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Monster Files is an ongoing series of webisodes created by the BBC for its official Doctor Who website beginning as a tie-in with Series 4 in 2008. These short films profile various monsters and alien races featured on Doctor Who.
Captain Jack's Monster Files
Initially, the series was presented as Captain Jack's Monster Files, in which John Barrowman, as Jack Harkness, narrates a brief history of various creatures and races encountered by the Doctor. The clips and videos are often depicted as being information acquired by the Torchwood Institute over the years, and live-action footage of Barrowman as Harkness is incorporated into the clips.
Although Files installments usually correspond with the episode being shown that week, during some two-parters extra Files about old monsters are released for the first part if the monster's full story is kept secret until the complete story has been broadcast. The Slitheen were used for the Files broadcast in conjunction with DW: The Sontaran Stratagem, for example, and the Judoon were used for Silence in the Library. A Christmas-themed Files episode was also created, in which Jack talks about the Sycorax, The Titanic, The Empress of the Racnoss, the Roboforms, the Roboform Christmas Trees, the Graske and the Changelings.
Installments
- The Sontaran Stratagem: Slitheen Monster file (extra)
- Silence in the Library: Judoon Monster file (extra)
- Holiday Special: Sycorax, Empress of the Racnoss, Max Capricorn, Heavenly Hosts, Roboforms, Roboform Christmas Trees, Graske and Changelings Monster File (extra)
2009 Adventure Calendar
For the 2009 Doctor Who Adventure Calendar, a webisode focusing on the Weeping Angels entitled A Ghost Story for Christmas was produced. Unlike previous installments, it is not identified as being part of the Monster Files series, and also tells a brief story as opposed to being a straight documentary. Barrowman returned to narrate the piece as Captain Jack, however.
- 2009 Adventure Calendar: Weeping Angels [1] - see A Ghost Story for Christmas
River Song
The Monster Files series resumed during Series 5. Now narrated by Alex Kingston as River Song, and featuring specially shot introduction footage, the files now take the form of information taken from Song's diary. Like at the end of Harkness' videos, she has survival tips, in this case called 'Useful Spoilers'.
Installments
The Weeping Angels are the only creatures so far to be featured twice.
Behind The Scenes
The BBC DVD Monster Files are non-canon and featured interveriews and information about the creatures.
Installments
Canonicity
The canonicity of the Monster Files is uncertain, especially given that some installments feature monsters the Doctor encountered away from Earth or in the far future, out of Torchwood's reach. In the case of others, it's possible that Torchwood might have obtained details about, for example, the Hath from Martha Jones and the Trickster's Brigade from Sarah Jane Smith, or indeed virtually any of the creatures from an unchronicled encounter with the Doctor. The context of the feature also implies that Harkness himself might have first-hand knowledge of many of these creatures from his own travels and adventures. As for Song installments, it's established they originate from her diary, which in turn has been connected to her travels with the Doctor at some point in his lifetimes.
Credits
These films were produced and directed by Ian Smith [2] in BBC Wales and written by Justin Richards [3].
Availability
The videos are streamed via the BBC's official Doctor Who website; like virtually all videos on the site, the clips are "geofenced" due to licensing and are technically not allowed to be viewed outside of the UK (though they are widely circulated anyway). As of 2010, none of these clips have been released on DVD.