1. Take One Step Sideways
Rigid patterns of thinking are dangerous and destructive. When the Doctor and Clara land inside the submarine it is already sinking. The ship cannot go down without killing everyone on board and is unable to surface. The Doctor immediately tells them to go sideways. Lateral thinking is essential if we want to break free of a winner/loser mindset. Wars are not winnable if all sides are destroyed. The Doctor implores us to find our sideways momentum, to reach decisions that are the least harmful and most productive for everyone. The cold war is ever present. The threat of nuclear annihilation still hangs heavy over us all. The names have changed but the possibility of worldwide destruction remains the same. Whether it is east vs. west, Earth vs. Mars or Doctor vs. Skaldak, the question is not what side you are on but how selfish you are. Self interest is the true enemy of us all. As the episode closes, Skaldak decides to let go of his ego. He chooses mercy, shutting down the missile systems and allowing the submarine and her crew to go free. Mark Gatiss has expressed the desire to explore the Martian society further and one truly hopes he gets a chance to do so. This was a triumph of an episode, filled with powerful ideas that were explored without compromising story structure. Main characters were fully fleshed out, exhibiting an emotional depth that is sometimes missing from Doctor Who. The production designers brilliantly recreated the claustrophobic atmosphere of a damaged submarine, while the Ice Warrior armor and the creature inside were well executed and convincing. There were no more clues to Claras mystery but her character development was realistic and well thought out. Cold War is an outstanding example of how a Classic Who story sensibility can be successfully updated and recreated within New Who.