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Must watch it again - I believe I missed that...

Given the state of the Tardis, I guess we're due an all-Earth, all-present day Season Four, reminiscent of the Pertwee era.

Good episode, overall, and a nice set-up for the season finale. Hopefully the payoff will be worth it. Although, to be honest, it's getting a bit repetitious that the Earth suffers a massive invasion at the end of every season (first the entire Dalek fleet, then an army of alt-universe Cybermen, and now 6 billion flying metal ball things). The new Master works great opposite to Tennant's Doctor, though. Easily the best Doctor/Master match-up since Pertwee/Delgado.

Anyone else think that the whole segment on Gallifrey was kind of weak? The CGI of the planet and citadel was rather disappointing, and the bit about the Master going bonkers because he looked into the swirly thing as a kid was sort of lame. Well, at least it was nice to see the old Time Lord costumes again.

Old Doctor's make-up was rather crap too. Didn't look like an aged Tennant at all.

Anyway, I hope they don't have the Master 'die' next episode. He'd make a great recurring villain, and it's rather annoying if they kill him off only to have him show up again later with some cheesy excuse for how he escaped certain doom. Just, you know, have him escape properly to fight another day.

...oh, yeah, and I like how the Doctor blew off the suggestion that he and the Master were brothers.

1. Yes, I noticed the drum beat goes along with the theme tune. I can't get it out of my head now. *drums fingers on desk*

2. I'm fairly sure I recognized David's eyes and teeth. Yes, his teeth. So I'm betting it was old-man makeup on David. But it did change his face quite a bit.

3. I'm not disappointed that they've shown at least a bit of Gallifrey and possibly explained more about the Master. Once upon a time, Gallifrey and the Time Lords were a major part of the series, so what they actually showed was next to nothing. But enough for me. Plus, they've been building up to it since the last Christmas special. (I admit, I squealed like a fangirl when David finally said the name "Gallifrey"...)

4. The floating orbs of death whose name I can't spell may have some kind of Dalek technology, but BBC has lost the rights to the Daleks last I heard. That's what I thought the Daleks in Manhattan / Evolution of the Daleks storyline was all about.

5. FINALLY, I'm starting to not be completely indifferent towards Martha. Still, it shouldn't have taken this long. *Hopes Martha continues to become a better character in the finale.*

6. I'm also happy that they explained these two tidbits: how the Master was returned to Time Lord status, and why the Doctor never sensed him as Mister Saxon before.

Normally I can guess whats gonna happen but I'm a little stumped on this one. The information i've got says that it is up to martha to save the day and most of the human race are placed into slavery so they are forced to create a new time lord planet.

What i'm stumped on is what that thing said you know the things coming out of the sky at the end. well when the Master was watching teletubbies the thing said

"we have to escape because it's coming sir, the darkness, the never ending darkness, the terrible terrible cold, we have to run and run and run".

Does this mean something big is coming. In the 4th series maybe

Did anyone else notice bits of other sci fi shows in there?
The Doctors description of the Time Lords was JUST like Star Trek's Travellers (as described in the book 'A time to be born')
And the Trogaladonywonny killer ball things were a bit like Borg Sphere's/Mini death stars.

I really, really liked this one.

With regards to the whole Gallifrey thing, I think they actually handled it reasonably well. It did remind me a lot of how it looked back in The Invasion of Time, all orangey and a bit quarry-like. They also did quite well with the whole explanation of why The Master wasn't dead and had regenerations again. Because let's face it, it wouldn't be the first time they've contracted him to do their dirty work.

As regards The Master himself, I think that John Simm really was a fantastic choice. In addition to making a very good maniac, he also managed to carry over some of the casual, menacing charm of the old Masters.

And for the record, I reckon his misses is a Toclafane.

Nah, she's really human. That news reporter lady that got killed by the flying ball thing even verified her background.

Now that I think about it, it's too bad the Master used a laser screwdriver instead of his trusty old tissue compression eliminator on Jack. Just because it would have been funny watching an immortal mini Jack Harkness running around.

I LOVED THAT EPISODE SOOO MUCH
even with the quip about long lost brother theorists watching to much tv lol. It was really awesome they threw that in. The jelly babies thing to was funny.
I have no idea how they can wrap this up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im scared and the dr ages.... but...he....was....so...cute crying
I cant wait till next way ive organised a little party we are gonna have dalek cake and a blue coctail that I call TARDIS