Line #16 YMMV/DoctorWhoS13E3PyramidsOfMars


1	* AssPull: The Doctor's previously unmentioned 'respiratory bypass system' which saves him from strangulation. At least it was established for [[Recap/DoctorWhoS14E5TheRobotsOfDeath the]] [[Recap/DoctorWhoS19E2FourToDoomsday next]] [[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E6TheCavesOfAndrozani dozen]] [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E1SmithAndJones times]] [[Recap/DoctorWhoS34E1DeepBreath it saved]] [[Recap/DoctorWhoS34E8MummyOnTheOrientExpress the]] [[Recap/DoctorWhoS36E5Oxygen day]].
2	* CompleteMonster: [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien Sutekh the Destroyer]] is a sadistic monster who desires nothing less than the [[OmnicidalManiac extermination of all that lives]] so that nothing could challenge him. Once the security chief of the Osirian race, Sutekh grew so paranoid he even had his own loyal people slaughtered by his monster followers, climaxing in him destroying his home planet and the majority of his species, which forced the remaining 740 Osirians to band together and [[SealedEvilInACan seal him away]]. Several thousands of years later, when archaeologist Marcus Scarman opened his tomb, Sutekh murdered Scarman and took control of his body in an attempt to free himself. He also had a devoted servant cooked to death as he didn't need him; was responsible for several innocent bystanders being strangled or crushed at the hand of his [[MechaMooks robotic servants]]; and finally personally tortured the Doctor before taking control of him. Upon release, Sutekh planned to use his immense powers to exterminate all that lived, declaring "all life is my enemy", knowing that nothing, not even the Time Lords, could challenge him.
3	* EnsembleDarkhorse: Sutekh is one of the most popular villains in the series, despite only appearing in this one serial. His fate ensures that he won't be coming back any time soon, but he did get a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute in the form of [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E9TheSatanPit the Beast]], played by the same actor.
4	* EscapistCharacter: When the Doctor shows Lawrence Scarman into the TARDIS, watch how Creator/MichaelSheard (who plays Scarman) chooses to play it - his otherwise adult character suddenly starts acting like an excited child. Sheard said that he hadn't known how to perform the scene, but then decided that his job was to 'live the dream of the children in the audience'.
5	* EvilIsCool: Sutekh has an awesome design, voice and manages to be highly intimidating because of it.
6	* HilariousInHindsight:
7	** The Doctor implies that he was blamed for starting the Great Fire of London. [[Recap/DoctorWhoS19E4TheVisitation Well...]]
8	** When the author wanted his name taken off the project, Creator/RobertHolmes pulled the name "Stephen Harris" out of thin air. A little over a month after the final episode aired, a ''real'' Stephen Harris would found [[Music/IronMaiden a heavy metal band]] whose interests include science fiction, Egyptology, and putting the [=TARDIS=] on album covers.
9	** Lawrence compares the TARDIS to Creator/HGWells. The Doctor later meets a young Wells in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS22E5Timelash Timelash]]".
10	* {{Narm}}: Sutekh's BigNo, which sounds like a high-pitched squeak.
11	--> "Release meeee... '''OR I'LL DESTROY THE COSMOS!'''"
12	* {{Padding}}: The final episode features ten minutes of the Doctor and Sarah running around solving puzzles to get to Sutekh's chamber in the Pyramid. This was self-admitted padding, as Creator/RobertHolmes had run out of plot after Sutekh's successful possession of the Doctor.
13	* SignatureScene: The Doctor taking Sarah-Jane back to 1980, only to discover that it has become a wasteland.
14	* SpecialEffectFailure: When Sutekh stands up for the first time in millennia, a hand can be seen holding his throne in position. This got to the point where this was parodied in ''Oh, Mummy''.
15	* TearDryer: Sutekh has the robot mummy strangle the Doctor to death. Sarah Jane weeps over his body...until he wakes up and complains that she's soaking his shirt. He reveals that his respiratory bypass system saved him.
16	* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: The story has smoking footsteps and strangulations, and Scarman's reverse-playback bullet-wound healing - there was no reverse-playback on videotape in those days, so the producers had to borrow a video disc machine from Creator/TheBBC's sports department, and Bernard Archard filmed the entire scene in reverse.
17	** Sutekh's mask and costume are also really impressive looking.
18	* TheWoobie: Poor Lawrence, he just wants his brother back...

Context YMMV / DoctorWhoS13E3PyramidsOfMars