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191) PLANET OF THE OOD

19 April 2008

Viewing Figure: 7.5M

Plot

On the Ood-Sphere the Ood are turning rabid and  The Doctor and Donna discover a horrible secret about Ood Operations

Cast

David Tennant (The Doctor), Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), Tim McInnerny (Mr Halpen), Ayesha Dharker (Solana Mercurio)

Adrian Rawlins (Dr Ryder), Roger Griffiths (Commander Kess), Paul Clayton (Mr Bartle), Paul Kasey (Ood Sigma), Tariq Jordan (Rep)

Silas Carson (Voice of the Ood)

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Uncredited Cast

Ruari Mears, Jon Davey (Ood), Tony Gibbons (Sale Rep #2), John Walker, Mark Cunningham, Ian Cunningham, Kwabena Amponsa

Thomas Oxenham, David Ulett, Shelby Williams, David Cordingley (Male Sales Reps), Emma Rogers, Jayne Lutwyche, Kenesha Brown

Helen Roberts (Female Sales Rep), Mike Freeman, Carl Watson, Andrew Mitchell, Geraint Jones, Eddy Martin (A Guards)

Gerard Morgan (Guard), Marcus Hobbs, Nigel Hobbs, Jason Ingram, Luke Postians (K Guards), Andy Jones, Richard Tunesi, Adam Sweet

Scott Baker, Ian Hildtich, Iestyn Bryn Jones, Claudio Laurini, Joe White, Sean Saye, Mat Doman, Kevin Hudson, Jeremy Harvey

David Stock, Peter Symonds (Ood), Ruari Mears (Rabid Ood), Mark Kelly (A Guard), Ruari Mears, Claudio  Laurini, Richard Tunesi

Adam Sweet, Kevin Hudson, Jon Davey, Sean Saye, Peter Symonds, Mat Doman, Scott Baker, Jeremy Harvey (Natural Ood) 

Crew

Keith Temple (Writer), Phil Collinson (Producer), Graeme Harper (Director), Gareth Williams (1st Assistant Director)

Jennie Fava (2nd Assistant Director), Sarah Davies (3rd Assistant Director), Jonathan Allott (Location Managers)

Rhys Griffiths (Unit Manager), Jess van Niekerk (Production Co-ordinator), Debi Griffiths (Asst Production Co-ordinator)

Kevin Myers (Production Secretary), Nicola Brown (Production Runner), Andy Newbery (Floor Runner)

Bethan Britton (Contracts Assistant), Sheila Johnston (Continuity), Lindsay Alford (Script Editor), Steven Hall (Camera Operator)

Steve Rees (Focus Pullers), Jon Vidgen (Camera Assistant), John Robinson (Grip), Jeff Welch, Bryn Thomas (Boom Operators)

Mark Hutchings (Gaffer), Peter Chester (Best Boy), Abbi Collins (Stunt Co-ordinator), Stephen Nicholas (Chief Sup Art Director) 

Jonathan Allison (Art Dept Production Manager), Arwel Wyn Jones (Supervising Art Director), James North (Associate Designer)

Anna Coote (Art Dept Co-ordinator), David Morison (Set Decorator), Christina Tom (Props Buyer) 

Ciaran Thompson (Standby Art Director), Peter McKinstry (Design Assistant), Shaun Williams (Storyboard Artist)

Phill Shellard, Nick Murray (Standby Props), Will Pope (Standby Carpenter), Ellen Woods (Standby Painter)

Keith Freeman (Standby Rigger), Paul Aitken (Property Master), Matthew Wild (Dressing Chargehand), 

Barry Jones (Senior Props Maker), Penny Howarth (Props Maker), Matthew Hywel-Davies (Construction Manager)

Mark Hill (Workshop Manager), BBC Wales Graphics (Graphics), Lindsay Bonaccorsi (Costume Supervisor)

Rose Goodhart (Asst Costume Designer), Barbara Harrington, Louise Martin (Costume Assistants)

Pam Mullins, Steve Smith, John Munro (Make-Up Artists), Andy Brierley (Casting Associate), Ceres Doyle (VFX Editor)

Chris Blatchford, Samantha Hall (Post Production Supervisors), Marie Brown (Post Prod Co-ordinator), Ben Ashmore (SFX Co-ordinator)

Paul Kelly (SFX Supervisor), Neill Gorton (Prosthetics Designer), Rob Mayor (Prosthetics Supervisor)

Pete Hawkins (On Set Prosthetics Supervisor), Sarah Lockwood, Justin Pickethly, Victoria Bancroft (Prosthetics Technicians)

Matthew Clarke (Online Editor), Mick Vincent (Colourist), Bruce Magroune, Sam Lucas, Will Pryor, Nicholas Hernandez

Jean-Claude Deguara, Jeff North, Chris Tucker (3D Artists)

Simon C Holden, Sara Bennett, Loraine Cooper, Murray Barber (2D Artists), Simon Wicker, Alex Fort (Matte Painters)

Jenna Powell, Rebecca Johnson (VFX Co-ordinators), Marianne Paton (VFX Production Assistant), Barney Curnow (VFX Supervisor) 

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

Paul Jefferies (Sound FX Editor), with thanks to the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Ron Grainer (Original Theme Music)

Andy Pryor CDG (Casting Director), Julie Scott (Production Executive), Oliver Ager (Production Accountant)

Julian Howarth (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)

Rory Taylor (Director of Photography), Debbi Slater (Production Manager), Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner (Executive Producers)  

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Uncredited Crew

Simon Morris, Debbi Slater (1st Assistant Director), Heddi Jot Taylor, Anna Evans (Floor Runners), Kath Blackman (Contracts Assistant)

Penny Shipton (Focus Puller), Tom Hartley, Alia Bianco, Adam Lincoln (Camera Assistants), Dai Hopkins (Grip), Jason Devlin (Boom Operator)

Al Roberts, Sarah Payne (Design Assistants), Alan Dix (Stanby Carpenter), Phil Lyons (Property Master)

Nick Robatto, Jon Grundon (Props Makers), Caroline Thorpe, Sheenagh O'Maragh, Andi Mears, Gemma Evans, Simon Markes

Ali Kedge (Costume Assistants), Amy Rogers (Casting Associate), Jon Moore, Lauren Welman, Helen Walker, Carlie Bluett

Jess Moore (Prosthetics), Mark Bright (Online Editor), Ray Parker, Simon Koelmeyer (Sound Recordists)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Upper Boat Studios, Trefforest

  • Trefil Quarry, Trefil, Tredegar, Gwent

  • Twin Peaks Hangar, DARA, RAF St Athan, Barry

  • Aberthaw Cement Works, Barry

  • Hynix Building, Celtic Way, Imperial Way, Newport

  • Johnsey Estates, Mamhilad Park Ind Estate South, Pontypool

  • Hensol Castle, Hensol

Deaths

  • Solana Mercurio [killed by an Ood translation ball]

  • Dr Ryder [sucked into the Ood brain]

  • Commander Kess [gassed to death]

  • Mr Bartle [killed by an Ood translation ball]

  • Rep [killed by an Ood translation ball]

  • Sales Reps [killed by Ood translation balls]

  • Ood Delta 50 [shot and dies in the snow]

  • Rapid Ood [gunned down by Soldiers]

  • Ood [shot dead by Soldiers]

  • Soldiers [killed in many ways by the Ood]

Production Days

  • 15 Days between Tuesday 21 August - Friday 16 November 2007

76) THE ARK IN SPACE

Production Errors

  1. When pouring hair tonic on the Ood Brain, Halpen's glass is empty, when Halpen is finished, his glass is full 

  2. Ood Delta Fifty can be seen taking a deep breath after dying â€‹

Working Titles

  • [no known working titles]

Verdict

An overtly beautiful production incorporating themes and issues of slavery and the oppression over a species lower than one’s own. Each character represents a different aspect to slave trade, Halpen is the greedy, businessman who is only interested in money and the exploitation of the Ood, Kess is the brutal overseer who enjoy hurting and torturing the slaves, Solana is the delusional company worker who acts like everything is fine and Dr. Ryder is the insider who attempts to get the inside scoop. Wonderful CGI works creates gorgeous wintery alien landscapes which contrast heavily with the harsher and darker tone the episode soon takes. The battle sequences are almost reminiscent of the various Earth wars and represents the imminent danger that slavery will bring. The backing songs embody the devastating affects which slavery brings and adds to the Ood’s character development. The Ood are stronger, they are not just your ordinary slavery species but are all-around developed characters who provide some very amusing slight gags and wonderfully crafted scenes. Donna continues to develop as a strong character with her compassionate attitude towards the Ood to her stern talking nature when faced in difficult situations. A beautiful production which is the only the beginning of what is to come. *****​

Number of Production Days: 5

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