top of page

234) COLD WAR

13 April 2013

Viewing Figure: 7.37M

Plot

On a Russian submarine an Ice Warrior is roaming the corridors and begins to plan the destruction of the Earth

Cast

Matt Smith (The Doctor), Jenna Louise-Coleman (Clara), Liam Cunningham (Captain Zhukov), David Warner (Professor Grisenko)

Tobias Menzies (Lieutenant Stepashin), Josh O'Connor (Piotr), James Norton (Onegin), Charlie Anson (Belevich)

Spencer Wilding (Skaldak), Nicholas Briggs (Voice of Skaldak)

​

Uncredited Crew

Matthew Humphries (Zhukov's Crewman), Eran Backler, Jamie Gardiner, Jack Scanlon, Scott Stevenson, Connor Jenkins

Toby Rattray, Ashley Randall, Jason Clarke, Edward Winter (Crewmen)

Crew

Mark Gatiss (Writer), Marcus Wilson (Producer), Douglas McKinnon (Director), Crispin Layfield (Stunt Coordinator)

David Newton, Marcus Shakesheff, Tom Aitken (Stunt Performers), Ken Cumberland (First Assistant Director)

James DeHaviland (Second Assistant Director), Heddi-Joy Taylor-Welch (Third Assistant Director)

Danielle Richards (Assistant Director), Nicky James (Location Manager), Isetyn Hampson-Jones (Location Assistant)

Gabriella Ricci (Production Coordinator), Sandra Cosfield (Production Assistant)

Rachel Vipond, Samantha Price (Production Assistants), Rhys Evans (Assistant 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, Cai Thompson (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, Gareth Sheldon (Electricians)

Paul Spriggs (Supervising Art Director), Adrian Anscombe (Set Decorator), Adrian Greenwood, Holly Thurman (Production Buyers)

Amy Pickwoad, Lucienne Suren (Art Directors), Nandie Narishkin (Standby Art Director), Richard Hardy (Assistant Art Director) 

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

Jayne Davies (Set Dresser), Austin J Curtis (Prophand), Garry Dawson, Helen Atherton (Standby Props)

Mike Elkins, Paul Barnett, Rob Brandon (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), Christian Davies (Practical Electrician), Penny Howarth, Alan Hardy, Jamie Thomas (Props Makers)

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

John Pinkerton (Scenic Artist), Fraser Purfit (Assistant Costume Designer), Carly Griffith (Costume Supervisor)

Katarina Cappallazzi, Gemma Evans (Costume Assistants), Sara Angharad, Vivienne Simpson, Allison Sing (Make-Up Artists) 

Alice Purser (Casting Associate), Becky Torman (Assistant Editor), Joel Skinner (VFX Editor), Tim Ricketts (Dubbing Mixer)

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 Visual Effects) 

Geraint Pari Huws (Online Editor), Mick Vincent (Colourist), Ice Warriors created by Brain Hayles

with thanks to The BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted and orchestrated by Ben Foster

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), 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), The Model Unit (Miniature Effects)

Prosthetics (Millennium FX), William Oswald (Editor), Michael Pickwoad (Production Designer)

Suzie Lavelle (Director of Photography), Denise Paul (Script Producer), Phillipa Cole (Line Producer)

Steven Moffat, Caroline Skinner (Executive Producers)  

​

Uncredited Crew

Marcus Wilson (Director), Gordon Seed (Stunt Coordinator), Danielle Richards (Third Assistant Director), Chiara Carbonara, James Hill

Louisa Cavell (Assistand Directors), Ed Moore (Camera Operator), Martin Peters (Grip), Tomoi Summers, Nel Pric

Jenny Chuan (Camera Assistants), Ben Moseley (Assistant Grip), Mickey Reeves (Electrician), Helen Atherton (Standby Art Director)

Dave Mount Stephans (Standby Rigger), Pam Mullins, Cathy Davies, Jane Tyler (Make-Up Artists), Gareth Meirion Thomas (Sound Recordist)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 2

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 3

  • Llanwern Works, Newport, Gwent

  • Halliford Film Studios, Shepperton, Middx

Deaths

  • Pitor [strangled by Skaldak]

  • Lieutenant Stepashin [killed by Skaldak]

  • Onegin [killed by Skaldak]

  • Belevich [killed by Skaldak]

Production Days

  • 16 Days between Wednesday 13 June - Thursday 6 September 2012

Production Errors

  1. When water is flooding the control area, and the Tardis is about to dematerialises, the left door is clearly open. In the following shot, the door is closed ​

  2. On the altimeter, the word "metres" is written in Russian as "метерс", while the correct spelling is "метры".

Working Titles

  • [no known working titles]

Verdict

It is your classic, monster found in the ice, submarine under siege, who attacked who first narrative which attempts to resurrect a long forgotten beloved villain. The Ice Warrior himself is an admirable soldier bred for war but again the episode spends too much making him look cool and impressive for younger viewers, forgetting what made the Ice Warriors the popular monsters so popular. It was implied in the past the true Martin creature lies behind the armour, but they never emerged in the four appearances in the 60s and 70s. They were a lot better being the lumbering, slow moving threats than the agile, fast moving reptilian alien the episode depicts him as. The sets and cinematography capture some neat contrasting scenes and makes everything seems like the submarine could collapse in at any moment. Again, the series attempts to create an cinematic experience that it forgets what makes 'Doctor Who' so special throughout its history. The crew members, at least some of them only serve as disposable characters and target practice for Skaldak. The crew are not interesting as individuals and any attempts to remember who is who will prove to be an almost impossible task. The production is fine and well directed but no lessons have been learned on how to end a story. ***​

76) THE ARK IN SPACE

Number of Production Days: 5

bottom of page