The Idiot's Lantern
Encyclopedia
"The Idiot's Lantern" is an episode in the British
science fiction television series Doctor Who
. It was first broadcast on 27 May 2006.
, intending to take Rose
to an Elvis Presley
concert in New York City
, by mistake lands the TARDIS
in Muswell Hill
, London
on the day before the coronation
of Queen Elizabeth II
. The Doctor's curiosity is piqued when they see people, their faces covered by sheets, being taken away by police. The Doctor befriends teenager Tommy Connolly who shows him his grandmother, devoid of any facial features and lacking any brain activity. Tommy admits the problems started when they all started buying inexpensive television
sets in preparation for the coronation from Mr Magpie. The Doctor follows where the police are taking the faceless people while Rose investigates Magpie's shop. There, she discovers an entity calling itself the Wire, an alien being that managed to escape execution by its people by turning itself into an electrical form, and now presents as a spokeswoman on Magpie's television sets, seeking to consume enough minds to recreate its own body and planning on using the wide broadcast of the coronation to do so. Rose is unable to flee before the Wire steals her face as well.
As the Doctor is studying the other victims, the faceless Rose is brought in by the police. The Doctor races back to Tommy to enlist his help as they go to Magpie's store and confront its owner. The Wire reveals its plans to the Doctor and tries to consume him and Tommy, but the Doctor fights back with his sonic screwdriver
. The Wire retreats into a portable television Mr. Magpie created, and he escapes, intent on reaching the Alexandra Palace
transmitter
. The Doctor, with Tommy's help, uses equipment from Magpie's shop and his TARDIS to create a device to capture the Wire, and shortly follow Mr. Magpie. As Magpie connects the portable device to the tower, allowing the Wire to start to draw in the viewers' minds while killing Magpie in the process, the Doctor is able to connect his device to the transmitter. The Wire is pulled into the device, and viewers continue to safely watch the coronation; similarly, the minds and faces of those consumed by the Wire are returned to normal. The Doctor shows Tommy that he has captured the Wire on a Betamax
cassette, which he will have Rose remind him later to tape over in order to destroy the entity. Rose is reunited with the Doctor, and the two celebrate the coronation with the rest of London.
This episode was released as a basic DVD
with no special features in the UK in July 2006, together with "Rise of the Cybermen
" and "The Age of Steel
".
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 was first broadcast on 27 May 2006.
Plot
The DoctorTenth Doctor
The Tenth Doctor is the tenth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He is played by David Tennant, who appears in three series, as well as eight specials...
, intending to take Rose
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 an Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
concert in New York City
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...
, by mistake lands the TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
in Muswell Hill
Muswell Hill
Muswell Hill is a suburb of north London, mostly in the London Borough of Haringey. It is situated about north of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. Muswell Hill is in the N10 postal district and mostly in the Hornsey and Wood Green parliamentary constituency.- History :The...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on the day before the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth 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,...
. The Doctor's curiosity is piqued when they see people, their faces covered by sheets, being taken away by police. The Doctor befriends teenager Tommy Connolly who shows him his grandmother, devoid of any facial features and lacking any brain activity. Tommy admits the problems started when they all started buying inexpensive television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
sets in preparation for the coronation from Mr Magpie. The Doctor follows where the police are taking the faceless people while Rose investigates Magpie's shop. There, she discovers an entity calling itself the Wire, an alien being that managed to escape execution by its people by turning itself into an electrical form, and now presents as a spokeswoman on Magpie's television sets, seeking to consume enough minds to recreate its own body and planning on using the wide broadcast of the coronation to do so. Rose is unable to flee before the Wire steals her face as well.
As the Doctor is studying the other victims, the faceless Rose is brought in by the police. The Doctor races back to Tommy to enlist his help as they go to Magpie's store and confront its owner. The Wire reveals its plans to the Doctor and tries to consume him and Tommy, but the Doctor fights back with his sonic screwdriver
Sonic screwdriver
The sonic screwdriver is a fictional tool in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spinoffs. It is a multifunctional tool used by The Doctor. Its most common function is that of a lockpick, but can be used to perform other operations such as performing medical scans,...
. The Wire retreats into a portable television Mr. Magpie created, and he escapes, intent on reaching the Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
transmitter
Television transmitter
A television transmitter is a device which broadcasts an electromagnetic signal to the television receivers. Television transmitters may be analog or digital.- Types of transmitters :There are many types of transmitters depending on* The system standard...
. The Doctor, with Tommy's help, uses equipment from Magpie's shop and his TARDIS to create a device to capture the Wire, and shortly follow Mr. Magpie. As Magpie connects the portable device to the tower, allowing the Wire to start to draw in the viewers' minds while killing Magpie in the process, the Doctor is able to connect his device to the transmitter. The Wire is pulled into the device, and viewers continue to safely watch the coronation; similarly, the minds and faces of those consumed by the Wire are returned to normal. The Doctor shows Tommy that he has captured the Wire on a Betamax
Betamax
Betamax was a consumer-level analog videocassette magnetic tape recording format developed by Sony, released on May 10, 1975. The cassettes contain -wide videotape in a design similar to the earlier, professional wide, U-matic format...
cassette, which he will have Rose remind him later to tape over in order to destroy the entity. Rose is reunited with the Doctor, and the two celebrate the coronation with the rest of London.
Cast notes
- Rory Jennings, who plays Tommy Connolly, plays the teenage DavrosDavrosDavros is a character from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Davros is an archenemy of the Doctor and is the creator of the Doctor's deadliest enemies, the Daleks...
in Big Finish ProductionsBig Finish ProductionsBig Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
' I, Davros: InnocenceI, Davros: InnocenceI, Davros: Innocence is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It stars Terry Molloy reprising his role as Davros, the twisted creator of the Dalek race. "Innocence" is the first in a four-part mini-series exploring...
. - Margaret John, who plays Tommy's Grandma, also played Megan Jones in 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 Fury from the DeepFury from the DeepFury from the Deep is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which originally aired in six weekly parts from 16 March to 20 April 1968...
(1968). - Lara Phillipart appears as an extra in the Connollys' house during the coronation. She later played Jasmine Pierce in the TorchwoodTorchwoodTorchwood 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...
episode "Small WorldsSmall Worlds (Torchwood)"Small Worlds" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Torchwood. It is the fifth episode of the first series, which was broadcast on 12 November 2006...
".
Continuity
- The story is set at the time of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, due to its significance as the first key event televised across the United Kingdom putting the story as the 1 and 2 June 1953. According to a report in The Daily MirrorThe Daily MirrorThe Daily Mirror is a British national daily tabloid newspaper which was founded in 1903. Twice in its history, from 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was changed to read simply The Mirror, which is how the paper is often referred to in popular parlance. It had an...
newspaper, Queen Elizabeth is a fan of the new series of Doctor Who, and requested DVDs of the 2005 series during her summer stay at BalmoralBalmoral CastleBalmoral Castle is a large estate house in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is located near the village of Crathie, west of Ballater and east of Braemar. Balmoral has been one of the residences of the British Royal Family since 1852, when it was purchased by Queen Victoria and her...
. Elizabeth II appears here in archive footage; she previously appeared (played by an impersonator) in the Seventh DoctorSeventh DoctorThe 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....
story Silver NemesisSilver NemesisSilver Nemesis was the 25th anniversary serial of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast in the UK in three weekly parts from 23 November 1988, to 7 December 1988....
(1988). According to a late 1980s interview with former Doctor Who producer John Nathan-TurnerJohn Nathan-TurnerJohn Nathan-Turner was the ninth producer of the long-running BBC science fiction series Doctor Who, from 1980 until it was effectively cancelled in 1989...
published in Doctor Who Magazine, an attempt was made to get the Queen herself to appear in Silver Nemesis but the plan fell through. She is again portrayed in "Voyage of the DamnedVoyage of the Damned (Doctor Who)"Voyage of the Damned" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. First broadcast on 25 December 2007, it is 72 minutes long and the third Christmas special since the show's revival in 2005...
". - As the Doctor examines the blank-faced Rose, Bishop says in the background that this will get "TorchwoodTorchwood InstituteThe 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...
on our backs, and no mistake." - The Magpie Electricals logo has been seen several times in Doctor Who since "The Idiot's Lantern" was first broadcast. It is seen on Martha JonesMartha JonesMartha 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...
' television in "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...
", aboard the Starship UK in "The Beast BelowThe Beast Below"The Beast Below" is the second episode of the fifth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by showrunner Steven Moffat and broadcast on BBC One and BBC HD on 10 April 2010....
" and even within the TARDIS itself from "The Eleventh HourThe Eleventh Hour (Doctor Who)"The Eleventh Hour" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One and BBC HD on 3 April 2010....
" onwards. Additionally, Magpie's television sets appear in the "Hub" from the spin-off series TorchwoodTorchwoodTorchwood 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...
, and the Magpie branding is seen on 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....
's computer in The Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane AdventuresThe 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...
story The Mark of the BerserkerThe Mark of the BerserkerThe Mark of the Berserker is a story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 3 and 10 November 2008. It is the fourth serial of the second series...
.
Production
- "The Idiot's Lantern" is written by The League of GentlemenThe League of GentlemenThe League of Gentlemen are a group of British comedians formed in 1995, best known for their radio and television series.The League of Gentlemen may also refer to:* The League of Gentlemen ,...
co-writer Mark GatissMark GatissMark Gatiss is an English actor, screenwriter and novelist. He is best known as a member of the comedy team The League of Gentlemen, and has both written for and acted in the TV series Doctor Who and Sherlock....
, who also wrote 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....
episode "The Unquiet DeadThe Unquiet Dead"The Unquiet Dead" is an episode in the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who that was first broadcast on 9 April 2005 and is the first episode of the revival to be set in the past. In Victorian Cardiff, the dead are walking, and creatures made of gas are on the loose...
" as well as several spin-offDoctor Who spin-offsDoctor Who spin-offs refers to material created outside of, but related to, the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
audios and novels. He also starred in the 2007 episode "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...
" as Dr Richard Lazarus, making him the first writer of the new series to also star in the show. - The title of the episode was suggested by writer 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...
, who recalled the term being used by his father to refer to television. - The episode is set in the Muswell Hill area of London, and second-unit photography was conducted around Alexandra Palace but Doctor Who productions are Cardiff-based. The exterior of Magpie's shop was filmed on Blenheim Road in CardiffCardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
- Almost every scene is filmed at a Dutch angleDutch angleDutch tilt, Dutch angle, Dutch shot, oblique angle, German angle, canted angle, Batman angle, or jaunty angle are terms used for one of many cinematic techniques often used to portray the psychological uneasiness or tension in the subject being filmed...
. - The game associated with this episode, the "Magpie Online Archive" is a "file sharing application" in which the player must search through various clips of BBC television history to look for messages left behind by the Wire. Unlike earlier games, it is only accessible through the BBC Doctor Who website.
Historical details
- What's My Line?, which began in 1951 on UK television, is mentioned by the continuity announcer in the pre-credits sequence.
- The "Bat's Wings ident" is seen on the television sets in this episode, but that particular ident did not see use until 2 December 1953, six months after this episode is set. Although the ident is seen the BBC logo is never shown clearly.
- Rose scolds Mr Connolly for not knowing the difference between the Union Jack and the Union FlagUnion FlagThe Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
. However, this is an urban legendUrban legendAn urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
, which was debunked on 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 TodayToday programmeToday is BBC Radio 4's long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, now broadcast from 6.00 am to 9.00 am Monday to Friday, and 7.00 am to 9.00 am on Saturdays. It is also the most popular programme on Radio 4 and one of the BBC's most popular programmes across its radio networks...
programme. The original 1902 naval regulation states that the flag can be referred to by either name on land. Rose herself refers to the flag as the Union Jack in "The Empty ChildThe Empty Child"The Empty Child" is an episode in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast on 21 May 2005. It is the first of a two-part story. The concluding episode, "The Doctor Dances", was broadcast on 28 May...
". - Muffin the MuleMuffin the MuleMuffin the Mule is a puppet character in British television programmes for children. The original programmes featuring the character were presented by Annette Mills, sister of John Mills, & aunt to Hayley Mills, and broadcast live by the BBC from their studios at Alexandra Palace from 1946 to 1952...
, clips of which feature in this episode, was also mentioned in the 1999 Doctor Who Night sketch, "The Pitch of Fear", which was also written by Mark Gatiss. - The phrase, "Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin," was popularised by the 1950–1982 BBC RadioBBC RadioBBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
series Listen with Mother, which began each episode with those words. The Wire uses a paraphrase of this when first speaking to Magpie. Another paraphrased version was said by the Doctor at the beginning of "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 phrase "Goodnight children, everywhere," used by the Wire as she feeds on Rose, was the catchphrase of Children's HourChildren's HourChildren's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
presenter Derek McCullochDerek McCullochDerek Ivor Breashur McCulloch OBE was a BBC Radio presenter and producer, who is best remembered as "Uncle Mac" in Children's Favourites and Children's Hour and for playing 'Larry the Lamb' in Toytown.-Early life:...
. - The Morris Jb van used in the filming is a 1957 van. The van has also been used in "Willy Wonka" and other film/TV work.
- The normal price for a Pye television set in 1953, including installation, was about £70, compared with the £5 Magpie was selling them for as part of the Wire's plan.
- Throughout the story, several later developments in television technology are alluded to and shown: colour television, portable televisions, and video recording.
- The street in which the episode is set is Florizel Street, the original name of the long running UK soap operaSoap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Coronation StreetCoronation StreetCoronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
.
Ratings and DVD release
Overnight viewing figures for the initial broadcast of this episode were 6.32 million, peaking at 7.78 million, an audience share of 32.2%. The final rating was 6.76 million, making it the most watched programme of the day.This episode was released as a basic DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
with no special features in the UK in July 2006, together with "Rise of the Cybermen
Rise of the Cybermen
"Rise of the Cybermen" is an episode in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The episode features the return of Cybermen, where they are created on Earth itself. It is the first part of a two-part story, the concluding part being "The Age of Steel"...
" and "The Age of Steel
The Age of Steel
"The Age of Steel" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on 20 May 2006 and is the second part of a two-part story that was the first to feature the Cybermen since Silver Nemesis in 1988. The first part, "Rise of the Cybermen", was...
".
External links
- TARDISODE 7
- "are you sitting comfortably" - episode trailer
- Episode commentary by Ron Cook, Louise Page and Sheelagh Wells (MP3)
- "The Idiot's Lantern" episode homepage
- Maureen Lipman discusses filming this episode in The Guardian