Doctor Who The Idiot's Lantern (2005– ) Online
It's 1953, the Coronation year of HM Queen Elizabeth II, and the people of Great Britain huddle round their television sets to witness the great event. But behind the celebrations there are rumors of monsters on the streets, and the tormented Mr Magpie is hiding a strange and alien secret.
| Episode complete credited cast: | |||
 | David Tennant | - | The Doctor |
 | Billie Piper | - | Rose Tyler |
 | Maureen Lipman | - | The Wire |
 | Ron Cook | - | Magpie |
 | Jamie Foreman | - | Eddie Connolly |
 | Debra Gillett | - | Rita Connolly |
| Rory Jennings | - | Tommy Connolly |
 | Margaret John | - | Grandma Connolly |
| Sam Cox | - | Detective Inspector Bishop |
 | Ieuan Rhys | - | Crabtree |
| Jean Challis | - | Aunty Betty |
| Christopher Driscoll | - | Security Guard |
| Marie Lewis | - | Mrs. Gallagher |
In the script there are a lot of references to the strange activity happening around Florizel Street. Florizel Street was the original name for Coronation Street (1960).
The line spoken by The Wire: "Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin" was the opening for the BBC radio program "Listen with Mother", which ran from 1950 until 1982.
The Doctor makes a reference to the song "Never Too Late" by Kylie Minogue. Incidentally, Minogue herself later made a starring role in the episode Doctor Who: Voyage of the Damned (2007).
Torchwood Reference: Although you can barely hear it, Detective Inspector Bishop says to his colleague that "Torchwood will be all over us", behind The Doctor after Rose is brought in to the office.
Tommy, the one clever person in the episode (other than Rose and the Doctor) wears an outfit that almost perfectly matches David Tennant's - brown jacket, blue shirt and white undershirt. A subtle hint about how important his character is to the plot.
Almost every scene is filmed at a Dutch angle.
Mark Gatiss originally wrote the script with the Ninth Doctor in mind.
Maureen Lipman shot her role in half a day at Alexandra Place.
This was originally to have been the ninth episode of Series 2.
Magpie Electricals apparently continues to exist beyond the death of Mr Magpie; Martha Jones had a Magpie brand television in Doctor Who: The Sound of Drums (2007), and a Magpie brand microphone can be seen in Doctor Who: Voyage of the Damned (2007). The new TARDIS interior, after it repaired itself following the events of Doctor Who: The End of Time: Part Two (2010), has some parts made by Magpie Electricals. Magpie apparently continues to thrive into the future, as a large sign with the company's logo can be seen aboard Starship UK in Doctor Who: The Beast Below (2010). A Magpie Electricals shop can be seen in Doctor Who: The Lie of the Land (2017).
This story had working titles of: 'Mr Sandman', 'Sonic Doom' and 'The One-Eyed Monster'.
Originally, the Doctor was supposed to have a line about having trouble with radio transmitters, which was supposed to be a reference to Doctor Who: Logopolis: Part Four (1981), where the Fourth Doctor fell from the Pharos Project transmitter to his death.
All the television aerials seem to resemble Nazi swastikas. On the DVD commentary, one of the set designers mentions that this was done to evoke the post-war era.
The chase scene was originally much longer and included action in the London Underground.
According to Mark Gatiss, Tommy was gay in the original script and fancied the Doctor.
Mark Gatiss wanted to include references to The Quatermass Experiment (1953), but ultimately only the clenching hands of the faceless victims survived.
This episode was watched by 6.758 million viewers on its original transmission.
The street party in the last scene was intended to be set at night, complete with fireworks. This was altered as it was felt to be too similar to the conclusion of Doctor Who: Fear Her (2006) later in the season.
Margaret John (Grandma Connelly), also played Megan Jones in the Second Doctor serial "Fury from the Deep" (1968). She thereby held the record for greatest span of time between guest appearances.
The story was originally set during the dawn of the rock 'n roll era of the late Fifties. However, it was eventually agreed that the idea of a living song did not translate sufficiently well to television.
Rose corrects Mr. Connolly who calls the British flag a "Union Jack" Rose says it's a Union Jack only when it's flown at sea and called the Union Flag otherwise. However in an earlier episode (Doctor Who: The Empty Child (2005)) Rose refers to the Union Flag on her shirt as a "Union Jack" without correction
A line cut from the script had the Doctor mention his fear of radio towers, a reference to the Fourth Doctor's death in Doctor Who: Logopolis: Part Four (1981).
The story originally took place on Powell Street, intended to be the same location where Rose Tyler's apartment block, the Powell Estate, would later be built. However, since Rose's home had already been established as being situated in the south of London, this would make setting the climax at Alexandra Palace a more cumbersome plot element.
A subplot in which Rose visits her aunt, who works on a game show for the BBC was deleted because Russell T. Davies feared that having the Corporation be too involved in the plot would make the episode difficult to take seriously.
Magpie was originally a more malevolent figure. His villainous nature was toned down at Russell T. Davies' suggestion.
Includes the scenes from the actual coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II back in 1953.
The Wire's repeated demand, "Feed me!", is reminiscent of a similar demand made, to comic effect, by the killer plant Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors (1986). When the faces are shown on the screens in the TVs, it is also similar in the original film when Audrey II finally bloomed showing the faces of all its victims.
The Doctor gels his hair back 1950s style for this episode.
The title of the episode was suggested by writer Gareth Roberts, who recalled the term being used by his father to refer to television.
The entrance to Bishop's headquarters was originally concealed by a newspaper vendor rather than a market stall.
Tommy's grandfather was removed from the script. At one point, he appeared in place of the grandmother.
The climax originally featured the television sets in Magpie's shop exploding after the defeat of the Wire.
Nicholas Hoult auditioned for Tommy Connelly, but was deemed too young for the role.
The grandma character played by Margaret John is credited as Grandma Connolly. However it is stated explicitly that she is Rita Connolly's mother not that of Rita's husband Eddie Connolly. It is therefore not plausible that Grandma's name is Connolly as her surname would instead be Rita's unspoken maiden name.
This is the first episode of the second season where the interior of the Tardis is not seen.
This episode takes place from June 1 to June 2, 1953.
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