Face the Raven (TV story)

Face the Raven
Doctor:	Twelfth Doctor
Companion(s):	Clara
Featuring:	Rigsy
Main enemy:	Quantum Shade, Mayor Me , "They"
Main setting:	London, the 21st century
Key crew
Writer:	Sarah Dollard
Director:	Justin Molotnikov
Producer:	Nikki Wilson
Release details
Story number:	259
Premiere broadcast:	21 November 2015
Premiere network:	BBC One
Format:	1x45 minute episode
Doctor Who television stories
← Previous	Sleep No More
Next →	TBA
Production order
← Previous	The Zygon Inversion
Next →	TBA

Face the Raven was the tenth episode of the ninth series of Doctor Who produced by BBC Wales. The episode saw Rigsy and Ashildr return as well as Ashildr's first time interacting with Clara since The Girl Who Died.

The episode marked the death of companion Clara Oswald, who died during the episode's climax.

Synopsis

The Doctor, Clara and Rigsy are trapped on an alien street in London, that is hidden from the rest of the world.

Ashildr, the immortal hybrid-girl, is taking care of some of the most dangerous creatures in the universe. Not everyone will get out alive, one of them must pay the price and face the raven.

Plot

to be added

Cast

• The Doctor - Peter Capaldi
• Clara - Jenna Coleman
• Mayor Me - Maisie Williams
• Rigsy - Joivan Wade
• Kabel - Simon Manyonda
• Rump - Simon Paisley Day
• Anahson - Letitia Wright
• Chronolock Guy - Robin Soans
• Alien Woman - Angela Clerkin
• Habrian Woman - Caroline Boulton
• Elderly Woman - Jenny Lee
• Jen - Naomi Ackie

Uncredited cast

• Trap Street alien - Clem So

Crew

to be added

References

• The Doctor threatens Me to save Clara, saying that he will bring UNIT, the Zygons, the Daleks, and the Cybermen down on her trap street.

Story notes

• This is the first story to feature the Twelfth Doctor in a burgundy version of his signature navy blue Crombie coat, similar to the coat he was first seen wearing during TV: The Day of the Doctor.
• In the credits, the word "Oods" is used to denote more than one Ood, rather than the established "Ood", as used in TV: The Impossible Planet.
• In one scene, there is a poster with a diagram of a flux capacitor, a direct reference to Back to the Future. It is accompanied by writings in Aurebesh, the main alphabet used in the Star Wars franchise. This writing spells out "Delorean", the car used in the Back to the Future franchise.

Ratings

• BBC One Overnight: to be added
• BBC America Overnight: to be added

Filming location

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 and Clara reunite with Rigsy, (TV: Flatline) and Me. (TV: The Girl Who Died / The Woman Who Lived)
• The Doctor and Clara find that Rigsy's memory of the last 24 hours have been wiped or "retconned". The retcon drug was frequently used by Torchwood Three. (TV: Everything Changes et al)
• Me considers the trap street to be a more favorable way of housing aliens on Earth as opposed to the settling of the Zygons. (TV: The Zygon Invasion / The Zygon Inversion)
• The Doctor's confession dial reappears. (TV: The Magician's Apprentice / The Witch's Familiar)
• Clara compares her coming sacrifice to that of Danny Pink. (TV: Death in Heaven)
• The TARDIS telephone rings. (TV: Aliens of London et al.)
• Clara tells the Doctor to "heal himself". This is reminiscent as the Eighth Doctor's final words: "Physician, heal thyself". (TV: The Night of the Doctor)
• Clara asks the Doctor to be "a Doctor" and not "a warrior". She said something similar to the Eleventh Doctor when convincing him not to detonate the Moment. (TV: The Day of the Doctor)
• Clara hangs outside of the TARDIS in order to find the mysterious cause of Rigsy's tattoo. She hangs outside of it in a way similar to how the Eleventh Doctor once did. (TV: The Day of the Doctor)
• Clara says she loves Jane Austen. Clara previously taught classes about her and stated Jane was a great kisser. (TV: The Caretaker, The Magician's Apprentice)
• Clara tells the Doctor that his "reign of terror" will end at the sight of his "first crying child". (TV: The Beast Below, The Girl Who Died)
• The Doctor has previously had to deal with dangerous countdowns. (TV: 42, Flesh and Stone)
• Several alien species previously encountered by the Doctor are seen:
  • Judoon (TV: Smith and Jones et.al)
  • Sontarans (TV: The Time Warrior et al)
  • Cybermen (TV: The Tenth Planet et al)
  • Ood (TV: The Impossible Planet et al)
  • Silurians (TV: Doctor Who and the Silurians et al)
  • Ice Warriors (TV: The Ice Warriors et al)
• Rigsy paints a mural on the TARDIS. This isn't the first time it has been graffitied (TV: Aliens of London) nor the first time someone has gone and painted it in his absence. (TV: The Happiness Patrol)
• The Doctor states he was lost once "a long time ago". (TV: The Waters of Mars, The Snowmen)

Home video releases

DVD releases

to be added

Blu-ray releases

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External links

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