The Who pattern

The current series of Doctor Who is the last ‘officially’ confirmed series, with four one off specials taking th eplace of a full series in 2009. Although I’m sure a Series 5 and more will be confirmed eventually.There WILL be spoilers for episode already aired below. If you’re not from the UK or are waiting for the DVDs don’t read on.

Since the launch of the first new series of Doctor Who in 16 years back in 2005 the show has followed a fairly standard pattern.

Well, more or less - the type of episode might be one or two out of sequence order but the rule is pretty much the same.

Each series has started with a set the scene, introduction style episode. They also tend to be much lighter than other episodes.

In Rose (series one) we met both Rose and the new Doctor - it was all about them individually and them together.

Then in series two we had New Earth which, although had some pretty good cat nuns (my seven year old daughter loves the cat nuns) and a fun zombie-esque plot was still very much an introduction episode - meeting the new Doctor.

In series three we have a hospital going to the moon, the Judoon and sucking humans up with a straw (I so wish it was a spoon). But we also met Martha Jones for the first time.

Then in series four, Partners in Crime, we have cute cuddly baby aliens (can’t wait for that toy to come out), a freaky matron and the return (but very much introduction of) Donna. It also includes a hint at the return of Rose (wonderful twist).

So a clear theme running through the first episode of each series of Doctor Who so far.

Then we have episode two which, with the exception of series one when it was episode three, has been a historical piece.

In series one we met Charles Dickens (”what the Shakespeare”) and visited Victorian Cardiff (written by the brilliant Mark Gatiss).

In the episode we also came across some dodgy gasseuos aliens and set the main plotline that would be at the centre of Torchwood (The Rift).

Then in series two we get to go back to Victorian times again and even meet the lady herself. But this time to Scotland - along with a werewolf.

Series four takes us a little further back to the first Elizabethan era where we spend an entire episode with William Shakespeare and at the end hear a very pissed Queen Elizabeth.

Incidentally if Dickens said “what the Shakespeare” and we say “what the Dickens” what did Shakespear say? “what the Moses?”

Anyway - on to series five and further back still. This episode saw us go back to Pompeii - although it was supposed to be Rome.

We meet some freaky volcano bound aliens, a stone clad physcic and Donna and the Doc become gods in the eyes of a Roman family. It also hints at the Doctors real name and sugggests somebody is coming (could it be Rose)?





So on to the next theme. This is the returning baddie theme.

Series one saw the return of the dastadly, devious Daleks - or at least one single Dalek anyway.

Series two and we have the horribly, metal mouthed monsters, the Cybermen.

Series three and we have the return of the Daleks again albeit on a much bigger scale than in series one.

And the big returning baddie of Series Four looks set to be the Sontarans. A slightly less well known baddie in public consciousness than Daleks and Cybermen.

Let Wikipedia explain “The Sontarans made their first appearance in 1973 in the serial The Time Warrior by Robert Holmes.

“There, it was explained that they are a race that reproduces by means of cloning rather than by means of sexual reproduction. They live in a militaristic society obsessed by war.”

Then we have the clever episode.

In series one this was Father’s Day, an episode that tackled the consiquences of changing and playing with time.

In series two this took the form of The Idiots Lantern that saw a brilliant Maureen Lipman play The Wire, a lifeform that lives through electrcitity and instructs a slightly dopey television engineer to get TVs into every living room.

It also had old grannies with no faces which is just a brilliantly visual idea.

In series three it was one of the best pieces of Sci-Fi I have ever seen - Blink. This saw some really freaky statues come to life when you weren’t looking - so if you blinked you could be dead.





I’m not sure about series four yet as I haven’t seen all the episode titles and descriptions yet but I’m sure all of the above will remain true.

Then there’s the Doctor Light episodes - there will usually be two or three of these - they’re both light on effects (to save cash) and light on the Doctor (to give him a break).

Blink in series three actually fell into both the intelligent and light categories but I put it into intelligent because of just how brilliant it was.

For this you’ve got things like Love & Monsters (series 2), Blink (series 3) and I’m sure something similar in series four.

Then you’ve got the big set pieces - one in the middle of the series that will set the theme for the crashing final (or at least play a part in it) and the massive crashing final that would have soaked up most of the budget and bring together hints placed in episodes from the start of the series.

Series one was all about Rose being the Bad Wolf and about the Dalek fleet with the middle set piece being the Doctor Dances/Empty Child second world war stuff that also introduced Cap’n Jack.

Series two was the Cybermen and had two middle set pieces - one that introduced the Ood (back in episode three of series four) and the other re-introducing the Cyberman.





You can almost assume then that the big finale of series four will involve the Sontarans in some way - as they are the big old baddie coming back - but it could equally involve the Ood depending on what happens in this weeks episode.

I don’t intend to make this a Doctor Who blog - there are plenty of places on the web for that. But I may write a post about the new Doctor Who website as it contains some amazing stuff and looks stunning.

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