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The Hungry Earth (TV story): Difference between revisions
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=== Literature from the real world === | === Literature from the real world === | ||
* The book, which [[Mo Northover]] reads to [[Elliot Northover|Elliot]] is ''[[The Gruffalo]]''. | * The book, which [[Mo Northover]] reads to [[Elliot Northover|Elliot]] is ''[[The Gruffalo]]''. | ||
* Elliot quotes [[Sherlock Holmes]]: "When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." | * Elliot quotes [[Sherlock Holmes]]: "When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." At the time, [[Steven Moffat]] was developing ''[[Sherlock (series)|Sherlock]].'' | ||
=== Technology === | === Technology === | ||
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* The working title for this episode was ''The Ground Beneath Their Feet''. ([[REF]]: ''[[The Brilliant Book 2011]]'') | * The working title for this episode was ''The Ground Beneath Their Feet''. ([[REF]]: ''[[The Brilliant Book 2011]]'') | ||
* Despite the press release saying that the story would take place in 2015, it actually took place in 2020. It may have been changed due to some events of the previous episode happening in (a dream version of) 2015. | * Despite the press release saying that the story would take place in 2015, it actually took place in 2020. It may have been changed due to some events of the previous episode happening in (a dream version of) 2015. | ||
* The visor's different scanning types are reminiscent of the helmets used by the aliens in the ''Predator'' film series. Also when Matt Smith moves his hand when looking through the heat scanning glasses, there is the same "swish" sound heard when the Predator changes scanning type. | * The visor's different scanning types are reminiscent of the helmets used by the aliens in the ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predator_(film) Predator]'' film series. Also when Matt Smith moves his hand when looking through the heat scanning glasses, there is the same "swish" sound heard when the Predator changes scanning type. | ||
* [[Matt Smith]] celebrated his twenty-seventh birthday during the filming of this episode. | * [[Matt Smith]] celebrated his twenty-seventh birthday during the filming of this episode. | ||
* Amy and Rory see future versions of themselves in 2020 from a distance, seemingly revisiting their past adventure and watching their past (current, from a series perspective) selves. However, time is altered at the end of ''[[Cold Blood (TV story)|Cold Blood]]'', and only Amy is seen at a distance in that episode. | * Amy and Rory see future versions of themselves in 2020 from a distance, seemingly revisiting their past adventure and watching their past (current, from a series perspective) selves. However, time is altered at the end of ''[[Cold Blood (TV story)|Cold Blood]]'', and only Amy is seen at a distance in that episode. | ||
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* In ''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)|Doctor Who and the Silurians]],'' another tribe of Silurians had gone into hibernation, intending to be revived 50 years later (before being destroyed). That episode was made in 1970 (with an unclear setting due to the [[UNIT dating controversy]]) and this episode was set exactly 50 years later in 2020. | * In ''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)|Doctor Who and the Silurians]],'' another tribe of Silurians had gone into hibernation, intending to be revived 50 years later (before being destroyed). That episode was made in 1970 (with an unclear setting due to the [[UNIT dating controversy]]) and this episode was set exactly 50 years later in 2020. | ||
* For the scene in which Amy is dragged underneath the ground, [[Karen Gillan]] stood on boxes and lowered herself into a stone compartment. Two pieces of rubber were at the opening of the compartment which expanded as she lowered herself down. A layer of soil was spread across the rubber; Gillan's ears were taped over to make sure the soil did not enter her ears. Gillan, initially scared at performing the stunt, put some of her fear and claustrophobia into the scene as she expected Amy felt the same way. | * For the scene in which Amy is dragged underneath the ground, [[Karen Gillan]] stood on boxes and lowered herself into a stone compartment. Two pieces of rubber were at the opening of the compartment which expanded as she lowered herself down. A layer of soil was spread across the rubber; Gillan's ears were taped over to make sure the soil did not enter her ears. Gillan, initially scared at performing the stunt, put some of her fear and claustrophobia into the scene as she expected Amy felt the same way. | ||
* [[Steven Moffat]] dispensed with the Silurians' third eye, which he felt was now associated with [[Davros]]. In its place, [[Chris Chibnall]] conceived the whiplike tongue with which the new Silurians could poison their enemies. | * [[Steven Moffat]] dispensed with the Silurians' third eye, which he felt was now associated with [[Davros]]. In its place, [[Chris Chibnall]] conceived the whiplike tongue with which the new Silurians could poison their enemies. | ||
* The completed episode had a running time of sixty minutes, requiring over fifteen minutes of footage to be removed to fit its broadcast slot. Much was originally made of the fact that the Discovery Drilling Project was under pressure from its financial backers to reach greater depths more quickly. | * The completed episode had a running time of sixty minutes, requiring over fifteen minutes of footage to be removed to fit its broadcast slot. Much was originally made of the fact that the Discovery Drilling Project was under pressure from its financial backers to reach greater depths more quickly. | ||
* One | * Originally, it was these armadillo-like dinosaurs who were responsible for the abductions, and the holes in the ground were their routes to the surface. One reason for their inclusion was to allow the Silurians to remain unseen until the end of the episode, much like how ''Doctor Who and the Silurians'' had delayed the creatures' first appearance until its third episode. However, it soon became clear that the budget would not accommodate both computer animation for the Armasaurs and the sophisticated prosthetics necessary for the Silurians. As a result, the Armasaurs were dropped and the humans would instead be snared by bioprogrammed quicksand. To provide the episode with a more tangible threat, Alaya's introduction would now occur earlier in the narrative. | ||
* A [[deleted scene]] depicted Amy discussing with the Doctor how she had seen herself with Rory ten years in the future, and if that would really happen. | * A [[deleted scene]] depicted Amy discussing with the Doctor how she had seen herself with Rory ten years in the future, and if that would really happen. | ||
* [[Steven Moffat]] chose [[Chris Chibnall]] to write this two-parter based on the strength of the episodes he wrote for ''[[Torchwood (series)|Torchwood]]'' - "[[Adrift (TV story)|Adrift]]", "[[Fragments (TV story)|Fragments]]" and "[[Exit Wounds (TV story)|Exit Wounds]]". | * [[Steven Moffat]] chose [[Chris Chibnall]] to write this two-parter based on the strength of the episodes he wrote for ''[[Torchwood (series)|Torchwood]]'' - "[[Adrift (TV story)|Adrift]]", "[[Fragments (TV story)|Fragments]]" and "[[Exit Wounds (TV story)|Exit Wounds]]". | ||
* For research, [[Chris Chibnall]] read ''[[Doctor Who and the Cave-Monsters (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Cave Monsters]]'' and watched the original serial, noting the freedom that [[Malcolm Hulke]] took with the novel in things he could not have done in the television format. | * For research, [[Chris Chibnall]] read ''[[Doctor Who and the Cave-Monsters (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Cave Monsters]]'' and watched the original serial, noting the freedom that [[Malcolm Hulke]] took with the novel in things he could not have done in the television format. | ||
* [[Chris Chibnall]] considered bringing back the [[Sea Devil]]s, but decided that doing two races of monster was much tougher and the story was "so clearly about the Silurians and what the Silurians want". | * [[Chris Chibnall]] considered bringing back the [[Sea Devil]]s, but decided that doing two races of monster was much tougher and the story was "so clearly about the Silurians and what the Silurians want". It was quickly agreed that their involvement would be an unnecessary complication, but the design of the Silurian weapons would echo those seen in ''[[The Sea Devils (TV story)|The Sea Devils]]''. Chibnall would later bring them back in ''[[Legend of the Sea Devils (TV story)|Legend of the Sea Devils]].'' | ||
* Two of the Silurian names were corruptions of ''Doctor Who'' personnel Malohkeh for [[Malcolm Hulke]] and Restac for [[Terrance Dicks]]. | * Two of the Silurian names were corruptions of ''Doctor Who'' personnel Malohkeh for [[Malcolm Hulke]] and Restac for [[Terrance Dicks]]. | ||
* [[Robert Pugh]] would later play Craster on ''[[Game of Thrones]]''. [[Matt Smith]] would later play Daemon Targaryen on the prequel series ''[[House of the Dragon]]''. | * [[Robert Pugh]] would later play Craster on ''[[Game of Thrones]]''. [[Matt Smith]] would later play Daemon Targaryen on the prequel series ''[[House of the Dragon]]''. | ||
* To help convey the distinct personalities of the different Silurians, [[Chris Chibnall]] recommended prosthetics which would allow much of the performer's facial features to remain visible. He also wanted to avoid any form of vocal modulation, as had previously been used for Silurian dialogue. | |||
* The drilling plot was inspired by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kola_Superdeep_Borehole Kola Superdeep Borehole], a Russian scientific project begun in [[1970]] on the Kola Peninsula near the [[Norway|Norwegian]] border. It eventually reached a depth of more than twelve kilometres in [[1989]], before falling victim to budgetary shortfalls after the demise of the [[Soviet Union]]; the drilling permanently ceased in [[1995]], and the project as a whole was abandoned in [[2008]]. | |||
* Other elements dropped from the adventure included the Silurians animating tree roots in the graveyard to drag people into the ground. This was intended to be the mechanism via which the Doctor and Nasreen travelled to the Silurian city, before [[Chris Chibnall]] realised that it would be simpler if they just used the TARDIS. | |||
* Restac was originally male. The change in gender led to her and Alaya being played by the same actress. | |||
* [[Ashley Way]] had previously directed six episodes of ''[[Torchwood (series)|Torchwood]],'' including ''[[Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (TV story)|Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang]]'' and ''[[Exit Wounds (TV story)|Exit Wounds]],'' both of which were written by [[Chris Chibnall]]. | |||
* This two-parter formed Block Four of season five. | |||
* [[Chris Chibnall]], having enjoyed when the Doctor and his companion were separated, made the decision for Amy to be absent for most of the episode. [[Steven Moffat]] also thought that, at the point in the middle of the series, it was appropriate to show the Doctor behave differently with other people. | |||
* With the absence of Amy, [[Chris Chibnall]] thought that Nasreen became a "de facto companion". | |||
* [[Meera Syal]] had been a fan of the series since childhood and had been trying to secure a role in the show since its revival in 2005 and was pleased when she received it. | |||
* [[Meera Syal]] described her character as "a very high-up, innovative geologist" who became good friends with the Doctor as the two admired each other's passion. | |||
* [[Danny Hargreaves]] of [[Real SFX]] took advantage of an existing mechanics' pit to create the quicksand effect. | |||
* [[Steven Moffat]] wanted the Silurians to be "completely different". They were intended to be a different branch of the same species, and so the original Silurians still existed. | |||
* [[Chris Chibnall]] wrote for the redesigned Silurians to be beautiful and it was intended for the redesign to capture the actors' features and allow them to give stronger performances and differentiate themselves. Chibnall believed that it complemented the theme in the two-parter about how the humans and Silurians were alike and different. | |||
* Due to the expensive prosthetics needed, extra Silurians wore face masks which prevented the need for every actor portraying a Silurian to receive the facial prosthetics. | |||
=== Ratings === | === Ratings === | ||
