Doctor Who Reviews: "The Empress of Mars"

          I think it’s clear Mark Gatiss really likes the Ice Warriors. He brought them back in the above average “Cold War” (an episode that if nothing else, gets by on Liam Cunningham), and now returns to them in “The Empress of Mars”, setting it on their home planet. But I can’t blame him. The Ice Warriors were fun villains from the classic series with an interesting backstory, but who never took off like the Daleks and Cybermen (speaking of which, I miss the Sontarans too). And if Gatiss can build on their mythos, make them relevant, and tell an interesting story with them again as he did here, I’m all for him bringing them back time and again.
          After discovering a rock formation on Mars spelling out “God Save the Queen”, the Doctor and his crew go back in time to investigate where it came from. They discover a battalion of Victorian soldiers who were brought to Mars in exchange for assisting an Ice Warrior whom they’ve named “Friday”. Once they got there, it appeared Friday’s people were extinct, and the soldiers began a mining operation, claiming Mars for the British Empire. But now they’ve uncovered a tomb which holds the Ice Queen, and the Doctor figures this is a trap to lure the humans into warfare with the Martians on their soil.
          The very concept of this episode is terrific: soldiers from a past era have been brought to Mars many centuries too early and while there, uncover a secret threat. It sounds like a classic series episode, and in many ways “The Empress of Mars” is emanating that, but with the advantages of the modern era. The mystery surrounding the caverns, the claustrophobia, and the Ice Queen’s resurrection is very reminiscent of “The Tomb of the Cybermen” for example. But unlike that serial which I love, this story is supported by a better budget and supporting actors who can act. Not only that, but unlike many a Doctor Who monster story of late, these characters are interesting. Sure, they all start off as English stereotypes, right down to their etiquette and business-as-usual attitude towards being on Mars (they’ve even set up their operation so that it might as well just be the Crimean War). And this is a funny source of contrast for a while, but a combination of good acting and character building results in figures with distinct personalities: the respected but fearful Colonel Godsacre hiding his near death for desertion from his men; the impetuous Captain Catchlove blinded by his ego and national pride; the greedy Jackdaw and insecure rookie Vincey. There was a guy called ‘Peach’. They create lasting impressions as the best Doctor Who guest characters should. Five weeks later I remember nothing of the idiots from “Knock Knock” but these guys I probably won’t forget so easily. Hell, Godsacre has an entire character arc, and the scene exposing his near-hanging is as good as any period war film.
          The Ice Queen herself is an interesting character and concept. I don’t recall mention of an Ice Queen before, so it’s a new addition to the structure of the Ice Warrior culture. She’s brutal as she should be, but also open to compromise which is really fascinating. Unity is an overarching theme in this episode, which I didn’t see coming, and it works well. I like when she asks Bill for her opinion on matters, given she’s the only other woman present. There’s also something great about seeing this strict warrior culture being led by a matriarch. It’s a nice and subtle subversion of gender roles. The situation with Friday where he was rescued by humans and thus has seen their good side is quite well done too. In fact the Doctor was actually prejudiced against him. Both the Doctor and Friday are aware of the climate on the Martian surface and its to this end that they try to broker a peace, as the environment is now too cold for the Warriors to survive without help. It makes you sympathize with them; much like the Silurians, they hibernated too long and their world is now a different place. I guess we knew from the Peladon episodes that the Ice Warriors weren’t as thoroughly evil as the Daleks or Cybermen, but it’s nice to be reminded of that.
          We do get plenty of good moments of hostility though. The British being imperialist, and under Catchlove’s command for a portion of the story, naturally overestimate their abilities when the Ice Warriors become a threat. The Ice Warriors were in fact awakened by the Queen to suppress the soldiers and reclaim their world. And it all started because of some guy’s loose cannon. I like the methods by which the Warriors infiltrate by burrowing their way in, though I don’t know how to feel about their compression guns that essentially turn humans into cubes. The human weapons are of course, no use, apart from the mining device Friday helped them build, and before peace is achieved there are more than a few casualties. But it takes one more to provoke ceasefire when Godsacre kills Catchlove as he’s holding the Queen at knife-point (the asshole deserves it too after throwing Vincey directly in the line of fire). She respects his ability to kill one of his own, proof that they’re not all trying to destroy her race. I love how this cultural exchange and means of peace is played out. For once the aliens take into account the claim not all humans are like one specific dick. It ends with Godsacre pledging his service to her, but he saves his men and redeems his cowardice.
          One of the most interesting things about “The Empress of Mars” is that apart from a major scene each, the Doctor and Bill don’t play a large part in this episode. They’re mostly spectators and mouthpieces of what’s right. They still get some good scenes though. I love the opening at NASA where the Doctor, Bill, and Nardole each appear with a decent joke making their presence known, and absolutely stupefying the NASA staff. Bill’s movie references are also fun. Terminator and The Thing are common enough, but I was impressed when she went obscure with the 1958 film The Vikings starring Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis, and boasting according to her, awesome music. Is Bill a film buff? I hope so! But I also like the tables being turned on her when she doesn’t get the name “Friday” is a Robinson Crusoe reference. Also the Doctor mentioned Frozen later on but not in the expected comparison to the Ice Queen. There’s a funny moment when Nardole just ignores the Doctor’s hesitation and takes off his helmet in the presence of fire because that means oxygen. When the Doctor first sees an Ice Warrior he says “so this could go very well or very badly” and I don’t know why, but it strikes me as a very Patrick Troughton line. It’s a nice touch that the portrait of Queen Victoria the soldiers have is specifically Pauline Collins as Queen Victoria in “Tooth and Claw”. However there is a moment when the Doctor, Bill, and Godsacre are locked away that Bill half-heartedly tells the colonel they’re police, and in spite of everything he’s seen the one thing most unbelievable to him is the idea of a woman police officer. It’s a little bit of commentary out of nowhere, and doesn’t entirely fit but to remind audiences just how backward Victorians were on gender. 
          And at last there’s the continuity in this episode, and fanservice. The Ice Queen in the end is forced to admit they need help to survive, and so the Doctor calls on someone to offer aid. And who should pop up on the viewscreen he presents her with, but Alpha Centauri! With the same little voice (Ysanne Churchman reprising her role after forty-three years) and incredibly phallic design, it’s good to see it again! What I love is that fans of the current show won’t have a clue who this is but will definitely know it’s someone with significance in the series’ history, and may even prompt them to check out “The Curse of Peladon” or “The Monster of Peladon”. It’s clear Mark Gatiss wants to go back to Peladon and further touch on the Galactic Federation, and I really hope he does. This also seems to set up “The Empress of Mars” in the series’ continuity as the first appearance of the Ice Warriors. We know this episode pre-dates “The Ice Warriors”, as by then they’re trying to conquer Earth and it doesn’t seem like they’ve attempted that yet. It’s not until this episode’s end that they join the Federation thus placing it before the Peladon stories. And I think “The Seeds of Death” followed up on “The Ice Warriors”. Regardless, they’ve been asleep for five thousand years as of this episode and are shocked by the condition of their planet -so that should confirm this story’s first place spot in the timeline of the Ice Warriors. Wow am I a massive nerd!
          “The Empress of Mars” may just be my favourite episode of this series. It’s flaws are relatively minor, and it does one of the things I like best in new Doctor Who episodes: it takes something from the classic series and expands on it in a really unique and provoking way. I can’t wait for the Ice Warriors’ next appearance. It won’t be for a while though, as the Doctor still has other things on his plate. Nardole was absent from a lot of the episode as the TARDIS basically hijacked him and took him back to Earth. Not knowing how to get back, he reluctantly allows Missy to help. It’s very hypocritical, considering how harsh Nardole’s been with the Doctor about watching her and keeping her in check, that he just let her out so simply. When the Doctor sees her at the console at the end of the episode, the TARDIS having come back right on schedule, there’s a real fear and concern in his eyes. He tells her he’s going to have to put her back in the vault after this. Despite the rehab efforts, he still doesn’t trust Missy and nor do we. I’m very curious what this is all building to, and I suspect Peter Capaldi’s exit is going to be determined by it. As for next week, we’re going to ancient Rome where it appears some kind of dragon is terrorizing centurions.