top of page

192) THE SONTARAN STRATAGEM/THE POISON SKY

26 April - 3 May 2008

Viewing Figure: 7.06M/6.53M

Plot

Martha calls The Doctor back to Earth to help UNIT investigate ATMOS a deadly weapon created by the deadly Sontarans

Cast

David Tennant (The Doctor), Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), Freema Agyeman (Martha Jones), Billie Piper (Rose Tyler)

Bernard Cribbins (Wilfred Mott), Jacqueline King (Sylvia Noble), Ryan Sampson (Luke Rattigan)

Rupert Holliday Evans (Colonel Mace), Christopher Ryan (General Staal), Dan Starkey (Commander Skorr)

Eleanor Matsuura (Jo Nakashima), Clive Standen (Private Harris), Wesley Theobald (Private Gray), Christian Cooke (Ross Jenkins)

Rad Kaim (Worker), Meryl Fernandes (Female Student), Leeshon Alexander (Male Student), Bridget Hodgson (Captain Price)

Kirsty Walk (Herself), Lachele Carl (US Newsreader), Elizabeth Ryder (Atmos Voice)

​

Uncredited Cast

Andrew Slade, Jon Davey (Workers [in corridor]), Ruari Mears (Body in Gloop), Jack Steed (Lieutenant Skree), Ryan Nichols, Trevor Kirkwood

Ibrahim Khalil, Alan Glet, David Sullivan, Robert Narlock, Nick Kellington, Christopher Reynalds, Jag Kabir (Sontarans)

Crew

Helen Raynor (Writer), Susie Liggat (Producer), Douglas McKinnon (Director), Sontarans created by Robert Holmes

Fracesco Reidly (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)

Kevin Myers (Production Secretary), Debi Griffiths (Asst Production Co-ordinator), Nicola Brown (Production Runner)

Heddi Joy Taylor (Floor Runner), Non Eleri Hughes (Continuity), Nikki Smith (Script Editor), James Moss (Camera Operator) 

Steve Rees (Focus Pullers), Tom Hartley (Camera Assistant), John Robinson (Grip), Jeff Welch (Boom Operator)

Mark Hutchings (Gaffer), Peter Chester (Best Boy), Tom Lucy (Stunt Co-ordinator), Alisa Berk (Choreographer)

Stephen Nicholas (Chief Sup Art Director), Jonathan Marquand Allison (Art Dept Production Manager)

Arwel Wyn Jones (Supervising Art Director), James North (Associate Designer), Amy Pope (Art Department Co-ordinator)

Joelle Rumbelow (Set Decorator), Sue Jackson Potter (Props Buyer), Alexander Merchant (Standby Art Director)

Al Roberts, Peter McKinstry (Design Assistants), Shaun Williams (Storyboard Artist), Phill Shellard, Nick Murray (Standby Props)

Will Pope (Standby Carpenter), Ellen Woods (Standby Painter), Keith Freeman (Standby Rigger)

Phil Lyons, Paul Aitken (Property Masters), Barry Jones (Senior Props Maker), Nick Robatto, Penny Howarth (Props Makers) 

Albert James (Practical Electrician), Matthew Hywel-Davies (Construction Manager), John Whalley (Scenic Artist)

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, Amy Rodgers (Casting Associates), Ceres Doyle (VFX Editor)

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

Danny Hargreaves (SFX Supervisor), Neill Gorton (Prosthetics Designer), Rob Mayor (Prosthetics Supervisor)

Martin Rezard (On Set Prosthetics Supervisor), Jo Glover, Lotta Hagvist, Helen Rowe, Lenny Sant, Sarah Lockwood, Lauren Welman

Helen Walker, Fiona Walsh, Jen Latour (Prosthetics Technicians), Matthew Clarke, Mark Bright (Online Editors)

Mick Vincent (Colourist), Jeff North, Matt McKinney, Serena Cacciato, Nick Webber, Andy Guest, Chris Tucker (3D Artists)

Sara Bennett, Julie Nixon, Simon C Holden, Russell Horth, Arianna Lago, Murray Barber (2D Artists), Simon Wicker (Matte Painter)

Jenna Powell, Rebecca Johnson (VFX Co-ordinators), Marianne Paton (VFX Production Assistant), Tim Barter (On Set VFX Supervisor)

Tim Ricketts (Dubbing Mixer), Paul McFadden (Supervising 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), Julie Scott (Production Executive), Oliver Ager (Production Accountant)

Brian Milliken (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), Mike Hopkins (Editor), Edward Thomas (Production Designer)

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

 

Uncredited Crew

Simon Morris, Sarah Davies (1st Assistant Director), Roger Thomas (2nd Assistant Director), Gareth Skelding (Location Manager)

Phil Weeson, Sian Warrilow (Floor Runners), Suzannah Binding (Continuity), Ian Clarke (Camera Operator), Penny Shipton, Ant Hugill

Anna James (Focus Puller), Jon Vidgen, Richard Swingle (Camera Assistants), Dave Holliday, Steve Pugh (Grip), Bryn Thomas, Kevin Staples

Richard Brooks (Boom Operator), Christina Tom (Props Buyer), Nick Murray (Standby Art Director), Sarah Payne (Design Assistant)

Neal Ruck (Standby Rigger), Jon Grundon (Props Maker), John Pinkerton (Scenic Artist), Sara Morgan, Sheegan O'Maragh, Andi Mears

Gemma Evans, Simon Markes (Costume Assistants), Morgan Smith, Cathy Davies (Make-Up Artists), Jon Moore, Sarah Lockwood

Lauren Welman, Helen Walker, Fiona Walsh, Jen Latour (Prosthetics), Julian Howarth, Ray Parker, Richard Dyer (Sound Recordist)

Ernie Vincze, Roger Pearce, Sian Ellen Palfrey (Director of Photography), Peter Bennett (Production Manager)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Margam Country Park, Margam, Port Talport

  • Usk Valley Business Park, Pontypool, Torfaen

  • Nant-Fawr Road, Cyncoed, Cardiff

  • Orion Electric (UK), Kenfig Industrial Estate, Margam, Port Talport

  • Upper Boat Studios: Studio 5, Trefforest

  • Roath Basin, ABP, Cardiff Docks

  • Upper Boat Studios, Trefforest

Deaths

  • Luke Rattigan [blown up with Sontaran ship]

  • General Staal [blown up with Sontaran ship]

  • Commander Skorr [shot dead by Colonel Mace]

  • Jo Nakashima [drowned when her car crashes into water]

  • Private Harris [shot dead by Commander Skorr]

  • Private Gray [shot dead by Commander Skorr]

  • Ross Jenkins [shot dead by Commander Skorr]

  • Lieutenant Skree [blown up with Sontaran ship]

  • Sontarans [shot, killed in ATMOS factory or blown up with Sontaran ship]

  • UNIT Soldiers [shot dead by various Sontarans]

  • Martha Jones Clone [dies when 'disconnected' from Martha Jones]

76) THE ARK IN SPACE

Production Days

  • 29 Days between Tuesday 24 October 2007 - Friday 29 February 2008

Production Errors

  1. Towards the end of The Poison Sky, the Sontaran's weapon are targeted on the Earth. However when the Sontaran ship is destroyed all weapons are closed 

  2. During the warehouse battle, when The Doctor says 'Hold on, I'm Coming', the film crew can be seen reflected in a door towards the right of the screen 

  3. When Colonel Mace confronts Commander Skorr, he raises his gun twice in the same scene 

  4. When Luke Rattigan teleports onto the Sontaran ship, he catches the detonation twice, in the same scene

​

Working Titles

  • [no known working titles]

Verdict

A strong two-part story which excel in setting up the main themes and issues of the story but falls short on a few areas to become an instant classic. The Sontarans are brought back in style with a new looks and costumes whilst staying true to their roots. This marks the first time where UNIT are properly used, investigating suspected alien activity with a new wannabe knockoff Brigadier who is not that strong as a leader. The cliched child genius makes another appearance, thank goodness Luke does not have a twin, who is used properly to the story’s narrative and never gets in the way or become inevitably annoying. The pollution and emissions storyline unlike Gridlock brings a devastating reality for everyday life on Earth and the Sontarans are used in a smooth manner. Whilst The Poison Sky is a little underwhelming than The Sontaran Stratagem the script is tightly written with plenty of time for a few side lines and characters. A great two parter which uses one of the most memorable monsters from the classic series invigorated in new ways which are perfect for the twenty-first century. Robert Holmes would be proud. ****​

Number of Production Days: 5

bottom of page