This episode gets a bad rap but I literally have no idea why. It’s such a fun romp. I love the ice warriors, I love the inversion of the earthlings invading mars, the cave aesthetics are so cool, it’s camp. What’s not to love?
I like that The Doctor hasn't seen movies like Alien or The Thing or Terminator but has seen movies like Lion King and Frozen. The former films are probably too close to home for him, so he goes for more escapism.
Love the alpha centauri cameo which this story is a sequel/prequel as this is set in the Doctor's present and yet set at a time before the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) came to peladon when there was a peace treaty with the Ice Warriors.
Alpha Centauri from the classic show, part of the galactic federation I think? Who the ice warriors were also part of in classic who. So this is supposed to be set before they left Mars and joined it. Alpha, recognizing their existence as a species to come and join the federation.
