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School Reunion (Doctor Who)
Encyclopedia
"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
". In the episode's TARDISODE
, Mickey Smith
alerts the Doctor
and Rose Tyler
to a comprehensive school where strange things are happening, such as UFO sightings. At the school, the Doctor encounters his former companion Sarah Jane Smith
and the robotic dog, K-9 Mark III, he sent her, who likewise were interested by the current events. Together, they discover the force behind the events, a race known as the Krillitanes, and work to prevent them gaining control of the universe.
The use of the Doctor's previous companions, in particular Sarah Jane and K-9, was first proposed in 2003 to the BBC. After the episode was produced, Elisabeth Sladen was approached by the BBC to star in a spin-off
, The Sarah Jane Adventures
, which also included K-9 in several stories. The episode was positively reviewed, with an Appreciation Index
of 85% ("Excellent").
. The Doctor
, under the alias "John Smith", is undercover as a science teacher in the school and is intrigued by the uncommon intelligence of one of the students. His companion, Rose Tyler, is working undercover in the school's cafeteria
. Both the Doctor and Rose relate the mysterious events around the school to the chips: Rose observes that the chip oil has an adverse effect on the other kitchen staff, while the Doctor notes that the chips themselves are making children more intelligent.
Mr. Finch's successes have aroused media attention — in particular, the attention of investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith
. While at first the Doctor feigns ignorance, when Sarah Jane discovers the TARDIS
during the night, he is forced to admit his identity. Sarah Jane meets Rose and Mickey, with an immediate rivalry sparking between the two women. As the group searches the school, they find thirteen bat-like creatures asleep in Finch's office. Returning to Sarah Jane's car, the journalist reveals a battered, inactive K-9 Mark III
, who—once repaired—identifies the chip oil as Krillitane oil. Rose, unaware that the Doctor had even had past companions, confronts him; he replies sadly that, while she can spend the rest of her life with him, he cannot spend the rest of his life with her, so he must remain aloof.
The following day, the group returns to the school to investigate further. The Doctor confronts Mr. Finch, who confirms that he and the others are Krillitanes - a composite species that takes desirable attributes of the species they conquer. He attempts to subvert the Doctor, without success. Meanwhile, Sarah Jane and Rose, now getting on better than at their first meeting, try to unlock the programming on the school's computers; Mickey and K-9 remain in Sarah Jane's car for surveillance. With the Doctor's help, they discover that the computers - bolstered by the students' enhanced intelligence - are part of a Krillitane effort to solve the "Skasis Paradigm", a theory of everything
. As the paradigm is nearly solved — which would allow the Krillitanes full control over time and space — the Krillitanes seal the school. Mr. Finch propositions the Doctor a second time, tempting him with the ability to save the Time Lords and override human mortality. With Sarah Jane's counseling, the Doctor refuses, and they run from Mr. Finch. Mickey crashes Sarah Jane's car through the school's doors and unplugs the computers, allowing the children to flee. The Doctor leads the Krillitanes to the kitchen. Upon their arrival, K-9 detonates the chip oil container, saturating the Krillitanes. The Krillitanes suddenly explode, destroying the school and K-9.
At episode's end, Rose, Sarah Jane, Mickey, and the Doctor are standing in the TARDIS. Sarah Jane declines a second chance of travelling in the TARDIS. Mickey says he would like to join the TARDIS crew, a suggestion of which Sarah Jane approves. She then asks Rose to stay with the Doctor and - if she needs help - to find her. Sarah Jane then gets a chance to part properly with the Doctor, who leaves her with a brand new K-9 as a parting gift.
, which was formally announced on 14 September 2006.
The episode went through several changes in production: working titles included "Old Friends" and "Black Ops", the latter being set in an army base. Davies requested that Whithouse set it in a school instead, mainly for simplicity, but also for a desire for the Doctor to masquerade as a school teacher. Additionally, the Krillitanes were to be named "Krillians" until the BBC found the name was trademarked, and Finch's forename was originally Hector, until the BBC found a real teacher by the same name, and renamed him Lucas. K-9's eye grill was initially filmed flashing in sync with his lines, not unlike the Daleks, until Phil Collinson saw the footage and nixed the practice (which was inconsistent with the robot dog's past appearances). A scene that was cut was of Milo's brain being "shorted out" by the Doctor's rapid-fire questions at the beginning of the episode, which was later alluded to in the episode.
The episode, originally in the second production block, was produced in the first block along with "The Christmas Invasion
" and "New Earth
". Two high schools in Wales were used for filming: Fitzalan High School
in Leckwith
was used on 23 August and 24 August 2005, for filming the first conversation between the Doctor and Finch, and for the playground, kitchen, and cafeteria scenes, and Duffryn High School in Newport
, which was used between 25 August and 6 September for the remainder of the episode, with filming delayed due to asbestos
being discovered in Duffryn High School's structure. The scenes in the schools utilised dozens of children as extras. Pick-up shots were later completed on 7 September and 8 September, with filming of the cafe scene delayed due to drunk and disorderly conduct
from members of the public.
score of 85%. Jacob Clifton of Television Without Pity gave the episode an A+ rating, and jokingly stated that he "didn't know why the Doctor was fucking around [during the Physics lesson]: he taught Physics at Coal Hill School way back in '63". Ahsan Haque of IGN
gave the episode a 8.7 out of 10 ("Great") and commented that the episode had "fantastic character moments" and "brilliant CGI effects", and that "if you're willing to accept the Scooby-Doo
storyline, then the strong nostalgic vibes present in this episode should be enough to carry this episode into a must-see category.", and K-9 and Sarah-Jane alone made the episode worth watching for fans of the classic series. The episode was subsequently nominated for the 2007 Hugo Award
for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form, an award that was won by the following episode "The Girl in the Fireplace
".
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...
. It first aired on 29 April 2006. The episode's narrative takes place some time after the events of "The Christmas Invasion
The Christmas Invasion
"The Christmas Invasion" is a 60-minute special episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is Christmas, but there is little cause for celebration as planet Earth is invaded by aliens known as the Sycorax...
". In the episode's TARDISODE
TARDISODE
Tardisodes are mini-episodes of the television programme Doctor Who created to accompany the 2006 series of the programme. Made by Doctor Who producers BBC Wales, each Tardisode is approximately 60 seconds long and serves as an introduction to one of the actual 45-minute episodes...
, Mickey Smith
Mickey Smith
Mickey Smith is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, played by Noel Clarke.Mickey is introduced as the boyfriend of the Ninth and Tenth Doctor's companion Rose Tyler, and a recurring character on the programme...
alerts the Doctor
Doctor (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....
and 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...
to a comprehensive school where strange things are happening, such as UFO sightings. At the school, the Doctor encounters his former companion Sarah Jane Smith
Sarah Jane Smith
Sarah 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....
and the robotic dog, K-9 Mark III, he sent her, who likewise were interested by the current events. Together, they discover the force behind the events, a race known as the Krillitanes, and work to prevent them gaining control of the universe.
The use of the Doctor's previous companions, in particular Sarah Jane and K-9, was first proposed in 2003 to the BBC. After the episode was produced, Elisabeth Sladen was approached by the BBC to star in a spin-off
Doctor Who spin-offs
Doctor Who spin-offs refers to material created outside of, but related to, the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
, The Sarah Jane Adventures
The Sarah Jane Adventures
The Sarah Jane Adventures is a British science fiction television series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen...
, which also included K-9 in several stories. The episode was positively reviewed, with an Appreciation Index
Appreciation Index
The Audience Appreciation Index is a score out of 100 which is used as an indicator of the public's appreciation for a television or radio programme, or broadcast service, in the United Kingdom. Until 2002, the AI of a programme was calculated by BARB, the organisation that compiles television...
of 85% ("Excellent").
Plot
Mr. Finch, the headmaster of Deffry Vale School, has been changing the school to improve the students' performance; his changes include free lunches with special chipsFrench fries
French fries , chips, fries, or French-fried potatoes are strips of deep-fried potato. North Americans tend to refer to any pieces of deep-fried potatoes as fries or French fries, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, long, thinly cut slices of deep-fried potatoes are...
. The Doctor
Doctor (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....
, under the alias "John Smith", is undercover as a science teacher in the school and is intrigued by the uncommon intelligence of one of the students. His companion, Rose Tyler, is working undercover in the school's cafeteria
Cafeteria
A cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen...
. Both the Doctor and Rose relate the mysterious events around the school to the chips: Rose observes that the chip oil has an adverse effect on the other kitchen staff, while the Doctor notes that the chips themselves are making children more intelligent.
Mr. Finch's successes have aroused media attention — in particular, the attention of investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith
Sarah Jane Smith
Sarah 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....
. While at first the Doctor feigns ignorance, when Sarah Jane discovers the TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
during the night, he is forced to admit his identity. Sarah Jane meets Rose and Mickey, with an immediate rivalry sparking between the two women. As the group searches the school, they find thirteen bat-like creatures asleep in Finch's office. Returning to Sarah Jane's car, the journalist reveals a battered, inactive K-9 Mark III
K-9 (Doctor Who)
K-9, or K9, is the name of several fictional robotic canines in the long-running British science fiction television series, Doctor Who, first appearing in 1977...
, who—once repaired—identifies the chip oil as Krillitane oil. Rose, unaware that the Doctor had even had past companions, confronts him; he replies sadly that, while she can spend the rest of her life with him, he cannot spend the rest of his life with her, so he must remain aloof.
The following day, the group returns to the school to investigate further. The Doctor confronts Mr. Finch, who confirms that he and the others are Krillitanes - a composite species that takes desirable attributes of the species they conquer. He attempts to subvert the Doctor, without success. Meanwhile, Sarah Jane and Rose, now getting on better than at their first meeting, try to unlock the programming on the school's computers; Mickey and K-9 remain in Sarah Jane's car for surveillance. With the Doctor's help, they discover that the computers - bolstered by the students' enhanced intelligence - are part of a Krillitane effort to solve the "Skasis Paradigm", a theory of everything
Theory of everything
A theory of everything is a putative theory of theoretical physics that fully explains and links together all known physical phenomena, and predicts the outcome of any experiment that could be carried out in principle....
. As the paradigm is nearly solved — which would allow the Krillitanes full control over time and space — the Krillitanes seal the school. Mr. Finch propositions the Doctor a second time, tempting him with the ability to save the Time Lords and override human mortality. With Sarah Jane's counseling, the Doctor refuses, and they run from Mr. Finch. Mickey crashes Sarah Jane's car through the school's doors and unplugs the computers, allowing the children to flee. The Doctor leads the Krillitanes to the kitchen. Upon their arrival, K-9 detonates the chip oil container, saturating the Krillitanes. The Krillitanes suddenly explode, destroying the school and K-9.
At episode's end, Rose, Sarah Jane, Mickey, and the Doctor are standing in the TARDIS. Sarah Jane declines a second chance of travelling in the TARDIS. Mickey says he would like to join the TARDIS crew, a suggestion of which Sarah Jane approves. She then asks Rose to stay with the Doctor and - if she needs help - to find her. Sarah Jane then gets a chance to part properly with the Doctor, who leaves her with a brand new K-9 as a parting gift.
Production
The concept of Sarah-Jane and K-9 returning to Doctor Who was an idea of Russell T Davies from pitching the show in 2003. While K-9's return did not survive through production, the return of a previous companion was one of Davies' favourite ideas, and was placed in the second series. Such a use would show what would happen after a companion left the Doctor, without dwelling too much on the classic series. It was Davies' full intention for Sarah Jane to be used for this, and while Sladen originally declined a request, thinking her role would not be important, she changed her mind when she realised she would be the focal point of the adventure. After production of the episode was finished, Sladen was approached about a full spin-off series, The Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane Adventures
The Sarah Jane Adventures is a British science fiction television series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen...
, which was formally announced on 14 September 2006.
The episode went through several changes in production: working titles included "Old Friends" and "Black Ops", the latter being set in an army base. Davies requested that Whithouse set it in a school instead, mainly for simplicity, but also for a desire for the Doctor to masquerade as a school teacher. Additionally, the Krillitanes were to be named "Krillians" until the BBC found the name was trademarked, and Finch's forename was originally Hector, until the BBC found a real teacher by the same name, and renamed him Lucas. K-9's eye grill was initially filmed flashing in sync with his lines, not unlike the Daleks, until Phil Collinson saw the footage and nixed the practice (which was inconsistent with the robot dog's past appearances). A scene that was cut was of Milo's brain being "shorted out" by the Doctor's rapid-fire questions at the beginning of the episode, which was later alluded to in the episode.
The episode, originally in the second production block, was produced in the first block along with "The Christmas Invasion
The Christmas Invasion
"The Christmas Invasion" is a 60-minute special episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is Christmas, but there is little cause for celebration as planet Earth is invaded by aliens known as the Sycorax...
" and "New Earth
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...
". Two high schools in Wales were used for filming: Fitzalan High School
Fitzalan High School
Fitzalan High School is an 11-19 mixed, large, co-educational, community comprehensive secondary school in Cardiff. The school is located in the suburb of Leckwith area of Cardiff, Wales. The school serves some areas which are economically disadvantaged. Over 40 different languages are spoken...
in Leckwith
Leckwith
Leckwith is a district of western Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It is home to Cardiff City F.C.'s and Cardiff Blues home ground Cardiff City Stadium, and to Fitzalan High School...
was used on 23 August and 24 August 2005, for filming the first conversation between the Doctor and Finch, and for the playground, kitchen, and cafeteria scenes, and Duffryn High School in Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, which was used between 25 August and 6 September for the remainder of the episode, with filming delayed due to asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
being discovered in Duffryn High School's structure. The scenes in the schools utilised dozens of children as extras. Pick-up shots were later completed on 7 September and 8 September, with filming of the cafe scene delayed due to drunk and disorderly conduct
Public intoxication
Public intoxication, also known as "drunk and disorderly", is a summary offense in many countries rated to public cases or displays of drunkenness...
from members of the public.
Continuity
- Sarah Jane left the Fourth Doctor at the end of the 1976 serial The Hand of FearThe Hand of FearThe Hand of Fear is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 2 October to 23 October 1976...
which ended with her standing in a street far from her home of South Croydon but otherwise unspecified; it was revealed in this episode that the Doctor left her in Aberdeen. - Sarah Jane received K-9 Mark III in the pilot (and sole) episode of K-9 and CompanyK-9 and CompanyK-9 and Company was a proposed television spin-off of the original programme run of Doctor Who . It was to feature former series regulars Sarah Jane Smith, an investigative journalist played by Elisabeth Sladen, and K-9, a robotic dog. Both characters had been companions of the Fourth Doctor, but...
, K-9 having been sent to her by the Doctor two years earlier. - Sarah Jane and K-9 were last seen in the Doctor Who television specials The Five DoctorsThe Five DoctorsThe Five Doctors is a special feature-length episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, produced in celebration of the programme's twentieth anniversary. It had its world premiere in the United States, on the Chicago PBS station WTTW and various other PBS member stations...
and Dimensions in TimeDimensions in TimeDimensions in Time is a charity special crossover between the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and the soap opera EastEnders that ran in two parts on 26 and 27 November 1993. It was filmed on the EastEnders Albert Square set, and features several of the stars of that programme...
. Sarah also appeared in the video spinoff release and novelisation DowntimeDowntime (Doctor Who)Downtime is a direct-to-video spin-off of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was released direct-to-video and produced by the independent production company Reeltime Pictures...
. - In Sarah Jane's next appearance, "Invasion of the BaneInvasion of the Bane-Sladen and Doctor Who:Elisabeth Sladen, who previously played Sarah Jane between 1973 and 1976. In 1981, she was offered the role again to ease the transition between the Fourth and Fifth Doctors, which she declined, but agreed to star in the pilot for the spin-off series K-9 and Company, which...
", she uses the same method as Mickey and K-9 use to gain access through locked exterior doors. - Although Sarah Jane turns down the Doctor's offer to travel again with him, she later does so in "Journey's EndJourney's End (Doctor Who)"Journey's End" is the thirteenth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who first broadcast on BBC One on 5 July 2008. It is the second episode of a two-part crossover story featuring the characters of spin-off shows Torchwood and The Sarah Jane...
" and "Death of the DoctorDeath of the DoctorDeath of the Doctor is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 25 and 26 October 2010. It is the third story of the fourth series. This episode features the return of Katy Manning to the role of Jo Grant and a guest appearance by Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor...
". - It is revealed in "Invasion of the Bane" that the Doctor hid additional tools for Sarah Jane within K-9's body at the end of this episode, including a "sonic lipstick" (or multiple sonic lipsticks, according to "Enemy of the BaneEnemy of the BaneEnemy of the Bane is a two-part story from the Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was broadcast on CBBC on 1 and 8 December 2008, and is the final serial of the second series...
") and a wristwatch that scans for alien lifeforms.
Broadcast and reception
The episode was watched by 8.3 million viewers, the twelfth most-watched programme of the week, with an Appreciation IndexAppreciation Index
The Audience Appreciation Index is a score out of 100 which is used as an indicator of the public's appreciation for a television or radio programme, or broadcast service, in the United Kingdom. Until 2002, the AI of a programme was calculated by BARB, the organisation that compiles television...
score of 85%. Jacob Clifton of Television Without Pity gave the episode an A+ rating, and jokingly stated that he "didn't know why the Doctor was fucking around [during the Physics lesson]: he taught Physics at Coal Hill School way back in '63". Ahsan Haque of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave the episode a 8.7 out of 10 ("Great") and commented that the episode had "fantastic character moments" and "brilliant CGI effects", and that "if you're willing to accept the Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
storyline, then the strong nostalgic vibes present in this episode should be enough to carry this episode into a must-see category.", and K-9 and Sarah-Jane alone made the episode worth watching for fans of the classic series. The episode was subsequently nominated for the 2007 Hugo Award
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form, an award that was won by the following episode "The Girl in the Fireplace
The Girl in the Fireplace
"The Girl in the Fireplace" is the fourth episode of the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on 6 May 2006, and is the only episode in the 2006 series written by Steven Moffat...
".
External links
- TARDISODE 3
- Episode trailer
- Episode commentary by Phil Collinson, Helen Raynor and Eugene Washington (MP3)
- "School Reunion" episode homepage
- "Doctor Who is reunited with K9"
- BBC Somerset: Interview with Anthony Head
- BBC Norfolk: Interview with Elisabeth Sladen
- Deffry Vale School tie-in website
- The Skasas Paradigm Code (WMV)