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159) THE UNQUIET DEAD

9 April 2005

Viewing Figure: 8.86M

Plot

In Cardiff 1869 gaseous aliens called, The Gelth are inhabiting the bodies of recently deceased

Cast

Christopher Eccleston (The Doctor), Billie Piper (Rose Tyler), Alan David (Gabriel Sneed), Huw Rhys (Redpath), Jennifer Hill (Mrs Peace)

Eve Myles (Gwyneth), Simon Callow (Charles Dickens), Wayne Cater (Stage Manager), Meic Povey (Driver), Zoe Thorne (Gelth)

Uncredited Cast

Harry Damsell, Owain Rodderick, John Richardson, Nigel Starke, Alan Dorrington, Julian Bosley, Caroline Axworthy

Mary Cox, Nadine Brown (Zombies)

Crew

Mark Gatiss (Writer), Phil Collinson (Producer), Euros Lyn (Director), Lloyd Elis (1st Assistant Director)

Steffan Morris (2nd Assistant Director), Dan Mumford (3rd Assistant Director), Clive Evans (Location Manager)

Emma Reid (Unit Manager), Pamela Joyce (Production Co-ordinator), Debi Griffiths, Kath Blackman (A/Production Accountants)

Non Eleri Hughes (Continuity), Helen Raynor (Script Editor), Mike Costelloe, Martin Stephens (Camera Operators)

Steve Lawes, Mark Isaac (Focus Pullers), Anna James, David Jones (Camera Assistants), John Robinson (Grip)

Damian Richardson (Boom Operator), Mark Hutchings (Gaffer), Peter Chester (Best Boy), Lee Sheward (Stunt Co-ordinator)

Lucy Allan (Stunt Performer), Gwenllian Llwyd (Art Department Co-ordinator), Bryan Hitch (Concept Artist),

Catherine Samuel (Production Buyer), Peter Walpole (Set Decorator), Stephen Nicholas (Supervising Art Director)

Arwel Wyn Jones (Standby Art Director), Patrick Begley (Property Master), Phill Shellard, Adrian Anscombe (Standby Props)

Andrew Smith (Construction Manager), Jenny Bowers (Graphic Artist), Yolanda Peart-Smith (Wardrobe Supervisor)

Linda Davie (Make-Up Supervisor), Sarah Wilson, Claire Pritchard (Make-Up Artists), Kirsty Robertson (Casting Associates)

Ceres Doyle (Assistant Doyle), Marie Brown (Post Production Supervisor), Matthew Clarke (Online Editor), Kai van Beers (Colourist)

Sara Bennett, Jennifer Herbert, Simon C Holden, Alberto Montanes, Astrid Busser-Casas, David Bowman (2D VFX Artists)

Chris Tucker, Chris Petts (3D VFX Artists), Tim Ricketts (Dubbing Mixer), Paul McFadden (Dialogue Editor)

Paul Jefferies (Sound FX Editor), Richard Pugsley (Finance Manager), Ron Grainer (Original Theme Music)

Andy Pryor CDG (Casting Director), Endaf Emyr Williams (Production Accountant), Ian Richardson (Sound Recordist)

Lucinda Wright (Costume Designer), Davy Jones (Make-Up Designer), Murray Gold (Music), The Mill (Visual Effects)

Will Cohen (Visual FX Producer), Dave Houghton (Visual FX Supervisor), Any Effects (Special Effects), Millenium FX (Prosthetics)

John Richards (Editor), Edward Thomas (Production Designer), Ernie Vincze BSC (Director of Photography)

Tracie Simpson (Production Manager), Helen Vallis (Associate Producer), Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner, Mal Young (Executive Producers)

Uncredited Crew

Alex Mercer (3rd Assistant Director), Terry Bartlett (Focus Puller), Rhil Edward (Sound Recordist), Peter Thornton (Director of Photography)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • New Theatre, Park Place, Cardiff

  • Cambrian Place, Maritime Quarter, Swansea Marina

  • Beaufort Arms Court, Monmouth

  • Church Street, Monmouth

  • St Mary's Street, Monmouth

  • UNIT Q2, Imperial Way, Newport

  • Headlands School, St Augustine's Road, Penarth

Deaths

  • Gabriel Sneed [throttled and murdered by the Gelth]

  • Redpath [neck snapped by the Gelth]

  • Gwyneth [killed when she allows the Gelth to ascent onto the world]

  • Gelth [blown up when Gwyneth lights a match]

Production Days

  • 14 days between Sunday 19 September - Friday 22 October 2004

Production Errors

  1. When the lid of his coffin is taken off, Redpath reacts, when he is supposed to be dead

  2. During the theatre scenes when The Doctor and Rose encounter the Gelth, an electric light switch can be seen

Working Titles

  • Charles Dickens

Verdict

Mark Gatiss' script is full of alluring scenes, admirable acting and amazing special effects. A small cast of characters, a simple yet brilliantly written  plot results in good entertaining drama leaving viewers wanting more. Billie Piper gives one of her best performances while battling the harsh realities of time travel. Her strong nurtured personality, even in the most impossible scenarios, makes her a likable heroine. Huw Rees and Jennifer Hill are both little gems in this spooky ghost story with very few lines and screen time. They pour everything they have into their relatively small parts and never lets this bring their performances down. Alan David is very energetic with his role while the talented Eve Myles shines as the poor, unfortunate and strong Gwyneth. Her final scene as she sacrifices herself is a series highlight. Simon Callow's portrayal of Charles Dickens is realistic, and his reaction after hearing about his books lasting a lifetime can bring a happy yet sad smile to someone's face. The character relationship with The Doctor is indeed strong, but maybe some small minor rewrites would have made it stronger. The moral dilemma concerning aliens using bodies of the recently departed as to save their species although both structured well and acted superbly leaves the episode as quickly as it entered. A beautiful ending which could only end in one way finishes this ghost story up nicely and ends the best episode set in the past in the first series. ****

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