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187a) UTOPIA

16 June 2007

Viewing Figure: 7.8M

Plot

At the end of the Universe draws, The Doctor discovers The Master is hiding in disguise as a human called, Professor Yana

Cast

David Tennant (The Doctor), Freema Agyeman (Martha Jones), John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness)

Derek Jacobi (Professor Yana/The Master), Chipo Chung (Chantho), Rene Zagger (Padra), Neil Reidman (Lieutenant Atillo)

Paul Marc Davies (Chieftain), Robert Forknall (Guard), John Bell (Creet), Deborah Maclaren (Kistane), Abigail Canton (Wiry Woman)

John Simm (The Master)

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Uncredited Cast

Ken Hosking, Chester Durrant, Ruari Mears, Jon Childs, Alan Wadlam, Kris Williams, Edd Fleming, Robert O'Neil, Mark Early

Rick Manning, Liam Taborn, Natelie Cuzner, Maddi Knibbs, Cath McGowan, Elen Thomas (Futurekind), Llyod Everitt, Owen Prentice

Ian Newbery, Robert Price, William Adrian (Guards), Kristian Arthur (Guard at Desk), Adrian Walker (Beltone), Oliver Hopkins (Jate), 

Crew

Russell T Davies (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 Managers)

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

Debi Griffiths (Production Assistant), Sian Eve Goldsmith (Production Runner), Wayne Humphreys, Malcolm Kearney (Drivers)

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), Clive Johnson, Ben Griffiths, Steve Slocombe (Electricians)

Abbi Collins (Stunt Co-ordinator), 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, Rob Dicks (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 (Props Master), Ben Morris (Props Buyer), Gareth Jeanne (Props Chargehand)

Albert James (Practical Electrician), Matthew Hywel-Davies (Construction Manager), BBC Wales Graphics (Graphics)

Marnie Orminston (Assistant Costume Designer), Lindsay Bonaccorsi (Costume Supervisor)

Sheenagh O'Marah, Kirsty Wilkinson (Costume Assistants), Pam Mullins Steve Smith, John Munro (Make-Up Artists)

Ben Ashmore (Special Effects Co-ordinator), Paul Kelly (Special Effects Supervisor)

Dan Bentley, Richard Magrin (Special Effects Technicians), Neill Gorton (Prosthetics Designer), Rob Mayor (Prosthetics Supervisor)

Pete Hawkins (On Set Prosthetics Supervisor), Anthony Parker (Prosthetics Technician)

Andy Brierley, Kirsty Robertson (Casting Associates), Ceres Doyle (VFX Editor), Tim Hodges, Matthew Mullins (Assistant Editors)

Chris Blatchford, Samantha Hall (Post Production Supervisors), Marie Brown (Post Production Co-ordinator)

Mark Bright (On Line Editor), Mick Vincent (Colourist), Nicholas Hernandez, Jean-Claude Deguara, Nick Webber

Paul Burton, Mark Wallman (3D Artists), Sara Bennett, Russell Horth,  Bryan Bartlett, Joseph Courtis, Tim Barter

Greg Spencer, Adam Rowland (2D Artists), Rebecca Johnson, Jenna Powell (VFX Co-ordinators), Alex Fort (Digital Matte Painter)

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

Doug Sinclair (Sound Editor), Paul Jefferies (Sound FX Editor), Kelly-Marie Angell (Foley Editor), Chris Rogers (Finance Manager)

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

Julie Scott (Production Executvie), Oliver Ager (Production Accountant), Ray Parker (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)

Millennium FX (Porspethics), 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

Richard Harris, Susie Liggat, Debbi Slater (1st Assistant Director), Jennie Fava (2nd Assistant Director)

Anna Evans, Vicky Wheel (3rd Assistant Director), Antonia Grant (Location Manager), Wyn Finney, Bob Tamlyn, Sean Evans (Drivers)

Stephen Hall (Camera Operator), Ant Hugill, Duncan Fowlie, Jamie Southcott, Barney Piercy (Focus Pullers), Ron Nicholls (Grip)

Lisa McDermid (Standby Art Director), Tristian Howell, Julia Challis (Standby Props), Gareth Thomas (Standby Carpenter)

Janene Little (Standby Painter), Keith Freeman (Standby Rigger), Gemma Evans, Charlie Mitchell, Andi Mears, Maire Jones

Babs Harrington (Costume Assistants), Ros Wilkins, Julie Davis, Sara Anghard, Kate Roberts, Clare Pritchard (Make-Up Artists)

Julia Howarth (Sound Recordist), Tracie Simpson (Production Manager)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Upper Boat Studios, Trefforest

  • Old NEG Glass Site, Trident Park, Glass Avenue, Cardiff Bay

  • Argoed Quarry, Llansannor nr Llanharry

  • Wenvoe Quarry, Cemex Uk Ltd, Wenvoe

  • Millennium Square, Bute Place, Cardiff Bay

Deaths

  • Chantho [electrouced by The Master]

  • Wiry Woman [gunned down by Guards]

  • Jate [evaporates into nothingness]

Production Days

  • 16 Days between Monday 15 January - Thursday 1 March 2007

76) THE ARK IN SPACE

Production Errors

  1. When Martha and The Doctor walk out the Tardis, it is briefly raining. This stops as they approach Captain Jack

Working Titles

  • [no known working titles]

Verdict

A promising idea from Russell T Davies which is never fully realised due it being the first half of the series finale. The episodes brings back The Master, the old rival of The Doctor. Okay, I guess that work to a certain degree. The brief appearance of The Master is sporadic. The setup is great, the Fob Watch, the burst of Time Lord energy and the meaning behind the Face of Boe’s dying words. The slow, moving, sly voiced Master played by Derek Jacobi is better than the hyperactive, child in a candy store direction that John Simm takes. The Master was always cunning and devious than dance around ‘I have Tardis Now’ personality which Simm uses. The plot almost works and could have stood out alone if it did not have to led into the series finale. The writing is brilliant but certain moments feel rather rushed. The End of the Universe concept has been done many times before but for once they actually show what it would look like. The Futurekind, believed to be evolved humans are your basic savage hunting tribe who wants to dine on flesh. On the whole Utopia does not really hold up to anything special and the least we hear of Chantho and her obsessive behaviour of Chan – Welcome – Tho the better. ***​

Number of Production Days: 5

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