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The Doctor's Daughter was the sixth episode of the fourth series of the BBC Wales version of Doctor Who. It was significant for introducing only the second known genetic relative of the Doctor seen in a televised episode. Additionally, that character's fate at the conclusion of the episode left — in a way atypical of most guest characters — obvious narrative possibilities for her return to the programme.
From a production standpoint, it was notable for its ironic casting. In giving the part of Jenny to Georgia Moffett, the production team had cast the daughter of an actor who had played the Doctor to play an on-screen daughter of the character.
Synopsis
Following their unexpected trip in the TARDIS to the planet Messaline, where an endless war is being fought, the Doctor, Martha and Donna meet someone the Doctor thought he never could have, his daughter.
Plot
The Doctor's TARDIS is flying out of control, Martha and Donna are having trouble keeping their balance. The console emits smoke and sparks while the ship bucks violently, hurling its occupants about. The Doctor notes that his severed hand is bubbling furiously.
Finally the TARDIS comes to a stop. Our travelers find that they have landed in what appears to be an underground bunker. Almost immediately upon exiting the ship, armed men seize the Doctor. Realising that they have "clean" hands (meaning that they have not yet had tissue samples taken; these leave a tell-tale scar) they force the Doctor to use a machine which takes his diploid cells, splits them into haploids and produces the titular Jenny.
At once a skirmish with the Hath breaks out. In the chaos, Martha is kidnapped by a Hath soldier and Jenny triggers an explosive tunnel collapse which prevents the Doctor and Donna from rescuing her. The Doctor tries to anyway, but the soldiers seize him and demand he be brought to General Cobb.
General Cobb explains that originally the humans and the Hath came to this planet, called Messaline, to share it, but he claims the Hath lied and they have been at war for many, many generations. Cobb and the soldiers recount what superficially appears to be a creation myth, a story of how The Goddess created the universe, looked at her work and sighed. According to the human's religion, that breath was captured in some form which is now referred to as "The Source. The humans believe that The Source is lost somewhere in the maze of tunnels they show the Doctor on a holographic map and that recovering it could allow them to effectively exterminate the Hath.
Meanwhile, Martha has convinced the Hath to trust her by helping one of their injured. The Hath are showing her an identical holographic map and bubbling, and although the exact nature of what they are saying is not known to the viewer, Martha appears to at least partially understand.
While trying to use the Human holographic map to see where Martha has gone, the Doctor inadvertently reveals a previously unknown route to the "Temple" where the Humans believe "The Source" is located. The Doctor's manipulation of the map has also revealed the full map to The Hath. The Doctor tries to dissuade Cobb from locating the Source, which he intends to use to commit genocide. Cobb however refuses to listen and orders the Doctor and Donna imprisoned, as well as Jenny as she came from the Doctor. The Hath also go on the warpath.
The Doctor is displeased by the notion of Jenny being his daughter, dismissing her as a mere soldier (he doesn't call it "natural parentage" for someone to steal a tissue sample from him at gunpoint and then process it). As he plots to stop Cobb, Jenny compares the Doctor to a general, noting that he makes plans and strategies. The Doctor claims this is false but is not able to clearly demonstrate why. When he uses his sonic screwdriver to augment Donna's mobile, in order to call Martha, Jenny draws comparisons between the device and a weapon, saying that both are implements used to achieve purposes. The Doctor again dismisses the idea.
Meanwhile, Martha and the Hath she healed, Peck, are studying the tunnels. Peck manipulates the controls and is able to convert the map into a three dimensional projection, delighting Martha. Noting that the distance above ground is shorter than the distance through the tunnels, she plans to beat both the humans and the Hath to The Source.
To compel the Doctor to realise that Jenny is actually his daughter, Donna uses his stethoscope to show him that she has two hearts, proving she is the same species. The Doctor, however, insists that Time Lords are defined by their shared tragedy and therefore Jenny is not a Time Lord. Jenny is confused by this and in the explanations the Doctor is forced to admit that he killed during the Last Great Time War. Jenny empathises, again comparing him to herself.
The Hath use a battering ram to create a short cut. In the meanwhile, Martha and Peck reach a hatch and escape to the desolate surface. Back with the Doctor, Jenny seduces the guard and then holds him at gunpoint to force him to open the door, enabling the party to escape their cell. They bound and lock the guard up in their place. Outside the cell, Donna notes a plaque of eight numbers. As they travel she continues to notice more plaques. Writing them down she realizes that they are counting down as they get closer to the Temple.
The party reaches a corridor of deadly lasers. While Jenny holds off Cobb's men by shooting without killing, the Doctor disables the lasers. As she tries to follow the Doctor and Donna, who have already passed down the corridor, the lasers reactivate and she seems to be trapped. However, she astounds the Doctor and Donna with a display of acrobatics by which she passes through the lasers without injury.
On the surface, Martha falls down a scree into quicksand. Peck leaps in to saves her, but begins to irresistibly sink, himself. Martha is devastated and weeps bitterly as the wind howls and her friend disappears beneath the surface.
Jenny questions the Doctor and Donna's relationship which, both are adamant, is purely platonic. Donna flippantly says they save planets, rescue civilisations, defeat awful creatures and also do an awful lot of running in doing so. This leads to a conversation about Jenny's future and to her happiness; the Doctor wants her to come with him. After Jenny runs ahead to scout, the Doctor explains to Donna his previous parenting, the pain of losing the Time Lords and his family, and the fact that he is reminded of them when he sees Jenny. That is why he has been having a hard time dealing with her. Donna is sure that having Jenny in his life will help him heal those old wounds.
The Doctor, Donna, Jenny and Martha are reunited in the temple, which the Doctor realizes is the original and fully functional colony spaceship. This puzzles him as the ship is obviously well maintained; it should have run out of power by now. The Doctor reads the ship's log, learning that the city was built by robots.
Donna stares at a digital clock on the wall. Suddenly she has an epiphany. The numbers are dates; the city was built in sections outward from the spaceship. Comparing the date on the clock to her notes, realizes that the clock shows that it has been a mere seven day week since the ship landed. The Doctor realizes that the term "generations" is relative, the technological reproduction system of the humans and the Hath allows for as many as twenty generations in a single day.
As both armies close in, they next discover "The Source", a terraforming device which would make the environment outside more hospitable. Thus, contrary to the belief that the source kills, it actually brings life. The Doctor, now surrounded by both armies, declares the war over and smashes the source to release its gases and start the terraforming process. Both armies lay down their weapons in awe of the new planet forming around them.
However, Cobb tries to shoot the Doctor out of malice. Jenny sacrifices herself by shielding him, and is shot in the chest. When Martha examines the wound, she sees that it is fatal. Jenny dies, shortly thereafter, in the Doctor's arms without regenerating.
After he lays her head gently on the ground, the Doctor holds Cobb at gunpoint but does not pull the trigger, saying, “I never would”. He asks that both armies let the idea of a man 'who never would' be the foundation of the Hath-Human society that must now emerge. The Hath and Humans ask the Doctor to allow them to give Jenny a proper funeral, to which he sadly agrees.
Later, the Doctor concludes that Jenny's creation was the reason the TARDIS had brought them to Messaline, they had just gotten there a little too soon. They thus created Jenny, creating a circular paradox. He returns Martha home, and Donna resolves to stay with the Doctor while Martha leaves.
Meanwhile, back on Messaline, Jenny breaths a cloud of green gas and revives as the Doctor had hoped would happen if she was given enough time. She escapes Messaline in a shuttle and resolves to travel the universe just like her father - saving planets, rescuing civilizations, defeating creatures, with an awful lot of running involved in doing so.
Cast
Production crew
to be added
References
- Once again the Doctor and Donna are mistaken for a couple.
- Messaline has relatively high radiation and an earth-like atmosphere.
- Once again there is reference to the Doctor's children and family.
- Jenny's regeneration/rejuvenation closely resembles the Seventh Doctor's regeneration into his eighth incarnation. Both were shot and then both recovered in a morgue.
- Just like Rose Tyler, Donna expresses interest in staying with the Doctor "forever".
- Jenny takes the ship's shuttle.
- Cobb's claim that he wants to wipe the last stinking Hath off the face of the planet is similar to the Ninth Doctor's statement with regards to the Daleks.
- This is the second time in the revived series that the Tenth Doctor has cradled a Time Lord while they die. The first was the Master in DW: Last of the Time Lords.
- When the Doctor is brought to General Cobb, there is a running count of generations of clone soldiers that have been killed being spoken aloud. As they arrive, the count has reached generation six hundred and sixty six, the number of the Beast.
- The wound on The Doctor's hand from the device that took his tissue resembles the scar left on the Empty Children (DW: The Empty Child)
Story notes
- Russell T Davies has stated that this episode "does exactly what it says on the tin". Stephen Greenhorn's episode has the Doctor facing a dilemma unlike any before, and it is wildly different to "The Lazarus Experiment". He also said that his episode was designed by Russell to "change the Doctor" in a big episode that will have "a real impact on him" and that, in terms of the series continuity, it will be a "lasting impact".
- Stephen Greenhorn wrote The Lazarus Experiment which coincidentally was also the sixth episode of the series it was in and also followed a two part story by Helen Raynor that featured a returning enemy.
- Georgia Moffett is the real-life daughter of Fifth Doctor actor, Peter Davison. In 2004 Georgia was considered for the role of Rose Tyler and had also auditioned for a role in The Unicorn and the Wasp. Her appearance comes not long after her father guest-starred in Time Crash.
- Jenny's impressive acrobatics in a corridor full of deadly laser beams was inspired by Britney Spears' Toxic video. Toxic was played during The End of the World.
- The two Hath named in credits would appear to be named after famous actors; "Hath Peck" drawing his name from Gregory Peck, and the "Hath Gable" taking his from actor Clark Gable. Whether this is deliberate or a mere coincidence is uncertain.
- Donna Noble came up with the name Jenny after the Doctor said she was a "Generated Anomaly".
- According to the BBC Podcast Russell T Davies said the original intention was to kill Jenny off at the end of the episode. It was Steven Moffat who expressed the desire to bring her back to life.
- This episode is one of several that were not featured in the official Series 4 trailer.
- According to the book Doctor Who: Companions and Allies, it was the source that brought Jenny back to life although this may be incorrect.
- This is one of the few televised story titles to incorporate the name "The Doctor" (not counting two early occasions where the incorrect name "Doctor Who" was used). The only other times "The Doctor" appeared in an individual episode title was "A Holiday for the Doctor", episode 1 of the 1966 serial, The Gunfighters, The Doctor Dances and Vincent and the Doctor.
- Donna's surprise aptitude with mathematics foreshadows her later transformation in to DoctorDonna.
- The humans weapons used are modified real-life weapons. The Hath use weapons that may possibly be modified real weapons, but may also be fakes. For example, Jenny enters the episode and is given a modified P90 with a long silencer and a longer butt stock.
- It is unclear whether Martha gradually begins to understand Peck and the other Hath by interpreting body language and expressions, or if the TARDIS communication circuits are translating for her (but not for the audience).
Ratings
- Final BARB ratings - 7.33 million viewers
- Sunday night BBC3 repeat - 0.95 million viewers
Filming locations
Studio
- Upper Boat Studios, Trefforest
Location
- Aberbaiden Open Cast Colliery, Nr Kenfig
- City Hall, Cardiff
- Newbridge Memorial Hall, Newbridge
- Dupont Building, Pontypool
- Plantaisia, Swansea
- Rhondda Heritage Park, Nr Pontypridd
- Johnsey Estates, Pontypool
- Barry Shooting Range, Barry Island
- Mark Street, Cardiff
- Roath Conservatory, Cardiff
Myths and rumours
- It was heavily rumoured Jenny would be Susan's mother, but this proved to be false.
- Other rumours reported online included the possibility of Jenny being Rose Tyler's offspring (owing to both being blonde and also because of Rose's background appearances thus far in the season), which was disproven in the pre-credits teaser.
- It was also rumored that Jenny was a clone, a hologram, an illusion or something of that sort. All of these proved to be false, to one degree or another. Technically Jenny is not a clone; she is actually the Doctor's daughter, via asexual reproduction through a process similar to parthenogenesis.
- The initial televised trailer showed Jenny kissing an individual on the mouth; due to the fast-cut editing of the trailer, the gender of the individual being kissed was not clear, leading to speculation, ultimately debunked by the episode itself, that Jenny would engage in a same-sex kiss - the character being kissed turned out to be male.
- As Steven Moffat is credited with "saving the life" of the character by suggesting to Davies that she not be killed off (a claim Moffat has downplayed if not disputed), rumors emerged that the character may return either as a guest, a recurring role, or as a companion in 2010 when Moffat takes over. Although Georgia Moffett is on record as being willing to return to the role, as of early 2010 no announcement has been made regarding her character. A very few fans now believe she will get her own series.
- A rumor related to the above had Jenny returning for the Series 4 finale; except for a brief flashback appearance recalling her "death", she did not.
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.At one point in the TARDIS a studio light is visible near the right of the controls.
- When Martha enters the space ship after traveling the surface it cuts to the Doctor, Donna, and Jenny but when they cut back to Martha it shows her entering again but from a different angle.
Continuity
- This is the third story in which Martha is kidnapped. (The first being DW: Gridlock, the second being DW: The Sontaran Stratagem)
- In the original first series the First Doctor was travelling with his granddaughter Susan Foreman, who is to date the only relative of the Doctor to be seen on screen. The Doctor's other two grandchildren John and Gillian also appeared in some of the comic strips, although their canonicity is questioned.
- In DW: Fear Her, the Doctor mentions to Rose "I was a dad once."
- In DW: The Empty Child, Dr. Constantine says, "Before the war, I was both a father and a grandfather." The Doctor replies, "I know the feeling."
- The Doctor mentions his family. His family is first mentioned in DW: The Tomb of the Cybermen and then in DW: Delta and the Bannermen, his granddaughter first appeared on screen in DW: An Unearthly Child which was the first ever episode, he has a brother who first appeared in NA: Theatre of War (mentioned on screen in DW: Smith and Jones), an (adoptive) daughter called Miranda Dawkins who first appeared in EDA: Father Time and a wife DW: Blink, PDA: The Infinity Doctors/MA: Cold Fusion. He has cousins who appeared in NA: Lungbarrow.
- The Seventh Doctor says that he does not know if he has any living family members in DW: The Curse of Fenric; in DW: The Tomb of the Cybermen the Second Doctor says he believes them to be dead, though he could have been speaking metaphorically.
- At the end of this episode Jenny escapes from her home planet in a stolen spacecraft to travel the universe. This mirrors her father's actions.
- Martha mentions the events of the sword fight in DW: The Christmas Invasion when discussing the Doctor's hand. Donna indicates that she wasn't aware of the origins of the hand before this point.
- Donna mentions her friend Nerys who appeared in DW: The Runaway Bride, and describes how she got pregnant using just a turkey baster.
Timeline
- This story takes place after DW: The Poison Sky
- This story takes place before: Pest Control
Home video releases
- Released in the Series 4 DVD boxset in November 2008 along with the rest of the Series.
- Released as Series 4 Volume 2 in a vanilla edition alongside The Sontaran Stratagem, The Poison Sky and The Unicorn and the Wasp.
- Possibly being released in the Doctor Who DVD Files magazine.