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Gridlock (Doctor Who)
Encyclopedia
"Gridlock" is the third episode from the third series
of the revived British
science fiction television series Doctor Who
which aired on 14 April 2007. The Doctor returns to a much grittier New Earth with Martha Jones and meets the Face of Boe one final time. But as New New York becomes a deadly trap, the streets are deserted except for shady Pharmacists. The Doctor and Martha must brave the ordeal of the mysterious Motorway in order to discover the terrible secrets at the heart of the city.
According to the BARB
figures this episode was seen by 8.41 million viewers and was the seventh most popular broadcast on British television in that week.
takes Martha
with his TARDIS
to the year five billion and fifty three in New New York
on the planet New Earth, a place to which he had previously
taken Rose Tyler
. They end up in an alleyway where street traders are selling mood patches to help people deal with "The Motorway", but as they are investigating this, Martha is kidnapped at gun point and drugged by a young couple, Milo and Cheen. Once in their vehicle, they explain that Cheen is pregnant and that they needed three adult passengers to qualify for the high-occupancy vehicle lane
, the "Fast Lane", and that they will drop Martha off when they reach their destination 10 miles (16.1 km) away in six years. Cheen also mentions rumours about something living down in the fast lane, saying that cars that go down there vanish, never to be seen again.
The Doctor chases after Martha's kidnappers and arrives at the (entirely enclosed) Motorway to find thousands of hover vans stuck in a tri-dimensional gridlock
. The fumes in the air begin to affect the Doctor, but he is invited into the hover van of Thomas Kincade Brannigan, a cat man, and Valerie, his human wife, who have a litter of kitten
s. The Doctor learns that the couple, along with all the other traffic on the road, has only travelled a short distance in several years, their vans having become their homes. Brannigan helps the Doctor to locate the vehicle containing his companion, heading towards the Fast Lane. As the Doctor tries to call the police but gets put on hold and Brannigan refuses to put his family in danger, the Doctor decides to try to reach Martha himself and begins to jump down from lane to lane, breaking in and out of vans with his sonic screwdriver. Shortly after the Doctor leaves Brannigan's van, Novice Hame, who has been sent by the Face of Boe
to locate the Doctor, enters Brannigan's van, chasing after him.
Martha, Milo, and Cheen drive into the Fast Lane, and begin to hear strange noises all around, and a nearby driver warns them to escape into the slow lanes before being eaten by the creatures that live in the fast lane, but Milo refuses. The Doctor, finding himself in a van just above the Fast Lane, looks out the bottom and discovers that the floor of the Motorway is filled with Macra, monstrous crab-like alien beings that once ruled an empire but now have devolved into feral, non-sentient beasts, who attempt to capture and eat those that fly in the Fast Lane. As the Doctor watches, Milo's van is nearly caught by one Macra's huge claw, but Martha realises that the beings are attracted by the light and motion generated by the van, and has Milo cut the power. This saves them from the beasts but leaves them with only a few minutes of breathable air in the van.
Novice Hame finally catches up with the Doctor and teleports him away forcefully to the Senate where the Face of Boe
is waiting. Hame explains that a "Bliss" drug created by the pharmacists mutated into a virus that became airborne and wiped out the entire surface population in a matter of minutes, and only those in the Motorway were spared due to her actions to seal it off, keeping the travellers in constant traffic to avoid telling them the real problem. The Face of Boe has wired himself to the system to keep the Motorway operational. The Doctor determines that whatever danger that "Bliss" may have caused before has long passed, and works with Hame to try to power up the systems to unseal the Motorway but there is not enough energy left. The Face of Boe sacrifices his life energy to the system, allowing the ceiling of the Motorway to open, and the Doctor broadcasts a call for all drivers to escape that way and for Martha to come find him.
When Martha does so, the Doctor and Novice Hame are tending over the Face of Boe who is finally close to death; the glass container that encased it had shattered. The Doctor tries to encourage the Face of Boe to live, as both the Doctor and the Face of Boe are the last of their respective kinds, but with its dying breath it whispers the secret it promised to tell the Doctor before: "You are not alone
". As the Doctor and Martha leave Hame to mourn, the Doctor tells Martha it means nothing, but Martha forces him to tell her the truth. As the undercity fills with the sound of the entire surviving population of New New York singing a hymn, he explains to Martha that he is indeed the last Time Lord
, and tells her all about Gallifrey
and the truth of the Time War before they return to the TARDIS.
. Filming took place from mid-September to early October 2006.
The majority of the episode was filmed in Upper Boat Studios in Trefforest
. Most of this material was the interior car scenes. For this, only one car set was used, with it being redecorated for each different car.
The Temple of Peace
in Cardiff was the location for the Darkened Temple, which also doubled for the TV Studio with news reporter Sally Calypso. The Temple of Peace was previously used as the main hall in "The End of the World
", and would later be used for scenes in "The Fires of Pompeii
", "Cold Blood
", and "Let's Kill Hitler
". The only other location for the episode was the Maltings in Cardiff Bay, which was the location for the alley where the TARDIS landed.
later played Rachel Cooper in the Seventh Doctor
audio drama The Architects of History
.
"The Old Rugged Cross
", and the hymn heard at the end of the episode is "Abide With Me
".
Fan reviews
Doctor Who (series 3)
The third series of British science fiction series Doctor Who was preceded by the 2006 Christmas special "The Runaway Bride". Following the special, a regular series of thirteen episodes was broadcast, starting with "Smith and Jones" on 31 March 2007...
of the revived British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
science fiction television series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
which aired on 14 April 2007. The Doctor returns to a much grittier New Earth with Martha Jones and meets the Face of Boe one final time. But as New New York becomes a deadly trap, the streets are deserted except for shady Pharmacists. The Doctor and Martha must brave the ordeal of the mysterious Motorway in order to discover the terrible secrets at the heart of the city.
According to the BARB
Barb
Barb may refer to:* A backward-facing point on a fish hook or similar implement, rendering extraction from the victim's flesh more difficult* Wind barbs for each station on a map of reported weather conditions...
figures this episode was seen by 8.41 million viewers and was the seventh most popular broadcast on British television in that week.
Plot
The DoctorDoctor (Doctor Who)
The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
takes Martha
Martha Jones
Martha Jones is a fictional character played by Freema Agyeman in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spin-off series, Torchwood. She is a companion of the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who, replacing Rose Tyler...
with his TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
to the year five billion and fifty three in New New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on the planet New Earth, a place to which he had previously
New Earth
"New Earth" is the first episode of the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, first broadcast on 15 April 2006. It is a sequel to the first series episode "The End of the World", and brings back its villain who was thought to be destroyed, Lady Cassandra, as...
taken Rose Tyler
Rose Tyler
Rose Marion Tyler is a fictional character portrayed by Billie Piper in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and was created by series producer Russell T Davies...
. They end up in an alleyway where street traders are selling mood patches to help people deal with "The Motorway", but as they are investigating this, Martha is kidnapped at gun point and drugged by a young couple, Milo and Cheen. Once in their vehicle, they explain that Cheen is pregnant and that they needed three adult passengers to qualify for the high-occupancy vehicle lane
High-occupancy vehicle lane
In transportation engineering and transportation planning, a high-occupancy vehicle lane is a lane reserved for vehicles with a driver and one or more passengers...
, the "Fast Lane", and that they will drop Martha off when they reach their destination 10 miles (16.1 km) away in six years. Cheen also mentions rumours about something living down in the fast lane, saying that cars that go down there vanish, never to be seen again.
The Doctor chases after Martha's kidnappers and arrives at the (entirely enclosed) Motorway to find thousands of hover vans stuck in a tri-dimensional gridlock
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
. The fumes in the air begin to affect the Doctor, but he is invited into the hover van of Thomas Kincade Brannigan, a cat man, and Valerie, his human wife, who have a litter of kitten
Kitten
A kitten is a juvenile domesticated cat.The young of big cats are called cubs rather than kittens. Either term may be used for the young of smaller wild felids such as ocelots, caracals, and lynx, but "kitten" is usually more common for these species....
s. The Doctor learns that the couple, along with all the other traffic on the road, has only travelled a short distance in several years, their vans having become their homes. Brannigan helps the Doctor to locate the vehicle containing his companion, heading towards the Fast Lane. As the Doctor tries to call the police but gets put on hold and Brannigan refuses to put his family in danger, the Doctor decides to try to reach Martha himself and begins to jump down from lane to lane, breaking in and out of vans with his sonic screwdriver. Shortly after the Doctor leaves Brannigan's van, Novice Hame, who has been sent by the Face of Boe
Face of Boe
The Face of Boe is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Not portrayed on-screen by an actor, the Face of Boe is a wholly mechanical effect, resembling in appearance a gigantic, wrinkly human-like head with, in place of hair, numerous tendrils which...
to locate the Doctor, enters Brannigan's van, chasing after him.
Martha, Milo, and Cheen drive into the Fast Lane, and begin to hear strange noises all around, and a nearby driver warns them to escape into the slow lanes before being eaten by the creatures that live in the fast lane, but Milo refuses. The Doctor, finding himself in a van just above the Fast Lane, looks out the bottom and discovers that the floor of the Motorway is filled with Macra, monstrous crab-like alien beings that once ruled an empire but now have devolved into feral, non-sentient beasts, who attempt to capture and eat those that fly in the Fast Lane. As the Doctor watches, Milo's van is nearly caught by one Macra's huge claw, but Martha realises that the beings are attracted by the light and motion generated by the van, and has Milo cut the power. This saves them from the beasts but leaves them with only a few minutes of breathable air in the van.
Novice Hame finally catches up with the Doctor and teleports him away forcefully to the Senate where the Face of Boe
Face of Boe
The Face of Boe is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Not portrayed on-screen by an actor, the Face of Boe is a wholly mechanical effect, resembling in appearance a gigantic, wrinkly human-like head with, in place of hair, numerous tendrils which...
is waiting. Hame explains that a "Bliss" drug created by the pharmacists mutated into a virus that became airborne and wiped out the entire surface population in a matter of minutes, and only those in the Motorway were spared due to her actions to seal it off, keeping the travellers in constant traffic to avoid telling them the real problem. The Face of Boe has wired himself to the system to keep the Motorway operational. The Doctor determines that whatever danger that "Bliss" may have caused before has long passed, and works with Hame to try to power up the systems to unseal the Motorway but there is not enough energy left. The Face of Boe sacrifices his life energy to the system, allowing the ceiling of the Motorway to open, and the Doctor broadcasts a call for all drivers to escape that way and for Martha to come find him.
When Martha does so, the Doctor and Novice Hame are tending over the Face of Boe who is finally close to death; the glass container that encased it had shattered. The Doctor tries to encourage the Face of Boe to live, as both the Doctor and the Face of Boe are the last of their respective kinds, but with its dying breath it whispers the secret it promised to tell the Doctor before: "You are not alone
Master (Doctor Who)
The Master is a recurring character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is a renegade Time Lord and the archenemy of the Doctor....
". As the Doctor and Martha leave Hame to mourn, the Doctor tells Martha it means nothing, but Martha forces him to tell her the truth. As the undercity fills with the sound of the entire surviving population of New New York singing a hymn, he explains to Martha that he is indeed the last Time Lord
Time Lord
The Time Lords are an ancient extraterrestrial race and civilization of humanoids in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, of which the series' eponymous protagonist, the Doctor, is a member...
, and tells her all about Gallifrey
Gallifrey
Gallifrey is a fictional planet in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who and is the homeworld of the Doctor and the Time Lords...
and the truth of the Time War before they return to the TARDIS.
Continuity
- As with the previous episode, the Doctor/Martha scene here carries on directly from their last scene in the previous story, "The Shakespeare CodeThe Shakespeare Code"The Shakespeare Code" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 7 April 2007, and is the second episode of Series 3 of the revived Doctor Who series. According to the BARB figures this episode was seen by 7.23 million viewers and was...
". As the Doctor leaves the TARDISTARDISThe TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
at the start of the episode, he pulls out the arrow that was embedded in the door at the end of that episode. The opening three episodes occurring in immediate succession was also the format for the first three episodes of Series 1, when Rose joined the Doctor. - The episode marks the second appearance of the large crustacean Macra race. The Doctor refers to their vast gas mines which enslaved humans, a reference to the Second DoctorSecond DoctorThe Second Doctor is the second incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by character actor Patrick Troughton....
serial The Macra TerrorThe Macra TerrorThe Macra Terror is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 11 March to 1 April 1967...
, remarking that the Macra have "devolved" from their previous, more intelligent, state. - The Doctor's description of his home planetGallifreyGallifrey is a fictional planet in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who and is the homeworld of the Doctor and the Time Lords...
matches the one given by his granddaughter SusanSusan ForemanSusan Foreman is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The granddaughter and original companion of the First Doctor, she was played by actress Carole Ann Ford from 1963 to 1964, in the show's first season and the first two stories of the second season...
in the 1964 story The SensoritesThe SensoritesThe Sensorites is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from June 20 to August 1, 1964. The story is notable for its early demonstration of Susan's telepathy and references to the Doctor and her home planet.-Plot:The...
:"Oh, it's ages since we've seen our planet. It's quite like Earth, but at night the sky is a burnt orange; and the leaves on the trees are bright silver."
It also bears similarities to the description given to GraceGrace HollowayDr. Grace Holloway is a fictional character played by Daphne Ashbrook in the 1996 television movie Doctor Who, a continuation of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
in the 1996 telemovie. - Alice and May Cassini are the first homosexual married couple featured in a Doctor Who episode.
- The numbered mood patches parallel the number coded mood controllers in the Ninth DoctorNinth DoctorThe Ninth Doctor is the ninth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He is played by Christopher Eccleston....
novel Only Human by Gareth RobertsGareth Roberts (writer)Gareth John Pritchard Roberts is a British television screenwriter and novelist, best known for his work related to the science-fiction television series Doctor Who...
; Davies confirms this was the inspiration in Doctor Who MagazineDoctor Who MagazineDoctor Who Magazine is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
#382. The patches bear a green crescent, mentioned in "New Earth" as the "universal symbol for hospitals". - The Doctor appears to have resolved his dislike of cats (as stated in "Fear HerFear Her"Fear Her" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on 24 June 2006.The episode takes part on the day of the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, almost exclusively on a fictitious cul-de-sac named after the British athlete...
") by this episode, in which he pats some of Brannigan's children and later hugs Novice Hame. - In the car of the two Asian girls, there is a poster on the wall with the Chinese charactersKanjiKanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
悪狼Akuroor Evil Wolf is a piece in some variants of the Japanese board game Shogi. There are typically two akuro at the beginning of the game. They can step one square orthogonally sideways or forward, or diagonally forward.The following shogi variants have akuro:...
, which translate as "bad wolf". - The Face of Boe reminds the Doctor that "everything has its time", previously said by the Ninth Doctor in "The End of the WorldThe End of the World (Doctor Who)"The End of the World" is the second episode of Series One of the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who. Written by show runner Russell T Davies and directed by Euros Lyn, the episode was first broadcast on 2 April 2005....
" and by Sarah Jane SmithSarah Jane SmithSarah Jane Smith is a fictional character played by Elisabeth Sladen in the long-running British BBC Television science-fiction series Doctor Who and its spin-offs K-9 and Company and The Sarah Jane Adventures....
in "School ReunionSchool Reunion (Doctor Who)"School Reunion" is the third episode in the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It first aired on 29 April 2006. The episode's narrative takes place some time after the events of "The Christmas Invasion"...
". - The Face of BoeFace of BoeThe Face of Boe is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Not portrayed on-screen by an actor, the Face of Boe is a wholly mechanical effect, resembling in appearance a gigantic, wrinkly human-like head with, in place of hair, numerous tendrils which...
calls the Doctor "old friend", a hint at revelations to come about this character's possible true identity.
New Earth
- This episode reveals the "great secret" promised to The Doctor by the Face of Boe in "New Earth" – "You are not alone". Discussing this in Doctor Who ConfidentialDoctor Who ConfidentialDoctor Who Confidential is a documentary series created by the British Broadcasting Corporation to complement the revival of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Each episode was broadcast on BBC Three on Saturdays, immediately after the broadcast of the weekly...
, David Tennant said that Boe is not lying, yet that the Doctor is not wrong about being the last of the Time Lords, either. In the same episode, producer Phil CollinsonPhil CollinsonPhilip "Phil" Collinson is a British television producer. He was initially an actor, before switching to working behind the cameras in the industry as a script editor and writer on programmes such as Springhill and Emmerdale, later becoming the producer of Peak Practice, Doctor Who and Coronation...
said that the revelation would be revisited (but not immediately) and the audience would learn more about the Doctor and the Face of Boe in the process. It was not until "UtopiaUtopia (Doctor Who)"Utopia" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 16 June 2007 and is the eleventh episode of series three of the revived Doctor Who series...
", "The Sound of DrumsThe Sound of Drums"The Sound of Drums" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 23 June 2007, and is the twelfth episode of Series 3 of the revived Doctor Who series...
" and "Last of the Time LordsLast of the Time Lords"Last of the Time Lords" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 30 June 2007, and is the thirteenth and final episode of Series 3 of the revived Doctor Who series...
" that the meaning of the phrase and the significance of the Face of Boe's origins were discussed. - The Doctor again recites the city's proper name as "New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York", repeating his earlier performance to RoseRose TylerRose Marion Tyler is a fictional character portrayed by Billie Piper in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and was created by series producer Russell T Davies...
in "New EarthNew Earth"New Earth" is the first episode of the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, first broadcast on 15 April 2006. It is a sequel to the first series episode "The End of the World", and brings back its villain who was thought to be destroyed, Lady Cassandra, as...
". - As Martha wakes up in the car, she hears her kidnappers claim that the skies above smell of apple grass. In "New Earth", the Doctor shows off apple grass to Rose.
- The Doctor refers to the Duke of Manhattan, a character who appeared in "New Earth".
Outside references
- Ma and Pa at the start of the episode are based on the farming couple in the painting American GothicAmerican GothicAmerican Gothic is a painting by Grant Wood, in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Wood's inspiration came from a cottage designed in the Gothic Revival style with a distinctive upper window and a decision to paint the house along with "the kind of people I fancied should live in that...
, both having identical hairstyles, glasses and fashions. - Will Cohen, The MillThe Mill (post-production)The Mill is a post-production and visual effects company launched in 1990 with offices in London, New York and Los Angeles.The Mill's Film special effects subsidiary, Mill Film, won an Oscar for its work on the film Gladiator. The Mill was the first UK-based post-production company to set up...
's Visual FX Producer, revealed on the "Doctor Who Watch" page in Radio TimesRadio TimesRadio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
that the films Blade RunnerBlade RunnerBlade Runner is a 1982 American science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young. The screenplay, written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, is loosely based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K...
, The Fifth ElementThe Fifth ElementThe Fifth Element is a 1997 French science fiction film directed, co-written, and based on a story by Luc Besson, starring Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, and Milla Jovovich...
and Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
, specifically the planet of CoruscantCoruscantCoruscant is a planet in the fictional Star Wars universe. It first appeared onscreen in the 1997 Special Edition of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, but was first mentioned in Timothy Zahn's 1991 novel Heir to the Empire...
influenced the look of New New York. - Russell T Davies stated that he based many aspects of New New York on Megacity One from the anthology comic 2000 AD2000 AD (comic)2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction-oriented comic. As a comics anthology it serialises a number of separate stories each issue and was first published by IPC Magazines in 1977, the first issue dated 26 February. IPC then shifted the title to its Fleetway comics subsidiary which was sold...
, including the businessman's appearance on Max Normal from the Judge DreddJudge DreddJudge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...
comic books. - The character of Sally Calypso was a homage to Halo JonesThe Ballad of Halo JonesThe Ballad of Halo Jones is a science fiction comic strip written by Alan Moore and drawn by Ian Gibson, with lettering by Steve Potter and Richard Starkings ....
, which featured a similar character named Swifty Frisko. Halo Jones also originated in the anthology comic 2000 AD. - The Doctor says that he received his coat from Janis JoplinJanis JoplinJanis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...
. - Also in the online commentary, Davies noted that Brannigan's appearance was based on "Ratz", the CGIComputer-generated imageryComputer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
disembodied cat's head that was a "virtual presenter" of CBBCCBBCCBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
's Live & KickingLive & KickingLive & Kicking was a BBC Saturday morning children's magazine programme, running from 1993 to 2001. The fourth in a succession of Saturday morning shows, it was the replacement for Going Live!, and took many of its features from it, such as phone-ins, games, comedy, competitions and the showing of...
in the early 1990s. - The hymnHymnA hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s Abide with MeAbide With MeThe hymn tune most often used with this hymn is "Eventide" composed by William Henry Monk in 1861.Alternate tunes include:* "Abide with Me," Henry Lyte, 1847* "Morecambe", Frederick C...
and The Old Rugged CrossThe Old Rugged Cross"The Old Rugged Cross" is a popular Christian song written in 1912 by evangelist and song-leader George Bennard .George Bennard, was a native of Youngstown, Ohio but was reared in Iowa. After his conversion in a Salvation Army meeting, he and his wife became brigade leaders before leaving the...
are sung during the "Daily Contemplation" that is broadcast to the vans on the motorway.
Filming
"Gridlock" was in the third filming block for the series, along with The Lazarus ExperimentThe Lazarus Experiment
"The Lazarus Experiment" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 5 May 2007 and is the sixth episode of Series 3 of the revived Doctor Who series. It stars David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones as his companion, played...
. Filming took place from mid-September to early October 2006.
The majority of the episode was filmed in Upper Boat Studios in Trefforest
Trefforest
Treforest is a village in the south-east of Pontypridd in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales situated in the Treforest electoral ward along with the village of Glyntaff , being part of the Pontypridd Community...
. Most of this material was the interior car scenes. For this, only one car set was used, with it being redecorated for each different car.
The Temple of Peace
Temple of Peace, Cardiff
The Welsh National Temple of Peace and Health, as known as the Temple of Peace, is a non-religious civic building in the civic centre of Cardiff, Wales. It was designed by the architect Sir Percy Thomas.-Location:...
in Cardiff was the location for the Darkened Temple, which also doubled for the TV Studio with news reporter Sally Calypso. The Temple of Peace was previously used as the main hall in "The End of the World
The End of the World (Doctor Who)
"The End of the World" is the second episode of Series One of the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who. Written by show runner Russell T Davies and directed by Euros Lyn, the episode was first broadcast on 2 April 2005....
", and would later be used for scenes in "The Fires of Pompeii
The Fires of Pompeii
"The Fires of Pompeii" is the second episode of the fourth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 12 April 2008....
", "Cold Blood
Cold Blood (Doctor Who)
"Cold Blood" is the ninth episode in the fifth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was broadcast on Saturday 29 May 2010...
", and "Let's Kill Hitler
Let's Kill Hitler
"Let's Kill Hitler" is the eighth episode of the sixth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and was first broadcast on BBC One, Space and BBC America on 27 August 2011. It is the second episode of a two-part story, continuing stories from "A Good Man Goes to War"...
". The only other location for the episode was the Maltings in Cardiff Bay, which was the location for the alley where the TARDIS landed.
Casting
Lenora CrichlowLenora Crichlow
Lenora Isabella Crichlow is a British actress best known for playing Annie in the science fiction drama Being Human.-Background:...
later played Rachel Cooper in the Seventh Doctor
Seventh Doctor
The Seventh Doctor is the seventh incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by the actor Sylvester McCoy....
audio drama The Architects of History
The Architects of History
The Architects of History is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It contains a four part story. -Plot:In 2044, The Selachians attack Earth’s Moonbase...
.
Music
Those on the Motorway sing the hymnHymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
"The Old Rugged Cross
The Old Rugged Cross
"The Old Rugged Cross" is a popular Christian song written in 1912 by evangelist and song-leader George Bennard .George Bennard, was a native of Youngstown, Ohio but was reared in Iowa. After his conversion in a Salvation Army meeting, he and his wife became brigade leaders before leaving the...
", and the hymn heard at the end of the episode is "Abide With Me
Abide With Me
The hymn tune most often used with this hymn is "Eventide" composed by William Henry Monk in 1861.Alternate tunes include:* "Abide with Me," Henry Lyte, 1847* "Morecambe", Frederick C...
".
Post-production
According to Russell T Davies in Doctor Who Magazine, this episode uses the most CGI so far in all the series. He also states in the online commentary that this episode will probably be the last visit to New Earth, but not to future planets.Broadcast
- The episode was aired 40 minutes later than its regular airtime due to the FA Cup semi-finalFA Cup 2006-07The FA Cup 2006–07 was the 126th staging of the world's oldest football knockout competition; The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup...
between Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
and WatfordWatford F.C.Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
. Had the match gone into extra time, the episode would have been postponed until the following week since the episode, which would have been broadcast after 8pm in the case of a delay, would have been on air too late for younger viewers. - During Radio 4BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's The Now ShowThe Now ShowThe Now Show is a British radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4, which satirises the week's news. The show is a mixture of stand-up, sketches and songs presented by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis...
, broadcast on Friday 13 April 2007, Mitch BennMitch BennMitch Benn is a British musician and stand-up comedian known for his humorous songs performed on BBC radio. He is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4's satirical programme The Now Show, and has hosted other radio shows.Benn has performed at several music festivals, and at the Edinburgh Festival...
(an ardent LiverpoolLiverpool F.C.Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
and Doctor Who fan) sang a song imploring Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
to win so that the BBC would not postpone Doctor Who. - A trailer for the episode was shown during half-time of the Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
v WatfordWatford F.C.Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
match. After this was shown, Match of the DayMatch of the DayMatch of the Day is the BBC's main football television programme. Typically, it is shown on BBC One on Saturday evenings during the English football season, showing highlights of the day's matches in English football's top division, the Premier League...
host Gary LinekerGary LinekerGary Winston Lineker, OBE , is a former English footballer, who played as a striker. He is a sports broadcaster for the BBC, Al Jazeera Sports and Eredivisie Live...
welcomed viewers "back to the TARDIS", rather than back to the match. - The BBC OneBBC OneBBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
continuity announcer introduced the episode with "Next up is Doctor Who, but first travel news with Sally Calypso," referring to the news-reading character who was first to speak in the episode. - This episode was repeated on BBC FourBBC FourBBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
at 8.15 p.m. on Tuesday 21 August 2007 as part of the channel's Motorways Season.
External links
- "He has arrived" — episode trailer
Fan reviews