Planet of the Ood (TV story)

"The Ood aren't born like this - a species born to serve could never evolve in the first place. What does the company do to make them obey?"

Planet of the Ood
Doctor:	[[doctor::Tenth Doctor]]
Companion(s):	Donna
Main enemy:	Halpern
Main setting:	4126, Ood-Sphere
Key crew
Writer:	Keith Temple
Director:	Graeme Harper
Producer:	Susie Liggat
Release details
Release number:	4
Premiere broadcast:	19th April 2008
Format:	1x40 minute episode
Production code:	4.3

Synopsis

The Doctor and Donna travel to the Ood-Sphere, where danger awaits them as the The Doctor discovers the awful truth.

Plot

The Doctor takes Donna to her first alien planet the Ood-Sphere she is amazed but cold. There they discover that the Ood are being made to serve by Ood Operations removing one of their brains which controls independence and replacing it with a Translation sphere. A mysterious "red-eye" infection is spreading through the Ood and they begin to kill the staff at Ood operations. They make friends with the Doctor and Donna and the Doctor stops Mr Halpen from destroying the Ood Brain which would kill the Ood. Mr Halpen is turned into a Ood and the Circle of energy surrounding the Ood Brain is broken allowing the Ood to sing again. The Ood say they will remember the Doctor and Donna forever relieving the Doctor's guilt when he couldn't save them from falling into the Black Hole K37 Gem 5. (DW: The Satan Pit) The Ood are once again free!

Cast

• The Doctor - David Tennant
• Donna Noble - Catherine Tate
• Solana Mercurio - Ayesha Dharker
• Mr Halpern - Tim McInnerny
• Sigma - Paul Kasey
• Dr Ryder - Adrian Rawlins
• Commander Kess - Roger Griffiths
• Mr Bartle - Paul Clayton
• Rep - Tariq Jordan
• Ood - Paul Kasey
• Voice of the Ood - Silas Carson

Production crew

to be added

References

• The Doctor refers to the time when he couldn't save the Ood from falling into the black hole in The Satan Pit.
• The Second Great and Bountiful Human Empire is mentioned.
• An upgraded version of the Sanctuary Base 6 Rocket from The Satan Pit flies over the Doctor and Donna.
• When Ood Sigma mention's how the Doctor's song is coming to an end, Rose Tyler's theme can be heard playing.
• The Ood Sphere is located in the same system as the Sense Sphere. Russell T. Davies noted during production of the Ood's introductory episodes that he considered their homeworld to be close to that of the Sensorites. The Doctor comments that he visited the Sense-Sphere "ages ago".

Story notes

to be added

Ratings

to be added

Myths

• When Ood Sigma says to the Doctor "that your song will soon end" this may refer to his future possible death.

Continuity

• The Ood previously appeared in "The Impossible Planet" and "The Satan Pit".
• Friends of the Ood appear in this episode; they were previously mentioned in The Impossible Planet.
• Second reference to disappearing bees. Oddly enough, there was a BBC news story along these lines which appeared after this episode was filmed. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7240456.stm. Quornhog 21:52, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

filming locations

to be added

Discontinuity

To be added

DVD and other releases

• It will be released on the Series 4 boxset DVD in November 2008.
• It will be released as part of Series 4 Volume 1 on June 2nd 2008 alongside Partners in Crime and The Fires of Pompeii.
• It has been given 12 certificate because of a 'moderate gory scene'. Partners in Crime and The Fires of Pompeii were both given PG certificates.