4. Pyramids Of Mars
General Plot: The TARDIS is invaded by a mysterious alien transmission and lands inside an old house in 1911 belonging to the missing Marcus Scarman, who was last seen in a scientific expedition to Egyptian pyramids. During his expedition, Scarman opened a pyramid which was in fact the prison for the most dangerous being in the Universe Sutekh, a dangerous and evil member of the god-like Osirians, locked in an eternal prison for all eternity. Back at the House Marcus Scarman reappears, much to the delight of his brother and friends. But what they don't know, is that Scarman has been possessed by Sutekh, and aided by mummified robots, Sutekh plans his freedom, and the Doctor knows that if he's freed, the Universe would never be the same again.
What makes it great: This is one of Tom's finest performances. The Doctor starts out the story in a dark place (lamenting his role at UNIT, as well as the fact that he is over 750 years old. In short, the Doctor was facing a mid-life crisis), and his mood does not improve throughout the story, showing the Doctor in one of the darkest, serious and most alien lights he has ever been shown in. The early part of the story circulates around a concerned brother and a friend, worried that something had happened to Marcus Scarman, an archaeologist who was last seen in Eygpt and has since vanished. When he reappears, he has been possessed and the Doctor realises that the real Scarman has died. He is cold, even cruel, to Marcus's brother, Lawrence, who remains desperate to believe that his brother was still in there somewhere. When Lawrence dies at his possessed brother's hands, the Doctor remarks that he'd tried to tell him that his brother was dead, which upsets Sarah at how the Doctor can really be quite cold and detached. He is often short towards Sarah too he snaps at her and is fairly frosty towards her in parts, and this really just goes to show how high the stakes were. However, the warmth between the two does still shine through, particularly in Part 4 first when Marcus is about to kill Sarah on Sutekh's orders, then when Sarah thinks the Doctor is dead and finally when Sarah gets trapped by Horus's puzzles. There is genuine care and affection, but the earlier parts when their friendship gets tested is an interesting change of pace. This episode is a real testament to Tom as an actor, as he is so in tune and in sync with all aspects of the character. The scene where Sarah, Lawrence and the Doctor escape to the TARDIS, and Sarah suggests to the Doctor that they leave. The Doctor takes her to 1980 as Sutekh would leave it, confronting us with the shocking sight of a devastated planet with all life extinguished. Liz Sladen puts on a terrific performance in this scene, with the quiet sob as she contemplates the inconceivable, and the kind, reassuring smile the Doctor gives her when she says that they need to go back. Despite certain frostiness, the care and love that they have for one and other is so strong. It was also a really strong, understated scene that showed the consequences of the Doctor's travel through time and space. It was like Father's Day but on a whole new level. It was terrifying and it leaves the audience to reflect what a world without the Doctor would look like, which was again investigated in The Name of the Doctor and Turn Left. Sutekh is one of the most memorable villains in the shows long history, and arguably the best one-episode villain. He is probably the most dangerous and deadly enemy that even scares the Doctor. His power potentially knows no bounds he can mentally take complete control of the Doctor and can internally destroy him. If free, he would be more dangerous than even the Daleks, as he would ravage the universe and leave nothing but dust. Gabriel Woolf is sinister and malevolent as Sutekh and provides the Doctor with an enemy who is his superior, which is a rare, but interesting development.
Memorable Quote:The Doctor: Something's interfering with time, Mr. Scarman. And time is my business.