The Fires of Pompeii (TV story)
Synopsis
The Doctor and Donna travel to Pompeii, the night before Mount Vesuvius erupts. The Doctor and Donna travel back into ancient history, in this episode of Russell T Davies’s BAFTA Award-winning time-travelling drama. When they arrive in 79AD, however, they discover psychic powers and beasts of stone running riot in the streets of old Pompeii. The time-travellers face their greatest challenge yet – can established history be changed, or must the Doctor let everyone die?
Plot
The Doctor takes Donna to Ancient Rome, but as he says it is new Rome to the people of the time. Donna notices that a sign is in english and she asks the Doctor why, he replies that the TARDIS translation circuit translates foreign and alien languages and writing in her head. According to the Doctor, when she says the word 'seriously' she is really saying it in Latin. She tries to a word in real latin but the stallholder understands it as Celtic. Donna notices that instead of seven hills, which is how many there are in Rome, there is only one. Suddenly the ground begins to shake and the Doctor realises they are in Pompeii and it's Volcano Day! The Soothsayer's acknowledge that the blue box has arrived. Donna says that they could start an emergancy evacuation but the Doctor says no. The Doctor and Donna run through the street to get back to the TARDIS and pull back the sheets to realise that it has gone! The Doctor asks the same stallholder where it has gone and he replies that he has sold it because it was on his land. In a family home the father named Caecilius has bought the TARDIS because it is the finest in Roman architecture and he is having a guest visitor, Lucius Petrus Dextrus who is like a mayor of Pompeii. Before he arrives the Doctor turns up using the Psychic paper to pretend to be a marble inspector, because Caecilius specialises in marble. He calls himself Mr Spartacus and Donna says she is Mrs Spartacus; they are both quick to say that they are not married so Caecilius assumes they are brother and sister, he then says they look alike and the Doctor and Donna are puzzled by this. The Doctor claims that the TARDIS is not marble and he is here to take it away for a few days, but just as he does this Lucius enters the room with his guards and Caecillius' family also enter. The Doctor and Donna are just about to leave but Donna doesn't want to leave the people to their death so the Doctor has to drag her. Just as they're about to do so though, Lucius reveals a circuit from underneath a veil. The Doctor wonders what is going on and the daughter of Caecilius, Evelina begins to call him the Doctor, she says that he has travelled a long way, and that his home planet burn't in fire. Lucius says that she knows nothing but the Doctor denies this. Lucius then says that he is from Gallifrey and Donna is a girl of London and reveals that he has a stone arm which the Doctor snaps off. The Doctor then escapes with Caecilius' son, Quintius and discover that the floor is shaking he goes to Lucius' house and finds a giant rock monster which Quintius splashes with water and it crumbles into nothing. In the chaos Donna is kidnapped by the Soothsayer, dressed in Roman gowns and placed on a sacrificing table table to the gods. The Doctor stops the sacrifice just in time though and discovers the Soothsayer's are under command of the High Priestess who is rock; and has been changed into a young Pyrovile. They plan to encompase the entire world by exploding Mount Vesuvius. Lucius who is working with the Pyrovile tries to stop the Doctor and Donna getting into the hidden Pyrovile Spaceship which is hidden in the Volcano. The Doctor turns the power off erupting the volcano, destroying the Pyrovile, 20,000 people and the whole of Pompeii. The explosion launches the Pyrovile Spaceship and the Doctor and Donna run to the TARDIS. Donna though begs the Doctor to save just one person but orginally refuses but after persuasion gives in and save Caecilius' family. Caecilius says it was a curse from the god Vulcan so it is a Volcano, the first mention of that word. The Doctor admits he needed Donna to convince him. Quintus offers a gift to the marble picture of the gods which turns out to be the Doctor and Donna.
Cast
- Tenth Doctor - David Tennant
- Donna Noble - Catherine Tate
- Caecilius - Peter Capaldi
- Lucius Petrus Dextrus - Phil Davis
- Metella - Tracey Childs
- Spurrina - Sasha Behar
- Evelina - Francesca Fowler
- Thalina - Lorraine Burroughs
- High Priestess - Victoria Wicks
- Quintus - Francois Pandolfo
- Soothsayer - Karen Gillan
- Stallholder - Phil Cornwell
Production crew
to be added
References
- The Doctor says "It's Volcano Day", a reference to The Doctor Dances where he says the same thing to Jack Harkness.
Story notes
to be added
Ratings
to be added
Myths
- The pyrovile are made of stone this is later true but the Pyrovile possess people and turn there bodies slowly into stone.
- Many believed that this episode would feature Jack Harkness. This was proved false.
Filming Locations
Rome
Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors
Continuity
- The Doctor reveals to Donna for the first time that he is a Time Lord from Gallifrey.
- In a previous adventure, the Seventh Doctor visited Pompeii with Mel in the story The Fires of Vulcan.
- When seeing the future, Lucius mentions the Medusa Cascade. That fits with what Russell T. Davies said about it playing a major part in Series 4.
- Lucius also says that "she will return" when seeing the future. This is most likely a reference to Rose's return.
- Evelina sasy that Donna has somthing on her back this will be picked up on in Turn Left
DVD and other releases
- It will be released on the Series 4 boxset DVD in November 2008.
- It will be released as part of Series 4 volume 1 on June 2nd 2008 along with 'Partners in Crime' and 'Planet of the Ood'.
External links
to be added
