The Poison Sky
Encyclopedia
"The Poison Sky" is the fifth episode of the fourth series (since revival) of British
science fiction television series Doctor Who
. It was broadcast on BBC One
on 3 May 2008. The episode features both former companion Martha Jones
and the alien Sontaran
s. It is the second of a two part story, following "The Sontaran Stratagem
".
", the Doctor
(David Tennant
) and UNIT
determine that the ATMOS automotive devices, Sontaran
in nature, are creating a lethal gas that is slowly filling Earth's atmosphere. Donna Noble
(Catherine Tate
), after ensuring her family's safety, is inside the TARDIS
when the Sontaran clone of Martha Jones
(Freema Agyeman
) informs the Sontarans of its position, allowing them to bring it to their orbiting ship. The Sontarans then disable their teleport pods, deliberately stranding their human agent in charge of construction of the ATMOS devices, child prodigy Luke Rattigan (Ryan Sampson
).
From UNIT's headquarters, the Doctor communicates with the Sontarans, led by General Staal (Christopher Ryan
), and learns they are seeking to transform the Earth into a place hospitable to their species in order to clone more soldiers in their ongoing war against the Rutans
. The Sontarans further prevent a launch of nuclear weapon
s by UNIT against their ship through the Martha clone; the Doctor, realizing that the Sontaran ship would be impervious to the weapons' impact, realizes the Sontarans are instead preventing the disruption of their atmospheric conversion.
UNIT attempts to attack the ATMOS factory, but the Sontarans use an energy field to cause the conventional copper-lined bullets in their weapons to expand and jam the firearms, leaving them helpless as the troops are decimated. UNIT re-engage in a counter-attack using non-metallic bullets, and along with the aircraft carrier Valiant blowing the lethal gas away, puts the Sontarans on the defensive. Finding the TARDIS missing, the Doctor cryptically relays instructions to Donna to find and re-engage the teleport pods while he goads Staal. Then, following UNIT's offensive, the Doctor ventures into the factory and discovers the real Martha in one of the Sontaran's cloning devices deep in the factory. Having long figured out the truth about the clone, the Doctor reawakens the real Martha, killing the clone in the process, and instructs Martha to continue to hold back the missile launches.
The Doctor aids Donna in using the teleport pods to return to Earth, and then reverses the transport of the TARDIS to bring it off the ship. The three use the teleport in the cloning room to go to Rattigan's estate, finding the teenager distraught over the potential disaster to Earth that he caused. The Doctor collects the necessary equipment to construct his own atmospheric converter, harmlessly igniting the poison gas across the globe and ending the threat. However, the Doctor is aware the Sontarans will not concede defeat so easily and teleports with the converter aboard the Sontaran vessel, planning on activating it and destroying the ship. Staal calls the Doctor's bluff, knowing he would also die, but before anyone can react, Rattigan teleports aboard, forces the Doctor back to Earth through the pod, and sacrifices himself by triggering the device, destroying the ship and the Sontarans aboard.
As the ATMOS devices are removed from cars and destroyed across the globe, Martha says goodbye to Donna and the Doctor in the TARDIS and prepares to head home. However, before she can leave, the TARDIS suddenly springs to life, locking the doors and piloting itself to an unknown destination as the jar containing the Doctor's severed hand bubbles.
During production, director Douglas Mackinnon intended to have the episode's climatic scene in the TARDIS show the moveable column in the centre console move up and down much more rapidly than normal. However, when attempting to accomplish this, Mackinnon ended up breaking the prop, which took thirty minutes to repair.
When interviewed on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
, Catherine Tate
stated that she had been filming alongside ten actors playing Sontarans for two weeks before she realised that there were actors inside the Sontaran costumes. She had assumed the Sontarans "ran on electricity". It was not until an actor removed his helmet to reveal his real face that she realised her mistake. She stated she was "freaked out" by this and said she "nearly died".
When the Doctor interrupts the Sontarans' transmission, animated footage from CBeebies
's part live action
, part animation
eco adventure
show Tommy Zoom
is brought up on screen featuring the villanous Polluto disguised as a magician and the heroic Tommy and his dog Daniel as his audience. Originally, the plan was to use Shaun the Sheep
, but this fell through.
As in many previous episodes of the revived series, supposed BBC News 24
footage is used featuring reports of unfolding events. However, as with the more recent appearances of such footage in Doctor Who, the channel is simply captioned on screen as 'News 24' devoid of the BBC
logo. Since this episode was produced, the BBC News 24
channel was rebranded in real life as BBC News.
Donna's mispronunciation of Sontaran stems from the original production of The Time Warrior
, the first Doctor Who serial to feature the Sontarans. Kevin Lindsay
, who portrayed Linx in the story, pronounced the word as it has always been used, with emphasis on "Son-TAR-an", whereas the director Alan Bromly wanted it pronounced with no emphasis. Kevin Lindsay won the argument, claiming "I'm from the bloody planet, I think I know how to pronounce my own name!"
Scenes at the Rattigan Academy were filmed at Margam Country Park, Port Talbot.
, which got 9.12 million viewers. It was the highest rated programme on BBC1 for the day and the 18th most watched of the week. The episode received an Appreciation Index
score of 88 (considered "Excellent").
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 broadcast on BBC One
BBC One
BBC 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...
on 3 May 2008. The episode features both former companion Martha Jones
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...
and the alien Sontaran
Sontaran
The Sontarans are a fictional extraterrestrial race of humanoids from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and also seen in spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures. They were created by writer Robert Holmes.-Culture:...
s. It is the second of a two part story, following "The Sontaran Stratagem
The Sontaran Stratagem
"The Sontaran Stratagem" is the fourth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 26 April 2008...
".
Synopsis
Continuing the narration from "The Sontaran StratagemThe Sontaran Stratagem
"The Sontaran Stratagem" is the fourth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 26 April 2008...
", the Doctor
Tenth 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...
(David Tennant
David Tennant
David Tennant is a Scottish actor. In addition to his work in theatre, including a widely praised Hamlet, Tennant is best known for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, along with the title role in the 2005 TV serial Casanova and as Barty Crouch, Jr...
) and UNIT
UNIT
UNIT is a fictional military organisation from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures...
determine that the ATMOS automotive devices, Sontaran
Sontaran
The Sontarans are a fictional extraterrestrial race of humanoids from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and also seen in spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures. They were created by writer Robert Holmes.-Culture:...
in nature, are creating a lethal gas that is slowly filling Earth's atmosphere. Donna Noble
Donna Noble
Donna Noble is a fictional character played by Catherine Tate in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. A secretary from Chiswick, London, she is a companion of the Tenth Doctor, appearing in one scene at the end of the final episode of the 2006 series,...
(Catherine Tate
Catherine Tate
Catherine Tate is an English actress, writer, and comedian. She has won numerous awards for her work on the sketch comedy series The Catherine Tate Show as well as being nominated for an International Emmy Award and four BAFTA Awards...
), after ensuring her family's safety, is inside the TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
when the Sontaran clone of Martha Jones
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...
(Freema Agyeman
Freema Agyeman
Freema Agyeman is a British actress who is best known for playing Martha Jones, former companion of the Tenth Doctor in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, and itsspin-off series Torchwood...
) informs the Sontarans of its position, allowing them to bring it to their orbiting ship. The Sontarans then disable their teleport pods, deliberately stranding their human agent in charge of construction of the ATMOS devices, child prodigy Luke Rattigan (Ryan Sampson
Ryan Sampson
Ryan Oliver Sampson is an English actor best known for playing Alex Venables in the British sitcom After You've Gone, where he played the son of Jimmy Venables, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst....
).
From UNIT's headquarters, the Doctor communicates with the Sontarans, led by General Staal (Christopher Ryan
Christopher Ryan
Christopher Ryan is an English actor. Ryan is perhaps best known for his role as Mike "The Cool Person" in the BBC comedy series The Young Ones.-Early life:...
), and learns they are seeking to transform the Earth into a place hospitable to their species in order to clone more soldiers in their ongoing war against the Rutans
Rutan Host
Rutans are a fictional extraterrestrial race from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. They have been at war with the Sontaran Empire for more than 50,000 years, and this war dominates both cultures to the exclusion of all else...
. The Sontarans further prevent a launch of nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
s by UNIT against their ship through the Martha clone; the Doctor, realizing that the Sontaran ship would be impervious to the weapons' impact, realizes the Sontarans are instead preventing the disruption of their atmospheric conversion.
UNIT attempts to attack the ATMOS factory, but the Sontarans use an energy field to cause the conventional copper-lined bullets in their weapons to expand and jam the firearms, leaving them helpless as the troops are decimated. UNIT re-engage in a counter-attack using non-metallic bullets, and along with the aircraft carrier Valiant blowing the lethal gas away, puts the Sontarans on the defensive. Finding the TARDIS missing, the Doctor cryptically relays instructions to Donna to find and re-engage the teleport pods while he goads Staal. Then, following UNIT's offensive, the Doctor ventures into the factory and discovers the real Martha in one of the Sontaran's cloning devices deep in the factory. Having long figured out the truth about the clone, the Doctor reawakens the real Martha, killing the clone in the process, and instructs Martha to continue to hold back the missile launches.
The Doctor aids Donna in using the teleport pods to return to Earth, and then reverses the transport of the TARDIS to bring it off the ship. The three use the teleport in the cloning room to go to Rattigan's estate, finding the teenager distraught over the potential disaster to Earth that he caused. The Doctor collects the necessary equipment to construct his own atmospheric converter, harmlessly igniting the poison gas across the globe and ending the threat. However, the Doctor is aware the Sontarans will not concede defeat so easily and teleports with the converter aboard the Sontaran vessel, planning on activating it and destroying the ship. Staal calls the Doctor's bluff, knowing he would also die, but before anyone can react, Rattigan teleports aboard, forces the Doctor back to Earth through the pod, and sacrifices himself by triggering the device, destroying the ship and the Sontarans aboard.
As the ATMOS devices are removed from cars and destroyed across the globe, Martha says goodbye to Donna and the Doctor in the TARDIS and prepares to head home. However, before she can leave, the TARDIS suddenly springs to life, locking the doors and piloting itself to an unknown destination as the jar containing the Doctor's severed hand bubbles.
Continuity
- Just as Donna moves towards the TARDIS screen while the Doctor contacts the Sontarans, Rose TylerRose 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...
briefly appears on the screen, silently calling out. This follows a similarly silent cameo appearance in "Partners in CrimePartners in Crime (Doctor Who)"Partners in Crime" is the first episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 5 April 2008. The episode reintroduced comedienne Catherine Tate as Donna Noble, who previously appeared in "The Runaway Bride"...
". The same happens in "MidnightMidnight (Doctor Who)"Midnight" is the tenth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 14 June 2008. The episode placed much more emphasis on the role of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor than in the rest of the fourth series, with the...
." - The Valiant, the primary setting for the climax of "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 much of "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...
", is seen again in this episode when it is used by UNIT to clear the poisonous gas from the atmosphere over the ATMOS factory. It is also equipped with a scaled down version of the Torchwood weapon that destroyed the Sycorax ship in "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...
". - The Doctor remarks to Colonel Mace, "Sometimes I could do with a brigadier." To which Colonel Mace responds, "Sir Alistair is a fine man, if not the best. Unfortunately, he's stranded in Peru." This is a reference to UNIT founder Brigadier Lethbridge-StewartBrigadier Lethbridge-StewartBrigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, generally referred to simply as the Brigadier, is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, played by Nicholas Courtney...
, who first appeared in the Season 5 serial The Web of FearThe Web of FearThe Web of Fear is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from 3 February to 9 March 1968. This serial — which marks the return of the Yeti, the Great Intelligence, and Professor Travers — is the sequel to The Abominable...
(1968). Sir Alistair is said to be stranded in Peru again 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...
serials, The Wedding of Sarah Jane SmithThe Wedding of Sarah Jane SmithThe Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 29 and 30 October 2009. It is the third serial of the third series. It guest stars David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, marking the first appearance of parent programme Doctor Whos...
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...
. - The Doctor jokingly asks Colonel Mace, "Are you my mummy?" while wearing a gas mask - a reference to a line spoken by gas mask-wearing characters 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...
" / "The Doctor DancesThe Doctor Dances"The Doctor Dances" is an episode in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast on 28 May 2005. It is the second of a two-part story and saw Jack Harkness, played by John Barrowman, join the Doctor as a companion. The first part, "The Empty Child", was...
". - The episode is revisited in the series four episode "Turn LeftTurn Left (Doctor Who)"Turn Left" is the eleventh episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by showrunner Russell T Davies and broadcast on BBC One on 21 June 2008....
", where Jack HarknessJack HarknessCaptain Jack Harkness is a fictional character played by John Barrowman in Doctor Who and its spin-off series, Torchwood. He first appeared in the 2005 Doctor Who episode "The Empty Child" and reappeared in the remaining episodes of the 2005 series as a companion of the ninth incarnation of the...
and the remaining Torchwood team of Gwen CooperGwen CooperGwen Cooper is a fictional character in the BBC television programme Torchwood, a spin-off to the long-running show Doctor Who, portrayed by Welsh actress Eve Myles. The series' lead female character, Gwen has featured in every episode of the sci-fi programme to date as well as two crossover...
and Ianto JonesIanto JonesIanto Jones is a fictional character in the BBC television series Torchwood, played by Welsh actor Gareth David-Lloyd. A series regular, Ianto appears in every episode of the programme's first three series, as well as two crossover episodes of Torchwoods parent show, Doctor Who...
stop the Sontarans in a parallel timeline. Rose reveals to Donna that Gwen and Ianto were killed destroying the ship, and that Jack was transported to the Sontaran homeworld. - The finale episode "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...
" features a brief flashback of Luke Rattigan's sacrifice, among others, as the Doctor remembers all of those who have died for him. - A single remaining Sontaran from this story appears 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...
stories "The Last SontaranThe Last SontaranThe Last Sontaran is the first story of Series 2 of The Sarah Jane Adventures and is a continuation of events from Doctor Who two-part story "The Sontaran Strategem" and "The Poison Sky"...
" and "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...
".
Production
This episode and the previous episode were filmed over five weeks, beginning in September 2007. Post-production was completed a week before the first part aired.During production, director Douglas Mackinnon intended to have the episode's climatic scene in the TARDIS show the moveable column in the centre console move up and down much more rapidly than normal. However, when attempting to accomplish this, Mackinnon ended up breaking the prop, which took thirty minutes to repair.
When interviewed on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross was a British comedy chat show presented by Jonathan Ross. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 2 November 2001. The programme featured Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from both a guest music group and the house band...
, Catherine Tate
Catherine Tate
Catherine Tate is an English actress, writer, and comedian. She has won numerous awards for her work on the sketch comedy series The Catherine Tate Show as well as being nominated for an International Emmy Award and four BAFTA Awards...
stated that she had been filming alongside ten actors playing Sontarans for two weeks before she realised that there were actors inside the Sontaran costumes. She had assumed the Sontarans "ran on electricity". It was not until an actor removed his helmet to reveal his real face that she realised her mistake. She stated she was "freaked out" by this and said she "nearly died".
When the Doctor interrupts the Sontarans' transmission, animated footage from CBeebies
CBeebies
CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both...
's part live action
Live action
In filmmaking, video production, and other media, the term live action refers to cinematography, videography not produced using animation...
, part animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
eco adventure
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
show Tommy Zoom
Tommy Zoom
-Heroes:* Tommy Zoom - A child superhero, complete with cape and large Z imprinted on his chest.* Daniel - Tommy's dog and sidekick, who often discovers the problem.-Villains:...
is brought up on screen featuring the villanous Polluto disguised as a magician and the heroic Tommy and his dog Daniel as his audience. Originally, the plan was to use Shaun the Sheep
Shaun the Sheep
Shaun the Sheep is a British stop-motion animated children's television series produced by Aardman Animations, and commissioned by the BBC and the WDR. It first aired in the UK on CBBC in March 2007...
, but this fell through.
As in many previous episodes of the revived series, supposed BBC News 24
BBC News 24
BBC News is the BBC's 24-hour rolling news television network in the United Kingdom. The channel launched as BBC News 24 on 9 November 1997 at 17:30 as part of the BBC's foray into digital domestic television channels, becoming the first competitor to Sky News, which had been running since 1989...
footage is used featuring reports of unfolding events. However, as with the more recent appearances of such footage in Doctor Who, the channel is simply captioned on screen as 'News 24' devoid of 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...
logo. Since this episode was produced, the BBC News 24
BBC News 24
BBC News is the BBC's 24-hour rolling news television network in the United Kingdom. The channel launched as BBC News 24 on 9 November 1997 at 17:30 as part of the BBC's foray into digital domestic television channels, becoming the first competitor to Sky News, which had been running since 1989...
channel was rebranded in real life as BBC News.
Donna's mispronunciation of Sontaran stems from the original production of The Time Warrior
The Time Warrior
The Time Warrior is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from December 15, 1973 to January 5, 1974. This serial introduced Elisabeth Sladen as new companion Sarah Jane Smith. It also marked the debut of the Sontarans...
, the first Doctor Who serial to feature the Sontarans. Kevin Lindsay
Kevin Lindsay
Kevin Lindsay was an Australian actor, based in Britain, best known for his appearances in Doctor Who serials....
, who portrayed Linx in the story, pronounced the word as it has always been used, with emphasis on "Son-TAR-an", whereas the director Alan Bromly wanted it pronounced with no emphasis. Kevin Lindsay won the argument, claiming "I'm from the bloody planet, I think I know how to pronounce my own name!"
Scenes at the Rattigan Academy were filmed at Margam Country Park, Port Talbot.
Broadcast
Unofficial overnight figures indicated that "The Poison Sky" was watched by 5.9 million viewers, giving it a 32.5% share of the total television audience. The final consolidated figure was 6.53 million viewers. It was the second most watched programme of the day, being beaten by ITV1's Britain's Got TalentBritain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
, which got 9.12 million viewers. It was the highest rated programme on BBC1 for the day and the 18th most watched of the week. The episode received 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...
score of 88 (considered "Excellent").