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DOCTOR WHO SERIES ONE
SERIES ONE HOME - ABOUT THE SHOW
EPISODE GUIDE
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MARCH-JUNE 2005
(aka DOCTOR WHO SEASON 27)
EPISODE GUIDE
SERIES 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2009/10 SPECIALS
SERIES 5 | 6 | 7 | 2013 SPECIALS
THE EMPTY CHILD - What is guarded by the British Military?
09 - THE EMPTY CHILD (Episode photos below)
 
"...It's 1941, height of the London blitz, and something
else has fallen on London - a fully equipped
Chula warship. Armed to the teeth..."

PLOTLINE

If the threat of invasion from another country was not enough, aliens arrive during the London Blitz of World War II. Can Britain cope? Will it fall to Nazi Germany or to the visitors from another planet? Who is the mysterious Captain Jack?

Is this all too much for the Doctor to sort out?

EPISODE NINE REVIEW

THE EMPTY CHILD.

One of the best DOCTOR WHO episodes ever produced. End of review. Period.

Well, perhaps I should elucidate more on that profound statement in order to do justice to the work of crew and cast of Steven Moffat written episode.

Steven Moffat?

A name was previously known for a FRIENDS rip-off comedy (debatable) BBC2 series, COUPLING , and a name that sent a ripple of decent throughout die-hard fans as they expected an all-out pantomime to be tapped out on his keyboard. Smarting now, fans (and critics alike) have been permanently stunned by his intelligent, genuinely sassy and disturbing script, elements drawn together from DOCTOR WHO 's legacy.

The first true film-noir for DOCTOR WHO .

I could argue that THE TALONS OF WENG-CHIANG is the closest that the CLASSIC SERIES came to film-noir. With BIG FINISH's Colin Baker audioplay, THE MALTESE PENGUIN being a comic pastiche of a Chandler novel.

Dark environments with light slicing through desperation and hopelessness where dust and detritus hang in the air. Rain-stained and rubbish-strewn back alleys that hinder characters' destiny (the archetypical protagonist Detective being the Doctor?) (The femme fatal replaced by the character, Captain Jack Harkness?) and inevitable fatalism before meeting true destiny. The protagonist (the Doctor) seemingly in control and all knowing, only to be overwhelmed by the society and situations he encounters, and resolved by the help of chance. And if there was too be a happy ending, the main players are 'hurt', less innocent than they were before. And we see that at the end of this story.

On a budget of merely £1.2 million, it's a staggering achievement by BBC WALES to produce (basically, half of.) a cinematic masterpiece.

I panic that over the first three series of this NEW SERIES that all the best ideas will be used-up, leaving DOCTOR WHO - THE MOVIE with a watered-down concept. Moffat's script is one such idea that would have transferred to the 'big screen' magnificently.

Scene 1: Interior - TARDIS

"Panic stations! The TARDIS is erratically jumping timelines in pursuit of a dangerous space-object. It's been designated as 'Mauve' (the universal signal for danger), and it's heading toward London. The TARDIS console explodes as it struggles to keep pace."

Cue: Theme music.

Thrilling stuff and if that was the end of THE EMPTY CHILD I would have been very, very happy.

But what followed made me feel sorry for those missing millions who swapped WHO for outdoor barbeques, trips to the seaside or hours down the pub (the weather over the weekend was very warm - even for Britain!).

A panning shot of the TARDIS materialising in the dark alleyway. Rose's exasperation that the Doctor hasn't given her "Spock" (referring to fictional TV series, STAR TREK). A gas-masked child beckoning his 'Mummy'. A 1940s army officer with a pair of innocuous binoculars. An invisible spaceship tethered to Westminster clocktower. Undead patients in a hospital. And an underlying sexual tension.

They missed all that, and more.

The eschewed, clear depth of field cinematography (appreciation to director, James Hawes and, again, to Ernie Vincze BSC - a modern day Jack Cardiff working in television) matched the Angelo Badlamenti/TWIN PEAKS-style incidental music (appreciation to Murray Gold, again), as did the presence of an understated, pitch-perfect cast. Combine those with atmospheric stunning visual effects from the imagination from MillTV and a superlative set design (and property dressing).

Were we watching DOCTOR WHO as we knew it?

The Doctor and Rose are quickly separated a heartbeat into the episode, with his companion immediately thrown into jeopardy (and into the path of German bombers) whilst he becomes an anti-hero, ridiculed by a captive audience (even the choice of song, "It had to be you", played at the moment the Doctor walks in was pitched perfectly:

"For nobody else, gave me a thrill - with all your faults, I love you still
It had to be you, wonderful you
It had to be you"

And there's Captain Jack Harkness. A former Time Agent (he abandoned the Regime after his superiors wiped years of his memories) who is on a short 'con' (confidence trick or swindle) for financial gain. He lured the TARDIS with the seemingly valuable space-object (a Chula Ambulance - empty?) in the hope that they (the Doctor and Rose) will him an offer. Of course, it goes wrong, with Harkness unleashing an unknowing force. Harkness is notable for being the series' first 'overtly bi-sexual' character, having teased both an Army colleague and Rose. Will he enamour the Doctor, our very own 'asexual' character? Will this sexual concoction and ambiguity be accepted by the family audience (and hardcore DOCTOR WHO fans)? However, it seems that Rose is smitten by Harkness (and by his use of high-tech equipment and methodology - what she calls 'Spock-ness')

And the 'empty child'? The adoption of a young boy (replete with gas mask, and haunting pitiful call, "Are you my mummy?") as the adversary is a classic one (think of power of THE EXORCIST). How can a small child be threatening, especially as it looks for its errant parent? Warned by Nancy, why should the Doctor not talk or touch this 'empty child'?

NANCY (to DOCTOR WHO): "It's not exactly a child"

And how, later, through examining hospital patients they appear to the same as this 'empty child' - a scared hand and a gas mask 'fused' to their head? Alive but then again dead. Absorbing plotline and truly DOCTOR WHO. The Doctor hypothesises that the human DNA is being re-written. But why?

The humour is magically slight:

DOCTOR WHO (dining with the children): "What are they going to do? Arrest you for starving!"

The visual effects are stunning - again. The MillTV has responded with a portfolio of landscape 'paintings' and singular legerdemain that ensures that a writer's wildest and broadest idea, no matter how unearthly, can be realised 'realistically' (the challenge will come when the series ventures away from Earth and visits its first alien world). The air raid across London matches the excellence and attainment of similar effects used in the TV mini-series, BAND OF BROTHERS. And in a 'we do believe it' moment, the transformation of Richard Wilson's Doctor Constantine into and empty' vessel was noteworthy.

The climax was typically DOCTOR WHO. The 'zombie' moment - but with a touch of class. No out-stretched arms and groaning here, just 'zombie' POV (point of view), a disjointed chorus of "Mummy" and sharp editing made for a truly threatening conclusion.

Joy, and there's another 45 minutes to follow.

Things to look out for...

DOCTOR WHO FOLKLORE DOCTOR WHO uses a pair of "souped-up" Opera Glasses to observe the bombsite.

DOCTOR WHO FOLKLORE ALBION HOSPITAL was (well, will be .) the location used in ALIENS OF LONDON and WORLD WAR III.

DOCTOR WHO FOLKLORE Captain Jack Harkness uses Psychic Paper in an attempt to deceive.

CONTINUTY ERRORS We're still checking but this episode seems flawless! However, Mr Page has pointed out that WIWKPEDIA states that barrage balloons were thethered by steel cables and not ropes (as seen here).

 

THE EMPTY CHILD - Rose Tyler is taken for ride...not in the TARDIS but over it.

THE EMPTY CHILD - The Doctor takes a call from his TARDIS. Really.
THE EMPTY CHILD - The period set design excels with stunning detail.
THE EMPTY CHILD - James Hawes' direction throws-up delightful vignettes.
THE EMPTY CHILD - The Doctor and his 'enhanced' Opera Glasses.
THE EMPTY CHILD - James Hawes' direction throws-up delightful vignettes. Florence warns the Doctor not to answer the phone.
THE EMPTY CHILD - Doctor Constantine mutates. The whole effect is a gas...mask.
 
Review - Matthew Walter
EOH RATING

Rated 5/5



CAST
DOCTOR WHO
Christopher Eccleston
ROSE TYLER
Billie Piper
DR CONSTANTINE
Richard Wilson
NANCY
Florence Hoath
NIGHTCLUB SINGER
Kate Harvey
THE CHILD
Albert Valentine
MRS LLOYD
Cheryl Ferguson
MR LLOYD
Damian Samuels
JACK HARKNESS
John Barrowman
ALGY
Robert hands
JIM
Joseph Tremain
ERNIE
Jordan Murphy
VOICE OF THE EMPTY CHILD
Noah Johnson
COMPUTER VOICE
Dian Perry
     
PRODUCTION CREW
1st ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Jon Older
2nd ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Steffan Morris
3rd ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Dan Mumford
LOCATION MANAGER
Clive Evans
PROD.
CO-ORDINATOR
Dathyl Evans
PROD. ACCOUNTANTS
Debi Griffiths
Kath Blackman
CONTINUITY
Nan Eleri Hughes
SCRIPT EDITOR
Helen Raynor
CHOREGRAHPER
Ailsa Aliena-Bark
CAMERA OPERATOR
Martin Stephens
FOCUS PULLERS
Mark Isaac
GRIP
John Robinson
SOUND RECORDIST
Ian Richardson
BOOM OPERATOR
  Damian Richardson
GAFFER
  Mark Hutchings
BEST BOY
  Peter Chester
STUNT
CO-ORDINATOR
  Lee Sheward
STUNT
PERFORMER
  Kim McGarthy
PROD. BUYER
  Catherine Samuel
SET DECORATOR
  Liz Griffiths
SUPERVISING ART DIRECTOR
  Stephen Nicholas
STAND-BY ART DIRECTOR
  Arwel Jones
PROPERTY MASTER
  Adrian Anscombe
ART DEPT CO-ORDINATOR
  Gwenllian Llwyd
STAND-BY PROPS
  Phill Shellard
Trystan Howell
GRAPHIC ARTIST
  Jenny Bowers
CONSTRUCTION MANAGER
  Andrew Smith
WARDROBE SUPERVISOR
  Yolanda Pearl-Smith
MAKE-UP SUPERVISOR
  Linda Davie
MAKE-UP ARTISTS
  Claire Pritchard
Steve Williams
CASTING ASSOCIATE
  Kirtsy Robertson
ASSISTANT EDITORS
  Ceres Doyle
Jamie Adams
POST PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
  Marie Brown
ON LINE EDITOR
  Matthew Clarke
Zoe Cassey
COLOURIST
  Jamie Ricketts
2D VFX ARTISTS
  Simon C Holden
David Bowman
Sara Bennett
Alberto Montanes
Jennifer Herbert
Astrid Busser-Casas
Michael Harrison
3D VFX ARTISTS
 

Andy Howell
Nick Webber
Jean-Claude Dagnara
Matt McKinney
Paul Burton
Chris Potts
Nicolas Herhandez

DIGITAL MATT PAINTER
  Alexander Fort
DUBBING MIXER
  Tim Rickettts
DIALOGUE EDITOR
  Paul McFadden
SOUND FX EDITOR
  Paul Jefferies
BRAND MANAGER
  ian Grutchfield
BUSINESS MANAGER
  Richard Pugsley
CONCEPT ARTISTS
  Bryan Hitch
CASTING DIRECTOR
  Andy Pryor CDG
PRODUCTION MANAGER
  Tracie Simpson
PRODUCTION ACCOUNTANT
  Endaf Emyr Williams
COSTUME DESIGNER
  Lucinda Wright
MAKE-UP DESIGNER
  Davy Jones
VISUAL EFFECTS
  THE MILL
VISUAL FX PRODUCER
  Will Cohen
VISUAL FX SUPERVISOR
  Dave Houghton
SPECIAL EFFECTS
  ANY EFFECTS
PROSTHETICS
  Millennium Effects
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
  Edward Thomas
EDITOR
  Mike Jones
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
  Ernie Vincze BSC
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
  Helen Vallis
SPECIAL MAKE-UP
  Neill Gorton
MODELS AND MINATURES
  Mike Tucker
INCIDENTAL MUSIC
  Murray Gold
PRODUCER
  Phil Collinson
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
  Mal Young
Julie Gardner
Russell T Davies
DIRECTOR
  James Hawes
  Produced by
BBC WALES
WRITER
  Steven Moffat
     
INFORMATION
BROADCAST DATE
21 May 2005
(BBC1 18:30-19:10)
 
REPEATED DATE
  21 May 2005
(BBC3 19:15-20:00)
     
FIRST RUN UK RATINGS (millions)
Unofficial Average 6.6
Unofficial Peak 6.7
Official BARB RATING 7.11
Top 100 rating 21st
DVD RELEASE
5 September 2005 (as part of Volume 4 boxset)

 

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