Flatline (TV story)

Flatline
Doctor:	Twelfth Doctor
Companion(s):	Clara
Featuring:	Danny
Main enemy:	Boneless
Main setting:	Bristol
Key crew
Writer:	Jamie Mathieson
Director:	Paul Wilmshurst
Producer:	Nikki Wilson
Release details
Story number:	249
Premiere broadcast:	18 October 2014
Premiere network:	BBC One
Format:	1x45 minute episode
Production code:	4.9
Confidential:	Flatline (DWE)
Doctor Who television stories
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Flatline was the ninth episode of the eighth series of Doctor Who produced by BBC Wales. For scheduling reasons, it was a "Doctor-lite" episode.

Flatline was Jamie Mathieson's first script for the show. Two years before writing it, he had pitched his ideas for a story to Steven Moffat, but was unsuccessful. When he again met with the executive producer, he showed him four ideas for episodes, complete with his own illustrations, aided by his background in art college. Taking an interest in the monster he had created for what would become Flatline, Moffat asked Mathieson to produce a story outline and he got the job to script the episode.

It was only after writing several drafts that he was told the episode would need to lock the Doctor away in a single location, as Peter Capaldi’s scenes for the episode needed to be filmed quickly to bide by the production schedule.

Mathieson decided to write a script where the Doctor was "in the dark". For this to be successful, he had to create a unknown quantity to feature as his alien enemy. Much like his next creation, the Foretold, he elected to have no dialogue for the aggressors, allowing something about them to remain "unknowable". (DWM 479)

Synopsis

In a council estate, Clara takes charge as beings from another dimension threaten the Earth...

Plot

to be added

Cast

• The Doctor - Peter Capaldi
• Clara - Jenna Coleman
• Danny Pink - Samuel Anderson
• Roscoe – John Cummins
• PC Forrest – Jessica Hayles
• Rigsy – Jovian Wade
• Fenton – Christopher Fairbank
• Al – Matt Bardock
• George – Raj Bajaj
• Bill – James Quinn
• Missy – Michelle Gomez

Crew

Executive Producers   Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin

Written by Jamie Mathieson	Produced by Nikki Wilson	Directed by Douglas Mackinnon	Production Designer Michael Pickwoad
Casting Director Andy Pryor CDG	Music Murray Gold	Special Effects Real SFX
Original theme music by Ron Grainer  •  With thanks to the BBC National Orchestra of Wales

General production staff Script department Camera and lighting department	Art department Costume department	Make-up and prosthetics General post-production staff Special and visual effects Sound Dubbing Mixer - Tim Ricketts

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

• Clara says she is from MI5 when she's investigating.

Story notes

to be added

Ratings

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Filming locations

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Production errors

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Continuity

• On Logopolis in 1981, the Doctor's TARDIS was reduced in size after the Tremas Master interfered with the Logopolitan's Block Transfer Computation. (TV: Logopolis)

The Doctor called Clara "Doctor Clara". The Ood previously called another companion in a similar manner. (TV:Planet of the Ood, Journey's End)

• The Doctor again uses "pudding brain" as a mocking description of humans and their intelligence. (TV: Deep Breath)
• The Doctor uncovers Clara's lies about Danny's stance of her travelling with him. (TV: Mummy on the Orient Express)

Home video releases

DVD releases

to be added

Blu-ray releases

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External links

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