Celebrating five decades of Doctor Who, the world’s longest-running science fiction show, we delve into standout stories from its rich history. This week, we’re revisiting “The Sontaran Stratagem,” a thrilling two-part opener from the revived series, focusing on why this adventure, featuring the Sontaran Doctor Who fans know and sometimes love, works so well. Originally aired in 2008, this episode kicks off Series 4 with a bang, setting a high-energy, action-packed tone.
Sontar-Ha!
– Sontaran battle cry
Opening two-parters in a Russell T. Davies-helmed Doctor Who series operate on a different wavelength. Forget the intricate plot twists of a season finale or the character depth of a mid-season standalone episode. These openers are traditionally for the younger viewers, serving up iconic monsters, over-the-top action sequences, and straightforward narratives. Nuance often takes a backseat to spectacle.
This isn’t to excuse missteps like “World War Three” or “Evolution of the Daleks,” but to contextualize them. “The Sontaran Stratagem” and its conclusion, “The Poison Sky,” aren’t aiming for the profound emotional resonance of “The Fires of Pompeii” or the social commentary of “Planet of the Ood.” Instead, they deliver bombastic entertainment, delightfully silly visuals, and an amplified sense of drama. In essence, “The Sontaran Stratagem” and “The Poison Sky” combine to create arguably the most effective opening two-parter of the Davies era.
While not high art, these episodes excel at their intended purpose: launching a new season with a jolt of adrenaline and reintroducing a classic Doctor Who alien race – the Sontarans – to a new generation.
ThereAlt text: Commander Staal of the Sontaran Grand Army, a genetically engineered warrior race, stares intently, his potato-like features prominent in a close-up from Doctor Who’s “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
What’s curious about “The Sontaran Stratagem” and “The Poison Sky” is that despite the global scale of the Sontaran invasion, a genuine sense of peril feels somewhat absent. The Sontarans are poised to wipe out humanity, yet the narrative tension never quite reaches fever pitch. Even the cliffhanger ending of the first episode, with Earth facing suffocation, seems almost obligatory, as if planetary annihilation isn’t dramatic enough on its own.
Instead, the episode closes with Wilfred Mott trapped in a car filling with poisonous gas. His attempt to move the car, while heroic in intent, rings hollow when every vehicle on the street is equally toxic. The suspense centers on the Doctor and Donna frantically trying to free Wilf from a locked car, the sonic screwdriver comically ineffective against a mundane car door.
Martha gets dropped in it…Alt text: Martha Jones, returning companion in Doctor Who, looking distressed after being teleported into a precarious rooftop situation in “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
This cliffhanger feels somewhat manufactured, a forced attempt to inject personal stakes into a world-ending scenario. It’s quickly resolved in “The Poison Sky” with Sylvia Noble wielding a fire axe, a moment of domestic heroism that undercuts the global threat. Much of “The Sontaran Stratagem” and “The Poison Sky” carries this feeling – writer Helen Rayner ticking boxes, delivering set pieces and plot points in a season-opening adventure.
Given past experiences, this approach shouldn’t necessarily succeed. Rayner previously tackled the unwieldy “Daleks in Manhattan” and “Evolution of the Daleks,” a two-parter burdened by too many mediocre ideas. Yet, “The Sontaran Stratagem” fares significantly better, managing a similar density of high concepts with greater coherence and entertainment value.
LookinAlt text: The Tenth Doctor, portrayed by David Tennant, gazes upwards with concern as Sontaran ships loom ominously in the sky above Earth in “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
A key reason for “The Sontaran Stratagem”‘s success is that it seems to have finally cracked the code for these opening two-part stories. “Aliens of London”/”World War Three,” “Rise of the Cybermen”/”The Age of Steel,” and “Daleks in Manhattan”/”Evolution of the Daleks” – all were ambitious, high-octane adventures designed to showcase marketable monsters.
However, these earlier attempts often became convoluted when trying to incorporate more mature storytelling elements. Rose and Mickey’s parallel storylines in “Rise of the Cybermen,” for instance, felt somewhat grafted on, diluting the emotional impact of family reunions. “Daleks in Manhattan” boasted striking visuals, but its exploration of the Doctor-Dalek dynamic fell short. And while “farting aliens” were never going to be a critical darling, the most memorable image from “Aliens of London” remained the spaceship crashing into Big Ben.
Beam me up, shorty!Alt text: A Sontaran warrior, clad in brown and gold armor, teleports onto the UNIT base, a squat and imposing figure, in a scene from Doctor Who’s “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
These opening two-parters are explicitly aimed at a younger demographic. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. The beauty of the revived Doctor Who lies in its broad appeal as a family show. It’s entertainment that can be enjoyed across generations, offering different layers of appreciation for different age groups. Some episodes might lean more towards adult themes, while others are pure fun for kids, and sometimes, the magic happens when it works for everyone simultaneously.
Typically, the second two-parter of a Davies season delves into more mature themes compared to the first. “Aliens of London”/”World War III” gave us juvenile humor and pig-like aliens, while “The Empty Child”/”The Doctor Dances” tackled themes of sexuality and abandonment. “Daleks in Manhattan”/”Evolution of the Daleks” featured theatrical Frankenstein nods and the iconic Daleks, whereas “Human Nature”/”The Family of Blood” explored morality, pacifism, and identity.
Throw some stick about…Alt text: Donna Noble, the Doctor’s companion, wields a stick defensively as she confronts a Sontaran in a field during “The Sontaran Stratagem” episode of Doctor Who.
This pattern is even reflected in episode titles. First two-parters often announce their high-concept premise upfront: Rise of the Cybermen, Evolution of the Daleks, The Sontaran Stratagem. Second two-parters tend towards more ambiguous, even sophisticated titles. What expectations would The Doctor Dances conjure? Forest of the Dead is so cryptic that online speculation focused on wallpaper patterns.
This thematic divide is evident in Series 4 as well. “Silence in the Library”/”Forest of the Dead” grapples with loss and imagined realities, while “The Sontaran Stratagem”/”The Poison Sky” offers “potato men,” alien invasions, and killer cars. Neither approach is inherently superior; they simply serve different narrative objectives.
Thinking inside the box…Alt text: The Doctor, in his pinstripe suit, uses his sonic screwdriver on a UNIT communication device, a moment of technological ingenuity in Doctor Who’s “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
It’s understandable why online Doctor Who discussions often favor “Silence in the Library” over “The Sontaran Stratagem,” even though the latter admirably achieves its goals. Recognizing that “The Sontaran Stratagem” has a specific set of objectives – to be a fun, accessible, action-packed opener – allows for a fairer appreciation of its strengths.
As the title suggests, the episode marks the return of the Sontarans. This signals the show’s growing confidence in drawing from its extensive history. The revived series had already brought back the Daleks, Cybermen, and the Master. Beyond these iconic villains, revisiting “second-tier” antagonists like the Sontarans caters to long-time fans and enriches the show’s lore.
They always had a short fuse…Alt text: A group of Sontaran warriors, with their distinctive brown armor and helmets, stand in formation, ready for battle in a scene from “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
It’s fair to say the Sontarans aren’t as universally iconic as the Daleks or Cybermen. They occupy a space alongside Davros and the Silurians – recognizable to older viewers but perhaps not by name. Interestingly, these were the next classic villains to be revived in the series.
The Sontarans possess a memorable visual design, yet their defining trait might be their relative lack of memorability in the broader pop culture landscape. Their debut in “The Time Warrior” is more famous for introducing Sarah Jane Smith. Their appearance in “The Two Doctors” is overshadowed by other elements. In “The Invasion of Time,” the Sontaran invasion of Gallifrey feels anticlimactic, especially when viewers might expect Daleks or Cybermen in such a grand scenario.
Drawing a blank…Alt text: The Doctor and Donna look perplexed, examining a piece of technology, suggesting they are trying to unravel the Sontaran’s stratagem in this Doctor Who episode.
“The Sontaran Stratagem” succeeds precisely because it doesn’t attempt to elevate the Sontarans into world-class threats. In “The Poison Sky,” it’s revealed that humanity’s nuclear arsenal could have defeated the Sontarans, but the Doctor prevents it to avoid nuclear conflict. The Sontarans’ advantage hinges on a copper excitation field, and once that’s neutralized, UNIT gains the upper hand.
Even the Doctor’s apparent anxieties throughout the two-parter are revealed to be somewhat performative. He confesses to knowing “clone-Martha” was a double agent, playing into his plan. While there are moments of feigned desperation, the overall tone of “The Sontaran Stratagem” and “The Poison Sky” is that the Doctor is in control, never truly breaking a sweat.
Earth has no idea whatAlt text: A Sontaran spacecraft descends towards Earth, looming large and menacing against the sky, signaling the start of their invasion in “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
“The Sontaran Stratagem” places the Doctor under less emotional duress than other opening two-parters. There’s no “do it!” breakdown like in “Evolution of the Daleks,” no terror of realization as in “Rise of the Cybermen,” and minimal concern for his companion’s safety compared to “World War III.” His worry for Martha is quickly dispelled, and even his supposed self-sacrifice is understated.
This lighter touch works in the episode’s favor. Like “Partners in Crime,” it possesses a welcome levity, especially considering the heavier episodes surrounding it, such as “The Fires of Pompeii” and “Planet of the Ood.” “The Sontaran Stratagem” offers a comparatively light-hearted adventure.
Having a gas time…Alt text: Wilfred Mott, Donna’s grandfather, smiles reassuringly from inside a car filling with poisonous gas, a darkly humorous cliffhanger in “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
The Sontarans themselves contribute significantly to this lighter tone. Part of the problem with “Evolution of the Daleks” was the attempt to imbue the inherently serious Daleks into a light, romp-like two-parter. Davies’ previous use of the Daleks had established them as such weighty figures that using them in a fluffy adventure felt dissonant. “Evolution of the Daleks” aimed for a light historical jaunt, but the Daleks’ presence created an awkward clash.
In contrast, the Sontarans are inherently a bit ridiculous, and the episode embraces this. “He’s like a potato,” a UNIT officer observes. “A baked potato. A talking baked potato.” Commander Staal’s introduction is almost comical. “Is that a reference to my height?” he demands, reacting to disparaging remarks. Drawing on Bob Holmes’ original portrayal, these Sontarans are presented as comically aggressive, even employing a nerdy human to do their intellectual work.
Their next (trans)port of call…Alt text: Sontaran teleportation technology in action, as warriors materialize within the UNIT headquarters, a sudden and aggressive intrusion in Doctor Who’s “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
The Sontarans are competent, capable of overwhelming UNIT soldiers, yet they don’t ascend to the top tier of the Doctor’s rogues’ gallery. The show doesn’t try to portray them as anything but slightly absurd. While their design is updated, it’s nowhere near the radical overhaul the Cybermen received to make them genuinely terrifying. The script avoids excessive efforts to emphasize their threat, unlike the intense focus on the Dalek in the episode “Dalek.”
Furthermore, while Daleks and the Master gained gravitas by being tied to the Time War, and Cybermen and the Nestene Consciousness were linked by association, the Sontarans are deliberately excluded from Davies’ Time War mythology. “The finest war in history and we weren’t allowed to be a part of it,” Staal laments, feeling slighted. The Sontarans are kept out of the “big boys’ table” of Time War players.
Expectations were hardly sky high…Alt text: Donna looks upwards, mouth agape in shock, witnessing the scale of the Sontaran invasion unfolding in the skies during “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
Balancing bombastic villains with comedic elements without undermining their threat is a delicate act. Star Trek: The Next Generation famously struggled with the Ferengi in this regard. Doctor Who, however, succeeds with the Sontarans, making them humorous figures while still presenting a credible danger to Earth and its characters.
“The Sontaran Stratagem” continues the celebratory vibe of Series 4. Beyond the Sontarans’ return, UNIT is brought to the forefront. While UNIT had appeared in the Davies era before, they take center stage in this episode and subsequent stories like “Turn Left,” “The Stolen Earth,” and “Planet of the Dead.”
Something sinister has a hand in all this…Alt text: Clone Martha Jones, an agent infiltrated by the Sontarans, stands in a UNIT uniform, a subtle hint of duplicity in her expression during “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
The Doctor’s history with UNIT is fully embraced, even referencing the “UNIT dating controversy.” When Donna asks if he used to work for them, the Doctor confirms, “Yeah, long time ago. Back in the seventies. Or was it the eighties?” The episode emphasizes connections to the classic era, with Colonel Mace referencing events from “The Terror of the Zygons,” noting, “Technically speaking, you’re still on staff. You never resigned.”
Mace himself is portrayed as a fan, admitting, “I’ve read all the files on you.” It’s a shame the character didn’t reappear, despite being a clear stand-in for the Brigadier, who receives an explicit mention in “The Poison Sky.” “The Sontaran Stratagem” and “The Poison Sky” are as much about rehabilitating UNIT as they are about reintroducing the Sontarans, given UNIT’s frequent on-screen defeats.
Working as a finely-honed U.N.I.T….Alt text: UNIT soldiers in action, firing weapons in a coordinated effort against the Sontaran threat during the invasion depicted in “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
The episode also brings Martha Jones back into the fold. Continuity is clearly a priority in Series 4. “Partners in Crime” featured Billie Piper’s cameo as Rose, and Freema Agyeman returns as Martha for a three-episode arc, all leading to the grand companion reunion in “The Stolen Earth” and “Journey’s End.” The episode’s teaser ends not with a violent death, but with Martha’s reveal, relying on audience recognition of her significance.
Martha is often considered the “problem companion” of the revived series, particularly in comparison to Rose, the definitive first companion. Martha was often defined in contrast to Rose, making it challenging for her to fully resonate, especially with Davies portraying her relationship with the Doctor as a somewhat dysfunctional rebound. Her feelings were deeper than his, who seemed to be seeking a temporary replacement.
Striking an umbilical chord…Alt text: The Doctor and Martha Jones share a moment of intense focus, working together to combat the Sontaran invasion in “The Sontaran Stratagem” episode.
“The Sontaran Stratagem” attempts to give Martha belated character development, exploring her motivations. Given the emotional weight of Rose’s departure in “Doomsday,” Martha’s exit in “Last of the Time Lords” felt almost perfunctory. This episode aims to demonstrate how traveling with the Doctor positively impacts individuals, mirroring Donna’s transformative experience in “The Runaway Bride.”
However, Martha still feels like a Rose imitation. In “Doomsday,” Rose’s post-Doctor life involved Torchwood. As Torchwood revealed, Martha also briefly worked for the organization. While plans for Martha’s larger Torchwood role didn’t materialize, her UNIT involvement here serves a similar function, positioning Martha Jones as “Defender of the Earth,” a more family-friendly version of Jack’s Cardiff operations.
Wheeling out old foes…Alt text: Sontaran soldiers advance, weapons raised, their armored forms and relentless march creating a sense of impending invasion in Doctor Who’s “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
The decision to have Martha engaged feels somewhat cliché. Davies often resolves female characters’ arcs by marrying them off. Martha’s engagement to Tom Milligan is introduced, and “The End of Time, Part II” reveals her eventual marriage to Mickey Smith – a detail almost glossed over in “Journey’s End.” Rose also finds her “perfect man,” and Donna seemingly trades adventure for domesticity she can’t recall.
This feels like a simplistic way to signify Martha moving on from the Doctor. In fact, rushing into marriage, especially to a “doctor” figure and then quickly to another TARDIS-adjacent character, suggests the opposite – a pattern of rebound relationships. Simply allowing Martha to move past the Doctor without immediate engagement to someone connected to his world might have been a more nuanced approach.
Ah, Martha, the most reliable companion…Alt text: Martha Jones looks determined and focused, showcasing her competence as she works alongside UNIT in the face of alien invasion in “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
Martha primarily functions as a stereotypical companion in this story. She even gets the obligatory “scream” scene, a Doctor Who companion trope. While Donna returns home and reconnects with her family, Martha fulfills the more generic plot role of investigating alien activity and getting captured. Her personal life outside the Doctor and UNIT is only mentioned briefly.
“The Sontaran Stratagem” hints at the internal character conflicts that Davies emphasizes in Series 4. The Doctor is a complex, contradictory figure. His anti-authoritarian stance clashes with his past association with a paramilitary organization like UNIT. He criticizes Harriet Jones’s proactive defense measures but misses the Master’s subtle coup. He wouldn’t ask Martha to kill, yet he subjected her to a horrific ordeal as a maid during “Human Nature.”
Under the hood…Alt text: The Doctor examines the engine of a suspicious car, investigating the source of the poisonous gas, a moment of hands-on problem-solving in “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
The Doctor approves of Rose’s re-purposing of Torchwood to protect “Pete’s World” but disapproves of Martha’s UNIT involvement. “People with guns are usually the enemy in my books,” he tells her, adding sarcastically, “You seem quite at home.” Martha challenges his hypocrisy, arguing, “It’s all right for you. You can just come and go, but some of us have got to stay behind. So I’ve got to work from the inside, and by staying inside, maybe I stand a chance of making them better.”
This is a sharp critique of the Doctor, echoing his oblivious nature to the Ood’s suffering in “The Impossible Planet” and “The Satan Pit.” A strength of the Davies era is that it presents moral ambiguities. The Doctor is brilliant and principled, yet also short-sighted, often missing the broader consequences of his actions. Davies is clearly setting the stage for the Tenth Doctor’s eventual tragic arc.
Heeding the call…Alt text: Donna, with a headset on, looks focused and engaged as she learns to pilot the TARDIS, an unusual and empowering moment for a companion in “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
Donna stands apart from previous companions. The episode opens with her learning to fly the TARDIS, a rare occurrence since the Fifth Doctor era. The last female companion to pilot the TARDIS was Romana, who shares similarities with Donna. The Doctor-Romana dynamic was almost parental towards Adric and K-9, mirroring Donna’s interactions with Martha here.
Martha and Donna are immediately friendly, contrasting sharply with Sarah Jane Smith and Rose Tyler’s initial rivalry in “School Reunion.” Donna welcomes Martha and readily shares stories and commiserations. They aren’t rivals; they aren’t competing for the same role. While both are companions, they are not comparable in the same way as Rose and Martha or Rose and Sarah Jane were.
Screw-driving home a point…Alt text: The Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver with a flourish, confidently addressing the situation, a signature gesture of the Tenth Doctor in “The Sontaran Stratagem”.
Despite some lingering issues with Martha’s characterization, “The Sontaran Stratagem” is arguably the most well-constructed opening two-parter of the Davies era. It’s a focused episode with a clear objective and a strong grasp of its intended tone and audience. It successfully reintroduces the Sontarans to Doctor Who, delivering a fun, action-packed, and ultimately enjoyable adventure.
You might be interested in our other reviews from David Tennant’s third season of Doctor Who:
