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{{Infobox NewTV
{{title dab away}}
|image           = [[File:Dwbadwolfgamestation.gif|250px]]
{{real world}}
|story name      = Bad Wolf
{{ImageLinkTV}}
|series         = [[Doctor Who]] -<br/>[[TV stories|TV Stories]]
{{Infobox Story SMW
|number          = [[Series 1 (Doctor Who)|Series 1]]
|image                 = Bad-wolf.jpg
|story number    = 167a
|season number        = Series 1 (Doctor Who 2005)
|doctor         = [[Ninth Doctor]]
|series episode number = 12
|companions     = <ul><li>[[Rose Tyler]]</li><li>[[Jack Harkness|Captain Jack Harkness]]</li></ul>
|series               = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
|enemy           = <ul><li>[[Dalek]]s</li><li>[[Anne Droid]]</li><li>[[Davinadroid]]</li><li>[[Trine-E]]</li><li>[[Zu-Zana]]</li><li>[[Controller (Bad Wolf)|The Controller]] (reforms)</li><ul>
|story number          = 166a
|setting         = <ul><li>[[Satellite 5|Game Station]], [[200,100]]<br>[[Dark Space]], [[200,100]]li><ul>
|script                = The Shooting Scripts
|writer         = [[Russell T Davies]]
|doctor               = Ninth Doctor
|director       = [[Joe Ahearne]]
|companions           = [[Rose Tyler|Rose]], [[Jack Harkness|Jack]], [[Lynda Moss|Lynda]]
|producer       = [[Phil Collinson]]
|enemy                 = [[Dalek of human origin|Daleks]]
|broadcast date = [[11th June]] [[2005]]
|setting               = [[Satellite 5|Game Station]], [[200,100]]
|format         = 1st (of 2) 45-minute episodes
|writer               = Russell T Davies
|production code = 1.12
|director             = [[Joe Ahearne]]
|previous story  = [[Boom Town]]
|producer             = [[Phil Collinson]]
|next story      = [[The Parting of the Ways]]
|confidential          = The World of Who (CON episode)|The World of Who
|broadcast date       = 11 June 2005
|network              = BBC One
|format               = 1x45-minute episode
|production code       = 1.12
|prev                  = Boom Town (TV story)
|next                 = The Parting of the Ways (TV story)
|clip                  = No weapons, no defences, no plan - Doctor Who - Bad Wolf - Series 1 -BBC
|bts                  = Costume restrictions - Dr Who Confidential - BBC sci-fi
|epcount              = 1
}}
}}
'''''Bad Wolf''''' was the twelfth and penultimate episode of [[Series 1 (Doctor Who 2005)|series 1]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''.
It featured a much larger [[Dalek]] presence than [[Dalek (TV story)|earlier in the series]]. It also re-introduced some Dalek concepts from the original run of ''Doctor Who'', including [[Daleks of human origin|Daleks made from human genetic material]] and a [[Dalek Emperor]].
Narratively, this story marked the impending culmination of the [[story arc|Bad Wolf story arc]]. Until now, the Doctor had dismissed the cropping up of the phrase [[Bad Wolf meme|Bad Wolf]] across his travels but was finally forced to acknowledge it as the precursor to a serious threat upon the universe when it unavoidably stared him directly in the face.
Worth noting here were the references made to human pop culture television entertainment at the time of this episode's airing, such as ''[[Big Brother]]'', ''[[The Weakest Link]]'', and ''[[What Not to Wear]]'', all given future adaptations far into human history with robotic stand-ins for the original hosts. The robots' voices were provided by their real world celebrity counterparts, [[Davina McCall]], [[Anne Robinson]], [[Trinny Woodall]] and [[Susannah Constantine]].
Through careful subtext, this was the very first episode to mention the [[Torchwood Institute]] as a seemingly forgettable piece of trivia. Inconsequential for the moment, the word "Torchwood" took on greater meaning in [[Series 2 (Doctor Who 2005)|the following series]] when the origins of the Institute were explored.
This story also explored how the [[Ninth Doctor]]'s apparently good deeds in ''[[The Long Game (TV story)|The Long Game]]'' had actually resulted in a decline in the development of the [[human]] race. Like ''[[The Ark (TV story)|The Ark]]'' some forty years before, ''Bad Wolf'' was a rare instance of televised ''Doctor Who'' showing the long-term consequences of the Doctor's interference.


== Synopsis ==
== Synopsis ==
[[The Doctor]], Rose and Captain Jack, have to fight for their lives on board the Game Station, but a far more dangerous threat is lurking, just out of sight. [[The Doctor]] realises that the entire [[human]] race has been blinded to the threat on its doorstep, and Armageddon is fast approaching.
Separated and with no [[The Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]], the [[Ninth Doctor]], [[Rose Tyler|Rose]], and [[Jack Harkness|Jack]] have to fight for their lives on board the [[Satellite Five|Game Station]], but a far more dangerous threat is lurking, just out of sight. The Doctor realises that the entire [[human]] race has been blinded to the threat on its doorstep, and Armageddon is fast approaching.
 


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
[[File:Bad Wolf You Have Got to Be Kidding.jpg|thumb|left|The Doctor finds himself live on ''[[Big Brother]]''.]]
The [[Ninth Doctor]] wakes up, curled into a foetal position on the floor of a cupboard. He stumbles out in a daze and is informed by a young woman, [[Lynda Moss]], that his disorientation is due to the effects of the [[transmat]]. Lynda states that he has been chosen as the newest housemate. The Doctor looks around, noticing the cameras, and then a [[Davinadroid|computerised voice]] requests that he report to the Diary Room. To his disbelief, he is in the ''[[Big Brother]]'' House, live on [[Channel 44000]]. The voice reminds him not to swear. Astounded and annoyed, the Doctor replies, "You have ''got'' to be kidding."


[[Ninth Doctor|The Doctor]] wakes up, curled into a fetal position on the floor of a cupboard. He stumbles out in a daze, and is informed by a young woman, [[Lynda Moss]], that his disorientation is due to the effects of the [[transmat]]. Lynda states that he has been chosen as the newest housemate. The Doctor looks around, noticing the cameras, and then a computerised voice requests that he report to the Diary Room. To his disbelief, he is in the ''[[Big Brother]]'' House, live on Channel 44,000. The voice reminds him not to swear.
[[Rose Tyler|Rose]] awakens on the floor of a darkened studio, also disorientated by the transmat that brought her there. A man, [[Rodrick]], tells her to remember to do exactly what the [[android]] says. Rose asks what android, but a [[Floor manager (Bad Wolf)|floor manager]] calls for people to take their positions behind very familiar looking podiums, one of which has her name on it. As the round-headed android is activated, Rose realises that it is the "[[Anne Droid]]"; she is playing ''[[The Weakest Link]]''.


[[Rose Tyler|Rose]] awakens on the floor of a darkened studio, also disorientated by the transmat that brought her there. A man, Rodrick, tells her to remember to do exactly what the [[android]] says. Rose asks what android, but a floor manager calls for people to take their positions behind very familiar looking podiums, one of which has her name on it. As the round-headed android is activated, Rose realises that it is the "[[Anne Droid]]"; she is playing ''[[The Weakest Link]]''.
[[Jack Harkness|Jack]] wakes up and finds himself faced with two [[gynoid]]s, [[Trine-E]] and [[Zu-Zana]], who offer to give him a brand new image, à la ''[[What Not to Wear]]''. The two gynoids criticise Jack's clothing and comment that his style is very [[20th century]]. A "[[defabricator]]" strips him naked in preparation for a fashion makeover; Jack seems to rather enjoy the idea of being nude in front of millions of viewers and comments that the viewing figures just went up a result.


[[Jack Harkness|Jack]] wakes up and finds himself faced with two [[gynoid]]s, Trine-e and Zu-Zana, who offer to give him a brand new image, à la ''What Not to Wear''. The two gynoids criticise Jack's clothing and comment that his style is very [[20th century]]. A "defabricator" strips him naked in preparation for a fashion makeover, but Jack seems to rather enjoy the idea of being nude in front of millions of viewers and comments that the viewing figures just went up as a result of him being naked on the show.
Meanwhile, the Doctor tries, unsuccessfully, to find a way out of the House using the [[The Doctor's sonic screwdriver|sonic screwdriver]]. Lynda asks, nervously, if people on the outside watching like her and the Doctor lies, reassuring her that people think she is sweet, which seems to please her. The [[amnesia]] caused by the transmat starts to clear, and the Doctor remembers. [[the Doctor's TARDIS|The TARDIS]] had left [[Raxacoricofallapatorius]] and then visited [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]] in [[1336]]. They had just escaped from that, and were laughing in the [[TARDIS control room]] when a bright light, the transmat beam, came through the walls and enveloped them. The Doctor tells Lynda that no ordinary transmat beam could have penetrated the TARDIS, which means this is not just a game; there is something else going on. He tells the camera that he is going to get out, find his friends, and then find whoever is responsible.


Meanwhile, the Doctor tries, unsuccessfully, to find a way out of the House using the [[sonic screwdriver]]. Lynda asks, nervously, if people on the outside watching like her and the Doctor lies, reassuring her that people think she is sweet, which seems to please her. The [[amnesia]] caused by the transmat starts to clear, and the Doctor remembers. The [[the Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]] had left [[Raxacoricofallapatorius]] and then visited [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]] in [[1336]]. They had just escaped from that, and were laughing in the console room when a bright light (the transmat beam) came through the walls and enveloped them. The Doctor tells Lynda that no ordinary transmat beam could have penetrated the TARDIS, which means this is not just a game; there is something else going on. He tells the camera that he is going to get out, find his friends, then find whoever is responsible.
Two programmers, a [[Davitch Pavale|man]] and a [[Female programmer|woman]], who are watching the games from a [[Floor 500|control room]] elsewhere, are puzzled at the appearance of the three new contestants; it's as if the games are running themselves.


Two programmers, a man and a woman, who are watching the games from a control room elsewhere, are puzzled at the appearance of the three new contestants, as if the games were running themselves.
When eviction time comes around in the ''Big Brother'' house,'' ''housemate [[Crosbie]] is voted out, and she exits the House into a white corridor. At first, the Doctor is puzzled at everyone's emotional reaction but is horrified when he sees Crosbie supposedly disintegrated. The Doctor angrily asks the others if getting on television is worth the risk of dying, but Lynda and [[Strood]] tell him they have no choice; the contestants in this era are chosen at random from the [[Earth]]'s population and transmatted up to any of 60 ''Big Brother'' Houses playing simultaneously: winning simply means they get to live. The Doctor realises that Rose was also caught in the transmat and is probably a contestant. To get out, he uses his sonic screwdriver to deliberately destroy one of the House cameras in order to be selected for eviction.


When eviction time comes around in ''Big Brother'', housemate Crosbie is voted out, and she exits the House into a white corridor. At first, the Doctor is puzzled at everyone's emotional reaction, but is horrified when he sees Crosbie disintegrated. The Doctor asks the others if getting on television is worth the risk of dying, but Lynda and Strood tell him they have no choice. The contestants in this era are chosen at random from the [[Earth]]'s population and transmatted up to any of 60 ''Big Brother'' Houses playing simultaneously: winning simply means they get to live. The Doctor realises that Rose was also caught in the transmat and is probably a contestant. To get out he uses his sonic screwdriver to deliberately destroy the House camera, and sure enough the programmed response selects him for eviction.
In the makeover room, a naked Jack is quite enjoying his experience of having a makeover but is now faced with the two androids who decide that, quite apart from the fashion makeover, that he should have a face-off — literally. With various cutting instruments, including a chainsaw, the two androids are about to perform some gruesome surgery. They suggest that Jack would look good with a dog's head. But to the astonishment of Trine-E and Zu-Zana, Jack pulls out a [[compact laser deluxe]] pistol from an intimate hiding place behind him and promptly blows their heads off.


In the makeover room, a naked Jack is quite enjoying his experience of having a makeover, but is now faced with the two androids who decide that, quite apart from the fashion makeover, that he should have a face-off — literally. With various cutting instruments, including a [[chainsaw]], the two androids are about to perform some gruesome surgery, where they suggest that Jack would look good with a dog's head. But to the astonishment of Trine-e and Zu-Zana, Jack pulls out a Compact [[Laser]] Deluxe pistol from an intimate hiding place behind him and promptly blows their heads off.
Soon the first round of ''The Weakest Link'' has been and gone and Rose, not being a native of the 2001st century, knows almost none of the answers to the questions pertaining to this time. She is more amused than upset at the situation until she discovers that being declared the weakest link at the end of each round does not just result in expulsion, but [[disintegration]] by the Anne Droid. The contestants continue to be whittled down ([[Broff|one contestant]] quits and attempts to flee but is disintegrated), with Rodrick voting out everyone except Rose so that when it comes to the final round, he will win by answering questions that Rose cannot answer. He will then collect his prize, in the form of credits, courtesy of the Bad Wolf Corporation who run the Game Station. At the mention of the name, Rose recalls how the phrase "[[Bad Wolf meme|Bad Wolf]]" has been following them — from [[Gwyneth (The Unquiet Dead)|Gwyneth]] seeing it in her mind in [[The Unquiet Dead (TV story)|1869 Cardiff]]; the call sign of [[Henry van Statten]]'s helicopter; the ''[[Blaidd Drwg]]'' nuclear power plant; as graffiti on the [[Aliens of London (TV story)|side of the TARDIS]] in [[2006]]; and a news channel on [[Satellite Five|Satellite 5]] in the 2001st century. She realises that if Bad Wolf is in charge, then her presence has been planned.


Soon the first round of ''The Weakest Link'' has been and gone and Rose, not being a native of the 2001st century, knows none of the answers to the questions pertaining to that time. She is more amused than upset at the situation, until she discovers that being declared the weakest link at the end of each round does not just result in expulsion, but disintegration by the Anne Droid. The contestants continue to be whittled down (one contestant quits and attempts to flee but is disintegrated), with Rodrick voting out everyone except Rose so that when it comes to the final round, he will win by answering questions that Rose cannot answer, because of her lack of knowledge of the era. He will then collect his prize, in the form of credits, courtesy of the Badwolf Corporation who run the Game Station. At the mention of the name, Rose recalls how the phrase "Bad Wolf" has been following them — from Gwyneth seeing it in her mind in [[The Unquiet Dead|1869 Cardiff]]; the [[callsign]] of [[Henry van Statten]]'s helicopter; the ''Blaidd Drwg'' nuclear power plant; as graffiti on the [[Aliens of London|side of the TARDIS]] in [[2006]]; and a news channel on [[The Long Game|Satellite 5]] in the 2001st century. She realises that if the Bad Wolf is in charge, then her presence has been planned.
[[File:Nine_come_with_me.jpg|thumb|left|The Doctor invites Lynda to come with him.]]
In the ''Big Brother'' House, the Doctor cheerfully walks into the white corridor and waits as the countdown towards eviction ticks towards zero. However, nothing happens, much to both of the programmers' confusion — the Doctor has guessed, correctly, that whoever brought him to the House wants him alive. He uses the sonic screwdriver to open the exit to the House and offers to take the surviving housemates with him. Strood refuses, but Lynda, after some hesitation, follows. The House is just one room of several opening onto a larger chamber, which the Doctor recognises as that of Satellite 5, but a century later than when he was there last. The Doctor begins scanning the other doors, looking for an exit and asking where his friends could be. Lynda says they could have been transported into any of a hundred different games, all deadly. When the Doctor tells Lynda that he is a traveller, she asks if she could go with him. He smiles and agrees that it would not be a bad idea, but right now, they have to concentrate on getting out and finding out who controls the satellite. When Lynda turns the lights on to reveal the logo of the [[Bad Wolf Corporation]], the sight of it gives the Doctor pause.


In the House, the Doctor cheerfully walks into the white corridor and waits as the countdown towards eviction ticks towards zero. However, nothing happens — the Doctor has guessed, correctly, that whoever brought him wants him alive. He uses the sonic screwdriver to open the exit to the House, and offers to take the surviving housemates with him. Strood refuses, but Lynda, after some hesitation, follows. The House is just one room of several opening on to a larger chamber, which the Doctor recognises as that of Satellite 5, but a century later than when he was last there. The Doctor begins scanning the other doors, looking for an exit and asking where his friends could be. Lynda says they could have been transported into any of a hundred different games, all deadly. When the Doctor tells Lynda that he is a traveller, she asks if she could go with him. He smiles and agrees it would not be a bad idea, but right now, they have to concentrate on getting out and finding out who controls the satellite. When Lynda turns the lights on to reveal the logo of the Badwolf Corporation, the sight of it gives the Doctor pause.
In the control room, the two programmers decide to look at the transmat logs to see how the travellers got on board. However, the female programmer is refused entry to [[Archive Six]], where the logs are kept. The [[Controller (Bad Wolf)|Controller]], a pale woman hooked up by dozens of cables to the station, tells her it is out of bounds. The Controller is constantly monitoring the transmissions that flow through her and muttering to herself. The male programmer tells her about the new contestants wandering around outside the games and asks for security measures, but she denies them, insisting that the travellers are "no one" and telling them to return to work and alerting them to an impending [[solar flare]].


In the control room, the two programmers decide to look at the transmat logs to see how the travellers got on board. However, the female programmer is refused entry to Archive 6, where the logs are kept. The Controller, a pale woman hooked up by dozens of cables to the station, tells her it is out of bounds. The Controller is constantly monitoring the transmissions that flow through her and muttering almost agitatedly to herself. The male programmer tells her about the new contestants wandering around outside the games and asks for security measures, but she denies them, insisting that the travellers are "no one" and telling them to return to work and alerting them to an impending [[solar flare]].
[[File:I_made_this_world.jpg|thumb|The Doctor, horrified at what his actions have caused.]]
Jack has converted the defabricator beam into a [[ray gun]], and he goes in search of the Doctor, finding him by scanning for the [[Time Lord]]'s [[Binary vascular system|bicardial circulatory system]]. On an observation deck, Lynda fills the Doctor in on what has happened to Earth since his last visit. To the Doctor's horror, instead of human development having gotten back on track, things have in fact become worse. When the Doctor shut down Satellite 5, all information broadcasts ceased, the whole planet froze, and society collapsed. [[Human]]s are still a race of mindless sheep, endlessly watching the programming that the Game Station transmits. Jack finds them as the Doctor frantically tries to access the computer system to find Rose. The Doctor explains that the station is transmitting more than just games and that whatever Bad Wolf is, it is manipulating him, creating a trap that Rose is still inside.


Jack has converted the defabricator beam into a ray gun, and he goes in search of the Doctor, finding him by scanning for the [[Time Lord]]'s bicardial circulatory system. On an observation deck, Lynda fills the Doctor in on what has happened to Earth since his last visit. To the Doctor's horror, instead of human development having got back on track, things have in fact become worse. When the Doctor shut down Satellite 5, all information broadcasts ceased, the whole planet froze, and society collapsed. Humans are still a race of mindless sheep, endlessly watching the programming that the Game Station transmits. Jack finds them as the Doctor frantically tries to access the computer system to find Rose. The Doctor explains that the station is transmitting more than just games, and that whatever the Bad Wolf is, it is manipulating him, creating a trap that Rose is still inside.
[[File:Doctor_lynda_jack_jail.jpg|thumb|left|Jack, the Doctor, and Lynda are imprisoned.]]
On [[Floor 407]], the final round in ''The Weakest Link'' does not go well for Rose. She loses the round to Rodrick just as the Doctor, Jack and Lynda burst into the studio. When Rose runs towards the Doctor to warn him about the Anne Droid, it shoots Rose, turning her into a pile of dust. After deactivating the Anne Droid, unable to understand that The Doctor, Jack and Lynda were trying to warn about the potential danger, and feeling threatened by Jack's anger and threats towards her and Roderick, The Floor Manager angrily calls in the guards after stating that she's calling security because they had no permission to be in the studio. Numb with shock, the Doctor does not put up resistance when the guards arrive and take all of them away, despite Jack's attempt to threaten the guards, before angrily shouting at Roderick and the Floor Manager that their stupid freaking gameshow "killed" Rose. The Doctor remains silent when the guards process and interrogate the three of them, but when they are about to be transported to a [[Moon|lunar]] penal colony, the Doctor gives the word. He and Jack spring into action, knocking out the guards, grabbing weapons and heading up to Floor 500.


On Floor 407, the final round in ''The Weakest Link'' does not go well for Rose. She loses the round to Rodrick just as the Doctor, Jack and Lynda burst into the studio. When Rose runs towards the Doctor to warn him about the Anne Droid, it shoots Rose, turning her into a pile of dust. Numb with shock, the Doctor does not put up resistance when the guards arrive and take all of them away. The Doctor remains silent when the guards process and interrogate the three of them, but when they are about to be transported to a [[Moon|lunar]] penal colony, the Doctor gives the word. He and Jack spring into action, knocking out the guards, grabbing weapons and heading up to Floor 500.
In the control room, Jack and the Doctor wave the weapons at the programmers, ushering them to one side. The Doctor demands to know from the Controller who is in charge and who is responsible for Rose's death, but the Controller does not answer. The male programmer is nervous because of the large gun the Doctor is carrying, but the Doctor casually tosses him the weapon, saying he was never really going to use it. The male programmer explains that as the Doctor is not one of the staff, the Controller's systems do not recognise him. The Controller was installed when she was five years old; she has been plugged in so long that her eyes have atrophied from disuse — all she sees is the programming. The male programmer also says that there is more going on at the station; unauthorised transmats and encrypted signals have been going on for years. Jack opens Archive Six and finds the TARDIS inside. He goes into it and activates the console, discovering something that shocks him.


In the control room, Jack and the Doctor wave the weapons at the programmers, ushering them to one side. The Doctor demands to know from the Controller who is in charge and was responsible for killing Rose, but the Controller does not answer. The male programmer is nervous because of the large gun the Doctor is carrying, but the Doctor casually tosses him the weapon, saying he was never really going to use it. The male programmer explains that as the Doctor is not one of the staff, the Controller's systems do not recognise him. The Controller was installed when she was five years old; she has been plugged in so long that her eyes have atrophied from disuse — all she sees is the programming. The male programmer also says that there is more going on at the station, with unauthorised transmats and encrypted signals that have been going on for years. Jack opens Archive 6, and finds the TARDIS inside. He goes into it and activates the console, discovering something that shocks him.
The predicted [[solar flare]] happens, and static floods the screens, blocking transmissions. The Controller unexpectedly calls for the Doctor, explaining that while the solar flare is happening, her "[[Dalek|masters]]" cannot read her thoughts. They have been controlling her mind all her life, but she saw the Doctor in the transmissions and brought him here, hiding him inside the games so he could find her. However, she cannot tell the Doctor who her masters are, because she has been genetically altered to be unable to say their name. Her masters have been hiding and shaping the Earth for centuries, growing stronger in numbers, but they fear the Doctor. As the flare passes, Jack returns and tells the Doctor that the TARDIS worked out that the disintegrators were actually part of a secondary transmat system — people have not died, they have just been transported elsewhere, which means Rose is still alive.


The predicted [[solar flare]] happens, and [[static]] floods the screens, blocking transmissions. The Controller unexpectedly calls for the Doctor, explaining that while the solar flare is happening, her "[[Dalek|masters]]" cannot read her thoughts. They have been controlling her mind all her life, but she saw the Doctor in the transmissions and brought him here, hiding him inside the games so he could find her. However, she cannot tell the Doctor who her masters are, because she has been genetically altered to be unable to say their name. Her masters have been hiding and shaping the Earth for centuries, growing stronger in numbers, but they fear the Doctor. As the flare passes, Jack returns and tells the Doctor that the TARDIS worked out that the disintegrators were actually part of a secondary transmat system — people have not died, they have just been transported elsewhere, which means Rose is still alive.
Rose regains consciousness aboard an alien spacecraft, where a strange humming sound fills the room. She sees one of the inhabitants of the spacecraft approaching her, and she backs up against a wall in shock as she recognises it, and cannot believe her eyes — she claims to have seen the creature, who presses its plunger-like hand to the wall, die.


Rose regains consciousness aboard an alien spacecraft, where a strange humming sound fills the background. She sees one of the inhabitants of the spacecraft approaching her, and she backs up against a wall in shock as she recognises it, and cannot believe her eyes — she claims to have seen the creature, who presses it's plunger like hand to the wall,&nbsp;die. Back on the station, the Controller gives the Doctor the co-ordinates to where Rose had been transported, despite knowing that she will be revealing her subterfuge to her masters. As she shouts out the co-ordinates, the Controller is teleported away. Materialising on the same ship that Rose has been transported to, the Controller gloatingly tells her masters that they can kill her now, as she has brought about their destruction. She is promptly killed by an [[energy weapon]].
Back on the station, the Controller gives the Doctor the co-ordinates to where Rose had been transported, despite knowing that she will be revealing her subterfuge to her masters. As she shouts out the co-ordinates, the Controller is teleported away. Materialising on the same ship that Rose has been transported to, the Controller gloatingly tells her masters that they can kill her now, as she has brought about their destruction. She is promptly killed by an [[energy weapon]].


On the station, the transmat beam is traced to a point at the edge of the [[sol]]ar system. Although the screen appears to show empty space, there is another signal, transmitted by the satellite, that is shielding what is actually there from detection. These are the same people who installed the [[Jagrafess]] nearly two centuries before and have been manipulating mankind for generations, playing a [[The Long Game|long game]]. The Doctor cancels the shielding signal and is greeted with an impossible sight — a fleet of 200 [[Dalek]] [[flying saucer]]s each containing more than 2,000 Daleks, a force almost half a million strong. Both the Doctor and Jack thought the Daleks had all been destroyed, but obviously they somehow survived.
[[File:Dalek_invasion_fleet.jpg|thumb|The Dalek fleet.]]
[[Image:Dalek_invasion_fleet.jpg|left|thumb|200px|The Dalek fleet]]
On the station, the transmat beam is traced to a point at the edge of the [[solar system]]. Although the screen appears to show empty space, there is another signal, transmitted by the satellite, that is shielding what is actually there from detection. These are the same people who installed the [[Jagrafess]] nearly two centuries before and have been manipulating mankind for generations, playing a [[The Long Game (TV story)|long game]]. The Doctor cancels the shielding signal and is greeted with an impossible sight — a fleet of two hundred [[Dalek]] [[flying saucer]]s each containing more than two thousand Daleks, a force almost half a million strong. Both the Doctor and Jack thought the Daleks had all been destroyed, but obviously, they have somehow survived.


The Daleks open communications, with a lead Dalek ordering the Doctor not to intervene with the Dalek stratagem or they will exterminate Rose. To the Daleks' surprise, the Doctor simply says no. When the lead Dalek demands an explanation, the Doctor defiantly tells them that he is going to rescue Rose from the middle of the Dalek fleet, save the Earth and then wipe every last Dalek out of the sky. The lead Dalek retorts that the Doctor has no weapons, defences or plan. The Doctor agrees and knows that is exactly what is scaring the Daleks to death.
The Daleks open communications, with a lead Dalek ordering the Doctor not to intervene with the Dalek stratagem or they will exterminate Rose. To the Daleks' surprise, the Doctor simply says no. When the lead Dalek demands an explanation, the Doctor defiantly tells them that he is going to rescue Rose from the middle of the Dalek fleet, save the Earth and then wipe every last Dalek out of the sky. The lead Dalek retorts that the Doctor has no weapons, defences or plan. The Doctor taunts them and knows that that is exactly what is scaring the Daleks to death.


The Doctor tells Rose he is on his way, and cuts the transmission. The lead Dalek states the Doctor has initiated hostile actions, and the Dalek on the left&nbsp;orders the invasion of Earth to begin. Millions of Daleks gather for the invasion, all chanting their battle cry: "Exterminate, Exterminate, Exterminate..."
The Doctor tells Rose he is on his way and cuts the transmission. The lead Dalek states that the Doctor has initiated hostile actions and another Dalek orders the invasion of Earth to begin. Many more Daleks gather for the invasion, all chanting their battle cry: "Exterminate, exterminate, exterminate..."


==Cast==
== Cast ==
*[[Ninth Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Christopher Eccleston]]
* [[Ninth Doctor|Doctor Who]] - [[Christopher Eccleston]]
*[[Rose Tyler]] - [[Billie Piper]]
* [[Rose Tyler]] - [[Billie Piper]]
*[[Jack Harkness|Captain Jack Harkness]] - [[John Barrowman]]
* [[Jack Harkness|Captain Jack]] - [[John Barrowman]]
*[[Lynda Moss|Lynda]] - [[Jo Joyner]]
* [[Lynda Moss|Lynda]] - [[Jo Joyner]]
*[[Strood]] - [[Jamie Bradley]]
* [[Strood]] - [[Jamie Bradley]]
*[[Crosbie]] - [[Abi Eniola]]
* [[Crosbie]] - [[Abi Eniola]]
*Voice of [[Davinadroid]] - [[Davina McCall]]
* Voice of [[Davinadroid]] - [[Davina McCall]]
*[[Rodrick]] - [[Paterson Joseph]]
* [[Rodrick]] - [[Paterson Joseph]]
*[[Floor Manager]] - [[Jenna Russell]]
* [[Floor manager (Bad Wolf)|Floor Manager]] - [[Jenna Russell]]
*Voice of [[Anne Droid]] - [[Anne Robinson]]
* Voice of [[Anne Droid]] - [[Anne Robinson]]
*Voice of [[Trine-E]] - [[Trinny Woodall]]
* Voice of [[Trine-E]] - [[Trinny Woodall]]
*Voice of [[Zu-Zana]] - [[Susannah Constantine]]
* Voice of [[Zu-Zana]] - [[Susannah Constantine]]
*[[Male Programmer]] - [[Jo Stone-Fewings]]
* [[Davitch Pavale|Male Programmer]] - [[Jo Stone Fewings]]<!--Spelled without the hyphen in this story-->
*[[Female Programmer]] - [[Nisha Nayar]]
* [[Female programmer|Female Programmer]] - [[Nisha Nayar]]
*[[Agorax]] - [[Dominic Burgess]]
* [[Agorax]] - [[Dominic Burgess]]
*[[Fitch]] - [[Karren Winchester]]
* [[Fitch]] - [[Karren Winchester]]
*[[Colleen]] - [[Kate Loustau]]
* [[Colleen]] - [[Kate Loustau]]
*[[Broff]] - [[Sebastian Armesto]]
* [[Broff]] - [[Sebastian Armesto]]
*[[Controller (Bad Wolf)|Controller]] - [[Martha Cope]]
* [[Controller (Bad Wolf)|Controller]] - [[Martha Cope]]
*[[Security Guard (Bad Wolf)|Security Guard]] - [[Sam Callis]]
* [[Security guard (Bad Wolf)|Security Guard]] - [[Sam Callis]]
*[[Anne Droid|Androids]] - [[Alan Ruscoe]], [[Paul Kasey]]
* Androids - [[Alan Ruscoe]], [[Paul Kasey]]
*[[Dalek Operator]]s - [[Barnaby Edwards]], [[Nicholas Pegg]] and [[David Hankinson]]
* [[Dalek Operator]]s - [[Barnaby Edwards]], [[Nicholas Pegg]], [[David Hankinson]]
*Dalek Voice - [[Nicholas Briggs]]
* [[Dalek]] Voice - [[Nicholas Briggs]]


==Crew==
== Crew ==
<!--only differences between this and Parting of the Ways crew are 2D Artists and Model Unit-->
<!--only differences between this and Parting of the Ways crew are 2D Artists and Model Unit-->
{{wales crew
{{wales crew
Line 93: Line 117:
|2ndAD=Steffan Morris
|2ndAD=Steffan Morris
|3rdAD=Dan Mumford
|3rdAD=Dan Mumford
|Runner1=
|Runner=
|Runner2=
|Runner2=
|LocationManager=Llyr Morus
|LocationManager=Llyr Morus
Line 106: Line 130:
|ProductionRunner2=Tim Hodges
|ProductionRunner2=Tim Hodges
|ProductionRunner3=Debbie Meldrum
|ProductionRunner3=Debbie Meldrum
|AssistantProductionAccountant=Debbie Griffiths
|AssistantProductionAccountant=Debi Griffiths
|AssistantProductionAccountant2=Kath Blackman
|AssistantProductionAccountant2=Kath Blackman
|ScriptEditor=Helen Raynor
|ScriptEditor=Helen Raynor
Line 202: Line 226:
|SoundEditor=
|SoundEditor=
|SoundEditor2=
|SoundEditor2=
|SoundEffectsEditor=Paul Jefferies
|SoundFXEditor=Paul Jefferies
|ModelUnitSupervisor=
|ModelUnitSupervisor=
|ModelUnitDOP= <!--No model unit this episode, unlike POTW-->
|ModelUnitDOP= <!--No model unit this episode, unlike POTW-->
Line 221: Line 245:
|2DArtist3=Jennifer Herbert
|2DArtist3=Jennifer Herbert
|2DArtist4=Bronwyn Edwards
|2DArtist4=Bronwyn Edwards
|2DArtist5=Astrid Bsser-Casas
|2DArtist5=Astrid Busser-Casas
|2DArtist6=
|2DArtist6=
|2DArtist7=
|2DArtist7=
Line 240: Line 264:
|SpecialThanks=
|SpecialThanks=
|FromIdeaBy=
|FromIdeaBy=
|Character1=Daleks
|Character1=Dalek{{!}}Daleks
|CharCreatedBy1a=Terry Nation
|CharCreatedBy1a=Terry Nation
|CharCreatedBy1b=
|CharCreatedBy1b=
Line 253: Line 277:
|ProductionExec=
|ProductionExec=
|ProductionAccountant=Endaf Emyr Williams
|ProductionAccountant=Endaf Emyr Williams
|SoundRecordist=Ian Richardson
|SoundRecordist=Ian Richardson (sound recordist)
|CostumeDesigner=Lucinda Wright
|CostumeDesigner=Lucinda Wright
|Make-upDesigner=Davy Jones
|Make-upDesigner=Davy Jones (make-up designer)
|VisualEffects=The Mill
|VisualEffects=The Mill
|SpecialEffects=Any Effects
|SpecialEffects=Any Effects
Line 275: Line 299:
}}
}}


==References==
== Worldbuilding ==
* In the ''[[Big Brother]]'' House, there is a row of pictures resembling the panels of hemispherical protrusions on [[Dalek]]s.
* ''Big Brother'' is broadcast on [[Channel 44000]].
* The Doctor mentions the number [[500000 (number)|500000]].
 
=== Technology ===
* The Doctor uses [[The Doctor's sonic screwdriver|his sonic screwdriver]] to get out of the ''[[Big Brother]]'' section of the Gamestation.
 
=== Locations ===
* [[Satellite Five]] is in orbit of [[Earth]].
* [[Floor 500]] is the location of the control room.
* The [[Diary Room]] is part of the ''Big Brother'' house.
* The [[Great Cobalt Pyramid]] is built on the remains of [[Torchwood Institute|Torchwood]].
* The [[Great Cobalt Pyramid]] is built on the remains of [[Torchwood Institute|Torchwood]].
* The [[Grand Central Ravine]] is named after the city of [[Sheffield]].
* [[Polar Ventura]] is an [[Iceland]]ic city which once hosted [[Murder Spree 20]].
* The Doctor, Jack and Lynda are told they will be taken to the [[Lunar Penal Colony]].
=== People ===
* One of Jack's new looks is identified as "little dash of [[pirate]], and just a tweak of [[Arnold Schwarzenegger|President Schwarzenegger]]".
* The [[Face of Boe]] is mentioned as the oldest inhabitant of the [[Isop Galaxy]].
* The [[Face of Boe]] is mentioned as the oldest inhabitant of the [[Isop Galaxy]].
* [[Polar Ventura]] is an [[Iceland |Icelandic]] city.
* [[Stella Bopbates]] is famous for [[hat]]s.
* [[Gappavek]] was a food that originated on the planet [[Lucifer]].
* [[San Chen]] discovered the [[15-10 Barric Fields]].
* The Doctor, Jack and Lynda are told they will be taken to the [[Lunar Penal Colony]].
* [[Hoshbin Frane]] was the [[President]] of the [[Red Velvet]]s.
*The dust left behind as a result of the [[transmat]] may be [[zanium]].
 
*In the Big Brother House there is a row of pictures resembeling the panels of hemispherical protrusions on Daleks.
=== Literature ===
* [[Jackie Collins]] wrote ''[[Lucky]]''.
 
=== Culture ===
* [[Android]]s are used in several programmes broadcast from the Game Station.
* The Game Station programmes include: ''[[Big Brother]]'', ''[[Call My Bluff]]'', ''[[Countdown (TV series)|Countdown]]'', ''[[Ground Force]]'', ''[[Wipeout]]'', ''[[Stars in Their Eyes]]'' and ''[[Bear With Me]]''.
* In the [[Pan Traffic calendar]], the month of [[Pandoff]] comes after [[Hoob]].
* In the [[holovid]] series ''[[Jupiter Rising]]'', the [[Graxnix]] is married to [[Dreyvole|Lord Dreyvole]].
* Rodrick wants to keep Rose in the game because he thinks she's stupid for not knowing the surname of Princess [[Vossaheen]].
* [[San Hazeldine]] is the incorrect answer given to one of the game questions.
 
=== Law ===
* The Doctor is arrested under [[Private Legislation 16]] of the [[Game Station Syndicate]].
 
=== Economics ===
* [[Default]] was the name of the payment given to [[Martian drone]]s.
 
=== Chemistry ===
* The dust left behind as a result of the [[transmat]] may be [[zanium]].


===Technology===
=== Biology ===
*The Doctor uses his [[Sonic screwdriver]] to get out of the ''[[Big Brother]]'' section of the Gamestation.
* [[Red blood cell]]s contain [[iron]], while [[white blood cell]]s do not.


===[[:Category:Culture|Culture]]===
=== Foods and beverages ===
*Androids are used in several programs broadcast on from the Gamestation these androids include; [[Anne Droid]] (''[[The Weakest Link]]''), [[Davinadroid]] (''[[Big Brother]]''), [[Trine-E]] and [[Zu-Zana]] (''[[What Not to Wear]]'')
* [[Gaffabeque]] was a food that originated on the planet [[Lucifer (planet)|Lucifer]].


===[[:Category:Locations|Locations]]===
=== Bad Wolf arc ===
*[[Satellite Five]] is in orbit of [[Earth]].
* Satellite Five is being run by the [[Bad Wolf Corporation]], which is under Dalek administration.
*[[Floor 500]] is the location of the control room.


==Story Notes==
== Story notes ==
*The scene where Jack is disrobed was originally filmed full-length, with rear nudity. According to Barrowman, this shot was vetoed by the BBC; their only complaint of the first season.
* A working title for the episode was "Gameshow World". It was the last of the episode titles to be revealed. Prior to this, the episode was referred to in promotional literature as "The Parting of the Ways (Part 1)", with "Part 2" eventually becoming simply ''[[The Parting of the Ways (TV story)|The Parting of the Ways]]''.
*This is the first episode since [[The Chase]] to feature Daleks without having Dalek in the episode's title.
* The scene where Jack is disrobed was originally filmed full-length, with rear nudity. According to [[John Barrowman]], this shot was vetoed by the BBC. This was their only complaint of the first season.
*In an interesting coincidence, this is the second Dalek story to feature a human servant of the Daleks called "controller" betraying the Daleks and commiting self-sacrifice to help the Doctor, the first being [[Day of the Daleks]].
* This is the second Dalek story to feature a human servant of the Daleks called [[Controller (Day of the Daleks)|"controller"]] betraying the Daleks and committing self-sacrifice to help the Doctor, the first being [[TV]]: ''[[Day of the Daleks (TV story)|Day of the Daleks]]''.
* This is the first instance since [[Season 4 (Doctor Who 1963)|Season 4]] that a series consisted of two main Dalek stories.
* This episode introduces the [[deadlock seal]], a type of lock which is immune to [[the Doctor's sonic screwdriver]] and will be used again in future episodes.
* The diary room chair used in the [[Satellite Five|Game Station]] Big Brother house was sold to [[Channel 4]], and they used it in {{wi|Ultimate Big Brother}} as the bedsit's diary room chair.
* This is the last episode until [[TV]]: ''[[The Beast Below (TV story)|The Beast Below]]'' in which [[David Tennant]] does not make an appearance.
* The names of the androids are puns on the names of the original hosts. These androids include [[Anne Droid]] (''[[The Weakest Link]]''), [[Davinadroid]] (''[[Big Brother]]''), and [[Trine-E]] and [[Zu-Zana]] (''[[What Not to Wear]]'').
* The story was chosen by [[BBC America]] to represent the [[Christopher Eccleston]] era during their 50th-anniversary programming. Edited into an [[omnibus]] format with ''[[The Parting of the Ways (TV story)|The Parting of the Ways]]'', it was aired by BBCA on [[29 September (releases)|29 September]] [[2013 (releases)|2013]], after the debut of their homegrown special called ''[[The Doctors Revisited - The Ninth Doctor (documentary)|The Doctors Revisited - The Ninth Doctor]]''. It also aired in the [[United Kingdom]] later that year on [[9 November (releases)|9 November]], along with the ''Revisited'' special, on the [[Watch (TV channel)|Watch]] channel.
* The concept of the Anne Droid and a futuristic version of ''[[The Weakest Link]]'' was pitched by [[Russell T Davies]] in his second meeting with the BBC about bringing back the series in 2000 or 2001. The idea had come from his trip to New York City for the launch of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer_as_Folk_(American_TV_series) the American version] of ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer_as_Folk_(British_TV_series) Queer as Folk]'', where he had seen "a vast screen in Times Square with a gigantic Anne Robinson blasting us tiny mortals with her voice" - This screen was promoting the American Version of ''The Weakest Link''.
* According to the DVD commentary for this episode, the music that is heard as the Dalek fleet is revealed includes a chorus singing "What is happening?" (transliterated: Mah Kor'ei) in Hebrew.
* According to ''[[Doctor Who Confidential]]'', although [[Anne Robinson]] was invited to voice the Anne Droid, the expectation was that she would decline. A celebrity voice impersonator had already been hired to record the lines when Robinson accepted.
* During the actual recording on ''[[The Weakest Link]]'' set, [[Joe Ahearne]] instructed sound engineer [[Neil Harris]] to mix up the played-back questions so that the actors' confusion would appear genuine.
* The Hungarian title of this episode is "Valóságsokk" (Reality-Shock).
* [[Russell T Davies]] first posited that the Game Station would be run by a mentally-enhanced teenager named Edward, but quickly came to dislike this idea. He first replaced Edward with an elderly man and then, inspired by the precogs of ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minority_Report_(film) Minority Report]'', with a pale, androgynous Controller instead.
* Initially, the Controller survived into the next episode to provide the Doctor with someone to talk to, until [[Russell T Davies]] decided it would be more effective to have him converse with the [[Emperor Dalek]] instead.
* The story was originally set 500 years after ''[[The Long Game (TV story)|The Long Game]]''.
* In case the Dalek Emperor prop proved unusable, [[Russell T Davies]] wrote a backup script in which [[Davros]] would be featured instead.
* This story would be the final story to feature the "Next Time" trailer before the end credits for a two-parter. From ''[[The Impossible Planet (TV story)|The Impossible Planet]]'', the trailer would be featured after the end credits for two-parters. ''[[Rise of the Cybermen (TV story)|Rise of the Cybermen]]'' is an exception having no trailer what so ever. In its place is a title card saying "To Be Continued" before the end credits rolled.
* When it seemed that the Daleks couldn't appear due to issues with the estate of [[Terry Nation]], [[Russell T Davies]] considered having the villains be either [[Cyberman|the Cybermen]] or original creatures called the Spheres (which later became [[Toclafane]]).
* At one point, it was thought that the Controller would have no limbs, but this was deemed too macabre.
* Negotiations with Endemol spanned eleven months beginning as early as December 2003 but, in the end, the company proved extremely cooperative, even designing a futuristic version of the ''[[Big Brother]]'' logo.
* The production budget accommodated the construction of two new Dalek casings to join the version built for ''[[Dalek (TV story)|Dalek]]''. Whereas the first of the revamped Daleks had been created in-house by the BBC Visual Effects Department, the new casings were contracted out to the firm Specialist Models.
* Some thought was given to using ''[[The Weakest Link]]''<nowiki/>'s actual set at [[Pinewood Studios]], but the travel time and limited availability prompted the decision to construct a new set at the Newport City Live Arena.


===Ratings===
=== Ratings ===
*6.8 million viewers
* 6.81 million viewers (UK final)<ref>[http://guide.doctorwhonews.net/info.php?detail=ratings&start=100&type=date&order= Doctor Who - consolidated ratings]</ref>


===Myths===
=== Myths ===
*Lynda suggesting to the Ninth Doctor she come with him on his travels was to tease fans to make them think in the following story "The Parting of the Ways" Rose was going to leave and Lynda was going to be the new companion. ''This might have been the original intent, but by the time the episode aired, it was already well known that Eccleston had resigned from the series and that David Tennant would be joining ... that said, however, it was not completely clear at the time whether the regeneration was going to take place at the end of the series, or during the announced Christmas special.''
* Lynda suggesting to the Ninth Doctor she come with him on his travels was to tease fans to make them think in the following story, ''[[The Parting of the Ways (TV story)|The Parting of the Ways]]'', Rose was going to leave and Lynda was going to be the new companion. ''This might have been the original intent, but by the time the episode aired, it was already well known that [[Christopher Eccleston]] had resigned from the series and that [[David Tennant]] would be joining ... that said, however, it was not completely clear at the time whether the regeneration was going to take place at the end of the series, or during the announced Christmas special.''
* The controller shown in the episode was originally meant to be [[the Editor]] from ''[[The Long Game (TV story)|The Long Game]]''. ''This was never planned and even if it was [[Simon Pegg]] would have been unable to do it due to scheduling conflicts.''


===Filming Locations===
=== Filming locations ===
''to be added''
''to be added''


===Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors===
=== Production errors ===
{{discontinuity}}
{{discontinuity}}
*The station is masking the Dalek fleet from sonar, which is entirely useless in space as a vacuum cannot transmit sound. ''(Maybe a way to transmit sonar through space has been discovered. Also, sound can travel through space- it is not a perfect vacuum. Also sonar, being an acronym, could stand for some other means of detection in this time period such as Space Omnidirectional Navigation And Ranging.)''
* During Lynda's first interaction with the Doctor her mouth can be seen moving without any dialogue.
*The Doctor states that the Jagrafess was installed a hundred years ago, when it was actually installed 190 years ago. ''(The Jagrefess would have been installed before the Doctor arrived a hundred years before this episode is set.)'' ''(The events of [[The Long Game]] took place in 200,000)''
* As Broff attempts to escape from the ''Weakest Link'' section, the "On Air" light is illuminated, despite this occurring during the [[advert]]s.
*If no one has a garden, why is there a Groundforce show? ''(Because it was a show about turning people into compost more than actual gardening or the statement no one has a garden could just mean no normal people just the richer of the population.)''
* In the ''Big Brother'' scene, when Lynda and Strood sit down to watch Crosbie be "disintegrated", the Doctor puts his hands behind his head, but when the camera's behind them, his arms are crossed, then when it switches back to in front of them, his arms are behind him again.
*The Doctor states that the Daleks have only two emotions hate and fear, but in the past they have shown anger, revenge, smugness, lust and sadism which by my calculations is seven. ''The Doctor is prejudiced in his way of thinking about the Daleks and also they may have changed in the Time-War - can you reference when they have actually shown these emotions too.''
* When the guard pins the Doctor against the cell wall and he pulls out the sonic screwdriver, the blue end is there, but when the camera faces the front of the Doctor, the blue end is missing briefly.
*The Doctor said there were 200 Dalek ships and 200,000 Daleks in each meaning there are 500,000 Daleks in total. But 200 multiplied by 200,000 is only 400,000. ''The Doctor mentions there are "''more'' than 2000 on board each one" and that there are "''just about'' half a million of them", mean less than 500,000. Also, it is unlikely that every ship has precisely 200,000 Daleks on board.''
* Just after they break out of the prison cell, you can see Lynda reach for her gadgets twice.
 
==Continuity==
* Rose previously encountered a Dalek in [[DW]]: ''[[Dalek (TV story)|Dalek]]''.
* Rose mentions dropping Margaret the egg off [[DW]]: ''[[Boom Town]]''.
* The Game Station last appeared as Satellite 5 in [[DW]]: ''[[The Long Game]]''.
* The controller is very similar to the Empress in [[NA]]: ''[[Original Sin]]'' and ''[[So Vile a Sin]]''.
*In the last scene where thousands of Daleks are shouting "EXTERMINATE" in flagship, a small control panel similar with the [[DARDIS]] from ''[[The Chase]]'' can be seen.
*The beginnings of Torchwood are seen in [[DW]]: ''[[Tooth and Claw]]'' whilst the Torchwood Institute is seen in [[DW]]: ''[[Doomsday]]'' and [[TW]]: ''[[Everything Changes]]''.
*The controller is seen again in a flashback in [[DW]]: ''[[Journey's End]]''.
*Flashbacks of the words 'Bad Wolf' are seen, including Gwyneth in ''The Unquiet Dead'', the 'Bad Wolf One' helicopter in ''Dalek'', the 'Blaidd Drwg' project in ''Boom Town'', the words spray-painted on the side of the TARDIS in ''Aliens of London'' and the Bad Wolf TV in ''The Long Game''. Other references not seen in the flashbacks include the 'Bad Wolf scenario' mentioned in ''The End of the World'', the phrase defacing a poster in ''Father's Day'' and the German bomb labled "Schlechter Wolf' (literal, if non-idiomatic German for 'bad wolf') in ''The Doctor Dances''. References in the spin-off media include mentions of the phrase by Melissa Heart in ''The Clockwise Man'', Dennel in ''The Monsters Inside'', Georgi in ''The Deviant Strain'' and Tyko in ''The Stealers of Dreams'', as well as a video game by the name of 'Bad Wolf' in ''Winner Takes All'', and a poster on the pub wall in the DWM comic strip ''The Love Invasion'' features the phrase. The following episode, ''The Parting of the Ways'' (in which the phrase is found on a poster in a cafe and graffitied in giant letters near her council estate) reveals that Rose sent these words throughout time and space as a means to find and save the Doctor. In ''Doomsday'', the Doctor and Rose say goodbye at 'Dårlig Ulv Stranden' (Norwegian for 'Bad Wolf Bay') in Norway. The phrase is once again used by Rose to bring the Doctor in ''Turn Left''. It also appears in several other episodes throughout the series, including ''Gridlock'' (where the Japanese word Akurō, meaning 'Evil Wolf', is labelled on poster in a car), ''Love and Monsters'' (where the 'Bad Wolf' virus is said to have wiped out all contemporary computer files on Rose) and the ''Torchwood'' episode ''Captain Jack Harkness'' (where the phrase is graffitied in a Welsh dance hall). In ''Tooth and Claw'' the werewolf tells Rose that 'there is something of the wolf' about her, and in ''Silence in the Library'' a blond girl and a wolf are featured in one of Charlotte's drawings.
 
==Timeline==
*This story occurs after [[NSA]]: ''[[The Stealers of Dreams]]''
*This story occurs before [[DW]]: ''[[The Parting of the Ways]]''


==DVD and Other Releases==
== Continuity ==
[[Image:Bbcdvd-s1-v4.jpg|thumb|130px|Series 1 Volume 4 DVD Cover]]
* The Doctor recalls last being in Japan in 1336. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Return of the Volsci (comic story)|Return of the Volsci]]'')
* This was released on DVD along with [[Boom Town]] and [[The Parting of the Ways]].
* Rose previously encountered a Dalek. ([[TV]]: ''[[Dalek (TV story)|Dalek]]'')
* It was also released as part of the Series 1 DVD boxset.
* Rose mentions dropping off [[Blon Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen|Margaret]] the [[egg]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Boom Town (TV story)|Boom Town]]'')
* This was also released with Issue 6 of the [[Doctor Who DVD Files]].
* When the Doctor, Jack and Lynda were caught by security, it is said that they are to be sent to the [[Lunar Penal Colony]] without trial. The Doctor's [[Third Doctor|third incarnation]] had previously been detained in a lunar prison when he was believed to be a spy working for the [[Draconian]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Frontier in Space (TV story)|Frontier in Space]]'')
* The Doctor tells Lynda he moisturises, echoing his feigned distress of "What are you gonna do, moisturise me?" at [[Cassandra O'Brien.Δ17|Cassandra]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of the World (TV story)|The End of the World]]'')
* The Game Station was previously Satellite 5. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Long Game (TV story)|The Long Game]]'')
* When thousands of Daleks are shouting, "Exterminate", in their ship, a small control panel similar to one from the [[Dalek time machine]] in [[TV]]: ''[[The Chase (TV story)|The Chase]]'' can be seen.
* The beginnings of [[Torchwood Institute]] are seen in [[TV]]: ''[[Tooth and Claw (TV story)|Tooth and Claw]]'', whilst the institute is seen in [[TV]]: ''[[Army of Ghosts (TV story)|Army of Ghosts]]''/''[[Doomsday (TV story)|Doomsday]]'', ''[[The Stolen Earth (TV story)|The Stolen Earth]]''/''[[Journey's End (TV story)|Journey's End]]'' and throughout the first three series of ''[[Torchwood (TV series)|Torchwood]]''.
* The Controller would be among those remembered when [[Davros]] asks the Doctor how many have died in his name. ([[TV]]: ''[[Journey's End (TV story)|Journey's End]]'')
* Flashbacks of the words "[[Bad Wolf meme|Bad Wolf]]" are shown, including that of [[Gwyneth (The Unquiet Dead)|Gwyneth]] in [[TV]]: ''[[The Unquiet Dead (TV story)|The Unquiet Dead]]'', the "Bad Wolf One" helicopter in [[TV]]: ''[[Dalek (TV story)|Dalek]]'', the [[Blaidd Drwg]] project in [[TV]]: ''[[Boom Town (TV story)|Boom Town]]'', the words spray-painted on the side of the TARDIS in [[TV]]: ''[[Aliens of London (TV story)|Aliens of London]]'' and [[Bad WolfTV]] in [[TV]]: ''[[The Long Game (TV story)|The Long Game]]''.
* A [[transmat]] beam has previously been seen to leave behind a dusty residue, as it does here. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Twin Dilemma (TV story)|The Twin Dilemma]]'')
* The Daleks were previously masked from sight. ([[TV]]: ''[[Planet of the Daleks (TV story)|Planet of the Daleks]]'')


==See Also==
== Home video releases ==
*[[DW]]: ''[[Vengeance on Varos]]''
[[File:Bbcdvd-s1-v4.jpg|thumb|Series 1 Volume 4 DVD Cover]]
* This story was released on DVD along with ''[[Boom Town (TV story)|Boom Town]]'' and ''[[The Parting of the Ways (TV story)|The Parting of the Ways]]''.
* It was also released as part of the Series 1 DVD box set.
* This story was also released with Issue 6 of the [[Doctor Who DVD Files]].


==External Links==
== External links ==
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/episodes/2005/badwolf.shtml Official BBC Website - Episode Guide for '''Bad Wolf''']
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/episodes/2005/badwolf.shtml Official BBC Website - Episode Guide for '''Bad Wolf''']
*{{dwrefguide|who_tv10.htm|Bad Wolf}}
{{dwrefguide|who_tv10.htm|Bad Wolf}}
*{{whoniverse|9L.php|Bad Wolf}}
* {{whoniverse|s01_12|Bad Wolf}}
*{{briefhistory|serials/2005lm.html|Bad Wolf}}
* {{briefhistory|serials/2005lm.html|Bad Wolf}}
{{lockx|Bad_Wolf-The_Parting_of_the_Ways_(TV_story)|''Bad Wolf'' and ''The Parting of the Ways''}}


== Footnotes ==
{{reflist}}


{{Series 1}}
{{DWTV}}
{{Dalek stories}}
{{Dalek stories}}
{{TV stub}}
{{TitleSort}}
[[Category:Ninth Doctor episodes]]
[[cy:Bad Wolf (stori deledu)]]
[[Category:Dalek episodes]]
[[de:172 - Bad Wolf]]
[[Category:2005 television stories]]
[[es:Bad Wolf (Capitulo)]]
[[Category:Bad Wolf arc]]
[[fr:Bad Wolf (Émission TV)]]
[[Category:Stories set in 200,100]]
[[he:זאב רע (סיפור טלוויזיה)]]
[[Category:Stories set in the Sol System]]
[[it:Bad Wolf (TV)]]
[[pt:Bad Wolf (episódio)]]
[[ro:Bad Wolf]]
[[ru:Злой волк (ТВ история)]]
 
[[Category:Doctor Who (2005) television stories]]
[[Category:Dalek television stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in 200100]]
[[Category:Television stories set in the Sol System]]
[[Category:Series 1 (Doctor Who) stories]]
[[Category:BFI-exhibited television stories]]
[[Category:Stories that crossover with non-DWU series]]

Latest revision as of 17:53, 3 November 2024

RealWorld.png

Bad Wolf was the twelfth and penultimate episode of series 1 of Doctor Who.

It featured a much larger Dalek presence than earlier in the series. It also re-introduced some Dalek concepts from the original run of Doctor Who, including Daleks made from human genetic material and a Dalek Emperor.

Narratively, this story marked the impending culmination of the Bad Wolf story arc. Until now, the Doctor had dismissed the cropping up of the phrase Bad Wolf across his travels but was finally forced to acknowledge it as the precursor to a serious threat upon the universe when it unavoidably stared him directly in the face.

Worth noting here were the references made to human pop culture television entertainment at the time of this episode's airing, such as Big Brother, The Weakest Link, and What Not to Wear, all given future adaptations far into human history with robotic stand-ins for the original hosts. The robots' voices were provided by their real world celebrity counterparts, Davina McCall, Anne Robinson, Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine.

Through careful subtext, this was the very first episode to mention the Torchwood Institute as a seemingly forgettable piece of trivia. Inconsequential for the moment, the word "Torchwood" took on greater meaning in the following series when the origins of the Institute were explored.

This story also explored how the Ninth Doctor's apparently good deeds in The Long Game had actually resulted in a decline in the development of the human race. Like The Ark some forty years before, Bad Wolf was a rare instance of televised Doctor Who showing the long-term consequences of the Doctor's interference.

Synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

Separated and with no TARDIS, the Ninth Doctor, Rose, and Jack have to fight for their lives on board the Game Station, but a far more dangerous threat is lurking, just out of sight. The Doctor realises that the entire human race has been blinded to the threat on its doorstep, and Armageddon is fast approaching.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor finds himself live on Big Brother.

The Ninth Doctor wakes up, curled into a foetal position on the floor of a cupboard. He stumbles out in a daze and is informed by a young woman, Lynda Moss, that his disorientation is due to the effects of the transmat. Lynda states that he has been chosen as the newest housemate. The Doctor looks around, noticing the cameras, and then a computerised voice requests that he report to the Diary Room. To his disbelief, he is in the Big Brother House, live on Channel 44000. The voice reminds him not to swear. Astounded and annoyed, the Doctor replies, "You have got to be kidding."

Rose awakens on the floor of a darkened studio, also disorientated by the transmat that brought her there. A man, Rodrick, tells her to remember to do exactly what the android says. Rose asks what android, but a floor manager calls for people to take their positions behind very familiar looking podiums, one of which has her name on it. As the round-headed android is activated, Rose realises that it is the "Anne Droid"; she is playing The Weakest Link.

Jack wakes up and finds himself faced with two gynoids, Trine-E and Zu-Zana, who offer to give him a brand new image, à la What Not to Wear. The two gynoids criticise Jack's clothing and comment that his style is very 20th century. A "defabricator" strips him naked in preparation for a fashion makeover; Jack seems to rather enjoy the idea of being nude in front of millions of viewers and comments that the viewing figures just went up a result.

Meanwhile, the Doctor tries, unsuccessfully, to find a way out of the House using the sonic screwdriver. Lynda asks, nervously, if people on the outside watching like her and the Doctor lies, reassuring her that people think she is sweet, which seems to please her. The amnesia caused by the transmat starts to clear, and the Doctor remembers. The TARDIS had left Raxacoricofallapatorius and then visited Kyoto, Japan in 1336. They had just escaped from that, and were laughing in the TARDIS control room when a bright light, the transmat beam, came through the walls and enveloped them. The Doctor tells Lynda that no ordinary transmat beam could have penetrated the TARDIS, which means this is not just a game; there is something else going on. He tells the camera that he is going to get out, find his friends, and then find whoever is responsible.

Two programmers, a man and a woman, who are watching the games from a control room elsewhere, are puzzled at the appearance of the three new contestants; it's as if the games are running themselves.

When eviction time comes around in the Big Brother house, housemate Crosbie is voted out, and she exits the House into a white corridor. At first, the Doctor is puzzled at everyone's emotional reaction but is horrified when he sees Crosbie supposedly disintegrated. The Doctor angrily asks the others if getting on television is worth the risk of dying, but Lynda and Strood tell him they have no choice; the contestants in this era are chosen at random from the Earth's population and transmatted up to any of 60 Big Brother Houses playing simultaneously: winning simply means they get to live. The Doctor realises that Rose was also caught in the transmat and is probably a contestant. To get out, he uses his sonic screwdriver to deliberately destroy one of the House cameras in order to be selected for eviction.

In the makeover room, a naked Jack is quite enjoying his experience of having a makeover but is now faced with the two androids who decide that, quite apart from the fashion makeover, that he should have a face-off — literally. With various cutting instruments, including a chainsaw, the two androids are about to perform some gruesome surgery. They suggest that Jack would look good with a dog's head. But to the astonishment of Trine-E and Zu-Zana, Jack pulls out a compact laser deluxe pistol from an intimate hiding place behind him and promptly blows their heads off.

Soon the first round of The Weakest Link has been and gone and Rose, not being a native of the 2001st century, knows almost none of the answers to the questions pertaining to this time. She is more amused than upset at the situation until she discovers that being declared the weakest link at the end of each round does not just result in expulsion, but disintegration by the Anne Droid. The contestants continue to be whittled down (one contestant quits and attempts to flee but is disintegrated), with Rodrick voting out everyone except Rose so that when it comes to the final round, he will win by answering questions that Rose cannot answer. He will then collect his prize, in the form of credits, courtesy of the Bad Wolf Corporation who run the Game Station. At the mention of the name, Rose recalls how the phrase "Bad Wolf" has been following them — from Gwyneth seeing it in her mind in 1869 Cardiff; the call sign of Henry van Statten's helicopter; the Blaidd Drwg nuclear power plant; as graffiti on the side of the TARDIS in 2006; and a news channel on Satellite 5 in the 2001st century. She realises that if Bad Wolf is in charge, then her presence has been planned.

The Doctor invites Lynda to come with him.

In the Big Brother House, the Doctor cheerfully walks into the white corridor and waits as the countdown towards eviction ticks towards zero. However, nothing happens, much to both of the programmers' confusion — the Doctor has guessed, correctly, that whoever brought him to the House wants him alive. He uses the sonic screwdriver to open the exit to the House and offers to take the surviving housemates with him. Strood refuses, but Lynda, after some hesitation, follows. The House is just one room of several opening onto a larger chamber, which the Doctor recognises as that of Satellite 5, but a century later than when he was there last. The Doctor begins scanning the other doors, looking for an exit and asking where his friends could be. Lynda says they could have been transported into any of a hundred different games, all deadly. When the Doctor tells Lynda that he is a traveller, she asks if she could go with him. He smiles and agrees that it would not be a bad idea, but right now, they have to concentrate on getting out and finding out who controls the satellite. When Lynda turns the lights on to reveal the logo of the Bad Wolf Corporation, the sight of it gives the Doctor pause.

In the control room, the two programmers decide to look at the transmat logs to see how the travellers got on board. However, the female programmer is refused entry to Archive Six, where the logs are kept. The Controller, a pale woman hooked up by dozens of cables to the station, tells her it is out of bounds. The Controller is constantly monitoring the transmissions that flow through her and muttering to herself. The male programmer tells her about the new contestants wandering around outside the games and asks for security measures, but she denies them, insisting that the travellers are "no one" and telling them to return to work and alerting them to an impending solar flare.

The Doctor, horrified at what his actions have caused.

Jack has converted the defabricator beam into a ray gun, and he goes in search of the Doctor, finding him by scanning for the Time Lord's bicardial circulatory system. On an observation deck, Lynda fills the Doctor in on what has happened to Earth since his last visit. To the Doctor's horror, instead of human development having gotten back on track, things have in fact become worse. When the Doctor shut down Satellite 5, all information broadcasts ceased, the whole planet froze, and society collapsed. Humans are still a race of mindless sheep, endlessly watching the programming that the Game Station transmits. Jack finds them as the Doctor frantically tries to access the computer system to find Rose. The Doctor explains that the station is transmitting more than just games and that whatever Bad Wolf is, it is manipulating him, creating a trap that Rose is still inside.

Jack, the Doctor, and Lynda are imprisoned.

On Floor 407, the final round in The Weakest Link does not go well for Rose. She loses the round to Rodrick just as the Doctor, Jack and Lynda burst into the studio. When Rose runs towards the Doctor to warn him about the Anne Droid, it shoots Rose, turning her into a pile of dust. After deactivating the Anne Droid, unable to understand that The Doctor, Jack and Lynda were trying to warn about the potential danger, and feeling threatened by Jack's anger and threats towards her and Roderick, The Floor Manager angrily calls in the guards after stating that she's calling security because they had no permission to be in the studio. Numb with shock, the Doctor does not put up resistance when the guards arrive and take all of them away, despite Jack's attempt to threaten the guards, before angrily shouting at Roderick and the Floor Manager that their stupid freaking gameshow "killed" Rose. The Doctor remains silent when the guards process and interrogate the three of them, but when they are about to be transported to a lunar penal colony, the Doctor gives the word. He and Jack spring into action, knocking out the guards, grabbing weapons and heading up to Floor 500.

In the control room, Jack and the Doctor wave the weapons at the programmers, ushering them to one side. The Doctor demands to know from the Controller who is in charge and who is responsible for Rose's death, but the Controller does not answer. The male programmer is nervous because of the large gun the Doctor is carrying, but the Doctor casually tosses him the weapon, saying he was never really going to use it. The male programmer explains that as the Doctor is not one of the staff, the Controller's systems do not recognise him. The Controller was installed when she was five years old; she has been plugged in so long that her eyes have atrophied from disuse — all she sees is the programming. The male programmer also says that there is more going on at the station; unauthorised transmats and encrypted signals have been going on for years. Jack opens Archive Six and finds the TARDIS inside. He goes into it and activates the console, discovering something that shocks him.

The predicted solar flare happens, and static floods the screens, blocking transmissions. The Controller unexpectedly calls for the Doctor, explaining that while the solar flare is happening, her "masters" cannot read her thoughts. They have been controlling her mind all her life, but she saw the Doctor in the transmissions and brought him here, hiding him inside the games so he could find her. However, she cannot tell the Doctor who her masters are, because she has been genetically altered to be unable to say their name. Her masters have been hiding and shaping the Earth for centuries, growing stronger in numbers, but they fear the Doctor. As the flare passes, Jack returns and tells the Doctor that the TARDIS worked out that the disintegrators were actually part of a secondary transmat system — people have not died, they have just been transported elsewhere, which means Rose is still alive.

Rose regains consciousness aboard an alien spacecraft, where a strange humming sound fills the room. She sees one of the inhabitants of the spacecraft approaching her, and she backs up against a wall in shock as she recognises it, and cannot believe her eyes — she claims to have seen the creature, who presses its plunger-like hand to the wall, die.

Back on the station, the Controller gives the Doctor the co-ordinates to where Rose had been transported, despite knowing that she will be revealing her subterfuge to her masters. As she shouts out the co-ordinates, the Controller is teleported away. Materialising on the same ship that Rose has been transported to, the Controller gloatingly tells her masters that they can kill her now, as she has brought about their destruction. She is promptly killed by an energy weapon.

The Dalek fleet.

On the station, the transmat beam is traced to a point at the edge of the solar system. Although the screen appears to show empty space, there is another signal, transmitted by the satellite, that is shielding what is actually there from detection. These are the same people who installed the Jagrafess nearly two centuries before and have been manipulating mankind for generations, playing a long game. The Doctor cancels the shielding signal and is greeted with an impossible sight — a fleet of two hundred Dalek flying saucers each containing more than two thousand Daleks, a force almost half a million strong. Both the Doctor and Jack thought the Daleks had all been destroyed, but obviously, they have somehow survived.

The Daleks open communications, with a lead Dalek ordering the Doctor not to intervene with the Dalek stratagem or they will exterminate Rose. To the Daleks' surprise, the Doctor simply says no. When the lead Dalek demands an explanation, the Doctor defiantly tells them that he is going to rescue Rose from the middle of the Dalek fleet, save the Earth and then wipe every last Dalek out of the sky. The lead Dalek retorts that the Doctor has no weapons, defences or plan. The Doctor taunts them and knows that that is exactly what is scaring the Daleks to death.

The Doctor tells Rose he is on his way and cuts the transmission. The lead Dalek states that the Doctor has initiated hostile actions and another Dalek orders the invasion of Earth to begin. Many more Daleks gather for the invasion, all chanting their battle cry: "Exterminate, exterminate, exterminate..."

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.


Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • In the Big Brother House, there is a row of pictures resembling the panels of hemispherical protrusions on Daleks.
  • Big Brother is broadcast on Channel 44000.
  • The Doctor mentions the number 500000.

Technology[[edit] | [edit source]]

Locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

People[[edit] | [edit source]]

Literature[[edit] | [edit source]]

Culture[[edit] | [edit source]]

Law[[edit] | [edit source]]

Economics[[edit] | [edit source]]

Chemistry[[edit] | [edit source]]

Biology[[edit] | [edit source]]

Foods and beverages[[edit] | [edit source]]

Bad Wolf arc[[edit] | [edit source]]

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

  • A working title for the episode was "Gameshow World". It was the last of the episode titles to be revealed. Prior to this, the episode was referred to in promotional literature as "The Parting of the Ways (Part 1)", with "Part 2" eventually becoming simply The Parting of the Ways.
  • The scene where Jack is disrobed was originally filmed full-length, with rear nudity. According to John Barrowman, this shot was vetoed by the BBC. This was their only complaint of the first season.
  • This is the second Dalek story to feature a human servant of the Daleks called "controller" betraying the Daleks and committing self-sacrifice to help the Doctor, the first being TV: Day of the Daleks.
  • This is the first instance since Season 4 that a series consisted of two main Dalek stories.
  • This episode introduces the deadlock seal, a type of lock which is immune to the Doctor's sonic screwdriver and will be used again in future episodes.
  • The diary room chair used in the Game Station Big Brother house was sold to Channel 4, and they used it in Ultimate Big Brother as the bedsit's diary room chair.
  • This is the last episode until TV: The Beast Below in which David Tennant does not make an appearance.
  • The names of the androids are puns on the names of the original hosts. These androids include Anne Droid (The Weakest Link), Davinadroid (Big Brother), and Trine-E and Zu-Zana (What Not to Wear).
  • The story was chosen by BBC America to represent the Christopher Eccleston era during their 50th-anniversary programming. Edited into an omnibus format with The Parting of the Ways, it was aired by BBCA on 29 September 2013, after the debut of their homegrown special called The Doctors Revisited - The Ninth Doctor. It also aired in the United Kingdom later that year on 9 November, along with the Revisited special, on the Watch channel.
  • The concept of the Anne Droid and a futuristic version of The Weakest Link was pitched by Russell T Davies in his second meeting with the BBC about bringing back the series in 2000 or 2001. The idea had come from his trip to New York City for the launch of the American version of Queer as Folk, where he had seen "a vast screen in Times Square with a gigantic Anne Robinson blasting us tiny mortals with her voice" - This screen was promoting the American Version of The Weakest Link.
  • According to the DVD commentary for this episode, the music that is heard as the Dalek fleet is revealed includes a chorus singing "What is happening?" (transliterated: Mah Kor'ei) in Hebrew.
  • According to Doctor Who Confidential, although Anne Robinson was invited to voice the Anne Droid, the expectation was that she would decline. A celebrity voice impersonator had already been hired to record the lines when Robinson accepted.
  • During the actual recording on The Weakest Link set, Joe Ahearne instructed sound engineer Neil Harris to mix up the played-back questions so that the actors' confusion would appear genuine.
  • The Hungarian title of this episode is "Valóságsokk" (Reality-Shock).
  • Russell T Davies first posited that the Game Station would be run by a mentally-enhanced teenager named Edward, but quickly came to dislike this idea. He first replaced Edward with an elderly man and then, inspired by the precogs of Minority Report, with a pale, androgynous Controller instead.
  • Initially, the Controller survived into the next episode to provide the Doctor with someone to talk to, until Russell T Davies decided it would be more effective to have him converse with the Emperor Dalek instead.
  • The story was originally set 500 years after The Long Game.
  • In case the Dalek Emperor prop proved unusable, Russell T Davies wrote a backup script in which Davros would be featured instead.
  • This story would be the final story to feature the "Next Time" trailer before the end credits for a two-parter. From The Impossible Planet, the trailer would be featured after the end credits for two-parters. Rise of the Cybermen is an exception having no trailer what so ever. In its place is a title card saying "To Be Continued" before the end credits rolled.
  • When it seemed that the Daleks couldn't appear due to issues with the estate of Terry Nation, Russell T Davies considered having the villains be either the Cybermen or original creatures called the Spheres (which later became Toclafane).
  • At one point, it was thought that the Controller would have no limbs, but this was deemed too macabre.
  • Negotiations with Endemol spanned eleven months beginning as early as December 2003 but, in the end, the company proved extremely cooperative, even designing a futuristic version of the Big Brother logo.
  • The production budget accommodated the construction of two new Dalek casings to join the version built for Dalek. Whereas the first of the revamped Daleks had been created in-house by the BBC Visual Effects Department, the new casings were contracted out to the firm Specialist Models.
  • Some thought was given to using The Weakest Link's actual set at Pinewood Studios, but the travel time and limited availability prompted the decision to construct a new set at the Newport City Live Arena.

Ratings[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • 6.81 million viewers (UK final)[1]

Myths[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Lynda suggesting to the Ninth Doctor she come with him on his travels was to tease fans to make them think in the following story, The Parting of the Ways, Rose was going to leave and Lynda was going to be the new companion. This might have been the original intent, but by the time the episode aired, it was already well known that Christopher Eccleston had resigned from the series and that David Tennant would be joining ... that said, however, it was not completely clear at the time whether the regeneration was going to take place at the end of the series, or during the announced Christmas special.
  • The controller shown in the episode was originally meant to be the Editor from The Long Game. This was never planned and even if it was Simon Pegg would have been unable to do it due to scheduling conflicts.

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

to be added

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.
  • During Lynda's first interaction with the Doctor her mouth can be seen moving without any dialogue.
  • As Broff attempts to escape from the Weakest Link section, the "On Air" light is illuminated, despite this occurring during the adverts.
  • In the Big Brother scene, when Lynda and Strood sit down to watch Crosbie be "disintegrated", the Doctor puts his hands behind his head, but when the camera's behind them, his arms are crossed, then when it switches back to in front of them, his arms are behind him again.
  • When the guard pins the Doctor against the cell wall and he pulls out the sonic screwdriver, the blue end is there, but when the camera faces the front of the Doctor, the blue end is missing briefly.
  • Just after they break out of the prison cell, you can see Lynda reach for her gadgets twice.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

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

Series 1 Volume 4 DVD Cover

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

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ Doctor Who - consolidated ratings
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For the purposes of this list, a "Dalek story" is one in which one living, authentic Dalek plays a part within the confines of the story, outside of flashbacks to previous stories and cliffhangers that lead into the following story. For this reason, stories such as The Space Museum are not counted due to the Daleks' appearance being defined by their importance to following stories, while stories such as The Wheel in Space and The Waters of Mars are absent due to the Daleks' only contribution being references to past Dalek stories. Stories like The Wedding of River Song, Hell Bent, Once, Upon Time and The Vanquishers are also not included due to the Daleks' appearance being restricted to a single scene of no consequence to the plot of the story, while the TV movie is also absent due to the Daleks only being heard from off-screen.
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