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The Slitheen
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 The Doctor takes Rose home. But when a spaceship crash-lands in the Thames, London is closed off, and the whole world goes on Red Alert. While The Doctor investigates the alien survivor, Rose discovers that her home is no longer a safe haven. Who are the Slitheen?
Downing Street announces mankind’s first Interplanetary War. But the real danger is much closer to home.
The Doctor, Rose and Harriet Jones race against time to unmask the villainous Slitheen, but only Rose’s boyfriend and mum hold the key to salvation. Can the missiles be stopped?
| | | Source: BBC DVD | |
| Season: |
Twenty Seven (New Series 1)
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| Production
Code: |
1-4/1-5 |
| Story Number: |
160 (New Series: 4)
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| Episode Numbers: | 700 - 701 (New Series: 4 - 5) |
| Number of
Episodes: |
2 | | Percentage of Episodes Held: | 100% | | Working Titles: | "Aliens of London, Part One" (episode 1), "Aliens of London, Part Two" and "10 Downing Street" (episode 2) |
| Production
Dates: |
July - October 2004 |
| Broadcast Started: | 16 April 2005 | | Broadcast Finished: | 23 April 2005 |
| Colour Status: |
Colour |
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Studio: |
BBC Wales (Unit Q2, Newport) |
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Location: |
Cardiff Royal Infirmary (Cardiff), John Adams Street and Victoria Embankment (London) Brandon Estate (Kennington), Newport and Hensol Castle (Hensol). | |
| Writer: | Russell T Davies |
| Director: | Keith Boak |
| Producer: | Phil Collinson |
| Executive Producers: | Julie Gardner, Mal Young and Russell T Davies |
| Associate Producer: | Helen Vallis |
| Script Editor: | Elwen Rowlands |
| Editor: | Mike Jones |
| Production Manager: | Tracie Simpson |
| Production Designer: | Edward Thomas |
| Director of Photography: | Ernie Vincze BSC |
| Casting Director: | Andy Pryor CDG |
| Costume Designer: | Lucinda Wright |
| Make-Up Designer: | Davy Jones |
| Cameramen: | Martin Stephens (Operator) and Mike Costelloe (Operator) |
| Visual Effects: | The Mill |
| Special Effects: | Any Effects |
| Prosthetics: | Millennium Effects |
| Stunt Co-ordinator: | Rod Woodruff |
| Incidental Music: | Murray Gold |
| Special Sounds (SFX Editor): | Paul Jefferies |
| Sound Recordist: | Ian Richardson |
| Title Music: | Ron Grainer and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Arranged by Murray Gold |
| Number of
Doctors: |
1 |
| The Doctor: |
Christopher Eccleston (The Ninth Doctor) |
| Additional Cast: |
Corey Doabe (Spray Painter), Ceris Jones (Policeman), Jack Tarlton (Reporter), Lachele Carl (Reporter), Fiesta Mei Ling (Ru), Basil Chung (Bau), Matt Baker (Himself), Andrew Marr (Himself), Rupert Vansittart (General Asquith), David Verrey (Joseph Green), Navin Chowdhry (Indra Ganesh), Annette Badland (Margaret Blaine), Naoko Mori (Doctor. Sato), Eric Potts (Oliver Charles), Jimmy Vee (Alien), Steve Speirs (Strickland), Elizabeth Fost (Slitheen), Paul Kasey (Slitheen), Alan Ruscoe (Slitheen) and Morgan Hopkins (Sergeant Price) |
This story is the first two-parter of the revived show. Episode one was originally called "Aliens of London, Part One" before the second episode gained its own title of "World War Three". The working titles for the second episode were "Aliens of London, Part Two" and "10 Downing Street".
The external shots in episode one were actually the very first items of the revived show to be filmed.
BBC political reporter Andrew Marr and Blue Peter presenter Matt Baker appear as themselves. This story also marks the first appearance of reporter/newsreader Trinity Wells, played by Lachele Carl. She reappears in "The Christmas Invasion", "The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords", "The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky", "Turn Left", "The Stolen Earth/Journey's End" and also in episodes of childrens spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures.
Harriet Jones reappears in "The Christmas Invasion", by which time she has been elected Prime Minister. Despite falling out with The Doctor, Harriet returns in "The Stolen Earth/Journey's End", where she is seen surrending herself to the Daleks in order to save mankind.
The government pathologist featured in this story, Dr Toshiko Sato (played by Naoko Mori), can also be seen in the spin-off series Torchwood.
As with the first story "Rose" it appears that The Doctor is well known - especially on the Internet. To counter this The Doctor is seen giving Mickey a CD containing a virus to eradicate any trace of himself online.
The Slitheen are revealed to be a family; it is their surname, the name of their actual race is never revealed.
In this story The Doctor reveals that he is 900 years old. The last time he mentioned his age was in the 1987 story "Time and The Rani", when the Seventh Doctor claimed that he was 953 years old.
The destruction and rebuilding of 10 Downing Street in this story is referenced in "The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords", where The Master sets up in the newly-built office.
This isn't the first time that the TARDIS has been defaced. It was covered with chalk scribblings in the 1973 story "The Time Warrior" and then again in 1980 story "The Leisure Hive" and was painted flamboyant pink in the 1988 story "Happiness Patrol".
Before the title sequence in episode one there is a brief recap from "Rose" that leads directly into a pre-credits sequence.
The end of episode one contains a trailer for the second episode of this story. While the ending of episode two includes a trailer for the next story "Dalek".
Before the title sequence in episode two there is a brief recap of the main events that took place in the first episode.
Following on immediately after both episodes, on BBC3, were the third and fourth chapters of Doctor Who Confidential "I get a side-kick out of you" looked into what it takes to make the grade as The Doctor's companion. While "Why on Earth?" took a closer look at The Doctor's favourite planet.
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The Firsts:
The first appearance of the Slitheen.
The first appearance in the show of Harriet Jones played by Penelope Wilton.
The first appearance of reporter/newsreader Trinity Wells played by Lachele Carl.
The first two-part story of the revived television series.
The very first items of the new series to be filmed were the external shots used in episode one.
The first time the events of the previous episode are shown before the title sequence.
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(Position = 8 out of 10)
(Position = 132 out of 200)
