Frankenstein

Frankenstein's monster, as seen on television by the Eighth Doctor. (TV: Doctor Who)

Frankenstein was a novel written by Mary Shelley. It was published in 1818, and a film version was later released.

Inspiration for the novel[[edit] | [edit source]]

In June 1816, Shelley met the Thirteenth Doctor while staying at Villa Diodati by Lake Geneva. The Doctor specifically instructed her companions, Graham, Ryan and Yaz, not to mention Frankenstein, or otherwise affect its inception. (TV: The Haunting of Villa Diodati)

In 1816, Shelley encountered the Eighth Doctor and witnessed him apparently coming back to life after being dead, providing inspiration for her book. (AUDIO: Mary's Story) Shelley later became the Doctor's companion. (AUDIO: The Silver Turk)

Also in 1816, Shelley encountered the Tenth Doctor later in his timeline as Zzazik, an alien creature wrapped in bandages, was absorbing bolts of energy. This sight provided Shelley with inspiration for a scene in Frankenstein. (COMIC: The Creative Spark)

In 1996, an android version of Frankenstein's monster was part of an attraction at the Festival of Ghana. (TV: The Chase)

On 31 December 1999, Pete watched the film adaptation Frankenstein while the Seventh Doctor regenerated in his morgue. After regenerating, the Eighth Doctor was startled by the monster on Pete's television. (TV: Doctor Who)

In 3278, a Reprise of Victor Frankenstein, a character in the novel, lived on Europa. (PROSE: Managra)

Minor references[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Eighth Doctor had a copy of the novel in the TARDIS library, inscribed to him by Mary Shelley. The Doctor read the preface aloud, and mentioned that what Shelley wrote wasn't the entire truth about what had happened. (AUDIO: Storm Warning)

On another occasion, the Eighth Doctor quoted the passage "judges had rather that ten innocent should suffer, than one guilty should escape" to John Kincaid berating his sort of justice. (AUDIO: The Witch from the Well)

In 1884, Captain Kybo read Frankenstein to help him learn English. (AUDIO: Judoon in Chains)

In 1918, the Eighth Doctor mentioned that he had read the book. (PROSE: Casualties of War)

When Mike Yates told Jo Grant that the Nestene could make themselves bodies, she asked if he meant like Frankenstein, to which the Third Doctor replied that he did not. (TV: Terror of the Autons)

In 2021, Hex compared a secret laboratory in St Gart's Bankside Hospital to Frankenstein's lab. (AUDIO: The Harvest)

In the far future, Ace stated that a Panjistri laboratory was "like something out of a Frankenstein movie." (PROSE: Timewyrm: Apocalypse)

Fitz Kreiner thought that the TARDIS kitchen looked like a cross between a medieval kitchen and Frankenstein's laboratory. (PROSE: Autumn Mist)

Samuel Lloyd compared Luke Smith's "birth" to the birth of Frankenstein. Luke quickly corrected him — Frankenstein was the doctor, not the monster. (TV: The Mad Woman in the Attic)

Tegan Jovanka compared King Magus and Queen Antigone's Citadel to something out of Frankenstein. (AUDIO: Psychodrome)

On Bryce's Asteroid, Peri Brown remarked that the Lifemarket was "Frankenstein's Superstore." (PROSE: A Star is Reborn)

The Tenth Doctor compared Ernest Tiermann to Frankenstein, except that he used furniture and household objects instead of body parts. (PROSE: Sick Building)

Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]

• In the television story The Haunting of Villa Diodati, Mary Shelley wonders whether Ashad, the Lone Cyberman, is a composite of multiple men and refers to his creators as a "Modern Prometheus". As witnessed by the Thirteenth Doctor, he also recharges via a lightning strike. Though not stated in the episode, these elements would all be incorporated into Shelley's novel: The monster is created from body parts of different men and is implied to have been brought to life via electricity, and the novel's full title is Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.
• The novel has influenced many Doctor Who stories, most notably The Brain of Morbius.
• Peter Cushing, who also played Dr. Who, a version of the Doctor in two films, had also, famously, portrayed Baron Frankenstein in six films. He would have played the similar character of Mehendri Solon, except for cost considerations.
• The script of Deep Breath alluded to Frankenstein twice; firstly, the Half-Face Man was described as having "Frankenstein style stitch marks round the wrists" and, secondly, the SS Marie Antoinette's escape pod was referred to as having been covered with stitched-together human skin "like Frankenstein skin!"