The End of the World

Doctor Who: The End of the World

Written by: Russell T Davies
Directed by: Euros Lyn
Starring: Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper
Duration: 44'43m
Broadcast Date: 2/4/2005
Ratings/Chart Pos: 7.97m/No.19
DVD Availability: Try sendit.com (region 2 only)
Images: See the Doctor Who: The End of the World Image Page

Cast (credits order): Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who), Billie Piper (Rose Tyler), Simon Day (Steward), Yasmin Bannerman (Jabe), Jimmy Vee (Moxx of Balhoon), Zoë Wanamaker (Cassandra), Camile Coduri (Jackie Tyler), Beccy Armory (Raffalo), Sara Stewart (Computer Voice) and Silas Carson (Alien Voices).

Crew & Credits: Lloyd Elis (1st Assistant Director), Steffan Morris (2nd Assistant Director), Dan Mumford (3rd Assistant Director), Clive Evans (Location Manager), Emma Reid (Unit Manager), Pamela Joyce (Production Co-ordinator), Debi Griffiths/Kath Blackman (A/Production Accountants), Non Eleri Hughes (Continuity), Elwen Rowlands (Script Editor), Martin Stephens/Mike Costelloe (Camera Operators), Steve Lawes/Mark Isaac (Focus Pullers), John Robinson (Grip), Damian Richardson (Boom Operator), Mark Hutchings (Gaffer), Peter Chester (Best Boy), Lee Sheward (Stunt Co-ordinator), Jamie Edgell/Sarah Franzl (Stunt Performers), Ailsa Altena-Berk (Choreographer), Gwenllian Llwyd (Art Department Co-ordinator), Bryan Hitch (Concept Artist), Catherine Samuel (Production Buyer), Peter Walpole (Set Decorator), Stephen Nicholas (Supervising Art Director), Arwel Wyn Jones (Standby Art Director), Phill Shellard/Adrian Anscombe (Standby Props), Andrew Smith (Construction Manager), Jenny Bowers (Graphic Artist), Yolanda Peart-Smith (Assistant Costume Designer), Linda Davie (Make-Up Supervisor), Sarah Wilson (Make-Up Artist), Kirsty Robertson (Casting Associate), Marie Brown (Post Production Supervisor), Matthew Clarke (On Line Editor), Karl van Beers (Colourist), Sara Bennett/Michael Harrison/Jennifer Herbett/Astrid Busser-Casas/Simon C. Holden/Alberto Montanes/Bronwyn Edwards (2D VFX Artists), Nick Webber/Matt McKinney/Paul Perrot/Joel Meire/Paul Burton/Chris Petts/Andy Howell (3D VFX Artists), Alex Fort (Digital Matte Painter), Tim Ricketts (Dubbing Mixer), Paul McFadden (Dialogue Editor), Paul Jeffries (Sound FX Editor), Richard Pugsley (Finance Manager), Ron Grainer (Original Theme Music), Andy Pryor CDG (Casting Director), Tracie Simpson (Production Manager), Endaf Emyr Williams (Production Accountant), Ian Richardson (Sound Recordist), Lucinda Wright (Costume Designer), Davy Jones (Make Up Designer), Murray Gold (Music), The Mill (Visual Effects), Will Cohen (Visual FX Producer), Dave Houghton (Visual FX Supervisor), Any Effects (Special Effects), Millennium Effects (Prosthetics), John Richards (Editor), Edward Thomas (Production Designer), Ernie Vincze BSC (Director of Photography), Tracie Simpson (Production Manager), Helen Vallis (Associate Producer), Russell T Davies/Julie Gardner/Mal Young (Executive Producers), Phil Collinson (Producer) and Euros Lyn (Director). BBC Wales. c. BBC MMV.

Story: The Doctor takes Rose to the end of the Earth, where a saboteur lurks among the delegates at the gathering...

Trivia: The episodes before and after were both referenced in The End of the World’s runtime: Rose in a 37 second recap that leads directly into the story, and The Unquiet Dead in a 36 second trailer at the end…

The Doctor reveals that he and his companions can hear aliens in English due to the telepathic field of the Tardis infiltrating their brains. This was something alluded to from as far back as 1975’s The Masque of Mandragora, where it was obliquely referred to as a “Time Lord gift”.
The Doctor and Rose The Moxx of Balhoon


Viewpoint:
"She’s dead now… five billion years later… my mum’s dead."
"Bundle of laughs, you are."

Perhaps one of the weaker episodes, The End of the World is an always-watchable follow up story, but contains three of Russell T Davies's arguable weaknesses in the field:

* The lazy plotting. While containing some fun character moments, the "magic button to resolve the plot" is a device that the writer will continually use throughout the series.

*Doctor Who as metafiction. Little of the story is presented as serious drama, instead opting for borderline send-up and increased reliance on bodily function humour; all of which means it jars a little when Chris is called upon to emote later in the episode.

* The use of adult material. In order to bring Doctor Who back for a modern audience, there's been an addition of previously largely ignored sex. However, having a character ask if Rose is a "prostitute" in a family show is debatably pushing the remit too far, as is another making a joke about premature ejaculation. A later story after Chris had left featured a reference to oral sex.

Admidst all this, there are several stylish set pieces, Chris actually appears to be enjoying the lighter moments even if they don't quite come naturally, and his darker take towards the end is expectedly superb. However, there's the feeling that the character Eccleston is playing in this second episode is not quite the same as in the first and despite all the SFX, it all looks a little cheap, blue body paint in particular. Most importantly there's the feeling that it's all a little too silly for its own good.

* * *