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To the Last Man (TV story): Difference between revisions
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== Story notes == | == Story notes == | ||
* This episode had the working title of ''Soldier's Heart.'' | |||
* A family friendly pre-watershed edit of this episode aired at 7:00pm, the following day, Thursday [[31 January (releases)|31 January]] [[2008 (releases)|2008]] on [[BBC Two]]. | * A family friendly pre-watershed edit of this episode aired at 7:00pm, the following day, Thursday [[31 January (releases)|31 January]] [[2008 (releases)|2008]] on [[BBC Two]]. | ||
* A Torchwood team from another era is seen for the first time. Others would appear in [[TV]]: ''[[Fragments (TV story)|Fragments]]'' and [[TV]]: ''[[Exit Wounds (TV story)|Exit Wounds]]''. | * A Torchwood team from another era is seen for the first time. Others would appear in [[TV]]: ''[[Fragments (TV story)|Fragments]]'' and [[TV]]: ''[[Exit Wounds (TV story)|Exit Wounds]]''. | ||
* The episode establishes that some form of military conflict in Iraq took place in the ''Doctor Who'' universe, as it did in the real world between 2003 and 2011. | * The episode establishes that some form of military conflict in Iraq took place in the ''Doctor Who'' universe, as it did in the real world between 2003 and 2011. | ||
* Tommy gives his date of birth as 7 February 1894. According to Jack, "he's been here for 90 years," referring to the cryogenic chamber, and "he's 24 or 114 years old," due to his being frozen for most of that time. If Jack is being precise with his figure, this places the story between 7 February and 31 December [[2008]]. If he is not, the story takes place between 7 February 2008 and 6 February [[2009]]. A calendar indicates that the first day of the story takes place on the [[Friday]] the 20th, but the [[month]] is not indicated. The only day after Tommy's 114th birthday and before his 115th that matches this date, and by extension the only day 90 years after 1918 that matches this date, is 20 June 2008. [[Aliens of London dating controversy|Any of these placements clash with and contradict dates given in several other stories]]. | * Tommy gives his date of birth as 7 February 1894. According to Jack, "he's been here for 90 years," referring to the cryogenic chamber, and "he's 24 or 114 years old," due to his being frozen for most of that time. If Jack is being precise with his figure, this places the story between 7 February and 31 December [[2008]]. If he is not, the story takes place between 7 February 2008 and 6 February [[2009]]. A calendar indicates that the first day of the story takes place on the [[Friday]] the 20th, but the [[month]] is not indicated. The only day after Tommy's 114th birthday and before his 115th that matches this date, and by extension the only day 90 years after 1918 that matches this date, is 20 June 2008. [[Aliens of London dating controversy|Any of these placements clash with and contradict dates given in several other stories]]. | ||
* [[Helen Raynor]] expressed an interest in writing a Toshiko-centric episode at the first script meeting for season two. She wanted to write a story centred on Toshiko because she "absolutely [loves] Tosh as a character" and wanted "to take her on another step". | |||
* Inspiration for the story came from a short fictional document written by [[James Goss]] for the in-universe Torchwood Institute website created by BBC Online for the first series. The document detailed a man whom Torchwood would defrost "once a year, give him a day out, and then pop him back in the freezer". | |||
* [[Russell T Davies]] described the episode as a "love story" but felt it inevitable that the story would end in tears. | |||
* In creating the character of Tommy Brockless, [[Helen Raynor]] felt that he was "the perfect boyfriend" for Toshiko. However, she stated that their brief relationship was not a "mature relationship" but "a pretend relationship" as Toshiko only "gets him out of the box once a year". She added that what Tosh has to learn is that Tommy can't be "treated like a toy". In regards to the conclusion of the episode, she stated that "it's a hugely painful goodbye for both of them". | |||
* [[Helen Raynor]] was inspired by the issue of World War I soldiers who were executed for cowardice when they were suffering from shellshock. | |||
* [[Andy Goddard]] felt that a scene in which Tommy watches footage of the [[Iraq War]] was key to the episode; this experience tells Tommy that the human condition has not changed since 1918 and that humanity still makes the same mistakes. | |||
* Early drafts of the episode included Tommy asking for [[Suzie Costello]]. | |||
* In regards to the sensitive material in the episode, [[Naoko Mori]] stated that whilst reading the script she "kind of forgot it was ''Torchwood'' and [that] it was science-fiction". She found the climax of the episode "heartbreaking". | |||
* The episode was filmed alongside ''[[Adam (TV story)|Adam]]'' as part of Block 1 of production. It was originally intended to be the fourth episode transmitted. | |||
* [[Anthony Lewis]] described the wind machine used as "the biggest wind machine I've ever seen in my life". He comments that the intensity of the wind machine and the lighting enabled an "instant-made reaction" from himself and [[Naoko Mori]]. [[Andy Goddard]] added that his first assistant director was "instrumental in gearing up all the extras into a frenzy". | |||
=== Ratings === | === Ratings === | ||
