Love & Monsters
Encyclopedia
"Love & Monsters" is an episode of the British
science fiction television series Doctor Who
. In this episode, an ordinary man named Elton Pope becomes obsessed with a man called the Doctor
and his strange blue box
, and joins a group of like-minded people in hopes of finding him. But when the mysterious Victor Kennedy joins the group, the fun stops and Elton discovers a darker side to his hobby. Peter Kay
appears in the episode as an alien villain who was based in part on a design by a Blue Peter
children's TV competition winner. The episode features allusions to all of the first three annual story story arcs in the revived programme; mention of the "Bad Wolf virus" affecting "Torchwood Institute
files" was inserted into the script to cover a potential plothole in the two-part series finale, and is the first episode to include series three
's recurrent motif.
The episode, which was inspired in part by the fact that the actors David Tennant
and Billie Piper
were filming other episodes, and following the model of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "The Zeppo" and Star Trek: The Next Generation
episode "Lower Decks", gave significantly less screentime to the show's two lead actors. Instead, actor Marc Warren
takes up most of the episode's acting responsibilities. Although "Love & Monsters" received mixed-to-negative reviews on original airing, it has since inspired an annual tradition of successful "Doctor-light" and "companion-light" episodes, such as Steven Moffat
's "Blink
" in 2007, Davies's own back-to-back 2008 episodes "Midnight
" and "Turn Left
", and Gareth Roberts
's "The Lodger
" in 2010.
fan, describing his encounters with the Doctor
. Elton's on-camera narration forms a present-day frame story
to a series of flashback
s related to his investigation of the Doctor. Elton recounts a chance meeting with the Doctor, and recalls having seen the same man as a young child in his living room one night. Searching the Internet, he discovers others, including Ursula Blake, who have also reported similar experiences with the Doctor. Elton and Ursula form LINDA—"London Investigation 'N' Detective Agency"—with three others, Bridget, Bliss, and Mr. Skinner, and meet in a library basement to discuss their experiences, but soon their activities become more social in nature. Elton and Ursula become closer through these meetings.
One day, a man by the name of Victor Kennedy comes in and interrupts one of the group's meetings, and points out that LINDA has lost its cause. He proceeds to reinvigorate the group to up their efforts to locate the Doctor, teaching them spying techniques. Elton is given the task of getting close to Rose Tyler
's mother
. He manages to find Jackie at a laundromat, is invited to her apartment and even starts a relationship with her after she seduces him, but when she finds a picture of Rose in Elton's jacket pocket, she demands that he leave her family alone. Meanwhile, two of LINDA's members, Bridget and Bliss, disappear from the group unexpectedly, Victor explaining their absence as having decided to move on with their lives. After one meeting, Elton, Ursula and Mr. Skinner stage a walkout, but Victor convinces Mr. Skinner to remain behind. Ursula realises she had forgotten her phone, the two return to discover that Victor is really a grotesque alien being (later named an "Abzorbaloff" by Elton), with the faces of the former LINDA members and others protruding from his body, still conscious. Elton is unable to stop the Abzorbaloff from absorbing Ursula, but makes his own escape.
As the Abzorbaloff chases him, Elton is forced down a dead-end alley. Moments before the Abzorbaloff can touch him, the TARDIS
appears and the Doctor and Rose step out; Rose having come to angrily confront Elton about having upset her mother. The Abzorbaloff, now with the Doctor in range, tries to absorb the Time Lord, but the absorbed members of LINDA use their willpower to hold back the Abzorbaloff's body, forcing it to drop its cane. The Doctor realises that the cane contains a field generator that keeps the Abzorbaloff in control of its body, and Elton breaks it. The Abzorbaloff and its victims begin to dissolve; the Doctor realises it is too late to save the others, but uses his sonic screwdriver to keep Ursula's essence alive in a piece of paving stone, which Elton keeps in his room. The Doctor later explains to Elton that the reason he was in Elton's house years ago was that he was chasing an elemental shade, although he couldn't stop it from killing Elton's mother. It turns out Elton had repressed his memories of his mother dying that night.
In the conclusion of Elton's narrative, he demonstrates that he and Ursula, still in the paving stone, still have a romantic, if unconventional, relationship. He further postulates that while one could have a conventional life, "the real world is much stranger than that; it is so much darker, madder, and so much better."
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...
. In this episode, an ordinary man named Elton Pope becomes obsessed with a man called the Doctor
Doctor (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....
and his strange blue box
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
, and joins a group of like-minded people in hopes of finding him. But when the mysterious Victor Kennedy joins the group, the fun stops and Elton discovers a darker side to his hobby. Peter Kay
Peter Kay
Peter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...
appears in the episode as an alien villain who was based in part on a design by a Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
children's TV competition winner. The episode features allusions to all of the first three annual story story arcs in the revived programme; mention of the "Bad Wolf virus" affecting "Torchwood Institute
Torchwood Institute
The 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...
files" was inserted into the script to cover a potential plothole in the two-part series finale, and is the first episode to include series three
Doctor Who (series 3)
The third series of British science fiction series Doctor Who was preceded by the 2006 Christmas special "The Runaway Bride". Following the special, a regular series of thirteen episodes was broadcast, starting with "Smith and Jones" on 31 March 2007...
's recurrent motif.
The episode, which was inspired in part by the fact that the actors 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 Billie Piper
Billie Piper
Billie Paul Piper is an English singer and actress.She began her career in the late 1990s as a pop singer and then switched to acting. She started in acting and dancing and was talent spotted at the Sylvia Young stage school by Smash Hits magazine who wanted a "face" for their magazine...
were filming other episodes, and following the model of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "The Zeppo" and Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
episode "Lower Decks", gave significantly less screentime to the show's two lead actors. Instead, actor Marc Warren
Marc Warren
Marc Warren is an English actor, known for his British television roles as Danny Blue in Hustle, Dougie Raymond in The Vice and Dominic Foy in State of Play.-Career:...
takes up most of the episode's acting responsibilities. Although "Love & Monsters" received mixed-to-negative reviews on original airing, it has since inspired an annual tradition of successful "Doctor-light" and "companion-light" episodes, such as Steven Moffat
Steven Moffat
Steven Moffat is a Scottish television writer and producer.Moffat's first television work was the teen drama series Press Gang. His first sitcom, Joking Apart, was inspired by the breakdown of his first marriage; conversely, his later sitcom Coupling was based upon the development of his...
's "Blink
Blink (Doctor Who)
"Blink" is the 10th episode of the third series of the new production of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on 9 June 2007, and is the only episode in the 2007 series written by Steven Moffat; the episode is based on a previous short story written by...
" in 2007, Davies's own back-to-back 2008 episodes "Midnight
Midnight (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...
" and "Turn Left
Turn 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....
", and Gareth Roberts
Gareth 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...
's "The Lodger
The Lodger (Doctor Who)
"The Lodger" is the eleventh episode of the fifth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, first broadcast on BBC One on 12 June 2010...
" in 2010.
Plot
"Love & Monsters" is presented as an excerpt from the video diary of Elton Pope, a young ELOElectric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
fan, describing his encounters with the Doctor
Doctor (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....
. Elton's on-camera narration forms a present-day frame story
Frame story
A frame story is a literary technique that sometimes serves as a companion piece to a story within a story, whereby an introductory or main narrative is presented, at least in part, for the purpose of setting the stage either for a more emphasized second narrative or for a set of shorter stories...
to a series of flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
s related to his investigation of the Doctor. Elton recounts a chance meeting with the Doctor, and recalls having seen the same man as a young child in his living room one night. Searching the Internet, he discovers others, including Ursula Blake, who have also reported similar experiences with the Doctor. Elton and Ursula form LINDA—"London Investigation 'N' Detective Agency"—with three others, Bridget, Bliss, and Mr. Skinner, and meet in a library basement to discuss their experiences, but soon their activities become more social in nature. Elton and Ursula become closer through these meetings.
One day, a man by the name of Victor Kennedy comes in and interrupts one of the group's meetings, and points out that LINDA has lost its cause. He proceeds to reinvigorate the group to up their efforts to locate the Doctor, teaching them spying techniques. Elton is given the task of getting close to Rose Tyler
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...
's mother
Jackie Tyler
In "Rise of the Cybermen" and "The Age of Steel" Coduri plays a parallel Earth version of Jackie. In this universe, she is still married to Pete, but they have no children, although she has a Yorkshire terrier named Rose. Despite Pete's success, which has led to Jackie becoming a celebrity, they...
. He manages to find Jackie at a laundromat, is invited to her apartment and even starts a relationship with her after she seduces him, but when she finds a picture of Rose in Elton's jacket pocket, she demands that he leave her family alone. Meanwhile, two of LINDA's members, Bridget and Bliss, disappear from the group unexpectedly, Victor explaining their absence as having decided to move on with their lives. After one meeting, Elton, Ursula and Mr. Skinner stage a walkout, but Victor convinces Mr. Skinner to remain behind. Ursula realises she had forgotten her phone, the two return to discover that Victor is really a grotesque alien being (later named an "Abzorbaloff" by Elton), with the faces of the former LINDA members and others protruding from his body, still conscious. Elton is unable to stop the Abzorbaloff from absorbing Ursula, but makes his own escape.
As the Abzorbaloff chases him, Elton is forced down a dead-end alley. Moments before the Abzorbaloff can touch him, the TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
appears and the Doctor and Rose step out; Rose having come to angrily confront Elton about having upset her mother. The Abzorbaloff, now with the Doctor in range, tries to absorb the Time Lord, but the absorbed members of LINDA use their willpower to hold back the Abzorbaloff's body, forcing it to drop its cane. The Doctor realises that the cane contains a field generator that keeps the Abzorbaloff in control of its body, and Elton breaks it. The Abzorbaloff and its victims begin to dissolve; the Doctor realises it is too late to save the others, but uses his sonic screwdriver to keep Ursula's essence alive in a piece of paving stone, which Elton keeps in his room. The Doctor later explains to Elton that the reason he was in Elton's house years ago was that he was chasing an elemental shade, although he couldn't stop it from killing Elton's mother. It turns out Elton had repressed his memories of his mother dying that night.
In the conclusion of Elton's narrative, he demonstrates that he and Ursula, still in the paving stone, still have a romantic, if unconventional, relationship. He further postulates that while one could have a conventional life, "the real world is much stranger than that; it is so much darker, madder, and so much better."
Continuity
- This episode is set two years after "RoseRose (Doctor Who)"Rose" is the first episode of Series One of the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who. Written by show runner Russell T Davies and directed by Keith Boak, the episode was first broadcast on 26 March 2005....
" and new footage of the AutonAutonThe Autons are an artificial life form from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and adversaries of the Doctor. First appearing in Jon Pertwee's first serial as the Doctor, Spearhead from Space in 1970, they were the first monsters on the show to be presented in colour.Autons...
attack is seen here that is designed to feature Elton in it (if one looks closely, during the part of the flashback where Elton is nearly hit by a cab, the bridal mannequin that attacks Jackie can be seen in the background). New footage featuring the 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...
s' ship from "Aliens of London" and the Sycorax ship from "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...
" is also included in this episode, again shown through Elton's experience of these events. In the episode commentary, Russell T Davies notes that in an early draft, Elton would have been witness to more events in Doctor Who history: in this draft, Elton's third birthday party was evacuated because of the Dalek invasion of ShoreditchRemembrance of the DaleksRemembrance of the Daleks is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 5 October to 26 October 1988....
, his mother was killed by a plastic daffodilTerror of the AutonsTerror of the Autons is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, broadcast in four weekly parts from 2 to 23 January 1971...
(instead of by an elemental shade), and he also would have been one of those who saw the Loch Ness Monster rising from the ThamesTerror of the ZygonsTerror of the Zygons is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 30 August to 20 September 1975...
. Prior to the revival of Doctor Who, Davies had considered pitching this story idea to Doctor Who MagazineDoctor Who MagazineDoctor Who Magazine is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
as a comics story. Davies had also considered making the viewpoint character of the story a woman but felt that he already had enough focus on female guest characters that season. - During the new version of the Auton attack sequence, the logo of Henrik's department store can be seen both on Elton's shopping bags and on the taxi which almost runs him over. Henrik's was the department store at which Rose used to work, which was destroyed at the beginning of "Rose", but was seen to have re-opened 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...
". - Jackie informs Elton that her friend Mickey SmithMickey SmithMickey Smith is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, played by Noel Clarke.Mickey is introduced as the boyfriend of the Ninth and Tenth Doctor's companion Rose Tyler, and a recurring character on the programme...
is now gone, a reference to his departure in "The Age of SteelThe 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...
", having chosen to take the place of his parallel world doppelganger. - Victor Kennedy's pictures of Rose include stills from the episode "Rose", as well as two of her entering 10 Downing Street in "Aliens of LondonAliens of London"Aliens of London" is the fourth episode of the first series of the British science fiction television show Doctor Who that was first broadcast on 16 April 2005. The Doctor takes Rose back to 21st century London, just in time to witness a spaceship crashing into the River Thames, triggering a...
" in which 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....
can also be seen from behind. Bridget also mentions "different forms of the Doctor, which come and go" from time to time. - He mentions that "Rose's 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...
files are strangely lacking" because they were corrupted by a "Bad Wolf virus". "Torchwood" is a recurring phrase in the 2006 series, as "Bad Wolf" was the previous year. This line was included to establish why Torchwood does not know what Rose looks like 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...
", as explained by writer Russell T Davies on the MP3MP3MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
audio commentaryAudio commentaryOn disc-based video formats, an audio commentary is an additional audio track consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with video...
available on the bbc.co.ukBbc.co.ukBBC Online is the brand name and home for the BBC's UK online service. It is a large network of websites including such high profile sites as BBC News and Sport, the on-demand video and radio services co-branded BBC iPlayer, the pre-school site Cbeebies, and learning services such as Bitesize...
website for that episode. - The copy of The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
that the Abzorbaloff reads has the headline "SaxonMaster (Doctor Who)The Master is a recurring character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is a renegade Time Lord and the archenemy of the Doctor....
leads polls with 64 per cent". Russell T Davies observes this in the commentary, saying, "Look at the headline. That's all I'm going to say." This is the first appearance of the name of "Mr Saxon", a feature of a story arc in Season Three of the series. - Rose remarks on the Abzorbaloff as being a little bit Slitheen-ish in appearance— the Abzorbaloff states that he comes from Clom, the sister planet of the Slitheen homeworld Raxacoricofallapatorius. Clom was later mentioned in The Stolen EarthThe Stolen Earth"The Stolen Earth" is the twelfth episode of the fourth series and the 750th overall episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The episode was written by show runner and head writer Russell T Davies and is the first of a two-part crossover story; the concluding episode is...
as one of the 27 stolen planets, and again in series 6 episode The Girl Who WaitedThe Girl Who Waited"The Girl Who Waited" is the tenth episode of the sixth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and was first broadcast on BBC One and BBC America on 10 September 2011.-Synopsis:...
where "Disneyland Clom" was mentioned. - Nearing the end of his story, Elton wonders how long it will be before Rose and Jackie "pay the price" - for being with the Doctor - a reference to the "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 "DoomsdayDoomsday (Doctor Who)"Doomsday" is the thirteenth and final episode in the second series of the revival of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on 8 July 2006 and is the conclusion of a two-part story; the first part, "Army of Ghosts", was broadcast on 1 July 2006...
". - In "Time CrashTime Crash"Time Crash" is a mini-episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on 16 November 2007, as part of the BBC One telethon for the children's charity Children in Need...
", the Fifth DoctorFifth DoctorThe Fifth Doctor is the fifth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Peter Davison....
mentions LINDA when he mistakes the Tenth Doctor for an obsessed fan. - A Hoix is later seen briefly 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...
series 2 finale "Exit WoundsExit Wounds (Torchwood)"Exit Wounds" is the thirteenth and final episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, and was broadcast on BBC Two on 4 April 2008.-Synopsis:...
", and later among the legion of the Doctor's enemies seen in "The Pandorica OpensThe Pandorica Opens"The Pandorica Opens" is the twelfth episode, and first in a two-part story, in the fifth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who, broadcast on 19 June 2010. The Doctor's friends send him a warning; he deals with a message on a cliff, a mysterious box and a love story that...
".
Production
- According to Doctor Who MagazineDoctor Who MagazineDoctor Who Magazine is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
#370, this episode had the working title of "I Love the Doctor". - Unlike the vast majority of Doctor Who stories, "Love & Monsters" has only nominal appearances by the TARDISTARDISThe TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
crew. - The creature that Elton sees at the start of the episode is credited as the "Hoix". Davies notes in the commentary that the name was invented only after the episode was shot and a name was needed for the credits.
- The Abzorbaloff was designed by nine-year-old William Grantham of ColchesterColchesterColchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
, EssexEssexEssex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
for a "Design a Doctor Who Monster" competition held by Blue PeterBlue PeterBlue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
. The first prize for the competition was to have the monster appear in an episode of Doctor Who. William was (according to Phil Collinson in the commentary) disappointed with the rendering of the monster because he had envisaged it being "the size of a double-decker busDouble-decker busA double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or 'decks'. Global usage of this type of bus is more common in outer touring than in its intra-urban transportion role. Double-decker buses are also commonly found in certain parts of Europe, Asia, and former British colonies and protectorates...
."
Cast notes
- Totally Doctor WhoTotally Doctor WhoTotally Doctor Who is a children's television series produced by the BBC that was originally broadcast between 13 April 2006 and 29 June 2007, accompanying the second and third revived series of Doctor Who. No episodes have been produced following the third series...
presenter Barney HarwoodBarney HarwoodBarney Harwood is an English television presenter and actor, known for his work with CBBC.-Television:For CBBC, he presented Prank Patrol and was a voice-over commentator for The Smokehouse, while on BBC Two, he co-presented Basil's Swap Shop , alongside Basil Brush.Previous work for CBBC included...
appears as an extraExtra (actor)A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
in this episode wearing a red hat, when Elton asks Mrs. Croot where Rose lives, and also during the flashback to when Elton sees the Slitheen spaceship crashing into Big Ben from "Aliens of LondonAliens of London"Aliens of London" is the fourth episode of the first series of the British science fiction television show Doctor Who that was first broadcast on 16 April 2005. The Doctor takes Rose back to 21st century London, just in time to witness a spaceship crashing into the River Thames, triggering a...
". - Russell T Davies cast Peter Kay after Kay wrote a fan letter to him in praise of the new series. Kay was originally to play Elton Pope, but he felt that the role was too similar to roles he had played in the past, such as Eric Gartside in 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...
. Consequently, he got back in contact with Davies and asked if he could stretch himself as an actor and play the villain, and Kay was cast as Victor Kennedy/the Abzorbaloff. - Actress Bella Emberg previously had uncredited roles in 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....
serials Doctor Who and the SiluriansDoctor Who and the SiluriansDoctor Who and the Silurians is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in seven weekly parts from January 31 to March 14, 1970. The story is the first appearance of a recurring family of Earth-dwelling reptiles...
and The Time WarriorThe Time WarriorThe 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...
. - David Tennant and Shirley Henderson both appeared in the film Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 2005 fantasy film directed by Mike Newell and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fourth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman...
, playing Barty Crouch Jr. and Moaning Myrtle, respectively. Unlike in that film, however, the two actors share scenes in this episode.
Outside references
- Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
appears in a video clip on Elton Pope's video diary. - The scene where Elton watches the Doctor and Rose flee from the Hoix has them running back and forth through a series of doors lining a long hallway, a set-piece characteristic of classic cartoon or comedy series such as Scooby-DooScooby-DooScooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
, The Benny Hill ShowThe Benny Hill ShowThe Benny Hill Show is a British comedy television show starring Benny Hill.There were various incarnations of the show between 1951 and 1991, and it aired in over 140 countries. The show is generally sketch-based with heavy use of slapstick, mime, parody and double-entendre...
, or in the Three StoogesThree StoogesThe Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe,...
shorts. Later in the episode, Elton remembers the LINDA band playing an ELOElectric Light OrchestraElectric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
song perfectly, where earlier we had seen their actual far-from-perfect version. In the commentary it is noted his memory may not be entirely reliableUnreliable narratorAn unreliable narrator is a narrator, whether in literature, film, or theatre, whose credibility has been seriously compromised. The term was coined in 1961 by Wayne C. Booth in The Rhetoric of Fiction. This narrative mode is one that can be developed by an author for a number of reasons, usually...
, so whether events in the episode happened the way he remembers them is debatable. - As noted in the commentary, the acronym "LINDA" was previously used on the British children's television programme show Why Don't You?Why Don't You?Why Don't You? or Why Don't You Just Switch Off Your Television Set and Go Out and Do Something Less Boring Instead? was a cult BBC children's television series broadcast in 42 series between 20 August 1973 and 21 April 1995. It went out on weekday mornings during the school holidays...
, which featured the "Liverpool Investigation 'N' Detective Agency". Russell T Davies worked on the series for some years. - Elton, a fan of Jeff LynneJeff LynneJeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
and his Electric Light Orchestra, dances to ELO's "Mr. Blue SkyMr. Blue Sky"Mr. Blue Sky" is a song by English rock group Electric Light Orchestra, featured on the band's seventh studio album Out of the Blue . Written and produced by frontman Jeff Lynne, the song forms the fourth and final track of the "Concerto for a Rainy Day" suite, on side three of the original double...
", which is later used as incidental musicIncidental musicIncidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, film or some other form not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as the "film score" or "soundtrack"....
. LINDA also perform ELO's "Don't Bring Me DownDon't Bring Me Down"Don't Bring Me Down" is a song by the band Electric Light Orchestra, and is the last track from their 1979 album Discovery. It is their highest charting hit in the US to date.-History:...
", and the song "Turn to StoneTurn to Stone"Turn to Stone" is a 1977 song by Electric Light Orchestra.The song is the opening track to the double album Out of the Blue. It was the first song released as a single from the LP. The single reached #18 in the U.K. charts and stayed there for 12 weeks. Out of four singles from the album, "Turn to...
" appears during the montage of Elton in Jackie's house. Ursula and Bliss perform an acoustic version of "Brand New KeyBrand New Key"Brand New Key" is a pop song written by folk singer Melanie, which became a novelty hit in 1971-72. Taken from Melanie's album Gather Me, it was also known as "The Rollerskate Song" due to its chorus. It was her biggest hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in December 1971 and...
" with guitars. - Kennedy uses an AppleApple ComputerApple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
PowerBook G4PowerBook G4The PowerBook G4 are a series of notebook computers that were manufactured, marketed, and sold by Apple, Inc. between 2001 and 2006 as part of its PowerBook line. It uses the PowerPC G4 processor, initially produced by Motorola and later by Freescale, after Motorola spun off its semiconductor...
to display clips of the Doctor and Rose. - Jackie plays Il DivoIl DivoIl Divo is a multinational operatic pop vocal group created by music manager, executive, and reality TV star Simon Cowell. Formed in the United Kingdom, they are also signed to Cowell's record label, Syco Music...
's SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
coverCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Unbreak My Heart" when she is trying to seduce Elton. - The Stephen KingStephen KingStephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
quote which Elton mentions ("Salvation and damnation are the same thing") is from The Green Mile. The actual quote reads: "Sometimes there is absolutely no difference at all between salvation and damnation."
Broadcast and reception
- The overnight viewing figures for this episode's original broadcast were 6.22 million, a 38.3% audience share and the highest rated programme of the day. Its final audience figure was 6.66 million making it the 15th most watched programme of the week. The episode gained an Appreciation IndexAppreciation IndexThe 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 76, just short of the 2006 average rating of 77. - This episode was released in the UK, together with "The Impossible PlanetThe Impossible Planet"The Impossible Planet" is an episode in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is the first part of a two-part story, followed by "The Satan Pit". The TARDIS lands in a base on a planet orbiting a black hole, an allegedly impossible situation that stumps even the Doctor...
" and "The Satan PitThe Satan Pit"The Satan Pit" is an episode in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is the second part of a two-part story, following "The Impossible Planet". With the TARDIS seemingly lost, Rose and the remaining humans are trapped on the base with the possessed Ood, while the planet...
", as a basic DVDDVDA 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 on 7 August 2006. - The title of the FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
version of this episode is simply "L.I.N.D.A.". - The scene where Elton says he and Ursula have "a bit of a love life" was criticised by some commentators, who felt that the resultant implication of having oral sexOral sexOral sex is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a sex partner by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat. Cunnilingus refers to oral sex performed on females while fellatio refer to oral sex performed on males. Anilingus refers to oral stimulation of a person's anus...
with a paving slab was unsuitable for Doctor Whos large audience of children; others, however, dismissed this dialogue as a harmless joke that children would not understand.
External links
- TARDISODE 10
- "Find me that Girl" - episode trailer
- Episode commentary by Russell T Davies, Phil Collinson, and Susie Liggat (MP3)
- "Love & Monsters" episode homepage
Reviews
- "Love & Monsters" review at Strange HorizonsStrange HorizonsStrange Horizons is an online speculative fiction magazine. It also features speculative poetry in every issue....