Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars

Captain Adelaide Brooke and The Doctor, The Waters of Mars

Here it is -- we are two episodes away from the Tenth Doctor's regeneration. After three intense seasons with David Tennant as The Doctor himself, fans are about to face the inevitable, tragic fall of their beloved hero.

The Waters of Mars laid the groundwork for The Doctor's eventual downfall, charting his mental collapse with agonizing detail. I was invited over to The Advocate's abode to witness the beginning of the end and -- wow. Words cannot describe the upset. I am fighting every urge to list the spoilers here for you, but I will refrain. I mean, hey -- the world can use a few more Doctor Who converts, am I right?

***

It is November 21, 2059. The first human colonists have landed on Mars and established Bowie Base One. Their mission: To determine whether human life can thrive and sustain itself once separated from Earth.

But there's something in the water....

Frozen in the ice caps of Mars is a relic of the past, a water-based entity known as the Flood seeps through their filters and compromises the crew. The infection threatens to destroy their mission and conspires to use their fragile, human forms as a vessel to invade Earth and corrupt the waters of the living planet.

The Doctor is forced to choose between his desire to save the survivors of the mission and his responsibility as a Time Lord to leave fixed moments in history alone.

Time is running out, but water is patient....

***

OH. GIRL.

And, uh, speaking of ladies -- I would like to declare my complete and total crush on Lindsay Duncan, aka. Captain Adelaide Brooke. She OWNS. I mean, check it:

• As a child, she survived the Dalek abduction and invasion of Earth in 2009. A lone Dalek spotted her and spared her -- The Doctor attributed this to the Dalek knowing Ms. Brooke was a fixed point in time. Rather than let vengeance take her, she was inspired to trek out into the stars for herself.
• Studied at both Cambridge University (where she achieved first honours degrees in combined Physics and Mathematics) and Rice University; Selected by NASA to head Project Pit Stop and establish a refueling base on the moon.
• In 2042, she was part of a three-person trek to Mars and became the first woman to land on the alien planet. Afterwards, she pushed for Mars colonization.
• In 2058, she led an international team to Mars and established the first human colony on the planet.

And, in one of the most powerful turns I have seen in a character, she is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice TWICE to ensure that her family's legacy, and therefore the progress of the entire human race, remains in tact. The decision she makes will launch her granddaughter's career as the first human to venture out into the farthest reaches of space. In order to do so, Captain Brooke must defy The Doctor and disprove his God complex in one fell shot.

I have to admit, I love Doctor Who for the sheer fact that the women on this show are complex, powerful, and integral characters to the plot. Rather than resigning themselves to mere companions, characters like Captain Brooke are courageous in the face of chaos and are vital in the lives of those around them. Heck, we all know the Doctor was lost after Rose and it only worsened as he lost Martha, Donna, and all of his other closest allies.

Impressive, indeed.

Ladies, for an entire cast of women to swoon over and pledge your undying love to, turn to Doctor Who -- the universe awaits. And it also kind of compels you, so GONOWWATCH.