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165) BOOM TOWN

4 June 2005

Viewing Figures: 7.68M

Plot

After surviving the Destruction of 10 Downing Street, Blon Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen plans to open the rift

Cast

Christopher Eccleston (The Doctor), Billie Piper (Rose Tyler), William Thomas (Mr Cleaver), Annette Badland (Margaret)

John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness) Noel Clarke (Mickey Smith), Mail Harries (Cathy), Aled Pedrick (Idris Hooper), Alan Ruscoe (Slitheen)

Crew

Russell T Davies (Writer), Phil Collinson (Producer), Joe Ahearne (Director), Howard Arundel (1st Assistant Director)

Steffan Morris (2nd Assistant Director), Dan Mumford (3rd Assistant Director), Gareth Lloyd (Location Manager)

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

Dorothy Friend (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), Kim McGarrity, George Cottle, Tina Maskell (Stunt Performers)

Gwenllian Llwyd (Art Department Co-ordinator), Bryan Hitch (Concept Artist), Joelle Rumbelow (Properties Buyer)

Catherine Samuel (Set Decorator), Stephen Nicholas (Supervising Art Director), David Morison (Standby Art Director)

Adrian Anscombe (Property Master), Andrew Smith (Construction Manager), Phill 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), Simon C Holden, Jennifer Herbert, Astrid Busser-Cases (2D VFX Artists)

Joel Meire, Matthew McKinney, Jean-Claude Deguarra (3D VFX Artists), Matthew Clarke (On Line Editor), Paul Harrison (Colourist)

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)

Any Effects (Special Effects), The Mill (Visual Effects), Millennium Effects (Prosthetics), Will Cohen (Visual FX Producer)

Dave Houghton (Visual FX Supervisor), Graham Walker (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

Dafydd Parry, Nick Brtiz, Rhys Summerhayes (3rd Assistant Directors), Joss Lowe (Camera Operator), Steve Davies, Terry Bartlet (Focus Puller)

Peter Eusebe, Jon Thomas, Rhydian Yeoman (Boom Operator)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Bistro 10, Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay

  • Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay

  • Glamorgan House, College Road, Cardiff

  • UNIT Q2, Imperial Way, Newport

  • Cardiff Railway Station, Cardiff

Deaths

  • Mr Cleaver [killed by Blon Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen]

Production Days

  • 12 days between Wednesday 19 January - Friday 18 February 2005

Production Errors

  1. A springboard can been behind the wheels of the cafeteria trolly just as Captain Jack is about to jump over it​​

Working Titles

  • The New Team

  • The Void

Verdict

Nothing much happens, and the story runs on a lack of energy from everyone involved. The surprise return of an old enemy should be a special occasion, but for this episode, not much can save it. While the story does raise a few philosophical and moral topics, they are thrown out of the story in a rushed matter. While Annette Badland shines again as Margaret, Billie Piper is not really on top form. Much like Jackie from 'Father's Day' her attitude towards Mickey makes it hard to feel sorry for her. Mickey is the real victim being nothing more than the comic relief to give viewers a laugh in a story which never gets going. Gorgeous night-time filming with a joyful and humble soundtrack give the narrative some positivity, but they don't last for long. The best part of the serial is the scene where the cunning and sly Margaret challenges the time travellers to look in her in the eye. The music with the main characters ultimately failing in their braveness shows that deep down they are not happy with the situation, nor are they indeed murderers. The scene where Margaret Slitheen is about to kill Cathy is powerful but doesn't explain why she didn't kill her. The simple statement of having a boyfriend, at this moment Margaret does not know that Cathy is pregnant, will never be enough to give Margaret a good enough excuse of not killing the young journalist. Unlike the Prime Minister, Indra Ganesh and Mr Cleaver, Cathy gets to live because she admits she has a fiancee. The episode is weakest in the first series which is impressive since the series managed to last for ten episodes without having a dud. **

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