Monster Files

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Monster Files was an ongoing webcast series of webisodes created by the BBC for its official Doctor Who website 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[[edit] | [edit source]]

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 were often depicted as being information acquired by the Torchwood Institute over the years. Live-action footage of Barrowman as Harkness was incorporated into the clips.

Although Files instalments usually corresponded with the episode being shown that week, during some two-parters extra Files about old monsters were released for the first part. The Slitheen were used for the Files broadcast in conjunction with 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 talked about the Sycorax, the Titanic, the Empress of the Racnoss, the Roboforms, the Roboform Christmas trees, the Graske and the Changelings.

Episodes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Captain Jack's Monster Files
Episode related to Title Details Runtime Originally available File name
Partners in Crime Adipose Captain Jack reveals facts, figures and top secret info about the Adipose. 2'42" 5 April 2008 s4_01_v_01.flv
The Fires of Pompeii Pyrovile Captain Jack reveals facts, figures and top secret info about the Pyrovile. 2'53" 12 April 2008 s4_02_mon_01.flv
Planet of the Ood The Ood Captain Jack reveals facts, figures and top secret info about the Ood. 3'16" 19 April 2008 s4_03_mon_01.flv
The Sontaran Stratagem The Slitheen Captain Jack reveals facts, figures and top secret info about the Slitheen. 3'45" 26 April 2008 s4_01_mon_01.flv
The Poison Sky The Sontarans Captain Jack reveals facts, figures and top secret info about the Sontarans. 2'44" 3 May 2008 s4_05_mon_01.flv
The Doctor's Daughter The Hath Captain Jack reveals facts, figures and top secret info about the Hath. 2'18" 10 May 2008 s4_06_mon_01.flv
The Unicorn and the Wasp Vespiform Captain Jack reveals facts, figures and top secret info about the Vespiform. 3'13" 17 May 2008 s4_07_mon_01.flv
Silence in the Library The Judoon Captain Jack reveals facts, figures and top secret info about the Judoon. 2'50" 31 May 2008 s4_08_mon_01.flv
Forest of the Dead The Vashta Nerada Captain Jack reveals facts, figures and top secret info about the Vashta Nerada. 2'56" 7 June 2008 s4_09_mon_01.flv
Midnight Midnight Captain Jack reveals facts, figures and top secret info about Midnight. 3'01" 14 June 2008 s4_10_mon_01.flv
Turn Left The Trickster's Brigade Captain Jack reveals facts, figures and top secret info about the Trickster's Brigade. 3'22" 21 June 2008 s4_11_mon_01.flv
The Stolen Earth The Daleks Captain Jack reveals facts, figures and top secret info about the Daleks. 4'04" 28 June 2008 s4_12_mon_01.flv
Journey's End Davros Captain Jack reveals facts, figures and top secret info about Davros. 3'41" 5 July 2008 s4_13_mon_01.flv
The Next Doctor Christmas Tales of Christmas past from Captain Jack.
(Adventure Calendar)
4'37" 9 December 2008 xmas_mon_01.flv
The Cybermen Facts and figures from Captain Jack. 3'44" 25 December 2008 s0_05_mon_01.flv

2009 Adventure Calendar[[edit] | [edit source]]

For the 2009 Doctor Who Adventure Calendar, a webisode focusing on the Weeping Angels entitled A Ghost Story for Christmas was produced. Unlike earlier instalments, it was not identified as being part of the Monster Files series, and also told a brief story as opposed to being a straight documentary. Barrowman returned to narrate the piece as Captain Jack, however.

Episode related to Title Details Runtime Originally available File name
The End of Time, Part One A Ghost Story for Christmas Christmas is a perfect time for scary stories that send a shiver down your spine and put a smile on your face! It's good to have a touch of terror in the tinsel and we've got a tale for you now that'll make you go brrrrrr! But a warning to the curious... it's about a strange and terrifying race known as the Weeping Angels. Enjoy their story but whatever you do, don't blink!
(Adventure Calendar)
3'06" 24 December 2009 adventure_091224.flv

River Song's Monster Files[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Monster Files series resumed during series 5. Narrated by Alex Kingston as River Song, and featuring specially shot introduction footage, the files now took the form of information taken from her diary. Like at the end of Harkness' videos, she has survival tips, in this case called "Useful Spoilers".

Parts[[edit] | [edit source]]

River Song's Monster Files
Episode related to Title Details Runtime Originally available BBC PID
Flesh and Stone Weeping Angels River Song shares the secrets of the Weeping Angels. 3'36" 1 May 2010 p007njk0
The Vampires of Venice Vampires River Song opens her famous journal and shares her knowledge of vampires and vampire-like creatures. 3'43" 8 May 2010 p007rxmr
Cold Blood Silurians River Song shares some Silurian secrets in this dramatic new Monster File. 3'25" 29 May 2010 p0083k6d

Credits[[edit] | [edit source]]

These films were directed and produced by Ian Smith in BBC Wales, and written by Justin Richards.

Availability[[edit] | [edit source]]

The videos are streamed via the BBC's official Doctor Who website. Virtually all videos on the site are "geofenced" due to licensing and are technically not allowed to be viewed outside of the UK, though they are widely circulated anyway. None of these clips have been released on DVD or as any other form of media.