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160) ALIENS OF LONDON/WORLD WAR THREE

16 - 23 April 2005

Viewing Figures: 7.63/7.98M

Plot

When a spaceship collides with Big Ben, The Doctor discovers a race of baby faced aliens are planning to destroy the world

Cast

Christopher Eccleston (The Doctor), Billie Piper (Rose Tyler), Camille Coduri (Jackie Tyler), Corey Doabe (Spray Painter)

Ceris Jones (Policeman), Jack Tralton (Tom Hitchingson), Lachele Carl (Trinity Wells), Fiesta Mei Ling (Ru), Basil Chung (Bau)

Matt Baker (Himself), Andrew Marr (Himself), Rupert Vansittart (General Asquith), David Verrey (Joseph Green)

Navin Chowdhry (Indra Ganesh), Penelope Wilton (Harriet Jones), Annette Badland (Margaret Blaine), Naoko Mori (Dr Sato)

Eric Potts (Oliver Charles), Noel Clarke (Mickey Smith), Jimmy Vee (Space Pig), Steve Speirs (Strickland)

Elizabeth Fost, Paul Kasey, Alan Ruscoe (Slitheen), Morgan Hopkins (Sergeant Price), Roderick Mair (Dead Prime Minister)

Crew

Russell T Davies (Writer), Phil Collinson (Producer), Keith Boak (Director), George Gerwitz (1st Assistant Director)

Steffan Morris (2nd Assistant Director), Dafydd Parry (3rd Assistant Director), Clive Evans, Lowri Thomas (Location Managers)

Dathyl Evans (Production Co-ordinator), Debi Griffiths, Kath Blackman  (A/Production Accountants), Sian Prosser (Continuity)

Elwen Rowlands (Script Editor), Mike Costelloe, Martin Stephens (Camera Operators), Steve Lawes, Mark Isaac (Focus Pullers)

John Robinson (Grip), Damian Richardson (Boom Operator), Mark Hutchings (Gaffer), Peter Chester (Best Boy)

Rod Woodruff (Stunt Co-ordinator), Gwenllian Llwyd (Art Department Co-ordinator), Bryan Hitch (Concept Artist)

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

Julian Luxton (Standby Art Director), Patrick Begley (Property Master), Andrew Smith (Construction Manager)

Adrian Anscombe, Phill Shellard (Standby Props), Jenny Bowers (Graphic Artist), Yolanda Peart-Smith (Wardrobe Supervisor)

Linda Davie (Make-Up Supervisor), Sarah Wilson (Make-Up Artist), Kirsty Robertson (Casting Associate)

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

David Bowman, Simon C Holden, Michael Harrison, Bronwyn Edwards (2D VFX Artists), Chris Petts, Jean-Claude Deguara

Andy Howell, Mark Wallman, Porl Perrott, Paul Burton (3D VFX Artists), Mike Tucker (Model Unit Supervisor)

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 ISound 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)

Millennium Effects (Prosthetics), Mike Jones (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 Producer)

​

Uncredited Crew

Euros Lyn (Director), Stuart Renfrew, Jonathan Leather (1st Assistant Director), Sean Clayton (2nd Assistant Director), Jeanette Bevan

James DeHaviland, Dan Mumford (3rd Assistant Director), Llyr Morris (Location Manager), Warwick Drucker, Jim Wilkinson (Grip)

Peter Thornton (Director of Photography)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Cardiff Royal Infirmary, Newport Street, Newport

  • John Adam Street, London

  • Victoria Embankment, London

  • Whitehall/Parliament Street, London

  • Brandon Estate, Kennington, London

  • Lower Dock Street, Newport

  • Hensol Castle, Hensol

  • UNIT Q2, Imperial Way, Newport

  • BBC Broadcasting House, Cardiff

  • Channel View Flats, Cardiff

  • Model Unit Stage, Kendal Avenue, London

  • Television Centre: Studio 4

  • Studio 1, Culverhouse Cross, Cardiff

  • West Bute Street, Cardiff

  • Loudoun Square, Bute Street, Cardiff

Deaths

  • General Asquith [killed by Jocrassa Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen]

  • Indra Ganesh [killed by Blon Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen]

  • Space Pig [shot down by a Soldier]

  • Alien Experts [electrouced by their ID cards]

  • Sip Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen [explodes after being covered in vinegar]

  • Slitheen Family [killed when a harpoon hits 10 Downing Street]

Production Days

  • 44 days between Sunday 18 July - Wednesday 24 November 2004

Production Errors

  1. When Jackie slaps The Doctor across the face, she clearly misses, the slap was achieved via sound effects

  2. The clocks faces of Big Ben are evidently the wrong way when the Slitheen Ship crashes into it  

  3. Even though Big Ben is destroyed by a massive alien spaceship, the famous landmarks sit works. When the spaceship crashes into Big Ben, the time reads 10:55, and later on it reads 6:10 during the news broadcast

  4. When Mickey arrives at the party, the news channel is still running in the background. However, the newsreader clearly says, 'its falls to Harriet Jones to form an emergency government'. This hasn't happened yet

  5. There are some timing issues with the news report on the spaceship crash. Tom Hitchingson is standing by the Thames when he announces the discovery of an alien body, the channel changes to Blue Peter for about 30 seconds, when the TV changes back to the news report, Tom is in a completely different location 

  6. When the Tardis lands at Albion Hospital, the BAD WOLF graffiti has somehow disappeared. It subsequently returns when the Tardis returns to the Powell Estate

  7. When General Asquith Slitheen climbs out of its skin suit, its left arm should have hit Joseph Green, instead, it passes right through him. Its arm also passes through a desk

  8. During the shots which pan over London, Big Ben has been repaired, but in the next shot, the damage caused by the Slitheen spaceship has returned

  9. When Strickland Slitheen emerges from its skin suit, the blue flashing light appears to cast a shadow behind him. This is impossible because he was not standing in front of a mirror 

  10. When The Doctor seals himself, Rose, and Harriet inside the cabinet room, the metal doors descend up and down, however when the speaks to Margaret and closes them again, the doors descend from the left and right

Working Titles

  • [no known working titles]

Verdict

The first thing about this two-parter is there are far too many fart jokes and childish humour. Once you get past these somewhat repetitive plot-devices, the first two-part story of the revived series is suspenseful intriguing, heart-pounding and enjoyable all at the same time. With a two-part story, a big cast will always be necessary, and this doesn't disappoint. Camille Coduri begins to show promise as Jackie with more screen time and breathing spaces for her character to grow. Her shattered and scared personality of Rose's new-found direction in life finally allows Jackie to be an all-round polished character despite some line best described as bickering. Other supporting actors are also highlights. Annette Badland, Rupert Vansittart and David Verrey shine as the family Slitheen while Penelope Wilton is both enjoyable and likeable as Harriet Jones. Despite not being allowed to film inside 10 Downing Street, Hensol Castle makes for an incredible stand-in.  Every scene is full of busy extras giving the feeling of a busy place of work and politics. The CGI shots of the spaceship flying over London and its ultimate collision with Big Ben and landing in the Thames are excellently created. The skin-suits and the Space Pig, are other examples of the revived series bringing new technology and resources to the series and bringing it straight into the twenty-first century. The password to UNIT's site continually being the same, short, seven-letter password seems a little suspicious. While the resolution, although epic and cool that will probably delight younger viewers, gives the impression of a rushed script near the end. An excellent overall script, a new underrated but sometimes old and repetitive aliens, beautifully crafted scenes between Rose and Jackie make for an enjoyable watch any time anywhere. ****

 

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