Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror (TV story)

Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror
Doctor:	Thirteenth Doctor
Companion(s):	Graham, Ryan, Yaz
Featuring:	Tesla, Edison
Main enemy:	Skithra
Main setting:	New York, late-19th century to early-20th century
Key crew
Writer:	Nina Metivier
Director:	Nida Manzoor
Producer:	Alex Mercer
Release details
Story number:	289
Premiere broadcast:	19 January 2020
Premiere network:	BBC One
Format:	1x50 minute episode
Doctor Who television stories
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Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror was the fourth episode of series 12 of Doctor Who.

Synopsis

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Plot

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Cast

• The Doctor - Jodie Whittaker
• Graham O'Brien - Bradley Walsh
• Ryan Sinclair - Tosin Cole
• Yasmin Khan - Mandip Gill
• Nikola Tesla - Goran Višnjić
• Thomas Edison - Robert Glenister
• Queen Skithra - Anjli Mohindra
• Dorothy Skerrit - Haley McGee
• Harold Green - Paul Kasey
• Bill Tallow - Robin Guiver
• Mr Sorensson - Erick Hayden
• Mr Brady - Russell Bentley
• Mr Martin - Brian Caspe
• Foreman - Shaun Mason

Crew

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References

History

• The Doctor notes that, at this point in the history of New York City, Times Square and the Empire State Building do not yet exist.
• Central Park, however, "has been around for ages".

Historical figures

• Nikola Tesla invented the shadowgraph, the automaton, and the radio.

Technology

• The Skithra use a Silurian blaster.

Story notes

• The official synopsis dates this story to 1903, however, this date is not given in the episode. Infact, the Thirteenth Doctor describes Nikola Tesla as "an inventor from 1900." However, given events in the episode, it can easily be deducted as around that time.
• Robert Glenister, who plays Thomas Edison, previously appeared in classic Doctor Who, as Salateen in the 1984 serial The Caves of Androzani. This marks his first appearance in BBC Wales Doctor Who, making him one of the select few actors to have appeared in both incarnations of the programme.
• Anjli Mohindra, who plays Queen Skithra, was previously a member of the main cast in The Sarah Jane Adventures. She played Rani Chandra from 2008 to 2011. This is Mohindra's first appearance in Doctor Who.
  • In fact, Bradley Walsh and Mohindra had worked together before, on the Sarah Jane Adventures serial The Day of the Clown. In that story, Walsh played the story's antagonist, Elijah Spellman.
    • Mohindra said that, despite the fact that she and Walsh had worked together before, he did not recognise her due to her excessive make-up. She initially believed he was only joking with her but it was only when he asked to see a picture of her so he could say hello to her if he passed her in the street that she realised he was being serious.

Ratings

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Filming locations

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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.

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Continuity

• Nikola Tesla previously aided the Seventh Doctor and Melanie Bush in defeating the Vardans. (AUDIO: Maker of Demons)
• The Doctor tells Nikola that she created her sonic screwdriver using spoons. (TV: The Woman Who Fell to Earth)
• The Doctor notes to her companions that the Empire State Building has yet to be constructed. In November 1930, the Tenth Doctor found that the Cult of Skaro had manipulated the construction of the building for their own purposes. (TV: Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks)

Home video releases

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External links

• Official Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror page on the Doctor Who website