Series 1, Episode 5 | First broadcast: 23 April 2005 | Writer: Russell T Davies | Director: Keith Boak
Cast
- Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor
- Billie Piper as Rose Tyler
- Camille Coduri as Jackie Tyler
- Noel Clarke as Mickey Smith
- Penelope Wilton as Harriet Jones
- David Verrey as Joseph Green (Slitheen)
- Annette Badland as Margaret Blaine (Slitheen)
- Lachele Carl as Trinity Wells
Summary
Concluding the story begun in “Aliens of London,” the Doctor, Rose, and the surviving officials are trapped inside 10 Downing Street with the Slitheen, who plan to trigger a nuclear war so they can sell off the resulting radioactive remains of Earth. Working with Jackie and Mickey outside and Harriet Jones inside, the Doctor uses vinegar as a makeshift weapon against the Slitheen, whose alien physiology reacts violently to acetic acid, and races to stop the missile launch codes from being used, ultimately destroying 10 Downing Street to kill the remaining Slitheen and avert global catastrophe.
Interesting Facts
- This episode completes the first multi-part story of the revived series and features the destruction of 10 Downing Street.
- Mickey Smith’s contribution to defeating the Slitheen, using his laptop to help fire a missile at Downing Street, was an early step in developing the character beyond comic relief.
- The episode makes pointed satirical references to the real-world lead-up to the Iraq War, including a debate about weapons capable of being deployed within 45 seconds.
- It marks Rose’s decision to commit to traveling with the Doctor permanently, closing out the emotional arc begun in “Aliens of London.”
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