27.03: The Unquiet Dead

[Dave]

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Arriving in Cardiff at Christmas, 1869, the Doctor and Rose meet the celebrated author Charles Dickens, encounter the undertaking firm of Sneed and Company, and face the menace of the Gelth, a race of gas-based aliens intent on possessing their victims...

[Dave]

The Doctor and Rose take a trip back in time to Cardiff in December 1869. Lurking in the murky Victorian streets are zombies and mysterious creatures made of gas. The dead are rising from their graves, while the sinister gas-based life-forms, known as the Gelth, have deadly plans for humanity. Luckily, the time-travelling duo enlists the help of novelist Charles Dickens, who is played by veteran actor Simon Callow, and set out to investigate the nefarious activities of the local undertaker.

“He saves the world – and you can’t get more heroic than that,” Simon told ‘What’s On TV’ magazine, and who is best known for his roles in films such as ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), but who was once hotly tipped to play the Time Lord in the film version (the role taken by Paul McGann.)

When the Doctor first meets Dickens, the author is rather curt, but begins to soften after the Doctor tells him how much he loves his work, and after they get embroiled in an adventure. “Dickens was prone to depression and the action takes place in the last year of his life,” says Simon, aged 55. “Initially, he’s shattered by the notion that this realm of the unknown exists. He soon embraces it, however, as he wishes to learn more. We leave him on a buoyant note as his solution saves the day.”

Simon Callow is hopeful that Doctor Who will encourage young people to read Dickens, in the same way that the film ‘Shakespeare in Love’ (1998) increased interest in Shakespeare. He admits that he was never a fan of Doctor Who, and hated science fiction as a child, but that he did watch William Hartnell’s version.

edit: Having seen this now, I liked it even better than the previous two. I'm sure that will not be the popular view, because it wasn't very scifi, more supernatural, but I thought it worked well.

Dickens was a believable character, as was the servant girl. I liked Rose's character in this episode because she reacted just as anyone would, thrust back into Victorian times. The servant girl was not stupid; she was uneducated and a servant, but showed great intelligence. Rose cannot see the difference, as many would not.

Also the Doctor made a huge mistake here; one that cost two people's lives. He was shown to be 'human' -- he can make mistakes in judgement just like us -- Rose had it right, her female intuition was not wrong about using dead bodies, even though it seemed to be (she carries a donor card.)

This was much deeper, more atmospheric and more character driven than usual scifi -- please let us have more like this and 'Battlestar Galatica' and 'Firefly'.

Just to note that the TARDIS has begun behaving eratically again -- he was aiming for Naples, 1860.

Also a 'Time War' was mentioned a third time -- three episodes out of three -- it is almost becoming 'Star Trek: Enterprise' -- we need more details about this 'War' that destroyed Gallifrey, otherwise I, for one, will quickly become bored with it.

2nd edit: adding full plot synopsis...

from Outpost Gallifrey

Cardiff, December 24, 1869. At the Sneed and Company undertakers, a private viewing of the body of Mrs. Peace (Jennifer Hill), grandmother of a man named Redpath (Huw Rhys), goes awry when Peace's body is suddenly reanimated, glowing with ghostly light, killing Redpath and heading out into the darkness.

Having shown Rose (Billie Piper) the far future, the Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) now takes her back into the past, heading for Naples in 1860 on a whim. The TARDIS arrives in Cardiff on Christmas Eve, 1869, instead, and the Doctor gives Rose instructions on how to dress in period costume. Meanwhile, at a local theatre, famed author Charles Dickens (Simon Callow) prepares to give a dramatic reading, lamenting on the situations that have recently befallen him, here, far away from his family. Unknown to him, the body of Mrs. Peace, infected with the glowing gaseous light, is in the audience, while outside, Gabriel Sneed (Alan David), the proprietor of the undertaking firm, attempts to locate him with the help of his servant girl, Gwyneth (Eve Myles), who seems to possess a second sight that would enable her to find them. In the middle of Dickens' reading, Mrs. Peace suddenly reanimates again, releasing ghosts into the theatre, causing a mass panic that attracts the Doctor and Rose. However, when they arrive, the ghosts are already unleashed, and fly into the chandeliers, fed by gas jets. Rose discovers that Sneed and Gwyneth are attempting to take away Mrs. Peace's body, but before she can alert the Doctor, Sneed chloroforms her and they put her into the hearse.

The Doctor heads off in pursuit of Rose, taking Dickens' cab as the writer protests. Once inside, after the Doctor realizes whose presence he is in and attempts to make amends by showing his massive interest in Dickens' books, the writer suddenly takes the spirit of adventure, bidding his driver to pursue the hearse. They arrive at Sneed and Company, where Gwyneth attempts to stop them from entering. But Rose, who is now awake and has suddenly been confronted by the reanimated bodies of both Mrs. Peace and Mr. Redpath, screams to get out of the room, allowing the Doctor and Dickens to enter and rescue her. The bodies are once again left behind by the gas creatures, who enter the pipes as the Doctor realizes that he is dealing with an alien intelligence. Sneed and Gwyneth later apologize, but they claim they weren't certain what to do; for years, the building has been haunted by these creatures, which are somehow tied to Gwyneth. Dickens won't believe a word of it, looking for hidden wires, something, anything to prove that this is trickery and everything he has believed in is still true. Gwyneth later speaks to Rose, using her telepathy to see into Rose's mind, and the strange city of metal boxes (cars) and flying metal birds (airplanes) that she comes from, as well as a darkness that she cannot explain.

The Doctor decides to hold a seance, as he realizes that Gwyneth can be his medium; she's been having these visions since she was five years of age, and therefore is likely tied to these creatures telepathically. Their leader comes forward, a glowing alien entity that calls their race the Gelth, a race that was decimated by the "Time Wars" and exists only in a parallel reality, connected to this one by a rift that centers on this house. The Gelth only want to reclaim the dead bodies here on Earth to exist in physical form, their "last hope" for a normal existence; the bodies' decomposition provides the necessary gas emissions that allow the Gelth to achieve corporeality. Rose protests, possession of dead bodies being unthinkable to her, not to mention disrespectful... but the Doctor tells her to adjust to a new reality. Dickens realizes that, in fact, these are alien creatures, and has a revelation. Gwyneth agrees to help by opening the rift, which is located in an archway in the morgue. Unfortunately, after she allows the Gelth to use her as a conduit, their true intentions are made known: they are legion, and are in fact going to kill every human being on Earth in order to inhabit this planet. They begin with Sneed, who dies and is then reanimated as several dead bodies come after the Doctor and Rose. Dickens flees, but has a change of heart when he sees the Gelth ghosts, now outside the building, attracted by the gas lanterns; he goes back into the house and turns on all the gas pipes, saturating the air with gas and therefore pulling the Gelth spirits out into the air. Gwyneth realizes what she needs to do to close the conduit and stop the Gelth from their invasion plans... and after the Doctor, Rose and Dickens escape, she lights a match, blowing up the Sneed and Company building and taking herself -- the Gelth's only hope to cross over to this world -- with it. Rose realizes that this servant girl saved the world, and no one will ever know.

Dickens accompanies the Doctor and Rose back to the TARDIS; the writer is once again in high spirits, wishing to return to London to reconcile with his family and begin writing again, basing his next book about these experiences. The Doctor and Rose bid him farewell as the TARDIS dematerializes, the Doctor noting to Rose that, sadly, Dickens will not last but another year, and his tales will come to an end without the world ever finding out about the invasion by the ghosts of Cardiff... but for today, Charles Dickens is a happy man, as he strolls down a Cardiff street on Christmas Eve. "God bless us," he says, "every one."

[ray gower]

They do seem intent on touching every flavour of Doctor Who there has been and this came about the closest to the old days of inspiring kids to make a short acquaintance with the spiders behind the settee. A little let down by the undertakers disclaimer "It's not my fault the stiffs get up and walk about is it?" and a few other little puns of similar ilk.

Like Dave, I liked the way that Rose was used to help show some of the moral differences between the noughties and the Victorians and that perhaps there are a few similarities too (thinking of the little girl chat between Rose and Gwyneth).

It also showed that the Doctor can be quite cavalier (as well as neive) about things. They are dead, the Enoks can use them, where is the problem?

I also suspect that a good number of folk may not impressed with the episode, I wasn't until I watched it again. Unfortunately the BBC doesn't give you 20 chances of watching everything like cable (Dr Who is repeated on BBC3 on Sunday BTW), and this episode needs to be watched at least twice to begin to understand it.

And what is wrong with Cardiff, apart from it being too close to England?
Cymru am Byth

[Brit Chick]

I think was starting to get to the quivering behind the sofa with all the ghostly goings on and some of the effects I think would be worrying to a 9 year old.

I think the series of Dr Who is really very good and am enjoying each episode more and more.

Rose's accent still bugs me a bit when she is trying to sound like a "souf lundonner" but its a minor thing. Probably only those of us brought up in London actually even notice it! I'm a Wimbledon girl myself. I wish she'd just stick to her own voice then it wouldn't sound false.

[little smaug]

I actually really liked this episode. It wasn't as scifi-y as the last two, but it seemed to focus more on the characters, which I liked. And the locations and costumes were all very pretty. Speaking of, I loved the little exchange -

Rose: Aren't you getting changed?
Doctor: (defensively) I've changed my jumper.

*snort* That's my male friends all over. :lol: Also speaking of, Dickens told the Doctor that he looked like a 'navvy'. What's a navvy?

I thought Simon Callow was great as Charles Dickens, though I couldn't get on with Sneed and Gwyneth. I don't know why, they both just annoyed me for some reason.

But the one thing I really didn't like about this episode was the ending. For a start, it was too obvious that the spirits were going to turn out to be baddies, and that Gwyneth would have to die. The exchange between the Doctor and Rose, when they realise they're about to die, was too sugary for my taste (and again with the hand-holding!) And there were too many questions left unanswered - if Gwyneth was dead the whole time, how was she still talking? And I'll accept that blowing up the house would close the rift, but wouldn't that trap the bad guys on this side?

But other than the last 10 minutes, I really did like the episode. And I love the shaky old Tardis, even if it doesn't go where it's supposed to.

[ray gower]

Originally posted by little smaug
Also speaking of, Dickens told the Doctor that he looked like a 'navvy'. What's a navvy?

Navvy- contraction of Navigator, the dialect name given to the workmen that initially dug the canal network throughout the UK. Now used for any workmen who work on roads or rail.

Originally posted by little smaug
I thought Simon Callow was great as Charles Dickens, though I couldn't get on with Sneed and Gwyneth. I don't know why, they both just annoyed me for some reason.

It's the South Wales accent, is'nit look you, butty bach
Though to be honest it sounded like a poor Irish one in places.

[little smaug]

Originally posted by ray gower
It's the South Wales accent, is'nit look you, butty bach
Though to be honest it sounded like a poor Irish one in places.

Lol, I have nothing against the Welsh.

Though apparently one of the writers does, judging by that Cardiff crack!

[Dave]

Originally posted by ray gower
...it sounded like a poor Irish one in places.

I thought she was meant to be Irish. There were a lot of Irish emigrants in England at the time, many of them Navvies, but I'm not sure about in Cardiff.

This Doctor has some new catchphrases "fantastic!" and "You're Brilliant. You are!"

One thing that puzzled me was Gwyneth mentioning the "Big Bad Wolf" to Rose. I had no idea what that was about but in the trailer for next week we saw some graffiti on the TARDIS. Chris Clarke writing in 'The Great Link' thinks that the graffiti also says "Bad Wolf" which would mean that Gwyneth's "second sight" stretches beyond simply reading minds, but to foreshadowing future events too.

Of course, it could be just a nit. 'The Unquiet Dead' was filmed after 'Aliens of London' and 'World War Three' although broadcast before them. Maybe the writer, Mark Gatiss, was unaware that they would switch the order of showing them.

[Yoda]

This wasn't my favourite but I liked the part where the ghost comes out of the old ladies face when she was watching Charles Dickens.

Next weeks looks good.:alienooh: :alienooh: :alienooh:

[Krystal]

A very cool episode. I specially enjoy the interaction between the Doctor and Charles Dickens. The part about been his fan etc. :lol: And when Dickens still believe it was a trick. All the thing with the Gelph was interesting.

Krystal

[Lenny]

Here I was, making a nice list of things, and my browser crashed. I'll see what I can remember:

---

Can you believe it, this is the only New Who episode I've not seen! Shock horror! I know what happens (thank you, Wikipedia!), I know who's in it (Yay! Eve Myles ), but I haven't experienced it.

- Yay! Zombies! And yes, you can have that on a T-shirt.
- It might surprise those above who complained about accents that both actors (Alan David - Sneed, Eve Myles - Gwyneth) are Welsh.
- No wonder the TARDIS has bad travelling skills! "I told you to hold it down!", "I am holding it down!", "Then hold them both down!".
- Naples, December 24th, 1860, apparently.
- I hope someone is keeping a map! The wardrobe is: "First left, second right, third on the left, carry on straight, under the stairs, past the bins, fifth on the left".
- Yay for faulty TARDIS! Cardiff, December 24th, 1869.
- Why does the Doctor always land on the 24th, or the day before Easter?! What's wrong with a week before? Or a few days after? Come on writers, use your imaginations!
- Yay! More zombies!!
- There we go! "The things you've seen - the darkness, the Big Bad Wolf". Interesting to hear the first mention of the darkness.
- Setting Cardiff up for the future with mentions of the rift. Coo'.
- Interesting, that: the Autons were displaced by the Time War and made their way to Earth, just as the Gelth were. That was a recurring theme from Series 4, wasn't it? The fact that all of the aliens in the series had lost their planet.

I've missed quite a bit there, alas, but ah well. Copy, paste into Notepad, and continue.

- There's the Doctor's anger, again.
- One wonders where the funeral house is in relation to modern day Torchwood Cardiff.
- Yay! Even more zombies!!!
- Sad Doctor is sad. "I'm sorry..."
- Interesting that the Doctor isn't suffocated by the gas like Dickens and Rose.
- And on CG Watch this week: the Gelth looked good, and the explosion was nice. The fire gutting the house wasn't fantastic, though.
- Haha! That's all an author wants to know: "Doctor... my books... how long do they last?"
- There's something about an old blue box disappearing with a strange squealing and a flashing light that just fits in with Victorian Cardiff perfectly!

So, what did we learn from this weeks lesson, children? Another mention of the Time War (and how it affected everything), the first mention of "Darkness", which seems to be a recurring theme in both DW and Torchwood (what about the other spin-offs like Sarah Jane's?), and the second mention of "Bad Wolf". Can you guiss what it is, yit?