top of page

242) DEEP BREATH

23 August 2014

Viewing Figure: 9.17M

Plot

The newly regenerated Doctor lands in Victorian London at the same when several cases of spontaneous combustion occur

Cast

Peter Capaldi (The Doctor), Jenna Coleman (Clara), Neve McIntosh (Madame Vastra), Dan Starkey (Strax), Catrin Stewart (Jenny)

Peter Ferdinando (Half-Face Man), Paul Hickey (Inspector Gregson),  Tony Way (Alf), Maggie Service (Elsie), Mark Kempner (Cabbie)

Brian Miller (Barney), Graham Duff (Waiter), Ellis George (Courtney), Peter Hannah (Policeman), Paul Kasey (Footman, Michelle Gomez (Missy)

​

Uncredited Cast

Simon Carew (Waiter Droid), Richard Allen, Claire Delaney, Elaine Caulfield, Shawn Aldin-Burnett, Angela Charles, Harry Burt

Chris Cahill, Lisa Smoult, Kathryn Edwards, Alexander Magill, Bridie Edwards, Paul Bailey, Angharad Baxter, Jason Clarke

Den Edington, Amy Stuckey, Helena Dennis, Doug Kirby (Restaurant Droids), Jeremy Harvey, Jessica McLean, Alison Lenihan

Richard Husband, Natalie Cuzner, Barbara Fadden, Matthew Doman, Clemo So (Chamber Droids), Claudio Laurini, Shelby Williams

Jon Davey, Jessica McLean, Alison Lenihan, Richard Husband, Rob Eadsforth (Tunnel Droids), Richard Allen, Claire Delaney

Elaine Caulfield, Shawn Aldin-Burnett, Angela Charles, Harry Burt, Chris Cahill, Lisa Smoult (Dead Droids)

Crew

Steven Moffatt (Writer), Nikki Wilson (Producer), Ben Wheatley (Director), Crispin Layfield (Stunt Coordinator)

Gordon Seed, Belinda McGinley, Rob Jarman, Robert Pavey, Dean Forster, Annabel Canavan (Stunt Performers)

Simon Morris (First Assistant Director), James DeHaviland (Second Assistant Director), Danielle Richards (Third Assistant Director)

Gareth Jones, Chris Thomas (Assistant Directors), Iwan Roberts (Location Manager), Iestyn Hampson-Jones (Unit Manager)

Adam Knopf (Production Coordinator), Sandra Cosfield (Production Management Assistant)

Matthew Jones, Katie Player (Production Assistants), Bethan Griffiths (Assistant Accountant)

Simon Wheeler (Art Department Accountant), Steve Walker (Script Supervisor), Martin Stephens (Camera Operator)

Jonathan Vidgen, Matthew Waving (Focus Pullers), John Johnson (Grip), Cai Thompson, Katy Kardasz (Camera Assistants)

Gethin Williams (Camera Trainee), Sean Cronin (Assistant Grip), Tom Shoring, Christopher Goding (Sound Maintenance Engineers)

Mark Hutchings (Gaffer), Stephen Slocombe (Best Boy), Gafin Riley, Andy Gardiner, Bob Milton, Gareth Sheldon (Electricians) 

Paul Spriggs (Supervising Art Director), Vicki Stevenson (Art Director), Amy Pickwoad (Standby Art Director)

Adrian Anscombe (Set Decorator), Holly Thurman (Production Buyer), Donna Shakesheff, Helen O'Leary (Prop Buyers)

Kartik Nagar (Draughtsperson), Paul Smith (Props Master), Kyle Belmont (Props Chargehand)

Liam Collins, Gary Leech (Standby Props), Jayne Davies, Mike Elkins, Jamie Farrell (Set Dressers), Jamie Southcott (Set Storeman)

Ryan Milton (Assistant Storeman), Chris Lees (Concept Artist), Christina Tom (Graphic Artist), Paul Jones (Standby Carpenter)

Brian Griffiths (Standby Rigger), Christian Davies (Practical Electrician), Alan Hardy, Jamie Thomas (Props Makers)

Gareth Fox (Prop Driver), Steve Nelms, Matt Watson (Scenic Artists), Terry Horle (Construction Manager)

Dean Tucker (Construction Chargehand), John Sinnott, Chris Daniels, Lawrie Ferry, Matt Ferry, Julian Tucker, Mark Painter

Joe Painter (Carpenters), Clive Clarke (Head Scenic Painter), Steve Nelms, Matt Weston (Scenic Painters)

Jonathan Tylke (Construction Driver), Claire Lynch (Costume Supervisor)

Katarina Cappallazzi, Gemma Evans, Charlotte Bestwick (Costume Assistants), Emma Cowen (Make-Up Supervisor)

Alison Webb, Ann Marie Williams (Make-Up Artists), Alice Purser (Casting Associate)

Katrina Aust, Carmen Sanchez-Roberts (Assistant Editors), Joel Skinner (VFX Editor), Samantha Price (Post Production Co-ordinator)

Tim Ricketts (Dubbing Mixer), Matthew Cox (ADR Editor), Darran Clements (Dialogue Editor), Harry Barnes (Effects Editor)

Jamie Talbutt (Foley Editor), BBC Wales Graphics (Graphics), Billy Hanshaw (Title Concept)

Mark Hardyman, Geraint Pari Huws (Online Editors), Gareth Spensley (Colourist), conducted and orchestrated by Ben Foster

mixed by Jake Jackson, recorded by Gerry O'Riordan, Ron Grainer (Original Theme Music)

Sontarans created by Robert HolmesSilurians created by Malcolm Hulkewith thanks to the BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Andy Pryor CDG (Casting Director), Julie Scott (Production Executive), Derek Ritchie (Script Editor)

Nerys Davies (Post Production Supervisor), Jeff Dunn (Production Accountant), Deian Llyr Humphreys (Sound Recordist)

Howard Burden (Costume Designer), Claire Pritchard-Jones (Make-Up Designer), Murray Gold (Music)

Milk, BBC Wales VFX (Visual Effects), Real SFX (Special Effects), Millennium FX (Prosthetics), Will Oswald (Editor)

Michael Pickwoad (Production Designer), Magni Agustsson (Director of Photography), Tracie Simpson (Line Producer)

Steven Moffat, Brian Minchin (Executive Producers)  

​

Uncredited Crew

Peter Bennett, Derek Ritchie (Producer), Jamie Payne, Nick Gillespie, Rachel Talalay, Mark Everest (Director), Geoff Skelding

Bryan Moses, Jon Older, Gareth Jones (1st Assistant Director), Barry Phillips, Iain Atkinson, Aled Ellis, Harry Bunch (2nd Assistant Director)

Delmi Thomas, Barry Phillips Gareth Jones, Sara Evans (3rd Assistant Director), Anna Evans, Michael Williams, Callum Williams

Nathaniel Carver, Sam Greenwood, Armorette Darby, Kyran Davies (Assistant Directors), Nick Clarke (Unit Manager)

Anna Evans, Sharon Jones (Script Supervisors), Mark Waters, Trevelyan Oliver, Rob Carter, Jon Priddle, Lawrence Jones (Camera Operators)

Neil Brown, Chris Williams, Steve Rees, Paul Andrew (Focus Pullers), Allan Hughes, Gary Shepeard, Sam Reeves, Jodie Clark (Grip)

Chris Jacobi, Kristian Rosomalan, John Davis, Gareth Edwards Evans, Matt Lepper, Howard Colin, Max Friswell (Camera Assistants)

Steve Guy (Gaffer), Tim Upton (Standby Props), Dave Mountstephens (Standby Rigger), Lauren Kilcar, Sara Harrison, Flo Chow

Angela Jones, Becs Nowicka (Costume Assistants), Gill Rees, Rose Octon, Julie Davis, Helen Tucker, Roz Wilkins, Derek Lloyd

Robb Carter, Kate Thompson, Amy Riley (Make-Up Artists), Mark Waters, Simon Walton, Lawrence Jones (Director of Photography)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 2

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 4

  • The Matlings, East Tyndall Street, Splott, Cardiff

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 3

  • Merthyr Mawr House, Merthyr Mawr, Bridgend

  • Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff

  • Parc Thistle Hotel, Park Place, Cardiff

  • Queen Street, Cardiff

  • Victoria Place, Newport

  • Holton Road Primary School, Holton Road, Barry

  • Bute Street, Cardiff

  • Insole Court, Llandaff, Cardiff

  • Dyffryn Gardens, St Nicholas, Vale of Glamorgan

Deaths

  • Half-Face Man [lands on top of Big Ben]

  • Alf [murdered by Half-Face Man]

  • Tyrannosaurs Rex [killed by the Half-Face Man]

Production Days

  • 27 Days between Friday 4 October 2013 - Friday 27 June 2014

Production Errors

  1. During the opening scenes, the end of Vastra's mask is visible 

  2. Whilst The Doctor is in bed, Jenny walks to the window and looks up at the Dinosaurs outside. In the next shot, the T-Rex is clearly at eye-level 

  3. When the Half-Face Man wakes up in 'Heaven' he has left brow, despite the fact that he only has a right half of a human face 

  4. When the T-Rex spits the Tardis out, the shop is covered in dinosaur slime. When Strax knocks on the Tardis door, after it lands, the slime is gone â€‹

Working Titles

  • [no known working titles]

Verdict

There is something slightly odd about The Doctor forgetting who he is and must answer the question, ‘I am a good man’. The episode is relatively dark in tone and style which in itself creates a darker version of the heroic man. The plot is nothing special and takes forever to arrive, a mixture of Jack the Ripper and X-Files with a villain who has the potential of being scary but does nothing in the slightest to make one hide behind their eyes or the sofa. The effects of the Half-Face Man are robust and surprisingly expressive something which many animatronic monsters falls flat on. The resolution, while it had great intentions contradicts past adventures where The Doctor had to resort to drastic actions to save the day. The episode tries to set up the Twelfth Doctor as a dark version of the character, but nothing beats the incarnations in which Tennant and Smith brought to the role. Peter Capaldi is brilliant, the actor born to the play the role for a long time.  It’s just a shame the Victorian trio make their last appearance with very little in the way of giving them the send-off they deserve. ***​

 

76) THE ARK IN SPACE

Number of Production Days: 5

bottom of page