Death of the Doctor
Encyclopedia
Death 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
. Exposition at the end of the episode provides updates on the lives of numerous companions from the "classic era" who had gone unaddressed in the revived era. This story was the last to feature Sarah Jane Smith and the Doctor together onscreen.
is dead. A race called the Shansheeth have retrieved the body and are holding a funeral at UNIT Base 5, buried underground at the foot of Mount Snowdon. However, Sarah Jane believes that the Doctor is still alive, but goes along to search for evidence that this is a hoax.
Upon arriving at the base they find a small number of other mourners have been invited, as few survive their encounters with the Doctor. The team also find a Groske working at the base, a blue-skinned cousin of the Graske race they've had problems with in the past. The Doctor's body is to be blasted into space via a rocket built by the Groske. As they proceed to the ceremony of remembrance, Clyde's left hand develops a growing blue electric charge. At the ceremony, music is played which recalls memories for all about the Doctor. Clyde then realizes that the charge is artron energy, which he had previously carried after touching the vanishing TARDIS
at Sarah Jane's wedding. The ceremony is interrupted by the clumsy arrival of Jo Jones (née Grant)
, as she drops a vase of flowers. She is accompanied by her grandson, Santiago. The two former companions chat, as do the children, and both women agree they're sure the Doctor must still be alive.
In their room, the two women make a list of enemies that might try to fake the Doctor's death, while the children wander round the base. Clyde again receives a shock on his hand and reveals the affliction to the other two. They encounter the lead Groske again, who informs them that the rising artron energy signals that an unidentified someone is getting closer and closer. Clyde and his companions pursue the Groske down an air vent, where they watch as the Shansheeth plot to make the two companions relive their days with the Doctor and then drain their minds, killing them in the process. The children are discovered by the Shansheeth when another artron energy discharge gives away their position.
The children flee and run into Sarah Jane and Jo. After learning what the Shansheeth are doing, they are surprised to hear an adult male talking through Clyde's mouth. However, the next minute Clyde appears normal. He then gains the Doctor's hand before morphing into the Doctor
. The Doctor explains that he used Clyde's residual artron energy to make a complicated swap of 10,000 light years. The result of this is, as the Doctor realizes, he can fight the Shansheeth while Clyde is where the Doctor just was: trapped in danger on an alien world. Sarah Jane realizes the man standing before them is the Doctor's newest incarnation shortly before the Shansheeth catch up with the group. A Shansheeth quips that they will ensure their announcement of the Doctor's death is correct this time, then proceeds to launch a beam of energy from their claws at him, causing him to collapse to the floor.
Rani, Santiago, Clyde and a Groske try to get through the ventilation shafts, but Colonel Karim heats up the shafts until the children are in danger of roasting. The Doctor, Jo and Sarah Jane go to the rescue, but Jo and Sarah Jane are kidnapped and the Doctor goes on alone. Sarah Jane and Jo are strapped into the Memory Weave. Their minds are scanned and they begin remembering the TARDIS; these memories generate a new TARDIS key.
The Doctor, Rani, Clyde, Santiago and a Groske come to the room Sarah Jane and Jo are in and tell them to remember other experiences. Jo remembers all the countries she has been to as Sarah Jane remembers her battles with aliens. The Memory Weave overloads and explodes, setting the room on fire. Sarah Jane and Jo hide in the lead coffin and shut themselves inside to survive the explosion. Later, they are taken to Sarah Jane's house, alive and well. Jo and Sarah Jane talk with the Doctor inside the TARDIS before he bids them a fond farewell. Jo and Santiago leave for Norway, and the trio are left behind, where Sarah Jane tells them of other companions of the Doctor she has researched – all of whom have done or are achieving wonderful things for the human race. She says that with friends like these and themselves, the Doctor will surely never die.
.
The story was repeated on 25 December 2010 as one full story where it achieved an overnight rating of 1.40 million on BBC One.
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 was broadcast on CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
on 25 and 26 October 2010. It is the third story of the fourth series. This episode features the return of Katy Manning
Katy Manning
Katy Manning is an English actress best known for her part as the companion Jo Grant in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. She has also made many theatre appearances, and is now a citizen of Australia. She is myopic...
to the role of Jo Grant
Jo Grant
Josephine "Jo" Grant is a fictional character played by Katy Manning in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
and a guest appearance by Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor
Eleventh Doctor
The Eleventh Doctor is the eleventh incarnation of the protagonist of the BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. Matt Smith plays this incarnation, replacing David Tennant's Tenth Doctor in the 2010 episode "The End of Time, Part Two"...
. Exposition at the end of the episode provides updates on the lives of numerous companions from the "classic era" who had gone unaddressed in the revived era. This story was the last to feature Sarah Jane Smith and the Doctor together onscreen.
Part 1
Sarah Jane, Rani and Clyde are talking to Luke via webcam but are interrupted when Mr Smith alerts them that a UNIT convoy is converging on the house. The commanding officer, Colonel Karim, informs the group that the DoctorDoctor (Doctor Who)
The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
is dead. A race called the Shansheeth have retrieved the body and are holding a funeral at UNIT Base 5, buried underground at the foot of Mount Snowdon. However, Sarah Jane believes that the Doctor is still alive, but goes along to search for evidence that this is a hoax.
Upon arriving at the base they find a small number of other mourners have been invited, as few survive their encounters with the Doctor. The team also find a Groske working at the base, a blue-skinned cousin of the Graske race they've had problems with in the past. The Doctor's body is to be blasted into space via a rocket built by the Groske. As they proceed to the ceremony of remembrance, Clyde's left hand develops a growing blue electric charge. At the ceremony, music is played which recalls memories for all about the Doctor. Clyde then realizes that the charge is artron energy, which he had previously carried after touching the vanishing TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
at Sarah Jane's wedding. The ceremony is interrupted by the clumsy arrival of Jo Jones (née Grant)
Jo Grant
Josephine "Jo" Grant is a fictional character played by Katy Manning in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
, as she drops a vase of flowers. She is accompanied by her grandson, Santiago. The two former companions chat, as do the children, and both women agree they're sure the Doctor must still be alive.
In their room, the two women make a list of enemies that might try to fake the Doctor's death, while the children wander round the base. Clyde again receives a shock on his hand and reveals the affliction to the other two. They encounter the lead Groske again, who informs them that the rising artron energy signals that an unidentified someone is getting closer and closer. Clyde and his companions pursue the Groske down an air vent, where they watch as the Shansheeth plot to make the two companions relive their days with the Doctor and then drain their minds, killing them in the process. The children are discovered by the Shansheeth when another artron energy discharge gives away their position.
The children flee and run into Sarah Jane and Jo. After learning what the Shansheeth are doing, they are surprised to hear an adult male talking through Clyde's mouth. However, the next minute Clyde appears normal. He then gains the Doctor's hand before morphing into the Doctor
Eleventh Doctor
The Eleventh Doctor is the eleventh incarnation of the protagonist of the BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. Matt Smith plays this incarnation, replacing David Tennant's Tenth Doctor in the 2010 episode "The End of Time, Part Two"...
. The Doctor explains that he used Clyde's residual artron energy to make a complicated swap of 10,000 light years. The result of this is, as the Doctor realizes, he can fight the Shansheeth while Clyde is where the Doctor just was: trapped in danger on an alien world. Sarah Jane realizes the man standing before them is the Doctor's newest incarnation shortly before the Shansheeth catch up with the group. A Shansheeth quips that they will ensure their announcement of the Doctor's death is correct this time, then proceeds to launch a beam of energy from their claws at him, causing him to collapse to the floor.
Part 2
The Doctor disappears and Clyde reappears. Clyde, Jo, Rani, Santiago and Sarah Jane run away from the Shansheeth to safety, the Doctor swapping places again with Clyde part way. The Doctor, Jo and Sarah swap places with Clyde and go to the alien planet, where they talk. The Doctor says that he visited Jo before he regenerated and tells Jo that he had been into her future and seen her thirteenth grandchild. The Doctor works on perfecting the machine which allowed them to swap places with Clyde. When fixed, it can transport them without needing to swap with Clyde. Colonel Karim meanwhile is with the Shansheeth, and they are plotting to use Jo and Sarah Jane's memories of the TARDIS to create a new TARDIS key, so the Shansheeth can stop death across the universe by interfering with the timelines and so that Colonel Karim, in return, can visit the stars because she has nothing left for her on Earth.Rani, Santiago, Clyde and a Groske try to get through the ventilation shafts, but Colonel Karim heats up the shafts until the children are in danger of roasting. The Doctor, Jo and Sarah Jane go to the rescue, but Jo and Sarah Jane are kidnapped and the Doctor goes on alone. Sarah Jane and Jo are strapped into the Memory Weave. Their minds are scanned and they begin remembering the TARDIS; these memories generate a new TARDIS key.
The Doctor, Rani, Clyde, Santiago and a Groske come to the room Sarah Jane and Jo are in and tell them to remember other experiences. Jo remembers all the countries she has been to as Sarah Jane remembers her battles with aliens. The Memory Weave overloads and explodes, setting the room on fire. Sarah Jane and Jo hide in the lead coffin and shut themselves inside to survive the explosion. Later, they are taken to Sarah Jane's house, alive and well. Jo and Sarah Jane talk with the Doctor inside the TARDIS before he bids them a fond farewell. Jo and Santiago leave for Norway, and the trio are left behind, where Sarah Jane tells them of other companions of the Doctor she has researched – all of whom have done or are achieving wonderful things for the human race. She says that with friends like these and themselves, the Doctor will surely never die.
Continuity
- The Doctor mentions that AmyAmy PondAmelia Jessica 'Amy' Pond is a fictional character portrayed by Karen Gillan in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
and RoryRory WilliamsRory Williams is a fictional character portrayed by Arthur Darvill in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Having been introduced at the start of the 5th series, Rory joins the Eleventh Doctor as a companion in the middle of Series 5...
are spending time on a planet for their honeymoon after their wedding, meaning that this takes place after "The Big BangThe Big Bang (Doctor Who)"The Big Bang" is the 13th and final episode in the fifth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is the second part of a two-part season finale started with "The Pandorica Opens", at the end of which The Doctor is trapped, the TARDIS destroyed, and Amy Pond has been shot...
" and before "A Christmas Carol" from the Doctor's perspective; this parallels the episodes' broadcast sequence. - 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...
is noted as "stranded in Peru", the exact phrase used to describe his whereabouts in "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...
" and 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 is the final mention of him in life. At some point after this story, he is moved to a nursing home, where he eventually passes away. - Liz Shaw, the first UNIT assistant of the Third DoctorThird DoctorThe Third Doctor is the third incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by actor Jon Pertwee....
, cannot make the funeral as she is currently working at UNIT's moonbase. - The Doctor briefly sends Clyde off-world, despite having been told by Sarah Jane at the end of The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith that Clyde and Rani were sentenced by the Judoon to be confined to Earth. The Doctor's ability to transport Clyde stems from The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith, when Clyde was charged with Artron energy.
- Alien artifacts have been found "at the foot of Mount Snowdon" by the Torchwood InstituteTorchwood 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...
in "Army of GhostsArmy of Ghosts"Army of Ghosts" is the twelfth and penultimate episode in the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who which was first broadcast on 1 July 2006...
" and Joshua Naismith in The End of TimeThe End of TimeThe End of Time: The Next Revolution in Our Understanding of the Universe, also sold with the alternate subtitle The Next Revolution in Physics, is a 1999 science book in which the author Julian Barbour argues that time exists merely as an illusion.-Auto-biography:The book begins by describing how...
. - Sarah Jane tells Clyde that she has researched many previous companions of the Doctor and what they are doing now. Those whom she has traced include the following:
- Ian ChestertonIan ChestertonIan Chesterton is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and a companion of the First Doctor. He was played in the series by William Russell, and was one of the members of the programme's very first regular cast, appearing in the bulk of the first two...
and Barbara Chesterton (née Wright)Barbara Wright (Doctor Who)Barbara Wright is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and a companion of the First Doctor. She was one of the programme's very first regulars and appeared in the bulk of its first two seasons from 1963–65, played by Jacqueline Hill. In the film version...
are now CambridgeUniversity of CambridgeThe University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
professors, and are rumoured not to have aged since the 1960s. - Tegan JovankaTegan JovankaTegan Jovanka is a fictional character played by Janet Fielding in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. An Australian airline stewardess and a native of Brisbane who was a companion of the Fourth and Fifth Doctors, she was a regular in the programme from 1981 to...
works in her homeland of AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, fighting for Aboriginal rightsIndigenous rightsIndigenous rights are those rights that exist in recognition of the specific condition of the indigenous peoples. This includes not only the most basic human rights of physical survival and integrity, but also the preservation of their land, language, religion and other elements of cultural... - Harry SullivanHarry SullivanHarry Sullivan is a fictional character from the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who and is a companion of the Fourth Doctor...
worked on vaccines and found cures for many deadly viruses. - Ben Jackson and PollyPolly (Doctor Who)Polly is a fictional character played by Anneke Wills in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. A young woman from the year 1966, she was a companion of the First and Second Doctors and a regular in the programme from 1966 to 1967.-Character history:Polly first...
work at an orphanage in IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. - A woman called Dorothy (i.e. AceAce (Doctor Who)Dorothy Gale McShane, better known by her nickname Ace, is a fictional character played by Sophie Aldred in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
) set up a philanthropic organisation called A Charitable Earth (ACE) which has raised billions of pounds.
- Ian Chesterton
- The Doctor tells Jo that before regenerating, his tenth incarnation looked up all of his previous companions. Some of these visits were seen in The End of TimeThe End of TimeThe End of Time: The Next Revolution in Our Understanding of the Universe, also sold with the alternate subtitle The Next Revolution in Physics, is a 1999 science book in which the author Julian Barbour argues that time exists merely as an illusion.-Auto-biography:The book begins by describing how...
shortly before the Tenth DoctorTenth DoctorThe 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...
's regeneration. - Several flashbacks from the original Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor 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...
series as well as clips from previous Sarah Jane Adventures stories are seen - including images of the first four Doctors, whose incarnations were familiar to both Sarah Jane and Jo (They both travelled with the Third Doctor, Sarah travelled with the Fourth, Jo met the FirstFirst DoctorThe First Doctor is the initial incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by the actor William Hartnell from 1963 to 1966. Hartnell reprised the role in the tenth anniversary story The Three Doctors in 1973 - albeit in a...
and 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....
s in The Three Doctors, and Sarah Jane met the First and Second doctors in 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...
). Former Sarah Jane Adventures principal, Maria JacksonMaria JacksonMaria Jackson is a fictional character played by Yasmin Paige in the British children's science fiction television programme The Sarah Jane Adventures, a spin-off from the long-running series Doctor Who. She is a 14-year-old girl who discovers that her new neighbour, Sarah Jane Smith, is aware of...
, is included in the clips, as are a number of monsters including DalekDalekThe Daleks are a fictional extraterrestrial race of mutants from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Within the series, Daleks are cyborgs from the planet Skaro, created by the scientist Davros during the final years of a thousand-year war against the Thals...
s, SlitheenSlitheenThe Slitheen are a family of massive, bipedal extraterrestrials from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and they are adversaries of the Doctor. They first appeared in the 2005 series episodes "Aliens of London" and "World War Three", and subsequently recur in later episodes of...
and Sontarans. - When Clyde asks The Doctor how many times he can change, he states that he can change 507 times, contrary to the original twelve. Davies subsequently explained that the line was a joke.
- Jo mentions the Doctor taking her to the planet Karfel, something that was never seen on-screen but mentioned in the story TimelashTimelashTimelash is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in two weekly parts from 9–16 March 1985.-Synopsis:...
; the visit was hinted at in the novel Speed of FlightSpeed of FlightSpeed of Flight is an original novel written by Paul Leonard and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Third Doctor, Jo and Mike Yates. It takes place after the Missing Adventure Dancing the Code, also by Paul Leonard.-External links:*...
, which also revealed that Jo and the Doctor were accompanied by Captain Mike Yates during their trip. - Jo's married name is taken from her husband, Professor Clifford Jones whom she left U. N. I. T. for, to marry in The Green DeathThe Green DeathThe Green Death is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, first broadcast in six weekly parts from 19 May 1973 to 23 June 1973. It was the last to feature Katy Manning as companion Jo Grant in Doctor Who...
. - When Sarah Jane and Jo are in the lead coffin, as the Doctor goes to help them out he says "Smith and JonesSmith and Jones (Doctor Who)"Smith and Jones" is the first episode of the third series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 31 March 2007. It sees the debut of Freema Agyeman as new companion Martha Jones...
", which was the title of the first episode of Series 3 of the revived version of Doctor Who. - This was the last time The DoctorDoctor (Doctor Who)The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
would appear in the show and the last adventure 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....
would share with him. In the show this is probably Sarah Jane's last meeting with the Doctor, unless other off-screen meetings occurred.
Music
In some of Sam Watts' music, vocals were provided by Jodie Kearns, wife of Doctor Who and Torchwood writer James MoranJames Moran (writer)
James Moran is a British screenwriter for television and film, who wrote the horror-comedy Severance. He works in the horror, comedy, science-fiction, historical fiction and spy thriller genres.-Breaking in:...
.
Ratings
Part 1 achieved combined final ratings of 1.40 (0.92/0.48) and Part 2 achieved combined final ratings of 1.43 (0.96/0.47).The story was repeated on 25 December 2010 as one full story where it achieved an overnight rating of 1.40 million on BBC One.