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Doctor Who: Gridlock
by Martin Conaghan, posted Apr 18th 2007 10:41AM
(S03E03) It's still early stages in the new series of Doctor Who, so it's understandable when the writers re-visit old story arcs, and introduce new viewers to old themes.It was like that this week, and whilst it wasn't a high-ranking episode in terms of story, it was still a good bit of fun.
And, as with previous weeks in the recent series, when Martha learned something new about the enigmatic time-traveller, so did we.
The most fascinating aspect of these recent episodes has had nothing to do with the plot, but the development of the Doctor's relationship with Martha, and the implications it could have on the future.
In these early encounters, the Doctor merely appears to be showing off to Martha, demonstrating his ability to take her anywhere he chooses to fulfill her sense of wonder at the marvels of travelling in time and space.
This week, they jetted forward to New-New York, last seen in New Earth from the previous season. However, the city had been transformed into a lower-level hell of flight-powered vehicles caught in a perpetual traffic jam, and when Martha was carjacked in order for two passengers to enter the so-called 'fast lane', the Doctor found himself in a race against time to rescue her.
Key to this episode was The Face of Boe, and enigmatic giant head in a jar who has made appearances in previous episodes, with the promise of a secret to be revealed.
It transpired that a virus had consumed the city many years before, and the Face of Boe had helped initiate a lock-down which protected as many of the citizens as possible in a make-believe underworld traffic jam, where they would drive for an eternity in the hope of reaching the real city.
Having already lied to Martha about his home planet and his people still existing, the Doctor found himself with the much bigger task of not only rescuing his new assistant from almost certain death, but liberating the people of a lost city -- with the help of the Face.
And before the Face died giving his last to free the people, he told the Doctor that he was not alone in the
universe... Next week's episode promised the return of the Daleks (entitled Daleks in Manhattan), with a sneaky line from the Doctor to the effect of: "I lose everything, and they continue to survive."
On a scale of 1 to 7 (worst to best), I'll give this episode a 5.
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