Closer Look: The Waters Of Mars

Water. Why is water coming out of my eyes! Today I re-watched (although I have only seen it once) The Waters of Mars and that's exactly what happened while I watched this emotional and haunting episode. The episode was broadcast last November in the run up to David Tennant's departure from the role as The Doctor. Click read more as we take a Closer Look:

Name: The Waters of Mars
Series: Specials 2009 
First Broadcast: 15th of November BBC1

Viewing Figures: 10.32 Million 

Written by: Russell T Davies

Doctor: Tenth (David Tennant)
Rating:10/10

My Thoughts

The Waters of Mars is one of those episodes of Doctor Who that will stay with you forever. The range of emotion in this episode goes from happy to completely horrified. In this episode our Doctor (David Tennant) arrives on the planet Mars a few years into the future and a human research team has built a base of the planet's surface. The Doctor is faced with a huge dilemma's and even when he knows that he cannot interfere  with fixed events in time he cannot help himself from getting involved and saving people in distress. The monsters of this episode The Flood are a simple yet utterly terrifying and it goes to show that aliens don't have to be great big CGI to be effective. Now I must admit I shed a tear or two and I noticed I didn't the first time I watched it. This time I seemed to enjoy it more and got immersed in the action and the strong performances from David Tennant (has he ever given a bad performance!) and Lindsay Duncan as Captain Adelaide Brooke. The supporting cast were terrific too and watching them fall victim to the Flood was heartbreaking. By the end The Doctor is unrecognisable now he is full of anger and guilt for what he has done and that "Timelord Victorious" is wrong. I want to keep this review short so I'll sum up the episode in a word: Classic. 

Facts and Trivia

1. Bowie Base one is a reference to David Bowie and his song "Life on Mars".
2. Working title for this story was Red Christmas.
3. This story was originally envisaged as a Christmas special and several references to Christmas remain like the snow and the crew preparing for Christmas dinner.
4. Helen Mirren was considered for the role of Adelaide but Lindsay Duncan was chosen instead.
5. Just a thought When The Doctor gets Gadget to go to the TARDIS he travels through the water. Wouldn't that carry the Flood to Earth when he is disconnected there? Answers on a postcard... 

Trailers and Videos

 

Quotes

The Doctor: This moment, this precise moment in time, it's like... I mean, it's only a theory, what do I know? But I think certain moments in time are fixed. Tiny, precious moments. Everything else is in flux, anything can happen, but those certain moments, they have to stand. This base on Mars, with you, Adelaide Brooke, this is one vital moment. What happens here must always happen.

Adelaide: You said we die. For the future. For the human race.
The Doctor: Yes, because there are laws. There are laws of time, and once upon a time, there were people in charge of those laws, but they died. They all died. Do you know who that leaves? Me! It's taken me all these years to realise the laws of time are mine, and they will obey me!

Adelaide: What is that device?
The Doctor: Screwdriver.
Adelaide: What are you, The Doctor or the janitor?
The Doctor: I don't know. Sounds like me, though: maintenance man of the universe. 

The Doctor: Adelaide, I've done this sort of thing before. In small ways, save some little people, but never anyone as important as you-oh, I'm good!

Adelaide: [furious] "Little people!?" What, like Mia and Yuri? Who decides they're so unimportant!? YOU!?

The Doctor: [cold and triumphant] For a long time now, I thought I was just a survivor, but I'm not. I'm the winner! That's who I am: the Time Lord Victorious!

Adelaide: And there's no one to stop you...

The Doctor: No!

Adelaide: [disgusted] This is wrong, Doctor! I don't care who you are: the Time Lord Victorious is wrong!

The Doctor: [arrogantly] That's for me to decide.