Before the Flood (TV story): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Story
{{ImageLinkTV}}
|name            = {{StoryTitle}}
{{Infobox Story SMW
|image          = Before the Flood.jpg  
|image          = Before the Flood.jpg
|series          = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
|series          = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
|season number  = [[Series 9 (Doctor Who)|9]]
|season number  = Series 9 (Doctor Who 2005)
|story number    = 254b
|series episode number = 4
|story number    = 255b
|scripturl      = https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scripts/DW9-EP4-Before-the-Flood.pdf
|doctor          = Twelfth Doctor
|doctor          = Twelfth Doctor
|companions      = [[Clara Oswald|Clara]]
|companions      = [[Clara Oswald|Clara]]
|featuring      = [[Cass (Under the Lake)|Cass]], [[Tim Lunn|Lunn]], [[Mason Bennett|Bennett]], [[Alice O'Donnell|O'Donnell]]
|enemy          = The [[Fisher King]]
|enemy          = [[Fisher King]], Transmitter [[ghost]]s
|setting        = [[Краснодар]], [[1980]]; [[The Drum]], [[2119]]
|setting        = [[The Drum]], [[Caithness]], [[Scotland]], [[1980]] and [[2119]]
|writer          = Toby Whithouse
|writer          = [[Toby Whithouse]]
|director        = [[Daniel O'Hara]]
|director        = [[Daniel O'Hara]]
|producer        = [[Derek Ritchie]]
|producer        = [[Derek Ritchie]]
|broadcast date  = [[10 October (releases)|10 October]] [[2015 (releases)|2015]]
|confidential    =
|network        = [[BBC One]]
|confidential2  =
|format          = 1x45 minute episode
|confidential3  =
|production code =
|confidential4  =
|broadcast date  = 10 October 2015
|network        = BBC One
|format          = 1x45 minute episode;<br/>Part 2 of 2
|prev            = Under the Lake (TV story)
|prev            = Under the Lake (TV story)
|next            = TBA
|next            = The Girl Who Died (TV story)
|made prev      = Under the Lake (TV story)
|trailer        = Before The Flood Trailer - Series 9 Episode 4 - Doctor Who - BBC
|made next      = Prologue (webcast)
|clip            =
|clip2          =
|clip3          =
|bts            =
|bts2            =
|bts3            =
|trailer        =  
|trailer2        =  
|trailer2        =  
}}
|clip            = The Bootstrap Paradox - Before The Flood - Doctor Who - BBC
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the fourth episode of the [[series 9 (Doctor Who)|ninth series]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' produced by [[BBC Wales]]. The episode saw the Doctor become part of a paradox in order to defeat the [[Fisher King]].
|clip2          = The pilot's hearse - Before the Flood Preview - Doctor Who Series 9 Episode 4 (2015) - BBC
|clip3          = The Doctor vs The Fisher King - Before The Flood - Doctor Who - BBC
|bts            = Introduction to Before the Flood - Doctor Who Series 9 Episode 4 (2015) - BBC One
|bts2            = Steven Moffat's teaser to Before the Flood - Doctor Who Series 9 Episode 4 (2015) - BBC One
|bts3            = Strictly Come Ghosting - Doctor Who Series 9 (2015) - BBC One
}}{{you may|Before the Flood (in-universe)|n1=the episode of Doctor Who as it exists within the DWU}}
'''''Before the Flood''''' was the fourth episode of [[Series 9 (Doctor Who 2005)|series 9]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''.
 
Unique to this episode, as well as the BBC Wales ''Doctor Who'' series since it first aired in [[2005 (releases)|2005]], the entire first scene of ''Before the Flood'' extensively broke the [[fourth wall]] by cutting over to the [[Twelfth Doctor]] on board the [[The Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]] explaining the mechanics of a bootstrap paradox, a point integral to the story.
 
It also featured the Doctor personally play the [[Doctor Who theme|theme]] for ''Doctor Who'' for the first time on-screen, using an electric guitar, which actor [[Peter Capaldi]] himself knew how to play and had personally selected from a guitar shop previously for a scene in ''[[The Magician's Apprentice (TV story)|The Magician's Apprentice]]''. His musical pitches blended with that of the normal theme tune arrangement used in the [[title sequence]].
 
A notable aspect of the production was that part of the audio used to create the Fisher King's guttural roar and the voice of the Twelfth Doctor's hologram ghost were supplied by [[Corey Taylor]], the lead singer of the heavy metal band [[Slipknot]], and a fan of the show.


== Synopsis ==
== Synopsis ==
A twisted survival plan is pieced together by an alien warlord called the [[Fisher King]]. The [[universe]] will feel the consequence. Can these events be stopped? Can [[the Doctor]] ensure the future's coming and do the impossible?
A twisted and vile survival plan is pieced together by an alien warlord called the [[Fisher King]]. The [[universe]] will feel the consequence. Can these events be stopped? Can [[the Doctor]] ensure the future's coming and do the impossible?


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
The Doctor [[Fourth wall|talks directly to the audience]] and explains the bootstrap paradox: a hypothetical time traveler decides to go back in time to meet Beethoven, whose music he admires. However, he discovers that Beethoven never actually existed. The time traveler then decides to publish Beethoven's music himself, essentially 'becoming' Beethoven. "But," the Doctor asks, "how did the music first originate, then? Who composed Beethoven's Fifth?"
At an unspecified point in time, [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] flies through space. The Doctor addresses the audience directly, telling a story about a time traveller who has had many misadventures zipping around the history of the cosmos. At one point, he decided what was the point of time travel unless you get to meet your heroes. And so, the time traveller decides to meet his favourite musician, [[Ludwig van Beethoven]]. However, once he arrives in [[18th century]] Germany, there is no sign of the composer whatsoever; not even the Beethoven family has any idea who Ludwig is. Beethoven literally does not exist.
 
The Doctor stops his story briefly, grabbing a bust of Beethoven and explains that this ''never'' really happened; he's met Beethoven, who was a nice guy but very intense and loved arm-wrestling. The Doctor says he's trying to explain the [[Bootstrap paradox]] with this hypothetical scenario, going to put the bust down; however, he turns around and tells the audience to "[[Google]] it" if they want specifics.
 
Placing the bust near an amp and clockwork squirrel, the Doctor explains that the time traveller panicked at the idea of a world without Beethoven's music. That's when the traveller remembered he brought sheet music for Beethoven to autograph. Copying out the music, the time traveller gets it published, effectively becoming [[Ludwig van Beethoven]] himself. And history manages to continue on with barely a feather ruffled. However, one little thing about this whole situation is still confusing.
 
[[File:Doctor playing electric guitar in the TARDIS.jpg|left|thumb|The Doctor uses his guitar.]]
Grabbing his electric guitar, the Doctor turns on the amp attached to it. Tuning his guitar, the Doctor poses the question about how the music of Beethoven first originated. Did the time traveller create it, or did it simply exist without creation? ''"Who really composed [[Beethoven's Fifth Symphony|Beethoven's Fifth]]?" '' With that question, the Doctor plays the opening bars on his electric guitar.
 
In 1980, the TARDIS materialises. The Doctor and O'Donnell exit the TARDIS, noting that Bennett is still throwing up. When the Doctor notes that it usually happens with [[Courtney Woods|first-timers to time travel]], O'Donnell points out it's unlikely that [[companion]]s such as [[Rose Tyler|Rose]], [[Amy Pond|Amy]] or [[Martha Jones|Martha]] ever did that on their first trips (likely because they had stronger stomachs). He notes that she knows a lot about him; O'Donnell explains that she used to be in army intelligence until she hung a coworker out a window for angering her.
 
Bennett joins them, thinking his lunch made him ill; he had shrimp. The Doctor explains that they've arrived at the same location, only before the flood, on the day that the spaceship landed. O'Donnell excuses herself to get a rock out of her boot, with the Doctor going ahead; once the Doctor is out of sight, O'Donnell giddily states the absurdity of the TARDIS interior to Bennett before regaining her composure. They quickly catch up to the Doctor, who has already found the spaceship; he explains that it's basically a [[hearse]]. A body-bag is inside, but the strange writing isn't present. They are surprised by a very much alive [[Albar Prentis]], whose sense of smell identifies their species. The Doctor notes that he's met [[Gibbis|a Tivolian before]], and is not a fan of the species. Prentis laughs, noting his species have a tendency to antagonise others.
 
[[File:Albar Prentis alive.jpg|thumb|The Doctor meets another Tivolian.]]
They ask about the body in the ship, to which Prentis explains is the body of the Fisher King, who ruled [[Tivoli]] for a decade before the [[Arcateenian]]s liberated them. However, the upset Tivolians ended up annoying them so much, that the benevolent species ended up enslaving them next. Bennett flatly states ''"My first proper alien, and he's an idiot"''; he thinks Tivolians are morons for favouring enslavement. Prentis continues his explanation; in accordance with Arcateenian law, the body of the Fisher King is to be buried at a "savage, barren outpost." The Doctor explains that it's the Earth, not the site that is considered such. He then explains the future message, wondering if a special pen is what causes it; Prentis tells him that Tivolians do not have such technology. Even the ship was given to him by the Arcateenians.
 
Back in the future at the underwater base, Clara, Cass and Lunn see the Doctor's ghost is not hostile, just standing in place and muttering. Cass sees that the Doctor is utter something different from the other Ghosts; "Moran, Prichard, Prentis, O'Donnell, Clara, Bennett, Doctor, Cass." It's a list of who dies in the order in which they are killed; however, only the Doctor and Clara have realised this. Oddly, Lunn is missing from the list.
 
When the Doctor contacts Clara and is informed about his ghost, he is badly shaken by this certain knowledge of his future. Clara forcefully encourages him to try to change events, but the Doctor argues that he cannot and ultimately accepts the eventuality that he must die to keep events in motion. He tries to get information from his ghost, but instead, it unlocks the Faraday cage, releasing the other ghosts. The Doctor instructs them to go into the cage for their own protection, but to leave the phone outside so he can contact them just in case the situation with the Ghosts changes. They comply, managing to evade the Ghosts.
 
[[File:O'Donnell hiding.jpg|left|thumb|O'Donnell hides from the Fisher King.]]
In the meantime, Prentis returns to his ship to find the Fisher King missing and the strange symbols have appeared. As soon as the writing has finished altering his mind, Prentis is surprised by the Fisher King and shot dead. The Doctor, O'Donnell and Bennett rush back the hearse to stop the chain of events, but find they have been too slow to figure out the Fisher King's plans; he faked his death to get away from the [[Arcateenian]]s. Hearing a roar from the mighty monarch, the trio run into the buildings, hoping to avoid becoming Ghosts.
 
Hearing the stomping, mechanical footsteps of the Fisher King pass by, O'Donnell breathes a sigh of relief. However, when she moves to hide elsewhere, she is surprised by the Fisher King; she screams in horror as the monster shoots her. The Doctor and Bennett rush to find O'Donnell dying, and the Fisher King nowhere to be seen. As O'Donnell dies, Bennett finally realises the list is the order in which they die. When asked who's next, the Doctor says Clara is. Bennett laughs, snidely asking the Doctor if getting closer to his name makes him scared. However, the Doctor says he is attempting to save Clara, not himself.
 
Back in the TARDIS, the Doctor attempts to return to the future. The TARDIS rocks violently briefly before refusing to move. They exit, finding themselves behind the building that the TARDIS originally landed at; hearing himself asking O'Donnell where Bennett is, the Doctor realises they've moved 30 minutes back in time. The TARDIS won't let him leave; he's locked in his own time-stream. They find Prentis alive, and the Doctor stops Bennett from trying to prevent his and O'Donnell's deaths; ''"If you save them, then somebody that was supposed to be dead is alive. Then you really are seeing ghosts."'' It's obvious as Bennett looks at O'Donnell that he loved her, leaving him saddened. Until past Doctor and Bennett attempt to leave, they have to remain hidden to avoid causing any more complications via a [[paradox]].
 
[[File:O'Donnnell's Ghost.jpg|thumb|O'Donnell returns to the Drum as a ghost.]]
Back in the future, O'Donnell's ghost appears and steals Clara's phone; having known about it before dying, she had an advantage that the others ghosts did not. Clara is furious, yelling for O'Donnell to put her phone back; however, she then realises that the ghosts did not attempt to kill Lunn when they were being lured to the Faraday cage. Lunn explains that Cass didn't let him in the ship. Clara tells him that means he didn't see the writing and does not have the coordinates in his brain. The ghosts won't kill him since he won't turn into another ghost; this frees him to get the phone back.
 
Cass is confused, prompting Lunn to translate; she gives a horrified "no". She frantically signs, confusing Clara. She asks what Cass is saying; Lunn says Cass is wondering if travelling with the Doctor has changed her as a person. Clara tells them that her travels with the Doctor have taught her to do what needs to be done, regardless if it might be dangerous. They open the door and Lunn creeps out silently. Clara tells Cass that she doesn't need to worry, Lunn will be fine. However, an upset Cass signs something offensive to Clara to voice her anger before going back inside the Faraday cage. ''"OK, did not need help to understand that one."''
 
Meanwhile, Lunn finds the phone inside the canteen; however, this was a trap by the Ghosts to use him as bait to lure in the last two potential victims. When Lunn fails to return, Clara agrees to accompany Cass to search for him. However, they get separated; Clara wastes a few moments calling for Cass before remembering that Cass is deaf and cannot hear her.
 
Leaving Bennett in the TARDIS, the Doctor decides to go confront the vile Fisher King about the abominations that he's created and the deaths he's violated. Finding the stasis chamber, the Doctor explains the future that the Fisher King engineered. He then comes face-to-face with the monstrous King, who knows that the Doctor is a Time Lord; he knows that the Time Lords [[Last Great Time War|battled so greatly, that the entire universe felt the effects]]. Hearing the coordinates tick away in the Doctor's head, the Fisher King sees that he can make a strong transmitter out of the Doctor; once enough Ghosts are created, the signal will reach the Fisher King's people, who will bring an armada to conquer Earth.


The Doctor arrives with Bennett and O'Donnell at the Army base in 1980, before it was flooded, on the day the spaceship landed. They encounter the Tivolian Prentis, still alive at this point, and find that the writing has not yet been scratched into the wall. Prentis reveals that the spaceship is actually a hearse carrying a deceased conqueror called The Fisher King. Back in the future at the underwater base, Clara, Cass and Lunn realise that the Doctor's ghost is uttering a list of their names instead of coordinates. When the Doctor contacts Clara and is informed about his ghost, he is badly shaken by this certain knowledge of his future. Clara forcefully encourages him to try to change events, but the Doctor argues that he cannot and ultimately accepts the eventuality that he must die to keep events in motion. He tries to get information from his ghost, but instead it unlocks the Faraday cage, releasing the other ghosts. Back in 1980, the Fisher King is revealed to be alive, writing the words on the ship's wall and killing Prentis before fleeing.
[[File:Fisher King flood.jpg|thumb|The Fisher King watches the [[flood]] envelop [[Краснодар]] before his death.|left]]
The Doctor notes that plan could work, if only he hadn't erased the words on the ship. The Fisher King thinks he's bluffing; however, the Doctor points out that any change to the future by preventing the Fisher King from conquering the Earth is better. Angered, the Fisher King decides to hold off on killing the Doctor until he can rewrite the words. Racing back to his ship, the Fisher King discovers that the writing still there. He realises that the Doctor tricked him into moving away from the safety of the stasis chamber and has used one of the power cells (shown as missing in the previous episode) to destroy the dam wall, flooding the town and killing the Fisher King.


O'Donnell, Bennett and the Doctor run, but they get separated and O'Donnell is killed by the Fisher King. Bennett chastises the Doctor for allowing O'Donnell to die after the Doctor reveals that the list of names his ghost was repeating was the order in which the crew members will die. Since Clara will be next, the Doctor tells Bennett that he is attempting to save Clara, not himself. He tries to return to the future to achieve this, but the TARDIS won't let him leave - the Doctor is locked in his timestream - and instead goes half an hour back in time. The Doctor and Bennett observe the earlier events, unable to interact or interfere. O'Donnell's ghost appears in the future and steals Clara's phone, her only means of contacting the Doctor. Clara realises that, as Cass refused to allow
Due to the imminent threat of the flood, TARDIS [[Security Protocol 712]] activates with Bennett still inside, but the Doctor's whereabouts remain unknown as the town floods.
Lunn into the ship, he never saw the writing on the wall. Therefore, the message is not encoded in his brain, and the ghosts won't attack him.
Lunn leaves the cage and locates the phone, but the ghosts trap and lock him inside the main room. When Lunn fails to return, Clara agrees to accompany Cass to search for him.


Leaving Bennett in the TARDIS, the Doctor confronts the Fisher King. The creature reveals that the ghosts he's created will signal his people to send an armada to conquer Earth. It also taunts the Doctor's unwillingness to alter the future, but the Doctor chastises it for violating the souls of those it killed simply for its own ends. The Doctor then tells the Fisher King that he's erased the writing from the spaceship's wall, meaning no-one in the future will discover the message. The Fisher King races back to the ship only to discover the writing still there. He realises the Doctor tricked him and has used one of the power cells (shown as missing in the earlier episode) to destroy the dam wall, flooding the town and killing the Fisher King. The TARDIS' security protocol activates with Bennett still inside, but the Doctor's whereabouts remain unknown as the town floods.
After narrowly avoiding being killed by Moran's ghost, Clara and Cass regroup with Lunn in the hangar. The Ghosts converge in the room, but suddenly the chamber opens up and the Doctor springs out. ''"Don't kiss me; morning breath."'' The Doctor turns on his [[sonic sunglasses]], causing the Fisher King's roar to come over the speakers. Clara asks what's happening, to which the Doctor explains it's the call of the Ghosts master, which is calling them to the source. It turns out to be coming from the Doctor's ghost, which vanishes once the Ghosts are all lured into the Faraday Cage. The Doctor's ghost was in actuality a holographic projection that the Doctor was controlling the entire time through his sonic sunglasses.


After narrowly avoiding being killed by Moran's ghost, Clara and Cass regroup with Lunn in the hangar. As they arrive, the stasis chamber opens and the Doctor climbs out. The Fisher King is then heard roaring and the ghosts follow the sound, only to be trapped again inside the Faraday cage with the Doctor's ghost, revealed to be a hologram the Doctor controlled using his sonic glasses from the stasis chamber.
Later, the Doctor has put the sonic sunglasses on Clara to erase the coordinates from her memory; even though the threat has passed, if she dies and becomes a ghost, that will cause trouble. He then does the same for Cass. The Doctor then mentions that the erase might have affected some of her other memories (such as addresses and how to eat); he then wonders where Bennett got to as he needs a memory wipe as well.


The Doctor informs the survivors that UNIT will come to cut the Faraway cage from the base with the ghosts inside, and he erases the memory of the writing from everyone's minds. After Clara comforts Bennett over O'Donnell's death, he convinces Lunn and Cass to admit their love for each other. The Doctor and Clara leave in the TARDIS. The Doctor tells Clara that the order the people would die in was entirely fictional, but he placed Clara's name second to motivate himself to action. Clara asks the Doctor how he knew what to make his ghost's hologram say. He informs her that he only knew what he had to do because he found out through her telling him what it was already saying from the future -- a bootstrap paradox.
[[File:Cass kisses Lunn.jpg|thumb|Cass and Lunn finally confess their love for each other]]
It turns out Bennett is staring at O'Donnell's ghost in the Faraday cage; he wonders what will happen to them. The Doctor informs Bennett that [[UNIT]] will cut the cage out and toss into space, where the lack of a magnetic field will cause the ghosts to die. Bennett asks Lunn to translate that both Cass and Lunn should admit their love to each other. Lunn complies, surprising Cass, who kisses him full on the lips with passion.
 
The Doctor and Clara leave in the TARDIS. The Doctor tells Clara that the order the people would die in was entirely fictional after O'Donnell, but he placed Clara's name second to motivate himself to action. Keeping Lunn off the list was a hint about his immunity to being targeted by the ghosts. Clara asks the Doctor how he knew what to make his ghost's hologram say. He informs her that he only knew what he had to do because he found out through future knowledge of what had been done. He begins to explain to her the idea of the bootstrap paradox......


== Cast ==
== Cast ==
*[[Twelfth Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Peter Capaldi]]
* [[Twelfth Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Peter Capaldi]]
*[[Clara Oswald|Clara]] - [[Jenna Coleman]]
* [[Clara Oswald|Clara]] - [[Jenna Coleman]]
*[[Jonathan Moran|Moran]] - [[Colin McFarlane]]
* [[Jonathan Moran|Moran]] - [[Colin McFarlane]]
*[[Cass (Under the Lake)|Cass]] - [[Sophie Stone]]
* [[Cass (Under the Lake)|Cass]] - [[Sophie Stone]]
*[[Tim Lunn|Lunn]] - [[Zaqi Ismail]]
* [[Tim Lunn|Lunn]] - [[Zaqi Ismail]]
*[[Alice O'Donnell|O'Donnell]] - [[Morven Christie]]
* [[Alice O'Donnell|O'Donnell]] - [[Morven Christie]]
*[[Mason Bennett|Bennett]] - [[Arsher Ali]]
* [[Mason Bennett|Bennett]] - [[Arsher Ali]]
*[[Richard Pritchard|Pritchard]] - [[Steven Robertson]]
* [[Richard Pritchard|Pritchard]] - [[Steven Robertson]]
*[[Albar Prentis]] - [[Paul Kaye]]
* [[Albar Prentis|Prentis]] - [[Paul Kaye]]
*The [[Fisher King]] - [[Neil Fingleton]]
* [[Fisher King]] - [[Neil Fingleton]]
*Voice of the [[Fisher King]] - [[Peter Serafinowicz]]
* [[Fisher King|Voice of Fisher King]] - [[Peter Serafinowicz]]
*Roar of the [[Fisher King]] - [[Corey Taylor]]
* [[Fisher King|Roar of Fisher King]] - [[Corey Taylor]]


== Crew ==
== Crew ==
Line 71: Line 114:
|1stAD=Scott Bates
|1stAD=Scott Bates
|2ndAD=Danielle Richards
|2ndAD=Danielle Richards
|3rdAD=Gareth Jones
|3rdAD=Gareth Jones (assistant director)
|AD=Chris Thomas
|AD=Chris Thomas (assistant director)
|AD2=Nick Goolding
|AD2=Nick Goolding
|Runner=
|Runner=
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|FloorRunner2=
|FloorRunner2=
|FloorRunner3=
|FloorRunner3=
|LocationManager=Nick Clark
|LocationManager=Nick Clark (crew)
|LocationManager2=
|LocationManager2=
|LocationScout=
|LocationScout=
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|ProductionManager=James DeHaviland
|ProductionManager=James DeHaviland
|ProductionCoOrdinator=Adam Knopf
|ProductionCoOrdinator=Adam Knopf
|AsstProductionCoOrdinator=
|AsstProductionCoOrdinator=Sandra Cosfeld
|ProductionManagerAsst=
|ProductionManagerAsst=
|ProductionManagementAsst=
|ProductionManagementAsst=
Line 101: Line 144:
|Driver=
|Driver=
|Driver2=
|Driver2=
|AssistantProductionAccountant=
|AssistantAccountant=Justine Wooff
|AssistantProductionAccountant2=
|AssistantAccountant2=
|AssistantProductionAccountant3=
|AssistantnAccountant3=
|BSLMonitor=Jean St. Clair <!-- new -->
|ContractsAssistant=
|ContractsAssistant=
|ContractsAssistant2=
|ContractsAssistant2=
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|Gaffer=Mark Hutchings
|Gaffer=Mark Hutchings
|BestBoy=Andrew Gardiner
|BestBoy=Andrew Gardiner
|Electrician=Andrew Williams
|Electrician=Andrew Williams (electrician)
|Electrician2=Bob Milton
|Electrician2=Bob Milton
|Electrician3=Gareth Sheldon
|Electrician3=Gareth Sheldon
Line 141: Line 185:
|StuntCoOrdinator2=Gordon Seed
|StuntCoOrdinator2=Gordon Seed
|StuntCoOrdinator3=Jo McLaren
|StuntCoOrdinator3=Jo McLaren
|Choreographer=
|Choreographer=Ailsa Berk
|Wires=
|Wires=
|Stunt=Matt Crook
|Stunt=Matt Crook
Line 158: Line 202:
|ArtDeptCoOrdinator=
|ArtDeptCoOrdinator=
|ArtDeptProdManager=
|ArtDeptProdManager=
|ArtDeptAccountant=
|ArtDeptAccountant=Bethan Griffiths
|AssociateDesigner=
|AssociateDesigner=
|ProductionBuyer=Sarah Frere
|ProductionBuyer=Sarah Frere
Line 168: Line 212:
|PropBuyer3=
|PropBuyer3=
|Draughtperson=Kartik Nagar
|Draughtperson=Kartik Nagar
|Draughtperson2=Ursula Marshall
|PettyCashBuyer=
|PettyCashBuyer=
|StandbyArtDirector=Nick Murray
|StandbyArtDirector=Nick Murray
Line 193: Line 238:
|StorePerson=
|StorePerson=
|Storeman=Jamie Southcott
|Storeman=Jamie Southcott
|ChiefPropsMaster=
|ChiefPropMaster=
|PropsMaster=
|PropMaster=Paul Smith (prop master)
|PropMaster=Paul Smith
|PropertyMaster=
|PropertyMaster=
|AssistantPropsMaster=
|AssistantPropMaster=
|DressingChargehand=
|DressingChargehand=
|PropsChargehand=Kyle Belmont
|PropsChargehand=Kyle Belmont
Line 215: Line 259:
|PropsMaker2=Jamie Thomas
|PropsMaker2=Jamie Thomas
|PropsMaker3=Paul Lynch
|PropsMaker3=Paul Lynch
|PropsMaker4=Jamie Farrell <!-- new -->
|PropsDriver=Gareth Fox
|PropsDriver=Gareth Fox
|PracticalElectrician=Christian Davies
|PracticalElectrician=Christian Davies
Line 224: Line 269:
|ConstructionChargehand=Dean Tucker
|ConstructionChargehand=Dean Tucker
|ConstructionChargehand2=
|ConstructionChargehand2=
|ChargehandCarpenter=John Sinnott
|Carpenter=Tim Burke
|Carpenter=Tim Burke
|Carpenter2=Lawrie Ferry
|Carpenter2=Lawrie Ferry
Line 231: Line 277:
|Carpenter6=George Rees
|Carpenter6=George Rees
|Carpenter7=Dan Berrow
|Carpenter7=Dan Berrow
|Carpenter8=Keith Richards
|Carpenter8=Keith Richards (carpenter)
|Carpenter9=Campbell Fraser
|Carpenter9=Campbell Fraser
|ConstructionDriver=Jonathan Tylke
|ConstructionDriver=Jonathan Tylke
Line 252: Line 298:
|CostumeAsst3=Jenny Tindle
|CostumeAsst3=Jenny Tindle
|CostumeTrainee=
|CostumeTrainee=
|Make-upSupervisor=Sara Anghard
|Make-upSupervisor=Sara Angharad
|Make-upArtist=Megan Bowes
|Make-upArtist=Megan Bowes
|Make-upArtist2=James Spinks
|Make-upArtist2=James Spinks
Line 280: Line 326:
|MattePainter2=
|MattePainter2=
|MattePainter3=
|MattePainter3=
|PostProdSupervisor=
|PostProdSupervisor=Nerys Davies
|PostProdSupervisor2=
|PostProdSupervisor2=
|PostProdCoOrdinator=Samantha Price
|PostProdCoOrdinator=Samantha Price
Line 356: Line 402:
|WithThanksTo2=
|WithThanksTo2=
|SpecialThanks=
|SpecialThanks=
|ConductedAndOrchestratedBy=Ben Foster
|MusicConductedAndOrchestratedBy=Ben Foster
|Vocals=
|Vocals=
|CounterTenor=
|CounterTenor=
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|SeniorProductionAccountant=
|SeniorProductionAccountant=
|ProductionAccountant=Ceredig Parry
|ProductionAccountant=Ceredig Parry
|AssistantAccountant=Justine Wooff
|SoundRecordist=Deian Llŷr Humphreys
|SoundRecordist=Deian Llŷr Humphreys
|CostumeDesigner=Ray Holman
|CostumeDesigner=Ray Holman
|Make-upDesigner=Barbara Southcott
|Make-upDesigner=Barbara Southcott
|VisualEffects=Milk VFX{{!}}Milk
|VisualEffects=Milk VFX
|VisualEffects2=
|VisualEffects2=
|SpecialEffects=Real SFX
|SpecialEffects=Real SFX
|SpecialCreatureEffectsAndProsthetics=Millenium FX
|SpecialCreatureEffectsAndProsthetics=Millennium FX
|Prosthetics=
|Prosthetics=
|Music=Murray Gold
|Music=Murray Gold
Line 422: Line 467:
|AdditionalMusic=
|AdditionalMusic=
|AdditionalMusic2=
|AdditionalMusic2=
|HeadOfProduction=Gordon Ronald
}}
}}
== References ==
 
* According to the Doctor, [[Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven]] was a "[n]ice chap, very intense," who "[l]oved an arm wrestle".
=== Uncredited crew ===
{{uncred list
|MilkVFX cite = <ref name="Milk VFX">{{cite web|url=http://www.milk-vfx.com/project/dr-who-series-9-episode-4-before-the-flood/|title=Dr Who Series 9, Episode 3 & 4: Under The Lake & Before The Flood|website name=Milk VFX|accessdate=18 October 2018}}</ref>
 
|VFXProducer=Louise Hastings
|VFXSupervisor=Salvador Zalvidea
|2DSupervisor=Pedro Andrade
|CGSupervisor=Darren Byford
|VFXCoOrdinator=Sarah Williamson
|VFXEditor=Mark Bright
|VFXShootSupervisor=David Jones (visual effects)
|ModellingSupervisor=Sam Lucas
|RiggingSupervisor=Neil Roche
|MatchmoveSupervisor=Amy Felce
|AnimationLead=Rachel Ward
|FXSupervisor=James Reid
|DMPSupervisor=Simon Wicker
|Modeller=Jason Brown
|JuniorModeller=Gavin Platt
|FXTD=Dominic Carus
|FXTD2=Luca Zappala
|LightingTD=Bastien Mortelecque
|MattePainter=Doug Winder
|Compositor=Frederic Heymans
|Compositor2=Luciano Lopes
|Compositor3=Myfanwy Harris
|Compositor4=Rebecca Clay
|Compositor5=Tamsie Thomas
|Compositor6=Theajo Nagarajan
|JuniorCompositor=Alex Balmer
|JuniorCompositor2=Jay Murray
|JuniorCompositor3=Ross Allen
|JuniorCompositor4=Sarah Iduwe
|JuniorCompositor5=Daniel Long
|JuniorCompositor6=Marco Pileri
|JuniorCompositor7=Matteo Inchingolo
|JuniorCompositor8=Tomi George
|JuniorCompositor9=Vasco Cerqueira
}}
 
== Worldbuilding ==
* Upon learning that they had time travelled back to [[1980]], [[Alice O'Donnell|O'Donnell]] notes that they were in a period before [[Harold Saxon]] and [[the Moon]] exploding and what O'Donnell refers to as "[[Creature (Kill the Moon)|a big bat]] coming out of it, both of which the Doctor is aware. She also mentioned the [[Minister of War (Before the Flood)|Minister of War]]. The Doctor, however, does not understand this reference and tells her not to elaborate.
* The name of the building where the TARDIS arrives is [[Краснодар]], which is [[Russian language|Russian]]. The entire town, before the flood, had a Russian theme due to being at the height of the [[Cold War]]. The Doctor claims that the military was being trained for offensives on [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] soil.
 
=== Theories and concepts ===
* The Doctor mentions the [[Bootstrap paradox]].
 
=== Individuals ===
* The Doctor has a bust of [[Ludwig van Beethoven]] in his TARDIS. He claims Beethoven was a "nice chap, very intense, who loved an arm wrestle".
* O'Donnell mentions [[Rose Tyler]], [[Martha Jones]] and [[Amy Pond]].
* O'Donnell states that she used to work for the [[Military Intelligence]].
* Posters of Russian leaders [[Joseph Stalin]] and [[Vladimir Lenin]] are seen.
* Prentis is writing down notes in a [[Celestial Almanac]].
 
=== Food and beverages ===
* Bennett said he had eaten a prawn [[sandwich]].
 
=== Technology ===
* [[Superphone]]s do not work in [[Faraday cage]]s.
* The Doctor mentions [[Google]].
* The Doctor and Clara are [[FaceTime|FaceTiming]] each other between time zones via her [[phone|iPhone]] and his TARDIS screen.
 
=== Music ===
* The Doctor had a collection of vinyl records in his TARDIS featuring the works of a number of great composers: one from Franz Liszt, Heather Harper singing Richard Strauss's "Four Last Songs" and "Songs With Orchestra", two Haydn records (one is "[[Haydn symphonies]]"), and [[Beethoven's Fifth Symphony|Beethoven's 5th]].
** The vinyl albums shown in Doctor's collection are real-world releases, not props.


=== Organisations ===
=== Organisations ===
* The Doctor says that the [[Faraday cage]] will be extracted and taken by [[UNIT]] into space, where the ghosts will eventually disappear without the electromagnetic field of the [[Earth]] to sustain them.
* The Doctor says that the [[Faraday cage]] will be extracted and taken by [[UNIT]] into space, where the ghosts will eventually disappear without the electromagnetic field of the [[Earth]] to sustain them.
* UNIT has spaceflight capability. By the 2000s, UNIT is known to have had an operational moonbase. ([[TV]]: ''[[Death of the Doctor (TV story)|Death of the Doctor]]'')
=== Popular culture ===
* The Doctor's joke "Don't kiss me, morning breath" refers to a long-running series of television commercials for Scope mouthwash that popularised the catchphrase "Morning breath: the worst breath of the day."


== Story notes ==
== Story notes ==
* This episode adds an electric guitar counter-melody to the title theme, played by Capaldi himself, tying off of the Doctor playing [[Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven's]] [[Beethoven's Fifth Symphony|Fifth Symphony]] on his [[electric guitar]] at the end of the cold opening.
{{video|Doctor Who Theme The Rock Version! - Doctor Who Series 9 (2015) - BBC|thumb|The one-off theme used in this episode.}}
* This episode adds an electric guitar counter-melody to the title theme, played by Capaldi himself, segueing from the Doctor playing [[Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven]]'s [[Beethoven's Fifth Symphony|Fifth Symphony]] on his [[electric guitar]] at the end of the cold opening. This is a one-off variant that is not repeated in the succeeding episodes. Though it has become popular with fans, who enjoyed it.
* Although the Doctor has momentarily broken the fourth wall in the past, the prologue marks the first time in a regular episode that the character has directly addressed the audience for an extended period of time. As with the mini-episode ''[[She Said, He Said: A Prequel (webcast)|She Said, He Said]]'', it is difficult to place the prologue within the continuity of the overall series.
* Early sign of the ghost Doctor not being the same as the others: the Doctor isn't dead, but the ghost is there. O'Donnell dies and her ghost is there.
* The ''Radio Times'' programme listing was accompanied by a small colour head-and-shoulders shot of the Doctor meeting Prentis, with the accompanying caption "Doctor Who / 8.25 p.m. / Raising the dead: the Doctor comes face-to-face with a reanimated Prentis (Paul Kaye)".
* The working title of the story (and the prior episode) was ''Ghost in the Machine. ''([[DWM 492]]) This working title is present on the scripts published on the BBC Writers Room website.
* According to an interview she gave on the US chat show ''Conan'' in September 2015, the clockwork squirrel glimpsed sitting on top of the Magpie speaker in the pre-credits sequence is now in the possession of Jenna Coleman. She showed the squirrel during an interview with BBC Radio 1 (video from which was uploaded to YouTube) in December 2020.


=== Ratings ===
=== Ratings ===
4.38 million
* [[BBC One]] overnight: 4.38 million
* [[BBC America]] overnight: ''to be added''
* [[UK]] final ratings: 6.05 million<ref>[http://guide.doctorwhonews.net/info.php?detail=ratings&type=date Ratings DW]</ref>


=== Filming locations ===
=== Filming locations ===
''to be added''
Caerwent Training Area


=== Production errors ===
=== Production errors ===
''to be added''
{{Discontinuity}}
* The "Next Time" trailer for ''[[The Girl Who Died (TV story)|The Girl Who Died]]'' features an unfinished effects shot of Clara floating in space.
* The Fisher King's gun is missing when he sees the dam break up, but is back in his hand when he roars in defiance of the oncoming flood.
* On several occasions during the Doctor's conversation with Prentis, the shot is flipped because his head garment drapes on the other side of his neck.
* When Clara is talking to the Doctor over the phone in private, she backs against a wall in long shots, but in close-ups, she is behind the glass of the cafeteria. This is noticeable because the ghost-Doctor is visible through the window.
* When Prentis discovers the bandages inside the spaceship, they rearrange themselves between shots.
* During when Clara is speaking to the Doctor, on several occasions we can see her phone screen. It shows a phone keypad and the red call button, showing that she hasn't actually called anyone and is merely speaking to the phone prop.


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* The guitar amplifier at the start of the episode features the [[Magpie Electricals]] logo. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Idiot's Lantern (TV story)|The Idiot's Lantern]]'')
* The guitar amplifier at the start of the episode features the [[Magpie Electricals]] logo. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Idiot's Lantern (TV story)|The Idiot's Lantern]]'')
* Upon learning from the Doctor that they have travelled back in time to [[1980]], [[Alice O'Donnell|O'Donnell]] notes that it is pre-[[Harold Saxon]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'' / ''[[Last of the Time Lords (TV story)|Last of the Time Lords]]'') as well as "pre-[[the Moon]] exploding and a giant [[bat]] coming out." ([[TV]]: ''[[Kill the Moon (TV story)|Kill the Moon]]'')
* Upon the amplifier is the Doctor's [[clockwork]] [[squirrel]]. Clara had previously mentioned that the Doctor dismantled the TARDIS radio and used the parts to make the clockwork animal. ([[TV]]: ''[[Under the Lake (TV story)|Under the Lake]]'')
* When O'Donnell notes that Bennett is throwing up, the Doctor says that time travel does that sometimes. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Caretaker (TV story)|The Caretaker]]'') O'Donnell doubts that [[Rose Tyler|Rose]], [[Martha Jones|Martha]] and [[Amy Pond|Amy]] did so on their first trips. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of the World (TV story)|The End of the World]]'', ''[[The Shakespeare Code (TV story)|The Shakespeare Code]]'', ''[[The Beast Below (TV story)|The Beast Below]]'')
* When O'Donnell notes that Bennett is throwing up, the Doctor says that time travel does that sometimes. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Caretaker (TV story)|The Caretaker]]'') O'Donnell (correctly) doubts that [[Rose Tyler|Rose]], [[Martha Jones|Martha]] and [[Amy Pond|Amy]] did so on their first trips. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of the World (TV story)|The End of the World]]'', ''[[The Shakespeare Code (TV story)|The Shakespeare Code]]'', ''[[The Beast Below (TV story)|The Beast Below]]'') No explanation is offered as to why she doesn't include Clara on the list (or why she seemingly fails to recognise her in "Under the Lake").
* When meeting [[Albar Prentis]], the Doctor notes that he has met [[Tivolian]]s [[Gibbis|before]] and that he isn't "a fan." ([[TV]]: ''[[The God Complex (TV story)|The God Complex]]'')
* When meeting [[Albar Prentis]], the Doctor notes that he has met [[Tivolian]]s [[Gibbis|before]] and that he isn't "a fan." ([[TV]]: ''[[The God Complex (TV story)|The God Complex]]'')
* The current masters of [[Tivoli]] who have sent Prentis to [[Earth]] to bury the [[Fisher King]] are the [[Arcateenian]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Greeks Bearing Gifts (TV story)|Greeks Bearing Gifts]]'', ''[[Invasion of the Bane (TV story)|Invasion of the Bane]]'')
* The current masters of [[Tivoli]] who have sent Prentis to [[Earth]] to bury the [[Fisher King]] are the [[Arcateenian]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Greeks Bearing Gifts (TV story)|Greeks Bearing Gifts]]'', ''[[Invasion of the Bane (TV story)|Invasion of the Bane]]'')
* The Doctor says "I've had a good innings" when he prepares to meet his potential end. The [[Sixth Doctor]] said this right before [[regenerating]] in two differing accounts, [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Brink of Death (audio story)|The Brink of Death]]'' and [[PROSE]]: ''[[Spiral Scratch (novel)|Spiral Scratch]]''.
* The Doctor says "I've had a good innings" when he prepares to meet his potential end. The [[Sixth Doctor]] said this right before [[regenerating]] in two differing accounts. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Spiral Scratch (novel)|Spiral Scratch]]''; [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Brink of Death (audio story)|The Brink of Death]]'')
* The Doctor repeats the phrase "tick-tock" while contemplating his apparent death. During [[Eleventh Doctor|his previous incarnation's]] life, the [[Peg doll (Night Terrors)|Peg Dolls']] nursery rhyme also used the phrase for the same purpose ([[TV]]: ''[[Night Terrors (TV story)|Night Terrors]]'', ''[[The Wedding of River Song (TV story)|The Wedding of River Song]]'').
* The Doctor calls his current regeneration a "clerical error", referring to the fact that it is, in fact, the first of a new [[regeneration cycle]], given to him by the [[Time Lord]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Time of the Doctor (TV story)|The Time of the Doctor]]'')
* The Doctor calls his current regeneration as a "clerical error", referring to the fact that it is in fact the first of a new [[regeneration cycle]], given to him by the  [[Time Lord]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Time of the Doctor (TV story)|The Time of the Doctor]]'')
* The Doctor has got around to patching the TARDIS phone back through the console unit. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Time of the Doctor (TV story)|The Time of the Doctor]]'')
* The Doctor tried before to fight time itself. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Waters of Mars (TV story)|The Waters of Mars]]'')
* The Doctor tells the Fisher King that people who know they're going to die have nothing left to lose. His predecessor voiced a very similar sentiment when confronting the Mara during the Siege of Trenzalore. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Dreaming (short story)|The Dreaming]]'')
* Clara tells the Doctor that she "isn't ready yet" to lose another person she cares for. ([[TV]]: ''[[Death in Heaven (TV story)|Death in Heaven]]'') ''In the shooting script for the episode, uploaded to the BBC Writers' Room, Clara directly references Danny here.''
* Clara acknowledges that she likely will not be the Doctor's companion forever and that another will "come after me". ([[HOMEVID]]: ''[[Clara and the TARDIS (home video)|Clara and the TARDIS]]'')
* The Doctor states that Earth is under his protection. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion (TV story)|The Christmas Invasion]]'', ''[[The Eleventh Hour (TV story)|The Eleventh Hour]]'')
* The Doctor states that Earth is under his protection. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion (TV story)|The Christmas Invasion]]'', ''[[The Eleventh Hour (TV story)|The Eleventh Hour]]'')
* The [[Eleventh Doctor]] also encountered a bootstrap paradox in the form of a [[Time Lord]] [[hypercube]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Time Machine (audio story)|The Time Machine]]'').
* Clara tells Bennett to trust that she knows what it feels like to see a loved one die. ([[TV]]: ''[[Death in Heaven (TV story)|Death in Heaven]]'')
* The [[Tenth Doctor]] had already claimed to have met [[Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Lazarus Experiment (TV story)|The Lazarus Experiment]]'')
* [[Security Protocol 712]] is activated again. ([[TV]]: ''[[Blink (TV story)|Blink]]'')
** The Doctor hologram wears his early Series 8 "magician" outfit.
* The Fisher King mentions how the [[Time Lord]]s became the most warlike race in the galaxy. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'', ''[[The Night of the Doctor (TV story)|The Night of the Doctor]]'', ''[[The Day of the Doctor (TV story)|The Day of the Doctor]]'') and how the Doctor is more willing to sacrifice himself rather than change the past or future, ([[TV]]: ''[[The Fires of Pompeii (TV story)|The Fires of Pompeii]]'', ''[[The Time of the Doctor (TV story)|The Time of the Doctor]]'')
* The Doctor said his ghost was a hologram like the one made of Clara. ([[TV]]: ''[[Under the Lake (TV story)|Under the Lake]]'')
* When the Doctor goes back 30 minutes in time, he sees himself and watches the scene, much like when the [[Ninth Doctor]] and [[Rose Tyler]] did. ([[TV]]: ''[[Father's Day (TV story)|Father's Day]]'')


== Home video releases ==
== Home video releases ==


=== DVD releases ===
=== DVD & Blu-ray releases ===
''to be added''
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
=== Blu-ray releases ===
File:Complete 9th Series UK Cover.jpg|The Complete Series 9
''to be added''
File:Series 9 Part 1 UK DVD Cover.jpg|Series 9 Part 1 DVD Cover
</gallery>


* ''Before the Floor'' was released as part of the Series 9, Part One DVD and Blu-ray boxsets in region 1/A on [[3 November (releases)|3 November]] [[2015 (releases)|2015]], in region 2/B on [[2 November (releases)|2 November]] 2015 and in region 4/B on [[4 November (releases)|4 November]] 2015.
* It was later released as part of the Complete Ninth Series DVD and Blu-ray boxsets in region 1/A on [[5 April (releases)|5 April]] [[2016 (releases)|2016]], in region 2/B on [[7 March (releases)|7 March]] 2016 and in region 4/B on [[9 March (releases)|9 March]] 2016.
=== Digital releases ===
* In the United Kingdom, this story is available on [[BBC iPlayer]].
== External links ==
== External links ==
''to be added''
* {{imdb|title|4483520}}
* Transcript of ''[http://www.chakoteya.net/DoctorWho/35-4.html Before The Flood]'' at ''[http://www.chakoteya.net/ Chrissie's Transcripts Site]''
 
== Footnotes ==
{{reflist}}


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Latest revision as of 18:11, 3 November 2024

RealWorld.png

You may be looking for the episode of Doctor Who as it exists within the DWU.

Before the Flood was the fourth episode of series 9 of Doctor Who.

Unique to this episode, as well as the BBC Wales Doctor Who series since it first aired in 2005, the entire first scene of Before the Flood extensively broke the fourth wall by cutting over to the Twelfth Doctor on board the TARDIS explaining the mechanics of a bootstrap paradox, a point integral to the story.

It also featured the Doctor personally play the theme for Doctor Who for the first time on-screen, using an electric guitar, which actor Peter Capaldi himself knew how to play and had personally selected from a guitar shop previously for a scene in The Magician's Apprentice. His musical pitches blended with that of the normal theme tune arrangement used in the title sequence.

A notable aspect of the production was that part of the audio used to create the Fisher King's guttural roar and the voice of the Twelfth Doctor's hologram ghost were supplied by Corey Taylor, the lead singer of the heavy metal band Slipknot, and a fan of the show.

Synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

A twisted and vile survival plan is pieced together by an alien warlord called the Fisher King. The universe will feel the consequence. Can these events be stopped? Can the Doctor ensure the future's coming and do the impossible?

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

At an unspecified point in time, the TARDIS flies through space. The Doctor addresses the audience directly, telling a story about a time traveller who has had many misadventures zipping around the history of the cosmos. At one point, he decided what was the point of time travel unless you get to meet your heroes. And so, the time traveller decides to meet his favourite musician, Ludwig van Beethoven. However, once he arrives in 18th century Germany, there is no sign of the composer whatsoever; not even the Beethoven family has any idea who Ludwig is. Beethoven literally does not exist.

The Doctor stops his story briefly, grabbing a bust of Beethoven and explains that this never really happened; he's met Beethoven, who was a nice guy but very intense and loved arm-wrestling. The Doctor says he's trying to explain the Bootstrap paradox with this hypothetical scenario, going to put the bust down; however, he turns around and tells the audience to "Google it" if they want specifics.

Placing the bust near an amp and clockwork squirrel, the Doctor explains that the time traveller panicked at the idea of a world without Beethoven's music. That's when the traveller remembered he brought sheet music for Beethoven to autograph. Copying out the music, the time traveller gets it published, effectively becoming Ludwig van Beethoven himself. And history manages to continue on with barely a feather ruffled. However, one little thing about this whole situation is still confusing.

The Doctor uses his guitar.

Grabbing his electric guitar, the Doctor turns on the amp attached to it. Tuning his guitar, the Doctor poses the question about how the music of Beethoven first originated. Did the time traveller create it, or did it simply exist without creation? "Who really composed Beethoven's Fifth?" With that question, the Doctor plays the opening bars on his electric guitar.

In 1980, the TARDIS materialises. The Doctor and O'Donnell exit the TARDIS, noting that Bennett is still throwing up. When the Doctor notes that it usually happens with first-timers to time travel, O'Donnell points out it's unlikely that companions such as Rose, Amy or Martha ever did that on their first trips (likely because they had stronger stomachs). He notes that she knows a lot about him; O'Donnell explains that she used to be in army intelligence until she hung a coworker out a window for angering her.

Bennett joins them, thinking his lunch made him ill; he had shrimp. The Doctor explains that they've arrived at the same location, only before the flood, on the day that the spaceship landed. O'Donnell excuses herself to get a rock out of her boot, with the Doctor going ahead; once the Doctor is out of sight, O'Donnell giddily states the absurdity of the TARDIS interior to Bennett before regaining her composure. They quickly catch up to the Doctor, who has already found the spaceship; he explains that it's basically a hearse. A body-bag is inside, but the strange writing isn't present. They are surprised by a very much alive Albar Prentis, whose sense of smell identifies their species. The Doctor notes that he's met a Tivolian before, and is not a fan of the species. Prentis laughs, noting his species have a tendency to antagonise others.

The Doctor meets another Tivolian.

They ask about the body in the ship, to which Prentis explains is the body of the Fisher King, who ruled Tivoli for a decade before the Arcateenians liberated them. However, the upset Tivolians ended up annoying them so much, that the benevolent species ended up enslaving them next. Bennett flatly states "My first proper alien, and he's an idiot"; he thinks Tivolians are morons for favouring enslavement. Prentis continues his explanation; in accordance with Arcateenian law, the body of the Fisher King is to be buried at a "savage, barren outpost." The Doctor explains that it's the Earth, not the site that is considered such. He then explains the future message, wondering if a special pen is what causes it; Prentis tells him that Tivolians do not have such technology. Even the ship was given to him by the Arcateenians.

Back in the future at the underwater base, Clara, Cass and Lunn see the Doctor's ghost is not hostile, just standing in place and muttering. Cass sees that the Doctor is utter something different from the other Ghosts; "Moran, Prichard, Prentis, O'Donnell, Clara, Bennett, Doctor, Cass." It's a list of who dies in the order in which they are killed; however, only the Doctor and Clara have realised this. Oddly, Lunn is missing from the list.

When the Doctor contacts Clara and is informed about his ghost, he is badly shaken by this certain knowledge of his future. Clara forcefully encourages him to try to change events, but the Doctor argues that he cannot and ultimately accepts the eventuality that he must die to keep events in motion. He tries to get information from his ghost, but instead, it unlocks the Faraday cage, releasing the other ghosts. The Doctor instructs them to go into the cage for their own protection, but to leave the phone outside so he can contact them just in case the situation with the Ghosts changes. They comply, managing to evade the Ghosts.

O'Donnell hides from the Fisher King.

In the meantime, Prentis returns to his ship to find the Fisher King missing and the strange symbols have appeared. As soon as the writing has finished altering his mind, Prentis is surprised by the Fisher King and shot dead. The Doctor, O'Donnell and Bennett rush back the hearse to stop the chain of events, but find they have been too slow to figure out the Fisher King's plans; he faked his death to get away from the Arcateenians. Hearing a roar from the mighty monarch, the trio run into the buildings, hoping to avoid becoming Ghosts.

Hearing the stomping, mechanical footsteps of the Fisher King pass by, O'Donnell breathes a sigh of relief. However, when she moves to hide elsewhere, she is surprised by the Fisher King; she screams in horror as the monster shoots her. The Doctor and Bennett rush to find O'Donnell dying, and the Fisher King nowhere to be seen. As O'Donnell dies, Bennett finally realises the list is the order in which they die. When asked who's next, the Doctor says Clara is. Bennett laughs, snidely asking the Doctor if getting closer to his name makes him scared. However, the Doctor says he is attempting to save Clara, not himself.

Back in the TARDIS, the Doctor attempts to return to the future. The TARDIS rocks violently briefly before refusing to move. They exit, finding themselves behind the building that the TARDIS originally landed at; hearing himself asking O'Donnell where Bennett is, the Doctor realises they've moved 30 minutes back in time. The TARDIS won't let him leave; he's locked in his own time-stream. They find Prentis alive, and the Doctor stops Bennett from trying to prevent his and O'Donnell's deaths; "If you save them, then somebody that was supposed to be dead is alive. Then you really are seeing ghosts." It's obvious as Bennett looks at O'Donnell that he loved her, leaving him saddened. Until past Doctor and Bennett attempt to leave, they have to remain hidden to avoid causing any more complications via a paradox.

O'Donnell returns to the Drum as a ghost.

Back in the future, O'Donnell's ghost appears and steals Clara's phone; having known about it before dying, she had an advantage that the others ghosts did not. Clara is furious, yelling for O'Donnell to put her phone back; however, she then realises that the ghosts did not attempt to kill Lunn when they were being lured to the Faraday cage. Lunn explains that Cass didn't let him in the ship. Clara tells him that means he didn't see the writing and does not have the coordinates in his brain. The ghosts won't kill him since he won't turn into another ghost; this frees him to get the phone back.

Cass is confused, prompting Lunn to translate; she gives a horrified "no". She frantically signs, confusing Clara. She asks what Cass is saying; Lunn says Cass is wondering if travelling with the Doctor has changed her as a person. Clara tells them that her travels with the Doctor have taught her to do what needs to be done, regardless if it might be dangerous. They open the door and Lunn creeps out silently. Clara tells Cass that she doesn't need to worry, Lunn will be fine. However, an upset Cass signs something offensive to Clara to voice her anger before going back inside the Faraday cage. "OK, did not need help to understand that one."

Meanwhile, Lunn finds the phone inside the canteen; however, this was a trap by the Ghosts to use him as bait to lure in the last two potential victims. When Lunn fails to return, Clara agrees to accompany Cass to search for him. However, they get separated; Clara wastes a few moments calling for Cass before remembering that Cass is deaf and cannot hear her.

Leaving Bennett in the TARDIS, the Doctor decides to go confront the vile Fisher King about the abominations that he's created and the deaths he's violated. Finding the stasis chamber, the Doctor explains the future that the Fisher King engineered. He then comes face-to-face with the monstrous King, who knows that the Doctor is a Time Lord; he knows that the Time Lords battled so greatly, that the entire universe felt the effects. Hearing the coordinates tick away in the Doctor's head, the Fisher King sees that he can make a strong transmitter out of the Doctor; once enough Ghosts are created, the signal will reach the Fisher King's people, who will bring an armada to conquer Earth.

The Fisher King watches the flood envelop Краснодар before his death.

The Doctor notes that plan could work, if only he hadn't erased the words on the ship. The Fisher King thinks he's bluffing; however, the Doctor points out that any change to the future by preventing the Fisher King from conquering the Earth is better. Angered, the Fisher King decides to hold off on killing the Doctor until he can rewrite the words. Racing back to his ship, the Fisher King discovers that the writing still there. He realises that the Doctor tricked him into moving away from the safety of the stasis chamber and has used one of the power cells (shown as missing in the previous episode) to destroy the dam wall, flooding the town and killing the Fisher King.

Due to the imminent threat of the flood, TARDIS Security Protocol 712 activates with Bennett still inside, but the Doctor's whereabouts remain unknown as the town floods.

After narrowly avoiding being killed by Moran's ghost, Clara and Cass regroup with Lunn in the hangar. The Ghosts converge in the room, but suddenly the chamber opens up and the Doctor springs out. "Don't kiss me; morning breath." The Doctor turns on his sonic sunglasses, causing the Fisher King's roar to come over the speakers. Clara asks what's happening, to which the Doctor explains it's the call of the Ghosts master, which is calling them to the source. It turns out to be coming from the Doctor's ghost, which vanishes once the Ghosts are all lured into the Faraday Cage. The Doctor's ghost was in actuality a holographic projection that the Doctor was controlling the entire time through his sonic sunglasses.

Later, the Doctor has put the sonic sunglasses on Clara to erase the coordinates from her memory; even though the threat has passed, if she dies and becomes a ghost, that will cause trouble. He then does the same for Cass. The Doctor then mentions that the erase might have affected some of her other memories (such as addresses and how to eat); he then wonders where Bennett got to as he needs a memory wipe as well.

Cass and Lunn finally confess their love for each other

It turns out Bennett is staring at O'Donnell's ghost in the Faraday cage; he wonders what will happen to them. The Doctor informs Bennett that UNIT will cut the cage out and toss into space, where the lack of a magnetic field will cause the ghosts to die. Bennett asks Lunn to translate that both Cass and Lunn should admit their love to each other. Lunn complies, surprising Cass, who kisses him full on the lips with passion.

The Doctor and Clara leave in the TARDIS. The Doctor tells Clara that the order the people would die in was entirely fictional after O'Donnell, but he placed Clara's name second to motivate himself to action. Keeping Lunn off the list was a hint about his immunity to being targeted by the ghosts. Clara asks the Doctor how he knew what to make his ghost's hologram say. He informs her that he only knew what he had to do because he found out through future knowledge of what had been done. He begins to explain to her the idea of the bootstrap paradox......

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

General production staff

Script department

Camera and lighting department

Art department

Costume department

Make-up and prosthetics

Movement

Casting

General post-production staff

Special and visual effects

Sound



Not every person who worked on this adventure 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.


Uncredited crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Upon learning that they had time travelled back to 1980, O'Donnell notes that they were in a period before Harold Saxon and the Moon exploding and what O'Donnell refers to as "a big bat coming out of it, both of which the Doctor is aware. She also mentioned the Minister of War. The Doctor, however, does not understand this reference and tells her not to elaborate.
  • The name of the building where the TARDIS arrives is Краснодар, which is Russian. The entire town, before the flood, had a Russian theme due to being at the height of the Cold War. The Doctor claims that the military was being trained for offensives on Soviet soil.

Theories and concepts[[edit] | [edit source]]

Individuals[[edit] | [edit source]]

Food and beverages[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Bennett said he had eaten a prawn sandwich.

Technology[[edit] | [edit source]]

Music[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The Doctor had a collection of vinyl records in his TARDIS featuring the works of a number of great composers: one from Franz Liszt, Heather Harper singing Richard Strauss's "Four Last Songs" and "Songs With Orchestra", two Haydn records (one is "Haydn symphonies"), and Beethoven's 5th.
    • The vinyl albums shown in Doctor's collection are real-world releases, not props.

Organisations[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The Doctor says that the Faraday cage will be extracted and taken by UNIT into space, where the ghosts will eventually disappear without the electromagnetic field of the Earth to sustain them.
  • UNIT has spaceflight capability. By the 2000s, UNIT is known to have had an operational moonbase. (TV: Death of the Doctor)

Popular culture[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The Doctor's joke "Don't kiss me, morning breath" refers to a long-running series of television commercials for Scope mouthwash that popularised the catchphrase "Morning breath: the worst breath of the day."

Story notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

▶︎
YouTube
The one-off theme used in this episode.
  • This episode adds an electric guitar counter-melody to the title theme, played by Capaldi himself, segueing from the Doctor playing Beethoven's Fifth Symphony on his electric guitar at the end of the cold opening. This is a one-off variant that is not repeated in the succeeding episodes. Though it has become popular with fans, who enjoyed it.
  • Although the Doctor has momentarily broken the fourth wall in the past, the prologue marks the first time in a regular episode that the character has directly addressed the audience for an extended period of time. As with the mini-episode She Said, He Said, it is difficult to place the prologue within the continuity of the overall series.
  • Early sign of the ghost Doctor not being the same as the others: the Doctor isn't dead, but the ghost is there. O'Donnell dies and her ghost is there.
  • The Radio Times programme listing was accompanied by a small colour head-and-shoulders shot of the Doctor meeting Prentis, with the accompanying caption "Doctor Who / 8.25 p.m. / Raising the dead: the Doctor comes face-to-face with a reanimated Prentis (Paul Kaye)".
  • The working title of the story (and the prior episode) was Ghost in the Machine. (DWM 492) This working title is present on the scripts published on the BBC Writers Room website.
  • According to an interview she gave on the US chat show Conan in September 2015, the clockwork squirrel glimpsed sitting on top of the Magpie speaker in the pre-credits sequence is now in the possession of Jenna Coleman. She showed the squirrel during an interview with BBC Radio 1 (video from which was uploaded to YouTube) in December 2020.

Ratings[[edit] | [edit source]]

Filming locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

Caerwent Training Area

Production errors[[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 "Next Time" trailer for The Girl Who Died features an unfinished effects shot of Clara floating in space.
  • The Fisher King's gun is missing when he sees the dam break up, but is back in his hand when he roars in defiance of the oncoming flood.
  • On several occasions during the Doctor's conversation with Prentis, the shot is flipped because his head garment drapes on the other side of his neck.
  • When Clara is talking to the Doctor over the phone in private, she backs against a wall in long shots, but in close-ups, she is behind the glass of the cafeteria. This is noticeable because the ghost-Doctor is visible through the window.
  • When Prentis discovers the bandages inside the spaceship, they rearrange themselves between shots.
  • During when Clara is speaking to the Doctor, on several occasions we can see her phone screen. It shows a phone keypad and the red call button, showing that she hasn't actually called anyone and is merely speaking to the phone prop.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Home video releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

DVD & Blu-ray releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The Complete Series 9

    The Complete Series 9

  • Series 9 Part 1 DVD Cover

    Series 9 Part 1 DVD Cover

  • Before the Floor was released as part of the Series 9, Part One DVD and Blu-ray boxsets in region 1/A on 3 November 2015, in region 2/B on 2 November 2015 and in region 4/B on 4 November 2015.
  • It was later released as part of the Complete Ninth Series DVD and Blu-ray boxsets in region 1/A on 5 April 2016, in region 2/B on 7 March 2016 and in region 4/B on 9 March 2016.

Digital releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • In the United Kingdom, this story is available on BBC iPlayer.

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ Dr Who Series 9, Episode 3 & 4: Under The Lake & Before The Flood. Milk VFX. Retrieved on 18 October 2018.
  2. ↑ Ratings DW
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