Earthshock (TotT TV story)

Earthshock was the first episode in the Tales of the TARDIS series, released on BBC iPlayer on 1 November 2023 by the BBC, written by Russell T Davies and directed by Joshua M.G. Thomas.

	online here
	Fifth Doctor
	Tegan
	Remembered TARDIS
	Russell T Davies
	Joshua M.G. Thomas
	Scott Handcock
	Science fiction
	1
	1
	1 November 2023
	BBC iPlayer
	1x95 minute episode
Tales of the TARDIS
Next →	The Mind Robber

You may wish to consult Earthshock (disambiguation) for other, similarly-named pages.

This story consists of two newly recorded scenes bookending the omnibus version of the TV story Earthshock.

Synopsis

The Doctor and Tegan meet again and remember their terrifying adventure against the Cybermen to save the Earth... and the friend they lost along the way.

Plot

The Fifth Doctor is exploring a strange TARDIS, comprised of a mishmash of old elements, when Tegan Jovanka appears behind him. They see each other and hug, with the Doctor commenting on how they never really used to.

The Doctor remarks that he thinks the TARDIS they are in is a memory and figures out that it wants them to tell stories, just as the lights in the TARDIS begin to swirl. Two chairs appear in the middle of the room, on either side of a miniature version of the Thirteenth Doctor's TARDIS console, its appearance mimicking a campfire.

The Doctor says they need to tell the strongest story of all, the day they met the CyberNeomorphs, which Tegan reluctantly agrees to and the two start reminiscing about the story. A television in the back of the TARDIS, with the aspect ratio 4:3, turns on and the memories start to fade in.

As they stop reminiscing about the past, and return to their senses, the Doctor and Tegan talk about Adric and about how they never stopped to talk about him. The Doctor comments that he never looked back, and Tegan wonders if that is the point of a Memory TARDIS; to help heal old wounds for those who have travelled in it. The Doctor remarks that talking about those events has done him good, and he then asks Tegan to tell him stories about her life. Tegan starts telling her about her campaign for the environment, and the stories go on...

Cast

• Fifth Doctor - Peter Davison
• Tegan Jovanka - Janet Fielding

Crew

Executive Producers   Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter with Joel Collins and Phil Collinson

Written by Russell T Davies	Produced by Scott Handcock	Directed by Joshua M.G. Thomas	Director of Photography Ryan Eddleston	Production Designer Phil Sims	Visual Effects Painting Practice
Make-up Designer Julie Kendrick	Casting Director Andy Pryor	Music Sam Watts	Costume Designer Pam Downe	Edited by Emily Lawrence
Original theme music by Ron Grainer and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop  •  Titles by Painting Practice

General production staff Executive Producer for the BBC - Rebecca Ferguson Production Executive - Steffan Morris Line Producer - Medyr Llewelyn Location Assistant - Joe Coombes Production Co-ordinator - Florence Boyd-Gorst Assistant Production Co-ordinator - Jamie McKee Unit Driver - Paul Watkins Production Accountant - Sean Kenneally Script department Camera and lighting department 1st Assistant Director - Michael Williams 2nd Assistant Director - Lauren Pate 3rd Assistant Director - Micah Joshua Brown Floor Runner - Devante Fleming Script Supervisor - Ines Mayorga Camera Operator - Martin Stephens Camera Trainee - Antoine Woodman Focus Puller - Cai Thompson Key Grip - Ken Hodgson Clapper Loader - Josh Greenway Gaffer - Jon Down Best Boy - Matt Hutchings Electricians - Chris Hughes, Benji Hutchings	Art department Supervising Art Director - Robyn Paiba Set Decorator - Adrian Anscombe Standby Props - Phillip Bull Standby Carpenter - Sam Crowley Prop Hands - Atiff Tahir, Ingo Hans, Jason White, John Thomas, Mathew Shrimpton, Stuart Rankmore Standby Art Director - Nikki Joseph Standby Rigger - Elliot Williams Prop Master - Nick Thomas Graphics - Stephen Fielding Costume department Costume Supervisor - Laura Baker Assistant Costume Designer - Pandora Ellis Costume Assistant - Ellie Finch Costume Standby - Pam Verran	Make-up and prosthetics Casting Casting Associate - Becky Rossmaur Casting Assistant - Kristian Wall General post-production staff Post-production Producer - Ceres Doyle Post-production Supervisor - Liv Duffin On-line Editor - Geraint Pari Huws Special and visual effects Visual Effects Co-ordinator - Siân Reynish Colourists - Gareth Spensley, Christine Kelly Sound Re-recording Mixer - Emilie Thomson Audio Post-production - Bang Post Production

Not every person who worked on this adventure was credited. The absence of a credit for a position doesn't necessarily mean the job wasn't required. The information above is based solely on observations of the actual end credits of the episodes as broadcast, and does not relay information from IMDB or other sources.
Note: Antoine Woodman erroneously credited as Camera Trainees

Worldbuilding

• The Sixth Doctor's coat hangs in the remembered TARDIS.
• The Doctor holds the Star of Mathematical Excellence as he thinks of Adric.

Notes

Official BBC iPlayer thumbnail for the story.

• This story seemingly takes place after The Passenger for Tegan, as she says she "was fast asleep, in bed, [and had just] said goodnight to Nyssa". Alternatively, the dialogue may be a reference to Tegan and Nyssa being in a relationship, as suggested in Farewell, Sarah Jane Smith.
• The Doctor mentions that he rarely hugged Tegan during their travels, in a sly reference to John Nathan-Turner's "no hanky-panky in the TARDIS" rule to prevent rumours of the Doctor and his companions having inappropriate relations, especially with the casting of Peter Davison, who was the youngest Doctor at the time.

Continuity

This section needs a cleanup.

Needs to be written from an out of universe perspective.

• Whilst looking for a kettle, the Doctor remembers once eating a pineapple in his TARDIS. (TV: The Five Doctors)
• Tegan shares the same exchange about missing the Doctor she had with the Holo-Doctor. (TV: The Power of the Doctor)
• The Doctor and Tegan agree to tell the story of how Adric died in their fight against the Cybermen. (TV: Earthshock)
• Tegan mentions how Adric was originally a stowaway from Alzarius when he boarded the TARDIS. (TV: State of Decay)
• The Doctor and Tegan previously faced their memory of Adric's death after Marc's cyber-conversion at the Welkin Sanatorium and Centre for Wellness on Soresia. (AUDIO: The Lost Resort)
• Tegan mentions leaving the Doctor on the bank of the River Thames with "a load of dead Daleks". (TV: Resurrection of the Daleks)
• Tegan became an activist after parting ways with the Doctor. (TV: The Power of the Doctor)