196) MIDNIGHT
14 June 2008
Viewing Figure: 8.05M
Plot
Whilst on a trip across Midnight an unknown identiy possess a passenger and begins to repeat everything everyone says
Cast
David Tennant (The Doctor), Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), Billie Piper (Rose Tyler), Lesley Sharp (Sky Silvestry), Rakie Ayola (Hostess)
David Troughton (Professor Hobbes), Ayesha Antoine (Dee Dee Blasco), Lindsey Coulson (Val Crane), Daniel Ryan (Biff Cane)
Colin Morgan (Jethro Crane), Tony Bluto (Driver Joe), Duane Henry (Mechanic Claude)
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Uncredited Cast
Michael Green (Waiter)
Crew
Russell T Davies (Writer), Phil Collinson (Producer), Alice Troughton (Director), Gareth Williams (1st Assistant Director)
Jennie Fava (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 (Asst Production Co-ordinator), Lisa Hayward, Kath Blackman (Contracts Assistants), Non Eleri Hughes (Continuity)
Helen Raynor (Script Editor), Julian Barber, Joe Russell (Camera Operators), Steve Rees, Duncan Fowlie (Focus Pullers)
John Robinson (Grip), Tom Hartley (Camera Assistant), Jeff Welch (Boom Operator), Mark Hutchings (Gaffer), Peter Chester (Best Boy
Steve Slocombe, Clive Johnson, Ben Griffiths (Electricians), Crispin Layfield (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), Amy Pope (Art Dept Co-ordinator)
Tim Dickel (Set Decorator), Catherine Samuel (Props Buyer), Ciaran Thompson (Standby Art Director), Al Roberts (Design Assistant)
Shaun Williams (Storyboard Artist), Phill Shellard, Nick Murray (Standby Props), Will Pope (Standby Carpenter)
Ellen Woods (Standby Painter), Keith Freeman (Standby Rigger), Phil Lyons (Property Master), Matt Wild (Dressing Chargehand)
Barry Jones (Senior Props Maker), Penny Howarth (Props Maker), Matthew Hywel-Davies (Construction Manager)
Allen Jones (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), Samantha Hall, Chris Blatchford (Post Production Supervisors)
Marie Brown (Post Prod Co-ordinator), Ben Ashmore (SFX Co-ordinator), Danny Hargreaves (SFX Supervisor)
Matthew Clarke, Mark Bright (On Line Editors), Mick Vincent (Colourist), Jean Claude Deguara, Nicolas Hernandez
Bruce Magroune (3D Artists), Sara Bennett, Bryan Bartlett, James Etherington, Lyndall Spagnoletti, Adriano Cirulli (2D Artists)
Alex Fort (Matte Painter), Jenna Powell, Rebecca Johnson (VFX Co-ordinators), 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 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), Philip Kloss (Editor)
Edward Thomas (Production Designer), Ernie Vincze BSC (Director of Photography), Peter Bennett (Production Manager)
Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner (Executive Producers)
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Uncredited Crew
Eleri Wyn (Continuity), Jon Vidgen (Camera Assistant), Bryn Thomas (Boom Operator), Peter McKinstry, Sarah Payne (Design Assistants)
Paul Aitken (Property Master), Nick Robatto, Jon Grundon (Props Maker), John Pinkerton (Construction Manager)
Gemma Evans (Costume Assistant), Amy Rogers (Casting Associate)
Broadcast
Filming Locations
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Upper Boat Studios: Studio 6, Trefforest
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Dylan's Health Spa, Celtic Manor Resort, Coldra Woods, Usk Valley, Newport
Deaths
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Sky Silvestry [possessed by the Midnight identity]
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Hostess [turned to dust under Midnight's sun]
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Driver Joe [turned to dust under Midnight's sun]
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Mechanic Claude [turned to dust under Midnight's sun]
Production Days
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11 Days between Tuesday 27 November - Tuesday 11 December 2007
Production Errors
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The Doctor extends his sonic screwdriver twice when turning off the entertainment equipment
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When The Hostess apologies for the entertainment breaking a boom mic operator is reflected in the glass behind her
76) THE ARK IN SPACE
Working Titles
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[no known working titles]
Verdict
Nothing but perfection from an excellent script from Davies and the small cast of characters. Another trip to an alien planet makes for an incredible eerie, claustrophobic tale where a group of humans are standard and defenceless as a deadly world which can kill them lurks just beyond the walls. The episode finally allows foley sounds to be the star of the show which can make the simple act of knocking one of the most chilling sounds ever. An original, spooky villain again inspired from everyday human activity makes for an uneasy encounter even for the clueless Doctor who has no idea what he is dealing with. Unlike the Racnoss the Midnight identity proves that not all strong villains need to move and throw everything about to make a presence. Sometimes the most powerful ones are those in which are confined to a small space. The story is full of surprises and hold your breath moments resulting in a fast-paced story and a climatic ending. One of the all-time strongest. Perfect forty-five minutes and all-around perfect episode which is perfect in every way. *****​
Number of Production Days: 5