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263) THE HUSBANDS OF RIVER SONG

25 December 2015

Viewing Figure: 7.69M

Plot

The Doctor is called to the planet Mendorax Dellora to save King Hydroflax, River Song's husband

Cast

Peter Capaldi (The Doctor), Alex Kingston (River Song), Matt Lucas (Nardole), Greg Davies (King Hydroflax), Phillip Rhys (Ramone)

Rowan Polonski (Flemming), Robert Curtis (Scratch), Anthony Cozens (Concierge), Chris Lew Kum Hoi (Alphonse)

Nicole Smartt (Receptionist), Liam Cook (King Hydroflax's Body), Nonso Anozie (Voice of Hydroflax)

Crew

Steven Moffatt (Writer), Nikki Wilson (Producer), Douglas McKinnon (Director)

Crispin Layfield, Dani Biernat, Jo McLaren (Stunt Coordinators), Belinda McGinley, Rob Jarman (Stunt Performers)

Francesco Reidy (1st Assistant Director), James DeHaviland (2nd Assistant Director), Danielle Richards (3rd Assistant Director)

Chris Thomas, Gareth Jones, Alex Miarli (Assistant Directors), Sean Evans, Kyle Davies (Unit Drivers)

Iwan Roberts (Location Manager), Iestyn Hampson-Jones (Unit Manager), Adam Knopf (Production Manager)

Sandra Cosfield (Assistant Production Coordinator)

Sion Crowle, Jade Stephenson, Sheryl Bradford, Jamie Shaw (Production Assistants), Justine Woolf (Assistant Accountant)

Bethan Griffiths (Art Department Accountant), Nicki Coles (Script Supervisor), Lindsay Alford (Script Executive)

David Davis (Script Editor), Mark McQuoid (Camera Operator), Jonathan Vidgen, Steve Rees (Focus Pullers), John Johnson (Grip)

Cai Thompson, Matthew Lepper, Scott Waller (Camera Assistants), Sean Cronin (Assistant Grip)

Tam Shoring, Christopher Goding (Sound Maintenance Engineers), Mark Hutchings (Gaffer), Andrew Gardiner (Best Boy)

Bob Milton, Gareth Sheldon, Gawain Nash, Rob Fernandes, Andrew Williams (Electricians)

Dafydd Shurmer (Supervising Art Director), Chris Barber (Stand by Art Director), Adrian Anscombe (Set Decorator)

Linda Morgan (Production Buyer), Vicki Male, May Johnson (Prop Buyers), Zsofia Ekler, Julie Jones (Draughtpersons)

Paul Smith (Props Master), Kyle Belmont (Props Chargehand), Liam Collins, Jonathan Barclay (Standby Props)

Scott Howe, Nigel Magni, Matt Watts (Prop Hands), Jamie Southcott (Storeman), Stephen Cooper (Concept Artist)

Matthew Clark (Graphic Artist), Paul Jones (Standby Carpenter), Shadow Rigging (Rigging), Colin Toms (Standby Rigger)

Christian Davies, Austin Curtis (Practical Electricians), Alan Hardy, Jamie Thomas (Props Makers)

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

John Sinnott (Chargehand Carpenter), Tim Burke, Lawrie Ferry, Matt Ferry, Chris Daniels, Julian Tucker, George Rees, Dan Berrow

Keith Richards, Campbell Fraser, Mark Painter, Joe Painter, Michael Venables (Carpenters), Jonathan Tylke (Construction Driver)

Mike Cox (Construction Labourer), Clive Clarke (Head Scenic Artist), Steve Nelms, Deb McShane, Paul Murray (Painters)

Georgie Sayer, Simon Marks (Assistant Costume Designers), Andie Mear, Ian Fowler, Jenny Tindle (Costume Assistants)

Sara Angharad (Make-Up Supervisor), Megan Bowes, James Spinks (Make-Up Artists), Glyn Evans (Unit Medic)

Alice Purser (Casting Associate), Becky Trotman, Robbie Gibbon (Assistant Editors), Dan Rawlings (VFX Editor)

Hannah Jones, Joanne Riggs (Post Production Coordinators), Tim Ricketts (Dubbing Mixer), Matthew Cox (ADR Editor)

Darran Clements (Dialogue Editor), Harry Barnes (Effects Editor), Jamie Talbutt (Foley Editor), Julie Ankerson (Foley Artist)

BBC Wales Graphics (Graphics), Billy Hanshaw (Title Concept), Christine Kelly (Assistant Online Editor)

William Osmon (Online Editors), Gareth Spensley (Colourist), music conducted & orchestrated by Alistair King

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

with thanks to the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Daleks created by Terry NationKahler created by Toby Whithouse 

Andy Pryor CDG (Casting Director), Gordon Ronald (Production Executive), Tracie Simpson (Production Executive)​

Samantha Price (Post Production Co-ordinator), Simon Wheeler (Production Accountant)

Deian Llyr Humphreys (Sound Recordist), Ray Holman (Costume Designer), Barbara Southcott (Make-Up Designer)

Murray Gold (Music), Axis VFX (Visual Effects), Real SFX (Special Effects), Millennium FX (Special Creature Effects & Prosthetics)

Adam Green (Editor), Michael Pickwoad (Production Designer), Suzie Lavelle (Director of Photography)

Steffan Morris (Line Producer), Steven Moffat, Brian Minchin (Executive Producers)  

​

Uncredited Crew

Alice Edwards, Ellis Griffiths, Francine Roberts (Assistant Directors), James King, Morgan Towler (Assistant Directors [2nd Unit])

Paul Watkins, Jo Davey, Wayne Humphreys, Chris Donnelly, Siobhan Donnelly, Paul Carmichael, Bilal Khan, Phil, Ali, Colin

Steve, Gareth (Unit Drivers), Ed Clark, (Camera Operator), Danny Bishop (Steadicam), James Leigh (Camera Operator [2nd Unit])

John Priddle (Camera Operator [Splinter Unit]), Ben Mitchell, David Litchfield, Will Huckle, Elliot Hale (Focus Pullers)

David Agha-Rafel (Focus Puller [2nd Unit]), Mani Blaxter Paliwala (Focus Puller 2nd Unit/Splinter Unit]), Bobby Williams (Grip)

Evelina Norgren, Kristian Roosmalen (Camera Assistants), Howard Colin (Camera Assistant [2nd Unit])

Tom Dennis (Camera Assistant [Splinter Unit]), Abdul Amoud, Daf Parry (Sound Maintenance Engineer)

Adam Chestnutt (Sound Maintenance Engineer [2nd Unit]), Joss Colin (Sound Maintenance Engineer [Splinter Unit])

Jamie Farrell (Standby Carpenter), Will Scott, Dai Shadow (Standby Rigger), Jill Blundell, Sara Morgan, Sheila Teale (Costume Assistants)

Cathy Davies, Ros Wilkins, Linda Corr, Louisa Cavell, Daphne Croker Saunders (Make-Up Artists), Richard Brooks (Sound Recordist)

Dom Corbisiero (Sound Recordist [2nd Unit]), Bryn Thomas (Sound Recordist [Splinter Unit])

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 4

  • Leigh Court Business Centre, Pill Road, Abbots Leigh, Bristol, Avon

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 2

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 3

  • MOD St Athan, St Athan, Barry

  • Aberthaw Quarry, Aberthaw, Cement Works, Cardiff

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 1

  • Capital Quarter, East Tyndall Street, Cardiff

Deaths

  • Hydroflax [head obliterated]

  • Flemming [killed when the floor below him collapses]

Production Days

  • 21 Days between Tuesday 1  - Saturday 26 September 2015

Production Errors

  1. When King Hydroflax's talking head is resting on the Tardis console telepathic panel, the panel is clearly bend inwards. When his head is removed, the console is back to normal â€‹â€‹

Working Titles

  • [no known working titles]

Verdict

There’s nothing Christmassy about this one and everything is rushed beyond belief it is hard to remember what just happen in the previous scene. The plot jumps around as if it doesn’t know what the main focus should be, and nothing is tied together nicely. The episode is not really that funny or fun and some moments are surprisingly dark, even for the show’s standards. The whole Doctor-River Song relationship finally finishes but can be confusing if one were to begin watching the show after Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead and for those who have not seen it. There is some nice design and heartfelt moments, but it does not live up to previous Christmas episodes. **​

 

76) THE ARK IN SPACE

Number of Production Days: 5

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