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DOCTOR WHO SERIES TWO
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APRIL-JULY 2006
(aka DOCTOR WHO SEASON 28)
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DOCTOR WHO - Episode 9 - THE SATAN PIT
09 - THE SATAN PIT (Part 2)
 
"...This is the darkness. This is my domain.
You little things that live in the light, clinging to your
feeble suns, which die, in the end..."

PLOTLINE

The Doctor takes Rose to an alien world, at the darkest limits of creation. But what is the secret with The Bore? What is mined? Who is in charge of the mine? What are the Ood?

EPISODE NINE REVIEW

Like Christmas Day, often waiting for the event is better than the actual day itself. Expectation eclipsing reality.

Would it be the same for THE SATAN PIT ? Could it live up to THE IMPOSSIBLE PLANET presentation?

In my best garrulous, overly exaggerated Tenth Doctor impersonation; "Oh, yes! Bring it on."

Even the re-cap pre-title sequence made the heart race, the mouth immediately desiccate and the palms pour with sweat. Saturday night has not been as exciting, thrilling and absorbing since, well, the week before.

Much of the comments stated in the review for the previous episode can be attributed this, and so, without repeating the obvious, this will be truncated.

The direction (James Strong) continued to be as strong as the previous episode but the music score was notched up another level. It seemed at times, and this is not a criticism, that THE SATAN PI T echoed STAR WARS - THE RETURN OF THE SITH . Listen to the music as the Doctor berates the Beast and match the music cues from that movie. It was not blatant plagiarism but a skilled composer finding the most appropriate tone (or appropriation of discord 'stings') for the scenes. It would seem eminently sensible (and commercially viable) that Murray Gold's scores should be released onto CD in the future.

The manifestation of the Beast could have been a disappointment, delivering a mediocre representation of the 'devil'. However, the Mill's CGI flesh and blood stretched across a strained sinew, muscle and bone was inspiring and truly awesome. Each and every time it thrust forward, the strain on its body was balanced and measured that begged the question, "it has to be an actor in the rubber suit!" More chilling that than was the mocking laugh as the Doctor realised its true nature. Fantastic.

Unfortunately, the CGI objective view of the planet was less successful. The view of the Sanctuary Base built on the planet with the black hole cowering in the distance seemed flat, with a lack of defined scale. STAR TREK always adopted a "fly-pass" approach to establishing a planet setting, and I think that such a device should be encouraged in DOCTOR WHO (remember how successful the "fly-pass" in ROSE was?). Probably, time and money?

Re-viewing THE SATAN PIT you see an episode of two definitive halves. The first being the escape from the Ood, and the second being the resolution/escape from the planet. Equally strong, equally resilient for the viewer to be absorbed by. The classic DOCTOR WHO corridor chase took a sideways step, taking the hunt within 'maintenance shafts'. Suitably claustrophobic, the cinematography was superb as was the demise Security Officer, John Jefferson (who, you must admit, you thought was going to be the episode's 'baddie'?). The panning shot toward the character as he accepts his fate (at the 'globe' of the hunting Ood) was haunting. Sadly, the cutaways to Zane and Rose's group reduced the impact of the 'suicide'. It would have reinforced this series' theme of 'love and loss' if the editing had kept the focus on Jefferson to the point that Zane released the vacuum.

Sometimes, less is more.

My only criticism is the continuing, ramming-it-down-your-throat eulogies by the Doctor about humanity that harkens back to the McCoy seasons. It's wearing a bit thin, now. It was impressive and refreshing when Eccleston spoke in defence of "these stupid apes" but after nearly 20 episodes the Doctor was to move on. Viewers have the message by now.

And Tennant doesn't do it as well as Eccleston. More CROSSROADS than BLEAK HOUSE ?

Billie Piper, criticised on DOCTOR WHO fan forums for "spoiling every scene she is in", continues to impress this viewer. Her apprenticeship seems complete, impressively steering the embattled Sanctuary Base crew to resourceful solutions. Throughout two series she has been feisty but here, perhaps the for first time, she was commanding. Her denouement was justly deserved, saving the universe (and Earth) from the threat for the 'devil'.

BEAST: I shall never die! The thought of me is forever! In the bleeding hearts of men, in their vanity and obsession and lust! Nothing shall ever destroy me! Nothing!

ROSE (armed): Got to hell!

As for the ending, a RAC-style rescue by the 'good ship' TARDIS was as far-fetched as we could ever go, and it was exquisite and would have viewers (young and old alike) cheering from the sofa across the country. As did the closing remarks. Pure DOCTOR WHO and purely appropriate (as this was Billie Piper's final filmed moments for the series).

IDA SCOTT (to the Doctor and Rose): You two.who are you?

THE DOCTOR: Ahh. The stuff of legends.

It is difficult to see DOCTOR WHO being better, more enjoyable, thought provoking and professionally produced than THE SATAN PIT(and THE IMPOSSIBLE PLANET).

A distillation of talent and a passion to deliver entertainment not just for one Saturday night but also for decades to come.

This is the benchmark, and whilst future episode may match it they will not supersede it.

 

EXTRA

DOCTOR WHO FOLKLORE: The Doctor mentions that there are more "religions than planets", and listed a few: The Arkiphets, Quoldonity. Christianity, Pash-Pash, New Judaism, San Claar, The Church of the Tin Vagabond.

DOCTOR WHO FOLKLORE: The Doctor states that the myth of the horned beast is versed throughout the universe, listing civilisations that have the imagery burned into their folklore; Earth, Draconia, Vel Consadine, Daemos, and adds "the Kaled God of War".

DOCTOR WHO FOLKLOREE: Whether glib or not, the Doctor says that his race, Time Lords, first created Black Holes.

DOCTOR WHO FOLKLORE: The Cloister Bell (first heard in 1981's LOGOPOLIS) is heard during this episode.

ERROR: The atmospheric suits worn by the Doctor and Ida Scott seem to have 'open legged' trousers.

ERROR: Whilst the Doctor is suspended in the Pit, the cable seems to be very slack as it leads from the winch to the lip of the seal. We can only assume that the Doctor has been on a Slim-Fast diet or gravity within the pit is nominal for humanoids.






















Review - Matthew Walter
EOH RATING

4/5 RATING

DOCTOR WHO - THE IMPOSSIBLE PLANET by Matt Jones
DOCTOR WHO - THE IMPOSSIBLE PLANET Directed by James Strong
CAST
THE DOCTOR
David Tennant
ROSE TYLER
Billie Piper
TOBY ZED
Will Thorp
MR JOHN MAYNARD JEFFERSON
Danny Webb
VOICE OF THE BEAST
Gabriel Woolf
ZACHERY CROSS FLANE
Shaun Parkes
DANNY BARTOCK
  Ronny Jhutti
SCOOTI MANISTA
  MyAnna Buring
IDA SCOTT
  Claire Rushbrook
THE OOD
  Paul Kasey
VOICE OF THE OOD
  Silas Carson
PRODUCTION CREW
 
1st ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Jan Older
2nd ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Steffan Morris
3rd ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Lynsey Muir
LOCATION MANAGERS
Lowri Thomas
Gareth Skelding
UNIT MANAGER
Justin Gyphion
PROD.
CO-ORDINATOR
Jess van Niekerk
PRODUCTION / SCRIPT SECRETARY
Claire Roberts
PRODUCTION RUNNERS
Debbie Meldrum
A/PROD. ACCOUNTANTS
Debi Griffiths
Kath Blackman
Bonnie Clissold
CONTINUITY
Llinos Wyn Jones
SCRIPT EDITOR
Simon Winstone
CAMERA OPERATOR
Julian Barber
FOCUS PULLERS
Marc Isaac
GRIP
 
BOOM OPERATOR
  Jeff Welch
Rhydian Yeoman
GAFFER
  Mark Hutchings
BEST BOY
  Peter Chester
STUNT
CO-ORDINATOR
  Peter Brayham
STUNT PERFORMERS
  Dean Foster
Kim McCarrity
Maurice Lee
SUPERVISING ART DIRECTOR
  Stephen Nicholas
ART DEPT PRODUCTION MANAGER
  Jonathgan Marquand Allison
STAND-BY ART DIRECTOR
  Nick Burnell
ASST SUPERVISING ART DIRECTOR
  James North
DESIGN ASSISTANTS
  Matthew Savage
Ben Austin
STANDBY PROPS
  Phil Shellard
STANDBY CARPENTER
  Silas Williams
STANDY RIGGER
   
SET DECORATOR
  Julian Luxton
PROPERTY MASTER
  Adrian Anscombe
PRODUCTION BUYER
  Catherine Samuel
PROPS STOREMAN
  Stuart Wooddisse
SPECIALIST PROP MAKER
  Mark Cordory
PROP MAKER
  Penny Howarth
CONSTRUCTION MANAGER
  Matthew Hywel-Davies
GRAPHICS
  BBC Wales Graphics
COSTUME ASSISTANT
  Lindsay Bonaccorsi
Barbara Harrington
MAKE-UP ARTISTS
  Anwen Davies
Steve Smith
Moira Thomson
CASTING ASSOCIATE
  Andy Brierley
ASSISTANT EDITOR
  Ceres Doyle
POST PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
  Chris Blatchford
Samantha Hall
POST PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR
  Marie Brown
ON LINE EDITOR
  Matthew Clarke
COLOURIST
  Mick Vincent
3D VFX ARTISTS
  Chris Petts
Paul Burton
Jean-Claude Deguara
Nicolas Herhandez
Andy Howell
Matthew McKinney
Neil Roche
Chris Tucker
Mark Wallman
Nicj Webber
2D VFX ARTISTS
  Sara Bennett
David Bowman
Melissa Butler-Adams
Joseph Courtis
Bronwyn Edwards
Michael Harrison
Simon C Holden
Russell Horth
DIGITAL MATT PAINTER
  Alex Fort
VISUAL EFFECTS CO-ORDINATOR
  Kim Phelan
DUBBING MIXER
  Tim Ricketts
SOUND EDITORS
  Paul McFadden
Doug Sinclair
SOUND FX EDITOR
  Paul Jefferies
     
With thanks to the BBC National Orchestra of Wales
   
ORIGINAL THEME MUSIC
  Ron Grainer
CASTING DIRECTOR
  Andy Pryor CDG
PRODUCTION ACCOUNTANT
  Endaf Emry Williams
SOUND RECORDIST
  Simon Fraser
COSTUME DESIGNER
  Louise Page
MAKE-UP DESIGNER
  Sheelagh Wells
MUSIC
  Murray Gold
VISUAL EFFECTS
  THE MILL
VISUAL FX PRODUCER
  Will Cohen
VISUAL FX SUPERVISOR
  Dave Houghton
SPECIAL EFFECTS
  ANY EFFECTS
PROSTHETICS
  Neill Gorton and Millennium Effects
EDITOR
  Llana del Giudice
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
  Edward Thomas
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
  Ernie Vincze BSC
PRODUCTION MANAGER
  Tracie Simpson
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
  Helen Vallis
   
PRODUCER
  Phil Collinson
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
  Mal Young
Julie Gardner
Russell T Davies
DIRECTOR
  James Strong
  Produced by
BBC WALES
WRITER
  Matt Jones
     
INFORMATION
BROADCAST DATE
10 June 2006
 
REPEATED DATE
  11 June 2006
     
FIRST RUN UK RATINGS (millions)
6.08 (35.6% audience share)
 
DVD RELEASE
July 2006

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