TARDISODE
Encyclopedia
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. They were available on the BBC
Doctor Who website via broadband free of charge, and on mobile phones by subscription. They were produced as an effort by the BBC to expand the reach of Doctor Who beyond the television series, and include footage not seen on television, and some back-story
for the following episode. Their name is a reference to the TARDIS
, a fictional transportation device in the programme, and the portmanteau words "webisode
" and "mobisode".
The first Tardisode, a prequel
to "New Earth
", was released by the BBC on 1 April 2006; it was promoted in the accompanying children's series Totally Doctor Who
. New Tardisodes were released a week before each episode aired, directly after a new episode had finished airing on BBC 1. They were created by the same team that produced the interactive Doctor Who episode Attack of the Graske
in 2005.
The Tardisodes were advertised on BBC 1. In the advert, the TARDIS is shown to be on an ice sheet. This imagery is similar to that used in the background of the homepage of the official Doctor Who website in the run-up to the start of Series 2. This advert was shown immediately after the transmission of many Series 2 episodes, coinciding with the release of the latest Tardisode for the next week's episode online and to mobile phones.
Downloads of the Tardisodes to mobile telephones were less popular than expected: around 40,000 downloads, averaging 3,000 per episode. Downloads to personal computers were much more common, with 2.6 million downloads. Iain Tweedale, new media editor for BBC Wales, suggested two reasons for the low number of telephone downloads: although the BBC provided the episodes free, most users had to pay a fee to their mobile network, and many telephones were not compatible with the broadcasts.
DVD producers 2|entertain did not include the Tardisodes on the series 2 DVD release. No Tardisodes were produced for later series, although a similar series of prequels were released on the Doctor Who website to accompany selected episodes in series 6
.
In 2007, the BBC's annual report said of the Tardisodes that they "were not the hit we expected although they were popular on broadband", and this may be why they were discontinued after series 2.
jump at him…
is at a computer, looking at a website of UFO sightings, but is then blocked by a notice referring to Torchwood
. He picks up his phone and calls Rose while sorting through newspaper clippings, telling her that he needs her and the Doctor to investigate lights in the sky and strange goings on at a school. The Tardisode ends with a shot of a Krillitane screaming into the camera. Unlike most other Tardisodes, the main episode makes dialogue reference to the events of the prequel.
. The briefing ends, and the laptop it was playing on is closed by Ricky Smith (Mickey's counterpart on the parallel Earth), who drives away in a van, just as an advertisement for Cybus Industries is heard on the radio, announcing: "Coming soon, the ultimate upgrade"...
...
called "K37 Jem 5" which is orbited by a planet. The woman asks him to bring back the power source that is keeping the planet in orbit and become the "man who saved the Empire." When asked by Walker about how she found out about it, the woman produces a small book containing alien writing and what appears to be a map. The woman informs him it was found in the "Galis Expedition". Walker then passes the notebook to someone standing behind him. It appears the location Walker needs to go to is on the other side of the galaxy, and the woman informs him that all they have to go on is the map and "local myths", but reassures him that it's superstition, and Walker will have a "top class" ship and crew. Finally the woman wishes Walker luck, and Walker leaves, passing the person he handed the notebook to, an Ood
, who simply says "And the Beast will rise from the pit."
delivers a metal case to a man, telling him that the contents are Captain Walker's belongings. The man tells the Ood to leave and then opens the case. As he does so, the lights go out and the ship's computer states "He shall awake." The man then takes out the notebook and as he thumbs through the pages, the book emits a red light, and the monitors in the room begin to flicker and display the message "THE BEAST IS AWAKE. HE SHALL RISE FROM THE PIT." Then, a lever depresses on its own, and the notebook suddenly bursts into flames in the man's hands. He runs to the door in fear but the doors will not open, the computer telling him that the door is sealed, followed by a repeated chant of "He is coming. He is coming". Later, a woman enters the room, claiming to smell burning. She finds the man cowering in a chair, silently muttering, with the mysterious writing from the notebook having somehow transferred to his face...
-style program called Crime Crackers. The presenter is on a London street, as he tells the viewers that a young boy called Dale Hicks and a young girl called Jane McEllen have gone missing, with the police having no idea where they are, followed by an encouragement from the presenter for the viewers to phone in and give information (to a 19-digit telephone number), at the same time revealing the road to be "Dame Kelly Holmes
Close" (and the local authority to be "East London Council"). The scene then changes to a cupboard in a dark room, which suddenly bangs open to reveal a pair of red glowing eyes. A voice rasps "I'm coming..."
. His editor asks him to get the story for her, and so the reporter is shown passing secret envelopes, looking through files and photos, several of which feature the Doctor. The reporter is sure that Torchwood goes back as far as "Queen Victoria
, right up to the explosion on Christmas Day
and is connected with the Ghosts that have been appearing lately". He then returns to his Editor with his findings, only to be told that there have been "complications", and is dragged off by several mysterious men. Meanwhile another man talks to the Editor, and says that Torchwood thanks her for her co-operation, before leaving her with a replacement front page story about GCSE results. The reporter is last seen in a straitjacket
, protesting as he is hauled away: "I'm not mad! Torchwood exists! I know the truth about the Ghosts!"...
. The Tardisode then cuts to amateur-style footage of the Cyberman
invasion, with cars exploding, people running and screaming and other scenes of destruction and terror. We return to the newsroom, and the reporter behind the desk informs us that they have lost communication, and if anyone is still watching to run as fast as they can. The graphic behind her changes to the footage from earlier, and the transmission is met with interference, and the studio begins exploding around her. The reporter also addresses her own parents to flee from the Cybermen. Finally, she cowers under her desk as we hear the unmistakable sound of Daleks enter the room, proclaiming "We are the Masters of Earth.
" "Daleks conquer and destroy!" finally ending the Tardisode with a Dalek yelling "Exterminate!".
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...
created to accompany the 2006 series of the programme. Made by Doctor Who producers BBC Wales
BBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
, each Tardisode is approximately 60 seconds long and serves as an introduction to one of the actual 45-minute episodes. They were available on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Doctor Who website via broadband free of charge, and on mobile phones by subscription. They were produced as an effort by the BBC to expand the reach of Doctor Who beyond the television series, and include footage not seen on television, and some back-story
Back-story
A back-story, background story, or backstory is the literary device of a narrative chronologically earlier than, and related to, a narrative of primary interest. Generally, it is the history of characters or other elements that underlie the situation existing at the main narrative's start...
for the following episode. Their name is a reference to the TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
, a fictional transportation device in the programme, and the portmanteau words "webisode
Webisode
A webisode is a short episode which airs initially as Internet television, either download or stream as opposed to first airing on broadcast or cable television. The format can be used as a preview, a promotion, as part of a collection of shorts, or a commercial.A webisode can be an episode...
" and "mobisode".
The first Tardisode, a prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
to "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...
", was released by the BBC on 1 April 2006; it was promoted in the accompanying children's series Totally Doctor Who
Totally Doctor Who
Totally Doctor Who is a children's television series produced by the BBC that was originally broadcast between 13 April 2006 and 29 June 2007, accompanying the second and third revived series of Doctor Who. No episodes have been produced following the third series...
. New Tardisodes were released a week before each episode aired, directly after a new episode had finished airing on BBC 1. They were created by the same team that produced the interactive Doctor Who episode Attack of the Graske
Attack of the Graske
"Attack of the Graske" is an interactive mini-episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who that was first broadcast on the BBC Red Button service on 25 December 2005. It is now available as an online game on the official Doctor Who website.-Synopsis:The human race is in...
in 2005.
The Tardisodes were advertised on BBC 1. In the advert, the TARDIS is shown to be on an ice sheet. This imagery is similar to that used in the background of the homepage of the official Doctor Who website in the run-up to the start of Series 2. This advert was shown immediately after the transmission of many Series 2 episodes, coinciding with the release of the latest Tardisode for the next week's episode online and to mobile phones.
Downloads of the Tardisodes to mobile telephones were less popular than expected: around 40,000 downloads, averaging 3,000 per episode. Downloads to personal computers were much more common, with 2.6 million downloads. Iain Tweedale, new media editor for BBC Wales, suggested two reasons for the low number of telephone downloads: although the BBC provided the episodes free, most users had to pay a fee to their mobile network, and many telephones were not compatible with the broadcasts.
DVD producers 2|entertain did not include the Tardisodes on the series 2 DVD release. No Tardisodes were produced for later series, although a similar series of prequels were released on the Doctor Who website to accompany selected episodes in series 6
Doctor Who (series 6)
The sixth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who was shown in two parts. The first seven episodes were broadcast from April to June 2011 and the final six episodes from August to October. Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill continued their roles as The Doctor, Amy...
.
In 2007, the BBC's annual report said of the Tardisodes that they "were not the hit we expected although they were popular on broadband", and this may be why they were discontinued after series 2.
Tardisode 1 – "New Earth"
The viewer is introduced to New Earth, and the feline nurses who claim that they can cure anyone of any disease. A patient with terminal Autrey syndrome instantly regains her full health. Suddenly the lights go out and a patient screams for help…Tardisode 2 – "Tooth and Claw"
An object from space crashes into the Earth with a large explosion. Three hundred years later, an elderly man walks through a grassland. Suddenly, something in the grass starts chasing him. The man quickens his speed, and turns round just in time to see a werewolfWerewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
jump at him…
Tardisode 3 – "School Reunion"
MickeyMickey 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...
is at a computer, looking at a website of UFO sightings, but is then blocked by a notice referring to Torchwood
Torchwood
Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
. He picks up his phone and calls Rose while sorting through newspaper clippings, telling her that he needs her and the Doctor to investigate lights in the sky and strange goings on at a school. The Tardisode ends with a shot of a Krillitane screaming into the camera. Unlike most other Tardisodes, the main episode makes dialogue reference to the events of the prequel.
Tardisode 4 – "The Girl in the Fireplace"
Two pilots are at the controls of an unidentified spaceship. Suddenly, an ion storm hits the ship, causing chaos as lights start flashing and things start exploding, with the two pilots desperately trying to regain control. One of them shouts "Mayday!" as the scene blacks out. Later, the same cockpit is now bathed in a red light and both of the pilots are on the floor, one presumably dead. An eerie tick-tock noise is heard. A shadow falls over the surviving pilot, who is at first relieved to see help. Her relief soon turns to terror, as she suddenly becomes scared of whatever is looming over her, and she screams. A clock face cracks – part of a clock situated on top of a fireplace...Tardisode 5 – "Rise of the Cybermen"
A mission briefing from Gemini calls all Preacher agents into action, describing Cybus Industries, how thousands of people have gone missing, John Lumic, the head of Cybus Industries, and his latest "upgrade" – the CybermenCyberman
The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs who are amongst the most persistent enemies of the Doctor in the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. Cybermen were originally a wholly organic species of humanoids originating on Earth's twin planet Mondas that began to implant more...
. The briefing ends, and the laptop it was playing on is closed by Ricky Smith (Mickey's counterpart on the parallel Earth), who drives away in a van, just as an advertisement for Cybus Industries is heard on the radio, announcing: "Coming soon, the ultimate upgrade"...
Tardisode 6 – "The Age of Steel"
A video from John Lumic orders the "upgrade" of humans to Cybermen to commence around the world. This is followed by an animated diagram of a "Skin to Metal Upgrade" and a Cyberman being instructed by Lumic to "delete" all incompatible humans...Tardisode 7 – "The Idiot's Lantern"
Grandma Conolly has her new television installed. Later, the woman sits down in front of it, and strange red lightning reaches out from the television towards her. As she looks back at the screen, the lightning retracts back into the set and dances on the screen. The Grandma presumes that the set is broken, so she proceeds to hit it with her hands. The lightning shoots towards her face and she shouts for help. The television then shows a trailer for the upcoming coronation of Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
...
Tardisode 8 – "The Impossible Planet"
A woman in a suit tells a man, Captain Walker, about a black holeBlack hole
A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
called "K37 Jem 5" which is orbited by a planet. The woman asks him to bring back the power source that is keeping the planet in orbit and become the "man who saved the Empire." When asked by Walker about how she found out about it, the woman produces a small book containing alien writing and what appears to be a map. The woman informs him it was found in the "Galis Expedition". Walker then passes the notebook to someone standing behind him. It appears the location Walker needs to go to is on the other side of the galaxy, and the woman informs him that all they have to go on is the map and "local myths", but reassures him that it's superstition, and Walker will have a "top class" ship and crew. Finally the woman wishes Walker luck, and Walker leaves, passing the person he handed the notebook to, an Ood
Ood
The Ood are a fictional alien species with telepathic abilities from the long running science fiction series Doctor Who. In the series' narrative, they live in the distant future ....
, who simply says "And the Beast will rise from the pit."
Tardisode 9 – "The Satan Pit"
An OodOod
The Ood are a fictional alien species with telepathic abilities from the long running science fiction series Doctor Who. In the series' narrative, they live in the distant future ....
delivers a metal case to a man, telling him that the contents are Captain Walker's belongings. The man tells the Ood to leave and then opens the case. As he does so, the lights go out and the ship's computer states "He shall awake." The man then takes out the notebook and as he thumbs through the pages, the book emits a red light, and the monitors in the room begin to flicker and display the message "THE BEAST IS AWAKE. HE SHALL RISE FROM THE PIT." Then, a lever depresses on its own, and the notebook suddenly bursts into flames in the man's hands. He runs to the door in fear but the doors will not open, the computer telling him that the door is sealed, followed by a repeated chant of "He is coming. He is coming". Later, a woman enters the room, claiming to smell burning. She finds the man cowering in a chair, silently muttering, with the mysterious writing from the notebook having somehow transferred to his face...
Tardisode 10 – "Love & Monsters"
A mysterious figure, presumably Victor Kennedy, is using a laptop to access a website titled L.I.N.D.A, which shows a hand drawn sketch of the Doctor with the text "Who Is The Doctor?" followed by "Have You Seen Him?". The user clicks on the "Join L.I.N.D.A." button, causing the picture to change to a sketch of several people in a room, with the caption: "WE HAVE!". Text appears that reads "Last Updated – WHOOPS! Ages ago, sorry – ELTON". The user clicks again on "Join L.I.N.D.A.", which this time makes the screen display the following text: "But L.I.N.D.A. is a secret organisation. So we can't tell you where... If you need us...You'll find us." The user points a strange silver object at the laptop, which changes the display to read "PRIMITIVE COMPUTER PAGE". The screen then displays a map, with text saying "TRACK SOURCE". The map closes in on a location called "MACATEER ST", before the screen goes blank. An old lady enters the room, carrying a tray, and as she turns around, her expression turns to horror, and she is bathed in a green light. The heavy breathing of the unseen figure turns into a slurping and growling (suggesting that Kennedy has morphed into the Abzorbaloff), and the old lady shouts "No!"...Tardisode 11 – "Fear Her"
This Tardisode appears to be in the style of a fictional CrimewatchCrimewatch
Crimewatch is a long-running and high-profile British television programme produced by the BBC, that reconstructs major unsolved crimes with a view to gaining information from the members of the public. The programme is usually broadcast once a month on BBC One...
-style program called Crime Crackers. The presenter is on a London street, as he tells the viewers that a young boy called Dale Hicks and a young girl called Jane McEllen have gone missing, with the police having no idea where they are, followed by an encouragement from the presenter for the viewers to phone in and give information (to a 19-digit telephone number), at the same time revealing the road to be "Dame Kelly Holmes
Kelly Holmes
Dame Kelly Holmes, DBE, MBE is a retired British middle distance athlete. She specialised in the 800 metres and 1500 metres events and won a gold medal for both distances at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens...
Close" (and the local authority to be "East London Council"). The scene then changes to a cupboard in a dark room, which suddenly bangs open to reveal a pair of red glowing eyes. A voice rasps "I'm coming..."
Tardisode 12 – "Army of Ghosts"
A reporter tells his Editor about the story so big, he thinks it will be the story of the century – the story of TorchwoodTorchwood Institute
The Torchwood Institute is a fictional secret organization from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spin-off series Torchwood. It was established in 1879 by Queen Victoria after the events of "Tooth and Claw". Its prime directive, is to defend the earth against...
. His editor asks him to get the story for her, and so the reporter is shown passing secret envelopes, looking through files and photos, several of which feature the Doctor. The reporter is sure that Torchwood goes back as far as "Queen Victoria
Tooth and Claw (Doctor Who)
"Tooth and Claw" is the second episode in the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and was first broadcast on 22 April 2006. In 1879 Scotland, the Doctor and Rose meet Queen Victoria...
, right up to the explosion on Christmas Day
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 is connected with the Ghosts that have been appearing lately". He then returns to his Editor with his findings, only to be told that there have been "complications", and is dragged off by several mysterious men. Meanwhile another man talks to the Editor, and says that Torchwood thanks her for her co-operation, before leaving her with a replacement front page story about GCSE results. The reporter is last seen in a straitjacket
Straitjacket
A straitjacket is a garment shaped like a jacket with overlong sleeves and is typically used to restrain a person who may otherwise cause harm to themselves or others. Once the arms are inserted into the straitjacket's sleeves, they are then crossed across the chest...
, protesting as he is hauled away: "I'm not mad! Torchwood exists! I know the truth about the Ghosts!"...
Tardisode 13 – "Doomsday"
The Tardisode is in the form of an emergency news broadcast. A female news reporter informs the viewer that the country is in a State of EmergencyState of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
. The Tardisode then cuts to amateur-style footage of the Cyberman
Cyberman
The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs who are amongst the most persistent enemies of the Doctor in the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. Cybermen were originally a wholly organic species of humanoids originating on Earth's twin planet Mondas that began to implant more...
invasion, with cars exploding, people running and screaming and other scenes of destruction and terror. We return to the newsroom, and the reporter behind the desk informs us that they have lost communication, and if anyone is still watching to run as fast as they can. The graphic behind her changes to the footage from earlier, and the transmission is met with interference, and the studio begins exploding around her. The reporter also addresses her own parents to flee from the Cybermen. Finally, she cowers under her desk as we hear the unmistakable sound of Daleks enter the room, proclaiming "We are the Masters of Earth.
The Dalek Invasion of Earth
The Dalek Invasion of Earth is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which originally aired in six weekly parts from November 21 to December 26, 1964....
" "Daleks conquer and destroy!" finally ending the Tardisode with a Dalek yelling "Exterminate!".
Continuity
- In an interview with Noel ClarkeNoel ClarkeNoel Anthony Clarke is an English actor, director and screenwriter from London. He is best known for playing Wyman Norris in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and Mickey Smith in Doctor Who...
for Totally Doctor WhoTotally Doctor WhoTotally Doctor Who is a children's television series produced by the BBC that was originally broadcast between 13 April 2006 and 29 June 2007, accompanying the second and third revived series of Doctor Who. No episodes have been produced following the third series...
, he revealed that his hair was noticeably shorter during the filming of Tardisode 3 than in the episode it accompanied, "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"...
". For this reason, to maintain continuity, he wears a hat for the duration of the Tardisode. - Images of the Doctor are shown in two of the shorts. In Tardisode 10 a drawing of him is seen on a computer; in Tardisode 12 he appears in drawings and in an antique photograph.
- Tardisode 12 references "Tooth and ClawTooth and Claw (Doctor Who)"Tooth and Claw" is the second episode in the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and was first broadcast on 22 April 2006. In 1879 Scotland, the Doctor and Rose meet Queen Victoria...
" and "The Christmas InvasionThe 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...
".
Production
- Before a Tardisode, the time vortex is briefly seen. If the main episode is set in the past, the vortex is blue and if the main episode is set in the present or future, the vortex is red.
- A new set was built for Tardisode 4.
- Tardisode 8 was filmed entirely in the BBC WalesBBC WalesBBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
Canteen. - As of 2009, there is no "East London Council" as seen in 2012 in Tardisode 11