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194) THE UNICORN AND THE WASP

17 May 2008

Viewing Figure: 8.41M

Plot

In 1926 The Doctor and Donna help solve a murder mystery with Agatha Christie as a giant wasp roams the area

Cast

David Tennant (The Doctor), Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), Fenella Woolgar (Agatha Christie), Felicity Kendal (Lady Eddison)

Tom Goodman-Hill (Reverend Golightly), Christopher Benjamin (Colonel Hugh), Felicity Jones (Robina Redmond)

Adam Rayner (Roger Curbishley), David Quilter (Greeves), Daniel King (Davenport), Ian Barritt (Professor Peach)

Leena Dhingra (Miss Chandrakala), Charlotte Eaton (Mrs Hart)

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Uncredited Cast

Sandy McDonald (Footman), Charlotte Ellis, Samantha Hunt (Kitchen Maids), Damien Mantoulan (Christopher)

Robert Price, Stephen Barrett (Rough Lads)

Crew

Gareth Roberts (Writer), Susie Liggat (Producer), Graeme Harper (Director), Gareth Williams (1st Assistant Director)

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

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

Kevin Myers (Production Secretary), Wayne Humphreys, Darren Lean (Drivers), Beth Britton (Contracts Assistant)

Sheila Johnston (Continuity), Lindsay Alford (Script Editor), Steven Hall (Camera Operator), Steve Rees, Duncan Fowlie (Focus Pullers)

Jon Vidgen, Tom Hartley (Camera Assistants), 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), Barry Jones (Senior Props Maker), Jon Grundon (Props Makers)

Albert James (Practical Electrician), Matthew Hywel-Davies (Construction Manager), Scott Fisher (Construction Chargehand)

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), Carmen Roberts (Assistant Editor)

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

Paul Kelly (SFX Supervisor), Matthew Clarke, Mark Bright (Online Editors), Mick Vincent (Colourist)

Nicolas Hernandez, Jean Claude Deguara, Neil Roche, Sam Lucas (3D Artists), Russell Horth, Sara Bennett, Arianna Lago

James Moxon, Julie Nixon, Murray Barber (2D Artists), 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), Kelly-Marie Angell (Foley Editor)

Chris Rogers (Finance Manager), with thanks to the BBC National Orchestra of WalesRon 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), Debbi Slater (Production Manager)

Edward Thomas (Production Designer), Rory Taylor (Director of Photography)

Phil CollinsonRussell T Davies, Julie Gardner (Executive Producers)  

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Uncredited Crew

Simon Morris (1st Assistant Director), Guy de Glanville (2nd Assistant Director), Lowri Denman (3rd Assistant Director), Kevin Kearns

Graham Huxtable, Dragon TaxisGreg Jolly, Phil Cabbage, Jim King (Drivers), Kath Blackman (Contracts Assistant)

Roger Pearce (Camera Operator), Penny Shipton (Focus Pullers), Sarah Pratt, Adam Lincoln (Camera Assistants), Ron Nicholls (Grip)

Sarah Payne, Al Roberts (Design Assistants), Phil Lyons (Proeprty Master), Penny Howarth, Nick Robatto (Props Makers)

Andi Mears, Gemma Evans (Costume Assistants), Cathy Davies (Make-Up Artist)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Llansannor Court, Llansannor, Vale of Glamorgan

  • Tredegar Hosue, Newport

  • Upper Boat Studios, Trefforest

  • Pen-y-Lan Road, Michaelston Y Fedw, Newport

  • Cefn Mably Lakes, Cefn Mably

  • Hensol Castle, Hensol

Deaths

  • Reverend Golightly [dies in Vespiform form]

  • Roger Curbishley [stabbed by Reverend Golightly]

  • Professor Peach [killed by Reverend Golightly with a lead piping]

  • Miss Chandrakala [hit on the head with a gargoyle pushed by Reverend Golightly]

  • Rough Lads [killed by Reverend Golightly in Vespiform form before the story takes place]

Production Days

  • 14 Days between Wednesday 8 August - Friday 16 November 2007

Production Errors

  1. Fenella Woolgar and David Tennant lapse into their natural accents during the final scenes of the episodes â€‹

Working Titles

  • [no known working titles]

76) THE ARK IN SPACE

Verdict

Finally 'Doctor Who' can do a whodunnit right without giving away the murder straight up. Almost there is a certain camera shot just before the reveal so you could say the surprise is indeed ruined. A decently puts together period drama where The Doctor must find out who is a giant alien Wasp on a murdering rampage. The episode much like The Doctor’s Daughter gets viewers to be observant but this time everything plays out to the ultimate satisfying conclusion and climax. The script is witty with many of the lines being titles of future Agatha Christie’s books which shows Roberts is the perfect choice to write Doctor Who meets historical figures adventures. The cast is surprising good with many big named actors playing a sleuth of characters. Filming locations is reminiscent of many Agatha Christie novels and short stories, a country house where a murderer lies in wait to pounce. Light-hearted and often funny at times makes for an enjoyable watch. ****​

Number of Production Days: 5

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