S07E04 - The Power of Three

With the penultimate episode of Pond’s last leg now over, one has to admire the leaps and bounds Who has made since Russell T Davies left the show, and it has to be admitted that this episode, ‘The Power of Three’, felt a somewhat fitting tribute towards that era whilst informing viewers of the show’s need to continue and develop, to warp and change because change is good! Change is cool!

Now what can we say about this week’s episode? Well there are plenty of topics to address so let us start with the obvious: Kate Stewart. In true Russell T Davies-tribute fashion, the show has now introduced the offspring of one of the most beloved Old Who regular, but unlike in Davies fashion, this particular offspring is absolutely brilliant! Good casting helps bring this character to life and Jemma Redgrave makes the character so believable and so lovable. Of course, one could admit that just being a Lethbridge-Stewart helps bring the love to the character but add on to the fact that she has taken the Doctor’s old position at UNIT and, of course, taken over the somewhat role that her father had previously and you’ve got a character you want to make a proper regular.

UNIT of course has changed once more, and for the better it has to be admitted. Back in the days of Davies, the Unified Intelligence Taskforce was all militia, with the only hint of there being anything beyond firing a weapon or destroying a planet lost within the clever-yet-dodgy plotlines of some of the comeback’s old episodes, yet this story brings a reminiscent touch back to the UNIT of old, with scientific labs, experiments and science taking the lead once more, the Doctor back in a laboratory with a theory and a death wish. What could a fan ask more of?

Coming back the general talk of the episode, plot itself has to be addressed, or rather the definite lack of a plot. With a brilliant concept, a fantastic production and of course a marvellous cast, the one thing that seemed to be missing is a reason – the final few minutes proved that there was a pretty easy solution to the slow invasion, a conveniently close teleportation location and gave us an enemy similar in look and vocals to Star Wars’ Lord of the Sith. Now this isn’t to say that the quick-solution, again similar to Davies, is a drawback to the episode, no, indeed it felt very Doctor Who-ish in general – the Doctor finding his way out of a sticky situation by simply sonicking a few buttons – but one can see why Old Who producer John-Nathan Turner decided to remove the Sonic from the show as it can be, and has proved to be, the Easy-Way-Out Solution.

But never mind that eh? I want talk about Brian! As said before Mark Williams is simply fantastic and I can’t help but take my words back, cover it in love and enthusiasm and then shove it all back in your faces! Mark Williams is the most brilliantly comedic and adaptable actor out there. There I said it, but it’s true. With his performance back in Dinosaurs and now again in Three, you have to marvel at the brilliance of both the actor and the character, and I simply state here and now that he is definitely full-time-companion worthy! The fact that Brian gave a thousand and one more suggestions to the reason behind the invasion of the little boxes than the Doctor, Amy or Rory could, that he kept up his log about the boxes without doubt and that he even took the Doctor aside to ask what happens to the Timelord’s companions just proves what a well-rounded, perfectly adapted character her is. And of course it helps that he has Rory-isms to him, being the guy’s dad. Rory in his pants – oh yes!

Of course, the Little Box Invasion was a cool idea; to have them slowly integrate into human life like average and everyday objects was really clever and brilliant, not to mention the guest appearances of Profession Brian Cox and Sir Alan Sugar and the well-missed new articles of old, again of the Davies era, it just felt like such a cosy little episode yet with a dark side. We all know that the Pond’s Fall next week, and that has to be said cast a shadow over the entire episode. The sneak adventure on the size with Zygons and who knows what else feeling somewhat depressing knowing that the two Ponds will not go on for much longer and the twist ending with them being urged to go with the Doctor despite the danger of adventure – the true power of three – making the many hard-core Pondians (Pond fans, yes I just made the term up) want to scream at the duo not to go, although with no knowledge of how the Ponds would actually leave the show.

Really though, the episode was a Character Centrepiece, concentrating more on final character developments than the fact that of the world being in danger. The Doctor developed somewhat by being Speedy Gonzales and acting as the Ponds’ gardener, doing a million football moves and even getting addicted to the Wii all in one hour – well the latter was later on in the episode but it was funny and needed mentioning – not to mention Smith brilliant performance of a Timelord with one heart. The Ponds themselves developing by realising their real need to have a proper normal life, both growing an appreciation to the world they live on and belong to; another job of Amy’s being mentioned too while Rory saves lives as ‘Rory: Super Nurse’ and even taking up a full-time position.

The fact of the matter, and episode, is simply this: an on/off lifestyle with the Doctor doesn’t work. Some companions could argue this, the ones that couldn’t find their footholds back in their time but I think it has been proved with Sarah Jane, Martha and now the Ponds – and to an extent the Brigadier – that a life after the Doctor can exist and may even be more exciting than life with the Doctor himself. Maybe this episode was trying to prove that point, maybe not, but as a viewer and fan that is what I have taken away from the rather enjoyable ‘The Power of Three’.