top of page

184) 42

19 May 2007

Viewing Figure: 7.4M

Plot

The Doctor and Martha land on a spaceship that has just 42 minutes before it crashes into the sun in the Torajii System

Cast

David Tennant (The Doctor), Freema Agyeman (Martha Jones), Michelle Collins (Kath McDonnell), Adjoa Andoh (Francine Jones)

William Ash (Riley Vashtree), Anthony Flanagan (Orin Scannell), Matthew Chambers (Korwin McDonnell), Gary Powell (Dev Ashton)

Vinette Robinson (Abi Lerner), Rebecca Oldfield (Erina Lessak), Elize Du Toit (Sinister Woman)

​

Uncredited Cast

David Cordingley, Bernie Hodges (Henchmen), Joshua Hill (Countdown Voice), Adrian Walker (Double for Hal Korwin)

Crew

Chris Chibnall (Writer), Phil Collinson (Producer), Graeme Harper (Director), Gareth Williams (1st Assistant Director)

Steffan Morris (2nd Assistant Director), Sarah Davies (3rd Assistant Director), Gareth Skelding (Location Manager)

Rhys Griffiths (Unit Manager), Jess van Niekerk (Production Co-ordinator), Kevin Myers (Production Secretary)

Debi Griffiths (Production Assistant), Lowri Denman, Heddi Joy Taylor (Floor Runner), Bethan Britton (Contracts Assistant)

Non Eleri Hughes (Continuity), Simon Winstone (Script Editor), Roger Pearce (Camera Operator), Steve Rees (Focus Pullers)

John Robinson (Grip), Jeff Welch (Boom Operator), Mark Hutchings (Gaffer), Peter Chester (Best Boy)

Abbi Collins (Stunt Co-ordinator), Kevin Welch (Wires), Stephen Nicholas (Chief Supervising Art Director)

Jonathan Marquand Allison (Art Dept Production Manager), Matthew North (Art Dep Co-ordinator)

Adrian Anscombe (Chief Props Master), Arwel Wyn Jones (Supervising Art Director), James North (Associate Designer)

Julian Luxton (Set Decorator), Lee Gammon (Standby Art Director), Ian Bunting, Al Roberts, Peter McKinstry, (Design Assistants)

Shaun Williams (Storyboard Artist), Phill Shellard, Nick Murray (Standby Props), Paul Jones (Standby Carpenter)

Ellen Woods (Standby Painter), Bryan Griffiths (Standby Rigger), Phil Lyons (Property Master), Ben Morris (Props Buyer)

Gareth Jeanne (Props Chargeman), Albert James (Practical Electrician), Matthew Hywel-Davies (Construction Manager)

Allen Jones (Construction Chargehand), BBC Wales Graphics (Graphics), Marie Orminston (Assistant Costume Designer)

Lindsay Bonaccorsi (Costume Supervisor), Sheenagh O'Marah, Kirsty Wilkinson (Costume Assistants)

Pam Mullins Steve Smith, John Munro (Make-Up Artists), Andy Brierley, Kirsty Robertson (Casting Associates)

Ceres Doyle (VFX Editor), Tim Hodges (Assistant Editor), Samantha Hall, Chris Blatchford (Post Production Supervisors)

Marie Brown (Post Production Co-ordinator), Matthew Clarke (On Line Editor), Mick Vincent (Colourist)

Nicholas Hernandez, Jean-Claude Deguara, Nick Webber, Andy Guest (3D Artists), Sara Bennett, Russell Horth

Bryan Bartlett, Joseph Courtis, Tim Barter, Adam Rowland (2D Artists), Rebecca Johnson, Jenna Powell (VFX Co-ordinators)

Barney Curnow (On Set VFX Supervisor), Tim Ricketts (Dubbing Mixer), Paul McFadden (Supervising Sound Editor)

Doug Sinclair (Sound Editor), Paul Jefferies (Sound FX Editor), Chris Rogers (Finance Manager)

with thanks to the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Ron Grainer (Original Theme Music), Andy Pryor CDG (Casting Director)

Julian Scott (Production Executive), Endaf Emyr Williams (Production Accountant), Ron Bailey (Sound Recordist)

Louise Page (Costume Designer), Barbara Southcott (Make-Up Designer), Murray Gold (Music), The Mill (Visual Effects)

Will Cohen, Marie Jones (Visual FX Producers), Dave Houghton (Visual FX Supervisor), Any Effects (Special Effects)

Will Oswald (Editor), Edward Thomas (Production Designer), Ernie Vincze BSC (Director of Photography)

Patrick Schweitzer (Production Manager), Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner (Executive Producers)  

​

Uncredited Crew

Paul Bennett, Anna Evans, Vicky Wheel (3rd Assistant Director), Antonia Grant (Location Manager), Ron Nicholls (Grip)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Upper Boat Studios, Trefforest

  • St Regis Paper Company, Sudbrook Mill, Caldicot, Monmouthshire

  • Old NEG glass site, Trident Park, Glass Avenue, Cardiff Bay

  • Cwrt-y-Vil Road, Penarth

Deaths

  • Kath McDonnell [ejected in space and falls into the Troajii Sun]

  • Korwin McDonnell [infected by the Troajii sun]

  • Dev Ashton [infected by the Troajii sun]

  • Abi Lerner [incinerated by a possessed Korwin McDonnell]

  • Erina Lessak [incinerated by a possessed Korwin McDonnell]

Production Days

  • 19 Days between Monday 15 January - Tuesday 13 March 2007

Production Errors

  1. As Martha takes off her jacket, it seems that she's wrapping it around the waist, then the jacket vanishes

76) THE ARK IN SPACE

Working Titles

  • [no known working titles]

Verdict

Your classic spaceship under threat with an alien menace possessing a member of the crew. Essentially the plot is very similar to Planet of Evil where a group of explorers meddle with something they do not understand and suffer the consequences of their actions. The episode is cleverly written in real time where the forty-two minutes before the spaceship crashes into the sun play out at the same speed as the episode length. Not something you often see in the show, so Chibnall must be praised for it. A very aesthetic pleasing story with the hot red cinematography and visual effects to keep the red-hot feel of the story going. The plot is basic but does know when to slow down and think and breath. The plot is full of twists and turns and surprises which keep the mind from wandering from the various plot points. A small cast matches well with the limited resources and an enjoyable episode is created. ****​

Number of Production Days: 5

bottom of page