The Caretaker (TV story)

The Caretaker
Doctor:	Twelfth Doctor
Companion(s):	Clara
Featuring:	Danny, Courtney
Main enemy:	Skovox Blitzer
Main setting:	Coal Hill School
Key crew
Writer:	Gareth Roberts Steven Moffat
Director:	Paul Murphy
Producer:	Nikki Wilson
Release details
Story number:	246
Premiere broadcast:	27 September 2014
Premiere network:	BBC One
Format:	1x45 minute episode
Production code:	4.6
Doctor Who television stories
← Previous	Time Heist
Next →	TBA
Production order
← Previous	Robot of Sherwood
Next →	TBA

The Caretaker was the sixth episode of the eighth series of Doctor Who produced by BBC Wales. It had the Twelfth Doctor and Clara Oswald deal with an alien threat to Coal Hill School, leading to both Danny Pink and Courtney meeting the Doctor and subsequently discovering his true nature.

It also contributed to the 'Promised Land' arc by introducing an underling of Missy, giving her location a new name, the Nethersphere.

Synopsis

The Doctor's decision to use Clara's school at the centre of a trap results in revelations in her personal life. Meanwhile, a Skovox Blitzer, powerful enough to destroy the planet, is loose in the corridors...

Plot

to be added

Cast

• The Doctor - Peter Capaldi
• Clara - Jenna Coleman
• Danny - Samuel Anderson
• Courtney Woods - Ellis George
• Mr Armitage - Nigel Betts
• Adrian - Edward Harrison
• CSO Matthew - Andy Gillies
• Noah - Nanya Campbell
• Yashe - Joshua Warner-Campbell
• Kelvin - Oliver Barry-Brook
• Tobias - Ramone Morgan
• Mr Woods - Winston Ellis
• Mrs Woods - Gracy Goldman
• Mrs Christopholou - Diana Katis
• Skovox Blitzer - Jimmy Vee
• Seb - Chris Addison

Uncredited

• Missy - Michelle Gomez

Crew

Executive Producers   Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin

General production staff Production Executive - Julie Scott Line Producer - Tracie Simpson Production Manager - Simon Morris Location Manager - Iwan Roberts Location Scout - Nick Clark Unit Manager - Iestyn Hampson-Jones Production Co-ordinator - Adam Knopf Assistant Production Co-ordinator - Sandra Cosfeld Production Assistants - Matthew Jones, Katie Player Unit Medic - Glyn Evans Production Accountant - Jeff Dunn Assistant Accountant - Bethan Griffans Script department Script Editors - David P Davies, Derek Ritchie Camera and lighting department 1st Assistant Director - Jo Lea 2nd Assistant Director - James Dehaviland 3rd Assistant Director - Danielle Richards Assistant Directors - Gareth Jones, Chris Thomas Script Supervisor - Steve Walker Camera Operator - Martin Stephens Focus Pullers - Jonathan Vidgen, Matthew Waving Grip - John Robinson Assistant Grip - Sean Cronin Camera Assistants - Cai Thompson, Katy Kardasz, Gethin Williams Gaffer - Mark Hutchings Best Boy - Stephen Slocombe Electricians - Gafin Riley, Andy Gardiner, Bob Milton, Gareth Sheldon	Art department Supervising Art Director - Paul Spriggs Art Director - Vicki Stevenson Art Department Accountant - Maria Hurley Production Buyer - Holly Thurman Set Decorator - Adrian Anscombe Set Dressers - Jayne Davies, Mike Elkins, Jamie Farrell Prop Buyers - Donna Shakesheff, Helen O'Leary Concept Artist - Chris Lees Graphic Artist - Christina Tom Standby Props - Liam Collins, MAtt Ireland Standby Carpenter - Paul Jones Standby Art Director - Amy Pickwoad Standby Rigger - Bryan Griffiths Head Scenic Artist - Clive Clarke Scenic Painters - Steve Nelms, Matt Weston Storeman - Jamie Southcott Assistant Storeman - Ryan Milton Prop Master - Paul Smith Props Chargehand - Kyle Belmont Props Driver - Gareth Fox Props Makers - Alan Hardy, Jamie Thomas Construction Manager - Terry Horle Construction Chargehand - Dean Tucker Construction Driver - Jonathan Tylke Practical Electrician - Christian Murphy Graphics - BBC Wales Graphics Draughtsperson - Kartik Nagar Carpenters - John Sinnott, Chris Daniels, Lawrie Ferry, Matt Ferry, Julian Tucker, Mark Painter, Joe Painter, Tim Burke Title Concept - Billy Hanshaw Costume department Costume Supervisor - Claire Lynch Assistant Costume Designer - Carly Griffith Costume Assistants - Michelle McGrath, Gemma Evans, Charlotte Bestwick	Make-up and prosthetics Make-up Supervisor - Emma Coven Make-up Artists - Amy Riley, Ann Marie Williams Prosthetics - Millennium FX Movement Stunt Co-ordinators - Crispin Layfield, Gordon Seed Stunt Performer - Rashid Phoenix Casting Casting Associate - Alice Purser General post-production staff Post-production Supervisor - Nerys Davies Post-production Co-ordinator - Samantha Price Assistant Editors - Katrina Aust, Carmen Sanchez Roberts On-line Editor - Mark Hardyman Special and visual effects VFX Editor - Dan Rawlings Colourist - Gareth Spensley Sound Sound Recordist - Deian Llŷr Humphreys Dubbing Mixer - Tim Ricketts Sound Maintenance Engineers - Tam Shoring, Christopher Goding Dialogue Editors - Darran Clement, Simon Price ADR Editor - Matthew Cox Effects Editor - Harry Barnes Foley Editor - Jamie Talbutt

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.

References

Individuals

• The Doctor spent a month living among otters after he and River Song had a fight that caused him to sulk.

Locations

to be added

Story notes

• Missy reappears after a three episode absence. Her episodes of absence were previously Robot of Sherwood, Listen, and Time Heist.

to be added

Ratings

to be added

Filming locations

to be added

Production errors

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.

to be added

Continuity

• The Doctor previously went undercover in a school while in his tenth incarnation; this time, however, the school does not get blown up. (TV: School Reunion)
• Clara mentions Danny's future descendant, Orson Pink, to the Doctor. (TV: Listen)
• The Twelfth Doctor continues to be uncomfortable with the military and soldiers. (TV: Into the Dalek)
• The Doctor invites Clara to meet fish people. The Doctor has previously met fish people in TV: The Underwater Menace.
• After being killed by the Skovox Blitzer, CSO Matthew arrives in the Promised Land. (TV: Deep Breath, Into the Dalek, Robot of Sherwood)
• The Doctor says many times that a soldier can't be a Maths teacher. This is probably a reference to the Brigadier, who became a Maths teacher after retiring from the military (much to the Fifth Doctor's surprise). (TV: Mawdryn Undead)
• The Doctor tells Clara she reminds him of another teacher he traveled with; this is most likely a reference to Barbara Wright. (TV: An Unearthly Child etc)
• The Seventh Doctor was previously asked if he was applying for the position of Coal Hill Caretaker. (TV: Remembrance of the Daleks)
• The Doctor asked, "Have I impressed you yet, Courtney?" The Eleventh Doctor previously asked the same thing to Amy Pond in TV: The Time of Angels.
• The Doctor and Clara open and close the TARDIS doors by snapping their fingers. (TV: Forest of the Dead, The Eleventh Hour, Day of the Moon, The Day of the Doctor)
• Upon entering the junkyard, The Doctor says "Home, Sweet Home." This is a reference to his first incarnation having parked the TARDIS here previously. (TV: An Unearthly Child)
• The Doctor mentions Clara eating two meals. (TV: Time Heist)
• It has apparently been a year since the Doctor's regeneration as Courtney's mother mentioned that she talked to Danny last year about her daughter.

Home video releases

DVD releases

• The episode will be released as part of the Complete Series 8 box set in November 2014.

Blu-ray releases

to be added

External links

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