Forest of the Dead (TV story)

Forest of the Dead
Doctor:	[[doctor::Tenth Doctor]]
Companion(s):	Donna Noble
Main enemy:	Vashta Nerada
Main setting:	51st century, The Library
Main setting:	51st century, The Library
Key crew
Writer:	Steven Moffat
Director:	Euros Lyn
Release details
Release number:	4
Premiere broadcast:	7th June 2008
Production code:	4.9

SpoilersRiver Song

Synopsis

As the shadows rise and march, the Doctor forges an alliance with the mysterious River Song. But can anyone stop the Vashta Nerada and can the Doctor save Donna? While the Doctor discovers long-buried secrets and revelations about his own future, the sinister Nodes declare that Donna is doomed.

Cast

• The Doctor - David Tennant
• Donna Noble - Catherine Tate
• River Song - Alex Kingston
• Doctor Moon - Colin Salmon
• Lux - Steve Pemberton
• Proper Dave - Harry Peacock
• Other Dave -
• The Girl - Eve Newton
• Anita -

Story notes

• The working title for this story was: River's Run

Ratings

To be added

Rumours

• That the library has everything and everyone on record. Donna goes and has a look. It is perhaps possible that Donna will learn the future of her mother and grandfather. She may also find information regarding the Doctor and/or Rose Tyler and the Battle of Canary Wharf. Might be false as Donna got turned into one of those face-statues, but it is obvious she will return, so it could happen.
• It has been rumoured, variously, that River Song is a future mutation of Jack Harkness, The TARDIS in humanoid form, The Rani, or a regeneration of Romana. All of these are unlikely as River Song as stated repeatedly that the Doctor hasn't met her yet and that she knows the Doctor in his personal future. This cannot be allied to Jack, the Rani or even the TARDIS. However, she did say that they had 'quite literally' been to the end of the universe together; he went with Martha and Cap'n Jack at the end of the last series.
• Other rumours state that River Song is a future companion of the doctor who the audience have not met until this two-parter.
• Rose Tyler may be seen in one of the library's books. This would explain how Donna somehow knows that Rose is returning. This is very unlikely as Donna is traped at the end of the last episode and is likely to take most of the episode to save her. The trailer was refering to a later episode.
• 'Cal' may turn out to be Cal MacNannovich, who appeared briefly in The End of the World. This is highly unlikely
• It is suggested that The Girl is the library index computer This is likely true as she seems to be able to control library systems unconsciously.
• The Doctor is stunned by something River Song whispers in his ear.
• River Song may also be a future version of The Girl. However this seems unlikely as River was watching the girl through the T.V. at one point, and the Girl's world isn't 'real' according to Dr. Moon
• CAL is the little girl or Doctor Moon.
• The episode will begin by River using the sonic blaster to create a hole in the wall to escape.
• The Doctor travels to earth to visit The Girl by directly leaping into the vortex. Probable, the doctor is seen falling through a tunnel of light in the trailer, however his destination is unknown.
• Donna's physical body has been somehow digitized and saved into the index hard drive, along with the 4022 people. "Saved" in the computer's message is used in the context of a computer file, not meaning "rescued." Very possible, the second node seems to imply that the there is some kind of corporeal database that the node-faces are stored in.
• The nodes are images in the girl's mind, or people that she knows. This seems unlikely, since Donna gets turned into one, though actually she does get to meet the girl.
• The Nodes are the 4022 people saved. This is possible due to the fact that when Donna becomes a Node she says 'Donna Noble has been saved.'
• The doctor reads his future in the book to find the way he escapes the vastha nerada which resolves the cliff hanger (This creates a loop in time which means none of the events happened!)
• Profesor river song is the doctors alternative futures wife, She will be killed by the shadow creatures but the doctor travels through time and saves her.
• The vastha nerada aren't defeated but the doctor manages to seal off the planet however as the archeologist's ship leaves a shadow is seen moving along its wing.
• River Song May actually end up dying or through the Doctors Actions, her future with him will be neutralised - referring to the OOD telling the Doctor that "your Song will end soon" (Planet of the OOD)

Filming locations

To be added

Continuity

To be added

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

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 Series 4 Volume 3 alongside Silence in the Library and Midnight in August 2008.

External Links

To be added.