"Doctor Who" Midnight (2008)

Director:

Alice Troughton

Writer:

Russell T. Davies (written by)

TV Series:

"Doctor Who" (2005)

Original Air Date:

14 June 2008 (Season 4, Episode 10)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

As part of a well-deserved holiday, the Doctor takes a bus tour on the planet Midnight. Little does he know that something is knocking on that bus' wall... |

Plot Keywords:

Bus | Repetition | Bus Ride | Alien | Time Lord

Cast

David Tennant	...	The Doctor
Catherine Tate	...	Donna Noble
Billie Piper	...	Rose Tyler
Lesley Sharp	...	Sky Silvestry
Rakie Ayola	...	The Hostess
David Troughton	...	Professor Hobbes
Ayesha Antoine	...	Dee Dee Blasco
Lindsey Coulson	...	Val Cane
Daniel Ryan	...	Biff Cane
Colin Morgan	...	Jethro Cane
Tony Bluto	...	Driver Joe
Duane Henry	...	Mechanic Claude

Runtime:

45 min (50 episodes)

Certification:

UK:PG (DVD rating)

Company:

BBC Wales

Trivia:

Midnight was set to be episode 8 of season 4 with "Doctor Who: Silence in the Library (#4.8)" (2008) and "Doctor Who: Forest of the Dead (#4.9)" (2008) following it. Had the episode been originally where it had been placed it would have been the 50th episode of the revived series. A reference to this milestone was seen in the bus' name "Crusader 50".

Quotes:

[Sky stares intensely at the frightened passengers]
Dee Dee Blasco, Sky Silvestry: We must not look at goblin men.
Biff Cane, Sky Silvestry: What's that supposed to mean?
The Doctor, Sky Silvestry: It's a poem. Christina Rossetti.
Dee Dee Blasco, Sky Silvestry: We must not look at goblin men / We must not buy their fruits / Who knows upon what soil they fed / Their hungry, thirsty roots?
The Doctor, Sky Silvestry: Actually, I don't think that's helping.

Movie Connections:

Features Betty Boop and Grampy (1935)

Soundtrack:

Do It, Do It Again

A definite change of pace, but very effective

It would be hard to top the Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead duology with anything remotely similar, so it's probably a good thing that this episode went in an entirely different direction.

As opposed to vast, unearthly (CGI-generated) settings, almost the entire episode takes place in one small confined place, a tourist shuttle craft. This gives it almost the feeling of a stage play, and also a sense of claustrophobia that's very effective in enhancing the feeling of being trapped.

And as with a stage play, when you don't have elaborate sets and props to depend on for effect, it all comes down to acting, and the human factor - both of which are truly excellent in this episode. It's a very strongly character-driven story, and while the basic premise of small group of people trapped in a dangerous situation gradually turning against each other may have been done before (from Lord of the Flies on down through the movie Cube and many others), that doesn't lessen its impact, or change the fact that this is an extremely well-done rendition of that theme.

No, it's not standard Doctor Who fare - technology and aliens are decidedly second to human psychology here, and the Doctor for a change does not come across as all-knowing and able to handle anything. But that just makes it all the more effective.

All in all, a strong if atypical episode, and a nice break between Silence/Forest and the concluding three-episode story arc of the season.