Why on Earth? (CON episode)

Why on Earth?
Broadcast on:	BBC Three
Broadcast with:	World War Three
Broadcast date:	23 April 2005 (Full length), 14 August 2005 (Cut Down)
Runtime:	27'33" (Full length), 13'09" (Cut Down)
Key crew
Narrator:	Simon Pegg
Doctor Who Confidential
← Previous	I Get a Side-Kick Out of You
Next →	The Daleks

Why on Earth? was the episode of Doctor Who Confidential broadcast in conjunction with World War Three. The working title for this episode was Life on Earth.

Aspects of production covered

• The notion of the cliffhanger and how it has been used in Doctor Who. Also, how the cliffhangers have had to change to fit with modern viewing habits.
• The prosthetics work on the Slitheen.
• How the skin unzipping sequences were realised using prosthetics, greenscreen and CGI.
• Alan Ruscoe discusses the physicality of being a Slitheen, and the challenges of wearing the suit.
• The VFX work for the Slitheen spaceship crash.

Additional topics covered

• The decision of returning to modern-day Earth, and how travelling through time and space would have an impact on Rose's family and friends.
• Past Doctor and companion actors discuss the Doctor's affection for humanity.
• The Third Doctor's exile to Earth and his relationship to UNIT.
• The return of the Brigadier in Battlefield.

2005 promo image.

People interviewed

• Russell T Davies, Head Writer
• Noel Clarke, Mickey Smith
• Christopher Eccleston, The Ninth Doctor
• Peter Davison, The Fifth Doctor
• Colin Baker, The Sixth Doctor
• Andrew Collins, Film Critic
• Will Cohen, Visual Effects Producer
• Alan Ruscoe, Slitheen
• Elizabeth Fost, Slitheen
• Annette Badland, Margaret Blaine
• David Bowman, Compositor
• Richard Franklin, Captain Mike Yates
• Katy Manning, Jo Grant
• Nicholas Courtney, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart
• Sylvester McCoy, The Seventh Doctor

Music list

• "Are You Gonna Be My Girl?" by Jet, Album: Get Born

Crew

Executive Producer   Mark Cossey

Executive Producers for Dr Who   Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner and Mal Young

Series Producer   Gillane Seaborne

Produced & Directed by Adam Page

General production staff Junior Researcher - Alexander Gratton Production Co-Ordinator - Caroline Harris Production Manager - Catherine Gosling Production Secretary - Hannah Simpson Researcher - Geoff Evans, Zoë Rushton, Stephen Thomas	Camera and lighting department Camera - Eric Huyton, Johnny Rodgers, Andy Smith Runner - Maxine Hughes, Hannah Williams Special and visual effects Colourist - Richard Doel	General post-production staff Editor - Ian Hunt, Rob Mansell Sound Dubbing - Mark Ferda Sound - Simon Cole, Kevin Meredith, Les Mowbray

BBC Wales
© BBC MMV
Not every person who worked on this episode was credited. The absence of a credit for a position doesn't necessarily mean the job wasn't required. The information above is based solely on observations of the actual end credits of the episodes as broadcast, and does not relay information from IMDB or other sources.

Elements retained in Cut Down

The actors stumbling over how to pronounce "Raxacoricofallapatorius".

Home video releases

Doctor Who: The Complete First Series DVD cover.

The "Cut Down" version of this episode was included on the Doctor Who: The Complete First Series DVD box set released on 21 November 2005.