Doctor Who: Cold War (2013)

The episode starts out with a Soviet Submarine armed with nuclear missiles, as Captain Zukhov prepares to launch them. However, he is interrupted by a professor (David Warner) and the plans are postponed until the next day. Then we find the professor’s assistant in the lower levels of the ship cutting open the ice to find a creature inside. But, the creature inside wakes up and strangles him. Cue – opening credits [that still need fixing]. I'm writing this review upon first viewing, but I can’t remember if this guy turns up again or not, so I have to presume he is dead.

Once the titles are over, we find the Ice Warrior has escaped the ice and is causing damage to the ship. The sub is crashing as the Doctor and Clara save the crew, via the SONIC SCREWDRIVER!!! How many times is that used for anything? This opening is so fast, and its difficult to tell what’s going on. What are we meant to be focussing on? Clara drowning, the Doctor drowning, the crew drowning, the Doctor and Clara as prisoners, the loose Ice Warrior, the crew of the submarine, Matt Smith’s sunglasses, Jenna-Louise Coleman in a hot dress...what? It’s really jarring and as I said you don’t know what to focus on!

Then, the episode unveils the Ice Warrior, Skaldak, who is revealed to be a Grand Marshall (perhaps the reason for his deep voice) and one of the greatest soldiers the Martian race has ever produced. Also, at this point, Clara now has a jacket on for no apparent reason. Pity. One of the crew zaps Skaldak and Clara is sent down to comfort him and explain the situation, because after all, you harm one Ice Warrior and you harm them all. It’s also amazing at this point that the Captain trusts the Doctor and Clara so much, as does the professor. To be honest, I don’t mind this and I think it’s a lot better than “oh you can’t do that – I don’t trusts you” which is far too irritating for a story like this. Clara realises however, that Skaldak has escaped his armour and is lose on the ship seeking revenge as he think his race is dead, thus is our premise for the episode.

For the next 30 minutes or so, members of the crew are being picked off by...bird feet? Um...those feet are hands that go inside those gloves? There’s a difference between the suspension of disbelief and something being unbelievable!

Clara proves herself a worthy companion for the Doctor once again, and her interactions with David Warner’s character are brilliant, especially the humour.

Matt Smith shines once again as the Doctor, and proves what sacrifices he will make for the Earth and for history itself (and Clara).

The rest of the supporting cast are brilliant as well, and the episode has some genuine scares not seen since Series 6. The sets, the model shots of the submarine, the direction, the dialogue, are all fantastic. Skaldak’s true form is kept to the shadows with the exception of his bird feet hands and his glowing red eyes and teeth are chilling.

However, the scene as Skaldak is about to launch the missiles is wasted. They do a bad job of tension and the idea of appealing to an emotional side of Skaldak is useless. The Doctor instead uses honour, but eventually once Skaldak has left the missiles are deactivated. Skaldak takes his helmet off, and this is another flaw with the episode. His ‘real’ head is a mix of Androvax from The Sarah Jane Adventures and a 2010 Silurian and is so CGI and fake it is unbelievable. I cannot believe that those hands and that head were designed to fit in that suit. Skaldak’s true form shouldn't have been shown properly and ruins any future scares. The 456 were such great aliens in Torchwood because you didn't see them properly. The same should be for Skaldak!

The ending isn't brilliant but has a nice continuity reference in the HADS and the joke of having to go to the South Pole, but the less said about the Martian ship, the better. Overall, I am forced to give this story an 8/10 – a disappointing return for such a classic monster but in a great story.

Next episode looks fantastic though – and I look forward to the scares of ‘Hide’.