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162) THE LONG GAME

7 May 2005

Viewing Figures: 8.01M

Plot

The Doctor, Rose and Adam arrive on Satellite Five in the year 200,000 where somebody or something is manipulating the news

Cast

Christopher Eccleston (The Doctor), Billie Piper (Rose Tyler), Bruno Langley (Adam), Colin Prockter (Head Chef)

Christine Adams (Cathica), Anna Maxwell-Martin (Suki), Simon Pegg (The Editor), Tasmin Greig (Nurse), Judy Holt (Adam's Mum)

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Uncredited Cast

Andrew Whitlock, Daniel Harling, John Griffiths, Samantha Varne, Chantelle Johnson, Ian Griffiths (Drones)

Grianne Joughin, Chloe Swift, Jamila Akhar, Toby Sperring, Phillip Myles, Darren Clarke (Spike Room Journos)

Crew

Russell T Davies (Writer), Phil Collinson (Producer), Brian Grant (Producer), Gareth Williams (1st Assistant Director)

Steffan Morris (2nd Assistant Director), Dan Mumford (3rd Assistant Director), Lowri Thomas (Location Manager)

Llyr Morus (Unit Manager), Jess van Niekerk (Production Co-ordinator), Debi Griffiths, Kath Blackman (A/Production Accountants)

Pam Humphreys (Continuity), Elwen Rowlands (Script Editor), Martin Stephens (Camera Operator), Mark Isaac (Focus Puller)

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

Lee Sheward (Stunt Co-ordinator), Gwenllian Llwyd (Art Department Co-ordinator), Bryan Hitch (Concept Artist)

Catherine Samuel (Production Buyer), Liz Griffiths (Set Decorator), Stephen Nicholas (Supervising Art Director)

Julian Luxton (Standby Art Director), Adrian Anscombe (Property Master), Andrew Smith (Construction Manager)

Phil Shellard, Trystan Howell (Standby Props), Jenny Bowers (Graphic Artist), Yolanda Peart-Smith (Wardrobe Supervisor)

Linda Davie (Make-Up Supervisor), Claire Pritchard, Steve Williams (Make-Up Artists), 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, Astrid Busser-Casas, Jennifer Herbert, Alberto Montanes (2D VFX Artists), Chris Petts

Jean-Claude Deguara, Andy Howell, Mark Wallman, Nick Webber (3D VFX Artists), Alexander Fort (Digital Matte Painter)

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 (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), MTFX (Special Effects), Millennium Effects (Prosthetics), John Richardson (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)

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Uncredited Crew

Richard Muller, Brian Grant (Camera Operators), Terry Bartlett (Focus Puller), Steve Jones (Grip), Rhydian Yoeman (Boom Operator)

Peter Thornton (Director of Photography)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Unit Q2, Imperial Way, Newport

  • Old BT Building, Pendwyallt Road, Coryton

Deaths

  • Suki [killed by the Jagrafess and reanimated as a drone]

  • The Editor [killed when The Jagrafess explodes]

  • The Jagrafess [explodes due to mass heat]

Production Days

  • 13 days between Tuesday 30 November - Wednesday 15 December 2004

Production Errors

  1. After discovering the bodies on Floor 500, Suki drops her flashlight, but she is still holding it in the next shot

  2. Why would Cathica want to be promoted to Floor 500, when the floor has an infamous reputation where anyone who goes up there, is never heard from again?

  3. Why would Cathica says 'you should have promoted me years back' to the Editor after discovering the horrible truth behind Floor 500? Did she not see the bodies and Suki horrible fate?

Working Titles

  • The Companion who Couldn't 

Verdict

Although weak in story and anything exciting, the plot is and continues to be very topical today. A world where Journalists don't ask questions and the human race is nothing, but a herd of animals seems almost too real. The world of Satellite Five is chaotic, but could have been so much more enjoyable. The set designs are marvellous are a real delight and achievement for Edward Thomas and his team. The cinematography is spot on with the sharp red and orange lighting for Floor 139 emphasising the amount of heat on the floor. To the cold, sinister and spine-chilling blue lighting for Floor 500 highlighting the cold and terrible nature of dark secrets held in the shadows. Simon Pegg, Christine Adams and Anna-Maxwell Martin provide brilliant performances while Christine Adams is a good contender for best female guest star of the series. The Jagrafess, despite having an impressive name, is underwhelming with its design and execution. The CGI again glows with effort and imagination, but the result probably needed one more 'rewrite'. The story also raises some questionable scenes that don't quite make sense. The idea of Cathica wanting to get promoted to Floor 500 despite knowing that everyone else who has gone there has never returned seems questionable. The motivation of Adam sending information back to his home in 2012 was lost in rewrites for the episode. A deleted scene involved Adam telling Rose that his Dad has arthritis and Adam ultimately thinks a cure might have been found by the year 200,000. Rose informs Adam that he can't take any cure back. This would have worked so much better, to explain Adam's actions. The weird jump-cut at the end and predictable ending don't give this story the ending it deserved. The FX Shot's of Satellite Five hovering over Earth and in front of the sun are wonderfully drawn and executed. Not terrible or bad it's just this episode could have been so much more. ***

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