4 / 5. Aliens Of London / World War Three

Series 1 - 2005

Writer: Russell T. Davies
Produced By: Phil Collinson
Director: Keith Boak

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands back in London, and the Doctor tells Rose she has been away for twelve hours. Excited, Rose sets off to visit her mum, whilst a nearby poster grabs the Doctor's attention. When Rose walks into her flat and says she's back, her mum can't believe it. Crying, Jackie hugs Rose. Rose can't understand what the fuss is about, until the Doctor comes in to tell her that she has not been away for twelve hours, it's more like twelve months.

The Doctor feels out of place when the police are called about Rose's appearance, and is slapped in the face by an angry Jackie. After things have quietened down, the Doctor and Rose go for some peace to the root. Rose realises that she cannot tell her mum about her travels. She is one of the few people that knows that aliens exists, and she cannot tell anyone. That is when a damaged spacecraft flies overhead and crashes into the Thames after hitting Big Ben.

The Doctor and Rose cannot get close to the scene, and do what everyone else does: watch it on the news. News is coming in of an alien occupant that has been taken to the Albion Hospital. The Doctor tries to slip away and visit the alien. Rose stops him, and he gives her her own TARDIS key. This is not the only key, and the Doctor uses the TARDIS to visit the hospital.

The Doctor finds that the alien is nothing more than an enhanced pig that has been placed in the spaceship to look like an alien. More investigation shows that the spaceship was launched from Earth.

England is on alert, and people are urged to report any alien activity. Jackie reports the Doctor, and his name flashes up on the Downing Street computer. Soon after returning the Doctor and Rose are taken to 10 Downing Street, where the Prime Minister has disappeared, and the cabinet has not been recalled. A back bench minister, hiding in a cupboard, has seen aliens in Downing Street.

The Doctor, along with UNIT and some other experts, have gathered in one room to discuss the problem. The Doctor realises this is a trap, but not before one of the aliens, masquerading as a colonel in the Army, reveals his true form. Another Slitheen activates the ID badges, giving everyone a lethal electric shock.

Although the electric shock is lethal to humans, the Doctor quickly recoves and instead directs the charge at the Slitheen. With all the Slitheen temporarily imobilised, the Doctor runs from the room to alert the soldiers that are in the building. When the Doctor returns the Slitheen has managed to get back into his 'disguise, and the two Slitheen accuse the Doctor.

Facing arrest, the Doctor runs from the room, but is cornered in a corridor. The Slitheen order the soliders to execute the Doctor. The Doctor has one piece of advice: when cornering people, make sure it is not in front of a lift. The lift appears, and the Doctor makes his escape to some of the upper levels.

On the next level is another Slitheen waiting for him. Before the doors close he can just see Rose and Harriet Jones running from other Slitheen. The lift opens onto another level, and the Doctor gets out.

Rose and Harriet are trapped in a room with three Slitheen. One of the Slitheen begins taunting them; the Slitheen can smell them, and goes straight to Rose. Harriet offers herself first, but the Doctor enters and sprays a fire extinguisher at them. Whilst the Slitheen are disorientated, the Doctor, Rose and Harriet escape to a cabinet room. The Doctor activates security shutters that were installed in 1991. They are safe from the Slitheen, only they are trapped in a box.

Rose receives a text from Mickey on her 'superphone' - an image of the Slitheen. Realising that someone outside has seen the Slitheen, the Docor grabs the phone and calls Mickey. The Slitheen plan to start a nuclear war to destroy all life on Earth, make the planet radioactive, and sell it piece by piece to any aliens looking to power spacecraft.

Jackie is distraught that Rose is caught up in this, and asks if the Doctor can guarantee her safety. The Doctor manages to avoid the question. When asked if there is a way to stop the Slitheen, the Doctor says there has always been a way, but he cannot guarantee Rose's safety. Jackie immediately says don't do it, and Rose says does. In the end Harriet Jones, as an elected MP, commands the Doctor to do it.

The plan is to fire a missile into Downing Street that would destroy the builiding and the Slitheen, and everyone inside the builiding. The Doctor directs Mickey by phone to the UNIT site, from where he can gain access to override Navy ships. Mickey launches a missile, and everyone prays it will do its job before the Slitheen can obtain codes and laumch nuclear missiles.

Rose finds a cupboard in the cabinet room. The security shutters will not be enough to survive a missile strike, but Rose has heard about doorframes being the safest place in Earthquakes, and hopes the same will apply. The Doctor, Rose and Harriet are huddles in the cupboard when the missile strikes.

They emerge to a scene of devastation. Harriet Jones, as the only MP on the scene, takes control of the situation. Rose goes back to see her Mum, and the Doctor goes back to the TARDIS to finish a few jobs.

He encounters Mickey, and starts to have more respect for him. He offers Mickey a virus that will wipe all mention of him from the Internet so no one will try to follow. When the Doctor offers Mickey a place on board the TARDIS, Mickey says that the Doctor's lifestyle is too much for him.

Regular Cast

  • Rose Tyler: Billie Piper

Guest Cast

  • Jackie Tyler: Camille Coduri
  • Spray Painter: Corey Doabe
  • Policeman: Ceris Jones (1)
  • Reporters: Jack Tarlton, Lachele Carl
  • Ru: Fiesta Mei Ling (1)
  • Bau: Basil Chung (1)
  • Himself: Matt Baker(1), Andrew Marr
  • General Asquith: Rupert Vansittart
  • Joseph Green: David Verrey
  • Indra Ganesh: Navin Chowdry (1)
  • Harriet Jones: Penelope Wilton
  • Margaret Blaine: Annette Badland
  • Doctor Sato: Naoko Mori (1)
  • Oliver Charles: Eric Potts (1)
  • Mickey Smith: Noel Clarke
  • Alien: Jimmy Vee (1)
  • Strickland: Steve Speirs
  • Margaret Slitheen: Elizabeth Fost
  • Joe Slitheen: Paul Vasey
  • Oliver Slitheen/Asquith Slitheen/Strickland Slitheen/Double for Margaret Slitheen: Alan Ruscoe
  • Segeant Price: Morgan Hopkins (2)
Uncredited:
  • Army Soldiers: Mike Freeman, Jonathan Lewis, Mike Evans
  • Panicking/Irate People: Angela Gowing, James Saunders, Ade Akande, Dorian Griffiths, Beth Griffiths, Chris Stone, Jodie Howell, Jeff Jones, Michelle Lewis, Maria Watts, Darren Cook, Sophie Christou, Gareth Sturgess, Fay McDonald, Anthony Moutton
  • Bearded Man: Russell Bradley
  • Goths: Matthew Lees, Victoria Lees
  • Middle-aged Man: Tony Prior
  • Boy: Eliot
  • Girl: Olivia
  • Toddler: Michael Alsop
  • Military Personnel: John Jenner, Sule Rimi
  • Soldiers: Craig Richards, Gary Fisher, John Jenner, Les Morris, Owen Evans, Patrick Edwards, Peter Symonds, Russell Davies, Sule Rimi, Matthew J. Hughes
  • Body of Oliver Charles: Ian Kay
  • Tactical Policemen: Julian Davies, Anthony Moulton, Richard Harris
  • Soldier: Jonathan Lewis
  • Policemen: Steve Cloak, Alan Reed
  • Policewoman: Sandra Hutchings
  • Academic: Claudia Blondeau
  • Dead Prime Minister: Roderick Mair
  • Body double for Margaret: Cheryl Benyon
  • Body double for Asquith: Robert Errol Jones
  • Stand-in for the Doctor: Carl Edwards Ackerman
  • Stand-in for Rose: Lucy Lutman
  • Additional roles: Jeff Jones, Kay-D Mills, Mike Freeman, Andy Skinner, Lee Cross, Peter James, Sean Saye, Shawn Dixon, Ron Mills, Steven Hearn, Nigel Tidy, Simon Kear, Rose Granger, Rebecca Robertson,-Edward, Durine Howell, Gavin Schanz, Simon Cornish, Maya Bell, Paolo Scaglioni, Paul Burke, Llyn Mitchell, Lynda Lord, Geraint R. Bennett, Paul Conway, Matthew Harries, Anthony Moulton, Richard Harris, Jeff Miller, Simon Harry, Colin Webb, Julian Davies, Steven Lloyd, Robert Radford, Steve Cowles
  • Additional dialogue recording: Paul Ganney, Daryl Adcock, Paul Sparrowham, Hannah Welch, Wendi Sheard, Paula Keogh, Jane Hunt, Nicholas Lupton

Original broadcast on the BBC

Channel Title Date Viewers Rating
BBC 1 4. Aliens Of London Saturday, 16 April 2005 19:00 - 19:45 7.6M
BBC 1 5. World War Three Saturday, 23 April 2005 19:00 - 19:45 8.0M

Click here to show repeat broadcasts on the BBC

Studios

  • BBC Broadcasting House, Cardiff
  • BBC Television Centre Studio 4
  • Model Unit Stage, Kendal Avenue, London
  • Studio 1, Culvershouse Cross, Cardiff
  • Unit Q2, Newport

Outside Locations

  • Belvedere Street, London
  • Brandon Estate, Kennington, London
  • Cardiff Royal Infirmary, Cardiff
  • Channel View Flats, Cardiff
  • Hensol Castle, Hensol
  • John Adams Street, London
  • Loudoun Square, Bute Street, Cardiff
  • Lower Dock Street, Newport
  • University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff
  • Victoria Embankment, London
  • West Bute Street, Cardiff