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{{ | {{ImageLinkTV}} | ||
{{Infobox Story SMW | |||
|image = | |image =The Great Detective Eleventh Doctor 1.jpg | ||
|series = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]] | |series = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]] | ||
| | |special = [[Children in Need]] Special [[2012 (releases)|2012]] | ||
|story number = | |story number = Children in Need mini-episode | ||
|doctor = | |doctor = Eleventh Doctor | ||
|companions = | |companions = | ||
|featuring = | |featuring = Vastra | ||
|enemy = | |featuring2 = Jenny Flint | ||
|setting = [[London]], | |featuring3 = Strax | ||
|writer = | |enemy = | ||
|director = | |setting = [[London]], [[1892]] | ||
|producer = | |writer = Steven Moffat | ||
|broadcast date = | |writer display = [[Steven Moffat]]<ref name = moffat>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/articles/The-Doctor-Returns-for-Children-in-Need|title=The Doctor Returns for Children in Need|author=The Doctor Who Team|date of source=14 November 2012|website name=BBC - Blogs - Doctor Who|accessdate=18 November 2012}}</ref> | ||
|format = | |director = [[director::Marcus Wilson]] | ||
|production code = | |producer = [[producer::Marcus Wilson]] | ||
|prev = The Angels Take Manhattan (TV story) | |broadcast date = 16 November 2012 | ||
|next = | |network = BBC One | ||
|made prev = | |format = 1x4-minute mini episode | ||
|made next = | |production code = | ||
}}''''' | |prev = The Angels Take Manhattan (TV story) | ||
|next = The Snowmen (TV story) | |||
|made prev = The Crimson Horror (TV story) | |||
|made next = The Snowmen (TV story) | |||
|series2 = Children in Need | |||
|prev2 = The Naked Truth (TV story) | |||
|next2 = Looking for Pudsey (TV story) | |||
|fullvid = Doctor_Who_The_Great_Detective_(Christmas_Special_Prequel)_-_Children_in_Need_2012_-_BBC_One | |||
}}'''''The Great Detective''''' was a minisode broadcast as a [[prequel]] for ''[[The Snowmen (TV story)|The Snowmen]]'', the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' 2012 Christmas special. It revealed how badly the [[Eleventh Doctor]] was hurt by the losses of [[Amy Pond]] and [[Rory Williams]], resorting to absolute [[retirement]] from his travels in [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] as a jaded inhabitant of the [[Victorian|Victorian Era]]. It reintroduced the characters of [[Vastra]], [[Jenny Flint]] and [[Strax]], last seen in [[TV]]: ''[[A Good Man Goes to War (TV story)|A Good Man Goes to War]]'', now identified as the [[Paternoster Gang]] and as such they become recurring characters in the franchise hereafter. | |||
It was first broadcast as part of ''Doctor Who's'' BBC's [[Children in Need]] charity appeal, and was followed by a trailer for the Christmas special. Both were introduced by [[Matt Smith]] and [[Jenna-Louise Coleman]]. | |||
== Plot == | == Plot == | ||
Having learned of strange happenings, Madame [[Vastra]], her maid [[Jenny Flint]], and their [[Sontaran]] servant [[Strax]] meet with the [[Eleventh Doctor]]. However, he shows no interest in the cases they mention, informing them that he has since [[retire]]d from investigating such matters. | |||
== Cast | == Cast == | ||
* | * [[Eleventh Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Matt Smith]] | ||
* [[Strax]] - [[Dan Starkey]] | * [[Strax]] - [[Dan Starkey]] | ||
* [[Vastra]] - [[Neve McIntosh]] | * [[Vastra]] - [[Neve McIntosh]] | ||
* [[Jenny Flint]] - [[Catrin Stewart]] | * [[Jenny Flint]] - [[Catrin Stewart]] | ||
* | * Narrator - [[Mark Gatiss]] | ||
== | == Worldbuilding == | ||
* [[Strax]] claims that he has "declared a war on [[the Moon]]." | * [[Strax]] claims that he has "declared a war on [[the Moon]]." | ||
* [[Vastra]] states there was a [[meteor]] shower of unexplained timing. She thinks it might be alien intervention. | |||
* [[Jenny Flint]] suggests they investigate the [[Alcohol|drunken]] claims of [[Erasmus Pink]] that he would drill into the [[Earth]]. | |||
== Story notes == | == Story notes == | ||
''to | * Unlike most minisodes, the episode has no opening credits, and as such writer Steven Moffat<ref name = moffat /> is uncredited. The episode also uses a unique typeface for presenting the episode title. It is the first televised ''Doctor Who'' story not to begin with a rendition of the theme music. | ||
* [[Jenny Flint|Jenny]]'s last name, Flint, is revealed in this minisode. In her introduction episode, ''[[A Good Man Goes to War (TV story)|A Good Man Goes to War]]'', she was known only as Jenny. | |||
* It was followed by a second prequel, ''[[Vastra Investigates: A Christmas Prequel (webcast)|Vastra Investigates]]'', which was released online in mid-December 2012. | |||
* This is the first [[Children in Need|''Children in Need'' special]] since ''[[Children in Need 2011 (TV story)|Children in Need 2011]]'', 1 year earlier. | |||
* This is the last televised story (not clearly branded as a prequel) in which the Doctor appears but [[Clara Oswald]] is not seen nor referenced in dialogue until [[TV]]: ''[[The Husbands of River Song (TV story)|The Husbands of River Song]]'' in December 2015. | |||
* Strax thinks there's life on the moon, such as "[[Moonite]]s". However, it's later revealed that the moon is actually an egg that would hatch in 2049. | |||
=== Ratings === | === Ratings === | ||
| Line 47: | Line 61: | ||
=== Filming locations === | === Filming locations === | ||
'' | ''Corn Street, Bristol, UK (filmed on 20 Aug 2012)'' | ||
=== Production errors === | === Production errors === | ||
| Line 53: | Line 67: | ||
== Continuity == | == Continuity == | ||
* The Doctor is shown to be | {{Discontinuity}} | ||
* The Doctor is shown to be [[retire]]d and living in the past. The [[Sixth Doctor]] had previously done this in [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Spindle of Necessity (short story)|The Spindle of Necessity]]''. | |||
* Despite Jenny's assertion that [[the Moon]] is uninhabited, the Doctor once implied that there are species native to it. ([[TV]]: ''[[Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (TV story)|Dinosaurs on a Spaceship]]'') Jenny's claim would later be proven wrong when the [[Twelfth Doctor]], [[Clara Oswald]] and [[Courtney Woods]] paid a visit to the Moon in [[2049]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Kill the Moon (TV story)|Kill the Moon]]'') | |||
* [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Dalek Generation (novel)|The Dalek Generation]]'' (released [[8 April (releases)|8 April]] [[2013 (releases)|2013]]) ends with the Doctor growing weary of travel and is implied to be his last adventure before his [[retirement]] here. | |||
* How Strax is alive after having been apparently killed off in [[TV]]: ''[[A Good Man Goes to War (TV story)|A Good Man Goes to War]]'' is left unexplained in both this minisode and the main ''The Snowmen''. It is not until the web minisode ''[[The Battle of Demons Run: Two Days Later (webcast)|The Battle of Demons Run: Two Days Later]]'' (a prequel to both this minisode and ''The Snowmen'') that it is fully explained how Strax survived. | |||
== Home video releases == | == Home video releases == | ||
[[File:Doctor Who Complete Seventh Series UK DVD Cover.jpg|thumb|Complete Seventh Series DVD Cover]] | |||
This mini-episode was released as part of The Complete Seventh Series on DVD and Blu Ray on September 24, 2013. | |||
=== Blu-ray releases === | === Blu-ray releases === | ||
''to be added'' | ''to be added'' | ||
== Footnotes == | |||
{{Reflist}} | |||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
'' | * {{locguide|greatdetective|The Great Detective}} | ||
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p011h3sb The prequel on the ''Doctor Who'' website] | |||
{{DWTV}} | {{DWTV}} | ||
{{Paternoster Gang stories}} | |||
{{TitleSort}} | {{TitleSort}} | ||
{{cat|Doctor Who (2005) television stories}} | {{cat|Doctor Who (2005) television stories}} | ||
[[Category:Stories set in London]] | [[Category:Stories set in London]] | ||
[[Category:Series 7 (Doctor Who) prequels]] | [[Category:Series 7 (Doctor Who) prequels]] | ||
[[Category:Stories set at Christmas]] | [[Category:Stories set at Christmas]] | ||
[[Category:Paternoster Gang television stories]] | |||
[[Category:Series 7 (Doctor Who) stories]] | |||
[[Category:2012 television stories]] | |||
[[es:The Great Detective (historia de TV)]] | |||
[[fr:The Great Detective]] | |||
[[ru:Великий детектив]] | |||
[[Category:Children in Need television stories]] | |||
Latest revision as of 20:33, 3 November 2024
The Great Detective was a minisode broadcast as a prequel for The Snowmen, the Doctor Who 2012 Christmas special. It revealed how badly the Eleventh Doctor was hurt by the losses of Amy Pond and Rory Williams, resorting to absolute retirement from his travels in the TARDIS as a jaded inhabitant of the Victorian Era. It reintroduced the characters of Vastra, Jenny Flint and Strax, last seen in TV: A Good Man Goes to War, now identified as the Paternoster Gang and as such they become recurring characters in the franchise hereafter.
It was first broadcast as part of Doctor Who's BBC's Children in Need charity appeal, and was followed by a trailer for the Christmas special. Both were introduced by Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman.
Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]
Having learned of strange happenings, Madame Vastra, her maid Jenny Flint, and their Sontaran servant Strax meet with the Eleventh Doctor. However, he shows no interest in the cases they mention, informing them that he has since retired from investigating such matters.
Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]
- The Doctor - Matt Smith
- Strax - Dan Starkey
- Vastra - Neve McIntosh
- Jenny Flint - Catrin Stewart
- Narrator - Mark Gatiss
Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Strax claims that he has "declared a war on the Moon."
- Vastra states there was a meteor shower of unexplained timing. She thinks it might be alien intervention.
- Jenny Flint suggests they investigate the drunken claims of Erasmus Pink that he would drill into the Earth.
Story notes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Unlike most minisodes, the episode has no opening credits, and as such writer Steven Moffat[1] is uncredited. The episode also uses a unique typeface for presenting the episode title. It is the first televised Doctor Who story not to begin with a rendition of the theme music.
- Jenny's last name, Flint, is revealed in this minisode. In her introduction episode, A Good Man Goes to War, she was known only as Jenny.
- It was followed by a second prequel, Vastra Investigates, which was released online in mid-December 2012.
- This is the first Children in Need special since Children in Need 2011, 1 year earlier.
- This is the last televised story (not clearly branded as a prequel) in which the Doctor appears but Clara Oswald is not seen nor referenced in dialogue until TV: The Husbands of River Song in December 2015.
- Strax thinks there's life on the moon, such as "Moonites". However, it's later revealed that the moon is actually an egg that would hatch in 2049.
Ratings[[edit] | [edit source]]
to be added
Filming locations[[edit] | [edit source]]
Corn Street, Bristol, UK (filmed on 20 Aug 2012)
Production errors[[edit] | [edit source]]
to be added
Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]
If you'd like to talk about narrative problems with this story — like plot holes and things that seem to contradict other stories — please go to this episode's discontinuity discussion.
- The Doctor is shown to be retired and living in the past. The Sixth Doctor had previously done this in PROSE: The Spindle of Necessity.
- Despite Jenny's assertion that the Moon is uninhabited, the Doctor once implied that there are species native to it. (TV: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship) Jenny's claim would later be proven wrong when the Twelfth Doctor, Clara Oswald and Courtney Woods paid a visit to the Moon in 2049. (TV: Kill the Moon)
- PROSE: The Dalek Generation (released 8 April 2013) ends with the Doctor growing weary of travel and is implied to be his last adventure before his retirement here.
- How Strax is alive after having been apparently killed off in TV: A Good Man Goes to War is left unexplained in both this minisode and the main The Snowmen. It is not until the web minisode The Battle of Demons Run: Two Days Later (a prequel to both this minisode and The Snowmen) that it is fully explained how Strax survived.
Home video releases[[edit] | [edit source]]
This mini-episode was released as part of The Complete Seventh Series on DVD and Blu Ray on September 24, 2013.
Blu-ray releases[[edit] | [edit source]]
to be added
Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Doctor Who Team (14 November 2012). The Doctor Returns for Children in Need. BBC - Blogs - Doctor Who. Retrieved on 18 November 2012.