Music of the Spheres (TV story)
Music of the Spheres was a short episode which first broadcast in audio form on 27 July 2008 as part of the BBC proms season. Prior to broadcast it was variously known as Proms Special and Proms Cutaway, with episode writer Russell T Davies using this as the title when promoting the episode in Doctor Who Magazine. The Proms concert was initially broadcast on radio, and so the mini-epsiode was initially only seen by the audience at the Royal Albert Hall and heard by radio listeners, with the video version of the episode available online for a brief period. On 6 December 2008, the BBC announced that the Proms concert, and Music of the Spheres, will be broadcast on television for the first time on 1 January 2009.
Plot
Alone in the TARDIS, the Doctor is busy composing his own piece of music, when an alert sounds. Investigating, he realizes that there is a teleport breach due to the TARDIS's shields being down for just a few minutes. At that moment, a Graske suddenly appears, much to the Doctor's annoyance. Before the Doctor can do anything, the Graske inquires to what the harmonious sound echoing through the TARDIS is. The Doctor claims that this is the Music of the Spheres, which is the sound of planets orbiting stars and stars orbiting the galaxy and galaxies orbiting each other making up the universe, the gravity patterns of which are fed through the TARDIS' harmonic filter. The Graske claims that he is here to warn the Doctor of a hole in space, which manifests itself near the entrance of the TARDIS. Looking through the hole, the Doctor realizes the hole has appeared in the Royal Albert Hall in London, during the Proms.
Seizing his chance, the Doctor passes his sheets of music through the hole to the Albert Hall, and asks if the orchestra would play it. He also asks the conductor to step down, as he will conduct the orchestra himself using his Sonic Screwdriver, which he does, rather flamboyantly. He calls the piece "Ode to the Universe", and thanks the orchestra for playing it, where he realizes that the Graske has traveled through the hole, arriving in London. Coming to the conclusion that the Graske was lying to him in order to reach Earth, he stops him from creating any more trouble by reversing the polarity of the neutron flow, which sends the Graske back to the TARDIS. The Doctor then sends him to the end of the galaxy using his screwdriver. He then says farewell to the audience, but not before informing them that everyone is a musician, and that they can hear the Music of the Spheres by closing their eyes, and listening to the universe.
Cast
Production credits
to be added
References
- The Tenth Doctor uses the full phrase "reverse the polarity of the neutron flow", commonly associated with the Third Doctor. He had previously commented that it had taken him an unexpectedly long time to "reverse the polarity" of Richard Lazarus' genetic manipulator, but this is the first time we have heard him, or any intervening incarnation, say the full phrase since on Gallifrey during the Game of Rassilon (DW: The Five Doctors). The full phrase although mostly associated with the Third Doctor was only used once fully during (DW: The Sea Devils).
- The Doctor makes a joke about meeting Ludwig von Beethoven; it's unclear whether he actually met the composer or was simply setting up a joke.
- The Doctor claims to have played tuba in the first Proms concert in 1895.
Story notes
- According to Doctor Who Magazine, production of this mini-episode officially concluded production of Series 4 on May 3, 2008. Davies told DWM that he had to write the episode in a special way as it is scheduled to be broadcast both on television and on radio. This makes this special the first such hybrid episode ever produced for the series.
- This special aired on Sunday 27th July between 11A.M. and 1P.M. on BBC Radio 3. The video version of Music of the Spheres was available on the Doctor Who website at 11.40 A.M, however the clip was only be made available for a short period of time.
- For the first time since 1966 the original closing theme arrangement by Delia Derbyshire, as introduced in 1963's An Unearthly Child, is used in lieu of Murray Gold's work. The specific reason for including this version of the theme was not readily apparent to those who watched the mini-episode in isolation from the Proms event. As explained to the audience in the Royal Albert Hall by Proms host Freema Agyeman, it was employed as a way to feature a piece of music which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Some have erroneously identified the version played as the arrangement featured up until the late 1970s, but the lack of echo identifies it as the original version; this is the first time the original rendition has been used on a Doctor Who episode since 1967.
- This is an unusual example of the BBC Wales version of Doctor Who crediting only one actor above the titles. It had only previously happened with Attack of the Graske. Both times this occurred the lone actor credited was the same: David Tennant.
Ratings
to be added
Myths and Rumours
- Russell T Davies, in promoting the mini-episode, indicated it would feature a returning guest star. Fan speculation included virtually every major companion or guest star since the series returned, and also extended to include classic series companions and Doctors.
- A deleted scene from Journey's End has the Tenth Doctor giving the Meta Crisis Tenth Doctor a piece of the TARDIS, suggesting he grow his own. Coupling this fact with the Doctor wearing the blue suit, it's been suggested that the Doctor seen in this mini-episode might actually be the Meta-Crisis Tenth Doctor. This theory hits a snag, however, in that the Doctor refers to himself as a Time Lord, seemingly contradicting the Meta-Crisis Doctor's comments in Journey's End; then again he still calls himself half-Time Lord in the episode. That said, there is nothing in Music of the Spheres to suggest that it takes place after Journey's End; it could take place during any companion-less interval up to Partners in Crime, or even during a period when a companion is away doing something else (a la Attack of the Graske).
Filming Locations
to be added
Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors
- The Doctor is wearing his blue suit which the clone Doctor (Journey's End) was wearing; How did he get it back? He is not exactly short of clothing and he probably has a spare in the wardrobe. Alternatively, this episode does not necessarily take place after Journey's End. All we know about the setting in the timeline is the Doctor has a blue suit and he's alone. It could easily take place between Voyage of the Damned and Partners in Crime or, as was the case with Attack of the Graske, during a period when his current companion (Donna Noble in this case) was not in the TARDIS, or at least its console room. Since he doesn't get his water pistol back, if it's the same pistol used in The Fires of Pompeii then that would place this episode happening sometime after that story. See "Myths and Rumours" for another possible explanation.
- The Doctor seems annoyed and almost upset when the Graske steals his water pistol but when he gets the Graske back he doesn't make any move to take it back. A water pistol is hardly an Uzi submachine gun, and the Doctor was more concerned about sending the Graske back to where he came from, so getting the pistol back probably wasn't a priority.
Continuity
- Graskes previously appeared in the interactive episode Attack of the Graske and the Graske working for The Trickster appeared in the SJA episodes Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? and The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith.
- The Doctor says (upon looking at the screen) "What, What, What?!" in quick succession, he has previously intoned these lines at the beginning of DW: The Runaway Bride, Last of the Time Lords, Voyage of the Damned and Time Crash. He also says "What" when he finds the Graske has escaped through the Time portal.
- The Doctor says the TARDIS defences were down, as they were in DW: Time Crash. They were down so the TARDIS could hear the universe.
- The Doctor comments off hand 'And he's stolen my water pistol.' He used his water pistol in DW: The Fires of Pompeii.
- The canonicity of this mini-episode is unclear. Unlike the previous mini-episodes, it has no connection to ongoing storylines, and it is also interactive, though with an in-universe reason (i.e. the portal to the Royal Albert Hall).
- If the episode is canonical, nothing in the episode suggests when - in the Tenth Doctor's chronology - it takes place, as it contains no references to companions or other events (unlike preceding mini-episodes). The Doctor is also seen wearing the blue suit which he appears to give the Meta-Crisis Tenth Doctor in Journey's End. However, it is possible the Doctor has a spare blue suit, which seems to be correct as in the trailer for The Waters of Mars the Doctor wears his blue suit. The storyline could take place during any period when the Doctor is travelling alone; his upbeat mood, however, could be taken as evidence that it takes place at some point prior to Partners in Crime, perhaps after The Runaway Bride or after Voyage of the Damned; alternately it could take place a significant amount of time after Journey's End (as The Next Doctor is said to). Alternately, the fact the Doctor's severed hand is no longer visible in the console room is possible evidence the story takes place post-Journey's End or pre-Utopia.
- The Doctor breaks the fourth wall in the course of this episode by directly addressing the audience in the Royal Albert Hall. The First Doctor, also broke the fourth wall by wishing the audience a "Merry Christmas" in "The Feast of Steven"(DW:The Daleks' Master Plan), while the Fourth Doctor made a fourth wall-breaking comment about his sonic screwdriver in The Invasion of Time. The Tenth Doctor also addressed the viewer directly throughout "Attack of the Graske". This is the prime rationale behind this mini-episode not being considered canonical (although the earlier scenes involving the First and Fourth Doctor are considered canon, if unexplained).
- The Doctor says he's going to "reverse the polarity of the neutron flow" - a line which the Third Doctor is famous for using occasionally.
DVD and Other releases
- Music of the Spheres was released on DVD in the UK on 19 January 2009 as a bonus feature with The Next Doctor. Also included was the rest of the BBC Proms Doctor Who concert and an installment of Doctor Who Confidential Cutdown. North American release occurred on 15th September 2009, marking the first availability of the mini-episode in North America.
The DVD version of Music of the Spheres appears to differ somewhat from the version originally played at the Albert Hall in that the opening and closing credits -- including the latter's use of the original Derbyshire theme arrangement -- are omitted.
It is assumed -- though as of September 2009 not confirmed -- that it will be included in a future box set collecting the 2009 Specials.
Differing versions
Two different versions of Music of the Spheres has circulated on the Internet. One version intercuts the mini-episode with audience reaction shots, as well as showing reaction from Ben Foster and the orchestra, and the Graske running around the stage. A second version is the mini-episode by itself, with no cutaways to the audience (versions with and without audience sounds have been circulated). So far, only the Proms audience version has been officially released by the BBC.
