Day 756 - Utopia

So this is where things get a little confusing. I'm now very near the end of the third season of the new version of the show and this episode also carries on directly from the last episode of the the first season of Torchwood, with Jack hearing the materialisation of the TARDIS. Strangely in Torchwood it appeared that the TARDIS was materialising inside the hub itself when in actual fact it's just outside but I can look past such things.

So the Doctor has landed the TARDIS in Cardiff in order to soak up energy from the rift running through the city. As the Doctor spots Jack sprinting towards the TARDIS he tries to make a quick dematerialisation but not before Jack manages to grab hold of the door and ends up riding the TARDIS through the vortex! The TARDIS doesn't take too kindly to this and also due to Jack's freaky immortality the ship travels all the way to the end of the universe to try to shake him off.

The Doctor, Martha and Jack discover a small group of survivors on the planet they land on, all of which are waiting for the completion of a giant rocket which they believe will take them to Utopia, a place where they can survive the end of the universe itself. In charge of getting the rocket up and running is Professor Yana, played by Derek Jacobi! 

Now if you've got a great actor like Derek Jacobi in an episode then why limit him to just one character! Martha discovers that the kindly professor is actually a Time Lord who is hiding as a human using a similar fob watch the Doctor used in Human Nature. Instead of being thrilled the Doctor seems terrified at the prospect that another one of his own people survived the Time War and it becomes clear that this is because he suspects which one it is..the Master!

The scenes where Yana is beginning to realise there is something hidden inside him are some of the most exciting and thrilling scenes in any Doctor Who ever! When I first watched this I had no idea that the Master was returning and therefore this was just about the most exciting thing that could ever happen to me. Yes it's sad but undeniably true. We even hear a sound clips of the previous Masters! I mean come on! That is pant wettingly exciting!

Derek Jacobi is superb obviously. As soon as the watch is opened and he turns to face the camera there is no doubt in your mind that you are now looking at a completely different man. How the hell does he do that? It's all in the eyes somehow. Which is rather appropriate for the hypnotic Master.

Unfortunately Derek Jacobi's turn as the Master is even briefer than his turn as the Master in Scream Of The Shalka as he is soon shot by his assistant shortly before stumbling inside the TARDIS and locking the Doctor out. For the first time we see the Master regenerate and he turns into John Simm!

Harold Saxon aka the Master has officially arrived in the new series! Woohoo!