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231) THE SNOWMEN

25 December 2012

Viewing Figure: 9.87M

Plot

Retiring to Victorian London, The Doctor and a young barmaid, Clara discover there is something sinister in the snow

Cast

Matt Smith (The Doctor), Jenna Louise-Coleman (Clara), Tom Ward (Captain Latimer), Richard E Grant (Dr Simeon), Catrin Stewart (Jenny)

Neve McIntosh (Madame Vastra), Dan Starkey (Strax), Joseph Darcey-Alden (Digby), Ellie Darcey-Alden (Francesca), Liz White (Alice)

Jim Conway (Uncle Josh), Annabelle Dowler (Walter's Mother), Ben Addis (Bob Chilcott), Sophie Miller-Sheen (Clara's Friend)

Daniel Hyde (Lead Workman), Ian McKellen (Voice of the Great Intelligence), Juliet Cadzow (Voice of the Ice Governess)

Crew

Steven Moffat (Writer), Marcus Wilson (Producer), Saul Metzstein (Director)

Crispin Layfield, Gordon Seed, Jo McLaren (Stunt Coordinators), Annabel Canaven (Stunt Performer)

Nick Brown (First Assistant Director), Heddi-Joy Taylor-Welch (Second Assistant Director), Delmi Thomas (Third Assistant Director)

Danielle Richards, Gareth Jones (Assistant Directors), Iwan Roberts (Location Manager)

Monty Till (Unit Manager), Isetyn Hampson-Jones (Location Assistant), Phillipa Cole (Production Manager) 

Claire Hildred (Production Coordinator), Gabriella Ricci (Asst Production Coordinator), Sandra Cosfield (Production Assistant)

Rachel Vipond, Samantha Price (Production Assistants), Rhys Evans (Asst Production Accountant)

Joe Phillips (Assistant Script Editor), Steve Walker (Script Supervisor), Joe Russell (Camera Operator)

James Scott, Julius Ogden (Focus Pullers), Gary Norman (Grip), Meg de Koning, Sam Smithard, Evalina Norgren (Camera Assistants)

Owen Charnley (Assistant Grip), Ross Adams, Chris Goding (Sound Maintenance Engineers), Mark Hutchings (Gaffer)

Stephen Slocombe (Best Boy), Bob Wilton, Nick Powell, Gafin Riley, Alan Tippets (Electricians)

Paul Spriggs (Supervising Art Director), Amy Pickwoad (Art Director), Nandie Narishkin (Standby Art Director)

Richard Hardy (Assistant Art Director, Joelle Rumbelow (Set Decorator), Adrian Greenwood, Holly Thurman (Production Buyer)

Donna Shakesheff (Art Department Coordinator), Paul Smith (Props Master), Ian Griffin (Props Chargehand)

Austin J Curtis, Jayne Davies (Set Dresser), Jamie Southcott (Prophand), Helen Atherton, Rob Brandon (Standby Props)

Paul Barnett, Mike Elkins, Jamie Farrell (Dressing Props),Chris Lees (Graphic Designer), Christina Tom (Graphic Artist)

Andrew Wildman (Storyboard Artist), Florence Tucker (Petty Cash Buyer), Will Pope (Standby Carpenter)

Bryan Griffiths (Standby Rigger), Penny Howarth, Alan Hardy (Props Makers)

Gareth Fox (Prop Driver), Terry Horle (Construction Manager), Dean Tucker (Construction Chargehand)

Fraser Purfit (Assistant Costume Designer), Carly Griffith (Costume Supervisor)

Katarina Cappallazzi, Florence Chow, Gemma Evans (Costume Assistants)

Katie Lee, Elin Rhiannon, Vivienne Simpson (Make-Up Artists), Alice Purser (Casting Associate), Becky Torman (Assistant Editor)

Tim Ricketts (Dubbing Mixer), Joel Skinner (VFX Editor), Matthew Cox (ADR Editor), Darran Clements (Dialogue Editor)

Paul Jefferies (Sound Effects Editor), Jamie Talbutt (Foley Editor), Peter Anderson Studio (Graphics)

BBC Wales Visual Effects (Additional VFX), Matthew Cannings (Additional Editing), Geraint Pari Huws (Online Editor)

Mick Vincent (Colourist), music orchestrated by Ben Foster, with thanks to Crouch End Festival Circus, conducted by David Temple 

mixed and recorded by Jake Jackson, Ron Grainer (Original Theme Music), Andy Pryor CDG (Casting Director)

Julie Scott (Production Executive), Nerys Davies (Post Production Supervisor), Jeff Dunn (Production Accountant), 

Deian Llyr Humphreys (Sound Recordist), Howard Burden (Costume Designer), Barbara Southcott (Make-Up Designer)

Murray Gold (Music), The Mill (Visual Effects), Real SFX (Special Effects), Prosthetics (Millennium FX), Will Oswald (Editor)

Michael Pickwoad (Production Designer), Stephen Pehrsson (Director of Photography), Denise Paul (Script Producer)

Des Hughes (Line Producer), Steven Moffat, Caroline Skinner (Executive Producers)

 

Uncredited Crew

Denise Paul (Producer), Mat King (Director), David Mack, Jonathan Farmer, Grantly Butters (First Assistant Directors)

Smith Redd (Third Assistant Director), Louisa Cavell, Chiara Carbonara, Charlotte Lailey de Ville, Rebecca Konig (Assistant Directors)

Nicky James (Location Manager), Mike Williams (Location Assistant), Claire Hildred (Production Manager)

Gabriella Ricci (Production Coordinator), Rory Herbert, Susannah Bindimg (Script Supervisors), Martin Stephens, Rob Carter

Paddy Blake (Camera Operators), Chris Walmsley, Chris Reynolds, Robin Horn, Mary Kyte, Trevoe Speed, Sally Low

Chris Samworth (Focus Pullers), Steve Manningham (Grip), Cai Thompson, Sarah Jones, Nel Price, James Brown, Matt Lepper

Tomoi Summers, Laurence Watson (Camera Assistants), Ellis Wyn Jones, Damien Roberts (Assistant Grip), Chris Hughes, Abdul Amoud

Laura Coates (Sound Maintenance Engineers), Allison Sing, Pam Mulins, Gill Rees (Make-Up Artists), Gareth Meirion Thomas (Sound Recordist)

Jake Polonsky, Neville Kidd, Sarah Bartles-Smith, Simon Dennis (Director of Photography) 

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • The Coal Exchange, Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff Bay

  • Fields Park House, Fields Park Avenue, Newport

  • Cathays Cemetery, Allensbank Road, Cardiff

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 4

  • Treberfydd Bwlch, Brecon, Powys

  • Insole Court, Fairwater Road, Cardiff

  • Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff

  • Treberfydd 

  • St Nicholas Market, Corn Street, Bristol

  • Portland Square, St Paul's, Bristol

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 2

  • Llandough Castle, LLandough, Vale of Glamorgan

  • Treowen, Wonastow, Monmouth

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 1

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 3

  • Insole Court [Victorian London]

  • Merthyr Mawr House, Merthyr Mawr, Bridgend 

Deaths

  • Clara [falls from the sky and lands on the ground]

  • Dr Simeon [body taken over by The Great Intelligence]

  • Ice Governess [shatters to pieces]

  • Lead Workman [eaten by the Snowmen]

  • Workmen [eaten by Snowmen]

  • Snowmen [melt when The Great Intelligence is defeated]

Production Days

  • 30 Days between Monday 6 August - Wednesday 28 November 2012

Production Errors

  1. During the opening sequence, Clara enters the Doctor's coach through a roof hatch. However later in the episode, the roof appears to lack a roof hatch​​

  2. Before Clara walks up the invisible staircase, she is not wearing her shawl. However when she first sees the Tardis, her shawl has appeared out of nowhere 

  3. During the first shot of The Doctor introducing the Tardis to Clara, a circular panel to the left and a monitor to the right are clearly blank. In later shot, in the same scene, the monitors display images of nebulae

Working Titles

  • The Snowman

Verdict

This is a light-hearted, heart-warming adventure with a straightforward plot, fun characters, gorgeous sensory and a very intelligent script which still does not live to its full potential.  It is full of equally memorable moments which are often quite funny with a far more subtle Commander Strax. A race of Snowmen made from telepathic snow provide a somewhat ineffective monster who can be disposed of simply by someone picture them melting. We never actually get to see the said Snowmen melt and the powerful Great Intelligent would surely think of a better way to protect his creations. The Doctor does not get involved until the second act spending time walking the streets and pouting of the loss of his closest friends. A troupe seen time and time again. High-energy scenes are backed with snappy dialogue, a strong point from Steven Moffat, and a series of threats each bringing something new to the story, although not always to the benefit of the production. For some reason, The Doctor cannot seem to recall the Great Intelligent even though he has meet it twice before. There is no indication he is suffering from memory loss or dementia. There is some fluid animation at the helm and the direction is generally first-rate. Just ignore the stupid, mess which is the new opening titles. ****​

76) THE ARK IN SPACE

Number of Production Days: 5

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