Empress of Mars (TV story)
Empress of Mars was the ninth episode of the tenth series of Doctor Who produced by BBC Wales. This episode was notable for introducing in 2017 the first on-screen female Ice Warrior, the Ice Queen Iraxxa, 50 years since the species were introduced in 1967's The Ice Warriors.
Empress saw the return of two actors from classic Doctor Who: Ysanne Churchman, reprising the role of Alpha Centauri for the first time since in the 1974 story The Monster of Peladon, and Anthony Calf, who last appeared on televised Doctor Who in the 1982 serial, The Visitation.
Synopsis
When NASA discovers a message reading GOD SAVE THE QUEEN on Mars's surface, the Twelfth Doctor, Nardole, and Bill travel to the Red Planet to investigate it. On arrival, they find themselves embroiled in a conflict between the Ice Warriors and the Empress Iraxxa, and Victorian soldiers — who are determined to conquer Mars. It's just the same, only this time the humans are the ones invading. Now which side should the Doctor help: humans, or Ice Warriors? One thing is clear: the Doctor must choose fast, as the Martian hive awakens around them.
Plot
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Cast
- The Doctor - Peter Capaldi
- Bill - Pearl Mackie
- Nardole - Matt Lucas
- Missy - Michelle Gomez
- Godsacre - Anthony Calf
- Catchlove - Ferdinand Kingsley
- Friday - Richard Ashton
- Iraxxa - Adele Lynch
- Sergeant Major Peach - Glenn Speers
- Jackdaw - Ian Beattie
- Vincey - Bayo Gbadamosi
- Knibbs - Ian Hughes
- Coolidge - Lesley Ewen
- Voice of Alpha Centauri - Ysanne Churchman
Crew
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References
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Story notes
File:Matt Lucas and Mark Gatiss - The Aftershow - Doctor Who The Fan Show
- The read-through for Empress of Mars took place on 11 January 2017, and filming took place between 27 January and 22 February.
- Actress Ysanne Churchman returns as the voice of Alpha Centauri at the age of 92, being the oldest actor on New Who. To keep the reappearance of Alpha Centauri a surprise, Churchman was not credited in Radio Times.
- Mark Gatiss explains on the Aftershow that Empress of Mars began as a sequel to the 2015 Series 9 episode Sleep No More, but later turned into an Ice Warrior story, and with the inclusion of Alpha Centauri was intended as a third Peladon-story, until the story was fully formed.
Ratings
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Filming locations
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Production errors
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Continuity
- The Doctor told Friday that he was an Honorary Guardian of the Tythonian Hive. (TV: The Creature from the Pit)
- The Doctor sends a message to Alpha Centauri to start the new Ice Warriors' lives. (TV: The Curse of Peladon)
- The Doctor had previously encountered an Ice Warrior who had been asleep for a very long time. (TV: Cold War)
- The Doctor remarks on how he can't resist a countdown. He previously said similar of the Saxon Master. (TV: Last of the Time Lords)
- Bill mentions Neil Armstrong and the 1969 moon landing. The Tenth Doctor was present for it with companion Martha Jones (TV: Blink) while his eleventh incarnation witnessed the broadcast live of Armstrong live while interrupting the footage with the image of a Silent. (TV: Day of the Moon)
- A portrait of Queen Victoria appears. (TV: Tooth and Claw)
- The Doctor visits one of the Ice Warrior Hives. (TV: Robot of Sherwood)
Home video releases
DVD releases
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Blu-ray releases
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Digital releases
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External links
- Official Empress of Mars page on the Doctor Who website
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