Doctor Who: War Of The Sontarans Review - 7 Ups & 5 Downs

The Doctor lands in the middle of a conflict, warmongering human military leader ignores all advice, incarcerating the Doctor and attacks superior alien force, sustaining heavy losses and proceeding to apologise for doubting The Doctor.

Does that sound familiar? That’s because it’s happened before, many, many times. Take the synopsis above, and see how many episodes you can apply it to (off the top of our heads: Dalek, The Doctor’s Daughter, Empress of Mars and, as it happens, the Sontarans’ last top-of-the-bill appearance in series 4). General Logan’s part in this episode was the latest in a long string of repeated clichès - a disappointing footnote to an ultimately very refreshing episode.

Please, writers, take this tired trope and put it to bed. We all know how it ends at this point.