247) THE CARETAKER

27 September 2014

Viewing Figure: 6.82M

Plot

The Doctor goes undercover as a Caretaker at Coal Hill School to investigate terrifying events that have occurre

Cast

Peter Capaldi (The Doctor), Jenna Coleman (Clara), Samuel Anderson (Danny Pink), Ellis George (Courtney Woods)

Edward Harrison (Adrian) Nigel Betts (Mr Armitage), Andy Gillies (CSO Matthews), Nanya Campbell (Noah)

Joshua Warner-Campbell (Yashe), Oliver Barry-Brook (Kelvin), Ramone Morgan (Tobias), Winston Ellis (Mr Woods)

Gracy Goldman (Mrs Woods), Diana Katis (Mrs Christopholou), Jimmy Vee (Skovox Blitzer), Chris Addison (Seb)

Uncredited Cast

Cynthia Newman, Curtis McDonald, Carolyn Joliffe, Johannah Johnson, Faisal Jina, Lewis Fackrell, Mahoob Ahmed, Essop Merrick

Tanya Ong, Tim Reid, Nina Takel, Michala Meadows (Teachers), Matthew Cox (Voice of Skovox Blitzer), Michelle Gomez (Missy)

Crew

Gareth Roberts, Steven Moffatt (Writers), Nikki Wilson (Producer), Paul Murphy (Director)

Crispin Layfield, Gordon Seed (Stunt Coordinators), Rashid Phoenix (Stunt Performers), Jo Lea (1st Assistant Director)

James DeHaviland (2nd Assistant Director), Danielle Richards (3rd Assistant Director), Gareth Jones, Chris Thomas (Assistant Directors)

Iwan Roberts (Location Manager), Nick Clark (Location Scout), Iestyn Hampson-Jones (Unit Manager)

Simon Morris (Production Manager), Adam Knopf (Production Coordinator), Sandra Cosfield (Assistant Production Coordinator)

Matthew Jones, Katie Player (Production Assistants), Bethan Griffiths (Assistant Accountant), Maria Hurley (Art Department Accountant)

Steve Walker (Script Supervisor), David P Davis, Derek Ritchie (Script Editor), Martin Stephens (Camera Operator)

Jonathan Vidgen, Matthew Waving (Focus Pullers), John Johnson (Grip)

Cai Thompson, Katy Kardasz, Gethin Williams (Camera Assistants), Sean Cronin (Assistant Grip)

Tam 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 (Stand by 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, Matt Ireland (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)

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

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

John Sinnott, Chris Daniels, Lawrie Ferry, Matt Ferry, Julian Tucker, Mark Painter, Joe Painter, Tim Burke (Carpenters)

Clive Clarke (Head Scenic Painter), Steve Nelms, Matt Weston (Scenic Painters), Jonathan Tylke (Construction Driver)

Carly Griffith (Assistant Costume Designer), Claire Lynch (Costume Supervisor)

Michelle McGrath, Gemma Evans, Charlotte Bestwick (Costume Assistants)

Emma Cowen (Make-Up Supervisor), Amy Riley, Ann Marie Williams (Make-Up Artists), Glyn Evans (Unit Medic)

Alice Purser (Casting Associate), Katrina Aust, Carmen Sanchez-Roberts (Assistant Editors), Dan Rawlings (VFX Editor)

Samantha Price (Post Production Co-ordinator), Tim Ricketts (Dubbing Mixer), Matthew Cox (ADR Editor)

Darran Clements, Simon Price (Dialogue Editors), Harry Barnes (Effects Editor), Jamie Talbutt (Foley Editor)

BBC Wales Graphics (Graphics), Billy Hanshaw (Title Concept), Mark Hardyman (Online Editor), Gareth Spensley (Colourist)

conducted and orchestrated by Ben Foster, mixed by Jake Jackson, recorded by Gerry O'Riordan

Ron Grainer (Original Theme Music), with thanks to the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, 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), 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), Mark Walters (Director of Photography)

Tracie Simpson (Line Producer), Steven Moffat, Brian Minchin (Executive Producers)

Uncredited Crew

Nikki Wilson, Douglas Mackinnon (2nd Unit Director), Danielle Richards, Francesco Reidy, Simon Morris (1st Assistant Director)

Harry Bunch, Matthew Jones (2nd Assistant Director), Chris Thomas, Gareth Jones (3rd Assistant Director), Jordan Wallace, Paul Rubery

Nathaniel Carver, Carys Evans, Kyran Davies (Assistant Directors), Iestyn Hampson-Jones (Location Manager), Nick Clark (Unit Manager)

Mari Yamanura, Gareth Edward Evans, Mary Kyte (Focus Pullers), Bob Freeman (Grip), Dan Toomer, Elliot Hale, Max Friswell

Hannah McKimm (Camera Assistants), Daf Parry (Sound Maintenance Engineer), Roy Williams, Nick Stephenson (Standby Carpenter)

Ian Redmond, Dave Mountstephens (Standby Rigger), Simon Marks (Costume Supervisor), Tom Hopkins, Nicola Rodd (Costume Assistants)

Amy Riley (Make-Up Supervisor), Ros Wilkins, Steve Williams, Sarah Astley-Hughes, Vikki Owen, Lisa Pugh, Julie Davis (Make-Up Artists)

Tim Surrey, Tim Hunt (Sound Recordists), Nic Morris, Jaz Castleton, Martin Stephens (Director of Photography)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

59 Bute Street, Cardiff Bay
BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 3
BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 4
Doctor Who Experience, Discovery Quay, Cardiff
BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 2
Gladstone Primary School, Whitchurch Road, Cardiff
College Buildings, 1 Courtenay Road, Splott, Cardiff
Holton Road Primary School, Holton Road, Barry
Tonyrefail School, Gilfach Road, Tonyrefail
BBC Roath Lock Studios: Costume Prep Room
Enfys Studios, 31 Portmanmoor Road, Splott, Cardiff

Deaths

CSO Matthew [killed by Skovox Blitzer]
Skovox Blitzer [deactivates and left floating in space, so death unconfirmed]

Production Days

16 Days between Monday 24 March - Wednesday 18 June 2014

Production Errors

When The Doctor meets Courtney Woods in the storeroom, The Doctor hands her paper towels. The towels reappear in The Doctor's hand, and Courtney walks off without the paper towels
When Courtney looks into the Tardis, The Doctor's work-bench, which he was sitting on a few moments ago, disappears from the room. The work-bench reappears later on
When Clara leads Danny away from the Tardis, she is standing behind and to his right during the close-up shot, then she's standing to his left during the wide shot
When The Doctor successfully deactivates the Skovox Blitzer, its eyes fade from red until they are no longer shining. However, when The Doctor launches it into space, its eyes are shining blue

Working Titles

[no known working titles]

Verdict

The plot should be so easy to get right but is inherently boring and half-done that it is incredible that anything actually happens at all. More terrible child acting and the villain is very Saturday morning cartoon cartoonish worthy. Nobody seems interesting in what’s happening apart from Capaldi, no surprise there, he’s always on top form and Clara is at her worst doing nothing of interest and spending too much time lollygagging and getting in The Doctor’s way which makes things worse. The rest of the cast are either too small in role or untalented that makes one want to tear out their hair. The plot is terribly written with everything being thrown into the bowl where anything could happen better or worse, usually worse. The science elements are very inconsistent which is shame because it tries to be clever, but a little bit of research wouldn’t have hurt. Some nit-picking here and there and best left in the cupboard. **

76) THE ARK IN SPACE

Number of Production Days: 5