After two consecutive episodes that were favorable to the original series, I knew it was only a matter of time before Davies had to let loose and write yet another story butchered by modern society and seasoned with modern day elements.
This came in the form of the third episode of Series 3, titled "Gridlock" and penned by none other than Russell T. Davies. Relatively speaking, and in my opinion, this was Davies' botched attempt to write an episode containing one of the classic monsters - the Macra. (see "The Macra Terror")
Unfortunately, "Gridlock" seldom focuses on the threat of Macra, and devotes most of its time to ridiculous tear jerking drama. Right from the beginning, Davies' usual blend of setting a story in the far-flung future but containing people, behavior, and problems of today is evident; The Doctor and Martha arrive in New New Y
ork, where the first Series 2 episode was set, "New Earth." Davies introduces us to the darker side of New New York this time by setting the scene in a shady alley, where pushy pharmacists are eager to sell forget, happy, bliss, and so on "patches."
Martha is kidnapped by a couple wearing 21st century clothing - namely Milo's (the male kidnapper) graphic tee that looks like it was bought at American Eagle. Davies further introduces bizarre characters into the story by having the transports in the gridlock contain people such as the Mr. and Mrs. from American Gothic, two Japanese chics who dig anime styles, an old female gay married couple, a nudist couple (COME ON!!! NAKED CHICS?? IN DOCTOR WHO?? REALLY RUSSELL??! SHAME ON YOU!!!), a white alien who is xenophobic, a red alien, and lastly, a young lad sporting a suit and bowler.
Davies invokes further teary moments by having the gridlocked motorist sing "The Old Rugged Cross," in full.
About the only two plausible characters in the story were Thomas Kincade Brannigan, whom the Doctor gets associated with, The Face of Boe, and ofcourse Novice Hame of the Sisters of Plentitude. Hame catches up to the Doctor just after he discovers that he's up against the Macra (by peering through the bottom of the bowler wearing man's transport no less) and teleports him and herself to the Senate, where the Face of Boe awaits. The Doctor is able to restore power to the motorway and open the top allowing the motorists to escape into the open, and also hears The Face of Boe's final message before he dies - "You are not alone."
The episode closes with yet another hymn being sung in the background, and the Doctor telling Martha about his tragic history concerning Gallifrey and the Time Lords. In this case, the Macra are not even taken care of, so evidently they are still at the bottom of the motorway.
There were other ridiculous inconsistencies that Davies wrote into this episode to make it more appealing to a less intelligent audience, or as one YouTuber describes them, "the masses." There is one scene in which the Doctor opens the side door of Brannigan's car, and another car pulls up alongside - although the cars are hovering, the screeching of tires can be heard as the car stops. Throughout the course of the episode, and frequently during CGI scenes of the gridlock, car horns are sounding off - which sound like a modern day New York traffic jam. More to the point, some of the motorists had been sitting there for years...who the hell is going to keep honking their horn for that length of time??!
Overall, not one of Davies' better stories as far as Doctor Who is concerned. So much for bringing the Macra back in a great episode.
This came in the form of the third episode of Series 3, titled "Gridlock" and penned by none other than Russell T. Davies. Relatively speaking, and in my opinion, this was Davies' botched attempt to write an episode containing one of the classic monsters - the Macra. (see "The Macra Terror")
Unfortunately, "Gridlock" seldom focuses on the threat of Macra, and devotes most of its time to ridiculous tear jerking drama. Right from the beginning, Davies' usual blend of setting a story in the far-flung future but containing people, behavior, and problems of today is evident; The Doctor and Martha arrive in New New Y
ork, where the first Series 2 episode was set, "New Earth." Davies introduces us to the darker side of New New York this time by setting the scene in a shady alley, where pushy pharmacists are eager to sell forget, happy, bliss, and so on "patches."Martha is kidnapped by a couple wearing 21st century clothing - namely Milo's (the male kidnapper) graphic tee that looks like it was bought at American Eagle. Davies further introduces bizarre characters into the story by having the transports in the gridlock contain people such as the Mr. and Mrs. from American Gothic, two Japanese chics who dig anime styles, an old female gay married couple, a nudist couple (COME ON!!! NAKED CHICS?? IN DOCTOR WHO?? REALLY RUSSELL??! SHAME ON YOU!!!), a white alien who is xenophobic, a red alien, and lastly, a young lad sporting a suit and bowler.
Davies invokes further teary moments by having the gridlocked motorist sing "The Old Rugged Cross," in full.
About the only two plausible characters in the story were Thomas Kincade Brannigan, whom the Doctor gets associated with, The Face of Boe, and ofcourse Novice Hame of the Sisters of Plentitude. Hame catches up to the Doctor just after he discovers that he's up against the Macra (by peering through the bottom of the bowler wearing man's transport no less) and teleports him and herself to the Senate, where the Face of Boe awaits. The Doctor is able to restore power to the motorway and open the top allowing the motorists to escape into the open, and also hears The Face of Boe's final message before he dies - "You are not alone."
The episode closes with yet another hymn being sung in the background, and the Doctor telling Martha about his tragic history concerning Gallifrey and the Time Lords. In this case, the Macra are not even taken care of, so evidently they are still at the bottom of the motorway.
There were other ridiculous inconsistencies that Davies wrote into this episode to make it more appealing to a less intelligent audience, or as one YouTuber describes them, "the masses." There is one scene in which the Doctor opens the side door of Brannigan's car, and another car pulls up alongside - although the cars are hovering, the screeching of tires can be heard as the car stops. Throughout the course of the episode, and frequently during CGI scenes of the gridlock, car horns are sounding off - which sound like a modern day New York traffic jam. More to the point, some of the motorists had been sitting there for years...who the hell is going to keep honking their horn for that length of time??!
Overall, not one of Davies' better stories as far as Doctor Who is concerned. So much for bringing the Macra back in a great episode.
Gotta say, I can appreciate your point of view, but you come off as quite a snob with all this peering down your nose at the "masses". Personally, I like that the producers of the show haven't stuck everyone in silly looking tinfoil "future" clothes, which, while I suppose making more "sense" and increasing our sense of verisimilitude, would also make the show look rather cheap and tacky.
ReplyDeleteThe real problem with "Gridlock" is that it's just plain dull.
It's not my intent to come off as a snob, but it seems these days that viewers accept with open arms whatever is given to them, regardless of how dull it is. Look at how many ridiculous reality shows are on now. And people tune in weekly, calling it "the best in television." The best? What happened to sitcoms like "Three's Company?" "Family Matters?" "Fresh Prince?" "Star Trek?" "Babylon 5?" It's irritating that a series like Doctor Who - one that can travel anytime, any place, and leaving the avenue open to limitless possibilities - still continues to deal heavily with Earth tones. Honestly, it doesn't take a big imagination to know that given the year "Gridlock" is set, nothing we call familiar to us will exist then. So in retrospect, the "white walls" and "tinfoil" future clothes would be more appropriate, even though it may be "tacky." What would people of the 1950s thought of today's fashions? That's just a 60 year span.
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