225) THE DOCTOR, THE WIDOW, AND THE WARDROBE
25 December 2011
Viewing Figure: 10.77M
Plot
When Madge Arwell loses her husband during WW2, The Doctor attempts to give her children an unforgettable Christmas
Cast
Matt Smith (The Doctor), Claire Skinner (Mage Arwell), Karen Gillan (Amy Pond), Arthur Darvill (Rory), Maurice Cole (Cyril Arwell)
Holly Earl (Lily Arwell), Alexander Armstrong (Reg Arwell), Sam Stockman (Co-Pilot), Bill Bailey (Droxil), Paul Bazely (Ven-Garr)
Arabella Weir (Billis), Spencer Wilding (Wooden King), Paul Kasey (Wooden Queen)
Crew
Steven Moffat (Writer), Marcus Wilson (Producer), Farren Blackburn (Director), Crispin Layfield, Gordon Seed (Stunt Coordinators)
Will Willoughby, Tracy Caudle (Stunt Performers), Matthew Scrivener (1st Assistant Director)
James DeHaviland (2nd Assistant Director), Heddi-Joy Taylor-Welch (3rd Assistant Director)
Danielle Richards (Assistant Directors), Phillipa Cole (Production Manager), Claire Hildred (Production Coordinator)
Sandra Cosfield (Production Assistant), Rhys Evans (Asst Production Accountant), Caroline Henry (Script Executive)
Caroline Holder (Script Supervisor), Joe Russell (Camera Operator), Simon Wilton, Jonathan Vidgen (Focus Pullers)
Gary Norman (Grip), Owen Charnley (Assistant Grip), Tom Hartley, Rebecca Pescod, Owain Thatcher (Camera Assistants)
Paul Naughton (Boom Operator), Abdul Amoud (Sound Assistant), Mark Hutchings (Gaffer), Stephen Slocombe (Best Boy)
Gafin Riley, Gareth Sheldon, Matt Wilson (Electricians), Iwan Roberts (Location Manager), Rhys Griffiths (Unit Manager)
Beccy Jones (Location Assistant), Karl Probert (Art Director), Dan Martin (Assistant Art Director)
Ben Morris (Art Dept Production Runner), Adrian Anscombe (Set Decorator), Lizzi Wilson (Props Buyer)
Sophia Stapleton (Standby Art Director), Bernie Davies (Props Master), Mathew Tooher (Props Chargehand)
Michael Elkins, Austin J Curtis, Tom Belton (Prop Hands), Phill Shellard, Helen Atherton (Standby Props), Christina Tom (Graphic Artist)
Richard Hardy (Art Department Assistant), Holly McCarthy (Petty Cash Buyer), Will Pope (Standby Carpenter)
Bryan Griffiths (Standby Rigger), John Whalley, Steven Fudge (Standby Painters), Penny Howarth, Nicholas Robatto (Props Makers)
Albert James (Practical Electrician), Scott Fisher (Construction Manager), Brian Jones (Construction Chargehand)
BBC Wales Graphics (Graphics), Rebecca Duncan (Costume Supervisor)
Gemma Evans, Claire Polydorou, Lloyd Middleton (Costume Assistants), Vivienne Simpson, Julie Simpson (Make-Up Artists)
Alice Purser (Casting Associate), Becky Torman (Assistant Editor), Joel Skinner (VFX Editor)
Additional Visual Effects: BBC Wales Graphics, Space Digital, Marie Brown (Post Production Co-ordinator)
Tim Ricketts (Dubbing Mixer), Darran Clements (Dialogue Editor), Matt Cox (ADR Editor), Paul Jefferies (Sound Effects Editor)
Jamie Talbutt (Foley Editor), Mick Vincent (Colourist), Mark Bright (On-line Conform), Matt Mullins, Jeremy Lott (Online Editor)
with thanks to the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, orchestrated by Ben Foster, conducted and additional orchestrations by
Jeremy Holland-Smith, mixed by Jake Jackson, recorded by Gerry O'Riordan, Ron Grainer (Original Theme Music)
Andy Pryor CDG (Casting Director), Julie Scott (Production Executive), Nerys Davies (Post Production Supervisor)
Richard McNeill (Production Accountant), Robert Flanagan (Sound Recordist), Edward K Gibbon (Costume Designer),
Barbara Southcott (Make-Up Designer), Murray Gold (Music), The Mill (Visual Effects), Real SFX (Special Effects)
Prosthetics (Millennium FX), Tim Porter (Editor), Michael Pickwoad (Production Designer), Stephan Pehrsson (Director of Photography)
Denise Paul (Associate Producer), Diana Barton (Line Producer), Steven Moffat, Piers Wenger, Caroline Skinner (Executive Producers)
​
Uncredited Crew
Marcus Wilson (Director), Gordon Seed (Stunt Performer), Sarah Davies (1st Assistant Director)
Delmi Thomas, Daniel Harris (3rd Assistant Director), Elanie Matthews (Script Supervisor), Jamie Phillips, Chris Williams (Focus Pullers)
Damien Roberts (Grip), Svetlana Miko, Kyle Brown (Camera Assistants), Abdul Amoud (Boom Operator)
Steve Worsley, Andy Fletcher (Electricians), Meinir Jones-Lewis, Morag Smith (Make-Up Artists), Ray Parker, Alan Jones (Sound Recordists)
Sarah Bartles-Smith, Dominic Clemence (Director of Photography)
Broadcast
Filming Locations
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Upper Boat Studios: Studio 6
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Stradey Castle, Cymbach Road, Furnace, Llanelli
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Upper Boat Studios: Studio 2
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Beechenhurst, Speech House Road, Broadwell, Coleford, Gloucestershire
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Uskmouth Power Station, West Nash Road, Newport
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Gethin Woodland Area, Merthyr Tydil
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Y Groes, Rhiwbina, Cardiff
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Upper Boat Studios: Studio 3
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Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirby, Spilsby, Lincolnshire
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Field, Merthyr Mawr, Brigend, Mid Glamorgan
Deaths
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[death fails to follow The Doctor this time]
Production Days
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23 Days between Monday 12 September - Sunday 9 October 2011
Production Errors
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When The Doctor is wearing the impact suit,the eyes holes left for the actor's vision are not digitally removed
Working Titles
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[no known working titles]
Verdict
A Christmas episode which embodies a heart-warming narrative and a family wishing to have a Christmas better the last. A slow-paced story allows for a light-hearted adventure with no threat as such apart from the possibility of being killed by acid rain. Well written and well-acted but Alexander Armstrong is a forced cameo while Claire Skinner embodies a widow during wartime reasonably well. The aesthetic feel of the Wooden King and Queen bring an interesting approach to the show which thank goodness isn’t wooden. ****​
76) THE ARK IN SPACE
Number of Production Days: 5