"Doctor Who" Planet of the Dead (2009)

Director:

James Strong

Writers:

Russell T. Davies (written by) and
Gareth Roberts (written by)

TV Series:

"Doctor Who" (2005)

Original Air Date:

11 April 2009

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Family | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A meeting in a London bus with jewel thief Lady Christina takes a turn for the worst for the Doctor when the bus takes a detour to a desert-like planet, where the deadly Swarm awaits.

Plot Keywords:

Wormhole | Jewel Thief | Giant Insect | Desert Planet | Alien Language

Cast

David Tennant	...	The Doctor
Michelle Ryan	...	Christina
Lee Evans	...	Malcolm
Noma Dumezweni	...	Capt Magambo
Adam James	...	DI McMillan
Glenn Doherty	...	Sgt Dennison
Victoria Alcock	...	Angela
David Ames	...	Nathan
Ellen Thomas	...	Carmen
Reginald Tsiboe	...	Lou
Daniel Kaluuya	...	Barclay
Keith Parry	...	Bus Driver
James Layton	...	Sgt Ian Jenner
Paul Kasey	...	Sorvin
Ruari Mears	...	Praygat

Directed by
James Strong

Writing credits
Russell T. Davies		(written by) and
Gareth Roberts		(written by)

Produced by
Russell T. Davies	....	executive producer
Julie Gardner	....	executive producer
Tracie Simpson	....	producer
Debbi Slater	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Murray Gold

Cinematography by
Rory Taylor		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Mike Jones

Casting by
Andy Pryor

Production Design by
Edward Thomas

Art Direction by
Stephen Nicholas		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Julian Luxton

Costume Design by
Louise Page

Makeup Department
Pam Mullins	....	makeup artist
Morag Smith	....	makeup artist
Steve Smith	....	makeup artist
Barbara Southcott	....	makeup designer

Production Management
Chris Blatchford	....	post-production supervisor
Samantha Hall	....	post-production supervisor
Steffan Morris	....	production manager
Geraint Williams	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Bennett	....	first assistant director
Sarah Davies	....	third assistant director
James Dehaviland	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Paul Aitken	....	property master
Matthew Hywel-Davies	....	construction manager
Nick Murray	....	stand-by art director
James North	....	associate designer
Amy Pope	....	art department coordinator
Jackson Pope	....	stand-by props
Phil Shellard	....	stand-by props (as Phill Shellard)
Ben Morris	....	production buyer (uncredited)
Lewis Peake	....	art department assistant (uncredited)
Will Pope	....	stand-by carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Matthew Cox	....	dialogue editor
Julian Howarth	....	sound recordist
Paul Jefferies	....	sound effects editor
Paul McFadden	....	supervising sound editor
Tim Ricketts	....	dubbing mixer
Bryn Thomas	....	boom operator
Jeff Welch	....	boom operator
Julie Ankerson	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Will Everett	....	foley editor (uncredited)
Doug Sinclair	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Neill Gorton	....	prosthetics designer (uncredited)
Martina Hawkins	....	prosthetics administration manager (uncredited)
Rob Mayor	....	prosthetics supervisor (uncredited)
Kate Walshe	....	prosthetics coordinator (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Tim Barter	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Charlie Bennett	....	digital matte painter (uncredited)
Dave Early	....	senior digital matte painter (uncredited)
Russell Horth	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
David Jones	....	animator (uncredited)
Edmund Kolloen	....	visual effects artist (uncredited)
Neil Roche	....	animator (uncredited)

Stunts
Lee Sheward	....	stunt coordinator
Marlow Warrington-Mattei	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Chester	....	best boy
Mark Hutchings	....	gaffer
Clive Johnson	....	electrician
James Leigh	....	camera operator
Steve Rees	....	focus puller
John Robinson	....	grip
Joe Russell	....	camera operator
Steve Slocombe	....	electrician
Jamie Southcott	....	focus puller

Casting Department
Andy Brierley	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lindsay Bonaccorsi	....	costume supervisor
Rose Goodheart	....	assistant costume designer (as Rose Goodhart)
Barbara Harrington	....	costume assistant
Louise Martin	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Lee Bhogal	....	assistant editor
Marie Brown	....	post-production coordinator
Mick Vincent	....	colorist
Carmen Roberts	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Ron Grainer	....	composer: original theme music
Ben Foster	....	conductor (uncredited)
Ben Foster	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Jake Jackson	....	score engineer & mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Lindsey Alford	....	script editor
Ailsa Berk	....	choreographer
Nicola Brown	....	floor runner
Llinos Wyn Jones	....	continuity
Kevin Myers	....	production secretary
Adam Olley	....	production accountant
Julie Scott	....	production executive
Gareth Skelding	....	location manager
Jess Van Niekerk	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• BBC Wales

Distributors

• AXN (2010) (Hungary) (TV)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2009) (UK) (TV)

Special Effects

• Any Effects (special effects)
• Millennium FX (prosthetics)
• The Mill (visual effects)

Other Companies

• BBC Wales Graphics  graphics
• BBC National Orchestra of Wales  thanks

Runtime:

59 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | French

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:PG (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, UK

Company:

BBC Wales

Trivia:

Michelle Ryan was a candidate for a new companion after the departure of Billie Piper in 2006.

Goofs:

Continuity: Three police vehicles are chasing the bus at the start of the episode: a Ford Mondeo estate, a Land Rover Discovery 3, and a Skoda Octavia. These vehicles chase the bus into the south entrance of the tunnel. However, the same three vehicles are then shown pulling up at the north entrance of the tunnel, forming the roadblock.

Quotes:

The Doctor:I come from a race of people called Time Lords.
Christina:You're an alien?
The Doctor:Yeah, but you don't have to kiss me either.
Christina:You look human.
The Doctor:You look Time Lord.

Movie Connections:

References Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Soundtrack:

Doctor Who Closing Credits

Hardly inspired but it passes the time.

As the first of four one hour specials being aired this year, Planet of the Dead marks the first Easter special Writer's Russell T. Davies and Gareth Robert's offer up an episode which has a rather interesting premise and a morally dubious character in Michelle Ryan's Lady Christina Da Souza. An attractive young thief who as the story opens is seen to steal a priceless gold artifact from a museum. Having to make a hasty getaway when she accidentally triggers an alarm and is pursued by the authorities. She jumps on to a double decker bus. It would seem she has made her escape and that her problems are over. Nothing could be further from the truth. Especially when the Doctor boards the bus as well and sits right next to her and as you well know. Wherever the Doctor goes, trouble is not far behind him. Before you know it, the buses passengers find them self being sucked through a wormhole and trapped on an alien dessert planet on the other side of the universe.

What follow's is an inoffensive, passable time waster. Nothing spectacular. Which although not bad, you can't help but feel it could have been so much more. The episodes first half get's off to a cracking start with the museum robbery which instantly grabs out interest and contains an elaborate well choreographed scene. But once the action shifts to the bus then the pace begins to slow down and what we're left with is a leaden bit of exposition as we're introduced to a number of throw away characters who offer little to the plot.

Tennant once again is as wonderful as ever as the heroic Time Lord. At least offering something of interest to proceedings and he's adequately enough supported by Michelle Ryan who although fine as the feisty, flirtation Lady Da Souza, Isn't totally convincing in the role. It doesn't help however that she is lumbered with a two dimensional character who's sole purpose is to flirt with Tennant. Not to mention some of the cheesy dialogue she has forced upon her. Da Souza is so irritating post feminist. An attempt by Davies and Robert's it seems to foist a 21st century proactive heroine on us. Independent, confident. When all she comes across as is a reject from 'The Avengers'.

Once the action shifts and see's Tennant and Ryan venturing in to the planet's dessert plains then the pace really begins to get moving again and the story begins to unfold. Which although not entirely original and seems to borrow much from the Stepehn King mini-series, 'The Langoliers' as well as 'Pitch Black'. But never the less, there's still something to enjoy here. Lee Evan's manages to elevate things with his performance as the comically eccentric Prof. Malcolm Turner. Effecting a welsh accent and having some inspired moments with Tennant's Doctor who seems to have met someone more quirky than himself.

The overall result is a passable runaround which sadly is a bit of an anti-climax. While Davies and Roberts inclusion of a middle aged black woman who has psychic powers as a way to hint at what's to come is a unsubtle contrivance which has already been done to death through the series.

I wouldn't expect too much from 'Planet of the Dead'. It's an undemanding, fun and serves as nothing more than filler before the upcoming 'Waters of Mars' and Decembers Christmas specials which will see Tennant bow out of the show. But if this outing is anything to go by. Then Tennant's swan song may be something of an anti-climax. But who know's. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.