Opposite Day (Relishing “Utopia,” “The Sound of Drums” and “Last of the Time Lords”)

By Series 3 of NuWho, showrunner Russell T. Davies was two-for-two at successfully re-introducing classic bad guys in the Daleks and the Cybermen. To complete the trifecta, Davies naturally turned to the Doctor’s ideological opposite, the Master, and he raised the stakes with the new series’ first three-parter in Utopia, The Sound of Drums and Last of the Time Lords — a story that sees the Earth not just threatened, but conquered and subjugated. That’s a lot to work with when your job is to craft some epic Doctor Who, but did Davies give himself too much rope? We dare to climb up that rope to pass judgment from on high… which looks a lot like a flying aircraft carrier.

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Story Essentials

• Series 3, Episodes 11, 12 and 13

• Story number: 261, per the The Pull To Open Codex

• Production Code: 3.11, 3.12, 3.13

• Writer: Russell T. Davies

• Showrunner: Davies

• Aired 16 – 30 June 2007

Pull To Open: Utopia | The Sound of Drums | Last of the Time Lords

• Season 3

• Episode 41

Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor

Feedback loop and interlude music: Martin West/Thinking Fish

Outro music: Chronos by Alexander Nakarada