Tin Dog Podcast
- Description:
- tin-dog@hotmail.co.uk The Tin Dog welcomes you to sit back and listen to his rants and ramblings about all that is best in modern SF and Television. Via the gift of the new fangled Podcast over the tinterweb. As you can probably guess Tin Dog mostly talks about Doctor Who, Torchwood and Sarah Jane Smith but that wont stop him talking about any other subject you suggest. Hailing from a non specific part of the northeast of England, Tin Dog is male and in his mid 30s. A life long fan of almost all TV SF. His semi-autistic tendencies combined with his total lack of social skills have helped him find a place in the heart of British SF Fandom. Even as a child the Tin Dogs mother told him that she can trace his love of SF TV back to his rhythmic kicking, while still in the womb, along to the beat of the Avengers theme music. From Gabriel Chase to Totters Lane, from the Bad Wolf Satellite to the back streets of the Cardiff, Tin Dog will give you his thoughts on the wonderful Whoniverse. Daleks and Cybermen and TARDIS ES Oh My If you enjoy these Tin Dog Podcasts please remember to tell your friends and leave an email tin-dog@hotmail.co.uk
Homepage: http://tin-dog.co.uk
RSS Feed: http://www.tin-dog.co.uk/rss
- Episodes:
- 2911
- Average Episode Duration:
- 0:0:10:11
- Longest Episode Duration:
- 0:2:09:15
- Total Duration of all Episodes:
- 20 days, 14 hours, 2 minutes and 38 seconds
- Earliest Episode:
- 1 May 2007 (6:54pm GMT)
- Latest Episode:
- 22 July 2025 (6:30am GMT)
- Average Time Between Episodes:
- 2 days, 6 hours, 52 minutes and 47 seconds
Tin Dog Podcast Episodes
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TDP 75: Children in need and Big Finish 8th Doctor and Lucie S2
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 28 minutes and 36 secondsThe clip, from The Next Doctor, is online now at the BBC's Children In Need website, and shows the first two minutes of a brand new episode for the Time Lord, played by David Tennant.This never seen before footage, is a worldwide exclusive, and will keep fans all over the globe wondering what's in store for the Doctor's next adventure.As a bonus, you can also watch a special report on the recent Studio Tour competition days at the Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures sets.We very much hope that you enjoy both clips and that you can support BBC Children In Need.2.1 Doctor Who - Dead LondonSYNOPSIS:Someone's playing with us. Manipulating time and space for their own ends. The TARDIS lands in London. But which one? The Doctor and Lucie find themselves trapped in a maze of interlocking Londons from Roman times to the present day. But they are not alone in this labyrinth: a killer is on their trail.2.2 Doctor Who - Max WarpSYNOPSIS:Welcome to Max Warp! Broadcasting live from the Sirius Inter-G Cruiser Show. Hosted by outspoken columnist and media personality Geoffrey Vantage, with spaceship-guru-extraordinaire O'Reilley and daredevil pilot Timbo 'the Ferret'. When a test flight of the new Kith Sunstorm ends in disaster, the Sirius Exhibition Station is plunged into a web of murder and intrigue. Someone - or something - is trying to re-ignite a war between the Varlon Empire and the Kith Oligarchy.As the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance, only two investigators, the Doctor and Lucie, can hope to uncover the truth. So strap yourself in, engage thrust, and prepare for... Max Warp!2.3 Doctor Who - Brave New TownSYNOPSIS:It's like The Village That Time Forgot! The inhabitants of the quiet seaside town of Thorington in Suffolk are living the same day over and over again. What's so special about the 1st of September 1991? Why haven't the villagers noticed that the same song has been number one for years? And just where on Earth has the sea disappeared to? The Doctor and Lucie must solve the mystery before the 'visitors' return...2.4 Doctor Who - The Skull of SobekSYNOPSIS:Too much perfection's dangerous. On the isolated planet of Indigo 3, far out in the wastes of the Blue Desert, lies the Sanctuary of Imperfect Symmetry. It is a place of contemplation and reflection. It is also a place of death. Something from another time, from another world, has found its way inside the hallowed walls. Something with a leathery hide, a long snout and sharp pointy teeth. Tick tock. Here comes the crocodile...2.5 Doctor Who - Grand Theft CosmosSYNOPSIS:Here's to crime, Doctor!The Doctor and Lucie visit nineteenth-century Sweden and become embroiled in an attempt to steal the infamous Black Diamond.But the stone is guarded by forces not of this world...2.6 Doctor Who - The Zygon Who Fell to EarthSYNOPSIS:There are no monsters this time... are there? Ten years later and Aunty Pat is in her prime. She's snagged herself an ex rock star at the Kendal Folk Festival and now, in the brave new world of the early 1980s they manage together a snazzy hotel on the poetic and shingly shore of Lake Grasmere. However, still waters run deep and friends from the past are returning, intent on milking the old cash-cow... Featuring the song Falling Star sung by Steven Pacey with music by Tim Sutton and lyrics by Barnaby Edwards.2.7 Doctor Who - Sisters of the FlameSYNOPSIS:The richest man in the galaxy has just bought a backwards planet with no obvious mineral wealth in the outer reaches of the universe. An obscure mystical sect has been revived after centuries of neglect. A new race of aliens are hunting for prey. Why? As the Doctor and Lucie attempt to discover the answer, it becomes clear that someone is attempting to resurrect the past - and they need a Time Lord to help them achieve it.2.8 Doctor Who - Vengeance of MorbiusSYNOPSIS:The richest man in the galaxy has just bought a backwards planet with no obvious mineral wealth in the outer reaches of the universe. An obscure mystical sect has been revived after centuries of neglect. A new race of aliens are hunting for prey. Why? As the Doctor and Lucie attempt to discover the answer, it becomes clear that someone is attempting to resurrect the past - and they need a Time Lord to help them achieve it.
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TDP 75: Children in need and Big Finish 8th Doctor and Lucie S2
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 28 minutes and 36 secondsThe clip, from The Next Doctor, is online now at the BBC's Children In Need website, and shows the first two minutes of a brand new episode for the Time Lord, played by David Tennant.This never seen before footage, is a worldwide exclusive, and will keep fans all over the globe wondering what's in store for the Doctor's next adventure.As a bonus, you can also watch a special report on the recent Studio Tour competition days at the Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures sets.We very much hope that you enjoy both clips and that you can support BBC Children In Need.2.1 Doctor Who - Dead LondonSYNOPSIS:Someone's playing with us. Manipulating time and space for their own ends. The TARDIS lands in London. But which one? The Doctor and Lucie find themselves trapped in a maze of interlocking Londons from Roman times to the present day. But they are not alone in this labyrinth: a killer is on their trail.2.2 Doctor Who - Max WarpSYNOPSIS:Welcome to Max Warp! Broadcasting live from the Sirius Inter-G Cruiser Show. Hosted by outspoken columnist and media personality Geoffrey Vantage, with spaceship-guru-extraordinaire O'Reilley and daredevil pilot Timbo 'the Ferret'. When a test flight of the new Kith Sunstorm ends in disaster, the Sirius Exhibition Station is plunged into a web of murder and intrigue. Someone - or something - is trying to re-ignite a war between the Varlon Empire and the Kith Oligarchy.As the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance, only two investigators, the Doctor and Lucie, can hope to uncover the truth. So strap yourself in, engage thrust, and prepare for... Max Warp!2.3 Doctor Who - Brave New TownSYNOPSIS:It's like The Village That Time Forgot! The inhabitants of the quiet seaside town of Thorington in Suffolk are living the same day over and over again. What's so special about the 1st of September 1991? Why haven't the villagers noticed that the same song has been number one for years? And just where on Earth has the sea disappeared to? The Doctor and Lucie must solve the mystery before the 'visitors' return...2.4 Doctor Who - The Skull of SobekSYNOPSIS:Too much perfection's dangerous. On the isolated planet of Indigo 3, far out in the wastes of the Blue Desert, lies the Sanctuary of Imperfect Symmetry. It is a place of contemplation and reflection. It is also a place of death. Something from another time, from another world, has found its way inside the hallowed walls. Something with a leathery hide, a long snout and sharp pointy teeth. Tick tock. Here comes the crocodile...2.5 Doctor Who - Grand Theft CosmosSYNOPSIS:Here's to crime, Doctor!The Doctor and Lucie visit nineteenth-century Sweden and become embroiled in an attempt to steal the infamous Black Diamond.But the stone is guarded by forces not of this world...2.6 Doctor Who - The Zygon Who Fell to EarthSYNOPSIS:There are no monsters this time... are there? Ten years later and Aunty Pat is in her prime. She's snagged herself an ex rock star at the Kendal Folk Festival and now, in the brave new world of the early 1980s they manage together a snazzy hotel on the poetic and shingly shore of Lake Grasmere. However, still waters run deep and friends from the past are returning, intent on milking the old cash-cow... Featuring the song Falling Star sung by Steven Pacey with music by Tim Sutton and lyrics by Barnaby Edwards.2.7 Doctor Who - Sisters of the FlameSYNOPSIS:The richest man in the galaxy has just bought a backwards planet with no obvious mineral wealth in the outer reaches of the universe. An obscure mystical sect has been revived after centuries of neglect. A new race of aliens are hunting for prey. Why? As the Doctor and Lucie attempt to discover the answer, it becomes clear that someone is attempting to resurrect the past - and they need a Time Lord to help them achieve it.2.8 Doctor Who - Vengeance of MorbiusSYNOPSIS:The richest man in the galaxy has just bought a backwards planet with no obvious mineral wealth in the outer reaches of the universe. An obscure mystical sect has been revived after centuries of neglect. A new race of aliens are hunting for prey. Why? As the Doctor and Lucie attempt to discover the answer, it becomes clear that someone is attempting to resurrect the past - and they need a Time Lord to help them achieve it.
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TDP 74: Tennant Thoughts and S4 DVD Box Set
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 14 minutes and 56 secondsDavid Tennant has announced that he will leave the award winning BBC drama Doctor Who when he has completed the filming of four special episodes which will be screened in 2009 and early in 2010.David Tennant first appeared as The Doctor in 2005 and has gone on to star in three series and three Christmas specials as the tenth incarnation of the Time Lord. The BBC has confirmed that David will continue to play The Doctor in the four specials that will make up the 2009 series before a new Doctor takes over for Series 5. Tennant will also star in the Doctor Who Christmas Special titled The Next Doctor this year.David Tennant comments "I've had the most brilliant, bewildering and life changing time working on Doctor Who. I have loved every day of it. It would be very easy to cling on to the TARDIS console forever and I fear that if I don't take a deep breath and make the decision to move on now, then I simply never will. You would be prising the TARDIS key out of my cold dead hand. This show has been so special to me, I don't want to outstay my welcome."This is all a long way off, of course. I'm not quitting, I'm back in Cardiff in January to film four special episodes which will take Doctor Who all the way through 2009. I'm still the Doctor all next year but when the time finally comes I'll be honoured to hand on the best job in the world to the next lucky git - whoever that may be."I'd always thought the time to leave would be in conjunction with Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner who have been such a huge part of it all for me. Steven Moffat is the most brilliant and exciting writer, the only possible successor to Russell and it was sorely tempting to be part of his amazing new plans for the show. I will be there, glued to my TV when his stories begin in 2010."I feel very privileged to have been part of this incredible phenomenon, and whilst I'm looking forward to new challenges I know I'll always be very proud to be the Tenth Doctor."Russell T Davies Executive Producer of Doctor Who comments "I've been lucky and honoured to work with David over the past few years - and it's not over yet, the Tenth Doctor still has five spectacular hours left! After which, I might drop an anvil on his head. Or maybe a piano. A radioactive piano. But we're planning the most enormous and spectacular ending, so keep watching!"Doctor Who returns to our screens on BBC this Christmas. The Next Doctor starring David Tennant, David Morrissey and Dervla Kirwan will be screened on the 25th December on BBC1.TIME CRASHThe 2007 Children In Need scene, written by Steven Moffat.DELETED SCENESA collection of deleted and alternate takes including Howard Attfield's (Geoff Noble) scenes from the S4 opener and the original 'Cybermen' ending from the finale - each scene comes with an explanatory introduction from Russell T Davies. Stories that receive the additional material are: Voyage Of The Damned; Partners In Crime; Fires Of Pompeii; Planet Of The Ood; The Doctor's Daughter; The Unicorn & The Wasp; Forest Of The Dead; Turn Left; and Journey's End.DAVID TENNANT'S VIDEO DIARIESTwo fifteen minute (approx.) segments filmed by David Tennant including the 'turn on' of the Blackpool Illuminations in 2007 and behind~the~scenes filming of the series finale.THE JOURNEY (SO FAR)Half hour documentary charting the return of the show up to the S4 finale. Features interviews with Russell T Davies, David Tennant, Phil Collinson and Julie Gardner.TRAILERSAll teasers and trailers for the episodes including the 'cinema' trailers for Voyage Of The Damned and S4.AUDIO COMMENTARIESThese are all new commentaries recorded especially for this release.VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED: Murray Gold (Composer), Russell Tovey (Midshipman Frame) & Peter Bennett (1st Assistant Director)PARTNERS IN CRIME: Julie Gardner (Executive Producer), Russell T Davies & James Strong (Director)FIRES OF POMPEII: David Tennant, Catherine Tate and Tracie Simpson (Production Manager)PLANET OF THE OOD: Graeme Harper (Director) & Roger Griffiths (Commander Kess)THE SONTARAN STRATAGEM: Julie Gardner, Dan Starkey (Commander Skorr) & Neil Gorton (Prosthetics Designer)THE POISON SKY: David Tennant, RTD and Susie Liggat (Producer)THE DOCTOR'S DAUGHTER: Catherine Tate, Georgia Moffett (Jenny) & Ben Foster (Conductor)THE UNICORN & THE WASP: Felicity Kendal (Lady Eddison) & Fenella Woolgar (Agatha Christie)SILENCE IN THE LIBRARY: David Tennant, Steven Moffat & Julie GardnerFOREST OF THE DEAD: Euros Lyn (Director), Lousie Page (Costume designer) & Helen Raynor (Script Editor)MIDNIGHT: David Tennant, RTD & Alice Troughton (Director)TURN LEFT: Catherine Tate, Bernard Cribbins (Wilfred Mott) & Jacqueline King (Sylvia Noble)THE STOLEN EARTH: David Tennant, RTD and Julie GardnerJOURNEY'S END: David Tennant, Catherine Tate & RTDDOCTOR WHO CONFIDENTIAL Cut-down versions (in some cases less than ten minutes) of all the accompanying episodes with the exception of Time Crash.
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TDP Special: A Halloween Poem.
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 3 minutes and 9 secondsA Special Halloween PoemWith Apologies to AEP.The Raving (Bloke) <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1627421319 -2147483648 8 0 66047 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} p.MsoBodyText, li.MsoBodyText, div.MsoBodyText {margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:48.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> Once upon the 80's dreary, while I watched all weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious vhs of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. `'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door - Only this, and nothing more.' Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, `Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; But the fact is I was watching television when you came rapping, And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; - Michael Grade, and nothing more. Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token, And the only word there spoken was the whispered words, `Doctor Who No More!' This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, ` Doctor Who No More?' Merely this and nothing more. Much I marvelled this ungainly felow hear discourse so plainly, Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore; For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being Ever yet was blessed with seeing Grade at his chamber door - Man or beast above the head of pertwee above his chamber door, With such vermance came his word again `Nevermore.' `Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if BBC director or devil! - Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore, Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted - On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore - Is there - is there no hope for my timelord? - tell me - tell me, I implore!' Laughed the Controler `Nevermore!' With just these words he few away. And the BBC, never failing, still is sitting on the rights evermore, still is plotting scemeing, waiting a man, a man to rap at my chamber door. And This man, - lets call him Russel- his eyes a dreaming, Dreaming of his common myth. And the New controller will hold promice, dreams of blue lamp-light flashing; And my soul rises from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Doctor Who - For ever more!
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TDP 74: Tennant Thoughts and S4 DVD Box Set
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 14 minutes and 56 secondsDavid Tennant has announced that he will leave the award winning BBC drama Doctor Who when he has completed the filming of four special episodes which will be screened in 2009 and early in 2010.David Tennant first appeared as The Doctor in 2005 and has gone on to star in three series and three Christmas specials as the tenth incarnation of the Time Lord. The BBC has confirmed that David will continue to play The Doctor in the four specials that will make up the 2009 series before a new Doctor takes over for Series 5. Tennant will also star in the Doctor Who Christmas Special titled The Next Doctor this year.David Tennant comments "I've had the most brilliant, bewildering and life changing time working on Doctor Who. I have loved every day of it. It would be very easy to cling on to the TARDIS console forever and I fear that if I don't take a deep breath and make the decision to move on now, then I simply never will. You would be prising the TARDIS key out of my cold dead hand. This show has been so special to me, I don't want to outstay my welcome."This is all a long way off, of course. I'm not quitting, I'm back in Cardiff in January to film four special episodes which will take Doctor Who all the way through 2009. I'm still the Doctor all next year but when the time finally comes I'll be honoured to hand on the best job in the world to the next lucky git - whoever that may be."I'd always thought the time to leave would be in conjunction with Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner who have been such a huge part of it all for me. Steven Moffat is the most brilliant and exciting writer, the only possible successor to Russell and it was sorely tempting to be part of his amazing new plans for the show. I will be there, glued to my TV when his stories begin in 2010."I feel very privileged to have been part of this incredible phenomenon, and whilst I'm looking forward to new challenges I know I'll always be very proud to be the Tenth Doctor."Russell T Davies Executive Producer of Doctor Who comments "I've been lucky and honoured to work with David over the past few years - and it's not over yet, the Tenth Doctor still has five spectacular hours left! After which, I might drop an anvil on his head. Or maybe a piano. A radioactive piano. But we're planning the most enormous and spectacular ending, so keep watching!"Doctor Who returns to our screens on BBC this Christmas. The Next Doctor starring David Tennant, David Morrissey and Dervla Kirwan will be screened on the 25th December on BBC1.TIME CRASHThe 2007 Children In Need scene, written by Steven Moffat.DELETED SCENESA collection of deleted and alternate takes including Howard Attfield's (Geoff Noble) scenes from the S4 opener and the original 'Cybermen' ending from the finale - each scene comes with an explanatory introduction from Russell T Davies. Stories that receive the additional material are: Voyage Of The Damned; Partners In Crime; Fires Of Pompeii; Planet Of The Ood; The Doctor's Daughter; The Unicorn & The Wasp; Forest Of The Dead; Turn Left; and Journey's End.DAVID TENNANT'S VIDEO DIARIESTwo fifteen minute (approx.) segments filmed by David Tennant including the 'turn on' of the Blackpool Illuminations in 2007 and behind~the~scenes filming of the series finale.THE JOURNEY (SO FAR)Half hour documentary charting the return of the show up to the S4 finale. Features interviews with Russell T Davies, David Tennant, Phil Collinson and Julie Gardner.TRAILERSAll teasers and trailers for the episodes including the 'cinema' trailers for Voyage Of The Damned and S4.AUDIO COMMENTARIESThese are all new commentaries recorded especially for this release.VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED: Murray Gold (Composer), Russell Tovey (Midshipman Frame) & Peter Bennett (1st Assistant Director)PARTNERS IN CRIME: Julie Gardner (Executive Producer), Russell T Davies & James Strong (Director)FIRES OF POMPEII: David Tennant, Catherine Tate and Tracie Simpson (Production Manager)PLANET OF THE OOD: Graeme Harper (Director) & Roger Griffiths (Commander Kess)THE SONTARAN STRATAGEM: Julie Gardner, Dan Starkey (Commander Skorr) & Neil Gorton (Prosthetics Designer)THE POISON SKY: David Tennant, RTD and Susie Liggat (Producer)THE DOCTOR'S DAUGHTER: Catherine Tate, Georgia Moffett (Jenny) & Ben Foster (Conductor)THE UNICORN & THE WASP: Felicity Kendal (Lady Eddison) & Fenella Woolgar (Agatha Christie)SILENCE IN THE LIBRARY: David Tennant, Steven Moffat & Julie GardnerFOREST OF THE DEAD: Euros Lyn (Director), Lousie Page (Costume designer) & Helen Raynor (Script Editor)MIDNIGHT: David Tennant, RTD & Alice Troughton (Director)TURN LEFT: Catherine Tate, Bernard Cribbins (Wilfred Mott) & Jacqueline King (Sylvia Noble)THE STOLEN EARTH: David Tennant, RTD and Julie GardnerJOURNEY'S END: David Tennant, Catherine Tate & RTDDOCTOR WHO CONFIDENTIAL Cut-down versions (in some cases less than ten minutes) of all the accompanying episodes with the exception of Time Crash.
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TDP Special: A Halloween Poem.
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 3 minutes and 9 secondsA Special Halloween PoemWith Apologies to AEP.The Raving (Bloke) <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1627421319 -2147483648 8 0 66047 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} p.MsoBodyText, li.MsoBodyText, div.MsoBodyText {margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:48.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> Once upon the 80's dreary, while I watched all weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious vhs of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. `'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door - Only this, and nothing more.' Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, `Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; But the fact is I was watching television when you came rapping, And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; - Michael Grade, and nothing more. Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token, And the only word there spoken was the whispered words, `Doctor Who No More!' This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, ` Doctor Who No More?' Merely this and nothing more. Much I marvelled this ungainly felow hear discourse so plainly, Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore; For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being Ever yet was blessed with seeing Grade at his chamber door - Man or beast above the head of pertwee above his chamber door, With such vermance came his word again `Nevermore.' `Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if BBC director or devil! - Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore, Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted - On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore - Is there - is there no hope for my timelord? - tell me - tell me, I implore!' Laughed the Controler `Nevermore!' With just these words he few away. And the BBC, never failing, still is sitting on the rights evermore, still is plotting scemeing, waiting a man, a man to rap at my chamber door. And This man, - lets call him Russel- his eyes a dreaming, Dreaming of his common myth. And the New controller will hold promice, dreams of blue lamp-light flashing; And my soul rises from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Doctor Who - For ever more!
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TDP 73: Writers Tale, Doctors and Kingdom of Silver
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 19 minutes and 13 secondsHardcover: 512 pagesPublisher: BBC Books (25 Sep 2008)Language EnglishISBN-10: 1846075718ISBN-13: 978-1846075711 Product Dimensions: 24.6 x 19 x 4 cm Synopsis "Writing isn' just a job that stops at six-thirty...It's a mad, sexy, sad, scary, obsessive, ruthless, joyful, and utterly, utterly personal thing. There's not the writer and then me; there's just me. All of my life connects to the writing. All of it." A unique look into the BBC's most popular family drama, Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale is a year in the life of the hit television series, as told by the show's Head Writer and Executive Producer. A candid and in-depth correspondence between Russell T Davies and journalist Benjamin Cook, the book explores in detail Russell's work on Series Four, revealing how he plans the series and works with the show's writers; where he gets his ideas for plot, character and scene; how actors are cast and other creative decisions are made; and how he juggles the demands of Doctor Who with the increasingly successful Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures spin-offs. Russell's scripts are discussed as they develop, and Russell and Ben's wide-ranging discussions bring in experiences from previous series of Doctor Who as well as other shows Russell has written and created, including Queer As Folk, Bob and Rose, and The Second Coming.The reader is given total access to the show as it's created, and the writing is everything you would expect from Russell T Davies: warm, witty, insightful, and honest.Fully illustrated with never-before-seen photos and artwork - including original drawings by Russell himself - The Writer's Tale is a not only the ultimate Doctor Who book, but a celebration of great writing and great television.Kingdom of SilverStarring Sylvester McCoyWith Terry Molloy and Neil Roberts (Duration: 120' Approx) CAST: KINGDOM OF SILVER: Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Neil Roberts (Temeter), Kate Terence (Sara), Terry Molloy (Magus Riga), James George (Merel), Bunny Reed (Ardith), Holly King (Etin), Nicholas Briggs (Cybermen)KEEPSAKE: Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Neil Roberts (Temeter), Kate Terence (Sara), Terry Molloy (Examiner 2), James George (Corvus), Nicholas Briggs (Examiner 1) SYNOPSIS - KINGDOM OF SILVER (A Three-Part Story): The Doctor arrives on Tasak in search of refreshment, armed with nothing more than a kettle. But this is a time of crisis for a civilisation about to enter an industrial age. Mindful that a devastating war is only recently over, the wise and revered Magus Riga will do almost anything to save his people from the follies of the past. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions. And the planet Tasak is host to ancient powers buried deep and long forgotten. Can visitors from another world avert disaster or will their intervention drag this innocent world into the Orion War? SYNOPSIS - KEEPSAKE (A One-Part Story): Sifting through the technological junk of Reclaim Platform Juliet-November-Kilo, the Doctor discovers evidence of a personal tragedy involving some friends of his. Where will the story of their fate lead? AUTHOR: James Swallow DIRECTOR: Ken Bentley and Nicholas Briggs SOUND DESIGN: David Darlington MUSIC: David Darlington COVER ART: Alex Mallinson NUMBER OF DISCS: 2 CDs RECORDED DATE: 8 & 9 May 2008 RELEASE DATE: 15 September 2008 PRODUCTION CODE: 7Z/D ISBN: 978-1-84435-321-7 CHRONOLOGICAL PLACEMENT: This story takes place between the television adventures, Survival and the 1996 TV Movie, and after the Big Finish audio adventure The Death Collectors.
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TDP 73: Writers Tale, Doctors and Kingdom of Silver
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 19 minutes and 13 secondsHardcover: 512 pagesPublisher: BBC Books (25 Sep 2008)Language EnglishISBN-10: 1846075718ISBN-13: 978-1846075711 Product Dimensions: 24.6 x 19 x 4 cm Synopsis "Writing isn' just a job that stops at six-thirty...It's a mad, sexy, sad, scary, obsessive, ruthless, joyful, and utterly, utterly personal thing. There's not the writer and then me; there's just me. All of my life connects to the writing. All of it." A unique look into the BBC's most popular family drama, Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale is a year in the life of the hit television series, as told by the show's Head Writer and Executive Producer. A candid and in-depth correspondence between Russell T Davies and journalist Benjamin Cook, the book explores in detail Russell's work on Series Four, revealing how he plans the series and works with the show's writers; where he gets his ideas for plot, character and scene; how actors are cast and other creative decisions are made; and how he juggles the demands of Doctor Who with the increasingly successful Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures spin-offs. Russell's scripts are discussed as they develop, and Russell and Ben's wide-ranging discussions bring in experiences from previous series of Doctor Who as well as other shows Russell has written and created, including Queer As Folk, Bob and Rose, and The Second Coming.The reader is given total access to the show as it's created, and the writing is everything you would expect from Russell T Davies: warm, witty, insightful, and honest.Fully illustrated with never-before-seen photos and artwork - including original drawings by Russell himself - The Writer's Tale is a not only the ultimate Doctor Who book, but a celebration of great writing and great television.Kingdom of SilverStarring Sylvester McCoyWith Terry Molloy and Neil Roberts (Duration: 120' Approx) CAST: KINGDOM OF SILVER: Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Neil Roberts (Temeter), Kate Terence (Sara), Terry Molloy (Magus Riga), James George (Merel), Bunny Reed (Ardith), Holly King (Etin), Nicholas Briggs (Cybermen)KEEPSAKE: Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Neil Roberts (Temeter), Kate Terence (Sara), Terry Molloy (Examiner 2), James George (Corvus), Nicholas Briggs (Examiner 1) SYNOPSIS - KINGDOM OF SILVER (A Three-Part Story): The Doctor arrives on Tasak in search of refreshment, armed with nothing more than a kettle. But this is a time of crisis for a civilisation about to enter an industrial age. Mindful that a devastating war is only recently over, the wise and revered Magus Riga will do almost anything to save his people from the follies of the past. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions. And the planet Tasak is host to ancient powers buried deep and long forgotten. Can visitors from another world avert disaster or will their intervention drag this innocent world into the Orion War? SYNOPSIS - KEEPSAKE (A One-Part Story): Sifting through the technological junk of Reclaim Platform Juliet-November-Kilo, the Doctor discovers evidence of a personal tragedy involving some friends of his. Where will the story of their fate lead? AUTHOR: James Swallow DIRECTOR: Ken Bentley and Nicholas Briggs SOUND DESIGN: David Darlington MUSIC: David Darlington COVER ART: Alex Mallinson NUMBER OF DISCS: 2 CDs RECORDED DATE: 8 & 9 May 2008 RELEASE DATE: 15 September 2008 PRODUCTION CODE: 7Z/D ISBN: 978-1-84435-321-7 CHRONOLOGICAL PLACEMENT: This story takes place between the television adventures, Survival and the 1996 TV Movie, and after the Big Finish audio adventure The Death Collectors.
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TDP 72: Doctor Who Ghost Light
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 22 minutes and 48 secondsGhost Light GS_googleAddAdSenseService(&quot;ca-pub-3862144315477646&quot;); GS_googleEnableAllServices(); Ghost Light was the second story of Season 26 of Doctor Who. Two stories followed it when broadcast, although it was the last story of the classic series to be produced. It was the last story filmed at the BBC studios in London. window.onload = function() { if (window.showTocToggle) { window.tocShowText = &quot;show&quot;; window.tocHideText = &quot;hide&quot;; showTocToggle(); }}; Synopsis The Doctor brings Ace to Gabriel Chase, an old house that she once burnt down in her home town of Perivale. The year is 1883 and the house is presided over by Josiah Samuel Smith, who turns out to be the evolved form of an alien brought to Earth in a stone spaceship that is now in the basement. Others present include the explorer Redvers Fenn-Cooper, who has been driven mad by what he has seen there, and Nimrod, Smith's Neanderthal manservant. Smith intends to use Fenn-Cooper's unwitting help in a plot to kill Queen Victoria and restore the British Empire to its former glory. His plans are hampered by Control, a female alien whose life-cycle is in balance with his own. Ace inadvertently causes the release of the spaceship's true owner - a powerful alien being known as Light. Light originally came to Earth to compile a catalogue of its species but, on discovering that his catalogue has now been made obsolete by evolution, he decides to destroy all life on the planet. He disintegrates when the Doctor convinces him that evolution is irresistible and that he himself is constantly changing. Control has meanwhile evolved into a lady and Smith has reverted to an earlier, primitive form. They leave in the spaceship, along with Nimrod and Fenn-Cooper, heading for new adventure. Plot Part 1 Fenn-Cooper has been driven mad by Light The Doctor brings Ace to Gabriel Chase, an old house that she once burnt down in her home town of Perivale near London. The year is 1883 and the house is presided over by the mysterious Josiah Samuel Smith. It is a most mysterious place, where the serving women brandish guns and the butler is a Neanderthal named Nimrod. Other occupants include Gwendoline, the daughter of the original owners of the house who have now disappeared, the calculating housekeeper Lady Pritchard, the explorer Redvers Fenn-Cooper, who has seen something which has driven him insane, and the Reverend Ernest Matthews, opponent of the theory of evolution which Smith has done much to spread. The TARDIS arrives at Gabriel Chase. It turns out that Ace had visited the house in 1983, and had felt an evil presence, and the Doctor's curiosity drives him to seek the answers. Something is also alive and evolving in the cellar beneath the house and when Ace investigates she finds two animated and dangerous husks. Part 2 Josiah turns into a husk In rescuing Ace, the Doctor releases an evolving creature trapped in the cellar known as Control. The party moves to ground level and Control remains trapped in the cellar for the moment. The cellar is in fact a vast stone spaceship. The Doctor works his way through the stuffed animals in Gabriel Chase and eventually finds a human in suspended animation, an Inspector Mackenzie, who came to the house two years earlier in search of the owners. The Doctor revives him and together they seek to unlock the mysteries of Gabriel Chase. The husks which attacked Ace were the remains of Smith, an alien who has been evolving into forms approximating a human and casting off his old husks as an insect would. For his pains Smith transforms Matthews into an ape and places him in a display case. The Doctor helps Control release the trapped creature from the cellar, a being known as Light who takes the form of an angel. Part 3 Light wakes up Thousands of years in the past, an alien spaceship came to Earth to catalogue all life on the planet. After completing its task and collecting some samples, which included Nimrod, the leader Light went into slumber. By 1881 the ship had returned to Earth. While Control remained imprisoned on the ship to serve as the "control" subject of the scientific investigation, events transpired such that Smith, the "survey agent", mutinied against Light, keeping him in hibernation on the ship. Smith began evolving into the era's dominant life-form - a Victorian gentleman - and also took over the house. By 1883 Smith managed to lure and capture the explorer Fenn-Cooper within his den. Utilising Fenn-Cooper's association with Queen Victoria, he plans to get close to her so that he can assassinate her and subsequently take control of the British Empire. Light is displeased by all the change that has occurred on the planet while he was asleep. While Light tries to make sense of all the change, Smith tries to keep his plan intact, but events are moving beyond his control. Light turns Gwendoline and her missing mother, revealed to be Mrs. Pritchard, to stone in a bid to stop the speed of evolution; while Inspector Mackenzie meets a sticky end and is turned into a primordial soup to serve at dinner. As Control tries to "evolve" into a Lady, and Ace tries to come to grips with her feelings about the house, the Doctor himself tries to keep the upper hand in all the events that have been set in motion. The Doctor finally convinces Light of the futility of opposing evolution, which causes him to overload and dissipate into the surrounding house. It was this presence that Ace sensed and which caused her to burn the house down in 1983. Also, Control's complete evolution into a Lady derail's Smith's plan as Fenn-Cooper, having freed himself from Smith's brainwashing, chooses to side with her instead of him. In the end, with Smith now the new Control creature imprisoned on the ship, Control, Fenn-Cooper and Nimrod set off in the alien ship to explore the universe. Cast The Doctor - Sylvester McCoy Ace - Sophie Aldred Josiah Samuel Smith - Ian Hogg Light - John Hallam Lady Pritchard - Sylvia Syms Redvers Fenn-Cooper - Michael Cochrane Control - Sharon Duce Gwendoline - Katharine Schlesinger Nimrod - Carl Forgione Reverend Ernest Matthews - John Nettleton Mrs Grose - Brenda Kempner Inspector Mackenzie - Frank Windsor Crew Writer - Marc Platt Assistant Floor Manager - Stephen Garwood Costumes - Ken Trew Designer - Nick Somerville Incidental Music - Mark Ayres Make-Up - Joan Stribling Production Assistant - Valerie Whiston Production Associate - June Collins Script Editor - Andrew Cartmel Special Sounds - Dichttp://tardis.wikia.com/index.php?title=Ghost_Light&action=submitk Mills Studio Lighting - Henry Barber Studio Sound - Scott Talbott, Keith Bowden Stunt Arranger - Paul Heasman Theme Arrangement - Keff McCulloch Title Music - Ron Grainer Visual Effects - Malcolm James Producer - John Nathan-Turner Director - Alan Wareing
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TDP 72: Doctor Who Ghost Light
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 22 minutes and 48 secondsGhost Light GS_googleAddAdSenseService(&quot;ca-pub-3862144315477646&quot;); GS_googleEnableAllServices(); Ghost Light was the second story of Season 26 of Doctor Who. Two stories followed it when broadcast, although it was the last story of the classic series to be produced. It was the last story filmed at the BBC studios in London. window.onload = function() { if (window.showTocToggle) { window.tocShowText = &quot;show&quot;; window.tocHideText = &quot;hide&quot;; showTocToggle(); }}; Synopsis The Doctor brings Ace to Gabriel Chase, an old house that she once burnt down in her home town of Perivale. The year is 1883 and the house is presided over by Josiah Samuel Smith, who turns out to be the evolved form of an alien brought to Earth in a stone spaceship that is now in the basement. Others present include the explorer Redvers Fenn-Cooper, who has been driven mad by what he has seen there, and Nimrod, Smith's Neanderthal manservant. Smith intends to use Fenn-Cooper's unwitting help in a plot to kill Queen Victoria and restore the British Empire to its former glory. His plans are hampered by Control, a female alien whose life-cycle is in balance with his own. Ace inadvertently causes the release of the spaceship's true owner - a powerful alien being known as Light. Light originally came to Earth to compile a catalogue of its species but, on discovering that his catalogue has now been made obsolete by evolution, he decides to destroy all life on the planet. He disintegrates when the Doctor convinces him that evolution is irresistible and that he himself is constantly changing. Control has meanwhile evolved into a lady and Smith has reverted to an earlier, primitive form. They leave in the spaceship, along with Nimrod and Fenn-Cooper, heading for new adventure. Plot Part 1 Fenn-Cooper has been driven mad by Light The Doctor brings Ace to Gabriel Chase, an old house that she once burnt down in her home town of Perivale near London. The year is 1883 and the house is presided over by the mysterious Josiah Samuel Smith. It is a most mysterious place, where the serving women brandish guns and the butler is a Neanderthal named Nimrod. Other occupants include Gwendoline, the daughter of the original owners of the house who have now disappeared, the calculating housekeeper Lady Pritchard, the explorer Redvers Fenn-Cooper, who has seen something which has driven him insane, and the Reverend Ernest Matthews, opponent of the theory of evolution which Smith has done much to spread. The TARDIS arrives at Gabriel Chase. It turns out that Ace had visited the house in 1983, and had felt an evil presence, and the Doctor's curiosity drives him to seek the answers. Something is also alive and evolving in the cellar beneath the house and when Ace investigates she finds two animated and dangerous husks. Part 2 Josiah turns into a husk In rescuing Ace, the Doctor releases an evolving creature trapped in the cellar known as Control. The party moves to ground level and Control remains trapped in the cellar for the moment. The cellar is in fact a vast stone spaceship. The Doctor works his way through the stuffed animals in Gabriel Chase and eventually finds a human in suspended animation, an Inspector Mackenzie, who came to the house two years earlier in search of the owners. The Doctor revives him and together they seek to unlock the mysteries of Gabriel Chase. The husks which attacked Ace were the remains of Smith, an alien who has been evolving into forms approximating a human and casting off his old husks as an insect would. For his pains Smith transforms Matthews into an ape and places him in a display case. The Doctor helps Control release the trapped creature from the cellar, a being known as Light who takes the form of an angel. Part 3 Light wakes up Thousands of years in the past, an alien spaceship came to Earth to catalogue all life on the planet. After completing its task and collecting some samples, which included Nimrod, the leader Light went into slumber. By 1881 the ship had returned to Earth. While Control remained imprisoned on the ship to serve as the "control" subject of the scientific investigation, events transpired such that Smith, the "survey agent", mutinied against Light, keeping him in hibernation on the ship. Smith began evolving into the era's dominant life-form - a Victorian gentleman - and also took over the house. By 1883 Smith managed to lure and capture the explorer Fenn-Cooper within his den. Utilising Fenn-Cooper's association with Queen Victoria, he plans to get close to her so that he can assassinate her and subsequently take control of the British Empire. Light is displeased by all the change that has occurred on the planet while he was asleep. While Light tries to make sense of all the change, Smith tries to keep his plan intact, but events are moving beyond his control. Light turns Gwendoline and her missing mother, revealed to be Mrs. Pritchard, to stone in a bid to stop the speed of evolution; while Inspector Mackenzie meets a sticky end and is turned into a primordial soup to serve at dinner. As Control tries to "evolve" into a Lady, and Ace tries to come to grips with her feelings about the house, the Doctor himself tries to keep the upper hand in all the events that have been set in motion. The Doctor finally convinces Light of the futility of opposing evolution, which causes him to overload and dissipate into the surrounding house. It was this presence that Ace sensed and which caused her to burn the house down in 1983. Also, Control's complete evolution into a Lady derail's Smith's plan as Fenn-Cooper, having freed himself from Smith's brainwashing, chooses to side with her instead of him. In the end, with Smith now the new Control creature imprisoned on the ship, Control, Fenn-Cooper and Nimrod set off in the alien ship to explore the universe. Cast The Doctor - Sylvester McCoy Ace - Sophie Aldred Josiah Samuel Smith - Ian Hogg Light - John Hallam Lady Pritchard - Sylvia Syms Redvers Fenn-Cooper - Michael Cochrane Control - Sharon Duce Gwendoline - Katharine Schlesinger Nimrod - Carl Forgione Reverend Ernest Matthews - John Nettleton Mrs Grose - Brenda Kempner Inspector Mackenzie - Frank Windsor Crew Writer - Marc Platt Assistant Floor Manager - Stephen Garwood Costumes - Ken Trew Designer - Nick Somerville Incidental Music - Mark Ayres Make-Up - Joan Stribling Production Assistant - Valerie Whiston Production Associate - June Collins Script Editor - Andrew Cartmel Special Sounds - Dichttp://tardis.wikia.com/index.php?title=Ghost_Light&action=submitk Mills Studio Lighting - Henry Barber Studio Sound - Scott Talbott, Keith Bowden Stunt Arranger - Paul Heasman Theme Arrangement - Keff McCulloch Title Music - Ron Grainer Visual Effects - Malcolm James Producer - John Nathan-Turner Director - Alan Wareing
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INFORMATION
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsTHERE WILL BE NO TDP FOR A WEEK OR SO DUE TO TECHNICAL ISSUES.I AM SORRY ABOUT THIS.HOPEFULLY I CAN SORT THINGS OUT SHORTLY.REGARDSTIN DOG
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INFORMATION
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsTHERE WILL BE NO TDP FOR A WEEK OR SO DUE TO TECHNICAL ISSUES.I AM SORRY ABOUT THIS.HOPEFULLY I CAN SORT THINGS OUT SHORTLY.REGARDSTIN DOG
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TDP 71: Vervoids, Foe and Steampunk
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 22 minutes and 5 secondsListen past the end credits for spoiler chat!4 Topics!1) Terror of the Verviods2) Ultimate Foe3) Steampunk in Doctor Whoend credits4) Spoiler chat...The Doctor returns to the courtroom after a recess, given to allow him to mourn Peri's death, shown in the previous block of evidence. The Doctor begins his defence, showing events from his future on the galactic liner Hyperion III, a ship taking a supply of rare metals from Mogar to Earth in the year 2986AD. The Doctor states that many of the passengers and crew will not survive the journey to Earth, for "[someone determined to] protect a secret hidden on the space liner... will become a murderer."''Continuity The new companion "Mel" is introduced without the typical "meeting" story, as this evidence is supposed to take place in the Doctor's future, after he has already met Mel.Despite references to them having met before, the Doctor has never been shown to meet Commodore Travers on screen before this. Production Serial details by episode: Episode Broadcast date Run time Viewership (in millions) "Part Nine" 1 November 1986 24:56 5.2 "Part Ten" 8 November 1986 24:18 4.6 "Part Eleven" 15 November 1986 24:07 5.3 "Part Twelve" 22 November 1986 24:45 5.2 [1][2][3] Preproduction This story segment of Trial was originally supposed to be written by Peter J. Hammond, creator of the cult science fiction series Sapphire & Steel. Hammond's story outline, titled Paradise Five, was liked by script editor Eric Saward but disliked by producer John Nathan-Turner, who rejected it and commissioned Pip and Jane Baker to do the segment instead.[4] Hammond later wrote two episodes of the Doctor Who spin-off drama, Torchwood. Designed as a typical Agatha Christie murder mystery set on a space liner, the actual structure of the story (and its bubbly tone) are reminiscent of the series during Douglas Adams' tenure as script editor, during season seventeen. In the first episode, Professor Lasky is briefly seen reading a copy of Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. Production The Vervoids bear a strong resemblance to the Flatwoods monster, a common template for alien creatures.[citation needed] Post-production This serial marked the last time the BBC Radiophonic Workshop provided a music score for the series. As no individual title was used onscreen or on the final scripts for this story, there has been some confusion over how to refer to the story. It was initially commissioned with the title of The Ultimate Foe. However this title was later given to the novelisation of the 13th and 14th parts of the season. Writers Pip and Jane Baker repeatedly referred to the story as The Vervoids in subsequent interviews, as have other production team members, but this title does not appear to exist on any contemporary documentation.[4] When Target Books published Pip and Jane Baker's novelisation, it was under the title of Terror of the Vervoids, which is now generally used to refer to the story (see The Ultimate Foe and Doctor Who story title controversy). Commercial releases In October 1993, this story was released on VHS as part of the three-tape The Trial of a Time Lord set.It is also due for DVD release on September 29th2008[5], similarly packaged with the other stories in The Trial of a Time Lord season. Special Features include: deleted and extended scenes * "The Making of a Trial of a Time Lord - Part Three - Terror of Vervoids" * "Now Get Out of That - Doctor Who Cliffhangers" (a 28-minute feature) * "The Lost Season" (an 11-minute feature) * Saturday Picture Show archival television footage * photo gallery * and trails and continuities. The Ultimate Foe is the generally accepted title for a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in two weekly parts from November 29 to December 6, 1986. It is part of the larger narrative known as The Trial of a Time Lord, encompassing the whole of the 23rd season. This segment is also cited in some reference works under its working title of Time Incorporated (or Time Inc.). This was the last regular story to feature Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor.Continuity Thanks to the paradoxes of time travel, since Mel is from the Doctor's future, she has already met him, but from the Doctor's perspective he is meeting her for the first time. Most spin-off media, including the novelisation by the Bakers, have assumed that the Doctor, at the end of the trial, takes Mel back to her proper place in time and eventually travels to her relative past to meet Mel for the first time from her perspective. That meeting, never seen on screen, is related in the Past Doctor Adventures novel Business Unusual by Gary Russell and also in his audio story He Jests at Scars, which provides a semi-sequel to this TV story. In the new series episode Journey's End, a Magnetron (possibly salvaged during The Time War) is used to move a number of planets to another spot in the universe. Since then, the technology appears to have been modified and/or improved as the planets apparently just teleport rather than being "thrown". [edit] The Doctor This was the last story to feature Colin Baker as the current Doctor. Baker was fired by the BBC and John Nathan Turner was ordered, reportedly by Michael Grade, to recast the lead part for the following season. Baker was offered the chance to appear as the Doctor in all four episodes of the first story of Season 24, but he declined this and the invitation to return for the traditional regeneration sequence in Time and the Rani. Due to Colin Baker's dismissal from the role, it would turn out that the Sixth Doctor's last lines on screen were "Carrot juice, carrot juice, carrot juice!" Although The Ultimate Foe was his last regular appearance as the Doctor on screen, the last story that Baker actually recorded was Terror of the Vervoids. Baker would reprise the role on stage, in 1989's Doctor Who - The Ultimate Adventure, and on screen in the 1993 charity special Dimensions in Time, as well as various audio adventures for Big Finish Productions. [edit] Final appearances This marked the last appearance to date of the Time Lords, apart from a brief flashback in "The Sound of Drums." Coincidentally, James Bree (The Keeper of the Matrix) had appeared in The War Games (albeit in a different role), which was the first serial to feature the Time Lords. The Valeyard has not re-appeared in the television series. His sole appearance in the Big Finish Productions audios has been the Doctor Who Unbound (and therefore outside of established continuity) He Jests at Scars..., where Michael Jayston reprises the role. The character has been featured (usually in dream sequences or metaphors) in the New Adventures and Missing Adventures book ranges from Virgin Publishing and the Past Doctor Adventures from the BBC, however none of these appearances conclusively reveals his origins. The forthcoming unofficial novel Time's Champion, the late Craig Hinton's final novel completed by his friend Chris McKeon, will see the return of the Valeyard and his origins revealed. Whereas previously Anthony Ainley's the Master had appeared in at least one story per year, it would be another three years before he returned in Survival, the final story of the show's original run. [edit] Production Serial details by episode: Episode Broadcast date Run time Viewership (in millions) "Part Thirteen" 29 November 1986 24:42 4.4 "Part Fourteen" 6 December 1986 29:30 5.6 [1][2][3] Robert Holmes was originally commissioned to write the two episodes. Unfortunately, he died from a chronic liver ailment after completing a draft of the first and left nothing beyond a plot outline of the second. The series Script Editor Eric Saward resigned around this time due to disagreements with the producer, John Nathan-Turner, but agreed to write the final episode based on Holmes' outline, and also rewrite Holmes' draft to tie the two together, for which he was credited as Script Editor. The original ending to this segment (and, indeed, the whole Trial story and possibly the series) would have seen the Doctor and the Valeyard in an inconclusive cliffhanger, both (seemingly) plunging into a void to their deaths as an extra "hook". However, Nathan-Turner felt this was too downbeat and believed that it was important that the season did not end on an inconclusive note since it was important after the hiatus to prove the series was back in business. Saward refused to change the ending and withdrew permission to use his script very late in the day, by which point the production team had been assembled and the segment was entering rehearsals. John Nathan-Turner commissioned Pip and Jane Baker to write a replacement final episode. For copyright reasons they could not be told anything of the content of Saward's script (and there were lawyers observing all commissioning meetings). The only similarity between the two is the announcement that the High Council of the Time Lords have resigned, which was a natural development of the earlier scripts. The new script ended on an optimistic note, with the Doctor departing for new adventures.[4] In keeping with this more optimistic stance, Nathan-Turner decided to amend the script at the last minute to show how Peri had not died as shown in Mindwarp but in fact, became Yrcanos's queen. Her "death" was merely a part of the Valeyard's tampering with the Matrix, with a shot from the earlier story used to show this. Nicola Bryant was disappointed to learn how the fate of her character had been changed. Ultimately, the works of Charles Dickens are evident in the story: the fictional landscape in the Matrix resembles Victorian era Britain, and the character (and name) of Mr. Popplewick are strongly Dickensian. The Doctor also quotes the final two lines of A Tale of Two Cities, prompting Mel to chide him: "Never mind the Sydney Carton heroics!" The working title of this story was Time Incorporated.[4] However, this title did not appear in the final scripts or on-screen. Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used--usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England--but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of "the path not taken" of such technology as dirigibles or analog computers; these frequently are presented in an idealized light, or a presumption of functionality. Steampunk is often associated with cyberpunk and shares a similar fanbase and theme of rebellion, but developed as a separate movement (though both have considerable influence on each other). Apart from time period and level of technological development, the main difference between cyberpunk and steampunk is that steampunk settings usually tend to be less obviously dystopian than cyberpunk, or lack dystopian elements entirely. Various modern utilitarian objects have been modded by individual craftpersons into a pseudo-Victorian mechanical "steampunk" style, and a number of visual and musical artists have been described as steampunk.
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TDP 71: Vervoids, Foe and Steampunk
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 22 minutes and 5 secondsListen past the end credits for spoiler chat!4 Topics!1) Terror of the Verviods2) Ultimate Foe3) Steampunk in Doctor Whoend credits4) Spoiler chat...The Doctor returns to the courtroom after a recess, given to allow him to mourn Peri's death, shown in the previous block of evidence. The Doctor begins his defence, showing events from his future on the galactic liner Hyperion III, a ship taking a supply of rare metals from Mogar to Earth in the year 2986AD. The Doctor states that many of the passengers and crew will not survive the journey to Earth, for "[someone determined to] protect a secret hidden on the space liner... will become a murderer."''Continuity The new companion "Mel" is introduced without the typical "meeting" story, as this evidence is supposed to take place in the Doctor's future, after he has already met Mel.Despite references to them having met before, the Doctor has never been shown to meet Commodore Travers on screen before this. Production Serial details by episode: Episode Broadcast date Run time Viewership (in millions) "Part Nine" 1 November 1986 24:56 5.2 "Part Ten" 8 November 1986 24:18 4.6 "Part Eleven" 15 November 1986 24:07 5.3 "Part Twelve" 22 November 1986 24:45 5.2 [1][2][3] Preproduction This story segment of Trial was originally supposed to be written by Peter J. Hammond, creator of the cult science fiction series Sapphire & Steel. Hammond's story outline, titled Paradise Five, was liked by script editor Eric Saward but disliked by producer John Nathan-Turner, who rejected it and commissioned Pip and Jane Baker to do the segment instead.[4] Hammond later wrote two episodes of the Doctor Who spin-off drama, Torchwood. Designed as a typical Agatha Christie murder mystery set on a space liner, the actual structure of the story (and its bubbly tone) are reminiscent of the series during Douglas Adams' tenure as script editor, during season seventeen. In the first episode, Professor Lasky is briefly seen reading a copy of Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. Production The Vervoids bear a strong resemblance to the Flatwoods monster, a common template for alien creatures.[citation needed] Post-production This serial marked the last time the BBC Radiophonic Workshop provided a music score for the series. As no individual title was used onscreen or on the final scripts for this story, there has been some confusion over how to refer to the story. It was initially commissioned with the title of The Ultimate Foe. However this title was later given to the novelisation of the 13th and 14th parts of the season. Writers Pip and Jane Baker repeatedly referred to the story as The Vervoids in subsequent interviews, as have other production team members, but this title does not appear to exist on any contemporary documentation.[4] When Target Books published Pip and Jane Baker's novelisation, it was under the title of Terror of the Vervoids, which is now generally used to refer to the story (see The Ultimate Foe and Doctor Who story title controversy). Commercial releases In October 1993, this story was released on VHS as part of the three-tape The Trial of a Time Lord set.It is also due for DVD release on September 29th2008[5], similarly packaged with the other stories in The Trial of a Time Lord season. Special Features include: deleted and extended scenes * "The Making of a Trial of a Time Lord - Part Three - Terror of Vervoids" * "Now Get Out of That - Doctor Who Cliffhangers" (a 28-minute feature) * "The Lost Season" (an 11-minute feature) * Saturday Picture Show archival television footage * photo gallery * and trails and continuities. The Ultimate Foe is the generally accepted title for a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in two weekly parts from November 29 to December 6, 1986. It is part of the larger narrative known as The Trial of a Time Lord, encompassing the whole of the 23rd season. This segment is also cited in some reference works under its working title of Time Incorporated (or Time Inc.). This was the last regular story to feature Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor.Continuity Thanks to the paradoxes of time travel, since Mel is from the Doctor's future, she has already met him, but from the Doctor's perspective he is meeting her for the first time. Most spin-off media, including the novelisation by the Bakers, have assumed that the Doctor, at the end of the trial, takes Mel back to her proper place in time and eventually travels to her relative past to meet Mel for the first time from her perspective. That meeting, never seen on screen, is related in the Past Doctor Adventures novel Business Unusual by Gary Russell and also in his audio story He Jests at Scars, which provides a semi-sequel to this TV story. In the new series episode Journey's End, a Magnetron (possibly salvaged during The Time War) is used to move a number of planets to another spot in the universe. Since then, the technology appears to have been modified and/or improved as the planets apparently just teleport rather than being "thrown". [edit] The Doctor This was the last story to feature Colin Baker as the current Doctor. Baker was fired by the BBC and John Nathan Turner was ordered, reportedly by Michael Grade, to recast the lead part for the following season. Baker was offered the chance to appear as the Doctor in all four episodes of the first story of Season 24, but he declined this and the invitation to return for the traditional regeneration sequence in Time and the Rani. Due to Colin Baker's dismissal from the role, it would turn out that the Sixth Doctor's last lines on screen were "Carrot juice, carrot juice, carrot juice!" Although The Ultimate Foe was his last regular appearance as the Doctor on screen, the last story that Baker actually recorded was Terror of the Vervoids. Baker would reprise the role on stage, in 1989's Doctor Who - The Ultimate Adventure, and on screen in the 1993 charity special Dimensions in Time, as well as various audio adventures for Big Finish Productions. [edit] Final appearances This marked the last appearance to date of the Time Lords, apart from a brief flashback in "The Sound of Drums." Coincidentally, James Bree (The Keeper of the Matrix) had appeared in The War Games (albeit in a different role), which was the first serial to feature the Time Lords. The Valeyard has not re-appeared in the television series. His sole appearance in the Big Finish Productions audios has been the Doctor Who Unbound (and therefore outside of established continuity) He Jests at Scars..., where Michael Jayston reprises the role. The character has been featured (usually in dream sequences or metaphors) in the New Adventures and Missing Adventures book ranges from Virgin Publishing and the Past Doctor Adventures from the BBC, however none of these appearances conclusively reveals his origins. The forthcoming unofficial novel Time's Champion, the late Craig Hinton's final novel completed by his friend Chris McKeon, will see the return of the Valeyard and his origins revealed. Whereas previously Anthony Ainley's the Master had appeared in at least one story per year, it would be another three years before he returned in Survival, the final story of the show's original run. [edit] Production Serial details by episode: Episode Broadcast date Run time Viewership (in millions) "Part Thirteen" 29 November 1986 24:42 4.4 "Part Fourteen" 6 December 1986 29:30 5.6 [1][2][3] Robert Holmes was originally commissioned to write the two episodes. Unfortunately, he died from a chronic liver ailment after completing a draft of the first and left nothing beyond a plot outline of the second. The series Script Editor Eric Saward resigned around this time due to disagreements with the producer, John Nathan-Turner, but agreed to write the final episode based on Holmes' outline, and also rewrite Holmes' draft to tie the two together, for which he was credited as Script Editor. The original ending to this segment (and, indeed, the whole Trial story and possibly the series) would have seen the Doctor and the Valeyard in an inconclusive cliffhanger, both (seemingly) plunging into a void to their deaths as an extra "hook". However, Nathan-Turner felt this was too downbeat and believed that it was important that the season did not end on an inconclusive note since it was important after the hiatus to prove the series was back in business. Saward refused to change the ending and withdrew permission to use his script very late in the day, by which point the production team had been assembled and the segment was entering rehearsals. John Nathan-Turner commissioned Pip and Jane Baker to write a replacement final episode. For copyright reasons they could not be told anything of the content of Saward's script (and there were lawyers observing all commissioning meetings). The only similarity between the two is the announcement that the High Council of the Time Lords have resigned, which was a natural development of the earlier scripts. The new script ended on an optimistic note, with the Doctor departing for new adventures.[4] In keeping with this more optimistic stance, Nathan-Turner decided to amend the script at the last minute to show how Peri had not died as shown in Mindwarp but in fact, became Yrcanos's queen. Her "death" was merely a part of the Valeyard's tampering with the Matrix, with a shot from the earlier story used to show this. Nicola Bryant was disappointed to learn how the fate of her character had been changed. Ultimately, the works of Charles Dickens are evident in the story: the fictional landscape in the Matrix resembles Victorian era Britain, and the character (and name) of Mr. Popplewick are strongly Dickensian. The Doctor also quotes the final two lines of A Tale of Two Cities, prompting Mel to chide him: "Never mind the Sydney Carton heroics!" The working title of this story was Time Incorporated.[4] However, this title did not appear in the final scripts or on-screen. Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used--usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England--but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of "the path not taken" of such technology as dirigibles or analog computers; these frequently are presented in an idealized light, or a presumption of functionality. Steampunk is often associated with cyberpunk and shares a similar fanbase and theme of rebellion, but developed as a separate movement (though both have considerable influence on each other). Apart from time period and level of technological development, the main difference between cyberpunk and steampunk is that steampunk settings usually tend to be less obviously dystopian than cyberpunk, or lack dystopian elements entirely. Various modern utilitarian objects have been modded by individual craftpersons into a pseudo-Victorian mechanical "steampunk" style, and a number of visual and musical artists have been described as steampunk.
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TDP 70: Four to Doomsday
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 13 minutes and 41 secondsThe Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan and Adric arrive on a spaceship which is headed for Earth. On board they meet natives of Earth from various different eras, and also three Urbankans: Monarch, Persuasion and Enlightenment. What are the aliens' intentions when they reach Earth? Plot The TARDIS materializes on board a vast and advanced alien spacecraft, observed by a hovering surveillance device which conveys the arrival of the Doctor, Tegan, Nyssa and Adric to an observing being that is in control of the vessel. The TARDIS crew become separated and the Doctor and Tegan reach the bridge of the vessel where the green-skinned commander introduces himself as Monarch, ruler of Urbanka, and his associates and fellow Urbankans are the Ministers of Enlightenment and Persuasion. The leader is intrigued by talk of current Earth civilisation and reveals their ship is bound for Earth. Shortly afterward Enlightenment and Persuasion seemingly regenerate into human form, dressed in garments Tegan designed to demonstrate contemporary Earth fashions. The TARDIS crew are reunited as guests aboard the ship and it soon becomes apparent that there are four distinct human cultures represented on the vessel by a small group of humans - Ancient Greeks, the leader of whom is the philosopher Bigon; Chinese Mandarins and their leader Lin Futu; Princess Villagra and representatives of the Mayan people; and Kurkutji and his tribesmen, of the very ancient Australian Aborigine culture. The Urbankans have made periodic visits to Earth, each time getting speedier in their journeys. This time they have left their homeworld after erratic solar activity, storing three billion of their species on slides aboard their craft, and it seems the current journey is their last and they now wish to settle on Earth, which they are due to reach in four days time. The Doctor becomes suspicious of Monarch and soon learns that the Urbankan does not plan on peaceful co-existence: instead, he has developed a virus to wipe out humanity, and this will be unleashed before the Urbankans disembark. He also finds out that the humans aboard are not descendents of the original abductees, but are the original people taken from Earth and converted into androids like the three Urbankans walking around on board. The four leaders of the peoples have been given additional circuits to help them reason, but this facility can be taken away, as Bigon learns when he crosses Monarch once too often. He explained to the Doctor that Monarch strip-mined and destroyed Urbanka in a quest for minerals to improve the ship, and now plans to do the same to Earth. Monarch believes that if he can move the ship faster than the speed of light, he can pilot it back to the beginning of time and discover himself as God... Adric, nevertheless, is rather taken with Monarch, and tensions between him and the Doctor become very strained. It takes the truth to break the alien's hold over the boy. The Doctor now sets about over-throwing Monarch and, with the help of the human androids led by a restored Bigon, a revolution is put into effect. Enlightenment and Persuasion are de-circuited, while Monarch himself is exposed to the deadly toxin and killed. It seems he was a product of the weak "flesh time" after all, having never, as the Doctor suspected, been fully converted into an android. The humanoid androids decide to pilot the vessel to a new home on a new world, while the TARDIS crew departs. Back in the console room, Nyssa suddenly collapses to the floor in a dead faint. Cast notes Guest stars in this serial include Stratford Johns as Monarch and Burt Kwouk as Lin Futu. See Celebrity appearances in Doctor Who. Continuity The Big Finish Productions audio drama Primeval provides an alternative explanation, beyond mere exhaustion, for Nyssa's collapse at the end of this story. The canonicity of the audio dramas, however, is unclear.When the Doctor tells Tegan "Who'll believe us? We'll be laughed at!" when she wants to get to Earth to warn them about Monarch's plan, he has clearly forgotten the purpose/existence of U.N.I.T., the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce, for which he was unpaid Scientific Advisor (through most of his third incarnation). He makes use of his U.N.I.T. connections later in the season, however.This is the third occasion of a recurring theme where Adric 'betrays' the Doctor, or else Romana, Nyssa or Tegan, gaining the villains' trust and then later saving them. See State of Decay, Castrovalva, Kinda and, to a lesser degree, The Visitation and Black Orchid Goofs The Doctor describes the Maya civilization as having reached its peak "8000 years ago"; the very earliest Maya settlements began 4000 years ago.The Doctor claims the population of the Earth to be 3 Billion, where as it was around 4.5 Billion by 1980, being about 3 Billion in around 1960. [1]Few non-indigenous Australians speak an Aboriginal language (of which around 200 exist) as fluently as Tegan demonstrated with her conversation with Kurkutji. It is almost certain that the language that Kurkutji spoke 40,000 years ago would have since evolved into a totally different language that his people would be using today. Production Serial details by episode: Episode Broadcast date Run time Viewership (in millions) "Part One" 18 January 1982 23:36 8.4 "Part Two" 19 January 1982 24:11 8.8 "Part Three" 25 January 1982 24:09 8.8 "Part Four" 26 January 1982 24:53 9.4 [1][2][3] The working title for this story was Days Of Wrath.Although Castrovalva was the first story aired which featured Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor, this story was the first in the season to be produced.It was originally decided that after Castrovalva, the Doctor would only have two companions, Adric and Tegan. As a result, the character of Nyssa was to be written out of the series at the end of this story. However, Peter Davison strongly opposed this move because he felt that Nyssa was the companion who was "most suited to his vision of the Doctor." Given this, producer John Nathan-Turner and the rest of the production team relented. In print Doctor Who book Four to Doomsday Series Target novelisations Release number 77 Writer Terrance Dicks Publisher Target Books ISBN 0 426 19334 2 Release date 21 July 1983 Preceded by Castrovalva Followed by Earthshock A novelisation of this serial, written by Terrance Dicks, was published by Target Books in April 1983. Broadcast, VHS and DVD release This story was released on VHS in September 2001. A DVD release has been confirmed for 15th September 2008. Clockwork Cabaret RSS feed is www.clickcaster.com/channels/clockworkcabaret.xml
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TDP 70: Four to Doomsday
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 13 minutes and 41 secondsThe Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan and Adric arrive on a spaceship which is headed for Earth. On board they meet natives of Earth from various different eras, and also three Urbankans: Monarch, Persuasion and Enlightenment. What are the aliens' intentions when they reach Earth? Plot The TARDIS materializes on board a vast and advanced alien spacecraft, observed by a hovering surveillance device which conveys the arrival of the Doctor, Tegan, Nyssa and Adric to an observing being that is in control of the vessel. The TARDIS crew become separated and the Doctor and Tegan reach the bridge of the vessel where the green-skinned commander introduces himself as Monarch, ruler of Urbanka, and his associates and fellow Urbankans are the Ministers of Enlightenment and Persuasion. The leader is intrigued by talk of current Earth civilisation and reveals their ship is bound for Earth. Shortly afterward Enlightenment and Persuasion seemingly regenerate into human form, dressed in garments Tegan designed to demonstrate contemporary Earth fashions. The TARDIS crew are reunited as guests aboard the ship and it soon becomes apparent that there are four distinct human cultures represented on the vessel by a small group of humans - Ancient Greeks, the leader of whom is the philosopher Bigon; Chinese Mandarins and their leader Lin Futu; Princess Villagra and representatives of the Mayan people; and Kurkutji and his tribesmen, of the very ancient Australian Aborigine culture. The Urbankans have made periodic visits to Earth, each time getting speedier in their journeys. This time they have left their homeworld after erratic solar activity, storing three billion of their species on slides aboard their craft, and it seems the current journey is their last and they now wish to settle on Earth, which they are due to reach in four days time. The Doctor becomes suspicious of Monarch and soon learns that the Urbankan does not plan on peaceful co-existence: instead, he has developed a virus to wipe out humanity, and this will be unleashed before the Urbankans disembark. He also finds out that the humans aboard are not descendents of the original abductees, but are the original people taken from Earth and converted into androids like the three Urbankans walking around on board. The four leaders of the peoples have been given additional circuits to help them reason, but this facility can be taken away, as Bigon learns when he crosses Monarch once too often. He explained to the Doctor that Monarch strip-mined and destroyed Urbanka in a quest for minerals to improve the ship, and now plans to do the same to Earth. Monarch believes that if he can move the ship faster than the speed of light, he can pilot it back to the beginning of time and discover himself as God... Adric, nevertheless, is rather taken with Monarch, and tensions between him and the Doctor become very strained. It takes the truth to break the alien's hold over the boy. The Doctor now sets about over-throwing Monarch and, with the help of the human androids led by a restored Bigon, a revolution is put into effect. Enlightenment and Persuasion are de-circuited, while Monarch himself is exposed to the deadly toxin and killed. It seems he was a product of the weak "flesh time" after all, having never, as the Doctor suspected, been fully converted into an android. The humanoid androids decide to pilot the vessel to a new home on a new world, while the TARDIS crew departs. Back in the console room, Nyssa suddenly collapses to the floor in a dead faint. Cast notes Guest stars in this serial include Stratford Johns as Monarch and Burt Kwouk as Lin Futu. See Celebrity appearances in Doctor Who. Continuity The Big Finish Productions audio drama Primeval provides an alternative explanation, beyond mere exhaustion, for Nyssa's collapse at the end of this story. The canonicity of the audio dramas, however, is unclear.When the Doctor tells Tegan "Who'll believe us? We'll be laughed at!" when she wants to get to Earth to warn them about Monarch's plan, he has clearly forgotten the purpose/existence of U.N.I.T., the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce, for which he was unpaid Scientific Advisor (through most of his third incarnation). He makes use of his U.N.I.T. connections later in the season, however.This is the third occasion of a recurring theme where Adric 'betrays' the Doctor, or else Romana, Nyssa or Tegan, gaining the villains' trust and then later saving them. See State of Decay, Castrovalva, Kinda and, to a lesser degree, The Visitation and Black Orchid Goofs The Doctor describes the Maya civilization as having reached its peak "8000 years ago"; the very earliest Maya settlements began 4000 years ago.The Doctor claims the population of the Earth to be 3 Billion, where as it was around 4.5 Billion by 1980, being about 3 Billion in around 1960. [1]Few non-indigenous Australians speak an Aboriginal language (of which around 200 exist) as fluently as Tegan demonstrated with her conversation with Kurkutji. It is almost certain that the language that Kurkutji spoke 40,000 years ago would have since evolved into a totally different language that his people would be using today. Production Serial details by episode: Episode Broadcast date Run time Viewership (in millions) "Part One" 18 January 1982 23:36 8.4 "Part Two" 19 January 1982 24:11 8.8 "Part Three" 25 January 1982 24:09 8.8 "Part Four" 26 January 1982 24:53 9.4 [1][2][3] The working title for this story was Days Of Wrath.Although Castrovalva was the first story aired which featured Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor, this story was the first in the season to be produced.It was originally decided that after Castrovalva, the Doctor would only have two companions, Adric and Tegan. As a result, the character of Nyssa was to be written out of the series at the end of this story. However, Peter Davison strongly opposed this move because he felt that Nyssa was the companion who was "most suited to his vision of the Doctor." Given this, producer John Nathan-Turner and the rest of the production team relented. In print Doctor Who book Four to Doomsday Series Target novelisations Release number 77 Writer Terrance Dicks Publisher Target Books ISBN 0 426 19334 2 Release date 21 July 1983 Preceded by Castrovalva Followed by Earthshock A novelisation of this serial, written by Terrance Dicks, was published by Target Books in April 1983. Broadcast, VHS and DVD release This story was released on VHS in September 2001. A DVD release has been confirmed for 15th September 2008. Clockwork Cabaret RSS feed is www.clickcaster.com/channels/clockworkcabaret.xml
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TDP 69: Mindwarp
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 16 minutes and 1 secondSynopsis Following on from The Mysterious Planet, the Valeyard and the Doctor argue about the Doctor's involvement in those events. The Inquisitor warns them both to pay due respect to the judicial process. The Valeyard proceeds to present his second block of evidence - the Doctor's arrival on the planet Thoros Beta. The TARDIS arrives on the planet, where the Doctor shows Peri a weapon given to him by the "Warlord of Thordon", made on Thoros Beta. He states that has come to find out how the warlords obtained such technology. They enter a cave, where Peri is grabbed by a large monstrous creature, which during a struggle the Doctor shoots with the gun. The Valeyard accuses the Doctor of deliberately shooting the monster, but he replies that the weapon went off accidentally. A figure arrives and accuses the Doctor and Peri of murdering the Raak, despite their protestations that it attacked them first. The figure asks if they are part of Crozier's group, and the Doctor says that he is. They flee before they can be identified as imposters, but are quickly faced by another monster, but it reacts kindly when the Doctor is nice to it. They are forced to flee further, and as they hide they see three reptilian figures being carried along by guards, the third of the figures is shown to be their old enemy Sil. The Doctor realises that Sil is probably behind the arms sales, and informs Peri that Thoros Beta is the home world of Sil's race, the Mentors. In Crozier's laboratory, King Yrcanos is being experimented on, and the Doctor and Peri sneak inside. As the Doctor sabotages some of Kiv's equipment, Sil arrives in the laboratory. The Doctor is strapped to a table, and Crozier applies a metal helmet to his head. Crozier states that the equipment to extract the truth from a suspect, and that technique could prove fatal. He starts to probe the Doctor's mind, but Yrcanos awakes and destroys the equipment. Overpowering the guards he departs the laboratory, followed by a stunned Doctor and Peri. Yrcanos outlines his plans to attack the Mentors. The Doctor says he would enjoy that, and then collapses. The Doctor tells the Inquisitor that he cannot remember these events. The Valeyard tells him he is in for a surprise if this is true. Yrcanos, the Doctor and Peri go to where new slaves are brought into the base. Yrcanos plans to attack the guards and steal their weapons, but as he sneaks into the room, the Doctor calls out to the guards, giving him away. Yrcanos, unable to fight the guards, flees. Peri points a weapon at Sil, and asks the Doctor for help, but he ignores her. Peri drops the weapon and flees after Yrcanos. Sil asks the Doctor why he helped the Mentors, and he replies that the odds were on their side. The Doctor insists that the footage is not of him, but the Valeyard tells him that the Matrix cannot lie. Peri comes across Matrona, who allows her to join the Mentors' servants rather than turn her over to the guards. Covered with a veil, she enters the Commerce Room with Kiv's medication. The Doctor calls to her to get him a drink, so she disguises her voice to avoid being recognised. When she brings him a new drink, the Doctor uncovers her and denounces her as an enemy to the Mentors. The Doctor tells the Courtroom that what they are seeing is all part of his ploy. He says he planned to gain the Mentors' trust so that he would be allowed to interrogate her alone, giving them a chance to escape. Peri is lashed to rocks on the shoreline and the Doctor stands over her, accusing of being a spy. She asks why he is behaving the way he is, and the Doctor tells her that Crozier is planning to put Kiv's brain into his body unless he can help them. Crozier stops the interegation, saying that they have more effective methods of extracting the truth from Peri. As they re-enter the complex, Yrcanos attacks the guard, and threatens to kill the Doctor. However, Peri smashes the gun from Yrcanos's hands allowing the Doctor to flee. In Crozier's laboratory, the scientist prepares to transplant Kiv's brain into a recently deceased Mentor corpse with the help of The Doctor. The operation proves successful. Meanwhile, Yrcanos, Peri and Dorf team up with members of the Alphan resistance. Agreeing to allow Yrcanos to lead them in an attack on the Mentors, they go to the resistance arms dump, but they are ambushed by Mentor guards and shot down. However, it is revealed they have merely been stunned, and they are taken to cells. In Crozier's laboratory, Lord Kiv is rambling due to the body of the fisherman influencing his brain. Crozier makes plans to transfer the brain into another more suitable body, and suggests using Peri. The Doctor says he would prefer that she is not experimented on, but while he is trying to find another candidate, Peri is brought to the laboratory, and strapped to the operating table. Crozier begins to prepare her for the surgery. The Doctor goes to Yrcanos's cell and tricks the guard allowing Yrcanos and Dorf to escape. Together they free the remaining resistance members. They head towards the control room from where all the slaves are mentally controlled and succeed in freeing the slaves from mental control, but Dorf is killed by a passing guard. Lord Kiv is taken to the laboratory to prepare for the operation. As the Doctor heads towards the lab, he is summoned by the Time Lords and promptly vanishes. The Inquisitor tells the Doctor this was the result of an order from the High Council, because the result of Crozier's experiment would affect all life in the Universe. As Yrcanos prepares his attack on the laboratory, the Time Lords capture him in a time bubble so that his attack is perfectly timed. When Kiv awakes in Peri's bald body, the time bubble dissipates and Yrcanos bursts into the laboratory. He is consumed with fury and begins firing his gun wildly. The Doctor is shocked by what he has seen. The Inquisitor and the Valeyard tell him that it was necessary to end Peri's life to prevent the disastrous consequences of Crozier's experiment. The Doctor insists that he was fetched out of time for some other reason, and he is going to find out what. Continuity Sil appeared in the previous season in the serial Vengeance on Varos.It's often debated amongst fandom[citation needed] as to what exactly happens during this story. It is stated on screen that the Valeyard has somehow distorted events, and that the actual scenes are by and large presented correctly but merely that the Doctor's performance has been distorted to show him in the worst possible light to the court. Many such scenes are prevalent throughout the story, leading fandom to great confusion as it isn't entirely clear which bits are "real" and which were concocted by the Valeyard. There are several theories: That the events seen are the true events, but distorted to show the Doctor in the worst possible light. For example, his line 'Look out behind you' is shown on screen as the Doctor giving King Yrcanos away to some guards, whereas the "true" events might very well have been the Doctor warning him of an attacker sneaking up ('Look out, behind you!'). It's all in how the line is pronounced rather than what the line is.That the Doctor was fried by the "Mindwarp" machine, which is why he exhibits 'out of character' behaviour throughout the story. The event is shown on screen, but as to whether it really occurred or not is still an event of great contention.That the Doctor is pretending to have been twisted by the "Mindwarp" machine, whilst really seeking to find a way to put things right. In the courtroom the Doctor claims this is the case, though he is at this stage unable to recall events. The Doctor meets Peri again in two spin off stories. She features in the Virgin New Adventures novel Bad Therapy by Matt Jones. A post-Mindwarp hallucination of Peri appears in the Big Finish Productions play Her Final Flight. The relationship of spin off media to the television series is open to interpretation by the individual. Production Serial details by episode: Episode Broadcast date Run time Viewership (in millions) "Part Five" 4 October 1986 24:42 4.8 "Part Six" 11 October 1986 24:45 4.6 "Part Seven" 18 October 1986 24:33 5.1 "Part Eight" 25 October 1986 24:44 5.0 [1][2][3] Music Initially it was intended that the BBC Radiophonic Workshop would provide music scores for both this and the following segment of The Trial of a Time Lord; both were assigned to Malcolm Clarke to begin with, although Terror of the Vervoids got re-assigned to Elizabeth Parker shortly afterwards. However, fellow Radiophonic Workshop composer Jonathan Gibbs left early in 1986 and was not replaced until the following year, leaving the other composers backlogged and no-one free to do the incidental music for Mindwarp. It was suggested that Dick Mills could provide both the music and sound effects, but John Nathan-Turner rejected this idea and instead hired film composer Richard Hartley to create the incidental music for this segment. It would be the only time that Hartley worked on the series. Casting Trevor Laird returned to Doctor Who in the Tenth Doctor era as Clive Jones, father of the Doctor's companion Martha Jones. Similarly, Christopher Ryan returned in 2008 as Sontaran leader General Staal in The Sontaran Stratagem and The Poison Sky. Commercial releases In October 1993, this story was released on VHS as part of the three-tape The Trial of a Time Lord set. A DVD release is due on September 29th 2008, similarly packaged with the other stories in The Trial of a Time Lord season. Special Features include: deleted and extended scenes * "The Making of the Trial of a Time Lord - Part Two - Mindwarp" (a 20-minute feature) * "Now and Then - On the Trial of a Time Lord" (a 21-minute feature) * "A Fate Worse Than Death" Feature * Doctor Who Lenny Henry sketch * BBC Children in Need archival footage * TV Talkback archival footage * photo gallery * trails and continuities. In print Doctor Who book Mindwarp Series Target novelisations Release number 139 Writer Philip Martin Publisher Target Books Cover artist Alister Pearson ISBN 0 426 20335 6 Release date 15 June 1989 Preceded by Attack of the Cybermen Followed by The Chase A novelisation of this serial, written by Philip Martin, was published by Target Books in June 1989 and was the final segment of the Trial arc to be adapted. Martin's novelisation adds a joke ending that gives away the revelation regarding Peri's fate in The Ultimate Foe, suggesting an entirely different outcome for the character (and for Yrcanos) than is suggested in the serial.
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TDP 69: Mindwarp
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 16 minutes and 1 secondSynopsis Following on from The Mysterious Planet, the Valeyard and the Doctor argue about the Doctor's involvement in those events. The Inquisitor warns them both to pay due respect to the judicial process. The Valeyard proceeds to present his second block of evidence - the Doctor's arrival on the planet Thoros Beta. The TARDIS arrives on the planet, where the Doctor shows Peri a weapon given to him by the "Warlord of Thordon", made on Thoros Beta. He states that has come to find out how the warlords obtained such technology. They enter a cave, where Peri is grabbed by a large monstrous creature, which during a struggle the Doctor shoots with the gun. The Valeyard accuses the Doctor of deliberately shooting the monster, but he replies that the weapon went off accidentally. A figure arrives and accuses the Doctor and Peri of murdering the Raak, despite their protestations that it attacked them first. The figure asks if they are part of Crozier's group, and the Doctor says that he is. They flee before they can be identified as imposters, but are quickly faced by another monster, but it reacts kindly when the Doctor is nice to it. They are forced to flee further, and as they hide they see three reptilian figures being carried along by guards, the third of the figures is shown to be their old enemy Sil. The Doctor realises that Sil is probably behind the arms sales, and informs Peri that Thoros Beta is the home world of Sil's race, the Mentors. In Crozier's laboratory, King Yrcanos is being experimented on, and the Doctor and Peri sneak inside. As the Doctor sabotages some of Kiv's equipment, Sil arrives in the laboratory. The Doctor is strapped to a table, and Crozier applies a metal helmet to his head. Crozier states that the equipment to extract the truth from a suspect, and that technique could prove fatal. He starts to probe the Doctor's mind, but Yrcanos awakes and destroys the equipment. Overpowering the guards he departs the laboratory, followed by a stunned Doctor and Peri. Yrcanos outlines his plans to attack the Mentors. The Doctor says he would enjoy that, and then collapses. The Doctor tells the Inquisitor that he cannot remember these events. The Valeyard tells him he is in for a surprise if this is true. Yrcanos, the Doctor and Peri go to where new slaves are brought into the base. Yrcanos plans to attack the guards and steal their weapons, but as he sneaks into the room, the Doctor calls out to the guards, giving him away. Yrcanos, unable to fight the guards, flees. Peri points a weapon at Sil, and asks the Doctor for help, but he ignores her. Peri drops the weapon and flees after Yrcanos. Sil asks the Doctor why he helped the Mentors, and he replies that the odds were on their side. The Doctor insists that the footage is not of him, but the Valeyard tells him that the Matrix cannot lie. Peri comes across Matrona, who allows her to join the Mentors' servants rather than turn her over to the guards. Covered with a veil, she enters the Commerce Room with Kiv's medication. The Doctor calls to her to get him a drink, so she disguises her voice to avoid being recognised. When she brings him a new drink, the Doctor uncovers her and denounces her as an enemy to the Mentors. The Doctor tells the Courtroom that what they are seeing is all part of his ploy. He says he planned to gain the Mentors' trust so that he would be allowed to interrogate her alone, giving them a chance to escape. Peri is lashed to rocks on the shoreline and the Doctor stands over her, accusing of being a spy. She asks why he is behaving the way he is, and the Doctor tells her that Crozier is planning to put Kiv's brain into his body unless he can help them. Crozier stops the interegation, saying that they have more effective methods of extracting the truth from Peri. As they re-enter the complex, Yrcanos attacks the guard, and threatens to kill the Doctor. However, Peri smashes the gun from Yrcanos's hands allowing the Doctor to flee. In Crozier's laboratory, the scientist prepares to transplant Kiv's brain into a recently deceased Mentor corpse with the help of The Doctor. The operation proves successful. Meanwhile, Yrcanos, Peri and Dorf team up with members of the Alphan resistance. Agreeing to allow Yrcanos to lead them in an attack on the Mentors, they go to the resistance arms dump, but they are ambushed by Mentor guards and shot down. However, it is revealed they have merely been stunned, and they are taken to cells. In Crozier's laboratory, Lord Kiv is rambling due to the body of the fisherman influencing his brain. Crozier makes plans to transfer the brain into another more suitable body, and suggests using Peri. The Doctor says he would prefer that she is not experimented on, but while he is trying to find another candidate, Peri is brought to the laboratory, and strapped to the operating table. Crozier begins to prepare her for the surgery. The Doctor goes to Yrcanos's cell and tricks the guard allowing Yrcanos and Dorf to escape. Together they free the remaining resistance members. They head towards the control room from where all the slaves are mentally controlled and succeed in freeing the slaves from mental control, but Dorf is killed by a passing guard. Lord Kiv is taken to the laboratory to prepare for the operation. As the Doctor heads towards the lab, he is summoned by the Time Lords and promptly vanishes. The Inquisitor tells the Doctor this was the result of an order from the High Council, because the result of Crozier's experiment would affect all life in the Universe. As Yrcanos prepares his attack on the laboratory, the Time Lords capture him in a time bubble so that his attack is perfectly timed. When Kiv awakes in Peri's bald body, the time bubble dissipates and Yrcanos bursts into the laboratory. He is consumed with fury and begins firing his gun wildly. The Doctor is shocked by what he has seen. The Inquisitor and the Valeyard tell him that it was necessary to end Peri's life to prevent the disastrous consequences of Crozier's experiment. The Doctor insists that he was fetched out of time for some other reason, and he is going to find out what. Continuity Sil appeared in the previous season in the serial Vengeance on Varos.It's often debated amongst fandom[citation needed] as to what exactly happens during this story. It is stated on screen that the Valeyard has somehow distorted events, and that the actual scenes are by and large presented correctly but merely that the Doctor's performance has been distorted to show him in the worst possible light to the court. Many such scenes are prevalent throughout the story, leading fandom to great confusion as it isn't entirely clear which bits are "real" and which were concocted by the Valeyard. There are several theories: That the events seen are the true events, but distorted to show the Doctor in the worst possible light. For example, his line 'Look out behind you' is shown on screen as the Doctor giving King Yrcanos away to some guards, whereas the "true" events might very well have been the Doctor warning him of an attacker sneaking up ('Look out, behind you!'). It's all in how the line is pronounced rather than what the line is.That the Doctor was fried by the "Mindwarp" machine, which is why he exhibits 'out of character' behaviour throughout the story. The event is shown on screen, but as to whether it really occurred or not is still an event of great contention.That the Doctor is pretending to have been twisted by the "Mindwarp" machine, whilst really seeking to find a way to put things right. In the courtroom the Doctor claims this is the case, though he is at this stage unable to recall events. The Doctor meets Peri again in two spin off stories. She features in the Virgin New Adventures novel Bad Therapy by Matt Jones. A post-Mindwarp hallucination of Peri appears in the Big Finish Productions play Her Final Flight. The relationship of spin off media to the television series is open to interpretation by the individual. Production Serial details by episode: Episode Broadcast date Run time Viewership (in millions) "Part Five" 4 October 1986 24:42 4.8 "Part Six" 11 October 1986 24:45 4.6 "Part Seven" 18 October 1986 24:33 5.1 "Part Eight" 25 October 1986 24:44 5.0 [1][2][3] Music Initially it was intended that the BBC Radiophonic Workshop would provide music scores for both this and the following segment of The Trial of a Time Lord; both were assigned to Malcolm Clarke to begin with, although Terror of the Vervoids got re-assigned to Elizabeth Parker shortly afterwards. However, fellow Radiophonic Workshop composer Jonathan Gibbs left early in 1986 and was not replaced until the following year, leaving the other composers backlogged and no-one free to do the incidental music for Mindwarp. It was suggested that Dick Mills could provide both the music and sound effects, but John Nathan-Turner rejected this idea and instead hired film composer Richard Hartley to create the incidental music for this segment. It would be the only time that Hartley worked on the series. Casting Trevor Laird returned to Doctor Who in the Tenth Doctor era as Clive Jones, father of the Doctor's companion Martha Jones. Similarly, Christopher Ryan returned in 2008 as Sontaran leader General Staal in The Sontaran Stratagem and The Poison Sky. Commercial releases In October 1993, this story was released on VHS as part of the three-tape The Trial of a Time Lord set. A DVD release is due on September 29th 2008, similarly packaged with the other stories in The Trial of a Time Lord season. Special Features include: deleted and extended scenes * "The Making of the Trial of a Time Lord - Part Two - Mindwarp" (a 20-minute feature) * "Now and Then - On the Trial of a Time Lord" (a 21-minute feature) * "A Fate Worse Than Death" Feature * Doctor Who Lenny Henry sketch * BBC Children in Need archival footage * TV Talkback archival footage * photo gallery * trails and continuities. In print Doctor Who book Mindwarp Series Target novelisations Release number 139 Writer Philip Martin Publisher Target Books Cover artist Alister Pearson ISBN 0 426 20335 6 Release date 15 June 1989 Preceded by Attack of the Cybermen Followed by The Chase A novelisation of this serial, written by Philip Martin, was published by Target Books in June 1989 and was the final segment of the Trial arc to be adapted. Martin's novelisation adds a joke ending that gives away the revelation regarding Peri's fate in The Ultimate Foe, suggesting an entirely different outcome for the character (and for Yrcanos) than is suggested in the serial.
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Congrats to... Galactica Quorum
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsBest Speculative Fiction Fan Podcast Winner Galactica Quorum Nominees A Different Point of View Doctor Who: Tin Dog Podcast: Torchwood The GeekSpin The Signal
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Congrats to... Galactica Quorum
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsBest Speculative Fiction Fan Podcast Winner Galactica Quorum Nominees A Different Point of View Doctor Who: Tin Dog Podcast: Torchwood The GeekSpin The Signal
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TDP 68: The War Machines
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 16 minutes and 30 secondsERROR IN THE PODCAST. FOR WHICH I AM VERY SORRY. JACKIE LANE HAS NOT PASSED AWAY AS IMPLIED IN THIS TPD. PLEASE FORGIVE ANY PROBLEMS THAT THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED. A FULL APOLOGY WILL FOLLOW IN THE NEXT TDP The War Machines is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in 4 weekly parts from June 25 to July 16, 1966. This serial is the first appearance of Michael Craze and Anneke Wills as the companions Ben Jackson and Polly, as well as marking the departure of Jackie Lane as Dodo Chaplet. It should not be confused with the Second Doctor story The War Games. //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> Plot Synopsis When the TARDIS lands in London near the Post Office Tower, the Doctor is unsettled by it. There the Doctor and Dodo meet Professor Brett, the creator of WOTAN (Will Operating Thought ANalogue), an advanced computer that even knows what TARDIS stands for. On C-Day, WOTAN will be linked to other major computers to take them over, including those of the White House, Cape Kennedy and the Royal Navy. WOTAN begins to have its own agenda and takes control of Professor Brett through a hypnotic beeping noise. WOTAN's hypnotic influence is exerted over many humans including Dodo until the Doctor breaks her out of it. He subsequently arranges for her to be sent to the country house of Sir Charles Summer, leader of the Royal Scientific Club, who has come to the aid of the Doctor. WOTAN uses its hypnotised workforce in a secret warehouse near Covent Garden to construct an army of War Machines to take over the world. Major Green, the chief of security at the Post Office Tower, has been programmed to oversee the construction of the War Machines. He ensures that any intruders are dealt with and all humans continue working on the project until they drop. Polly, Professor Brett's secretary, is one such production line convert, though a friend of hers, Royal Navy Able Seaman Ben Jackson, evades the production line. He seeks out the Doctor, whom he met through Dodo before her conditioning, and helps flesh out what is known about the threat of WOTAN and the War Machines. The Doctor alerts the army to the warehouse production factory, but their weapons are somehow disabled when they go to confront the War Machines. He knows WOTAN is behind the plot too, but can do nothing as humans cannot enter the Tower through the strong hypnotic beams being emitted. Given scientific and political support, the Doctor manages to capture a War Machine using an electromagnetic trap. He changes its programming and then uses it to enter the Post Office Tower and destroy WOTAN. This ends the threat and immediately releases the human slaves from the hypnosis. Ben and Polly, the two "fab" young people the Doctor has befriended during the adventure, meet him at the TARDIS to explain that they visited Dodo, who has revealed that she has decided to stay in London. The Doctor thanks them and heads into the Police Box - followed by Ben and Polly, who enter the TARDIS with the intent to return Dodo's key to the old man. They are then suddenly whisked off into time and space... Continuity Naming issues WOTAN is pronounced "Votan" - as, it is explained, the Norse god sometimes was. It stands, though, for Will Operating Thought ANalogue, which is indicative of its ability to connect to the human brain. WOTAN refers to the Doctor as "Doctor Who" - the only time the character is ever given this name within the series' narrative (though he is often credited as such in the end titles). While there is nothing in the series that directly contradicts it, many fans see this as an error and several theories have tried to account for it, one noting that WOTAN may have been misinformed, since it also described the Doctor as "human". WOTAN also manages to discern the meaning of the acronym TARDIS; how it manages to do so is not explained. [edit] Destination Earth This serial is the first in the series to be completely set on a contemporary Earth. The previous landings of the TARDIS in the 1960s were either brief (the Empire State Building sequence from The Chase, several landings during The Daleks' Master Plan, the stop over on Wimbledon Common in The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve) or exceptional (Planet of Giants, where the TARDIS crew were shrunk down to the size of insects and could not fully interact with present day humans). Here, for the first time, we see the Doctor take a leading role in the protection of the planet, which becomes a regular theme for the series from here on. The decision to set more episodes on present-day Earth was taken because the producers felt that the audience was becoming bored with the purely historical episodes that had been a major element of the show to date. As a result, this story marks the beginning of the turn away from historical stories. The next two historical stories, "The Smugglers" (which immediately follows "The War Machines") and Season 4's "The Highlanders", were to be the last historical stories until Season 19's "Black Orchid". [edit] Synchronicity The episode appears to be set on 20 July 1966 - Ben and Polly leave the Doctor in the Second Doctor story The Faceless Ones set in London on the same date (see the Chronology). However, the days of the week mentioned in The War Machines mean it cannot be 1966 if they're the same in Doctor Who continuity as in the 'real' world. Curiously, at the start of the latter serial, the Doctor comments that he feels the same sensation as he felt when the Daleks were around. While this appears to be intended to equate the War Machines and WOTAN to the Daleks, it is interesting to note that the events of the serial are revealed later in the series to happen contemporaneously with the Second Doctor serial The Evil of the Daleks. The Past Doctor Adventures novel The Time Travellers by Simon Guerrier is set in an alternate reality where the Doctor had not been around to stop WOTAN. The villain is never referred to by name, only as "the Machine", and while he was overthrown thousands were left insane by his mind-control and Britain was reduced to a technologically backward dictatorship. A later serial that also foreshadows the internet is The Green Death, which features a very similar computer villain. The Face of Evil also sees the Doctor encountering another such being (this time having been linked with his own brain rather than that of a human) and commenting on how familiar the threat has become. Production Serial details by episode: Episode Broadcast Date Run Time (mm:ss) Viewers (in millions) Archive "Episode 1" 25 June 1966 24:01 5.4 16mm t/r "Episode 2" 2 July 1966 24:00 4.7 16mm t/r "Episode 3" 9 July 1966 23:58 5.3 16mm t/r "Episode 4" 16 July 1966 23:11 5.5 16mm t/r Source: Error: Production Code not specified. Working titles for this story included The Computers.[1]. The idea for this story came about when Kit Pedler was being interviewed for a position as science advisor to the series. The producers asked all of the interviewees what would happen if the recently-built Post Office Tower somehow took over. Pedler suggested that it would be the work of a rogue computer that communicated with the outside world by means of the telephone system. The producers liked this suggestion and not only offered Pedler the job but developed the idea into a script (one of the few to feature a 'Story Idea by' credit). Only one War Machine prop was actually constructed; the production team changed the numbers, to represent the different machines. The titling style of each episode in this serial differs from the standard titles of other serials. Instead of a title overlay, after the "Doctor Who" logo has faded, the screen shifts to a solid background containing four inversely-coloured rectangles aligned down the left-hand side (reminiscent to an old-style computer punch card). The title, one word at a time, scrolls upwards - "THE", "WAR", "MACH", "INES" - with a final flash displaying the complete title on two lines. Another flash reveals the writer, the next flash reveals the word "EPISODE", and the final flash shows the actual episode number. All of the lettering displayed in this titling sequence is shown in a retro-computer font. Each of the four episodes' title sequences have slight variations to them. Casting Michael Craze provided the voice of a policeman heard in Episode four.WOTAN received a credit as "And WOTAN" at the end of the first three episodes, the only time a fictional character was credited as itself in the series.Jackie Lane's contract expired midway through production of this story. She does not appear again after episode two; Dodo's off-screen departure is relayed to the Doctor by Polly.This is the last William Hartnell era serial, and the only serial featuring Anneke Wills and Michael Craze, to exist in its entirety. Missing episodes Aside from its soundtrack (recorded off-air by fans), this serial was lost in the junk of episodes in the 1970s. The master videotapes for the story were the last of those starring William Hartnell to be junked, surviving until 1974.[2] The 16mm film telerecording copies held by BBC Enterprises were also the last of their kind to be destroyed, surviving until 1978, shortly before the junking of material was halted by the intervention of fan Ian Levine.[3] In 1978, a collector in Australia provided a copy of episode 2. Later in 1984 copies of all four episodes were returned from Nigeria. Episodes 2, 3 and 4 all had cuts to them, but most have been restored due to a combination of the other copy of episode 2, material used in a promotional item on the BBC's Blue Peter and censored clips from Australia. Some of the restored footage did not have its accompanying soundtrack, and so the missing sound was restored from the off-air recordings. To date, only episodes 3 and 4, do not exist in their entirety as was originally intended. Episode 3 is missing a visual brief bit of dialogue with Krimpton talking. This was replaced in the VHS release with a combination of a shot of WOTAN with the accompanied dialogue from the off-air recordings. Episode 3 is also missing around 59 seconds worth of the battle in the warehouse. Episode 4 is missing only a small amount of material. The first instance occurs with the man in the telephone box. Part of the continuing closeup of the man talking on the telephone is missing, but this was compensated on the VHS release by continuing in audio-only over the top of the beginning of the high shot of the phone box. There are also two lines of dialogue missing when Polly reports back to WOTAN. This scene, however, has not been re-instated for the VHS release as it was felt that there wouldn't be enough visual material to drop into the gap. The DVD release will have all of the episodes in their entirety. Commercial releases The serial was released on VHS in 1997, with an item from Blue Peter and a BBC1 "globe ident" (from the first part of the story) as extras. A DVD issue has been announced for August 25th 2008. Also, in 2007, an audio CD of the serial's soundtrack, with linking narration by and bonus interview with Anneke Wills, was released. In print Doctor Who book The War Machines Series Target novelisations Release number 136 Writer Ian Stuart Black Publisher Target Books Cover artist Alister Pearson and Graeme Wey ISBN 0 426 20332 1 Release date 16 February 1989 Preceded by Delta and the Bannermen Followed by Dragonfire A novelisation of this serial, written by Ian Stuart Black, was published by Target Books in February 1989.
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TDP 68: The War Machines
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 16 minutes and 30 secondsERROR IN THE PODCAST. FOR WHICH I AM VERY SORRY. JACKIE LANE HAS NOT PASSED AWAY AS IMPLIED IN THIS TPD. PLEASE FORGIVE ANY PROBLEMS THAT THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED. A FULL APOLOGY WILL FOLLOW IN THE NEXT TDP The War Machines is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in 4 weekly parts from June 25 to July 16, 1966. This serial is the first appearance of Michael Craze and Anneke Wills as the companions Ben Jackson and Polly, as well as marking the departure of Jackie Lane as Dodo Chaplet. It should not be confused with the Second Doctor story The War Games. //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> Plot Synopsis When the TARDIS lands in London near the Post Office Tower, the Doctor is unsettled by it. There the Doctor and Dodo meet Professor Brett, the creator of WOTAN (Will Operating Thought ANalogue), an advanced computer that even knows what TARDIS stands for. On C-Day, WOTAN will be linked to other major computers to take them over, including those of the White House, Cape Kennedy and the Royal Navy. WOTAN begins to have its own agenda and takes control of Professor Brett through a hypnotic beeping noise. WOTAN's hypnotic influence is exerted over many humans including Dodo until the Doctor breaks her out of it. He subsequently arranges for her to be sent to the country house of Sir Charles Summer, leader of the Royal Scientific Club, who has come to the aid of the Doctor. WOTAN uses its hypnotised workforce in a secret warehouse near Covent Garden to construct an army of War Machines to take over the world. Major Green, the chief of security at the Post Office Tower, has been programmed to oversee the construction of the War Machines. He ensures that any intruders are dealt with and all humans continue working on the project until they drop. Polly, Professor Brett's secretary, is one such production line convert, though a friend of hers, Royal Navy Able Seaman Ben Jackson, evades the production line. He seeks out the Doctor, whom he met through Dodo before her conditioning, and helps flesh out what is known about the threat of WOTAN and the War Machines. The Doctor alerts the army to the warehouse production factory, but their weapons are somehow disabled when they go to confront the War Machines. He knows WOTAN is behind the plot too, but can do nothing as humans cannot enter the Tower through the strong hypnotic beams being emitted. Given scientific and political support, the Doctor manages to capture a War Machine using an electromagnetic trap. He changes its programming and then uses it to enter the Post Office Tower and destroy WOTAN. This ends the threat and immediately releases the human slaves from the hypnosis. Ben and Polly, the two "fab" young people the Doctor has befriended during the adventure, meet him at the TARDIS to explain that they visited Dodo, who has revealed that she has decided to stay in London. The Doctor thanks them and heads into the Police Box - followed by Ben and Polly, who enter the TARDIS with the intent to return Dodo's key to the old man. They are then suddenly whisked off into time and space... Continuity Naming issues WOTAN is pronounced "Votan" - as, it is explained, the Norse god sometimes was. It stands, though, for Will Operating Thought ANalogue, which is indicative of its ability to connect to the human brain. WOTAN refers to the Doctor as "Doctor Who" - the only time the character is ever given this name within the series' narrative (though he is often credited as such in the end titles). While there is nothing in the series that directly contradicts it, many fans see this as an error and several theories have tried to account for it, one noting that WOTAN may have been misinformed, since it also described the Doctor as "human". WOTAN also manages to discern the meaning of the acronym TARDIS; how it manages to do so is not explained. [edit] Destination Earth This serial is the first in the series to be completely set on a contemporary Earth. The previous landings of the TARDIS in the 1960s were either brief (the Empire State Building sequence from The Chase, several landings during The Daleks' Master Plan, the stop over on Wimbledon Common in The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve) or exceptional (Planet of Giants, where the TARDIS crew were shrunk down to the size of insects and could not fully interact with present day humans). Here, for the first time, we see the Doctor take a leading role in the protection of the planet, which becomes a regular theme for the series from here on. The decision to set more episodes on present-day Earth was taken because the producers felt that the audience was becoming bored with the purely historical episodes that had been a major element of the show to date. As a result, this story marks the beginning of the turn away from historical stories. The next two historical stories, "The Smugglers" (which immediately follows "The War Machines") and Season 4's "The Highlanders", were to be the last historical stories until Season 19's "Black Orchid". [edit] Synchronicity The episode appears to be set on 20 July 1966 - Ben and Polly leave the Doctor in the Second Doctor story The Faceless Ones set in London on the same date (see the Chronology). However, the days of the week mentioned in The War Machines mean it cannot be 1966 if they're the same in Doctor Who continuity as in the 'real' world. Curiously, at the start of the latter serial, the Doctor comments that he feels the same sensation as he felt when the Daleks were around. While this appears to be intended to equate the War Machines and WOTAN to the Daleks, it is interesting to note that the events of the serial are revealed later in the series to happen contemporaneously with the Second Doctor serial The Evil of the Daleks. The Past Doctor Adventures novel The Time Travellers by Simon Guerrier is set in an alternate reality where the Doctor had not been around to stop WOTAN. The villain is never referred to by name, only as "the Machine", and while he was overthrown thousands were left insane by his mind-control and Britain was reduced to a technologically backward dictatorship. A later serial that also foreshadows the internet is The Green Death, which features a very similar computer villain. The Face of Evil also sees the Doctor encountering another such being (this time having been linked with his own brain rather than that of a human) and commenting on how familiar the threat has become. Production Serial details by episode: Episode Broadcast Date Run Time (mm:ss) Viewers (in millions) Archive "Episode 1" 25 June 1966 24:01 5.4 16mm t/r "Episode 2" 2 July 1966 24:00 4.7 16mm t/r "Episode 3" 9 July 1966 23:58 5.3 16mm t/r "Episode 4" 16 July 1966 23:11 5.5 16mm t/r Source: Error: Production Code not specified. Working titles for this story included The Computers.[1]. The idea for this story came about when Kit Pedler was being interviewed for a position as science advisor to the series. The producers asked all of the interviewees what would happen if the recently-built Post Office Tower somehow took over. Pedler suggested that it would be the work of a rogue computer that communicated with the outside world by means of the telephone system. The producers liked this suggestion and not only offered Pedler the job but developed the idea into a script (one of the few to feature a 'Story Idea by' credit). Only one War Machine prop was actually constructed; the production team changed the numbers, to represent the different machines. The titling style of each episode in this serial differs from the standard titles of other serials. Instead of a title overlay, after the "Doctor Who" logo has faded, the screen shifts to a solid background containing four inversely-coloured rectangles aligned down the left-hand side (reminiscent to an old-style computer punch card). The title, one word at a time, scrolls upwards - "THE", "WAR", "MACH", "INES" - with a final flash displaying the complete title on two lines. Another flash reveals the writer, the next flash reveals the word "EPISODE", and the final flash shows the actual episode number. All of the lettering displayed in this titling sequence is shown in a retro-computer font. Each of the four episodes' title sequences have slight variations to them. Casting Michael Craze provided the voice of a policeman heard in Episode four.WOTAN received a credit as "And WOTAN" at the end of the first three episodes, the only time a fictional character was credited as itself in the series.Jackie Lane's contract expired midway through production of this story. She does not appear again after episode two; Dodo's off-screen departure is relayed to the Doctor by Polly.This is the last William Hartnell era serial, and the only serial featuring Anneke Wills and Michael Craze, to exist in its entirety. Missing episodes Aside from its soundtrack (recorded off-air by fans), this serial was lost in the junk of episodes in the 1970s. The master videotapes for the story were the last of those starring William Hartnell to be junked, surviving until 1974.[2] The 16mm film telerecording copies held by BBC Enterprises were also the last of their kind to be destroyed, surviving until 1978, shortly before the junking of material was halted by the intervention of fan Ian Levine.[3] In 1978, a collector in Australia provided a copy of episode 2. Later in 1984 copies of all four episodes were returned from Nigeria. Episodes 2, 3 and 4 all had cuts to them, but most have been restored due to a combination of the other copy of episode 2, material used in a promotional item on the BBC's Blue Peter and censored clips from Australia. Some of the restored footage did not have its accompanying soundtrack, and so the missing sound was restored from the off-air recordings. To date, only episodes 3 and 4, do not exist in their entirety as was originally intended. Episode 3 is missing a visual brief bit of dialogue with Krimpton talking. This was replaced in the VHS release with a combination of a shot of WOTAN with the accompanied dialogue from the off-air recordings. Episode 3 is also missing around 59 seconds worth of the battle in the warehouse. Episode 4 is missing only a small amount of material. The first instance occurs with the man in the telephone box. Part of the continuing closeup of the man talking on the telephone is missing, but this was compensated on the VHS release by continuing in audio-only over the top of the beginning of the high shot of the phone box. There are also two lines of dialogue missing when Polly reports back to WOTAN. This scene, however, has not been re-instated for the VHS release as it was felt that there wouldn't be enough visual material to drop into the gap. The DVD release will have all of the episodes in their entirety. Commercial releases The serial was released on VHS in 1997, with an item from Blue Peter and a BBC1 "globe ident" (from the first part of the story) as extras. A DVD issue has been announced for August 25th 2008. Also, in 2007, an audio CD of the serial's soundtrack, with linking narration by and bonus interview with Anneke Wills, was released. In print Doctor Who book The War Machines Series Target novelisations Release number 136 Writer Ian Stuart Black Publisher Target Books Cover artist Alister Pearson and Graeme Wey ISBN 0 426 20332 1 Release date 16 February 1989 Preceded by Delta and the Bannermen Followed by Dragonfire A novelisation of this serial, written by Ian Stuart Black, was published by Target Books in February 1989.
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Parsec Award 2008 Finalists
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsParsec Award 2008 Finalists Best Speculative Fiction Fan Podcast A Different Point of View * Doctor Who: Tin Dog Podcast * Galactica Quorum * The GeekSpin * The Signal I'm aghast!parsec awards pagehttp://parsecawards.com/node/541Title: The Third Annual Parsec Awards Description: Join us for the Third Annual Parsec Awards hosted by some your favorite podcasters. The Parsec Award is available for Sci-fi & Fantasy Original Content, Speculative Fiction and a variety of other categories dealing with the new frontiers of Portable Media. Time: Sat 07:00 pm Length: 2.5 Hours Moderator / MC for panel Wish I could be there! Do you get a certificate for being listed?
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Parsec Award 2008 Finalists
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsParsec Award 2008 Finalists Best Speculative Fiction Fan Podcast A Different Point of View * Doctor Who: Tin Dog Podcast * Galactica Quorum * The GeekSpin * The Signal I'm aghast!parsec awards pagehttp://parsecawards.com/node/541Title: The Third Annual Parsec Awards Description: Join us for the Third Annual Parsec Awards hosted by some your favorite podcasters. The Parsec Award is available for Sci-fi & Fantasy Original Content, Speculative Fiction and a variety of other categories dealing with the new frontiers of Portable Media. Time: Sat 07:00 pm Length: 2.5 Hours Moderator / MC for panel Wish I could be there! Do you get a certificate for being listed?
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TDP delay
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsDont worry the TDP hasnt gone anywhere. I've just been busy with other projects that have taken up a lot of time and other things. There will be at least one TDP later next week.regardsTin Dog
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TDP delay
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsDont worry the TDP hasnt gone anywhere. I've just been busy with other projects that have taken up a lot of time and other things. There will be at least one TDP later next week.regardsTin Dog
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TDP 67: Trial of a Time Lord 1 - 4 Mysterious Planet
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 19 minutes and 50 secondsThe Mysterious Planet is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from September 6 to September 27, 1986. It is part of the larger narrative known as The Trial of a Time Lord, encompassing the whole of the 23rd season.Plot Synopsis The TARDIS materialises in a corridor, and the Doctor steps out bewildered and alone. He walks into a room, where it is revealed that he is being put on trial for conduct unbecoming a Time Lord. The Inquisitor notes that the Doctor has been on trial previously, and the Valeyard states that he will argue that the Doctor was shown too much leniency on that occasion. The Valeyard opens the case by using the Matrix to show the Doctor's involvement on the planet Ravolox. The Doctor and Peri arrive on Ravolox, which is virtually identical to Earth. He tells Peri that the official records state that the planet was devastated by a fireball, but they note that the forest they are walking through suggests otherwise. They are seen by Sabalom Glitz and Dibber, who attempt to shoot the Doctor; but he moves off just in time. Glitz and Dibber discuss their plan to destroy the "L3 robot" by sabotaging its light conversion system, which has been turned into a totem by a primitive tribe on the planet. The Doctor and Peri find an apparently abandoned building and explore it. Peri discovers a sign saying "Marble Arch" -- a London Underground sign, which means that they are on Earth. Peri begins to mourn for her planet. The Doctor asks what the relevance of this is, then asks why Peri is not with him on the station. The Valeyard answers that she is where the Doctor left her, and states that the Doctor's evident temporary amnesia - a side-effect of being taken out of time - should soon pass. The Doctor goes into the complex alone because Peri is upset, but she is captured by two masked figures. Meanwhile, Glitz and Dibber are brought before Katryca, Queen of the tribe. Glitz claims that the totem attracted the fireball that devastated Ravolox, and asks for it to be taken down. The Queen tells him that others have asked for the totem to be dismantled, and none have succeeded. Glitz and Dibber draw out their guns, but they are overpowered and locked up. The Doctor finds an underground complex, but is caught. He is accused of spying, and sentenced to be stoned. The Doctor tries to block the rocks with his umbrella, but is knocked unconscious. The Valeyard proposes that the inquiry into the Doctor's activities should become a full blown trial, with the penalty being the termination of his life. Other officials arrive and break up the stoning. The Doctor is still breathing, but before he can be killed, Merdeen receives a message from the Immortal stating that he wishes to question the Doctor. The Immortal, revealed to be a huge humanoid robot, commands its two assistants to release the service robot. Peri is brought before Katryca, who informs Peri that as there are few women, she will need to take many husbands. She is then put in the same prison as Glitz and Dibber. They tell Peri their plan to destroy the Robot. They are taken back to Katryca, who tells them that Glitz will be sacrificed because of his attempt to destroy the great totem. The Doctor is taken to the Immortal, who introduces itself as Drathro. He commands that the Doctor work with the two assistants. The Doctor identifies the problem, and tries to leave in order to fix it, but Drathro does not allow him to leave, as his instructions were to maintain an underground system. The Doctor electrifies the robot and his assistants, and escapes. Drathro sends the service robot to track down the Doctor. Meanwhile, Peri, Glitz and Dibber overpower the guards and escape. Dibber remains behind to plant a bomb on the Black Light converter, whilst they go to the underground complex. In Marb Station, Merdeen tells Balazar that there has been no fire for hundreds of years, and that he should leave the complex. They encounter the Doctor, and Merdeen implores him to help Balazar escape. Peri, Glitz and Dibber, pursued by tribesmen, find the Doctor, and they flee into the Marb Station, but are trapped between the tribe and the service robot. The tribesmen shoot at the service robot and disable it. The Doctor tries to re-enter the underground complex, but the tribesmen insist they all return to the village. There, The Doctor is brought before Katryca, but she is unimpressed with his explanation of the true nature of the Totem, and puts them all back in the prison cell. Glitz confirms that the planet is actually Earth. Drathro reactivates the service robot, and send it to the village. It breaks into the building with the Doctor, stuns him and takes him away. The tribesmen disable the service robot, and decide to attack the Immortal's castle to steal his technology. Peri rescues the Doctor from the service robot, and they set off to the underground complex to stop Katryca and disable the black light system. Katryca and tribesmen arrive at the Castle, where they are confronted by Drathro,. He electrocutes Katryca, and dismisses the rest of the tribe. The Doctor enters Drathro's domain, promising to help repair the black light system. However, he determines it to be beyond repair, and tells Drathro that he must shut down the Black Light System to prevent a massive explosion. Drathro refuses to allow that as it would mean its own destruction. The Doctor pleads with him, saying that the explosion could destroy the entire universe, but that only makes Drathro determined to allow what he thinks is a unique event. Balazar and Peri plead with Merdeen to help them, noting that he would die if the converter exploded. Glitz and Dibber arrive and follow them into the Castle through a food chute. Drathro attempts to kill by turning on the food processing system, but Dibber shoots him through the wall. Glitz tells Drathro that they have black light on their ship, and offers to take the robot to the Andromeda Galaxy. Drathro agrees, and leaves with Glitz and Dibber. The Doctor realises that the black light system has already begun to self-destruct, and that all he can do is prevent it starting a chain reaction. The system explodes, but the blast only destroys the Castle, and as a result Drathro collapses. The Doctor and Peri leave Merdeen and Balazar to take the remaining inhabitants to a new life on the surface. The Doctor announces to the court that he has saved the Universe, and starts to present his defence. The Valeyard warns the Doctor that he has more evidence to come, and that the Court will demand the Doctor's life at the end. Continuity The reason why Earth has become Ravalox, as well as the reasons for the Fireball, are explained in The Ultimate Foe, the final part of the Season.The relationship between the Sixth Doctor and Peri is less abrasive in this story than in the previous season. Both Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant wanted to show how travelling together had made their characters less combative and argumentative. Both this and the changes in their appearances, particularly Peri's hairstyle and mode of dress suggest a long gap between this story and their previous on-screen appearance in Revelation of the Daleks and allowing for "unseen" adventures in the spin-off media to be placed there.Early in Part One, the Doctor appears to be about to reveal his surname for the first and only time in the entire series (but see The War Machines, and further discussion in "Doctor who?").The Inquisitor and the Valeyard reference the events of The War Games.The Doctor's claim that he cannot be on trial as he is Lord President and the Inquisitor's explanation that he had been removed were reportedly added to the script after Colin Baker noticed the apparent plot hole.Recovering from unconsciousness, the Doctor briefly slips back into the personality of one of his previous selves, allowing Colin Baker to do an impersonation of Jon Pertwee. He even uses the phrase, "Reverse the polarity of the neutron flow."In this serial, the First Law of Time refers to the well-documented Time Lord policy of non-interference, as opposed to specifically forbidding a Time Lord meeting a past or future incarnation and therefore interfering with his own history, as stated in earlier serials. Production The details available for each episode of this story are outlined in the table below[1][2][3]. Episode Broadcast Date Run Time Ratings "Part One" 06 Sep 1986 24'57" 4.9m "Part Two" 13 Sep 1986 24'44" 4.9m "Part Three" 20 Sep 1986 24'18" 3.9m "Part Four" 27 Sep 1986 24'20" 3.7m Preproduction In February 1985, the BBC announced that the planned twenty-third season of Doctor Who had been canceled. After vocal protests by the press and Doctor Who fans (including a charity single, Doctor in Distress), the BBC announced that the progamme was merely on "hiatus", and would return in September 1986. Several stories which had been planned or commissioned for the original Season 23 were abandoned in favour of an overarching "trial" theme, reflecting the fact that the programme itself was on trial at the BBC.[4] This story was the last complete Doctor Who story written by Robert Holmes. Its plot is similar to Holmes' first contribution to Doctor Who, The Krotons. In both stories, an alien machine subjugates a humanoid civilization and forces its brightest young people into its service.[5] [edit] Casting The actor playing Merdeen, Tom Chadbon, had previously appeared in the 1979 Fourth Doctor serial City of Death. Production The opening model shot of the Time Lord Space Station where the trial is held throughout the season was the most expensive model shot from the classic series run (costing more than PS8,000).[6] The sequence depicts the Time Lord Space Station orbiting in space then dragging the TARDIS inside via the use of a tractor beam. From this serial onwards, all location work would be recorded on Outside Broadcast (OB) tape instead of 16mm film. This practice would continue until the end of the series. The only footage shot on film for this episode was the opening special effects shot of the TARDIS. The BBC had been encouraging the replacement of film cameras with OB cameras since the early 1980s on the grounds that they were cheaper, and mixed with studio-shot material better. John Nathan-Turner had actually wanted to switch to OB shooting as early as Peter Davison's first season in 1982, but met with resistance from the directors working on the show at the time. Post-production Dominic Glynn was hired to score the music for The Mysterious Planet, and John Nathan-Turner offered him the chance to rearrange the opening title music. His new score for the opening theme was the shortest lived, lasting this season alone (not counting the unused 1973 version by Delia Derbyshire and Paddy Kingsland). Some saw it as an improvement on the Peter Howell version, while others criticized it for being "too quiet" or "not scary enough". It has since been used on the majority of the Big Finish Productions audio plays featuring Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor. Commercial releases In October 1993, this story was released on VHS as part of the three-tape The Trial of a Time Lord set. A DVD release is due in 2008, similarly boxed with the other stories in The Trial of a Time Lord season. In print Doctor Who book The Mysterious Planet Series Target novelisations Release number 127 Writer Terrance Dicks Publisher Target Books Cover artist Tony Masero ISBN 0 426 20319 4 Release date 19th November 1987 (Hardback) 21st April 1988 (Paperback) Preceded by The Time Meddler Followed by Time and the Rani A novelisation of this serial, written by Terrance Dicks, was published by Target Books in November 1987. External links The Mysterious Planet at bbc.co.ukThe Mysterious Planet at the Doctor Who Reference GuideThe Mysterious Planet at Outpost GallifreyThe Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment One) at Doctor Who: A Brief History Of Time (Travel) Reviews The Mysterious Planet reviews at Outpost GallifreyThe Mysterious Planet reviews at The Doctor Who Ratings Guide Target novelisation On Target -- The Mysterious Planet
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TDP 67: Trial of a Time Lord 1 - 4 Mysterious Planet
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 19 minutes and 50 secondsThe Mysterious Planet is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from September 6 to September 27, 1986. It is part of the larger narrative known as The Trial of a Time Lord, encompassing the whole of the 23rd season.Plot Synopsis The TARDIS materialises in a corridor, and the Doctor steps out bewildered and alone. He walks into a room, where it is revealed that he is being put on trial for conduct unbecoming a Time Lord. The Inquisitor notes that the Doctor has been on trial previously, and the Valeyard states that he will argue that the Doctor was shown too much leniency on that occasion. The Valeyard opens the case by using the Matrix to show the Doctor's involvement on the planet Ravolox. The Doctor and Peri arrive on Ravolox, which is virtually identical to Earth. He tells Peri that the official records state that the planet was devastated by a fireball, but they note that the forest they are walking through suggests otherwise. They are seen by Sabalom Glitz and Dibber, who attempt to shoot the Doctor; but he moves off just in time. Glitz and Dibber discuss their plan to destroy the "L3 robot" by sabotaging its light conversion system, which has been turned into a totem by a primitive tribe on the planet. The Doctor and Peri find an apparently abandoned building and explore it. Peri discovers a sign saying "Marble Arch" -- a London Underground sign, which means that they are on Earth. Peri begins to mourn for her planet. The Doctor asks what the relevance of this is, then asks why Peri is not with him on the station. The Valeyard answers that she is where the Doctor left her, and states that the Doctor's evident temporary amnesia - a side-effect of being taken out of time - should soon pass. The Doctor goes into the complex alone because Peri is upset, but she is captured by two masked figures. Meanwhile, Glitz and Dibber are brought before Katryca, Queen of the tribe. Glitz claims that the totem attracted the fireball that devastated Ravolox, and asks for it to be taken down. The Queen tells him that others have asked for the totem to be dismantled, and none have succeeded. Glitz and Dibber draw out their guns, but they are overpowered and locked up. The Doctor finds an underground complex, but is caught. He is accused of spying, and sentenced to be stoned. The Doctor tries to block the rocks with his umbrella, but is knocked unconscious. The Valeyard proposes that the inquiry into the Doctor's activities should become a full blown trial, with the penalty being the termination of his life. Other officials arrive and break up the stoning. The Doctor is still breathing, but before he can be killed, Merdeen receives a message from the Immortal stating that he wishes to question the Doctor. The Immortal, revealed to be a huge humanoid robot, commands its two assistants to release the service robot. Peri is brought before Katryca, who informs Peri that as there are few women, she will need to take many husbands. She is then put in the same prison as Glitz and Dibber. They tell Peri their plan to destroy the Robot. They are taken back to Katryca, who tells them that Glitz will be sacrificed because of his attempt to destroy the great totem. The Doctor is taken to the Immortal, who introduces itself as Drathro. He commands that the Doctor work with the two assistants. The Doctor identifies the problem, and tries to leave in order to fix it, but Drathro does not allow him to leave, as his instructions were to maintain an underground system. The Doctor electrifies the robot and his assistants, and escapes. Drathro sends the service robot to track down the Doctor. Meanwhile, Peri, Glitz and Dibber overpower the guards and escape. Dibber remains behind to plant a bomb on the Black Light converter, whilst they go to the underground complex. In Marb Station, Merdeen tells Balazar that there has been no fire for hundreds of years, and that he should leave the complex. They encounter the Doctor, and Merdeen implores him to help Balazar escape. Peri, Glitz and Dibber, pursued by tribesmen, find the Doctor, and they flee into the Marb Station, but are trapped between the tribe and the service robot. The tribesmen shoot at the service robot and disable it. The Doctor tries to re-enter the underground complex, but the tribesmen insist they all return to the village. There, The Doctor is brought before Katryca, but she is unimpressed with his explanation of the true nature of the Totem, and puts them all back in the prison cell. Glitz confirms that the planet is actually Earth. Drathro reactivates the service robot, and send it to the village. It breaks into the building with the Doctor, stuns him and takes him away. The tribesmen disable the service robot, and decide to attack the Immortal's castle to steal his technology. Peri rescues the Doctor from the service robot, and they set off to the underground complex to stop Katryca and disable the black light system. Katryca and tribesmen arrive at the Castle, where they are confronted by Drathro,. He electrocutes Katryca, and dismisses the rest of the tribe. The Doctor enters Drathro's domain, promising to help repair the black light system. However, he determines it to be beyond repair, and tells Drathro that he must shut down the Black Light System to prevent a massive explosion. Drathro refuses to allow that as it would mean its own destruction. The Doctor pleads with him, saying that the explosion could destroy the entire universe, but that only makes Drathro determined to allow what he thinks is a unique event. Balazar and Peri plead with Merdeen to help them, noting that he would die if the converter exploded. Glitz and Dibber arrive and follow them into the Castle through a food chute. Drathro attempts to kill by turning on the food processing system, but Dibber shoots him through the wall. Glitz tells Drathro that they have black light on their ship, and offers to take the robot to the Andromeda Galaxy. Drathro agrees, and leaves with Glitz and Dibber. The Doctor realises that the black light system has already begun to self-destruct, and that all he can do is prevent it starting a chain reaction. The system explodes, but the blast only destroys the Castle, and as a result Drathro collapses. The Doctor and Peri leave Merdeen and Balazar to take the remaining inhabitants to a new life on the surface. The Doctor announces to the court that he has saved the Universe, and starts to present his defence. The Valeyard warns the Doctor that he has more evidence to come, and that the Court will demand the Doctor's life at the end. Continuity The reason why Earth has become Ravalox, as well as the reasons for the Fireball, are explained in The Ultimate Foe, the final part of the Season.The relationship between the Sixth Doctor and Peri is less abrasive in this story than in the previous season. Both Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant wanted to show how travelling together had made their characters less combative and argumentative. Both this and the changes in their appearances, particularly Peri's hairstyle and mode of dress suggest a long gap between this story and their previous on-screen appearance in Revelation of the Daleks and allowing for "unseen" adventures in the spin-off media to be placed there.Early in Part One, the Doctor appears to be about to reveal his surname for the first and only time in the entire series (but see The War Machines, and further discussion in "Doctor who?").The Inquisitor and the Valeyard reference the events of The War Games.The Doctor's claim that he cannot be on trial as he is Lord President and the Inquisitor's explanation that he had been removed were reportedly added to the script after Colin Baker noticed the apparent plot hole.Recovering from unconsciousness, the Doctor briefly slips back into the personality of one of his previous selves, allowing Colin Baker to do an impersonation of Jon Pertwee. He even uses the phrase, "Reverse the polarity of the neutron flow."In this serial, the First Law of Time refers to the well-documented Time Lord policy of non-interference, as opposed to specifically forbidding a Time Lord meeting a past or future incarnation and therefore interfering with his own history, as stated in earlier serials. Production The details available for each episode of this story are outlined in the table below[1][2][3]. Episode Broadcast Date Run Time Ratings "Part One" 06 Sep 1986 24'57" 4.9m "Part Two" 13 Sep 1986 24'44" 4.9m "Part Three" 20 Sep 1986 24'18" 3.9m "Part Four" 27 Sep 1986 24'20" 3.7m Preproduction In February 1985, the BBC announced that the planned twenty-third season of Doctor Who had been canceled. After vocal protests by the press and Doctor Who fans (including a charity single, Doctor in Distress), the BBC announced that the progamme was merely on "hiatus", and would return in September 1986. Several stories which had been planned or commissioned for the original Season 23 were abandoned in favour of an overarching "trial" theme, reflecting the fact that the programme itself was on trial at the BBC.[4] This story was the last complete Doctor Who story written by Robert Holmes. Its plot is similar to Holmes' first contribution to Doctor Who, The Krotons. In both stories, an alien machine subjugates a humanoid civilization and forces its brightest young people into its service.[5] [edit] Casting The actor playing Merdeen, Tom Chadbon, had previously appeared in the 1979 Fourth Doctor serial City of Death. Production The opening model shot of the Time Lord Space Station where the trial is held throughout the season was the most expensive model shot from the classic series run (costing more than PS8,000).[6] The sequence depicts the Time Lord Space Station orbiting in space then dragging the TARDIS inside via the use of a tractor beam. From this serial onwards, all location work would be recorded on Outside Broadcast (OB) tape instead of 16mm film. This practice would continue until the end of the series. The only footage shot on film for this episode was the opening special effects shot of the TARDIS. The BBC had been encouraging the replacement of film cameras with OB cameras since the early 1980s on the grounds that they were cheaper, and mixed with studio-shot material better. John Nathan-Turner had actually wanted to switch to OB shooting as early as Peter Davison's first season in 1982, but met with resistance from the directors working on the show at the time. Post-production Dominic Glynn was hired to score the music for The Mysterious Planet, and John Nathan-Turner offered him the chance to rearrange the opening title music. His new score for the opening theme was the shortest lived, lasting this season alone (not counting the unused 1973 version by Delia Derbyshire and Paddy Kingsland). Some saw it as an improvement on the Peter Howell version, while others criticized it for being "too quiet" or "not scary enough". It has since been used on the majority of the Big Finish Productions audio plays featuring Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor. Commercial releases In October 1993, this story was released on VHS as part of the three-tape The Trial of a Time Lord set. A DVD release is due in 2008, similarly boxed with the other stories in The Trial of a Time Lord season. In print Doctor Who book The Mysterious Planet Series Target novelisations Release number 127 Writer Terrance Dicks Publisher Target Books Cover artist Tony Masero ISBN 0 426 20319 4 Release date 19th November 1987 (Hardback) 21st April 1988 (Paperback) Preceded by The Time Meddler Followed by Time and the Rani A novelisation of this serial, written by Terrance Dicks, was published by Target Books in November 1987. External links The Mysterious Planet at bbc.co.ukThe Mysterious Planet at the Doctor Who Reference GuideThe Mysterious Planet at Outpost GallifreyThe Trial Of A Time Lord (Segment One) at Doctor Who: A Brief History Of Time (Travel) Reviews The Mysterious Planet reviews at Outpost GallifreyThe Mysterious Planet reviews at The Doctor Who Ratings Guide Target novelisation On Target -- The Mysterious Planet
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TDP 66: Doctor Who Brain of Morbius
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 16 minutes and 15 secondsThe Brain of Morbius is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from January 3 to January 24, 1976. Contents [hide] 1 Synopsis2 Plot Summary 2.1 Cast notes 3 Continuity 3.1 The "Morbius Doctors" 4 Production5 Outside references6 In print7 Broadcast, VHS and DVD releases8 References9 External links 9.1 Reviews9.2 Target novelisation //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> [edit] Synopsis Years ago, the Time Lord known as Morbius tried to lead a revolution but was executed for his ambition on the planet Karn. When the Fourth Doctor and Sarah arrive on the planet, they discover that, thanks to Dr Solon, the dead may rise. [edit] Plot Summary On the planet Karn, an insect-like alien crawls away from an escape pod. It is ambushed and killed by Condo, a large man with a hook for a hand, who takes its head to a castle and his master Solon. However, the head is unsuitable -- Solon needs a humanoid, warm-blooded and with a central nervous system. The TARDIS materialises on Karn in the middle of a lightning storm, and the Fourth Doctor rushes out, ranting at the Time Lords for diverting him to this planet. Sarah suggests that perhaps the TARDIS malfunctioned again, but the Doctor is insistent there is something going on which the Time Lords do not want to sully their hands with. While the Doctor sulks, Sarah finds the escape pod, and climbing to a higher point, sees a valley filled with wrecked spacecraft. She comes across the headless body of the alien and gasps, which finally attracts the Doctor's attention. The Doctor identifies it as a Mutt. He also now recognises the stars -- his homeworld is within a couple of billion miles from this planet. Sarah spots the castle just as it starts to rain, and the two travellers make for it, all the while observed by a girl in a strange headdress. The girl, Ohica, reports to the elderly Maren, the leader of the Sisterhood of Karn. Maren does not believe Ohica at first, insisting that no ship could approach Karn without attracting their honed senses. Maren shows Ohica the Flame of Life, which is burning low. Without the Flame, there is no Elixir, and there has not been for over a year -- the chalice stands empty. The secret of the Elixir is known only to the Sisterhood and the High Council of the Time Lords, with whom they shared the Elixir. Now, there is none left, except for the few vials they have kept for themselves. Maren fears that the Time Lords have sent agents to steal the Elixir. Maren tells Ohica to summon the other sisters to form a circle. In the castle, Solon scolds Condo, warning him that if he does not obey him, he will not reattach Condo's arm. The Doctor and Sarah ring the doorbell, seeking shelter. Solon is delighted at the arrival of humans, and welcomes the two, complimenting the Doctor on his "magnificent" head. The Doctor notices a clay bust, but Solon quickly draws a sheet over it. When the Doctor asks Solon about the Mutt and the wrecked ships, Solon suggests that it is due to the magnetic radiation around the planet. Solon rescued Condo from one such starship, and had to amputate his arm to save his life. The Sisterhood chant in a circle, allowing Maren to see the TARDIS reflected in her ring. Concentrating further, they make the TARDIS materialise in their shrine in the midst of a strange mist. Examining the ship, Maren identifies it as a Time Lord vessel, and concludes that the Doctor is here on their behalf to steal the elixir. The Sisterhood's powers can overwhelm most others and drive them insane, but the Time Lords are their equals in mind power. The circle continues to chant, seeking the Doctor. The Doctor knows of Solon, who was an authority on microsurgical techniques and tissue transplants. He remarks that Solon's disappearance caused quite a stir and there were rumours that he had joined the Cult of Morbius. The Doctor now recognises the clay head -- it is that of Morbius, one of the most despicably criminal minded Time Lords in history. Before he can say anything further, the drugged wine takes its effect, and the Doctor falls over unconscious as does Sarah. Solon and Condo take the Doctor's body to the laboratory, not realising that Sarah was only feigning unconsciousness. In the laboratory, Solon's examination of the Doctor confirms he is a Time Lord. Condo is concerned about their power, but Solon dismisses them as spineless parasites. Morbius offered them power, but they rejected it, and they will now feel the power of his revenge. Needing proper lighting for the operation, Solon and Condo go to repair the generators that have been knocked out by the storm. Once they leave the room, however, the Doctor's body vanishes in the same mist the TARDIS did. Sarah keeps hidden as Solon and Condo pass, and enters the lab. She draws back the curtain on a bed, thinking it is the Doctor, but as the lights come up, she sees a headless, patchwork creature made from various body parts. It sits up... Sarah moves away from it quickly, but hears Solon and Condo returning to the laboratory and has to hide. Solon finds the Doctor gone, and concludes that it must be the work of the Sisterhood. Solon swears revenge, and he and Condo go to get the Doctor's body back. The Doctor regains consciousness to find himself surrounded by members of the Sisterhood. Maren accuses him of being sent by the Time Lords to steal the Elixir. The Doctor denies this, saying that the last thing he remembers is having wine with Solon and Morbius... but Morbius is dead, executed by the Time Lords on Karn for leading a rebellion. His body was placed in a dispersal chamber and atomised. The Doctor realises that he just before he passed out, he felt the mind of Morbius. Maren refuses to believe that Morbius is alive and says that the Doctor will join him in death shortly. Sarah trails Solon and Condo as they make their way towards the shrine. They observe the Sisters gathering wood to burn the Doctor at the stake. The Doctor points out that the Time Lords have always been friendly to the Sisterhood -- they saved them when Morbius overran the planet. Maren retorts that this was out of self-interest as they needed the Elixir. Ohica reveals that the Flame is dying. The Doctor is puzzled, as the Flame is fed by gases from deep within the planet and should last for millions of years unless there has been some subterranean movement. They tie the Doctor to the stake while chanting the Song of Death. The Doctor warns them that if the gases are sealed in, the mountain could explode. Solon and Condo interrupt the ceremony, to Maren's anger. Solon asks them to spare the Doctor, even offering Condo in his place. When that is denied, he begs them to give him the Doctor's head. While Maren dismisses Condo and Solon, a disguised Sarah sneaks up behind the Doctor and cuts his bonds. The ceremony starts again, and as the flames lick up, Maren's eyes close. The Doctor and Sarah take the opportunity to slip away, but Maren spots them, hitting Sarah with a blue bolt from her ring before they get away. Back at the castle, Condo is angered by Solon's offer to sacrifice him, and threatens to kill Solon. Pleading for his life, Solon offers to restore Condo's arm and tells him to prepare the laboratory. Meanwhile, Sarah and the Doctor have escaped the shrine, but Sarah has been blinded by the energy from Maren's ring. She is worried that it may be permanent, but the Doctor assures her that the flash merely numbed the optic nerves and she should recover in a few hours. Despite Sarah telling him about the headless body she saw, the Doctor leads them back towards Solon's castle. Solon speaks with a tremulous voice he addresses as Morbius. Solon asks for more time, but Morbius is impatient. Condo calls from above: the Doctor and Sarah have arrived. The Doctor asks him to examine Sarah's eyes, and they go to the laboratory. As Solon does so, the Doctor finds the headless body hidden behind the curtain. Condo escorts Sarah back to the parlour, while the Doctor speaks to Solon. Solon tells him that Sarah's retinae have been almost completely destroyed, but there is one chance: the Elixir of Life. Despite the risks, the Doctor must return to the shrine. Solon summons Condo, who leaves Sarah in the parlour. Solon gives a note for Condo to pass to the Sisterhood before the Doctor gets there. Sarah hears Morbius's voice calling for Solon. Following the sound, she enters a hidden laboratory. As she stumbles blindly towards Morbius, who is a glowing brain in a tank, he accuses her of being a part of the Sisterhood, sent here to destroy him... Solon enters and drags Sarah out of the laboratory. As he closes the door, Sarah hears Solon address the voice as "Morbius" and hears how Solon has sent the Doctor into a trap. Sarah locks Solon in the laboratory and, still blind, makes her way out of the castle. In the shrine, Maren gives five of the Sisters, including Ohica, the last of Elixir. Only these five will survive when the Flame finally dies. The letter from Solon arrives, and Maren tells Ohica to warn the guards. When the Doctor enters the tunnels, a net falls on him and he is surrounded. When he explains why he came back, Maren tells him that the effects of the ray are not permanent, and Solon knows that. Maren demands to know why the Doctor is here, if it is not to steal the Elixir, and the Doctor replies that he feels something evil is brewing, something to do with Morbius. Maren still does not believe -- she saw Morbius being dispersed. The Doctor asks if Solon was here at that time, and Maren says many came to Karn at the time. Morbius led an army of mercenaries, promising them the Elixir and immortality and revealing its existence to the cosmos. The Doctor tells Maren that if she wants his help, the wrecking of spaceships simply passing by Karn has to stop. Outside, Sarah continues to work her way along the rocks and runs into Condo, who had orders to find her. He tells her the Doctor is dead and carries her, struggling, back to the castle. The Doctor persuades Maren to let him see the Flame, the first one outside the Sisterhood to see it. The Doctor admires the process -- the heat of the Flame causes oxidation of chemicals in the surrounding rocks, with the reaction of superheated gases forming drops of the Elixir. The Doctor insists the process is not mystical and with analysis, the Elixir could probably be synthesised, but the consequences would be disastrous with everyone trying to live forever. Even the Time Lords only take it in rare cases, not regularly like the Sisterhood, who because of it have become stagnant, unchanging, without progress. The Doctor takes something from his hair and puts it in the Flame, seemingly extinguishing it. Horrified, Maren orders the Doctor killed, but the flames ignite again, brighter than ever. It was merely soot that was blocking the gases. At the castle, Sarah is bound hand and foot and lying on a table. Solon rants about how others called him insane, and only Morbius believed in him. When Solon tells Morbius that the Doctor is a Time Lord, Morbius calls him a fool -- that means that the Time Lords have tracked him down and will return in force. Morbius insists that he be transferred into the body now, and asks about the artificial brain casing Solon once constructed. Solon protests that he abandoned it because there was no way to stop the static electricity build-up, which risked severe pain and seizures. Morbius tells him that he will take his chances. Back in the castle, Solon prepares to operate, but Condo is enraged when he recognises his lost arm attached to the patchwork body. He attacks Solon, who shoots him in the belly. As the two struggle, Morbius's brain falls to the floor. Not knowing what damage has been done, Solon places the fallen brain in the casing, releasing Sarah so she can assist in the operation. If Morbius dies, so does she. The wounded Condo crawls into the hallway as outside, the Sisters carry the Doctor's seemingly dead body through the lightning storm. In the meantime, the operation is finished -- within minutes Morbius will live again. Solon goes to answer the door bell, and sees the Sisters leaving the Doctor's body in the parlour. In the laboratory. Sarah's eyesight starts to clear, but the monstrous body of Morbius gets off the operating table and lumbers towards her... Sarah screams as she sees the Morbius creature, and dodges out of the way. She warns Solon that the creature is loose and he runs back to the laboratory. Sarah notices the Doctor's body, but as she approaches, the Doctor wakes up and smiles at her. He is here to stop Solon, but Sarah tells him it is too late. Morbius sees his new body in the mirror, and smashes it angrily. Solon tries to calm him down, but Morbius renders him unconscious. When the Doctor meets the creature, he too is struck down. Morbius chases Sarah, but Condo intervenes, knocking Sarah down the stairs into the cellar while he grapples with Morbius. However, Morbius is too strong, and kills Condo instead. Morbius wanders out of the castle as the Doctor regains consciousness. He carries Sarah into the secret laboratory to let her recover. Solon, too, has awakened, and assembles a tranquilizer gun. He tells the Doctor that the operation was not complete, only the motor functions are working, the rest on an instinctual level. Knowing Morbius's hatred, he will seek out the Sisterhood. Sure enough, Morbius finds one of the sisters in some ruins nearby and kills her. The Doctor and Solon find the body and they search the ruins. Morbius attacks the Doctor, but is knocked out by Solon's tranquilizer. As they carry the creature back to the castle, the Doctor tells Solon that Morbius's brain will be detached and returned to the Time Lords. The body of the dead Sister is brought back to Maren. Ohica reports that witnesses saw a creature and then the Doctor and Solon hunting for it. Maren realises that Solon has succeeded in his experiments and resurrected their ancient enemy. But Maren is too old and weak to leave the shrine, and she gives Ohica permission to lead the Sisters to the castle. The Doctor gives Solon five minutes to disconnect the brain as he goes and checks on Sarah. However, Solon locks them in the secret laboratory instead and begins to repair Morbius. Using materials from the secret laboratory, the Doctor makes cyanide gas, which he then pipes through a vent that leads to the operating room above. Solon has finished the operation, but the gas chokes him and he dies. The alien lungs of Morbius, however, are more robust and the creature walks out of the room unharmed. He goes to confront Sarah and the Doctor -- he claims that when the knowledge of his resurrection spreads, his followers will rise in their millions. The Doctor and Sarah mock Morbius in an attempt to overheat his brain, and the Doctor challenges him to a mindbending contest. They grab hold of the appropriate apparatus in the laboratory and begin. The machine's display begins to show Morbius's brain casing head, then his previous face, then the Doctor, then the Doctor's previous incarnation. Further and further back into the Doctor's past the images go, as Morbius asks, "How far, Doctor? How long have you lived?" The face of the First Doctor fades into a series of eight other faces, with the current Doctor interspersed between them looking more defiant... then Morbius's brain case shorts out. The Doctor collapses, as Morbius stumbles out in a daze. Ohica's band of sisters finally reach the castle, and threaten Morbius with lit torches. Ohica goes down to the secret laboratory while the other Sisters herd Morbius out into the mountains. Ohica finds Sarah cradling the dying Doctor. Outside, the Sisterhood chases Morbius over a cliff, where he falls to his death. Taking the Doctor back to the shrine, Maren says only the Elixir of Life can save him, but there is none left. However, the revived Flame has gathered enough Elixir. There is enough for the Doctor, but not for Maren, who accepts that the Doctor was right: there should be an end. The Elixir is given to the Doctor, who revives almost immediately. Maren steps into the Flame of Life, becoming younger, and then vanishes. Ohica starts to thank the Doctor, but he stops her, saying that Sarah and he have another engagement. Before they leave, he gives her a match and touch paper in case they need to relight the Flame again. This time, the TARDIS vanishes in a puff of light and smoke... [edit] Cast notes Philip Madoc, who plays Solon, has appeared on Doctor Who in four different stories. He also had a role in the film Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD See also Celebrity appearances in Doctor Who. [edit] Continuity This serial includes a scene in which the Fourth Doctor kills Solon by deliberately creating cyanide gas under the vent up to the operating theatre. Although he does this while trying to stop Morbius, this is nonetheless one of the few occasions in the series in which the Doctor directly takes the life of a human(oid) enemy. Similar incidents occur in Day of the Daleks, The Invasion of Time, The Ribos Operation, Vengeance on Varos and The Two Doctors.The Doctor says that he was born a few billion miles from Karn. Since billion can have different meanings in old British and American usage, it is possible that Gallifrey is between a few thousand million or a few million million miles away and so possibly in the same star system (for comparison Pluto is six thousand million miles from the Sun). Given the Doctor's mood at the start of the story, he may not be speaking literally.[1] The New Adventures novel Lungbarrow places Karn in Gallifrey's solar system.[2]Maren mentions an alien race who travel in "silent gas dirigibles". In the script it is "Muthi" but she pronounces it "Hoothi" instead. Writer Paul Cornell spelled it as "Hoothi" when he featured them in his New Adventures novel Love and War.[3]The BBC Books Past Doctor Adventures novel Warmonger by Terrance Dicks is both a sequel and prequel to this story, explaining how Morbius's brain survived his execution and the Fifth Doctor's involvement in the surrounding events.[4]It is explicitly stated that Morbius was the first Time Lord to be sentenced to execution in the race's history. The Doctor himself would be the second case in Arc of Infinity. [edit] The "Morbius Doctors" The faces appearing on the mind test machine are those of various members of the production team. After a complaint and as recompense the BBC paid a sum of money to the actors union Equity.[5] The faces are those of George Gallaccio (Production Unit Manager), Robert Holmes (script editor), Graeme Harper (production assistant), Douglas Camfield (Director), Philip Hinchcliffe (producer), Christopher Baker (production assistant), Robert Banks Stewart(Writer), and Chris Barry (director).[6] Those same faces have caused much debate among fans because they seemingly show past incarnations of the Doctor prior to the First Doctor, contradicting The Three Doctors (which refers to the First Doctor as the earliest incarnation), The Five Doctors (which explicitly states that the Doctor is in his fifth incarnation) the fifth Doctor serial Mawdryn Undead (which numbers his current and previous incarnations) and Time and the Rani, (which has the Doctor saying that he is in his seventh incarnation). The faces are commonly referred to as the "Morbius Doctors". Alternative explanations are that the faces are Morbius' previous incarnations or the Doctor's potential future incarnations.[7][6] The brain-tank and humanoid versions of Morbius are also seen in the mind test machine. See also Other (Doctor Who) and "The Doctor's regenerations". [edit] Production The details available for each episode of this story are outlined in the table below[8][9][10]. Episode Broadcast Date Run Time Ratings "Part One" 03 Jan 1976 25'25" 9.5m "Part Two" 10 Jan 1976 24'46" 9.3m "Part Three" 17 Jan 1976 25'07" 10.1m "Part Four" 24 Jan 1976 24'18" 10.2m The original script was written by Terrance Dicks, using some ideas from his script of the stage play Doctor Who and the Daleks in the Seven Keys to Doomsday; however after delivery he was out of the country when production limitations required substantial changes to the story. Script editor Robert Holmes undertook the rewrites without informing Dicks, who could not be contacted. Upon his return to the United Kingdom, Dicks learnt of the changes and disliked them; as a result, he demanded the replacement of his name on the credits with a "bland pseudonym".[6] The American tapes appear to have been produced without an incidental music/SFX track for the first episode. This is especially noticeable in the "movie-length" edit, when the music soundtrack suddenly cuts in at the start of episode two. [edit] Outside references There are many obvious links to Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein, and particularly to the James Whale Frankenstein film released by Universal Studios.[7]The Sisterhood of Karn, an LGBT, London-based science fiction fan club, took their name from this serial.[11] [edit] In print Doctor Who book Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius Series Target novelisations Release number 7 Writer Terrance Dicks Publisher Target Books Cover artist Mike Little ISBN 0 426 11674 7 Release date 23 June 1977 Preceded by Doctor Who and the Ark in Space Followed by Doctor Who and the Planet of Evil
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TDP 66: Doctor Who Brain of Morbius
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 16 minutes and 15 secondsThe Brain of Morbius is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from January 3 to January 24, 1976. Contents [hide] 1 Synopsis2 Plot Summary 2.1 Cast notes 3 Continuity 3.1 The "Morbius Doctors" 4 Production5 Outside references6 In print7 Broadcast, VHS and DVD releases8 References9 External links 9.1 Reviews9.2 Target novelisation //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> [edit] Synopsis Years ago, the Time Lord known as Morbius tried to lead a revolution but was executed for his ambition on the planet Karn. When the Fourth Doctor and Sarah arrive on the planet, they discover that, thanks to Dr Solon, the dead may rise. [edit] Plot Summary On the planet Karn, an insect-like alien crawls away from an escape pod. It is ambushed and killed by Condo, a large man with a hook for a hand, who takes its head to a castle and his master Solon. However, the head is unsuitable -- Solon needs a humanoid, warm-blooded and with a central nervous system. The TARDIS materialises on Karn in the middle of a lightning storm, and the Fourth Doctor rushes out, ranting at the Time Lords for diverting him to this planet. Sarah suggests that perhaps the TARDIS malfunctioned again, but the Doctor is insistent there is something going on which the Time Lords do not want to sully their hands with. While the Doctor sulks, Sarah finds the escape pod, and climbing to a higher point, sees a valley filled with wrecked spacecraft. She comes across the headless body of the alien and gasps, which finally attracts the Doctor's attention. The Doctor identifies it as a Mutt. He also now recognises the stars -- his homeworld is within a couple of billion miles from this planet. Sarah spots the castle just as it starts to rain, and the two travellers make for it, all the while observed by a girl in a strange headdress. The girl, Ohica, reports to the elderly Maren, the leader of the Sisterhood of Karn. Maren does not believe Ohica at first, insisting that no ship could approach Karn without attracting their honed senses. Maren shows Ohica the Flame of Life, which is burning low. Without the Flame, there is no Elixir, and there has not been for over a year -- the chalice stands empty. The secret of the Elixir is known only to the Sisterhood and the High Council of the Time Lords, with whom they shared the Elixir. Now, there is none left, except for the few vials they have kept for themselves. Maren fears that the Time Lords have sent agents to steal the Elixir. Maren tells Ohica to summon the other sisters to form a circle. In the castle, Solon scolds Condo, warning him that if he does not obey him, he will not reattach Condo's arm. The Doctor and Sarah ring the doorbell, seeking shelter. Solon is delighted at the arrival of humans, and welcomes the two, complimenting the Doctor on his "magnificent" head. The Doctor notices a clay bust, but Solon quickly draws a sheet over it. When the Doctor asks Solon about the Mutt and the wrecked ships, Solon suggests that it is due to the magnetic radiation around the planet. Solon rescued Condo from one such starship, and had to amputate his arm to save his life. The Sisterhood chant in a circle, allowing Maren to see the TARDIS reflected in her ring. Concentrating further, they make the TARDIS materialise in their shrine in the midst of a strange mist. Examining the ship, Maren identifies it as a Time Lord vessel, and concludes that the Doctor is here on their behalf to steal the elixir. The Sisterhood's powers can overwhelm most others and drive them insane, but the Time Lords are their equals in mind power. The circle continues to chant, seeking the Doctor. The Doctor knows of Solon, who was an authority on microsurgical techniques and tissue transplants. He remarks that Solon's disappearance caused quite a stir and there were rumours that he had joined the Cult of Morbius. The Doctor now recognises the clay head -- it is that of Morbius, one of the most despicably criminal minded Time Lords in history. Before he can say anything further, the drugged wine takes its effect, and the Doctor falls over unconscious as does Sarah. Solon and Condo take the Doctor's body to the laboratory, not realising that Sarah was only feigning unconsciousness. In the laboratory, Solon's examination of the Doctor confirms he is a Time Lord. Condo is concerned about their power, but Solon dismisses them as spineless parasites. Morbius offered them power, but they rejected it, and they will now feel the power of his revenge. Needing proper lighting for the operation, Solon and Condo go to repair the generators that have been knocked out by the storm. Once they leave the room, however, the Doctor's body vanishes in the same mist the TARDIS did. Sarah keeps hidden as Solon and Condo pass, and enters the lab. She draws back the curtain on a bed, thinking it is the Doctor, but as the lights come up, she sees a headless, patchwork creature made from various body parts. It sits up... Sarah moves away from it quickly, but hears Solon and Condo returning to the laboratory and has to hide. Solon finds the Doctor gone, and concludes that it must be the work of the Sisterhood. Solon swears revenge, and he and Condo go to get the Doctor's body back. The Doctor regains consciousness to find himself surrounded by members of the Sisterhood. Maren accuses him of being sent by the Time Lords to steal the Elixir. The Doctor denies this, saying that the last thing he remembers is having wine with Solon and Morbius... but Morbius is dead, executed by the Time Lords on Karn for leading a rebellion. His body was placed in a dispersal chamber and atomised. The Doctor realises that he just before he passed out, he felt the mind of Morbius. Maren refuses to believe that Morbius is alive and says that the Doctor will join him in death shortly. Sarah trails Solon and Condo as they make their way towards the shrine. They observe the Sisters gathering wood to burn the Doctor at the stake. The Doctor points out that the Time Lords have always been friendly to the Sisterhood -- they saved them when Morbius overran the planet. Maren retorts that this was out of self-interest as they needed the Elixir. Ohica reveals that the Flame is dying. The Doctor is puzzled, as the Flame is fed by gases from deep within the planet and should last for millions of years unless there has been some subterranean movement. They tie the Doctor to the stake while chanting the Song of Death. The Doctor warns them that if the gases are sealed in, the mountain could explode. Solon and Condo interrupt the ceremony, to Maren's anger. Solon asks them to spare the Doctor, even offering Condo in his place. When that is denied, he begs them to give him the Doctor's head. While Maren dismisses Condo and Solon, a disguised Sarah sneaks up behind the Doctor and cuts his bonds. The ceremony starts again, and as the flames lick up, Maren's eyes close. The Doctor and Sarah take the opportunity to slip away, but Maren spots them, hitting Sarah with a blue bolt from her ring before they get away. Back at the castle, Condo is angered by Solon's offer to sacrifice him, and threatens to kill Solon. Pleading for his life, Solon offers to restore Condo's arm and tells him to prepare the laboratory. Meanwhile, Sarah and the Doctor have escaped the shrine, but Sarah has been blinded by the energy from Maren's ring. She is worried that it may be permanent, but the Doctor assures her that the flash merely numbed the optic nerves and she should recover in a few hours. Despite Sarah telling him about the headless body she saw, the Doctor leads them back towards Solon's castle. Solon speaks with a tremulous voice he addresses as Morbius. Solon asks for more time, but Morbius is impatient. Condo calls from above: the Doctor and Sarah have arrived. The Doctor asks him to examine Sarah's eyes, and they go to the laboratory. As Solon does so, the Doctor finds the headless body hidden behind the curtain. Condo escorts Sarah back to the parlour, while the Doctor speaks to Solon. Solon tells him that Sarah's retinae have been almost completely destroyed, but there is one chance: the Elixir of Life. Despite the risks, the Doctor must return to the shrine. Solon summons Condo, who leaves Sarah in the parlour. Solon gives a note for Condo to pass to the Sisterhood before the Doctor gets there. Sarah hears Morbius's voice calling for Solon. Following the sound, she enters a hidden laboratory. As she stumbles blindly towards Morbius, who is a glowing brain in a tank, he accuses her of being a part of the Sisterhood, sent here to destroy him... Solon enters and drags Sarah out of the laboratory. As he closes the door, Sarah hears Solon address the voice as "Morbius" and hears how Solon has sent the Doctor into a trap. Sarah locks Solon in the laboratory and, still blind, makes her way out of the castle. In the shrine, Maren gives five of the Sisters, including Ohica, the last of Elixir. Only these five will survive when the Flame finally dies. The letter from Solon arrives, and Maren tells Ohica to warn the guards. When the Doctor enters the tunnels, a net falls on him and he is surrounded. When he explains why he came back, Maren tells him that the effects of the ray are not permanent, and Solon knows that. Maren demands to know why the Doctor is here, if it is not to steal the Elixir, and the Doctor replies that he feels something evil is brewing, something to do with Morbius. Maren still does not believe -- she saw Morbius being dispersed. The Doctor asks if Solon was here at that time, and Maren says many came to Karn at the time. Morbius led an army of mercenaries, promising them the Elixir and immortality and revealing its existence to the cosmos. The Doctor tells Maren that if she wants his help, the wrecking of spaceships simply passing by Karn has to stop. Outside, Sarah continues to work her way along the rocks and runs into Condo, who had orders to find her. He tells her the Doctor is dead and carries her, struggling, back to the castle. The Doctor persuades Maren to let him see the Flame, the first one outside the Sisterhood to see it. The Doctor admires the process -- the heat of the Flame causes oxidation of chemicals in the surrounding rocks, with the reaction of superheated gases forming drops of the Elixir. The Doctor insists the process is not mystical and with analysis, the Elixir could probably be synthesised, but the consequences would be disastrous with everyone trying to live forever. Even the Time Lords only take it in rare cases, not regularly like the Sisterhood, who because of it have become stagnant, unchanging, without progress. The Doctor takes something from his hair and puts it in the Flame, seemingly extinguishing it. Horrified, Maren orders the Doctor killed, but the flames ignite again, brighter than ever. It was merely soot that was blocking the gases. At the castle, Sarah is bound hand and foot and lying on a table. Solon rants about how others called him insane, and only Morbius believed in him. When Solon tells Morbius that the Doctor is a Time Lord, Morbius calls him a fool -- that means that the Time Lords have tracked him down and will return in force. Morbius insists that he be transferred into the body now, and asks about the artificial brain casing Solon once constructed. Solon protests that he abandoned it because there was no way to stop the static electricity build-up, which risked severe pain and seizures. Morbius tells him that he will take his chances. Back in the castle, Solon prepares to operate, but Condo is enraged when he recognises his lost arm attached to the patchwork body. He attacks Solon, who shoots him in the belly. As the two struggle, Morbius's brain falls to the floor. Not knowing what damage has been done, Solon places the fallen brain in the casing, releasing Sarah so she can assist in the operation. If Morbius dies, so does she. The wounded Condo crawls into the hallway as outside, the Sisters carry the Doctor's seemingly dead body through the lightning storm. In the meantime, the operation is finished -- within minutes Morbius will live again. Solon goes to answer the door bell, and sees the Sisters leaving the Doctor's body in the parlour. In the laboratory. Sarah's eyesight starts to clear, but the monstrous body of Morbius gets off the operating table and lumbers towards her... Sarah screams as she sees the Morbius creature, and dodges out of the way. She warns Solon that the creature is loose and he runs back to the laboratory. Sarah notices the Doctor's body, but as she approaches, the Doctor wakes up and smiles at her. He is here to stop Solon, but Sarah tells him it is too late. Morbius sees his new body in the mirror, and smashes it angrily. Solon tries to calm him down, but Morbius renders him unconscious. When the Doctor meets the creature, he too is struck down. Morbius chases Sarah, but Condo intervenes, knocking Sarah down the stairs into the cellar while he grapples with Morbius. However, Morbius is too strong, and kills Condo instead. Morbius wanders out of the castle as the Doctor regains consciousness. He carries Sarah into the secret laboratory to let her recover. Solon, too, has awakened, and assembles a tranquilizer gun. He tells the Doctor that the operation was not complete, only the motor functions are working, the rest on an instinctual level. Knowing Morbius's hatred, he will seek out the Sisterhood. Sure enough, Morbius finds one of the sisters in some ruins nearby and kills her. The Doctor and Solon find the body and they search the ruins. Morbius attacks the Doctor, but is knocked out by Solon's tranquilizer. As they carry the creature back to the castle, the Doctor tells Solon that Morbius's brain will be detached and returned to the Time Lords. The body of the dead Sister is brought back to Maren. Ohica reports that witnesses saw a creature and then the Doctor and Solon hunting for it. Maren realises that Solon has succeeded in his experiments and resurrected their ancient enemy. But Maren is too old and weak to leave the shrine, and she gives Ohica permission to lead the Sisters to the castle. The Doctor gives Solon five minutes to disconnect the brain as he goes and checks on Sarah. However, Solon locks them in the secret laboratory instead and begins to repair Morbius. Using materials from the secret laboratory, the Doctor makes cyanide gas, which he then pipes through a vent that leads to the operating room above. Solon has finished the operation, but the gas chokes him and he dies. The alien lungs of Morbius, however, are more robust and the creature walks out of the room unharmed. He goes to confront Sarah and the Doctor -- he claims that when the knowledge of his resurrection spreads, his followers will rise in their millions. The Doctor and Sarah mock Morbius in an attempt to overheat his brain, and the Doctor challenges him to a mindbending contest. They grab hold of the appropriate apparatus in the laboratory and begin. The machine's display begins to show Morbius's brain casing head, then his previous face, then the Doctor, then the Doctor's previous incarnation. Further and further back into the Doctor's past the images go, as Morbius asks, "How far, Doctor? How long have you lived?" The face of the First Doctor fades into a series of eight other faces, with the current Doctor interspersed between them looking more defiant... then Morbius's brain case shorts out. The Doctor collapses, as Morbius stumbles out in a daze. Ohica's band of sisters finally reach the castle, and threaten Morbius with lit torches. Ohica goes down to the secret laboratory while the other Sisters herd Morbius out into the mountains. Ohica finds Sarah cradling the dying Doctor. Outside, the Sisterhood chases Morbius over a cliff, where he falls to his death. Taking the Doctor back to the shrine, Maren says only the Elixir of Life can save him, but there is none left. However, the revived Flame has gathered enough Elixir. There is enough for the Doctor, but not for Maren, who accepts that the Doctor was right: there should be an end. The Elixir is given to the Doctor, who revives almost immediately. Maren steps into the Flame of Life, becoming younger, and then vanishes. Ohica starts to thank the Doctor, but he stops her, saying that Sarah and he have another engagement. Before they leave, he gives her a match and touch paper in case they need to relight the Flame again. This time, the TARDIS vanishes in a puff of light and smoke... [edit] Cast notes Philip Madoc, who plays Solon, has appeared on Doctor Who in four different stories. He also had a role in the film Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD See also Celebrity appearances in Doctor Who. [edit] Continuity This serial includes a scene in which the Fourth Doctor kills Solon by deliberately creating cyanide gas under the vent up to the operating theatre. Although he does this while trying to stop Morbius, this is nonetheless one of the few occasions in the series in which the Doctor directly takes the life of a human(oid) enemy. Similar incidents occur in Day of the Daleks, The Invasion of Time, The Ribos Operation, Vengeance on Varos and The Two Doctors.The Doctor says that he was born a few billion miles from Karn. Since billion can have different meanings in old British and American usage, it is possible that Gallifrey is between a few thousand million or a few million million miles away and so possibly in the same star system (for comparison Pluto is six thousand million miles from the Sun). Given the Doctor's mood at the start of the story, he may not be speaking literally.[1] The New Adventures novel Lungbarrow places Karn in Gallifrey's solar system.[2]Maren mentions an alien race who travel in "silent gas dirigibles". In the script it is "Muthi" but she pronounces it "Hoothi" instead. Writer Paul Cornell spelled it as "Hoothi" when he featured them in his New Adventures novel Love and War.[3]The BBC Books Past Doctor Adventures novel Warmonger by Terrance Dicks is both a sequel and prequel to this story, explaining how Morbius's brain survived his execution and the Fifth Doctor's involvement in the surrounding events.[4]It is explicitly stated that Morbius was the first Time Lord to be sentenced to execution in the race's history. The Doctor himself would be the second case in Arc of Infinity. [edit] The "Morbius Doctors" The faces appearing on the mind test machine are those of various members of the production team. After a complaint and as recompense the BBC paid a sum of money to the actors union Equity.[5] The faces are those of George Gallaccio (Production Unit Manager), Robert Holmes (script editor), Graeme Harper (production assistant), Douglas Camfield (Director), Philip Hinchcliffe (producer), Christopher Baker (production assistant), Robert Banks Stewart(Writer), and Chris Barry (director).[6] Those same faces have caused much debate among fans because they seemingly show past incarnations of the Doctor prior to the First Doctor, contradicting The Three Doctors (which refers to the First Doctor as the earliest incarnation), The Five Doctors (which explicitly states that the Doctor is in his fifth incarnation) the fifth Doctor serial Mawdryn Undead (which numbers his current and previous incarnations) and Time and the Rani, (which has the Doctor saying that he is in his seventh incarnation). The faces are commonly referred to as the "Morbius Doctors". Alternative explanations are that the faces are Morbius' previous incarnations or the Doctor's potential future incarnations.[7][6] The brain-tank and humanoid versions of Morbius are also seen in the mind test machine. See also Other (Doctor Who) and "The Doctor's regenerations". [edit] Production The details available for each episode of this story are outlined in the table below[8][9][10]. Episode Broadcast Date Run Time Ratings "Part One" 03 Jan 1976 25'25" 9.5m "Part Two" 10 Jan 1976 24'46" 9.3m "Part Three" 17 Jan 1976 25'07" 10.1m "Part Four" 24 Jan 1976 24'18" 10.2m The original script was written by Terrance Dicks, using some ideas from his script of the stage play Doctor Who and the Daleks in the Seven Keys to Doomsday; however after delivery he was out of the country when production limitations required substantial changes to the story. Script editor Robert Holmes undertook the rewrites without informing Dicks, who could not be contacted. Upon his return to the United Kingdom, Dicks learnt of the changes and disliked them; as a result, he demanded the replacement of his name on the credits with a "bland pseudonym".[6] The American tapes appear to have been produced without an incidental music/SFX track for the first episode. This is especially noticeable in the "movie-length" edit, when the music soundtrack suddenly cuts in at the start of episode two. [edit] Outside references There are many obvious links to Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein, and particularly to the James Whale Frankenstein film released by Universal Studios.[7]The Sisterhood of Karn, an LGBT, London-based science fiction fan club, took their name from this serial.[11] [edit] In print Doctor Who book Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius Series Target novelisations Release number 7 Writer Terrance Dicks Publisher Target Books Cover artist Mike Little ISBN 0 426 11674 7 Release date 23 June 1977 Preceded by Doctor Who and the Ark in Space Followed by Doctor Who and the Planet of Evil
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The Stolen Earth
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsThe Stolen Earth From TARDIS Index File, the free Doctor Who reference. Jump to: navigation, search "Welcome to my new Empire, Doctor. It is only fitting that you should bear witness to the resurrection - and the triumph - of Davros, Lord and Creator of the Dalek Race." --Davros The Stolen Earth is the penultimate episode of the fourth series (season 30) of Doctor Who. The Stolen Earth Series: Series 4 Series Number: 30 Story Number: 12 Doctor: Tenth Doctor Companions: Donna NobleRose TylerMartha JonesCaptain Jack Harkness Sarah Jane Smith Enemy: The DaleksDavrosSupreme Dalek Setting: EarthSol systemShadow ProclamationLondonCardiffFlydale NorthNew York2009Medusa Cascade Writer: Russell T. Davies Director: Graeme Harper Producer: Phil Collinson Broadcast: 28th June 2008 Format: 1x45 minute episode Prod. Code: 202 a Previous Story: Turn Left Following Story: Journey's End Contents [hide] 1 Synopsis2 Plot3 Cast4 References 4.1 Daleks4.2 The Doctor4.3 Last Great Time War4.4 Planets4.5 Technology 5 Story notes 5.1 Ratings5.2 Myths and rumours5.3 Filming Locations5.4 Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors 6 Continuity7 External links window.onload = function() { if (window.showTocToggle) { window.tocShowText = "show"; window.tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); }}; [edit] Synopsis When the Earth is stolen from its orbit and placed in another galaxy with 26 other stolen planets, the Doctor's secret army of allies comes together to defend the Earth from the New Dalek Empire. With battles raging on the streets and in the sky, the Doctor and Donna confront the Shadow Proclamation to find the truth; however, a fearsome old enemy waits in the shadows [edit] Plot Having seen the signs, the Doctor and Donna returned to Earth to find everything in order. Donna pressed the Doctor for an explanation of Rose's unexpected reappearance; the Doctor says that, if Rose can cross from her parallel world to Donna's parallel world, then the walls of reality are breaking down. But, with Earth apparently safe for now, they return to the TARDIS and prepare to stop the walls breaking. The TARDIS rumbles with an apparent earthquake. The Doctor and Donna rush to the doors and fling them open--to find that they are hanging in space. The Doctor checks the readings and realizes they have not moved, but the Earth has gone missing. It has been stolen. At the UNIT New York Base, Dr Martha Jones, regains consciousness after an earthquake to find UNIT in chaos and its personnel panicking. One hysterical colleague screams at Martha to look at at the sky. In Torchwood Three, Captain Jack Harkness blames the Rift for the brief but violent earthquake that has just devastated the Hub. After making sure that the other members of Torchwood Three -Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones - are all right, Jack heads outside to survey the damage. Ianto and Gwen look at the computers and Ianto realizes that, whatever the problem is, "it's a bit bigger than South Wales". At 13 Bannerman Road, Ealing, London, Sarah Jane Smith and her son Luke comment on the earthquake - and wonder why, if it was only 8 a.m., when the quake struck, it is now dark outside. They approach the nearest window and look outside. In Chiswick, London, Donna's mother Sylvia and grandfather Wilfred aren't sure what has caused the earthquake. As they step outside their home, Sylvia looks at the sky. On the street in London where the TARDIS was parked, Rose Tyler materializes. She is carrying a large gun. She looks up and, alone of the Doctor's friends, does not seem surprised. She declares that "it's only just beginning..." The familiar Earth sky is gone. The sun is gone. The constellations have been replaced with strange new ones. And twenty-six new planets have appeared in the sky. Aboard the TARDIS, Donna demands to know if her family are dead. The Doctor does not know, and decides they have to get help. They set a course for the Shadow Proclamation. At Sarah Jane's house, alien supercomputer Mr Smith picks up readings of a fleet of 200 spaceships apparently headed towards Earth. At UNIT, American UNIT leader General Sanchez enters tells all soldiers and staff that UNIT commander Geneva has declared a Code Red Emergency. Martha tells him that she has tried to phone the Doctor, but the signal is dead. The number calls anywhere in the Universe, but the signal is being blocked by some unknown force. Sanchez notes that they will likely find out soon because the fleet is coming into orbit. Martha manages to call Jack, who says that he has not heard anything from the Doctor either. Gwen calls her husband, Rhys, and tells him to stay indoors and call her mother. Meanwhile, Rose is walking along the streets of London. She threatens a pair of looters with her gun and looks at the computer screen in the bank they were robbing. She then looks at the readings. At Torchwood Three, the team see the spaceships. Mr Smith tells Sarah Jane that the ships have a message for the human race. He puts it through. It consists of a single repeated word: 'EXTERMINATE!' The message is heard on all frequencies, including in UNIT and the speakers at Torchwood Three. The enemy are the Daleks. Upon hearing the message, both Jack and Sarah become very emotional and Jack says "I'm sorry. We're dead." Rose hears the message and heads outside to see a massive Dalek spaceship flying over London, destroying everything in its path. Martha looks outside to see Dalek spaceships flying everywhere, destroying New York. Aboard a massive spaceship at the heart of the cluster of planets, the Daleks finalize their plans. The Supreme Dalek, a red Dalek with extra paneling, declares that the Crucible will soon be complete, and that the Daleks are the masters of Earth. Far back across the Universe, on board the TARDIS and unaware of the unfolding destruction on Earth, the Doctor and Donna arrive at the Shadow Proclamation and are greeted at gunpoint by its rhino-headed guards, the Judoon. The Doctor manages to convince them they mean no harm and need help. A female member of the Proclamation tells the Doctor that the situation is worse than he suspects--not one but 24 planets have been stolen. Donna asks about Pyrovillia, but the Judoon captain tells her that Pyrovillia is a cold case, and it disappeared over 2000 years ago. Donna asks about the Adipose Breeding Planet and the Doctor realizes that planets are being snatched out of time as well as space. The Doctor heads over to the computer and shifts the display of the missing planets into 3D. He adds Adipose 3, Pyrovillia, and the Lost Moon of Poosh. The model rearranges itself into a perfect balance. They fit together 'like pieces of an engine'. Back on Earth, the Daleks attack and bring down the Valiant. Jack, Gwen and Ianto try to find a way to stop them. But their efforts are futile. Daleks land in Japan and Africa as well as other countries across the world. On board the station, the Supreme Dalek orders the Daleks to prepare landings and bring the humans to the Crucible. Then he recieves a call from the control room, asking about news. The Supreme Dalek declares Earth has been subjugated. The speaker is a sinister figure in the control, with the bottom half of a Dalek but his top half hidden in shadow. He is really asking for news of the Doctor, and the Supreme Dalek replies that there are no reports of the Doctor, and that they are beyond his reach. The figure is fascinated by the Dalek's tone of what seems to be triumph, and warns him about his pride. The Supreme Dalek believes the Doctor cannot stop them. The figure replies "And yet, Dalek Caan is anxious." A light switches on to show a Dalek with its mid-section opened to reveal the creature inside, and its top half destroyed, evidently Caan. The Supreme Dalek protests "The abomination is insane!" The figure demands that the Dalek shows respect, as without Dalek Caan Earth could never be conquered. Also, everything Caan says comes true. Caan says "He is coming, the three-fold man, he dances in the universe...oh, creator of us all...THE DOCTOR IS COMING!" Then he makes a noise that sounds like laughter. Back at the Shadow Proclamation's space station, Donna is sitting on the stairs waiting for the Doctor to work out what has happened. A Shadow Architect comes over and gives Donna some water. She then tells her that there was something on her back. The Doctor asks Donna if anything strange was happening on Earth. Donna reminds him about the bees disappearing. The Doctor realizes that this is a clue. Donna tells him some people thought it was pollution, or global warming. The Doctor tells her that in fact the bees were returning home, to the planet Melissa Majoria: The Tandoka Trail. They realize that if they follow the trail they can find the Earth. The Shadow Architect stops them, however, telling them "The planets were taken with hostile intent. We are declaring war, Doctor, right across the Universe and You will lead us into battle!" The Doctor tells her to 'Go get your key.' The TARDIS then vanishes, despite the Architect's demand that they stop. Back on Earth, the Daleks have enslaved London are ordering that all humans leave their homes. Wilf and Sylvia are watching this happening. When a man and his children defy them and stay at home, the Daleks brutally incinerate the house, leaving no survivors. Wilf and Sylvia run out onto the street and are confronted by a Dalek. Wilf grabs a paint gun a shoots the Dalek in the eye. The paint melts away. The Dalek then prepares to exterminate them, but then, suddenly, it explodes. Behind stands Rose, who has shot it with her gun. She asks if they are Donna's family, and when they reply yes, she tells them she needs them. Wilf reveals he has tried calling her, but there is no reply. The last time Donna had phoned was from the planet Midnight, made of diamonds. Sylvia believes this is ridiculous, but Wilf tells her she cannot start denying things now. Rose tells them that they are her last hope of finding the Doctor. Meanwhile, the TARDIS stops in the Medusa Cascade. The Doctor tells Donna he came here when he was just 30 years old, and that it was the centre of a rift in time and space. Donna asks about the 27 planets, and the Doctor tells her that they are nowhere. Donna asks what they do, but the Doctor does not reply. It becomes apparent that he has given up. On Earth, Sarah Jane and Captain Jack have given up. At the Nobles' house, the laptop suddenly switches itself on, with a voice coming through. Sarah and Torchwood hear it too. Jack tells Gwen to leave it, but suddenly the woman who is speaking shames him, and demands that he stands to attention. She then identifies herself as Harriet Jones, former prime minister. Rose tries to talk to Harriet, but she can't hear her. Also, Wilf and Sylvia do not have a webcam. Harriet makes contact with Sarah, and then decides they should be able to talk to each other. There are four contacts: Harriet, Sarah and Torchwood. The fourth contact is having trouble getting in contact. Rose thinks this is her, but is surprised when Martha appears on screen. Martha reveals that Project Indigo brought her home, to her mother. Harriet then introduces Torchwood to Sarah. Jack has been following Sarah's work, and tells her "Nice job with the Slitheen." Sarah has been staying away from Torchwood- too many guns. Jack tells her "Looking good, ma'am." Harriet tells them that this is the Subwave Network- it contacts anyone and everyone who can contact the Doctor. Harriet wants them to form The Doctor's Secret Army. Sarah reminds Harriet that the Doctor deposed her. Harriet tells her that she has wondered ever since then if she was wrong. She has, however, stood by what she said: There would be one day when Earth would be threatened, and the Doctor would not appear. She told him so and he did not listen. Now it has happened. Torchwood realize that they can transmit using all the power of the Rift, and Luke and Sarah have Mr Smith: phones, all calling out the same number at the same time. Ianto appears beside Jack and theorizes that if transmitting slows or stops, the Subwave Network will become visible to the Daleks. Harriet understands this, but declares her life does not matter- not if it saves the world. she then tells Jack to tell the Doctor from her "He chose his companions well." Martha sends them all the number. Rose decides to call the Doctor herself. The transmitting starts. Rose, Sylvia and Wilf start to call the Doctor. Suddenly, transmitting slows, and the Daleks detect the Subwave Network. The Supreme Dalek orders that the culprit be exterminated. The figure in the control room contacts him again, telling him "I warned you, Supreme One. Just as Dalek Caan foretold, the Children of Time are moving against us. But everything is falling into place..." Gwen tells Harriet they have found her, but Harriet keeps working. She sends control to Torchwood, just as the Daleks arrive in her home. The Daleks tell her they know her. Harriet says "Oh, you know nothing of any human. And that will be your downfall." Then they exterminate her. On board the TARDIS, the Doctor and Donna suddenly pick up signals from the Doctor's companions. The Doctor introduces Donna to all of them. On board the Crucible, Caan says "He is here...the Dark Lord is coming..." Then, the figure says "Supreme One, I will make contact on the Subwave Network. Give me access." Suddenly, all the contacts vanish off-screen. Donna thinks they are losing contact, but the Doctor realizes there is another contact coming through. He thinks it is Rose, but when he speaks a familiar voice says "Your voice is different, but its arrogance is unmistakable..." Suddenly, the figure glides onto the screen, and is revealed as Davros. He says "Welcome to my new empire, Doctor. It is only fitting that you should witness the resurrection and the triumph of Davros, lord and creator the Dalek race." The Doctor protests that Davros was destroyed in the very fist year of the Time War. His command ship flew into the jaws of the Nightmare Child at the Gates of Elysium. He even attempted to save Davros. Davros says "But it took one stronger than you- Dalek Caan himself." Caan says "I flew into the wild, and the fire. I danced and I died a thousand times" Davros tells the Doctor that his Emergency Temporal Shift from 1930 had taken him back into the Time War itself. The Doctor protests that the War is timelocked. But Caan had broken down the barriers and rescued Davros, albeit at the cost of his own mind. The Doctor realizes that now Davros has created a new race of Daleks. Davros says "I gave myself to them- quite literally: each one grown from a cell of my own body." He reveals that parts of his torso have been replaced by metal. His hand is also metal, but this is to replace the one blown off on Necros. As Davros says: "New Daleks...TRUE Daleks. I have my children, Doctor. What do you have, now?" Then, the Doctor says one thing: "BYE!" He then cuts transmission with Davros, and sets the TARDIS for Earth. The Supreme Dalek orders that the Daleks locate the TARDIS and find the Doctor. Davros orders the other Daleks to go to the Earth and exterminate or capture the Doctor's companions. Caan says "Death is coming. I can see it! Everlasting death for the most faithful companion..." Suddenly, the Daleks detect that the Subwave Network has been rebooted, and the new location is Torchwood. The Supreme Dalek orders that Torchwood be exterminated. On Earth, Jack contacts Martha via phone and asks for the digits on the Project Indigo transporter. They are wavering between a 4 and a 9. These are the two digits Jack needs to reactivate his Vortex Manipulator. He grabs the re-powered defabricator, and tells Gwen and Ianto that he will come back. Then he vanishes. Sarah then heads off to find the Doctor in her car. Mr Smith protects Luke. Rose contacts the paralel Torchwood and asks them to lock her onto the TARDIS, after she sais goodbye to Sylvia and Wilf she teleports away. The TARDIS lands in a street that is deserted and trashed. The Doctor asks Donna what Rose said in the parallel earth and Donna replies by saying "Why don't you ask her yourself". The Doctor turns around and see's Rose standing down the street then they both run towards each other. As they get closer a stray Dalek apears from behind a van and spots The Doctor. The Doctor sees the Dalek but is too slow and the Dalek shoots the Doctor in the arm, sending him to the ground. However the beam only partialy hits The Doctor and doesn't kill him straight away. Captain Jack teleports into the street and shoots the Dalek to bits with his gun. Rose kneels over The Doctor as he lies on the floor diying and Jack and Donna gather around and prepare to move him into the TARDIS. Back in Torchwood Gwen and Ianto pick up guns and get ready for battle. A Dalek enters Torchwood and Gwen and Ianto open fire. Back in the Tardis The Doctor is in terrible pain. Donna asks if theres anything they can do to help him but Jack tells them to just stay away. Rose and Jack knows what will happen next but Donna is oblivious. The Doctorr lifts up his hand and it begins to glow. Sarah jane is still in her car and is driving down a street untill she nearly hits two Daleks that are on the road. The Daleks turn around and Sarah jane tries to apoligise but the Daleks do not accept it and prepares to exterminate her. Back in the TARDIS The Doctor is still in pain and Jack makes the others back away. Donna asks whats going on and Rose explains that when The Doctor is diying he can heal himself but he changes in the process. Rose doesn't want The Doctor to change as she has come a long way to find him however the process has already started so he can't stop it. As The Doctor stumbles to his feet he stands up right and bursts with a huge yellow and white energy. His hands and head explode with energy and starts to regenerate in front of Rose, Jack and Donna. [edit] Cast The Doctor - David Tennant Donna Noble - Catherine Tate Rose Tyler - Billie Piper Martha Jones - Freema Agyeman Captain Jack Harkness - John Barrowman Sarah Jane Smith - Elisabeth Sladen Gwen Cooper - Eve Myles Ianto Jones - Gareth David-Lloyd Luke Smith - Tommy Knight Davros - Julian Bleach Sylvia Noble - Jacqueline King Wilfred Mott - Bernard Cribbins Harriet Jones - Penelope Wilton Francine Jones - Adjoa Andoh General Sanchez - Michael Brandon Dalek (voice) - Nicholas Briggs Judoon Captain- Paul Kasey Shadow Architect - Kelly Hunter Albino Servant - Amy Beth Hayes Suzanne - Andrea Harris Paul O'Grady - Himself Richard Dawkins - Himself Trinity Wells - Lachelle Carl Drunk Man - Marcus Cunningham Newsreader - Jason Mohammed Scared Man - Gary Miller Dalek operators - Barney Edwards, Nick Pegg, David Hankinson, Anthony Spargo Mr. Smith (voice) - Alexander Armstrong Judoon (voice) - Nicholas Briggs (uncredited) [edit] References General Sanchez is heard saying "Ladies and gentlemen, we are at war." The same phrase was spoken by Jack Harkness when facing the Daleks on the Gamestation. Harriet Jones has yet again introduce herself by flashing her identity card earning her the response of "Yes, I/We know who you are", even from the Daleks dispatched to her location to exterminate her. Mr Smith says that the TARDIS has landed in "vector 7, grid references 666". 666 is the number of The Beast. [edit] Daleks Wilf uses a paintball gun as a weapon against the Daleks by shooting paintballs at their eye stalks, referencing the popular method of incapacitating a Dalek: blinding them. However, it seems that the Daleks have been redesigned with this weakness in mind as the paint simply melts off the eye stalk after coming into contact with it (and at the same time replying "My vision is NOT impaired"). Dalek Caan predicts the most "faithful" companion will die. Caan referred the Doctor as "Dark Lord". (The Doctor is probably referred to in this way due to being the cause of death and destruction, from the point of view of the Daleks. ) He has also been known by the Daleks as the Ka Faraq Gatri or the 'destroyer of worlds' and also "The Oncoming Storm". The new Daleks are said to be Davros's "children" as they have been grown from his own cells. Davros makes a quick reference to Dalek Emperor. Wilf fires a paintball at a Dalek The Daleks' weaponry has seemingly been updated to include a "maximum extermination" setting, capable of destroying an entire house if three Daleks fire at the same target. The Daleks in this episode don't seem to have shields. [edit] The Doctor The Doctor first went to the Medusa Cascade when he was "just a child" at the age of 90. [edit] Last Great Time War Doctor says that Davros died in the very first years of the Time War, when Davros's ship flew into the "jaws of the nightmare child", suggesting that Time War lasted several years. An ongoing question relating to why the Doctor can't or won't go back to the era of the Time War to make things turn out differently is addressed by the Doctor indicating that the war is time-locked; Dalek Caan, having circumvented this barrier, paid for the experience with his sanity. It's revealed that Davros fought in the Time War, and the Doctor tried to save his life. This means at least two of the Doctor's mortal enemies were involved in the conflict, although the Doctor wasn't aware of The Master's involvement until much later. [edit] Planets Some of the missing planets mentioned are: Callufrax Minor, Woman Wept, Clom, Pyrovillia, Adipose 3, The lost moon of Poosh and Earth. The missing planet Callufrax Minor may be a reference to Calufrax, the miniaturized planet and Key to Time segment of The Pirate Planet. Ironically one of the co-stars of that Tom Baker-era serial, Bruce Purchase, died only a few weeks before the episode was broadcast. [edit] Technology There is reference to an object called an "Osterhagen key", but no explanation is given as to its function, origin or purpose. Significantly, while Harriet Jones is aware of its function and forbids its use, and Martha is also aware of what it can do, Jack Harkness and Torchwood have no idea what it is, even though they know about the other top-secret Indigo project, though Jack does mention this was because he 'met a soldier in a bar'. He is also from the future and seems to know the project is not fully operational, though Martha survives. Harriet Jones uses the subwave network to put the Doctor's 'secret army' in contact with each other, it utilises Sub-wave communication developed by the Mr Copper Foundation. Donna compares it to Facebook. The Master's beat is heard just before the subwave network comes online. [edit] Story notes This episode was the last of Series 4 to have its title revealed. This is the fourth time that the Daleks have returned with a leader in a finale. In DW: The Evil of the Daleks they returned led by their emperor; in the 2005 finale, The Parting of the Ways, the Daleks were led by the Dalek Emperor; and in 2006 finale, Doomsday, Dalek Sec led the Cult of Skaro. The Other Dalek two-parter in 2007 Series was shown as the 4th & 5th Episodes of the Series (Daleks in Manhattan and Evolution of the Daleks). Davros refers to the Doctor's allies as the Children of Time. Or, he might be referring to the Time Lords themselves, since he does not yet know who is operating such a powerful sub-wave transmission. The Doctor starts to regenerate yet again, acting as a cliff hanger. The Doctor's severed hand is seen bubbling at the end of Turn Left and during this episode as well. When in Jack Harkness's possession, the bubbling signaled the Doctor's presence, but in the Doctor's possession the bubbling has signaled the presence of other Time Lords. Could the Doctor's severed hand have a sentient mind? Davros and his command ship were lost in the first year of the Time War. Dalek Caan managed to save Davros, at the cost of his own sanity. The Doctor states he tried to save Davros before his ship was lost in the first year of the Time War. The "To Be Continued" before the end credits is different from the others previously used. There is also no sneak peek of the next episode. When Harriet Jones contacts Captain Jack, Martha Jones and Sarah Jane Smith, the contact tone is the same tone used by The Master to control the populace under the Archangel network. For the first time, the opening credits incorporate not two or three names, but six, adding Freema Agyeman, John Barrowman and Elisabeth Sladen to the Tennant, Tate and Piper credits of the previous week. The typeface used for these credits is slightly different than that usually used. In addition, several "overflow" cast credits are featured over the first scene after the opening sequence, a first for the series (Penelope Wilton, Adjoa Andoh, Eve Myles and Gareth David-Lloyd). Incidentally this is the first time Elizabeth Sladen's name has appeared in the opening credits. This is the first time all of the Doctor's "main" companions since the revival of the series began (the female leads) have all been credited at the same time; it is not, however, a complete listing of all the revival-series companions as Noel Clarke, Kylie Minogue (Astrid Peth) and Bruno Langley (Adam Mitchell) are not included. Russell T Davies' pattern of using the same surnames is the most notable in this episode with Martha Jones, Francine Jones, Harriet Jones and Ianto Jones. Francine and Martha are related (mother and daughter). Scientist and author Richard Dawkins has a cameo as himself. Dawkins is married to Lalla Ward, the actress who portrayed Romana II. The two were introduced by Douglas Adams, who met Ward in his capacity as the show's script editor. The claws of the Daleks in Crucible is very similar to ones in Doctor Who And The Daleks- Movie, but with eight fingers instead of two. Dalek Caan predicts the most "faithful" companion will die. The clicking sound when the Time Beetle from Turn Left was mentioned occurred when Donna was offered water at the Shadow Proclamation, accompanied by the same words used when the Time Beetle was "seen" by somebody else, "There's something on your back!" The story is very similar to that of previous Doctor Who writer, Douglas Adams' story Life, The Universe and Everything, which was in itself based on an abandoned Doctor Who story Adams had written. According to The Daily Mail, more than 2,500 people tried to call the Doctor's mobile phone number, despite it being a non-functioning number.[1] [edit] Ratings To be added [edit] Myths and rumours The presence of Davros in this episode had been rumoured for a long time before broadcast. An associated rumour suggested that the episode would reveal that Donna was actually Davros in disguise or Caan mutating himself into Davros. See this section in Journey's End for additional rumors related to Donna. It was also rumoured on the fan boards that Patrick Stewart or Ben Kingsley might have been cast as Davros, given media reports of his interest in appearing in Doctor Who after it was announced that he and Tennant would perform a season of Shakespeare together in 2008. Ultimately, Julian Bleach was revealed to be playing the character. [edit] Filming Locations Cardiff Pontypridd [edit] Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors It is not explained how the Daleks know of Harriet Jones. Presumably this is for comedic effect, serving only to continue the running gag. During the doomsday episode the Dr Singh character had his memory taken and he would have known about Harriet Jones and even though Dalek Caan is insane Davros is aware of current events. After Dalek Caan says 'Death for the most faithful companions' one of the Dalek's eye piece light is not working, but then suddenly lights up. Normally when a Dalek exterminates someone the beam normally hits them and disappears but when the Doctor gets exterminated you can clearly see the ray go through him and come out the other side. (The beam did not go through him: it went past him, only touching him slightly. Also, his entire body did not glow; only a portion did, which suggests that the beam did not do full damage (though still enough to cause a regeneration apparently).) At the end of Turn Left Bad Wolf was on the TARDIS. It's not there now. (They've traveled to Earth, as per Rose's request. Having arrived, there's no further need for the Bad Wolf message.) When Harriet Jones transfers control of the sub-wave network to Torchwood, the map circles an area in Swansea, not Cardiff. Russell T. Davies was born in Swansea, this may be an intentional error. When Jones' sub-wave system seeks out those who have worked with the Doctor, only the companions of the Tenth Doctor are singled out, not other past companions and/or acquaintances who might have worked with previous incarnations.Harriet Jones states the sub wave only finds people with the capacity to contact the Doctor. Presumably this refers to the current incarnation of the Doctor (as opposed to someone trying to contact, say, the Sixth Doctor), thereby disqualifying companions such as Ian Chesterton or Tegan Jovanka, who presumably have no access to things like "superphones". Donna indicates she has no idea what regeneration is, even though she was present when Martha referenced it in The Doctor's Daughter (She might not have understood what was meant at the time). Why did Harriet's computer screen turn off just because she died? Presumably the computer was destroyed as well as Harriet, perhaps by the Daleks' extermination rays. They might not have 'exterminated' her, but her computer in an attempt to stop the signal. Also, if the subwave finds the people who can contact the Doctor, then it must somehow link with the people themselves. This is demonstrated by the sub-wave finding Rose, even though the nearest computer is not her own. Harriet's death would therefore have severed the connection. How did Captain Jack know exactly where to teleport to shoot the Dalek that had shot the Doctor? He probably tracked the TARDIS location. The numbers 4 and 9 were to reactivate his vortex manipulator. He also appears to have arrived facing the Dalek, so his reflexes would have come into play. If Rose asked her "Control" to lock on to the TARDIS and transport, why did she end up at the other end of the street? (Even a machine as good as the TARDIS can make slight errors. The control did reasonably well to land her quite near to the TARDIS, especially since we don't yet know where "Control" is located; if it's on Pete's World or Donna's World, accuracy may have been difficult.) Dalek Caan didn't have emotions, so how can he laugh or go insane in the first place? Caan was a member of the Cult of Skaro, who were made to think like the enemy, i.e. having names and some emotions. As indicated in dialogue in this episode, emotions are discouraged, but still exist. There are also other examples of Daleks displaying anger, pride, and even a sense of humor (albeit sarcastic and dry) in past episodes (for an example of the last, reference the "pest control" comment directed at the Cybermen in Doomsday). Not only that, but Davros, when he created the Daleks, didn't remove all emotions: just those which he considered a weakness, such as mercy, compassion and forgiveness. Not to mention the fact that emotions are not a necessary component of insanity. Ianto is seen watching Paul O'Grady, but it was said earlier in the episode that it was a Saturday. Paul O'Grady is not aired on a Saturday. A possibility is that the move of Earth has taken time or time has skipped forward since the mention of the date was prior to the move. There is clear indication that, on Earth at least, at least a few hours might have elapsed. (As this episode is set in 2009 (our future) it is possible that the Paul O'Grady show is moved at some point to Saturday evenings.) When a Dalek turns around and implies, "New location, Torchwood", the blue light in it's eye is switched off as if it has been blinded and does not come on until a few seconds later. The apparent death of Harriet Jones puts paid to the Ninth Doctor stating that she was destined to serve three terms as PM and lead Britain into a new golden age (DW: World War Three). In several episodes, the Doctor has stated that history can be rewritten and only certain fixed points remain unchangeable. Presumably Jones is one of those changeable points. Also, Turn Left addressed the notion of alternate timelines stemming from choices; perhaps the Ninth Doctor was referencing what turned out to be an alternate timeline created when his next incarnation set in motion the events that would end her career (DW: The Christmas Invasion). Also, it should be noted that until the events of Journey's End play out, it remains to be seen if Jones has actually been killed. Television, cellphone and satellite communications continue to work, even though by rights when the planet moved anything in orbit should have been lost. Evidently when the Earth was moved whoever did it decided to include its satellites as well. One does not need satellites for ground-based television or cellphone broadcasts. What about the Moon? There's no indication it was moved with the Earth, so is it going to drift away? Objects in space often move slowly relative to the Earth, so even if the moon were suddenly cut free (a la Moonbase Alpha in Space: 1999) it would take a
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Journey's End
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsJourney's End From TARDIS Index File, the free Doctor Who reference. Jump to: navigation, search <a href="http://media.fastclick.net/w/click.here?sid=27202&m=1&c=1" target="_top"><img src="http://media.fastclick.net/w/get.media?sid=27202&m=1&tp=5&d=s&c=1" width=728 height=90 border=1></a> "For this is my ultimate victory, Doctor! The destruction of reality itself!!" --Davros Journey's End Series: Doctor Who - TV stories Series Number: 30 Story Number: 13 Doctor: Tenth Doctor. Companions: Donna Noble (departs)Rose Tyler (departs)Martha Jones (departs)Captain Jack Harkness (departs)Mickey Smith (departs)Sarah Jane Smith (departs)K-9 Mark IV (cameo) Enemy: The DaleksDavros Setting: CrucibleMedusa CascadeGermanyTorchwood 3Sol systemLondon 2009 Writer: Russell T Davies Director: Graeme Harper Producer: Phil Collinson Broadcast: 5th July 2008 Format: 1x65 minute episode Prod. Code: 202 b Previous Story: The Stolen Earth Following Story: Proms Special (mini-episode)2008 Christmas special (title TBA) This is the 13th and final episode of Series 4 and featured 7 companions of the Doctor. It is a continued on a cliffhanger from Episode 12. Contents [hide] 1 Synopsis2 Plot3 Cast4 Production crew5 References 5.1 Individuals5.2 TARDISes5.3 Technology 6 Story notes 6.1 Ratings6.2 Myths and rumours6.3 Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors 7 Continuity8 DVD and Other releases9 See also10 External links window.onload = function() { if (window.showTocToggle) { window.tocShowText = "show"; window.tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); }}; [edit] Synopsis The entire universe is in danger as the Daleks activate their master plan, and enslave 21st century Earth. The Doctor is helpless, and even the TARDIS faces destruction. The only hope lies with the Doctor's secret army of companions- but as they join forces to battle Davros himself, the prophecy declares that one of them will die. [edit] Plot The TARDIS is captured Following on immediately from the end of "The Stolen Earth", The Doctor is regenerating inside the TARDIS while Donna Noble, Captain Jack Harkness and Rose Tyler watch in horror. However, the Doctor transfers his regenerative energy into the container which carries his severed hand. He has healed himself, but chosen not to change his appearance. The TARDIS is transported by the Daleks to the Crucible and rendered powerless. The Doctor, Jack, and Rose leave it, but Donna is distracted because she is hearing the sound of a heartbeat and while looking back, the TARDIS door slams closed. Before the Doctor can free her, the Daleks dump the TARDIS into a waste chute where it will be destroyed in the centre-core of the Crucible. As the TARDIS interior explodes around her, Donna collapses near the severed hand, she hears the heartbeat again and while touching the container energy flows between it and her. The hand bursts out of the container, and forms as a new Doctor, although this Doctor has only one heart and has picked up some of Donna's mannerisms. With his help, the TARDIS escapes destruction and gives the new Doctor and Donna time to come with a plan. In Torchwood Three, Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones find themselves safely in a time lock created by Toshiko Sato, preventing the Dalek from entering but also preventing them leaving. Sarah Jane Smith is saved from two Daleks by Mickey Smith and Jackie Tyler, but in order to follow the Doctor, lay down their guns and allow themselves to be captured, taken to the Crucible. Martha Jones says her goodbyes to her mother and makes for an abandoned castle in Germany where one of five Osterhagen stations is hidden, and waits for contact from the other bases. Aboard the Crucible, Jack creates a distraction by shooting the Supreme Dalek (Red Dalek) with his revolver, but is shot by the Daleks; as the Doctor and Rose are taken to the Vault where Davros is held, Jack's immortality allows him to escape. With the Doctor and Rose contained, Davros explains that the 27 planets form an energy pattern that is then amplified into a "reality bomb", able to break apart the forces holding everything together. Mickey, Jackie, and Sarah Jane escape a test chamber where this effect is shown to the Doctor just in time. Jack finds his way to the three, and with a locket from Sarah Jane, creates a device that will implode the Crucible. Meanwhile, Martha makes contact with two other bases in China and Liberia. The Chinese counterpart wants to get it over and done with, but Martha, knowing the Doctor, first broadcasts a signal to the Crucible to give them (probably both Earth and the Daleks) a second chance, promising to use the Ostenhagen key to detonate 25 nuclear warheads under the Earth's crust to destroy it and disable the reality bomb. However, the Daleks manage to lock onto their positions and beam Martha, Jack, Mickey, Jackie, and Sarah Jane, with the Transmat to the Vault where the Doctor and Rose are too being held captive. the TARDIS pulling the Earth through space The Daleks prepare to activate the reality bomb that will wipe out all matter in this and every parallel universe through the rifts in the Medusa Cascade, but the new Doctor and Donna arrive in the TARDIS. Both, however, are stunned by shots from Davros. The reality bomb countdown reaches zero, but nothing happens; Donna has manipulated the controls to disable it. The Doctor recognises that the creation of the new Doctor has had an unintended side effect: Donna is now half Time Lord herself, sharing the Doctor's intellect. Donna and the new Doctor free the others, and with the help of the original Doctor, disable the Daleks and start to send the planets back to their proper time and space. Before Earth can be sent, the machinery is destroyed by the Supreme Dalek, who is then destroyed by Captain Jack. The original Doctor races into the TARDIS to replace the functionality of the broken machine. Realising that Dalek Caan has seen the end of the Dalek race and has been manipulating time to achieve this, the new Doctor (probably not kept back by guilt due to the influence of Donna's personality) uses the remaining machinery to destroy all of the Daleks and their fleet. The rest of the companions flee to the TARDIS, and while the Doctor offers to save Davros, but he refuses, calling the Doctor the "Destroyer of Worlds". The Crucible is destroyed. The Doctor enlists the help of the other companions, making contact with the base Torchwood and with Luke Smith, Mr. Smith and K-9, to help use the TARDIS return the Earth to its proper place. Sarah Jane says her goodbyes, as well as Jack, Martha, and Mickey, who has decided to stay in this universe. Using a retroactively closing rift, the Doctor returns Rose and Jackie to the alternate dimension and leaves the new Doctor with her, as he will now grow old with Rose, no longer able to regenerate due to the human influence. The human doctor, having the same memories and feeling as the proper Doctor, whispers into Rose's ear (most likely telling her that he loves her), and they kiss. Returning to their universe, Donna finds she begins to have trouble thinking; the Doctor explains that the human mind cannot take in the Time Lord mental abilities. To save her, he wipes her mind of all her encounters with the Doctor, returning her home and explaining to her family, Sylvia Noble and Wilfred Mott, that she must never be reminded of her time with the Doctor or else she will die. As Donna recovers consciousness, she shows no interest in the Doctor; he leaves, though Wilfred promises he will look out for the Doctor every night while he looks at the sky. The Doctor then returns to the TARDIS, alone once again. Waiting for his next adventure........ [edit] Cast The Doctor - David Tennant Donna Noble - Catherine Tate Rose Tyler - Billie Piper Martha Jones - Freema Agyeman Captain Jack Harkness - John Barrowman Sarah Jane Smith - Elisabeth Sladen The Doctor - David Tennant Mickey Smith - Noel Clarke Jackie Tyler - Camille Coduri Luke Smith - Thomas Knight Gwen Cooper - Eve Myles Ianto Jones - Gareth David-Lloyd Wilfred Mott - Bernard Cribbins Sylvia Noble - Jacqueline King Francine Jones - Adjoa Andoh Davros - Julian Bleach Dalek Voice - Nicholas Briggs Voice of Mr Smith - Alexander Armstrong Voice of K-9 - John Leeson German Woman - Valda Aviks Scared Woman - Shobu Kapoor Anna Zhou - Elizabeth Tan Liberian Man - Michael Price [edit] Production crew Dalek Operators - Barnaby Edwards, Nicholas Pegg, David Hankinson, Anthony Spargo, Gethin Jones [edit] References The Doctor mentions that Rose has met Dalek Caan before, as part of the Cult of Skaro. Davros states that Sarah and he met on Skaro, in reference to Genesis of the Daleks . The Doctor returns Rose and Jackie to Dalig Ulv Stranden (Bad Wolf Bay) in the alternate universe). "Doctor Donna" was a quote foretold by the Ood. [edit] Individuals Those shown in flashback who died for the Doctor are Harriet Jones, Jabe, The Controller, Lynda Moss, Robert MacLeish, Mrs Moore, Colin Skinner, Bridget Sinclair, Ursula Blake (who did not die because The Doctor was able to bring her back to life), Face of Boe, Chantho, Astrid Peth, Luke Rattigan, Jenny (who is in fact not dead, but the Doctor is unaware of this), River Song and the Hostess. Both Rose and the Doctor recognise the familiar resemblance between Gwen Cooper and Gwyneth (who they encountered in Cardiff in 1869). Rose and Mickey, who previously had an on again, off again relationship, appear to have drifted apart. They do not look at each other, speak to each other, or interact at all, even when they are in the TARDIS together. Mickey does not say goodbye to her (though he does say goodbye to Jackie saying he'll miss her "more than anyone") and he tells the Doctor there's nothing for him in the parallel world, "certainly not Rose". Just before the Doctor is forced to erase her memory, Donna expresses a desire to meet Charlie Chaplin. This is the second finale in a row to have a character state a desire to meet a famous 20th century personality; previously the Doctor told Martha he wanted to meet Agatha Christie (DW: Last of the Time Lords); Christie subsequently appeared in The Unicorn and the Wasp; it remains to be seen if Donna's reference also serves a foreshadowing. [edit] TARDISes This is the first episode where the TARDIS is fully-staffed with six pilots, and the first time it is noted definitively that it was designed for six, after various mentions about it being made for more than a single Time Lord. [edit] Technology The purpose of the Osterhagen key is revealed in this episode. Martha's key is one of several required to set off a network of nuclear weapons buried deep beneath the Earth's surface. If detonated, these weapons would trigger the explosion of the Earth. Each key must be inserted into a control panel at an "Osterhagen station". There are apparently five around the world, but only three need to be manned with a key to initiate the detonation. Locations seen on screen are Germany, Liberia and China. The "Oserhagen Project" appears to have been in place for decades, according to the German woman who supplied food to the guards at the German station. Given the age of the German woman, and her claim that she knew of the Osterhagen key when she was in London during her youth, the "Osterhagen Project" likely dates to the days when the Brigadier was in charge of the British arm of UNIT. The technology used to emplace the nuclear weapons at the Earth's crust could therefore be linked to the drilling project featured in DW: Inferno. The Daleks have access to transmat technology. The TARDIS is captured by the Daleks in what they call a temporal prison but what the Doctor calls a chronon loop. Toshiko Sato installed a time lock around The Hub at Torchwood Three. Sarah Jane uses her sonic lipstick in the same manner as the Doctor's sonic screwdriver. This is the tool's first appearance in the main series. The "three Doctors" send the planets back to their original position through the use of a "magnetron". It is unclear if this is an intentional reference to the magnetrons seen previously in the original series (DW: Day of the Daleks, The Mysterious Planet), or just a general reference to real life magnetrons, used to power microwaves, radar screens and televisions. [edit] Story notes Blue Peter presenter Gethin Jones operates a Dalek in this episode, returning to Doctor Who since his brief appearance as a Cybus Cyberman in The Age of Steel. This was the longest series finale at 65 minutes long, longer even than most of the Christmas specials, except for Voyage of the Damned, which was 71 minutes. Dalek Caan refers to the Doctor as a 'threefold man'. The meaning becomes clear in this episode with both the copy of the Doctor and 'Doctor-Donna'. This episode marks the first series finale to show a preview of the upcoming Christmas Special (2008). After the credits the Cybermen are said to return in the episode. However the episode is unique for being the only series finale in the Russell T Davies era which doesn't end on a cliffhanger. It also breaks the pattern set by the previous two series by not having the Doctor exclaiming "What? What? What?" at the end. In fact it is the only finale scene of the Davies era in which no dialogue is spoken at all. Mickey, Jackie and Sarah hide from the Daleks in a shot that demonstrates an effect nicknamed the "Harper treatment". Graeme Harper's penchant for including a distorted image of a main character is present in this story. Though not included in every single story he's directed for BBC Wales, it's seen often enough to be considered something of a directorial "signature". Similar distortion is achieved through the use of magnifying glasses in Army of Ghosts, The Unicorn and the Wasp, and Utopia, and with mirrors in Turn Left. This time, it's Mickey, Jackie and Sarah Jane that get "the Harper treatment" under a curved window. This episode tells us that Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister, actually died in the previous episode. Davros named the Doctor 'The Destroyer of Worlds' and maybe a reference to Fires of Pompeii when it was said the Doctors name was sealed in the Cascade of Medusa herself or to the Doctor being the Ka Faraq Gatri. The Osterhagen key would destroy the Earth. The word, Osterhagen, is an anagram of the phrase, Earth's gone. This story augments the notion that Time Lords have some measure of control over the regenerative process. as seen in Last of the Time Lords. In truth, most regenerations have added at least a little to the general mythos about the process. From the notion that a particular physiognomy could be imposed upon the Second Doctor in The War Games, details have been added about how the process works almost every time one has been depicted. In this case, writer Russell T Davies builds upon his earlier idea that a Time Lord can re-grow whole body parts during "the first 15 hours" following a regeneration (The Christmas Invasion) Here he suggests that a Time Lord can stop the process prior to entering the final stage, provided that he has a matching genetic receptacle into which he can store the energy. When the newly created Doctor discovers he's "part Time Lord, part human" he is shocked and refuses to admit it. This is likely a reference to the 1996 movie and fan outrage at it. It might also suggest that the Doctor was never half-human due "Human-Time Lord metacrisis" The scene where the Daleks are speaking German is possibly a tongue-in-cheek reference to the fact that Terry Nation based the Daleks on the Nazis. This marks the likely permanent departure of Catherine Tate (Donna Noble) and Billie Piper (Rose Tyler). The story elements surrounding the destruction of the universe have some casual similarity to ideas found in Life, the Universe and Everything, a Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Universe sequel penned by former Doctor Who script editor, Douglas Adams. Everything was in turn based on an abandoned Fourth Doctor television serial had written, called Doctor Who and the Krikkitmen. The recap of the previous episode uses different footage of Jack stating "you know what happens next" in the leadup to the regeneration. In The Stolen Earth he utters the line off-camera, but in the recap he is seen saying it. The Doctor and Mickey perform a "fist bump" in lieu of a handshake when Mickey departs. This mirrors the way they greeted each other in Doomsday. [edit] Ratings to be added [edit] Myths and rumours The week between the cliffhanger ending of The Stolen Earth and the broadcast of Journey's End included some of the most intense fan speculation and media attention in franchise history. The significance of the cliffhanger, which appeared to show the Doctor regenerating, along with previously reported speculation regarding Donna and other characters led to many speculations being circulated on fan discussion boards and the media. Among some of the most notable: That David Tennant was in fact leaving the series, and that leaked photos and other information regarding him being in the 2008 Christmas special (as well as media reports the preceding week that he was negotiating to return in 2010) were either a "red herring" or that the Christmas special was to include a flashback. The true nature of Donna was the subject of much speculation, with some fans suggesting her to actually be The Rani or Romana living under the influence of a Chameleon Arch, or a manifestation of the Master. Concerning Donna's ring, at the end of the season 4 finale, when the Doctor says good-bye to her it glimmers briefly into the camera. Some fans theorise that the ring is a possible Chamelon Arch containing Donna's memories of her time with the Doctor. It has also been suggested that the ring resembles a ring worn by The Master in a previous episode. Others theorise that the ring is just large, black, and very shiny. And the prediction that a companion would die led some to believe Donna, Martha or Rose would be the ones destined to die (since it had already been reported that John Barrowman would be returning to Torchwood and Elisabeth Sladen to The Sarah Jane Adventures, ruling out their characters' demise.) The appearance of K-9 was a surprise to many as it had been previously reported that the character would not be appearing in the episode, given the fact the rights to the character are currently held by another party for the planned K-9 television series. After Eve Myles, who had played Gwyneth in The Unquiet Dead was cast as Gwen Cooper in Torchwood, Russell T Davies stated in an interview in Doctor Who Magazine that the characters were unrelated. In this episode, however, Davies reversed this opinion by inserting dialogue strongly implying the two shared common ancestry. There is a possibility that either The Doctor or his twin left behind on Pete's World will eventually manfiest into The Valeyard due to the escalation of pain and abandoment felt each by the other for different reasons [edit] Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors If the TARDIS's power has gone, how does the monitor screen work? Strictly speaking, its power wasn't "gone"; the TARDIS was merely in a temporal prison. While this shut down most power, it clearly didn't cut everything Wouldn't the nuclear warheads placed under the crust have melted? UNIT would most likely have thought about this, and provided some sort of way to protect them. Why did Martha have to travel to Germany to activate the Osterhagen key when the other soldiers were in pods in their home countries? The main pod was in Germany - Martha states that she is in Osterhagen 1. The moon remained in position when the Earth had moved. The moon should have locked onto the strongest gravitational force (the Sun) and been pulled towards it. There is no indication one way or the other as to the moon's position. If the act of temporal shifting back to the Time War showed Dalek Caan the entire history of the Dalek race and led him to conclude the Daleks should be destroyed, why didn't he just let Davros die in the war and then kill himself? Caan was driven insane after saving Davros, therefore he had only seen the whole of time after Davros was already safe. He then began setting the course of events that would lead to the fall of the New Dalek Empire. If any mention of the Doctor or the TARDIS would cause the Time Lord consciousness within Donna to reawaken and burn up her mind, isn't the Doctor taking a tremendous risk by letting Donna see him in the Nobles' house? The Doctor wishes to test the effectiveness of the memory wipe and also determine whether there are any negative effects on her. Why were the controls put in the Vault where Davros could access them and destroy the Daleks as the Doctor-Donna did? It was Donna's skill that allowed this. The second humanoid woman aboard the Shadow Proclamation ship/station told Donna there was "something on your back". There was no explanation concerning the cryptic phrase by the climax of Journey's End. The albino woman spoke in the past tense saying there "was something on your back" If Mickey Smith was allowed to stay on the normal Earth, why did Rose and Jackie have to go back? After all, the Doctor could have brought Pete back as well, and their child. The Doctor wanted to keep the second Doctor sealed off in the parallel world where he couldn't cause any trouble, and wanted Rose to look after him. With all of her memories since The Runaway Bride erased, wouldn't Donna realise that she has lost about a year and a half of of her life, and shouldn't she think it's her wedding day? The exact nature of the mind wipe is never specified. Why do some Daleks have special 'cogs' instead of suckers on their right arms? The "sucker" may well be the standard right limb for a Dalek, but it has never been the only possible limb. At least as far back as DW: The Daleks' Master Plan, other appendages, like flame-throwers, have been seen. When Jack got Gwen's name wrong -- he said her surname was Cooper rather than Williams -- why didn't she correct him? There is no definitive indication in Torchwood that Gwen took Rhys' surname after marriage. If the Osterhagen key and its associated doomsday device had been around for years, why wasn't it activated during the events of Doomsday or, more to the point, The Year That Never Was (DW: Last of the Time Lords)? The Master used the anrchangel network to crush resistance. It's also probable that as the Master not only became Prime Minister, but also was involved with the top-secret weapon deployed against the Sycorax, that he was aware of the Key and took steps to prevent its use. [edit] Continuity When the Doctor sees Gwen Cooper for the first time, he asks if she comes from a long line of family from Cardiff. This is because of the similarity between Gwen and Gwyneth (DW: The Unquiet Dead), both of whom are played by Eve Myles. The Doctor and Rose both recognise the uncanny family resemblance. This is the first occurrence of the Doctor's TARDIS being piloted by six people, that number first being specified in NA: Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible. This episode marks the last appearance of the Tenth Doctor's severed hand which first appeared in DW: The Christmas Invasion and throughout the first season of Torchwood. Davros mentions meeting Sarah at the birth of his creations; this happened in DW: Genesis of the Daleks. Mickey Smith and Jackie Tyler last appeared in DW: Doomsday. Donna tells the Doctor how to fix the Chameleon Circuit which has been broken since DW: An Unearthly Child. The Sixth Doctor had previously attempted this in DW: Attack of the Cybermen, as had the Fourth Doctor in DW: Logopolis. This is the third time a Doctor has been depicted in a way to suggest he was unclothed. The first time was in Spearhead from Space in which a newly regenerated Third Doctor took a shower. The second was during the regeneration from the Seventh to the Eighth Doctor, where he was merely covered by a sheet. The Ninth Doctor appeared shirtless during the torture scene in Dalek Gallifrey is mentioned again and the first time it has been mentioned in an episode with Rose Tyler . [edit] DVD and Other releases This episode will be released as part of Series 4 Volume 4 DVD alongside Turn Left and The Stolen Earth on 1st September 2008. It will also be released in the Series 4 boxset in November 2008.
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TDP 65: Doctor Who 4.12 The Stolen Earth & 4.13 Journey's End
Episode Duration: 0 days, 2 hours, 9 minutes and 15 secondsNotes to follow shortly
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German Translation
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsGerman Lesson If you were wondering about some of the dialogue during Martha's trip to Germany, Script Editor Lindsey Alford and Kevin Myers offer these handy translations!: FX: way off in the distance, DALEKS, in the air, gliding slowly through the trees. DALEKS: Exterminieren! Exterminieren! Halt! Sonst werden wir Sie exterminieren! Sie sind jetzt ein Gefangener der Daleks! Exterminieren! Exterminieren! Translation: Exterminate! Exterminate! Stop! Or you will be exterminated. You are a prisoner of the Daleks. Exterminate! Exterminate! Martha heads off in the opposite direction. Scurrying away into the darkness. On a mission. OLD WOMAN: Hier ist niemand. Was immer Sie wollen, gehen Sie fort. Lassen Sie mich in Ruhe. Translation: There's no one here. Whatever you want, just go away. Leave me alone. The OLD WOMAN's hostile, standing on the path. MARTHA: Ich heisse Martha Jones. Ich komme von UNIT. Agentin fuenf sechs sechs sieben eins, von der medizinishen Abteilung. Translation: I'm called Martha Jones. I come from UNIT. Agent 5, 6, 6, 7, 1. Medical officer. OLD WOMAN: Es hiess Sie kaemen vorbei. Translation: They said you might come. OLD WOMAN: Sie sind der Albtraum. Nicht die anderen, Sie! Ich sollte Sie umbringen, am besten gleich jetzt! Translation: You are the nightmare. It's not them, it's you! I should kill you right now! MARTHA: Then do it. And Martha just steps into the lift. The Old Woman lowers her gun, defeated, shaking. OLD WOMAN: Marta. Zur Hoelle mit Dir. Translation: Martha. You're going straight to Hell.
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TDP 64: Notes from a Stolen Earth
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 10 minutes and 21 secondsBees are small yellow and black sociable members of the vespiform subspecies. Hailing originally from the planet and migrating to the planet Fintlewoodlewix over 7 million ago. Mistaken by the local inhabitants as nothing more than poorly armed Insects, with an innate ability to dance, they were largely ignored until it was discovered that they vomit was surprisingly palatable to most native species. Bee's attempts to communicate or implant their portable translation devices into the native species were usually mistaken as attempts to sting humans. This miss interpretation of events never distracted the Bees trying to make first contact despite a surprisingly high death count on the side of the Bees. However. The Bees left the renamed planet - now called Earth - Galactic codex Sol 3 - shortly before its removal too the Medusa Cascade. The last message from the bees was miss translated by a kindly Bee Keeper who assumed the Bee was communicating the location of a bowl of petunias to its fellow drones. The message was infact. So long and thanks for all the nectar.
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TDP 63: Doctor Who 4.11 Turn Left
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 18 minutes and 12 secondsWhile visiting a market on the planet of Shan Shen with the Doctor, Donna Noble is offered a free fortune reading. The fortune-teller presses Donna to reveal her past and focuses on a point in her past on modern-day Earth where she was driving to her temporary job at H. C. Clements, despite her mother's desire that she take a permanent job nearby. As a large beetle-like creature climbs onto Donna's back, the teller convinces Donna to change her mind in the past, taking a right at the road junction per her mother's wishes instead of a left. The narrative turns to the alternate history created by Donna's choice, far bleaker than the course of events established in previous episodes. The Doctor dies permanently during the Racnoss' attack on London ("The Runaway Bride"), killed by the water pressure before he could regenerate, because Donna was not there to convince him to leave. Royal Hope Hospital is taken to the moon and returned ("Smith and Jones"), but only one person, Martha's fellow medical student Oliver Morgenstern, survives. Martha Jones and Sarah Jane Smith are among the dead (the latter apparently having foiled Florence Finnegan's plan). The Titanic crashes into the centre of London, wiping out the city and irradiating most of southern England ("Voyage of the Damned"). In the United States, 60 million people are turned into creatures made of fat ("Partners in Crime"). The Sontarans attempt to turn Earth into a breeding world ("The Poison Sky"), which is stopped by Jack Harkness and his remaining Torchwood team of Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones. However, Gwen and Ianto are killed and Jack is transported to Sontar. Throughout all these events, Rose Tyler keeps appearing before Donna. Aware of the events to come, she steers Donna away from mortal danger but refuses to give her name. After the latest tragedy, Rose urges Donna to come with her, even though she will die. Donna initially refuses, but three weeks later, as she and her grandfather talk about recent events, the stars begin disappearing throughout the sky. Donna tells Rose that she is ready. Rose escorts Donna to a UNIT base where the dying TARDIS is being used to help power a makeshift time machine. Rose uses the system to show Donna the beetle that crawled onto her back during the fortune-telling. It is in temporal flux and cannot be removed, but Rose explains that Donna herself is also a point of flux. In order to set things right, they prepare to send her back in time to stop herself from going right. Donna agrees to go, but when she asks if she will get to live this time, Rose remains silent. Donna is sent back in time, but ends up half a mile away and with only four minutes to spare. Finding herself short of the mark on the road leading from the right of the critical intersection, Donna remembers what Rose said about her death and throws herself in front of a removal van. Traffic backs up to the intersection and the past Donna turns left, unwilling to wait for it to clear. As the future Donna lies on the ground, Rose leans over and whispers two words to pass on to the Doctor. Back on Shan Shen, the beetle falls off of Donna's back and the fortune teller flees, frightened by this unexpected development. The Doctor finds Donna and the beetle. He explains that it normally affects only the person it attaches to (the universe merely "compensates"), but in Donna's case created a parallel world. The Doctor is curious about the other alternate realities that seem to form around Donna ("Forest of the Dead"). He ponders the coincidences surrounding Donna and himself, as if something is binding them together. When Donna insists that she is nothing special, the Doctor tells her that she is brilliant, which triggers her fading memories of Rose. She tells him about Rose's warning that "the darkness is coming" and that it is affecting all worlds. At his insistence, Donna tells him the words Rose said; "Bad Wolf". Horrified, the Doctor runs outside to find that the words "Bad Wolf" are everywhere, even on the TARDIS. Inside the Cloister Bell is ringing and the TARDIS interior is glowing red. When Donna asks about the meaning of "Bad Wolf", the Doctor replies, "It's the end of the universe." This episode revisits the events of most of the present-day stories since Donna first met the Doctor, including "The Runaway Bride", "Smith and Jones", "Voyage of the Damned", "Partners in Crime", and "The Sontaran Stratagem" / "The Poison Sky". The Doctor's absence during these events leads to the deaths of Martha Jones, Sarah Jane Smith, Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones. Jack Harkness, who cannot be killed, is transported to Sontar. Torchwood characters Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones are referred to by name for the first time in Doctor Who, while a short segment of music from the soundtrack of Torchwood plays in the background. Sarah Jane Smith is mentioned for the first time since "The Girl in the Fireplace", along with the first mentions of The Sarah Jane Adventures characters Luke Smith, Clyde Langer, and Maria Jackson. The recurring "Bad Wolf" motif, primarily from series 1, returns at the conclusion of this episode to warn the Doctor of the events that are causing Rose to return. The TARDIS's Cloister Bell, last used in "Time Crash", can also be heard at the end of the episode. Sylvia Noble mentions that the bees are disappearing, which has been mentioned by Donna in "Partners in Crime", "Planet of the Ood", and "The Unicorn and the Wasp". Donna's father Geoff, who appeared in "The Runaway Bride", is mentioned for the first time since "The Fires of Pompeii". It is implied that he was ill during the timescale of "Smith and Jones", and had died by the time of "Voyage of the Damned". His character was intended to be used during series 4, but was retired after actor Howard Attfield died before his scenes were finished. He was replaced by Bernard Cribbins, whose previous role as an anonymous newspaper seller was merged with that of Donna's grandfather. The "Time Beetle"[2] on Donna's back is described by the Doctor as part of "the Trickster's brigade". The Trickster was a time-altering villain in The Sarah Jane Adventures story Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?. The beetle on her back was also referenced by Lucius Dextrus in "The Fires of Pompeii" with the line, "Daughter of London, there is something on your back!". Sarah Jane Smith is said to write for the fictional Metropolitan magazine as previously mentioned in Planet of the Spiders. Rose mentions the "causal nexus", which was discussed by the Doctor and the Master in "Logopolis." Production The episode, filmed at the same time as "Midnight", saw the Doctor with very little screen-time, while "Midnight" saw Donna with little screen-time.[3] Tennant shot all his scenes, at the episode's beginning and end, in one day, while a double stood in for the shot of the dead Doctor's arm.[2] The appearance of the Giant Spider of Metebelis 3 that clung to Sarah Jane Smith's back in Planet of the Spiders influenced the design and concept of the "Time Beetle" that clings to Donna's back in this episode.[2] [edit] Cast notes Billie Piper makes her first substantial appearance on the show since "Doomsday". Interviewed for Doctor Who Confidential, Piper said her return had been planned at the time of her original departure but that around three weeks before filming she decided to rewatch some of her old episodes to refamiliarise herself with the role and ease her doubts that she could play Rose again.[2] Clive Standen reprises the role of Private Harris (credited in this episode as "UNIT Soldier") from "The Sontaran Strategem" / "The Poison Sky". Here he is shown to have been in attendance during the Webstar crisis. Ben Righton reprises the role of Oliver Morgenstern from "Smith and Jones", in this episode the only survivor when the hospital is returned to Earth, Martha Jones having given him the last oxygen pack. Lachele Carl returns as American newsreader Trinity Wells, who previously appeared in the Doctor Who episodes "Aliens of London"/"World War Three", "The Christmas Invasion", "The Sound of Drums" and "The Poison Sky", in addition to The Sarah Jane Adventures story Revenge of the Slitheen. Chipo Chung, who plays the fortune-teller, previously appeared as Chantho in the episode "Utopia". Reception Based on BARB overnight returns, "Turn Left" was watched by 7 million viewers, giving it a 35% share of the total television audience.[4] The episode received an Appreciation Index score of 88 (considered "Excellent").[5] Keith Watson for the Metro newspaper called it a "daring" episode and praised Catherine Tate's performance, which was "perfectly suited to a complex story... Doctor Who could get away with being a lot less clever. But they actually care about what they do."[6] However, Sam Wollaston of The Guardian felt Tate was overshadowed by the return of Billie Piper. "Catherine Tate really puts everything into this episode (too much, maybe). But as soon as Rose shows, Donna's a goner."[7] 201 - "Turn Left" Doctor Who episode In the makeshift TARDIS-powered UNIT time machine, Rose shows Donna what is on her back Cast Doctor David Tennant (Tenth Doctor) Companion Catherine Tate (Donna Noble) Also starring Billie Piper (Rose Tyler) Guest stars Bernard Cribbins - Wilfred MottJacqueline King - Sylvia NobleJoseph Long - Rocco ColasantoNoma Dumzwemi - Capt. MagamboChipo Chung - Fortune TellerMarcia Lecky - Mooky KahariSuzann McLean - Veena BradyNatalie Walter - Alice ColtraneNeil Clench - Man in PubClive Standen - UNIT SoldierBhasker Patel - Jival ChowdryCatherine York - Female ReporterBen Righton - MorgensternLoraine Velez - Spanish MaidJason Mohammad - Studio News ReaderSanchia McCormack - Housing OfficerLawrence Stevenson - Soldier #1Terri-Ann Brumby - Woman in DoorwayLachele Carl - Trinity WellsPaul Richard Biggin - Soldier #2[1] Production Writer Russell T. Davies Director Graeme Harper Script editor Brian Minchin Producer Susie Liggat Executive producer(s) Russell T. Davies Julie Gardner Phil Collinson Production code 4.11 Series Series 4 Length 50 mins Originally broadcast 21 June 2008 Chronology - Preceded by Followed by - "Midnight" "The Stolen Earth"
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Bad Wolf arc
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsBad Wolf The words Bad Wolf as aerosol graffiti on the TARDIS in "Aliens of London" The first arc word of the new series, "Bad Wolf", began to crop up in various ways starting from the second episode, "The End of the World", and then grew in prominence, leading to much fan speculation over the course of the series as to what the phrase referred to and what its ultimate significance would be. In this respect, the phrase was also a form of viral marketing. There was little clue to the meaning of the phrase until "The Parting of the Ways", where it was revealed to be a message spread by Rose Tyler throughout time after infusing herself with the power of the heart of the TARDIS. Having infused herself with the power of the time vortex, Rose gained seemingly infinite reality warping abilities with which she obliterated a Dalek fleet, before this fatal energy was removed from her by the Doctor. Describing herself as "see[ing] the whole of time and space", the extent of Rose's actions remains unclear. She revived Jack Harkness, an event which made him immortal, perhaps purposefully, and also acted as the catalyst for the Ninth Doctor's regeneration into the Tenth. " I am the Bad Wolf. I create myself. I take the words. I scatter them ... in time, and space. A message to lead myself here. " --Rose Tyler in "The Parting of the Ways". Bad Wolf arc The phrase first appeared in the second episode of the 2005 series, and then in every story of that series thereafter. It also occasionally appeared in the 2006 and 2007 series. Within the 2005 series of Doctor Who, the arc comprised the following episodes: "The End of the World": The Moxx of Balhoon mentions in a half-heard conversation to the Face of Boe the "Bad Wolf scenario." "The Unquiet Dead": When the clairvoyant Gwyneth reads Rose's mind, she says, "The things you've seen... the darkness.. the Big Bad Wolf!" "Aliens of London"/"World War Three": A young boy spray-paints the graffiti BAD WOLF on the side of the TARDIS and later cleans it off. "Dalek": The call sign for Henry van Statten's private helicopter is "Bad Wolf One" "The Long Game": One of the several thousand television channels being broadcast from Satellite Five is BAD WOLFTV. "Father's Day": A poster advertising a rave in 1987 has the words "BAD WOLF" defacing it. "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances": The bomb that Captain Jack rides at the end of the story is labelled "SCHLECHTER WOLF", which literally translates as "Bad Wolf" in German (the appropriate translation, however, would be "Boser Wolf"). "Boom Town": A nuclear power plant is dubbed the Blaidd Drwg project, which is Welsh for "Bad Wolf". The Doctor also mentions for the first time that the phrase had been following them around. "Bad Wolf"/"The Parting of the Ways": The corporation that runs the Game Station (formerly Satellite Five) is called the Badwolf Corporation. It is from this corporation's logo that Rose "takes the words" to scatter throughout Time and Space, resulting in the other appearances of the phrase. It is also in scattered graffiti around Rose's council estate, including on a poster tacked to the wall behind Rose's head in the cafe scene and in giant letters on a paved recreation ground. The latter is faded, but still visible, in "New Earth". Since the initial arc, the phrase Bad Wolf has reappeared in the background of many other scenes. 2007 series episode "Gridlock" features the Japanese word Akuro, Japanese for "evil wolf", labelled on poster in a car. Torchwood episode "Captain Jack Harkness" featured the phrase as graffiti in a Welsh dance hall, and in Torchwood book Another Life by Peter Anghelides, a large part of the plot revolves around the Blaidd Drwg nuclear power station. In a re-creation of classic Second Doctor serial The Invasion , the animators slipped a Bad Wolf on the wall where Zoe scribbled the phone number. Other allusions since "The Parting of the Ways" include the 2006 series episode "Tooth and Claw", in which the Host mentions that Rose has "seen [the wolf] too", and that there is "something of the wolf about [her]". The phrase reappeared in the 2008 series episode "Turn Left": At the end of this episode all text turns into "Bad Wolf", including the backlit signs and the board on the front of the TARDIS. This is described by the Doctor to be the end of the universe. There was an earlier visual reference in the 2008 series: one of the drawings by the little girl (in episode "Forest of the Dead") featured a blonde girl and a wolf. The phrase was similarly used as a precursor explanation of possible inconsistencies, such as in "Love & Monsters",[4] effectively attributing them to the actions of Rose as the Bad Wolf during "The Parting of the Ways". As the phrase is a reminder of the connection between the Doctor and Rose, it appears explicitly in their final farewell; in "Doomsday", the Doctor projects an image to say goodbye to Rose on a beach in the Norway of the parallel Earth called "Darlig ulv stranden", which she translates as "Bad Wolf Bay". (In actuality, it can be translated to "Bad Wolf Beach"). Also on the Doctor Who website, the Captain Jack monster file for Judoon, there is a advert for good wolf insurance. Other media The tie-in websites set up by the BBC to accompany the series also featured appearances of the phrase. The "Who is Doctor Who?" site featured a clip from "World War Three" with an American newsreader. This clip differed from the one shown in the broadcast version in only one respect: the newsreader was identified as "Mal Loup", French for "bad wolf". At one point, the Doctor is described as being off "making another decision for us, all 'I'm the big bad wolf and it's way past your bedtime.'" The UNIT website also used "badwolf" as a password to enter the "secure" areas of the website. The Geocomtex website's support page has BADWOLF transcribed in Morse Code, and its products page make mention of Lupus and Nocens variants for their "node stabilisers" (lupus nocens is Latin for "wolf who harms"). They also offered "Argentum Ordnance", argentum being Latin for "silver" -- silver bullets being traditionally used for killing werewolves. In the background image of the BBC Doctor Who website's TARDISODE page, the words "BAD WOLF" can be seen scrawled behind Mickey Smith.[5] The graffiti can also be seen in the background of Rose Tyler's character page.[6] In one of the areas in the Ghostwatch game, "BAD WOLF" is written as graffiti on a wall. The phrase occurs in some of the New Series Adventures, the BBC Books range of spin-off novels based on the new series. The Ninth Doctor Adventures run concurrently with the 2005 series. The Clockwise Man, by Justin Richards features a character named Melissa Heart who notes that the two time travellers keep turning up "like a bad wolf." In Winner Takes All by Jacqueline Rayner, there is a game called "Bad Wolf" amongst Mickey's other computer games. In The Monsters Inside by Stephen Cole, a character named Dennel tells Rose "The big bad wolf's ready to blow our house down." In The Deviant Strain, also by Richards, a psychic character tells Rose that he fears "The bad wolf... The man with the wolf on his arm." Later, this character is indirectly killed by another character who has a tattoo of a wolf on his arm. In The Stealers of Dreams by Steve Lyons, a character explaining why fiction is dangerous says, "We've good reason to be afraid of the big bad wolf." The phrase also appears in later Tenth Doctor novels, such as Peacemaker a character says the Doctor is 'the man who defeated the Bad Wolf'. There were two "Bad Wolf" references in the Doctor Who Magazine Ninth Doctor comic strips. In Part Two of The Love Invasion (DWM #356, May 2005), there is a poster on the wall of a pub reading "Bad Wolf". In Part One of A Groatsworth of Wit (DWM #363, December 2005), a tavern sign in Elizabethan London features a picture of a wolf's head and the initials "B.W." A motorcycle gang in the Torchwood Magazine comic Jetsam is named Blaid Drwg.
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The Stolen Earth
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsThe Stolen Earth From TARDIS Index File, the free Doctor Who reference. Jump to: navigation, search "Welcome to my new Empire, Doctor. It is only fitting that you should bear witness to the resurrection - and the triumph - of Davros, Lord and Creator of the Dalek Race." --Davros The Stolen Earth is the penultimate episode of the fourth series (season 30) of Doctor Who. The Stolen Earth Series: Series 4 Series Number: 30 Story Number: 12 Doctor: Tenth Doctor Companions: Donna NobleRose TylerMartha JonesCaptain Jack Harkness Sarah Jane Smith Enemy: The DaleksDavrosSupreme Dalek Setting: EarthSol systemShadow ProclamationLondonCardiffFlydale NorthNew York2009Medusa Cascade Writer: Russell T. Davies Director: Graeme Harper Producer: Phil Collinson Broadcast: 28th June 2008 Format: 1x45 minute episode Prod. Code: 202 a Previous Story: Turn Left Following Story: Journey's End Contents [hide] 1 Synopsis2 Plot3 Cast4 References 4.1 Daleks4.2 The Doctor4.3 Last Great Time War4.4 Planets4.5 Technology 5 Story notes 5.1 Ratings5.2 Myths and rumours5.3 Filming Locations5.4 Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors 6 Continuity7 External links window.onload = function() { if (window.showTocToggle) { window.tocShowText = "show"; window.tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); }}; [edit] Synopsis When the Earth is stolen from its orbit and placed in another galaxy with 26 other stolen planets, the Doctor's secret army of allies comes together to defend the Earth from the New Dalek Empire. With battles raging on the streets and in the sky, the Doctor and Donna confront the Shadow Proclamation to find the truth; however, a fearsome old enemy waits in the shadows [edit] Plot Having seen the signs, the Doctor and Donna returned to Earth to find everything in order. Donna pressed the Doctor for an explanation of Rose's unexpected reappearance; the Doctor says that, if Rose can cross from her parallel world to Donna's parallel world, then the walls of reality are breaking down. But, with Earth apparently safe for now, they return to the TARDIS and prepare to stop the walls breaking. The TARDIS rumbles with an apparent earthquake. The Doctor and Donna rush to the doors and fling them open--to find that they are hanging in space. The Doctor checks the readings and realizes they have not moved, but the Earth has gone missing. It has been stolen. At the UNIT New York Base, Dr Martha Jones, regains consciousness after an earthquake to find UNIT in chaos and its personnel panicking. One hysterical colleague screams at Martha to look at at the sky. In Torchwood Three, Captain Jack Harkness blames the Rift for the brief but violent earthquake that has just devastated the Hub. After making sure that the other members of Torchwood Three -Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones - are all right, Jack heads outside to survey the damage. Ianto and Gwen look at the computers and Ianto realizes that, whatever the problem is, "it's a bit bigger than South Wales". At 13 Bannerman Road, Ealing, London, Sarah Jane Smith and her son Luke comment on the earthquake - and wonder why, if it was only 8 a.m., when the quake struck, it is now dark outside. They approach the nearest window and look outside. In Chiswick, London, Donna's mother Sylvia and grandfather Wilfred aren't sure what has caused the earthquake. As they step outside their home, Sylvia looks at the sky. On the street in London where the TARDIS was parked, Rose Tyler materializes. She is carrying a large gun. She looks up and, alone of the Doctor's friends, does not seem surprised. She declares that "it's only just beginning..." The familiar Earth sky is gone. The sun is gone. The constellations have been replaced with strange new ones. And twenty-six new planets have appeared in the sky. Aboard the TARDIS, Donna demands to know if her family are dead. The Doctor does not know, and decides they have to get help. They set a course for the Shadow Proclamation. At Sarah Jane's house, alien supercomputer Mr Smith picks up readings of a fleet of 200 spaceships apparently headed towards Earth. At UNIT, American UNIT leader General Sanchez enters tells all soldiers and staff that UNIT commander Geneva has declared a Code Red Emergency. Martha tells him that she has tried to phone the Doctor, but the signal is dead. The number calls anywhere in the Universe, but the signal is being blocked by some unknown force. Sanchez notes that they will likely find out soon because the fleet is coming into orbit. Martha manages to call Jack, who says that he has not heard anything from the Doctor either. Gwen calls her husband, Rhys, and tells him to stay indoors and call her mother. Meanwhile, Rose is walking along the streets of London. She threatens a pair of looters with her gun and looks at the computer screen in the bank they were robbing. She then looks at the readings. At Torchwood Three, the team see the spaceships. Mr Smith tells Sarah Jane that the ships have a message for the human race. He puts it through. It consists of a single repeated word: 'EXTERMINATE!' The message is heard on all frequencies, including in UNIT and the speakers at Torchwood Three. The enemy are the Daleks. Upon hearing the message, both Jack and Sarah become very emotional and Jack says "I'm sorry. We're dead." Rose hears the message and heads outside to see a massive Dalek spaceship flying over London, destroying everything in its path. Martha looks outside to see Dalek spaceships flying everywhere, destroying New York. Aboard a massive spaceship at the heart of the cluster of planets, the Daleks finalize their plans. The Supreme Dalek, a red Dalek with extra paneling, declares that the Crucible will soon be complete, and that the Daleks are the masters of Earth. Far back across the Universe, on board the TARDIS and unaware of the unfolding destruction on Earth, the Doctor and Donna arrive at the Shadow Proclamation and are greeted at gunpoint by its rhino-headed guards, the Judoon. The Doctor manages to convince them they mean no harm and need help. A female member of the Proclamation tells the Doctor that the situation is worse than he suspects--not one but 24 planets have been stolen. Donna asks about Pyrovillia, but the Judoon captain tells her that Pyrovillia is a cold case, and it disappeared over 2000 years ago. Donna asks about the Adipose Breeding Planet and the Doctor realizes that planets are being snatched out of time as well as space. The Doctor heads over to the computer and shifts the display of the missing planets into 3D. He adds Adipose 3, Pyrovillia, and the Lost Moon of Poosh. The model rearranges itself into a perfect balance. They fit together 'like pieces of an engine'. Back on Earth, the Daleks attack and bring down the Valiant. Jack, Gwen and Ianto try to find a way to stop them. But their efforts are futile. Daleks land in Japan and Africa as well as other countries across the world. On board the station, the Supreme Dalek orders the Daleks to prepare landings and bring the humans to the Crucible. Then he recieves a call from the control room, asking about news. The Supreme Dalek declares Earth has been subjugated. The speaker is a sinister figure in the control, with the bottom half of a Dalek but his top half hidden in shadow. He is really asking for news of the Doctor, and the Supreme Dalek replies that there are no reports of the Doctor, and that they are beyond his reach. The figure is fascinated by the Dalek's tone of what seems to be triumph, and warns him about his pride. The Supreme Dalek believes the Doctor cannot stop them. The figure replies "And yet, Dalek Caan is anxious." A light switches on to show a Dalek with its mid-section opened to reveal the creature inside, and its top half destroyed, evidently Caan. The Supreme Dalek protests "The abomination is insane!" The figure demands that the Dalek shows respect, as without Dalek Caan Earth could never be conquered. Also, everything Caan says comes true. Caan says "He is coming, the three-fold man, he dances in the universe...oh, creator of us all...THE DOCTOR IS COMING!" Then he makes a noise that sounds like laughter. Back at the Shadow Proclamation's space station, Donna is sitting on the stairs waiting for the Doctor to work out what has happened. A Shadow Architect comes over and gives Donna some water. She then tells her that there was something on her back. The Doctor asks Donna if anything strange was happening on Earth. Donna reminds him about the bees disappearing. The Doctor realizes that this is a clue. Donna tells him some people thought it was pollution, or global warming. The Doctor tells her that in fact the bees were returning home, to the planet Melissa Majoria: The Tandoka Trail. They realize that if they follow the trail they can find the Earth. The Shadow Architect stops them, however, telling them "The planets were taken with hostile intent. We are declaring war, Doctor, right across the Universe and You will lead us into battle!" The Doctor tells her to 'Go get your key.' The TARDIS then vanishes, despite the Architect's demand that they stop. Back on Earth, the Daleks have enslaved London are ordering that all humans leave their homes. Wilf and Sylvia are watching this happening. When a man and his children defy them and stay at home, the Daleks brutally incinerate the house, leaving no survivors. Wilf and Sylvia run out onto the street and are confronted by a Dalek. Wilf grabs a paint gun a shoots the Dalek in the eye. The paint melts away. The Dalek then prepares to exterminate them, but then, suddenly, it explodes. Behind stands Rose, who has shot it with her gun. She asks if they are Donna's family, and when they reply yes, she tells them she needs them. Wilf reveals he has tried calling her, but there is no reply. The last time Donna had phoned was from the planet Midnight, made of diamonds. Sylvia believes this is ridiculous, but Wilf tells her she cannot start denying things now. Rose tells them that they are her last hope of finding the Doctor. Meanwhile, the TARDIS stops in the Medusa Cascade. The Doctor tells Donna he came here when he was just 30 years old, and that it was the centre of a rift in time and space. Donna asks about the 27 planets, and the Doctor tells her that they are nowhere. Donna asks what they do, but the Doctor does not reply. It becomes apparent that he has given up. On Earth, Sarah Jane and Captain Jack have given up. At the Nobles' house, the laptop suddenly switches itself on, with a voice coming through. Sarah and Torchwood hear it too. Jack tells Gwen to leave it, but suddenly the woman who is speaking shames him, and demands that he stands to attention. She then identifies herself as Harriet Jones, former prime minister. Rose tries to talk to Harriet, but she can't hear her. Also, Wilf and Sylvia do not have a webcam. Harriet makes contact with Sarah, and then decides they should be able to talk to each other. There are four contacts: Harriet, Sarah and Torchwood. The fourth contact is having trouble getting in contact. Rose thinks this is her, but is surprised when Martha appears on screen. Martha reveals that Project Indigo brought her home, to her mother. Harriet then introduces Torchwood to Sarah. Jack has been following Sarah's work, and tells her "Nice job with the Slitheen." Sarah has been staying away from Torchwood- too many guns. Jack tells her "Looking good, ma'am." Harriet tells them that this is the Subwave Network- it contacts anyone and everyone who can contact the Doctor. Harriet wants them to form The Doctor's Secret Army. Sarah reminds Harriet that the Doctor deposed her. Harriet tells her that she has wondered ever since then if she was wrong. She has, however, stood by what she said: There would be one day when Earth would be threatened, and the Doctor would not appear. She told him so and he did not listen. Now it has happened. Torchwood realize that they can transmit using all the power of the Rift, and Luke and Sarah have Mr Smith: phones, all calling out the same number at the same time. Ianto appears beside Jack and theorizes that if transmitting slows or stops, the Subwave Network will become visible to the Daleks. Harriet understands this, but declares her life does not matter- not if it saves the world. she then tells Jack to tell the Doctor from her "He chose his companions well." Martha sends them all the number. Rose decides to call the Doctor herself. The transmitting starts. Rose, Sylvia and Wilf start to call the Doctor. Suddenly, transmitting slows, and the Daleks detect the Subwave Network. The Supreme Dalek orders that the culprit be exterminated. The figure in the control room contacts him again, telling him "I warned you, Supreme One. Just as Dalek Caan foretold, the Children of Time are moving against us. But everything is falling into place..." Gwen tells Harriet they have found her, but Harriet keeps working. She sends control to Torchwood, just as the Daleks arrive in her home. The Daleks tell her they know her. Harriet says "Oh, you know nothing of any human. And that will be your downfall." Then they exterminate her. On board the TARDIS, the Doctor and Donna suddenly pick up signals from the Doctor's companions. The Doctor introduces Donna to all of them. On board the Crucible, Caan says "He is here...the Dark Lord is coming..." Then, the figure says "Supreme One, I will make contact on the Subwave Network. Give me access." Suddenly, all the contacts vanish off-screen. Donna thinks they are losing contact, but the Doctor realizes there is another contact coming through. He thinks it is Rose, but when he speaks a familiar voice says "Your voice is different, but its arrogance is unmistakable..." Suddenly, the figure glides onto the screen, and is revealed as Davros. He says "Welcome to my new empire, Doctor. It is only fitting that you should witness the resurrection and the triumph of Davros, lord and creator the Dalek race." The Doctor protests that Davros was destroyed in the very fist year of the Time War. His command ship flew into the jaws of the Nightmare Child at the Gates of Elysium. He even attempted to save Davros. Davros says "But it took one stronger than you- Dalek Caan himself." Caan says "I flew into the wild, and the fire. I danced and I died a thousand times" Davros tells the Doctor that his Emergency Temporal Shift from 1930 had taken him back into the Time War itself. The Doctor protests that the War is timelocked. But Caan had broken down the barriers and rescued Davros, albeit at the cost of his own mind. The Doctor realizes that now Davros has created a new race of Daleks. Davros says "I gave myself to them- quite literally: each one grown from a cell of my own body." He reveals that parts of his torso have been replaced by metal. His hand is also metal, but this is to replace the one blown off on Necros. As Davros says: "New Daleks...TRUE Daleks. I have my children, Doctor. What do you have, now?" Then, the Doctor says one thing: "BYE!" He then cuts transmission with Davros, and sets the TARDIS for Earth. The Supreme Dalek orders that the Daleks locate the TARDIS and find the Doctor. Davros orders the other Daleks to go to the Earth and exterminate or capture the Doctor's companions. Caan says "Death is coming. I can see it! Everlasting death for the most faithful companion..." Suddenly, the Daleks detect that the Subwave Network has been rebooted, and the new location is Torchwood. The Supreme Dalek orders that Torchwood be exterminated. On Earth, Jack contacts Martha via phone and asks for the digits on the Project Indigo transporter. They are wavering between a 4 and a 9. These are the two digits Jack needs to reactivate his Vortex Manipulator. He grabs the re-powered defabricator, and tells Gwen and Ianto that he will come back. Then he vanishes. Sarah then heads off to find the Doctor in her car. Mr Smith protects Luke. Rose contacts the paralel Torchwood and asks them to lock her onto the TARDIS, after she sais goodbye to Sylvia and Wilf she teleports away. The TARDIS lands in a street that is deserted and trashed. The Doctor asks Donna what Rose said in the parallel earth and Donna replies by saying "Why don't you ask her yourself". The Doctor turns around and see's Rose standing down the street then they both run towards each other. As they get closer a stray Dalek apears from behind a van and spots The Doctor. The Doctor sees the Dalek but is too slow and the Dalek shoots the Doctor in the arm, sending him to the ground. However the beam only partialy hits The Doctor and doesn't kill him straight away. Captain Jack teleports into the street and shoots the Dalek to bits with his gun. Rose kneels over The Doctor as he lies on the floor diying and Jack and Donna gather around and prepare to move him into the TARDIS. Back in Torchwood Gwen and Ianto pick up guns and get ready for battle. A Dalek enters Torchwood and Gwen and Ianto open fire. Back in the Tardis The Doctor is in terrible pain. Donna asks if theres anything they can do to help him but Jack tells them to just stay away. Rose and Jack knows what will happen next but Donna is oblivious. The Doctorr lifts up his hand and it begins to glow. Sarah jane is still in her car and is driving down a street untill she nearly hits two Daleks that are on the road. The Daleks turn around and Sarah jane tries to apoligise but the Daleks do not accept it and prepares to exterminate her. Back in the TARDIS The Doctor is still in pain and Jack makes the others back away. Donna asks whats going on and Rose explains that when The Doctor is diying he can heal himself but he changes in the process. Rose doesn't want The Doctor to change as she has come a long way to find him however the process has already started so he can't stop it. As The Doctor stumbles to his feet he stands up right and bursts with a huge yellow and white energy. His hands and head explode with energy and starts to regenerate in front of Rose, Jack and Donna. [edit] Cast The Doctor - David Tennant Donna Noble - Catherine Tate Rose Tyler - Billie Piper Martha Jones - Freema Agyeman Captain Jack Harkness - John Barrowman Sarah Jane Smith - Elisabeth Sladen Gwen Cooper - Eve Myles Ianto Jones - Gareth David-Lloyd Luke Smith - Tommy Knight Davros - Julian Bleach Sylvia Noble - Jacqueline King Wilfred Mott - Bernard Cribbins Harriet Jones - Penelope Wilton Francine Jones - Adjoa Andoh General Sanchez - Michael Brandon Dalek (voice) - Nicholas Briggs Judoon Captain- Paul Kasey Shadow Architect - Kelly Hunter Albino Servant - Amy Beth Hayes Suzanne - Andrea Harris Paul O'Grady - Himself Richard Dawkins - Himself Trinity Wells - Lachelle Carl Drunk Man - Marcus Cunningham Newsreader - Jason Mohammed Scared Man - Gary Miller Dalek operators - Barney Edwards, Nick Pegg, David Hankinson, Anthony Spargo Mr. Smith (voice) - Alexander Armstrong Judoon (voice) - Nicholas Briggs (uncredited) [edit] References General Sanchez is heard saying "Ladies and gentlemen, we are at war." The same phrase was spoken by Jack Harkness when facing the Daleks on the Gamestation. Harriet Jones has yet again introduce herself by flashing her identity card earning her the response of "Yes, I/We know who you are", even from the Daleks dispatched to her location to exterminate her. Mr Smith says that the TARDIS has landed in "vector 7, grid references 666". 666 is the number of The Beast. [edit] Daleks Wilf uses a paintball gun as a weapon against the Daleks by shooting paintballs at their eye stalks, referencing the popular method of incapacitating a Dalek: blinding them. However, it seems that the Daleks have been redesigned with this weakness in mind as the paint simply melts off the eye stalk after coming into contact with it (and at the same time replying "My vision is NOT impaired"). Dalek Caan predicts the most "faithful" companion will die. Caan referred the Doctor as "Dark Lord". (The Doctor is probably referred to in this way due to being the cause of death and destruction, from the point of view of the Daleks. ) He has also been known by the Daleks as the Ka Faraq Gatri or the 'destroyer of worlds' and also "The Oncoming Storm". The new Daleks are said to be Davros's "children" as they have been grown from his own cells. Davros makes a quick reference to Dalek Emperor. Wilf fires a paintball at a Dalek The Daleks' weaponry has seemingly been updated to include a "maximum extermination" setting, capable of destroying an entire house if three Daleks fire at the same target. The Daleks in this episode don't seem to have shields. [edit] The Doctor The Doctor first went to the Medusa Cascade when he was "just a child" at the age of 90. [edit] Last Great Time War Doctor says that Davros died in the very first years of the Time War, when Davros's ship flew into the "jaws of the nightmare child", suggesting that Time War lasted several years. An ongoing question relating to why the Doctor can't or won't go back to the era of the Time War to make things turn out differently is addressed by the Doctor indicating that the war is time-locked; Dalek Caan, having circumvented this barrier, paid for the experience with his sanity. It's revealed that Davros fought in the Time War, and the Doctor tried to save his life. This means at least two of the Doctor's mortal enemies were involved in the conflict, although the Doctor wasn't aware of The Master's involvement until much later. [edit] Planets Some of the missing planets mentioned are: Callufrax Minor, Woman Wept, Clom, Pyrovillia, Adipose 3, The lost moon of Poosh and Earth. The missing planet Callufrax Minor may be a reference to Calufrax, the miniaturized planet and Key to Time segment of The Pirate Planet. Ironically one of the co-stars of that Tom Baker-era serial, Bruce Purchase, died only a few weeks before the episode was broadcast. [edit] Technology There is reference to an object called an "Osterhagen key", but no explanation is given as to its function, origin or purpose. Significantly, while Harriet Jones is aware of its function and forbids its use, and Martha is also aware of what it can do, Jack Harkness and Torchwood have no idea what it is, even though they know about the other top-secret Indigo project, though Jack does mention this was because he 'met a soldier in a bar'. He is also from the future and seems to know the project is not fully operational, though Martha survives. Harriet Jones uses the subwave network to put the Doctor's 'secret army' in contact with each other, it utilises Sub-wave communication developed by the Mr Copper Foundation. Donna compares it to Facebook. The Master's beat is heard just before the subwave network comes online. [edit] Story notes This episode was the last of Series 4 to have its title revealed. This is the fourth time that the Daleks have returned with a leader in a finale. In DW: The Evil of the Daleks they returned led by their emperor; in the 2005 finale, The Parting of the Ways, the Daleks were led by the Dalek Emperor; and in 2006 finale, Doomsday, Dalek Sec led the Cult of Skaro. The Other Dalek two-parter in 2007 Series was shown as the 4th & 5th Episodes of the Series (Daleks in Manhattan and Evolution of the Daleks). Davros refers to the Doctor's allies as the Children of Time. Or, he might be referring to the Time Lords themselves, since he does not yet know who is operating such a powerful sub-wave transmission. The Doctor starts to regenerate yet again, acting as a cliff hanger. The Doctor's severed hand is seen bubbling at the end of Turn Left and during this episode as well. When in Jack Harkness's possession, the bubbling signaled the Doctor's presence, but in the Doctor's possession the bubbling has signaled the presence of other Time Lords. Could the Doctor's severed hand have a sentient mind? Davros and his command ship were lost in the first year of the Time War. Dalek Caan managed to save Davros, at the cost of his own sanity. The Doctor states he tried to save Davros before his ship was lost in the first year of the Time War. The "To Be Continued" before the end credits is different from the others previously used. There is also no sneak peek of the next episode. When Harriet Jones contacts Captain Jack, Martha Jones and Sarah Jane Smith, the contact tone is the same tone used by The Master to control the populace under the Archangel network. For the first time, the opening credits incorporate not two or three names, but six, adding Freema Agyeman, John Barrowman and Elisabeth Sladen to the Tennant, Tate and Piper credits of the previous week. The typeface used for these credits is slightly different than that usually used. In addition, several "overflow" cast credits are featured over the first scene after the opening sequence, a first for the series (Penelope Wilton, Adjoa Andoh, Eve Myles and Gareth David-Lloyd). Incidentally this is the first time Elizabeth Sladen's name has appeared in the opening credits. This is the first time all of the Doctor's "main" companions since the revival of the series began (the female leads) have all been credited at the same time; it is not, however, a complete listing of all the revival-series companions as Noel Clarke, Kylie Minogue (Astrid Peth) and Bruno Langley (Adam Mitchell) are not included. Russell T Davies' pattern of using the same surnames is the most notable in this episode with Martha Jones, Francine Jones, Harriet Jones and Ianto Jones. Francine and Martha are related (mother and daughter). Scientist and author Richard Dawkins has a cameo as himself. Dawkins is married to Lalla Ward, the actress who portrayed Romana II. The two were introduced by Douglas Adams, who met Ward in his capacity as the show's script editor. The claws of the Daleks in Crucible is very similar to ones in Doctor Who And The Daleks- Movie, but with eight fingers instead of two. Dalek Caan predicts the most "faithful" companion will die. The clicking sound when the Time Beetle from Turn Left was mentioned occurred when Donna was offered water at the Shadow Proclamation, accompanied by the same words used when the Time Beetle was "seen" by somebody else, "There's something on your back!" The story is very similar to that of previous Doctor Who writer, Douglas Adams' story Life, The Universe and Everything, which was in itself based on an abandoned Doctor Who story Adams had written. According to The Daily Mail, more than 2,500 people tried to call the Doctor's mobile phone number, despite it being a non-functioning number.[1] [edit] Ratings To be added [edit] Myths and rumours The presence of Davros in this episode had been rumoured for a long time before broadcast. An associated rumour suggested that the episode would reveal that Donna was actually Davros in disguise or Caan mutating himself into Davros. See this section in Journey's End for additional rumors related to Donna. It was also rumoured on the fan boards that Patrick Stewart or Ben Kingsley might have been cast as Davros, given media reports of his interest in appearing in Doctor Who after it was announced that he and Tennant would perform a season of Shakespeare together in 2008. Ultimately, Julian Bleach was revealed to be playing the character. [edit] Filming Locations Cardiff Pontypridd [edit] Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors It is not explained how the Daleks know of Harriet Jones. Presumably this is for comedic effect, serving only to continue the running gag. During the doomsday episode the Dr Singh character had his memory taken and he would have known about Harriet Jones and even though Dalek Caan is insane Davros is aware of current events. After Dalek Caan says 'Death for the most faithful companions' one of the Dalek's eye piece light is not working, but then suddenly lights up. Normally when a Dalek exterminates someone the beam normally hits them and disappears but when the Doctor gets exterminated you can clearly see the ray go through him and come out the other side. (The beam did not go through him: it went past him, only touching him slightly. Also, his entire body did not glow; only a portion did, which suggests that the beam did not do full damage (though still enough to cause a regeneration apparently).) At the end of Turn Left Bad Wolf was on the TARDIS. It's not there now. (They've traveled to Earth, as per Rose's request. Having arrived, there's no further need for the Bad Wolf message.) When Harriet Jones transfers control of the sub-wave network to Torchwood, the map circles an area in Swansea, not Cardiff. Russell T. Davies was born in Swansea, this may be an intentional error. When Jones' sub-wave system seeks out those who have worked with the Doctor, only the companions of the Tenth Doctor are singled out, not other past companions and/or acquaintances who might have worked with previous incarnations.Harriet Jones states the sub wave only finds people with the capacity to contact the Doctor. Presumably this refers to the current incarnation of the Doctor (as opposed to someone trying to contact, say, the Sixth Doctor), thereby disqualifying companions such as Ian Chesterton or Tegan Jovanka, who presumably have no access to things like "superphones". Donna indicates she has no idea what regeneration is, even though she was present when Martha referenced it in The Doctor's Daughter (She might not have understood what was meant at the time). Why did Harriet's computer screen turn off just because she died? Presumably the computer was destroyed as well as Harriet, perhaps by the Daleks' extermination rays. They might not have 'exterminated' her, but her computer in an attempt to stop the signal. Also, if the subwave finds the people who can contact the Doctor, then it must somehow link with the people themselves. This is demonstrated by the sub-wave finding Rose, even though the nearest computer is not her own. Harriet's death would therefore have severed the connection. How did Captain Jack know exactly where to teleport to shoot the Dalek that had shot the Doctor? He probably tracked the TARDIS location. The numbers 4 and 9 were to reactivate his vortex manipulator. He also appears to have arrived facing the Dalek, so his reflexes would have come into play. If Rose asked her "Control" to lock on to the TARDIS and transport, why did she end up at the other end of the street? (Even a machine as good as the TARDIS can make slight errors. The control did reasonably well to land her quite near to the TARDIS, especially since we don't yet know where "Control" is located; if it's on Pete's World or Donna's World, accuracy may have been difficult.) Dalek Caan didn't have emotions, so how can he laugh or go insane in the first place? Caan was a member of the Cult of Skaro, who were made to think like the enemy, i.e. having names and some emotions. As indicated in dialogue in this episode, emotions are discouraged, but still exist. There are also other examples of Daleks displaying anger, pride, and even a sense of humor (albeit sarcastic and dry) in past episodes (for an example of the last, reference the "pest control" comment directed at the Cybermen in Doomsday). Not only that, but Davros, when he created the Daleks, didn't remove all emotions: just those which he considered a weakness, such as mercy, compassion and forgiveness. Not to mention the fact that emotions are not a necessary component of insanity. Ianto is seen watching Paul O'Grady, but it was said earlier in the episode that it was a Saturday. Paul O'Grady is not aired on a Saturday. A possibility is that the move of Earth has taken time or time has skipped forward since the mention of the date was prior to the move. There is clear indication that, on Earth at least, at least a few hours might have elapsed. (As this episode is set in 2009 (our future) it is possible that the Paul O'Grady show is moved at some point to Saturday evenings.) When a Dalek turns around and implies, "New location, Torchwood", the blue light in it's eye is switched off as if it has been blinded and does not come on until a few seconds later. The apparent death of Harriet Jones puts paid to the Ninth Doctor stating that she was destined to serve three terms as PM and lead Britain into a new golden age (DW: World War Three). In several episodes, the Doctor has stated that history can be rewritten and only certain fixed points remain unchangeable. Presumably Jones is one of those changeable points. Also, Turn Left addressed the notion of alternate timelines stemming from choices; perhaps the Ninth Doctor was referencing what turned out to be an alternate timeline created when his next incarnation set in motion the events that would end her career (DW: The Christmas Invasion). Also, it should be noted that until the events of Journey's End play out, it remains to be seen if Jones has actually been killed. Television, cellphone and satellite communications continue to work, even though by rights when the planet moved anything in orbit should have been lost. Evidently when the Earth was moved whoever did it decided to include its satellites as well. One does not need satellites for ground-based television or cellphone broadcasts. What about the Moon? There's no indication it was moved with the Earth, so is it going to drift away? Objects in space often move slowly relative to the Earth, so even if the moon were suddenly cut free (a la Moonbase Alpha in Space: 1999) it would take a
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Journey's End
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsJourney's End From TARDIS Index File, the free Doctor Who reference. Jump to: navigation, search <a href="http://media.fastclick.net/w/click.here?sid=27202&m=1&c=1" target="_top"><img src="http://media.fastclick.net/w/get.media?sid=27202&m=1&tp=5&d=s&c=1" width=728 height=90 border=1></a> "For this is my ultimate victory, Doctor! The destruction of reality itself!!" --Davros Journey's End Series: Doctor Who - TV stories Series Number: 30 Story Number: 13 Doctor: Tenth Doctor. Companions: Donna Noble (departs)Rose Tyler (departs)Martha Jones (departs)Captain Jack Harkness (departs)Mickey Smith (departs)Sarah Jane Smith (departs)K-9 Mark IV (cameo) Enemy: The DaleksDavros Setting: CrucibleMedusa CascadeGermanyTorchwood 3Sol systemLondon 2009 Writer: Russell T Davies Director: Graeme Harper Producer: Phil Collinson Broadcast: 5th July 2008 Format: 1x65 minute episode Prod. Code: 202 b Previous Story: The Stolen Earth Following Story: Proms Special (mini-episode)2008 Christmas special (title TBA) This is the 13th and final episode of Series 4 and featured 7 companions of the Doctor. It is a continued on a cliffhanger from Episode 12. Contents [hide] 1 Synopsis2 Plot3 Cast4 Production crew5 References 5.1 Individuals5.2 TARDISes5.3 Technology 6 Story notes 6.1 Ratings6.2 Myths and rumours6.3 Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors 7 Continuity8 DVD and Other releases9 See also10 External links window.onload = function() { if (window.showTocToggle) { window.tocShowText = "show"; window.tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); }}; [edit] Synopsis The entire universe is in danger as the Daleks activate their master plan, and enslave 21st century Earth. The Doctor is helpless, and even the TARDIS faces destruction. The only hope lies with the Doctor's secret army of companions- but as they join forces to battle Davros himself, the prophecy declares that one of them will die. [edit] Plot The TARDIS is captured Following on immediately from the end of "The Stolen Earth", The Doctor is regenerating inside the TARDIS while Donna Noble, Captain Jack Harkness and Rose Tyler watch in horror. However, the Doctor transfers his regenerative energy into the container which carries his severed hand. He has healed himself, but chosen not to change his appearance. The TARDIS is transported by the Daleks to the Crucible and rendered powerless. The Doctor, Jack, and Rose leave it, but Donna is distracted because she is hearing the sound of a heartbeat and while looking back, the TARDIS door slams closed. Before the Doctor can free her, the Daleks dump the TARDIS into a waste chute where it will be destroyed in the centre-core of the Crucible. As the TARDIS interior explodes around her, Donna collapses near the severed hand, she hears the heartbeat again and while touching the container energy flows between it and her. The hand bursts out of the container, and forms as a new Doctor, although this Doctor has only one heart and has picked up some of Donna's mannerisms. With his help, the TARDIS escapes destruction and gives the new Doctor and Donna time to come with a plan. In Torchwood Three, Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones find themselves safely in a time lock created by Toshiko Sato, preventing the Dalek from entering but also preventing them leaving. Sarah Jane Smith is saved from two Daleks by Mickey Smith and Jackie Tyler, but in order to follow the Doctor, lay down their guns and allow themselves to be captured, taken to the Crucible. Martha Jones says her goodbyes to her mother and makes for an abandoned castle in Germany where one of five Osterhagen stations is hidden, and waits for contact from the other bases. Aboard the Crucible, Jack creates a distraction by shooting the Supreme Dalek (Red Dalek) with his revolver, but is shot by the Daleks; as the Doctor and Rose are taken to the Vault where Davros is held, Jack's immortality allows him to escape. With the Doctor and Rose contained, Davros explains that the 27 planets form an energy pattern that is then amplified into a "reality bomb", able to break apart the forces holding everything together. Mickey, Jackie, and Sarah Jane escape a test chamber where this effect is shown to the Doctor just in time. Jack finds his way to the three, and with a locket from Sarah Jane, creates a device that will implode the Crucible. Meanwhile, Martha makes contact with two other bases in China and Liberia. The Chinese counterpart wants to get it over and done with, but Martha, knowing the Doctor, first broadcasts a signal to the Crucible to give them (probably both Earth and the Daleks) a second chance, promising to use the Ostenhagen key to detonate 25 nuclear warheads under the Earth's crust to destroy it and disable the reality bomb. However, the Daleks manage to lock onto their positions and beam Martha, Jack, Mickey, Jackie, and Sarah Jane, with the Transmat to the Vault where the Doctor and Rose are too being held captive. the TARDIS pulling the Earth through space The Daleks prepare to activate the reality bomb that will wipe out all matter in this and every parallel universe through the rifts in the Medusa Cascade, but the new Doctor and Donna arrive in the TARDIS. Both, however, are stunned by shots from Davros. The reality bomb countdown reaches zero, but nothing happens; Donna has manipulated the controls to disable it. The Doctor recognises that the creation of the new Doctor has had an unintended side effect: Donna is now half Time Lord herself, sharing the Doctor's intellect. Donna and the new Doctor free the others, and with the help of the original Doctor, disable the Daleks and start to send the planets back to their proper time and space. Before Earth can be sent, the machinery is destroyed by the Supreme Dalek, who is then destroyed by Captain Jack. The original Doctor races into the TARDIS to replace the functionality of the broken machine. Realising that Dalek Caan has seen the end of the Dalek race and has been manipulating time to achieve this, the new Doctor (probably not kept back by guilt due to the influence of Donna's personality) uses the remaining machinery to destroy all of the Daleks and their fleet. The rest of the companions flee to the TARDIS, and while the Doctor offers to save Davros, but he refuses, calling the Doctor the "Destroyer of Worlds". The Crucible is destroyed. The Doctor enlists the help of the other companions, making contact with the base Torchwood and with Luke Smith, Mr. Smith and K-9, to help use the TARDIS return the Earth to its proper place. Sarah Jane says her goodbyes, as well as Jack, Martha, and Mickey, who has decided to stay in this universe. Using a retroactively closing rift, the Doctor returns Rose and Jackie to the alternate dimension and leaves the new Doctor with her, as he will now grow old with Rose, no longer able to regenerate due to the human influence. The human doctor, having the same memories and feeling as the proper Doctor, whispers into Rose's ear (most likely telling her that he loves her), and they kiss. Returning to their universe, Donna finds she begins to have trouble thinking; the Doctor explains that the human mind cannot take in the Time Lord mental abilities. To save her, he wipes her mind of all her encounters with the Doctor, returning her home and explaining to her family, Sylvia Noble and Wilfred Mott, that she must never be reminded of her time with the Doctor or else she will die. As Donna recovers consciousness, she shows no interest in the Doctor; he leaves, though Wilfred promises he will look out for the Doctor every night while he looks at the sky. The Doctor then returns to the TARDIS, alone once again. Waiting for his next adventure........ [edit] Cast The Doctor - David Tennant Donna Noble - Catherine Tate Rose Tyler - Billie Piper Martha Jones - Freema Agyeman Captain Jack Harkness - John Barrowman Sarah Jane Smith - Elisabeth Sladen The Doctor - David Tennant Mickey Smith - Noel Clarke Jackie Tyler - Camille Coduri Luke Smith - Thomas Knight Gwen Cooper - Eve Myles Ianto Jones - Gareth David-Lloyd Wilfred Mott - Bernard Cribbins Sylvia Noble - Jacqueline King Francine Jones - Adjoa Andoh Davros - Julian Bleach Dalek Voice - Nicholas Briggs Voice of Mr Smith - Alexander Armstrong Voice of K-9 - John Leeson German Woman - Valda Aviks Scared Woman - Shobu Kapoor Anna Zhou - Elizabeth Tan Liberian Man - Michael Price [edit] Production crew Dalek Operators - Barnaby Edwards, Nicholas Pegg, David Hankinson, Anthony Spargo, Gethin Jones [edit] References The Doctor mentions that Rose has met Dalek Caan before, as part of the Cult of Skaro. Davros states that Sarah and he met on Skaro, in reference to Genesis of the Daleks . The Doctor returns Rose and Jackie to Dalig Ulv Stranden (Bad Wolf Bay) in the alternate universe). "Doctor Donna" was a quote foretold by the Ood. [edit] Individuals Those shown in flashback who died for the Doctor are Harriet Jones, Jabe, The Controller, Lynda Moss, Robert MacLeish, Mrs Moore, Colin Skinner, Bridget Sinclair, Ursula Blake (who did not die because The Doctor was able to bring her back to life), Face of Boe, Chantho, Astrid Peth, Luke Rattigan, Jenny (who is in fact not dead, but the Doctor is unaware of this), River Song and the Hostess. Both Rose and the Doctor recognise the familiar resemblance between Gwen Cooper and Gwyneth (who they encountered in Cardiff in 1869). Rose and Mickey, who previously had an on again, off again relationship, appear to have drifted apart. They do not look at each other, speak to each other, or interact at all, even when they are in the TARDIS together. Mickey does not say goodbye to her (though he does say goodbye to Jackie saying he'll miss her "more than anyone") and he tells the Doctor there's nothing for him in the parallel world, "certainly not Rose". Just before the Doctor is forced to erase her memory, Donna expresses a desire to meet Charlie Chaplin. This is the second finale in a row to have a character state a desire to meet a famous 20th century personality; previously the Doctor told Martha he wanted to meet Agatha Christie (DW: Last of the Time Lords); Christie subsequently appeared in The Unicorn and the Wasp; it remains to be seen if Donna's reference also serves a foreshadowing. [edit] TARDISes This is the first episode where the TARDIS is fully-staffed with six pilots, and the first time it is noted definitively that it was designed for six, after various mentions about it being made for more than a single Time Lord. [edit] Technology The purpose of the Osterhagen key is revealed in this episode. Martha's key is one of several required to set off a network of nuclear weapons buried deep beneath the Earth's surface. If detonated, these weapons would trigger the explosion of the Earth. Each key must be inserted into a control panel at an "Osterhagen station". There are apparently five around the world, but only three need to be manned with a key to initiate the detonation. Locations seen on screen are Germany, Liberia and China. The "Oserhagen Project" appears to have been in place for decades, according to the German woman who supplied food to the guards at the German station. Given the age of the German woman, and her claim that she knew of the Osterhagen key when she was in London during her youth, the "Osterhagen Project" likely dates to the days when the Brigadier was in charge of the British arm of UNIT. The technology used to emplace the nuclear weapons at the Earth's crust could therefore be linked to the drilling project featured in DW: Inferno. The Daleks have access to transmat technology. The TARDIS is captured by the Daleks in what they call a temporal prison but what the Doctor calls a chronon loop. Toshiko Sato installed a time lock around The Hub at Torchwood Three. Sarah Jane uses her sonic lipstick in the same manner as the Doctor's sonic screwdriver. This is the tool's first appearance in the main series. The "three Doctors" send the planets back to their original position through the use of a "magnetron". It is unclear if this is an intentional reference to the magnetrons seen previously in the original series (DW: Day of the Daleks, The Mysterious Planet), or just a general reference to real life magnetrons, used to power microwaves, radar screens and televisions. [edit] Story notes Blue Peter presenter Gethin Jones operates a Dalek in this episode, returning to Doctor Who since his brief appearance as a Cybus Cyberman in The Age of Steel. This was the longest series finale at 65 minutes long, longer even than most of the Christmas specials, except for Voyage of the Damned, which was 71 minutes. Dalek Caan refers to the Doctor as a 'threefold man'. The meaning becomes clear in this episode with both the copy of the Doctor and 'Doctor-Donna'. This episode marks the first series finale to show a preview of the upcoming Christmas Special (2008). After the credits the Cybermen are said to return in the episode. However the episode is unique for being the only series finale in the Russell T Davies era which doesn't end on a cliffhanger. It also breaks the pattern set by the previous two series by not having the Doctor exclaiming "What? What? What?" at the end. In fact it is the only finale scene of the Davies era in which no dialogue is spoken at all. Mickey, Jackie and Sarah hide from the Daleks in a shot that demonstrates an effect nicknamed the "Harper treatment". Graeme Harper's penchant for including a distorted image of a main character is present in this story. Though not included in every single story he's directed for BBC Wales, it's seen often enough to be considered something of a directorial "signature". Similar distortion is achieved through the use of magnifying glasses in Army of Ghosts, The Unicorn and the Wasp, and Utopia, and with mirrors in Turn Left. This time, it's Mickey, Jackie and Sarah Jane that get "the Harper treatment" under a curved window. This episode tells us that Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister, actually died in the previous episode. Davros named the Doctor 'The Destroyer of Worlds' and maybe a reference to Fires of Pompeii when it was said the Doctors name was sealed in the Cascade of Medusa herself or to the Doctor being the Ka Faraq Gatri. The Osterhagen key would destroy the Earth. The word, Osterhagen, is an anagram of the phrase, Earth's gone. This story augments the notion that Time Lords have some measure of control over the regenerative process. as seen in Last of the Time Lords. In truth, most regenerations have added at least a little to the general mythos about the process. From the notion that a particular physiognomy could be imposed upon the Second Doctor in The War Games, details have been added about how the process works almost every time one has been depicted. In this case, writer Russell T Davies builds upon his earlier idea that a Time Lord can re-grow whole body parts during "the first 15 hours" following a regeneration (The Christmas Invasion) Here he suggests that a Time Lord can stop the process prior to entering the final stage, provided that he has a matching genetic receptacle into which he can store the energy. When the newly created Doctor discovers he's "part Time Lord, part human" he is shocked and refuses to admit it. This is likely a reference to the 1996 movie and fan outrage at it. It might also suggest that the Doctor was never half-human due "Human-Time Lord metacrisis" The scene where the Daleks are speaking German is possibly a tongue-in-cheek reference to the fact that Terry Nation based the Daleks on the Nazis. This marks the likely permanent departure of Catherine Tate (Donna Noble) and Billie Piper (Rose Tyler). The story elements surrounding the destruction of the universe have some casual similarity to ideas found in Life, the Universe and Everything, a Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Universe sequel penned by former Doctor Who script editor, Douglas Adams. Everything was in turn based on an abandoned Fourth Doctor television serial had written, called Doctor Who and the Krikkitmen. The recap of the previous episode uses different footage of Jack stating "you know what happens next" in the leadup to the regeneration. In The Stolen Earth he utters the line off-camera, but in the recap he is seen saying it. The Doctor and Mickey perform a "fist bump" in lieu of a handshake when Mickey departs. This mirrors the way they greeted each other in Doomsday. [edit] Ratings to be added [edit] Myths and rumours The week between the cliffhanger ending of The Stolen Earth and the broadcast of Journey's End included some of the most intense fan speculation and media attention in franchise history. The significance of the cliffhanger, which appeared to show the Doctor regenerating, along with previously reported speculation regarding Donna and other characters led to many speculations being circulated on fan discussion boards and the media. Among some of the most notable: That David Tennant was in fact leaving the series, and that leaked photos and other information regarding him being in the 2008 Christmas special (as well as media reports the preceding week that he was negotiating to return in 2010) were either a "red herring" or that the Christmas special was to include a flashback. The true nature of Donna was the subject of much speculation, with some fans suggesting her to actually be The Rani or Romana living under the influence of a Chameleon Arch, or a manifestation of the Master. Concerning Donna's ring, at the end of the season 4 finale, when the Doctor says good-bye to her it glimmers briefly into the camera. Some fans theorise that the ring is a possible Chamelon Arch containing Donna's memories of her time with the Doctor. It has also been suggested that the ring resembles a ring worn by The Master in a previous episode. Others theorise that the ring is just large, black, and very shiny. And the prediction that a companion would die led some to believe Donna, Martha or Rose would be the ones destined to die (since it had already been reported that John Barrowman would be returning to Torchwood and Elisabeth Sladen to The Sarah Jane Adventures, ruling out their characters' demise.) The appearance of K-9 was a surprise to many as it had been previously reported that the character would not be appearing in the episode, given the fact the rights to the character are currently held by another party for the planned K-9 television series. After Eve Myles, who had played Gwyneth in The Unquiet Dead was cast as Gwen Cooper in Torchwood, Russell T Davies stated in an interview in Doctor Who Magazine that the characters were unrelated. In this episode, however, Davies reversed this opinion by inserting dialogue strongly implying the two shared common ancestry. There is a possibility that either The Doctor or his twin left behind on Pete's World will eventually manfiest into The Valeyard due to the escalation of pain and abandoment felt each by the other for different reasons [edit] Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors If the TARDIS's power has gone, how does the monitor screen work? Strictly speaking, its power wasn't "gone"; the TARDIS was merely in a temporal prison. While this shut down most power, it clearly didn't cut everything Wouldn't the nuclear warheads placed under the crust have melted? UNIT would most likely have thought about this, and provided some sort of way to protect them. Why did Martha have to travel to Germany to activate the Osterhagen key when the other soldiers were in pods in their home countries? The main pod was in Germany - Martha states that she is in Osterhagen 1. The moon remained in position when the Earth had moved. The moon should have locked onto the strongest gravitational force (the Sun) and been pulled towards it. There is no indication one way or the other as to the moon's position. If the act of temporal shifting back to the Time War showed Dalek Caan the entire history of the Dalek race and led him to conclude the Daleks should be destroyed, why didn't he just let Davros die in the war and then kill himself? Caan was driven insane after saving Davros, therefore he had only seen the whole of time after Davros was already safe. He then began setting the course of events that would lead to the fall of the New Dalek Empire. If any mention of the Doctor or the TARDIS would cause the Time Lord consciousness within Donna to reawaken and burn up her mind, isn't the Doctor taking a tremendous risk by letting Donna see him in the Nobles' house? The Doctor wishes to test the effectiveness of the memory wipe and also determine whether there are any negative effects on her. Why were the controls put in the Vault where Davros could access them and destroy the Daleks as the Doctor-Donna did? It was Donna's skill that allowed this. The second humanoid woman aboard the Shadow Proclamation ship/station told Donna there was "something on your back". There was no explanation concerning the cryptic phrase by the climax of Journey's End. The albino woman spoke in the past tense saying there "was something on your back" If Mickey Smith was allowed to stay on the normal Earth, why did Rose and Jackie have to go back? After all, the Doctor could have brought Pete back as well, and their child. The Doctor wanted to keep the second Doctor sealed off in the parallel world where he couldn't cause any trouble, and wanted Rose to look after him. With all of her memories since The Runaway Bride erased, wouldn't Donna realise that she has lost about a year and a half of of her life, and shouldn't she think it's her wedding day? The exact nature of the mind wipe is never specified. Why do some Daleks have special 'cogs' instead of suckers on their right arms? The "sucker" may well be the standard right limb for a Dalek, but it has never been the only possible limb. At least as far back as DW: The Daleks' Master Plan, other appendages, like flame-throwers, have been seen. When Jack got Gwen's name wrong -- he said her surname was Cooper rather than Williams -- why didn't she correct him? There is no definitive indication in Torchwood that Gwen took Rhys' surname after marriage. If the Osterhagen key and its associated doomsday device had been around for years, why wasn't it activated during the events of Doomsday or, more to the point, The Year That Never Was (DW: Last of the Time Lords)? The Master used the anrchangel network to crush resistance. It's also probable that as the Master not only became Prime Minister, but also was involved with the top-secret weapon deployed against the Sycorax, that he was aware of the Key and took steps to prevent its use. [edit] Continuity When the Doctor sees Gwen Cooper for the first time, he asks if she comes from a long line of family from Cardiff. This is because of the similarity between Gwen and Gwyneth (DW: The Unquiet Dead), both of whom are played by Eve Myles. The Doctor and Rose both recognise the uncanny family resemblance. This is the first occurrence of the Doctor's TARDIS being piloted by six people, that number first being specified in NA: Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible. This episode marks the last appearance of the Tenth Doctor's severed hand which first appeared in DW: The Christmas Invasion and throughout the first season of Torchwood. Davros mentions meeting Sarah at the birth of his creations; this happened in DW: Genesis of the Daleks. Mickey Smith and Jackie Tyler last appeared in DW: Doomsday. Donna tells the Doctor how to fix the Chameleon Circuit which has been broken since DW: An Unearthly Child. The Sixth Doctor had previously attempted this in DW: Attack of the Cybermen, as had the Fourth Doctor in DW: Logopolis. This is the third time a Doctor has been depicted in a way to suggest he was unclothed. The first time was in Spearhead from Space in which a newly regenerated Third Doctor took a shower. The second was during the regeneration from the Seventh to the Eighth Doctor, where he was merely covered by a sheet. The Ninth Doctor appeared shirtless during the torture scene in Dalek Gallifrey is mentioned again and the first time it has been mentioned in an episode with Rose Tyler . [edit] DVD and Other releases This episode will be released as part of Series 4 Volume 4 DVD alongside Turn Left and The Stolen Earth on 1st September 2008. It will also be released in the Series 4 boxset in November 2008.
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TDP 65: Doctor Who 4.12 The Stolen Earth & 4.13 Journey's End
Episode Duration: 0 days, 2 hours, 9 minutes and 15 secondsNotes to follow shortly
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German Translation
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsGerman Lesson If you were wondering about some of the dialogue during Martha's trip to Germany, Script Editor Lindsey Alford and Kevin Myers offer these handy translations!: FX: way off in the distance, DALEKS, in the air, gliding slowly through the trees. DALEKS: Exterminieren! Exterminieren! Halt! Sonst werden wir Sie exterminieren! Sie sind jetzt ein Gefangener der Daleks! Exterminieren! Exterminieren! Translation: Exterminate! Exterminate! Stop! Or you will be exterminated. You are a prisoner of the Daleks. Exterminate! Exterminate! Martha heads off in the opposite direction. Scurrying away into the darkness. On a mission. OLD WOMAN: Hier ist niemand. Was immer Sie wollen, gehen Sie fort. Lassen Sie mich in Ruhe. Translation: There's no one here. Whatever you want, just go away. Leave me alone. The OLD WOMAN's hostile, standing on the path. MARTHA: Ich heisse Martha Jones. Ich komme von UNIT. Agentin fuenf sechs sechs sieben eins, von der medizinishen Abteilung. Translation: I'm called Martha Jones. I come from UNIT. Agent 5, 6, 6, 7, 1. Medical officer. OLD WOMAN: Es hiess Sie kaemen vorbei. Translation: They said you might come. OLD WOMAN: Sie sind der Albtraum. Nicht die anderen, Sie! Ich sollte Sie umbringen, am besten gleich jetzt! Translation: You are the nightmare. It's not them, it's you! I should kill you right now! MARTHA: Then do it. And Martha just steps into the lift. The Old Woman lowers her gun, defeated, shaking. OLD WOMAN: Marta. Zur Hoelle mit Dir. Translation: Martha. You're going straight to Hell.
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TDP 64: Notes from a Stolen Earth
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 10 minutes and 21 secondsBees are small yellow and black sociable members of the vespiform subspecies. Hailing originally from the planet and migrating to the planet Fintlewoodlewix over 7 million ago. Mistaken by the local inhabitants as nothing more than poorly armed Insects, with an innate ability to dance, they were largely ignored until it was discovered that they vomit was surprisingly palatable to most native species. Bee's attempts to communicate or implant their portable translation devices into the native species were usually mistaken as attempts to sting humans. This miss interpretation of events never distracted the Bees trying to make first contact despite a surprisingly high death count on the side of the Bees. However. The Bees left the renamed planet - now called Earth - Galactic codex Sol 3 - shortly before its removal too the Medusa Cascade. The last message from the bees was miss translated by a kindly Bee Keeper who assumed the Bee was communicating the location of a bowl of petunias to its fellow drones. The message was infact. So long and thanks for all the nectar.
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TDP 63: Doctor Who 4.11 Turn Left
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 18 minutes and 12 secondsWhile visiting a market on the planet of Shan Shen with the Doctor, Donna Noble is offered a free fortune reading. The fortune-teller presses Donna to reveal her past and focuses on a point in her past on modern-day Earth where she was driving to her temporary job at H. C. Clements, despite her mother's desire that she take a permanent job nearby. As a large beetle-like creature climbs onto Donna's back, the teller convinces Donna to change her mind in the past, taking a right at the road junction per her mother's wishes instead of a left. The narrative turns to the alternate history created by Donna's choice, far bleaker than the course of events established in previous episodes. The Doctor dies permanently during the Racnoss' attack on London ("The Runaway Bride"), killed by the water pressure before he could regenerate, because Donna was not there to convince him to leave. Royal Hope Hospital is taken to the moon and returned ("Smith and Jones"), but only one person, Martha's fellow medical student Oliver Morgenstern, survives. Martha Jones and Sarah Jane Smith are among the dead (the latter apparently having foiled Florence Finnegan's plan). The Titanic crashes into the centre of London, wiping out the city and irradiating most of southern England ("Voyage of the Damned"). In the United States, 60 million people are turned into creatures made of fat ("Partners in Crime"). The Sontarans attempt to turn Earth into a breeding world ("The Poison Sky"), which is stopped by Jack Harkness and his remaining Torchwood team of Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones. However, Gwen and Ianto are killed and Jack is transported to Sontar. Throughout all these events, Rose Tyler keeps appearing before Donna. Aware of the events to come, she steers Donna away from mortal danger but refuses to give her name. After the latest tragedy, Rose urges Donna to come with her, even though she will die. Donna initially refuses, but three weeks later, as she and her grandfather talk about recent events, the stars begin disappearing throughout the sky. Donna tells Rose that she is ready. Rose escorts Donna to a UNIT base where the dying TARDIS is being used to help power a makeshift time machine. Rose uses the system to show Donna the beetle that crawled onto her back during the fortune-telling. It is in temporal flux and cannot be removed, but Rose explains that Donna herself is also a point of flux. In order to set things right, they prepare to send her back in time to stop herself from going right. Donna agrees to go, but when she asks if she will get to live this time, Rose remains silent. Donna is sent back in time, but ends up half a mile away and with only four minutes to spare. Finding herself short of the mark on the road leading from the right of the critical intersection, Donna remembers what Rose said about her death and throws herself in front of a removal van. Traffic backs up to the intersection and the past Donna turns left, unwilling to wait for it to clear. As the future Donna lies on the ground, Rose leans over and whispers two words to pass on to the Doctor. Back on Shan Shen, the beetle falls off of Donna's back and the fortune teller flees, frightened by this unexpected development. The Doctor finds Donna and the beetle. He explains that it normally affects only the person it attaches to (the universe merely "compensates"), but in Donna's case created a parallel world. The Doctor is curious about the other alternate realities that seem to form around Donna ("Forest of the Dead"). He ponders the coincidences surrounding Donna and himself, as if something is binding them together. When Donna insists that she is nothing special, the Doctor tells her that she is brilliant, which triggers her fading memories of Rose. She tells him about Rose's warning that "the darkness is coming" and that it is affecting all worlds. At his insistence, Donna tells him the words Rose said; "Bad Wolf". Horrified, the Doctor runs outside to find that the words "Bad Wolf" are everywhere, even on the TARDIS. Inside the Cloister Bell is ringing and the TARDIS interior is glowing red. When Donna asks about the meaning of "Bad Wolf", the Doctor replies, "It's the end of the universe." This episode revisits the events of most of the present-day stories since Donna first met the Doctor, including "The Runaway Bride", "Smith and Jones", "Voyage of the Damned", "Partners in Crime", and "The Sontaran Stratagem" / "The Poison Sky". The Doctor's absence during these events leads to the deaths of Martha Jones, Sarah Jane Smith, Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones. Jack Harkness, who cannot be killed, is transported to Sontar. Torchwood characters Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones are referred to by name for the first time in Doctor Who, while a short segment of music from the soundtrack of Torchwood plays in the background. Sarah Jane Smith is mentioned for the first time since "The Girl in the Fireplace", along with the first mentions of The Sarah Jane Adventures characters Luke Smith, Clyde Langer, and Maria Jackson. The recurring "Bad Wolf" motif, primarily from series 1, returns at the conclusion of this episode to warn the Doctor of the events that are causing Rose to return. The TARDIS's Cloister Bell, last used in "Time Crash", can also be heard at the end of the episode. Sylvia Noble mentions that the bees are disappearing, which has been mentioned by Donna in "Partners in Crime", "Planet of the Ood", and "The Unicorn and the Wasp". Donna's father Geoff, who appeared in "The Runaway Bride", is mentioned for the first time since "The Fires of Pompeii". It is implied that he was ill during the timescale of "Smith and Jones", and had died by the time of "Voyage of the Damned". His character was intended to be used during series 4, but was retired after actor Howard Attfield died before his scenes were finished. He was replaced by Bernard Cribbins, whose previous role as an anonymous newspaper seller was merged with that of Donna's grandfather. The "Time Beetle"[2] on Donna's back is described by the Doctor as part of "the Trickster's brigade". The Trickster was a time-altering villain in The Sarah Jane Adventures story Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?. The beetle on her back was also referenced by Lucius Dextrus in "The Fires of Pompeii" with the line, "Daughter of London, there is something on your back!". Sarah Jane Smith is said to write for the fictional Metropolitan magazine as previously mentioned in Planet of the Spiders. Rose mentions the "causal nexus", which was discussed by the Doctor and the Master in "Logopolis." Production The episode, filmed at the same time as "Midnight", saw the Doctor with very little screen-time, while "Midnight" saw Donna with little screen-time.[3] Tennant shot all his scenes, at the episode's beginning and end, in one day, while a double stood in for the shot of the dead Doctor's arm.[2] The appearance of the Giant Spider of Metebelis 3 that clung to Sarah Jane Smith's back in Planet of the Spiders influenced the design and concept of the "Time Beetle" that clings to Donna's back in this episode.[2] [edit] Cast notes Billie Piper makes her first substantial appearance on the show since "Doomsday". Interviewed for Doctor Who Confidential, Piper said her return had been planned at the time of her original departure but that around three weeks before filming she decided to rewatch some of her old episodes to refamiliarise herself with the role and ease her doubts that she could play Rose again.[2] Clive Standen reprises the role of Private Harris (credited in this episode as "UNIT Soldier") from "The Sontaran Strategem" / "The Poison Sky". Here he is shown to have been in attendance during the Webstar crisis. Ben Righton reprises the role of Oliver Morgenstern from "Smith and Jones", in this episode the only survivor when the hospital is returned to Earth, Martha Jones having given him the last oxygen pack. Lachele Carl returns as American newsreader Trinity Wells, who previously appeared in the Doctor Who episodes "Aliens of London"/"World War Three", "The Christmas Invasion", "The Sound of Drums" and "The Poison Sky", in addition to The Sarah Jane Adventures story Revenge of the Slitheen. Chipo Chung, who plays the fortune-teller, previously appeared as Chantho in the episode "Utopia". Reception Based on BARB overnight returns, "Turn Left" was watched by 7 million viewers, giving it a 35% share of the total television audience.[4] The episode received an Appreciation Index score of 88 (considered "Excellent").[5] Keith Watson for the Metro newspaper called it a "daring" episode and praised Catherine Tate's performance, which was "perfectly suited to a complex story... Doctor Who could get away with being a lot less clever. But they actually care about what they do."[6] However, Sam Wollaston of The Guardian felt Tate was overshadowed by the return of Billie Piper. "Catherine Tate really puts everything into this episode (too much, maybe). But as soon as Rose shows, Donna's a goner."[7] 201 - "Turn Left" Doctor Who episode In the makeshift TARDIS-powered UNIT time machine, Rose shows Donna what is on her back Cast Doctor David Tennant (Tenth Doctor) Companion Catherine Tate (Donna Noble) Also starring Billie Piper (Rose Tyler) Guest stars Bernard Cribbins - Wilfred MottJacqueline King - Sylvia NobleJoseph Long - Rocco ColasantoNoma Dumzwemi - Capt. MagamboChipo Chung - Fortune TellerMarcia Lecky - Mooky KahariSuzann McLean - Veena BradyNatalie Walter - Alice ColtraneNeil Clench - Man in PubClive Standen - UNIT SoldierBhasker Patel - Jival ChowdryCatherine York - Female ReporterBen Righton - MorgensternLoraine Velez - Spanish MaidJason Mohammad - Studio News ReaderSanchia McCormack - Housing OfficerLawrence Stevenson - Soldier #1Terri-Ann Brumby - Woman in DoorwayLachele Carl - Trinity WellsPaul Richard Biggin - Soldier #2[1] Production Writer Russell T. Davies Director Graeme Harper Script editor Brian Minchin Producer Susie Liggat Executive producer(s) Russell T. Davies Julie Gardner Phil Collinson Production code 4.11 Series Series 4 Length 50 mins Originally broadcast 21 June 2008 Chronology - Preceded by Followed by - "Midnight" "The Stolen Earth"
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Bad Wolf arc
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsBad Wolf The words Bad Wolf as aerosol graffiti on the TARDIS in "Aliens of London" The first arc word of the new series, "Bad Wolf", began to crop up in various ways starting from the second episode, "The End of the World", and then grew in prominence, leading to much fan speculation over the course of the series as to what the phrase referred to and what its ultimate significance would be. In this respect, the phrase was also a form of viral marketing. There was little clue to the meaning of the phrase until "The Parting of the Ways", where it was revealed to be a message spread by Rose Tyler throughout time after infusing herself with the power of the heart of the TARDIS. Having infused herself with the power of the time vortex, Rose gained seemingly infinite reality warping abilities with which she obliterated a Dalek fleet, before this fatal energy was removed from her by the Doctor. Describing herself as "see[ing] the whole of time and space", the extent of Rose's actions remains unclear. She revived Jack Harkness, an event which made him immortal, perhaps purposefully, and also acted as the catalyst for the Ninth Doctor's regeneration into the Tenth. " I am the Bad Wolf. I create myself. I take the words. I scatter them ... in time, and space. A message to lead myself here. " --Rose Tyler in "The Parting of the Ways". Bad Wolf arc The phrase first appeared in the second episode of the 2005 series, and then in every story of that series thereafter. It also occasionally appeared in the 2006 and 2007 series. Within the 2005 series of Doctor Who, the arc comprised the following episodes: "The End of the World": The Moxx of Balhoon mentions in a half-heard conversation to the Face of Boe the "Bad Wolf scenario." "The Unquiet Dead": When the clairvoyant Gwyneth reads Rose's mind, she says, "The things you've seen... the darkness.. the Big Bad Wolf!" "Aliens of London"/"World War Three": A young boy spray-paints the graffiti BAD WOLF on the side of the TARDIS and later cleans it off. "Dalek": The call sign for Henry van Statten's private helicopter is "Bad Wolf One" "The Long Game": One of the several thousand television channels being broadcast from Satellite Five is BAD WOLFTV. "Father's Day": A poster advertising a rave in 1987 has the words "BAD WOLF" defacing it. "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances": The bomb that Captain Jack rides at the end of the story is labelled "SCHLECHTER WOLF", which literally translates as "Bad Wolf" in German (the appropriate translation, however, would be "Boser Wolf"). "Boom Town": A nuclear power plant is dubbed the Blaidd Drwg project, which is Welsh for "Bad Wolf". The Doctor also mentions for the first time that the phrase had been following them around. "Bad Wolf"/"The Parting of the Ways": The corporation that runs the Game Station (formerly Satellite Five) is called the Badwolf Corporation. It is from this corporation's logo that Rose "takes the words" to scatter throughout Time and Space, resulting in the other appearances of the phrase. It is also in scattered graffiti around Rose's council estate, including on a poster tacked to the wall behind Rose's head in the cafe scene and in giant letters on a paved recreation ground. The latter is faded, but still visible, in "New Earth". Since the initial arc, the phrase Bad Wolf has reappeared in the background of many other scenes. 2007 series episode "Gridlock" features the Japanese word Akuro, Japanese for "evil wolf", labelled on poster in a car. Torchwood episode "Captain Jack Harkness" featured the phrase as graffiti in a Welsh dance hall, and in Torchwood book Another Life by Peter Anghelides, a large part of the plot revolves around the Blaidd Drwg nuclear power station. In a re-creation of classic Second Doctor serial The Invasion , the animators slipped a Bad Wolf on the wall where Zoe scribbled the phone number. Other allusions since "The Parting of the Ways" include the 2006 series episode "Tooth and Claw", in which the Host mentions that Rose has "seen [the wolf] too", and that there is "something of the wolf about [her]". The phrase reappeared in the 2008 series episode "Turn Left": At the end of this episode all text turns into "Bad Wolf", including the backlit signs and the board on the front of the TARDIS. This is described by the Doctor to be the end of the universe. There was an earlier visual reference in the 2008 series: one of the drawings by the little girl (in episode "Forest of the Dead") featured a blonde girl and a wolf. The phrase was similarly used as a precursor explanation of possible inconsistencies, such as in "Love & Monsters",[4] effectively attributing them to the actions of Rose as the Bad Wolf during "The Parting of the Ways". As the phrase is a reminder of the connection between the Doctor and Rose, it appears explicitly in their final farewell; in "Doomsday", the Doctor projects an image to say goodbye to Rose on a beach in the Norway of the parallel Earth called "Darlig ulv stranden", which she translates as "Bad Wolf Bay". (In actuality, it can be translated to "Bad Wolf Beach"). Also on the Doctor Who website, the Captain Jack monster file for Judoon, there is a advert for good wolf insurance. Other media The tie-in websites set up by the BBC to accompany the series also featured appearances of the phrase. The "Who is Doctor Who?" site featured a clip from "World War Three" with an American newsreader. This clip differed from the one shown in the broadcast version in only one respect: the newsreader was identified as "Mal Loup", French for "bad wolf". At one point, the Doctor is described as being off "making another decision for us, all 'I'm the big bad wolf and it's way past your bedtime.'" The UNIT website also used "badwolf" as a password to enter the "secure" areas of the website. The Geocomtex website's support page has BADWOLF transcribed in Morse Code, and its products page make mention of Lupus and Nocens variants for their "node stabilisers" (lupus nocens is Latin for "wolf who harms"). They also offered "Argentum Ordnance", argentum being Latin for "silver" -- silver bullets being traditionally used for killing werewolves. In the background image of the BBC Doctor Who website's TARDISODE page, the words "BAD WOLF" can be seen scrawled behind Mickey Smith.[5] The graffiti can also be seen in the background of Rose Tyler's character page.[6] In one of the areas in the Ghostwatch game, "BAD WOLF" is written as graffiti on a wall. The phrase occurs in some of the New Series Adventures, the BBC Books range of spin-off novels based on the new series. The Ninth Doctor Adventures run concurrently with the 2005 series. The Clockwise Man, by Justin Richards features a character named Melissa Heart who notes that the two time travellers keep turning up "like a bad wolf." In Winner Takes All by Jacqueline Rayner, there is a game called "Bad Wolf" amongst Mickey's other computer games. In The Monsters Inside by Stephen Cole, a character named Dennel tells Rose "The big bad wolf's ready to blow our house down." In The Deviant Strain, also by Richards, a psychic character tells Rose that he fears "The bad wolf... The man with the wolf on his arm." Later, this character is indirectly killed by another character who has a tattoo of a wolf on his arm. In The Stealers of Dreams by Steve Lyons, a character explaining why fiction is dangerous says, "We've good reason to be afraid of the big bad wolf." The phrase also appears in later Tenth Doctor novels, such as Peacemaker a character says the Doctor is 'the man who defeated the Bad Wolf'. There were two "Bad Wolf" references in the Doctor Who Magazine Ninth Doctor comic strips. In Part Two of The Love Invasion (DWM #356, May 2005), there is a poster on the wall of a pub reading "Bad Wolf". In Part One of A Groatsworth of Wit (DWM #363, December 2005), a tavern sign in Elizabethan London features a picture of a wolf's head and the initials "B.W." A motorcycle gang in the Torchwood Magazine comic Jetsam is named Blaid Drwg.
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WHOstrology - Doctor Who Broadcast Dates
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsNo Title Original airdate 1 An Unearthly Child 23 November-14 December 1963 aka 100,000 BC aka The Tribe of Gum 2 The Daleks 21 December 1963-1 February 1964 aka The Mutants aka The Dead Planet 3 The Edge of Destruction 8-15 February 1964 aka Inside the Spaceship aka Beyond the Sun 4 Marco Polo 22 February-4 April 1964 aka A Journey Through Cathay 5 The Keys of Marinus 11 April-16 May 1964 aka The Sea of Death 6 The Aztecs 23 May-13 June 1964 7 The Sensorites 20 June-1 August 1964 8 The Reign of Terror 8 August-12 September 1964 aka The French Revolution Season 2 (1964-65) No Title Original airdate 9 Planet of Giants 31 October-14 November 1964 10 The Dalek Invasion of Earth 21 November-26 December 1964 aka World's End 11 The Rescue 2-9 January 1965 12 The Romans 16 January-6 February 1965 13 The Web Planet 13 February -20 March 1965 aka The Zarbi 14 The Crusade 27 March-17 April 1965 aka The Lionheart aka The Crusaders 15 The Space Museum 24 April-15 May 1965 16 The Chase 22 May-26 June 1965 17 The Time Meddler 3-24 July 1965 Season 3 (1965-66) No Title Original airdate 18 Galaxy 4 11 September-2 October 1965 19 "Mission to the Unknown" 09-Oct-65 aka "Dalek Cutaway" 20 The Myth Makers 16 October-6 November 1965 21 The Daleks' Master Plan 13 November 1965-29 January 1966 22 The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve 5 February-26 February 1966 aka The Massacre 23 The Ark 5 March-26 March 1966 24 The Celestial Toymaker 2 April-23 April 1966 25 The Gunfighters 30 April-21 May 1966 26 The Savages[b] 28 May-18 June 1966 27 The War Machines 25 June-16 July 1966 Season 4 (1966-67) No Title Original airdate 28 The Smugglers 10 September-1 October 1966 29 The Tenth Planet 8-29 October 1966 Second Doctor Season 4 (1966-67) -- continued No Title Original airdate 30 The Power of the Daleks 5 November-10 December 1966 31 The Highlanders 17 December 1966-7 January 1967 32 The Underwater Menace 14 January-4 February 1967 33 The Moonbase 11 February-3 March 1967 34 The Macra Terror 11 March-1 April 1967 35 The Faceless Ones 8 April-13 May 1967 36 The Evil of the Daleks 20 May-1 July 1967 Season 5 (1967-68) No Title Original airdate 37 The Tomb of the Cybermen 2-23 September 1967 38 The Abominable Snowmen 30 September-4 November 1967 39 The Ice Warriors 11 November-16 December 1967 40 The Enemy of the World 23 December 1967-27 January 1968 41 The Web of Fear 3 February-9 March 1968 42 Fury from the Deep 16 March-20 April 1968 43 The Wheel in Space 27 April-1 June 1968 Season 6 (1968-69) No Title Original airdate 44 The Dominators 10 August-7 September 1968 45 The Mind Robber 14 September-12 October 1968 46 The Invasion 2 November-21 December 1968 47 The Krotons 28 December 1968-18 January 1969 48 The Seeds of Death 25 January-1 March 1969 49 The Space Pirates 8 March-12 April 1969 50 The War Games 19 April-21 June 1969 Third Doctor Season 7 (1970) No Title Original airdate 51 Spearhead from Space 3-24 January 1970 52 Doctor Who and the Silurians 31 January-14 March 1970 aka The Silurians 53 The Ambassadors of Death 21 March-2 May 1970 54 Inferno 9 May-20 June 1970 Season 8 (1971) No Title Original airdate 55 Terror of the Autons 2-23 January 1971 56 The Mind of Evil 30 January-6 March 1971 57 The Claws of Axos 13 March-3 April 1971 58 Colony in Space 10 April-15 May 1971 59 The Daemons 22 May-19 June 1971 Season 9 (1972) No Title Original airdate 60 Day of the Daleks 1-22 January 1972 61 The Curse of Peladon 29 January-19 February 1972 62 The Sea Devils 26 February-1 April 1972 63 The Mutants 8 April-13 May 1972 64 The Time Monster 20 May-24 June 1972 Season 10 (1972-73) No Title Original airdate 65 The Three Doctors[c] 30 December 1972-20 January 1973 66 Carnival of Monsters 27 January-17 February 1973 67 Frontier in Space 24 February-31 March 1973 68 Planet of the Daleks 7 April-12 May 1973 69 The Green Death 19 May-23 June 1973 Season 11 (1973-74) No Title Original airdate 70 The Time Warrior 15 December 1973-5 January 1974 71 Invasion of the Dinosaurs [d] 12 January-16 February 1974 72 Death to the Daleks 23 February-16 March 1974 73 The Monster of Peladon 23 March-27 April 1974 74 Planet of the Spiders 4 May-8 June 1974 Fourth Doctor Season 12 (1974-75) No Title Original airdate 75 Robot 28 December 1974-18 January 1975 76 The Ark in Space 25 January-15 February 1975 77 The Sontaran Experiment 22 February-1 March 1975 78 Genesis of the Daleks 8 March-12 April 1975 79 Revenge of the Cybermen 19 April-10 May 1975 Season 13 (1975-76) No Title Original airdate 80 Terror of the Zygons 30 August-20 September 1975 81 Planet of Evil 27 September-18 October 1975 82 Pyramids of Mars 25 October-15 November 1975 83 The Android Invasion 22 November-13 December 1975 84 The Brain of Morbius 3-24 January 1976 85 The Seeds of Doom 31 January-6 March 1976 Season 14 (1976-77) No Title Original airdate 86 The Masque of Mandragora 4-25 September 1976 87 The Hand of Fear 2-23 October 1976 88 The Deadly Assassin 30 October-20 November 1976 89 The Face of Evil 1-22 January 1977 90 The Robots of Death 29 January - 19 February 1977 91 The Talons of Weng-Chiang 26 February - 2 April 1977 Season 15 (1977-78) No Title Original airdate 92 Horror of Fang Rock 3-24 September 1977 93 The Invisible Enemy 1-22 October 1977 94 Image of the Fendahl 29 October-19 November 1977 95 The Sun Makers 26 November-17 December 1977 96 Underworld 7-28 January 1978 97 The Invasion of Time 4 February - 11 March 1978 Season 16 (1978-79) No Title Original airdate 98 The Ribos Operation 2-23 September 1978 99 The Pirate Planet 30 September-21 October 1978 100 The Stones of Blood 28 October-18 November 1978 101 The Androids of Tara 25 November-16 December 1978 102 The Power of Kroll 23 December 1978-13 January 1979 103 The Armageddon Factor 20 January - 24 February 1979 Season 17 (1979-80) No Title Original airdate 104 Destiny of the Daleks 1-22 September 1979 105 City of Death 29 September-20 October 1979 106 The Creature from the Pit 27 October-17 November 1979 107 Nightmare of Eden 24 November-15 December 1979 108 The Horns of Nimon 22 December 1979-12 January 1980 109 Shada[e] Unaired Season 18 (1980-81) No Title Original airdate 110 The Leisure Hive 30 August-20 September 1980 111 Meglos 27 September-18 October 1980 112 Full Circle 25 October-15 November 1980 113 State of Decay 22 November-13 December 1980 114 Warriors' Gate 3-24 January 1981 115 The Keeper of Traken 31 January-21 February 1981 116 Logopolis 28 February-21 March 1981 Fifth Doctor Season 19 (1982) No Title Original airdate 117 Castrovalva 4-12 January 1982 118 Four to Doomsday 18-26 January 1982 119 Kinda 1-9 February 1982 120 The Visitation 15-23 February 1982 121 Black Orchid 1-2 March 1982 122 Earthshock 8-16 March 1982 123 Time-Flight 22-30 March 1982 Season 20 (1983) No Title Original airdate 124 Arc of Infinity 3-12 January 1983 125 Snakedance 18-26 January 1983 126 Mawdryn Undead 1-9 February 1983 127 Terminus 15-23 February 1983 128 Enlightenment 1-9 March 1983 129 The King's Demons 15-16 March 1983 130 The Five Doctors[f] 23-Nov-83 Season 21 (1984) No Title Original airdate 131 Warriors of the Deep 5-13 January 1984 132 The Awakening 19-20 January 1984 133 Frontios 26 January-3 February 1984 134 Resurrection of the Daleks 8-15 February 1984 135 Planet of Fire 23 February-2 March 1984 136 The Caves of Androzani 8-16 March 1984 Sixth Doctor Season 21 (1984) -- continued No Title Original airdate 137 The Twin Dilemma 22-30 March 1984 Season 22 (1985) No Title Original airdate 138 Attack of the Cybermen 5-12 January 1985 139 Vengeance on Varos 19-26 January 1985 140 The Mark of the Rani 2-9 February 1985 141 The Two Doctors 16 February-2 March 1985 142 Timelash 9-16 March 1985 143 Revelation of the Daleks 23-30 March 1985 Season 23 (1986) Main article: The Trial of a Time Lord No Title Original airdate 144 The Mysterious Planet 6-27 September 1986 145 Mindwarp 4-25 October 1986 146 Terror of the Vervoids 1-22 November 1986 aka The Vervoids 147 The Ultimate Foe 29 November-6 December 1986 aka Time Incorporated Seventh Doctor Season 24 (1987) No Title Original airdate 148 Time and the Rani 7-28 September 1987 149 Paradise Towers 5-26 October 1987 150 Delta and the Bannermen 2-16 November 1987 151 Dragonfire 23 November-7 December 1987 Season 25 (1988-89) No Title Original airdate 152 Remembrance of the Daleks 5-26 October 1988 153 The Happiness Patrol 2-16 November 1988 154 Silver Nemesis 23 November-7 December 1988 155 The Greatest Show in the Galaxy 14 December 1988-4 January 1989 Season 26 (1989) No Title Original airdate 156 Battlefield 6-27 September 1989 157 Ghost Light 4-18 October 1989 158 The Curse of Fenric 25 October-15 November 1989 159 Survival 22 November-6 December 1989 Eighth Doctor
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TDP 62: Doctor Who 4.10 Midnight
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 14 minutes and 2 seconds"Midnight" is the tenth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 14 June 2008. Synopsis The Doctor and Donna take a holiday on the crystalline planet Midnight, which orbits close enough to its sun that the Xtonic radiation exposure would vaporise any living thing walking unprotected on its surface. Donna opts to relax at a spa while the Doctor takes a four-hour shuttle bus ride to the Sapphire Waterfall. Other passengers include the Cane family -- Val (Coulson), Biff (Ryan), and their teenage son Jethro (Morgan) -- Professor Hobbes (Troughton) and his assistant Dee Dee Blasco (Antoine), and businesswoman Sky Silvestry (Sharp). The staff are the driver Joe (Bluto), trainee mechanic Claude (Henry), and a steward who is only referred to as 'the Hostess' (Ayola). The trip initially goes smoothly despite the shuttle being rerouted to a new course, but suddenly the shuttle stops. The Doctor checks with the shuttle's driver and mechanic, confirming that there's nothing wrong with the vehicle. He convinces them to open the shutter to look outside, and the mechanic believes he sees a shadow moving towards the bus. The crew calls for a rescue vehicle while the Doctor returns to the main cabin. A few moments later, something begins knocking on the shuttle's hull, copying the passengers when they knock back. The knocking moves around the shuttle, making its way towards Sky Silvestry, apparently the most frightened of the lot, and dents the door she is standing by. The lights then temporarily fail and the shuttle is violently rocked. When the lights are restored, the seats near Sky have been ripped off the floor and she is cowering in the corner. An attempt to speak to the cabin crew reveals that their cabin has also been ripped away, exposing Joe and Claude to the deadly sunlight. Sky initially remains motionless, but is coaxed into turning around by the Doctor. Attempts to get her to speak only cause her to repeat what she is told, making it clear that Sky is no longer in control. The delay between Sky's repetitions becomes shorter, until eventually she begins speaking in exact unison with the passengers. Cabin fever sets in, and the passengers contemplate throwing her outside. The Doctor's attempts to calm the situation fail when the passengers become suspicious of him, especially when he is unwilling to reveal his name. This is only amplified when Sky focuses solely on repeating the Doctor's words. As the Doctor tries to reason with Sky, she begins speaking his words first, and the Doctor quickly becomes the one doing the repeating. Most of the passengers reason that whatever was in Sky has now passed into the Doctor, while the hostess and Dee Dee reason that this is just the next step: stealing the voice of another. The other passengers refuse to listen and begin to drag the Doctor towards the nearest door after being goaded by Sky. However, the hostess realises that Sky is not talking in her own voice when she uses two phrases the Doctor had used earlier. Before the other passengers can throw the Doctor out, she sacrifices herself by dragging Sky out of another door. The Doctor slowly recovers, and as the passengers wait for the rescue shuttle, he realises that no one knew the hostess' name. At the spa, a mournful Doctor reunites with Donna. Continuity Rose Tyler appears on one of the shuttle's television screens shortly after the lifeform attacks the transport, echoing a similar appearance in "The Poison Sky". In both instances, she silently shouts for the Doctor, who is not there to see the image in the first instance and is looking the opposite way in this episode. Rose is also mentioned by the Doctor by name along with Martha and Donna. This is the first story since Genesis of the Daleks where the TARDIS does not appear. This is the second full story featuring the Doctor without a companion in the main narrative, the first being The Deadly Assassin (Mission to the Unknown in 1965 featured neither the Doctor nor his companions). It is also the only time where the adversary is neither seen nor given a name.[2] When the Doctor is asked for his real name, he lies and replies with the name "John Smith", a common alias of his, which is not believed. The mystery behind the Doctor's name and the use of a simple alias is a recurring theme in the series' revival. Two of the Tenth Doctor's common phrases are used to identify his voice: "allons-y" and "molto bene", first used in "Army of Ghosts" and "The Runaway Bride" respectively.[2] Production This episode is the fiftieth episode filmed for the revived series, and was filmed at the same time as "Turn Left". Donna has a minor role in the episode (appearing in only the pre-credits sequence and the final scene), while the Doctor has a minor role in "Turn Left".[1][3][4] Cast notes David Troughton, cast here as Professor Hobbes, was a late replacement for Sam Kelly, who broke his leg and had to withdraw from the production. Troughton joined the rest of the cast in Cardiff with just two days notice. An actor now known for his stage work with the RSC as well as television, he is the son of Patrick Troughton, who portrayed the Second Doctor. He had a long association with the early series in the 1960s and early 1970s, appearing as an uncredited extra in the first, fifth, and sixth episodes of the Second Doctor serial The Enemy of the World as Private Moor in the sixth episode of the Second Doctor serial The War Games[, and as King Peladon in all four episodes of the Third Doctor serial The Curse of Peladon. [8][9] More recently he has appeared as the Tinghus in the Doctor Who audio adventure Cuddlesome. Reception Based on BARB overnight returns, "Midnight" was watched by 7.3 million viewers, giving it a 38% share of the total television audience. [] against ITV's live coverage of a UEFA Euro 2008 international football match. The episode received an Appreciation Index score of 86 (considered "Excellent"). The Guardian's TV reviewer Sam Wollaston described the episode as "great... it's tense and claustrophobic, and gnaws away at you." He praised the fact that all the action happened in one confined space with an unseen enemy, saying "this is psychological drama rather than full-blown horror; creepy-unknown scary, not special-effect-monster scary." The Times's reviewer Andrew Billen was more critical, writing that Tennant's Doctor was becoming "increasingly irritating". He called the episode "sheet upon sheet of dialogue" that "felt too much of a writing exercise to be really scary" and a case-in-point of how the 2008 series "fails as often as it succeeds". Billen did, however, praise the episode for its claustrophobic atmosphere and for showing the series was "not afraid of variety [and]... dead scared of repetition". 200 - "Midnight" Doctor Who episode Sky Silvestry synchronises with the Doctor Cast Doctor David Tennant (Tenth Doctor) Companion Catherine Tate (Donna Noble) Guest stars Billie Piper - Rose TylerLesley Sharp - Sky SilvestryRakie Ayola - HostessDavid Troughton - Professor HobbesAyesha Antoine - Dee Dee BlascoLindsey Coulson - Val CaneDaniel Ryan - Biff CaneColin Morgan - Jethro CaneTony Bluto - Driver JoeDuane Henry - Mechanic Claude Production Writer Russell T. Davies Director Alice Troughton Script editor Helen Raynor Producer Phil Collinson Executive producer(s) Russell T. Davies Julie Gardner Production code 4.10 Series Series 4 Length 45 mins Originally broadcast 14 June 2008 Chronology - Preceded by Followed by - "Forest of the Dead" "Turn Left"
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Fault on Invisible Enemy DVDs
Episode Duration: 0 minutes and 0 secondsTo get a replacement disc you need to send your current one to: DVD Support 2Entertain 33 Foley Street London W1W 7TL The just released K9 Tales DVD set has a problem at the end of Episode 3 of The Invisible Enemy that causes scenes to play out of order. the fault kicks in at around 21' 10, when Tom says "Get out of my head!" - there is a leap to the final lab scene where the "shrimp" appears. this continues to 22' 07 and the beginning of the "sting" when we return to the scene in Tom's head, until 22'27, when the credits kick in suddenly. this is all too noticeable and makes the end of the episode total nonsense.
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TDP 61: Doctor Who 4.08 & 4.09 Silence in the Library - Forest of the Dead
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 21 minutes and 29 seconds"Silence in the Library" is the eighth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who, first broadcast on 31 May 2008.[1] It is the first of a two-part story by Steven Moffat, followed by "Forest of the Dead //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> Plot Synopsis The Doctor and Donna arrive in the 51st century at a planet-sized book repository simply called "The Library", summoned by an anonymous request for help on the Doctor's psychic paper. However, they find it completely devoid of humanoid life, and the Library's computers even claim as such, though when the Doctor widens the search for non-humanoid life, the Library's computers claim over "a million million lifeforms" exist. A Node, an information drone which presents a donated human face to the user to facilitate communication, warns them to count the shadows, which appear despite the lack of objects to cast them. As they try to search for answers, they meet a team of explorers, led by archaeologist Professor River Song, who have come to ascertain the meaning of the Library's final communication, which states "4022 saved, no survivors". River Song seems to know the Doctor, has a diary with a cover matching the Doctor's TARDIS, and even possesses a sonic screwdriver. She also later displays knowledge of the TARDIS' "emergency program one". She only admits that she will know the Doctor in his relative future, refusing to disclose more for fear of "spoilers". Professor Song also recognises Donna's name, but avoids explaining why Donna was not present when she knew the Doctor. The Doctor organizes the team to make sure the area is well lit as he explains that they are surrounded by Vashta Nerada, microscopic carnivorous creatures that disguise themselves as shadows to hunt and latch onto their prey. He notes that they are usually nowhere near as aggressive or numerous as the ones here seem to be. Before he can fully explain, however, one of the explorers wanders off and is stripped to the bone in moments. The Doctor and Donna learn that the exploration team wears communication devices which link to their nervous systems for thought-based communication. As a side-effect, these devices tend to pick up an imprint of the user at the moment of death, creating a short-lived "Data Ghost" of that person's consciousness. Curiously, the Library's operations seem to be tied to the imagination of a young girl; she sees the Doctor and Donna through the eyes of a security camera when they first break into central room, the exploration team appears on her television when the Doctor attempts to hack the Library computers, and books fly from the shelves when she fiddles with the television's remote control. The girl is under the observation of Dr Moon, a child psychologist, at the request of her dad, but Dr Moon insists to the girl that what she imagines in her nightmares is in fact real, while the "real" world is a lie. He also states that there are people in her library who need to be saved. The team's investigation is interrupted when a shadow of Vashta Nerada latches onto the pilot, Dave. Although the Doctor attempts to save him by sealing him inside his suit, the creatures manage to get inside, eat him alive, and then animate his suit in order to chase the other explorers. The Doctor attempts to teleport Donna back to the TARDIS while he leads the rest of the team to safety, but something goes wrong with the teleport and Donna fails to materialize properly. As the team races away from the possessed suit, the Doctor is horrified to find a Node with Donna's face on it, which claims that Donna has left the Library and has been "saved". The show ends in a cliffhanger as the Doctor is forced to leave the Node behind, but is trapped by the approaching suit on one side and the Vashta Nerada shadows on the other. Continuity As shown on the BBC Doctor Who website, there are a number of books in the library either written by former Doctor Who writers or featured in previous episodes. Among those seen are the operating manual for the TARDIS, Origins of the Universe (Destiny of the Daleks), The French Revolution (An Unearthly Child), the Journal of Impossible Things ("Human Nature"/"The Family of Blood"), The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (written by Douglas Adams, former Doctor Who writer and script editor), Everest in Easy Stages (The Creature from the Pit) and Black Orchid (a book first seen in the Fifth Doctor serial of the same name). The Doctor mentions that "emergency program one" will send Donna home should she be left alone in the TARDIS for five hours. In "The Parting of the Ways", this program was activated by the Ninth Doctor to send Rose Tyler home. According to Steven Moffat, the squareness gun used by Professor River Song to help the party escape from the impending Vashta Nerada is intended to be the same sonic blaster that was used by Jack Harkness in the episode "The Doctor Dances". Moffat suggests that it was left in the TARDIS after "The Parting of the Ways", and taken by River Song in the Doctor's future. The name "squareness gun" was coined by Rose in the earlier episode. The psychic paper has previously summoned the Doctor to a location in "New Earth", where the Face of Boe called the Doctor to his supposed deathbed. The Doctor also mentions that he loves "a little shop", a sentiment previously expressed in the episodes "New Earth" and "Smith and Jones". Broadcast and reception "Silence in the Library" was scheduled against the final of ITV's talent contest Britain's Got Talent and suffered in the ratings as a result. Overnight viewing figures suggested that the episode was watched by 5.4 million viewers, although this increased to 6.27 million when adjusted for time shifting. Britain's Got Talent was viewed by 11.52 million in comparison. This was the first time since the series' revival in 2005 that Doctor Who did not have the largest audience share in its timeslot. However, the episode did receive an Appreciation Index score of 89 (considered "Excellent")[, the joint highest figure the new series has received alongside "The Parting of the Ways", "Doomsday" and the following episode "Forest of the Dead". BBC Three's repeat of the episode was watched by 1.35 million viewers, almost double the figures for the equivalent repeat of the previous episode, "The Unicorn and the Wasp". Production Certain scenes were filmed at the Old Swansea Central Library and the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea, Wales. "Forest of the Dead" is the ninth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast by BBC One on 7 June 2008. It is the second of a two-part story, following "Silence in the Library". //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> Plot Synopsis Immediately following the events of the previous episode, "Silence in the Library", the Doctor and the exploration team manage to escape the Vashta Nerada and take refuge in a well-lit room. As they work out a plan, the Doctor is concerned about how he can trust River Song, so she whispers a single word in his ear which convinces him: his real name. Donna Noble finds herself at a care home named "CAL", apparently two years later, with Dr Moon treating her. He introduces her to another man, Lee, and is later seen visiting the married Donna and her family. However, Donna keeps noticing that something is wrong; she seems to skip from one place to another at a whim, only to be reminded of the journey by Dr Moon, who does this frequently by ending his sentences with "...and then you remembered/forgot"). Meanwhile, the little girl watches both the Doctor and Donna by switching channels on her television. In the library, the Doctor discovers that the moon is sending out electromagnetic signals that are interfering with his sonic screwdriver. Strackman Lux explains that the moon is a virus scanner for the planet-side computer core. The Doctor briefly interrupts this signal, and suddenly appears in Dr Moon's place next to Donna; Dr Moon is quite literally the "doctor moon". The Doctor then understands that the message "4022 saved" did not mean they were rescued, but that their teleport patterns were saved to the library's hard drive. They are found once more by the Vashta Nerada suit and forced to flee, but the Doctor stays behind to reason with it. Through the communicator on the suit, the Vashta Nerada explain that the library is their "forest"; the paper of the countless books in the library was made from trees filled with Vashta Nerada spores, from which they hatched after being shipped to the library. They manage to kill Other Dave and resume the chase. River still laments the non-appearance of the Doctor she knew, recalling him making whole armies run away and opening the TARDIS with a snap of his fingers. Anita notices she has two shadows, and the Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver to tint her visor to attempt to trick the Vashta Nerada into thinking they are already in there. In the computer core, the truth of the situation is revealed to Donna by none other than Miss Evangelista. She reveals that her Data Ghost was captured by the library's wireless internet, but was corrupted and caused her face to become severely disfigured while increasing her intelligence, leaving her "brilliant but unloved" and able to see the false reality for what it really is. She points out that all the children are merely identical copies, and gets Donna to remember the library. However, the young girl, watching from her television, does not want Donna to know and uses her television remote control to injure one of Donna's children as a diversion. Donna leaves Miss Evangelista behind, but her acceptance of the simulated reality is nevertheless shaken, and her invented children disappear when confronted with the fact that they do not exist. The little girl, increasingly frustrated by events, "switches off" her father and throws the remote control to the floor, activating the computer's self-destruct mechanism. Dr Moon attempts to protect the girl as he is programmed to do, but he is also switched off. Professor River Song gives her life in place of the Doctor. To stop the self-destruct, the Doctor, River Song, and Lux make their way to the computer core. Here, Lux reveals the meaning of CAL: it is an acronym for the name Charlotte Abigail Lux, his grandfather's daughter, who was wired into the computer as a child because she was dying. In this manner, Charlotte could live forever with the sum total of human knowledge to pass the time. However, storing the patterns of 4022 unique people has filled her computer core, and is preventing normal operations. The only way to set things right is to reintegrate them in the library. As CAL cannot do this alone, the Doctor prepares to wire his own mind into the system as extra memory, though it will surely kill him. As he works, he uses his screwdriver to un-tint Anita's visor to reveal a skeleton inside - she had been dead for some time now. He insists that in exchange for getting to keep their forest, he will get to save the people in the computer core. They initially refuse, but when the Doctor tells them to search for his name in the library's archives, they immediately reconsider and give him a day to clear the planet. River, unwilling to let the Doctor die, which would rewrite history and erase their time together, knocks him out and takes his place, rescuing those trapped in the computer at the cost of her life instead of his. As the rescued humans are teleported home, Donna meets up with the Doctor. Having been unable to find her husband from the virtual world, the pair walks to the TARDIS, unaware that he is in the next group being teleported out. As the Doctor mournfully leaves River's diary and her sonic screwdriver in the library, he realises the reason why his future self gave her the sonic screwdriver in the first place: it holds a communication device with a Data Ghost. He uses it to bring River back to life inside the computer. After returning to the TARDIS, he decides to test what River Song said about his future: he opens and closes the TARDIS doors by snapping his fingers, then continues his adventures. Meanwhile, River Song appears in the virtual world, where she is greeted by Charlotte and Dr Moon. Anita, the two Daves and Miss Evangelista (her face restored) also appear, their Data Ghosts having been saved by Charlotte and brought into the computer for eternity. Josh and Ella, the homogeneous children from CAL's world, are seen to live with Charlotte and River. Continuity Multiple items from previous episodes are reused here. The wedding dress Catherine Tate wears in this episode is the same dress she wore in "The Runaway Bride". According to Steven Moffat, the squareness gun used by Professor River Song to help the party escape from the impending Vashta Nerada at the beginning of the episode is intended to be the same sonic blaster that was used by Jack Harkness in the episode "The Doctor Dances". Moffat suggests that it was left in the TARDIS after "The Parting of the Ways", and taken by River Song in the Doctor's future. The name "squareness gun" was coined by Rose Tyler in the earlier episode. The Bad Wolf motif (seen throughout series one and in other places) is alluded to once more: a picture of blonde girl and a wolf is visible in Charlotte's house. There are some similarities between River Song and Bernice Summerfield, a character created by Paul Cornell as a companion of the Seventh and late Eighth Doctors in Virgin New Adventures series of novels in the 1990s.[4] Both characters are archaeologists from the future who came to be the Doctor's most trusted companion. Professor River Song uses the Doctor's name (not heard by the viewer) in order to gain his trust. The secret behind the Doctor's true name was also explored in "The Girl in the Fireplace" (also by Steven Moffat), "The Shakespeare Code" and "The Fires of Pompeii", and later referred to in "Midnight". Production "Forest of the Dead" was initially announced under the title "River's Run", before its name was changed relatively late in production.[ Several scenes from this episode and "Silence in the Library" were filmed at Swansea's Brangwyn Hall. These include the library reception area where the TARDIS arrives, and the staircase where the Doctor and Donna look out over the empty library. The climactic scenes of the episode (in the library core) were filmed in an electrical substation of a disused Alcoa factory in Waunarlwydd, Swansea. Josh and Ella, Donna's two children in the computer-generated world, were named after Steven Moffat's son and his son's friend.[8] Reception Based on overnight returns, it is estimated that Forest of the Dead was watched by 7.1 million viewers, giving it a 40.0% audience share; the highest in Series Four and the highest in its timeslot.[9] The episode received an Appreciation Index score of 89 (considered "Excellent"), the joint highest score the programme has achieved alongside "The Parting of the Ways", "Doomsday" and the preceding episode "Silence in the Library". 199a - "Silence in the Library" Doctor Who episode The Doctor, Donna and the explorers find the skeleton of one of their companions. Cast Doctor David Tennant (Tenth Doctor) Companion Catherine Tate (Donna Noble) Guest stars Alex Kingston - Professor River SongColin Salmon - Dr MoonEve Newton - The GirlMark Dexter - DadSarah Niles - Node 1Joshua Dallas - Node 2Steve Pemberton - Strackman LuxTalulah Riley - Miss EvangelistaJessika Williams - AnitaO-T Fagbenle - Other DaveHarry Peacock - Proper Dave Production Writer Steven Moffat Director Euros Lyn Script editor Helen Raynor Producer Phil Collinson Executive producer(s) Russell T. Davies Julie Gardner Production code 4.8 Series Series 4 Length 45 mins Originally broadcast 31 May 2008 Chronology - Preceded by Followed by - "The Unicorn and the Wasp" "Forest of the Dead" 199b - "Forest of the Dead" Doctor Who episode Donna discovers that Miss Evangelista was corrupted when she was uploaded to the data core. Cast Doctor David Tennant (Tenth Doctor) Companion Catherine Tate (Donna Noble) Guest stars Alex Kingston - Professor River SongColin Salmon - Dr MoonHarry Peacock - Proper DaveSteve Pemberton - Strackman LuxJessika Williams - AnitaO-T Fagbenle - Other DaveEve Newton - The GirlMark Dexter - DadJason Pitt - LeeEloise Rakic-Platt - EllaAlex Midwood - JoshuaTalulah Riley - Miss EvangelistaJonathan Reuben - Man Production Writer Steven Moffat Director Euros Lyn Script editor Helen Raynor Producer Phil Collinson Executive producer(s) Russell T. Davies Julie Gardner Production code 4.9 Series Series 4 Length 45 mins Originally broadcast 7 June 2008 Chronology - Preceded by Followed by - "Silence in the Library" "Midnight"
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TDP 60: Doctor Who and Torchwood DVD Round Up
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 9 minutes and 56 secondsDVD round up for the summer of 2008!
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TDP 59: Doctor Who 4.07 The Unicorn and the Wasp
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 7 minutes and 41 seconds"The Unicorn and the Wasp" is the seventh episode in the fourth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was aired by BBC One on 17 May 2008 at 7:00pm.[2][3] Perhaps due to its later broadcast, it received an overnight audience rating of 7.7 million, making it the most successful episode this series since "The Fires of Pompeii".[4] The episode is a pseudohistorical story set in 1926, in a manor owned by a character named Lady Eddison in which crime fiction novelist Agatha Christie is visiting, and is a comedic episode with a murder storyline.[5] //<![CDATA[ if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } //]]> Plot Synopsis The episode sees the Doctor (David Tennant) and Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) arrive at a dinner party hosted by Lady Eddison (Felicity Kendal) and her husband, Colonel Hugh (Christopher Benjamin). One of the guests is none other than Agatha Christie (Fenella Woolgar). Looking at a newspaper, the Doctor finds that it is the day of Agatha Christie's famous unexplained disappearance (December 8, 1926). Just as this revelation is made, another guest, Professor Peach (Ian Barritt), is found by Eddison's friend and companion Miss Chandrakala (Leena Dhingra) in the library, murdered with a lead pipe; Donna alludes to the similarity to the boardgame Cluedo. The Doctor finds morphic residue on the floor while examining the scene, meaning that one of the guests isn't human. Aided by Agatha, the Doctor interviews the guests while Donna goes looking for clues. She investigates a locked room, which the butler explains Lady Eddison had sequestered herself in while recovering from a bout of malaria contracted in India forty years earlier and they had left locked after her recovery. Donna is attacked by a giant wasp after tracing a buzzing sound to a window. She scares it off with a magnifying glass. It escapes and apparently retakes human form before they can catch up, killing Miss Chandrakala along the way. Her last words are "The poor little child." At this point it becomes clear that the murder is being played out like one of Agatha's novels. While the three mull over the evidence they've gathered thus far, the Doctor is poisoned with cyanide; however, it is not as fatal for him as it is for humans, and an odd combination of ingredients with a shock (in the form of a kiss) from Donna allows him to detoxify himself. In return, the Doctor "poisons" the guests' dinner with pepper; naturally this is not harmful to humans, but it acts as an insecticide to wasps. A buzzing sound can be heard moments later, to which Lady Eddison exclaims, "It can't be!" The lights are blown out by a sudden wind and they again fail to ascertain the identity of the alien. Roger Curbishley (Adam Rayner), Lady Eddison's son, is murdered in the confusion, and Lady Eddison's necklace, 'The Firestone,' is stolen. In the sitting room, the Doctor and Agatha reveal several secrets about the guests and hosts. Robina Redmond (Felicity Jones) is a thief called 'The Unicorn' who coveted the Firestone and stole it in the confusion. Colonel Hugh is not actually wheelchair bound as he appears to be; he faked the condition to make sure Lady Eddison did not leave him. The truth of Lady Eddison's bout of malaria is also revealed; she was actually made pregnant by an alien known as a Vespiform, who gave her the Firestone necklace. The necklace is psychically linked to her son, whom she had given up for adoption and never saw again. Her son is actually the Reverend Golightly (Tom Goodman-Hill), who had come to associate Agatha Christie's novels with the way the world must work because Lady Eddison had been reading one when his alien biology was awakened in a moment of anger, and had killed those who were working against him in the manner of one of her novels. Golightly, now enraged once more at being discovered, transforms into his wasp form. Agatha snatches the Firestone, and Golightly pursues her since she is now linked to it. The Doctor and Donna follow after her. Agatha leads the creature to the lake, where Donna throws the necklace into the water. Golightly follows it in and thus drowns. Still linked to the necklace, Agatha nearly dies as well, but Golightly chooses to release her as his last act. The trauma causes amnesia, and the Doctor deposits her at the Harrogate Hotel ten days later, explaining her disappearance. In the TARDIS, the Doctor produces one of Agatha's novels, Death in the Clouds, and points to the copyright page in the front. The publication date is listed as the year five billion; Agatha Christie is quite literally the most popular novelist of all time. The cover features a giant wasp, suggesting that the amnesia was not total (although the wasp in the novel is in fact of the normal variety). Continuity When the Doctor meets Agatha Christie for the first time, he mentions that he was just talking about her the other day, saying "I bet she's brilliant". This comes from the end of "Last of the Time Lords", when he was suggesting places where he and Martha could go after the Master's defeat. Several previous episodes are referenced by both the Doctor and Donna. The Doctor produces items from a chest of items beginning with C, including a Cyberman chest-plate from "The Age of Steel" and the crystal ball in which the Carrionites are trapped from "The Shakespeare Code". Donna mentions that meeting Agatha Christie during a murder mystery would be as preposterous as meeting "Charles Dickens surrounded by ghosts at Christmas", unknowingly referencing the events of "The Unquiet Dead". When Donna attempts to use 1920s lingo, the Doctor tells her to stop, just as he did with Rose Tyler (in "Tooth and Claw") and Martha Jones (in "The Shakespeare Code" and The Infinite Quest) when they tried to mimic local speech; the first slang phrase Donna uses ("Topping day, what!") is also used by the Third Doctor when interacting with 1920s characters in the 1973 serial Carnival of Monsters. When poisoned, the Doctor runs into the kitchen and asks for ginger beer. The Fourth Doctor was seen drinking ginger pop throughout The Android Invasion and the dislike of it by companion Sarah Jane Smith becomes a major plot point. Donna refers to her own failed marriage in "The Runaway Bride", comparing it to Christie's husband's infidelity. She notes that her husband was colluding not with another woman but with a giant spider. She also mentions the disappearing bees, following on from previous mentions in "Partners in Crime" and "Planet of the Ood". The Doctor has a flashback scene when unravelling motives with Agatha Christie. In it he's carving through Belgium with a bow and quiver of arrows on his back. His voiceover explains he looking for Charlemagne who was "kidnapped by an insane computer." Christie interrupts before he can paint a full picture; however the events are fully explored on Doctor Who's BBC website in the short story "The Lonely Computer."[1] The first episode of this series was called "Partners in Crime" - the title of one of Agatha Christie's books. Outside references There are numerous references to either Agatha Christie's novels or to Christie herself. In a similar manner to the running gag between the Doctor and William Shakespeare in "The Shakespeare Code", both Donna and the Doctor refer to novels which Agatha has yet to write, ideas which she naturally finds to be intriguing -- particularly Murder On The Orient Express, which Donna mentions. Other novels referenced are Why Didn't They Ask Evans, The Murder at the Vicarage, Cards on the Table, Appointment with Death, N or M?, The Body in the Library, The Moving Finger, Sparkling Cyanide, Crooked House, They Do It With Mirrors, Cat Among the Pigeons, Endless Night, The Secret Adversary, Nemesis, Taken at the Flood, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, And Then There Were None, Death Comes as the End, Dead Man's Folly and Death in the Clouds. When the body of Professor Peach is found, the Doctor remarks that the time of death was quarter past four. This is a reference to Agatha Christie's novel, "The Clocks" where there are clocks frozen at 4:13. Donna also mentions Miss Marple (whom Christie had not yet created), and the novelist remarks that she would make for an interesting character. The episode also claims that Agatha Christie is the best-selling novelist of all time (literally), which is true today as her novels have sold an estimated four billion copies. (The works of Shakespeare and the Bible have sold more copies overall, but are not novels.)[6] The Doctor also makes a slight faux pas when he addresses Christie as "Dame Agatha", a title which she had yet to receive at the time the episode is set in. The script also makes multiple references to the murder mystery board game Cluedo. The first murder took place in the library, one of the rooms on the Cluedo board, with a lead pipe, one of the suspected weapons in the game. The victim's name is Professor Peach, a reference to Cluedo's Professor Plum. The episode also features a colonel (Colonel Mustard), a woman wearing blue (Mrs Peacock), a reverend (Reverend Green) and a woman in red (Miss Scarlett). Production The episode is written by Gareth Roberts, who previously wrote the pseudohistorical episode "The Shakespeare Code". Roberts was given a fourth series episode to write after executive producer Russell T Davies reviewed Roberts' script for "The Shakespeare Code". Several months later, he received an email from the production team which said "Agatha Christie".[7] Roberts, a self-confessed fan of Christie's works, made the episode into a comedy, the first Doctor Who story to do so since Donald Cotton's serials The Myth Makers and The Gunfighters, in 1965 and 1966, respectively.[5] Roberts based the episode on his favourite Christie works: Crooked House, which focuses on secrets within an aristocratic society, and the 1982 film adaptation of Evil Under the Sun. Speaking of both works, Roberts noted that it was "quite strange writing a modern Doctor Who with posh people in it. We don't really see posh people on television anymore, except at Christmas", and "there's something funny about the veneer of upper class respectability and the truth of any family underneath". He also stated that "there's really nothing nicer than watching a lot of English actors hamming it up in a vaguely exotic location... and then somebody's murdered!" The episode's title was deliberately chosen to sound "vaguely Christie-ish", but Roberts admitted that "[Christie] never used 'the blank and the blank' construction".[7] In writing the episode, Roberts aimed to make the episode a "big, fun, all-star murder mystery romp". He was influenced by advice given by Davies, who wanted Roberts to "go funnier" with every draft, and former Doctor Who script editor Douglas Adams' advice that "a danger one runs is that the moment you have anything in the script that's clearly meant to be funny in some way, everybody thinks 'oh well we can do silly voices and silly walks and so on', and I think that's exactly the wrong way to do it". Using this advice, he used the adage that in comedy, the characters do not realise the humour, and cited Basil Fawlty's mishaps in Fawlty Towers as an example.[7] In an interview with Doctor Who Magazine, Roberts stated that "to a certain extent [there was less pressure]" in writing the episode. He was pleased with the success of "The Shakespeare Code" and the The Sarah Jane Adventures story "Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?", but likened himself to Corporal Bell, a member of the administrative staff at the fictional Doctor Who organisation UNIT, in saying that he did not wish to be "in the middle of things" or writing episodes "where big, pivotal things have happened to [the Doctor]".[7] Cast notes Actor Christopher Benjamin, who plays Colonel Hugh, previously starred in two serials of the original Doctor Who series, playing Sir Keith Gold in Inferno (1970) and Henry Gordon Jago in The Talons of Weng-Chiang (1977). David Tennant's father Alexander McDonald played a footman in one of the early scenes, after being asked to act when visiting David on set.[8] He had no lines. The casting of Fenella Woolgar as Agatha Christie was made at the suggestion of David Tennant, who had previously worked with her on Bright Young Things.[8] Music Although the opening notes of the gramophone record playing at the garden party have an apparent similarity to the Doctor Who theme, it is in fact the opening of Twentieth Century Blues, originally from Noel Coward's 1931 play Cavalcade. The recording used here, edited together with other "period music," is a 1931 recording of Ray Noble and the New Mayfair Orchestra, featuring vocalist Al Bowlly. Locations The Harrogate Hotel where the Doctor leaves Agatha is fictitious. In actuality, the hotel where she was found was the Swan Hydro (now the Old Swan Hotel), a somewhat less imposing building than the one depicted in the episode. Doctor Who episode Having followed her to the lake, the titular "Wasp" is controlled by Agatha Christie (Fenella Woolgar) using the Firestone - the object sought after by the titular "Unicorn" - as the Doctor runs forward with Donna to plead with it to spare Christie's life. Cast Doctor David Tennant (Tenth Doctor) Companion Catherine Tate (Donna Noble) Guest stars Fenella Woolgar - Agatha ChristieFelicity Kendal - Lady Clemency EddisonFelicity Jones - Robina RedmondChristopher Benjamin - Colonel HughTom Goodman-Hill - Reverend GolightlyIan Barritt - Professor PeachDavid Quilter - GreevesAdam Rayner - Roger CurbishleyDaniel King - DavenportCharlotte Eaton - Mrs HartLeena Dhingra - Miss ChandrakalaAlexander McDonald - Footman (uncredited)[1] Production Writer Gareth Roberts Director Graeme Harper Script editor Lindsey Alford Producer Susie Liggat Executive producer(s) Russell T Davies Julie Gardner Phil Collinson Production code 4.7 Series Series 4 Length 45 mins Originally broadcast 17 May 2008 Chronology - Preceded by Followed by - "The Doctor's Daughter" "Silence in the Library"