be strictly chronological
v • e
Saxon Master stories
Television
Audio
Prose
Comics
Video games
* Substantial appearances only; see a full list of appearances here
v • e
UNIT stories
TV
Doctor Who
Major
Minor
Torchwood
SJA
PROSE
U.N.I.T.
website
UNIT Press
Briefings
Operations
Board
Candy Jar UNIT series
Operation Wildcat and Other Stories
Operation Fall-Out and Other Stories
More to be added
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