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237) THE CRIMSON HORROR

4 May 2013

Viewing Figure: 6.47M

Plot

In 1893 Yorkshire, Mrs Gillyflower is building her community Sweetville but what is the case of the Crimson Horror?

Cast

Matt Smith (The Doctor), Jenna-Louise Coleman (Clara), Diana Rigg (Mrs Gillyflower), Rachael Stirling (Ada), Catrin Stewart (Jenny)

Neve McIntosh (Madame Vastra), Dan Starkey (Strax), Eve De Leon Allen (Angie), Kassius Carey Johnson (Artie)

Brendan Patricks (Edmund/Mr Thursday), Graham Turner (Amos), Olivia Vinall (Effie), Michelle Tate (Abigail)

Jack Oliver Hudson (Urchin Boy)

Crew

Mark Gatiss (Writer), Marcus Wilson (Producer), Saul Metzstein (Director), Crispin Layfield (Stunt Coordinator)

Stephanie Carey, Daniel Euston (Stunt Performers), Nick Brown (First Assistant Director)

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

Danielle Richards(Assistant Director), Iwan Roberts (Location Manager), Monty Till (Unit Manager)

Isetyn Hampson-Jones (Location Assistant), Phillipa Cole, Claire Hildred (Production Managers)

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

Rachel Vipond, Samantha Price (Production Assistants), Rhys Evans, Justine Wooff (Assistant Accountants)

John 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, Evelina Norgren (Camera Assistants)

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

Stephen Slocombe (Best Boy), Bob Milton, Gafin Riley, Gareth Sheldon (Electricians), Paul Spriggs (Supervising Art Director)

Adrian Anscombe (Set Decorator), Adrian Greenwood, Holly Thurman (Production Buyers)

Amy Pickwoad, Joelle Rumbelow (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), Gary 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 (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), Sarah Angharad, Vivienne Simpson, Allison Ling (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), with thanks to The BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted and orchestrated by Ben Foster

mixed by Jake Jacksonrecorded 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), Millennium FX (Prosthetics), Matthew Canning (Editor)

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

Diana Barton (Line Producer), Steven Moffat, Caroline Skinner (Executive Producers)  

Uncredited Crew

Denise Paul (Producer), Grantly Butters, Lloyd Ellis (First Assistant Directors), Harry Bunch (Second Assiastant Director)

Danielle Richards (Third Assistant Director), Gareth Jones, Louisa Cavell, Chiara Carbonara, Charlotte Lailey de Ville, Gareth Webb

James Hall (Assistant Director), Claire Hildred (Production Coordinator), Rory Herbert, Susannah Binding (Script Supervisors)

Paddy Blake, Richard Stoddard (Camera Operators), Chris Walmsley, Robin Horn, Mary Kyte, Trevor Speed, Duncan Fowlie

Chris Samworth, Chris Williams (Focus Pullers), James Holloway, Clive Baldwin (Grip), Cai Thompson, Sarah Jones, Nel Price

James Brown, Matt Lepper, Laurence Watson, Kriss Dallimore (Camera Assistants), Sam Reeves, Ben Mosseley (Assistant Grip)

Chris Hughes, Abdul Amoud, Laura Coates, Glyn Hamer (Sound Maintenance Engineers), Ian Jewels (Best Boy), Florence Chow

Cathy Polydorou, Charlie Mitchell (Costume Assistants), Elin Rhinnnon, Julie Fox Pritchard, Pam Mullins, Cathy Davies

Meinir Jones-Lewis, Jane Beard, Katie Lee, Helen Tucker (Make-Up Artists), Gareth Meirion Thomas (Sound Recordist)

Neville Kidd (Director of Photography), Phillipa Cole (Line Producer)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • Lower Row/Middle Row, Tredegar, Bute Town, Caerphilly

  • Holy Trinity Church, Trinity Street, Barry

  • Barry Dock Office, Barry Docks, Barry

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 2

  • Bullring, Llantrisant, Rhonnda Cynon Taff

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 3

  • Small Gym, Tonyrefail School, Gilfach Road, Tonyrefai, Rhonnda Cynon Taff

  • Canal adja ent to Brigantine Place, off Schooner Way, Cardiff

  • LLandough Castle Llandough, Vale of Glamorgan

  • Treowen Manor, Dingestow, Monmouth

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 1

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 4

  • Barry Pumping Station, Hood Road, Barry

  • Coal Exchange, Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff Bay

  • Beatty Avenue, Roath, Cardiff

Deaths

  • Edmund [dipped in red leech poison and later dies]

  • Effie [dipped in red leech poison and later dies]

  • Mrs Gillyflower [falls to her death]

  • Mr Sweet [battered to pieces by Ada's cane]​

Production Days

  • 22 Days between Monday 2 July - Monday 26 November 2012

Production Errors

  1. The image of The Doctor's face in the dead man's eye, is different from the one shown later during the flashback

  2. One of Mrs Gillyflower's 'Pretty maids all in a row' can be seen blinking 

  3. As Mrs Gillyflower is about to shoot The Doctor and the others, Strax appears above them and fires a shot at Mrs Gillyflower. A moment later, Strax is right next to the others

Working Titles

  • [no known working titles]

Verdict

A straightforward enjoyable episode with Mark Gatiss back on top form. The episode deals with some pressing issues; being accepted into society, class and social status, beauty, value and greed. Gatiss’ developed script proves that sometimes the biggest monsters of all can be humans who have dreams of power and control. Diana Rigg captures the deranged but equally brilliant Mrs Gillyflowers showing off a wide range of emotions and characteristics. The most natural villain actress seen in a long time. The episode is fun, often funny, dark, humorous and sad which when combined creates a brilliant piece of television drama. The Silurians are developed a little bit more and costume and make-up once again are allowed to shine which capture both the beauty and horrors of the Victorian age. For the first time in a long time the resolution is well written, and the episode ends satisfactory. Sort of, Clara is forced to tell two uninteresting kids what she has been doing who are going to painfully appear in the next episode. However, Gatiss focuses his time and energy on the plot and characters and that's what matters. ****​

76) THE ARK IN SPACE

Number of Production Days: 5

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