Revisiting Doctor Who - Series 1, Episode 12 - Bad Wolf

Revisiting Doctor Who - Series 1, Episode 12 - Bad Wolf

Ooh, looks like we’re returning to Satellite 5 from The Long Game.

100 years later in fact…

The Doctor is in a room spinning round and…wait, is that the Big Brother theme tune …and the Big Brother house…and Twist from Spaced? Yep, The Doctor is a housemate, and just 5 minutes before eviction. Davina summons him to the diary room, and of course she reminds him not to swear.

Cue title sequence…

Rose is lying on the floor somewhere, with Patterson Joseph looking over him, a spotlight on her. He tells her to ‘do what the android says’. Hold on, that looks like the set of The Weakest Link! Sure enough, she takes her place on the podium, with an android version of Anne Robinson asking the questions.

Jack, meanwhile, is on an operating table, ready to be given a makeover by Trinny and Susannah.The ‘defabricator’ burns away all his clothes, leaving him naked, because it’s John Barrowman, so of course it does.

The Doctor tries to break his way out of the Big Brother house with his sonic screwdriver, but to no avail. Housemate Lynda pesters him about what the outside world thinks of her, but he’s more interested in where the TARDIS has gone. They’d been in Japan, 1336, when they were kidnapped. The fact that something could penetrate the TARDIS means there’s something bigger going on, and his points at the camera in a very Northern way to leave the people behind the scenes under no illusion that he’s not best pleased. The chap monitoring this tries to speak to his colleague, but she’s monitoring The Weakest Link with Rose. Rose enjoys herself at first, even getting a maths question correct, but the behind the scenes team note that it’s as if she doesn’t know what happens to the weakest link in each round (ooh, that sounds like it could be something sinister!). Coupled with the person arriving in the Big Brother house who doesn’t know anything about it, and they reason that it’s as if the games are running themselves. Surely not…that would just be bizarre!

Jack flexes in front of a mirror, trying out a vest and trousers and choosing a jacket, caressing one of the android’s boobs, and then learning that to get cosmetic surgery they’re about to melt his face off. On The Weakest Link, Rose answers Anne Droid’s questions, getting a little confused when the lady she nominates starts crying, and then realising that it’s all because Anne Droid is a psychopathic android who straight up disintegrates the weakest link. Don’t think Rose will be laughing anymore…One of the other contestants tries to run, but Anne Droid blasts him too. As Patterson Joseph tells her, ‘Don’t try to escape. It’s play, or die.’ Would that have saved The Weakest Link from being cancelled in the present day? Probably best not to think about that.

In the Big Brother house, The Doctor is still trying to escape, but Lynda pleads with him to sit down as instructed so that they aren’t all punished. Davina Droid addresses them, evicting Crosby. Lynda and the other housemate look heartbroken, but The Doctor protests that it’s only a gameshow, and that she’ll make a fortune on the outside. Uh oh, from the actions on the monitors that doesn’t like it’s going to happen…She gets disintegrated too, and now The Doctor starts paying attention. Looks like she’s been evicted from life.

The behind the scenes team discuss the rumours that there is something hidden behind the transmissions, but that ‘The Controller’ would know. The chap says that it could have been missed through human error, but the woman says that’s just the point, she hasn’t been human for years. The camera turns, to show a lady attached to a bunch of wires, with blue light bathing her, and cool contact lenses.

Back in the Big Brother house, The Doctor learns that contestants are now chosen at random, and there are 60 games running at once. The winners get to live, which the other housemates think is enough. Jack, meanwhile, is rocking a tennis outfit. Stage 2 is now ready and waiting , which appears to be to get naked again. And then we learn it’s time for the ‘face-off’, which is literally to tear Jack’s face off. How will Jack get out of thi-oh, I see. He had a gun up his bum. Of course he did. Goodbye Trinny, goodbye Susannah! On The Weakest Link, it’s down to Rose and Patterson Joseph, who voted off the strongest contestant so he can face Rose in the final, because he thinks she’s an easier opponent, which is exactly how I’d play it. Also, apparently it’s ‘The Bad Wolf Corporation’ who run the games - time for a quick montage! She realises that she probably isn’t here by mistake.

In the house, The Doctor has earned his eviction. Goodbye Doctor…no, wait, the system powered down, just as he hoped – someone brought him into the game for a reason, and they’re not about to kill him off. He sonic screwdriver’s his way out, letting Lynda come with him. Exiting, he realises that he’s in one of the cargo bays from Satellite 5. It was re-named to 'Game Station' 100 years ago, and there are now 100 different games played. As we learn that executions for not having a TV license are commonplace, Lynda suggests that she could go with him when they leave, which The Doctor seems to consider a possibility, but he's soon distracted when Lynda turns on a light to reveal that 'The Bad Wolf Corporation' are in charge.

Behind the scenes, the chap decides that The Controller needs to handle this latest twist. Her response is to 'continue working', even when the chap worries that it's a security breach and the lady wants to enter 'Archive 6'. Someone doesn't want The Doctor harmed...

Jack creates himself a gun from some of the destroyed machinery, and uses it to locate The Doctor. Lynda and The Doctor are looking down upon Earth, which is now a polluted mess. There's still no Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. 100 years ago though, all the news channels shut down, freezing the planet - no government, no economy, just 100 years of hell. Bit of a guilt trip for The Doctor there then. 

Rose and Patterson Joseph (oh, he's called Rodrick apparently) are in the final. The Doctor, reunited with Jack at last, are trying to track her down, but not having much success. The Doctor says the computer systems are transmitting something more than just the television signal, although he can't figure out what, but then they finally locate her, taking the lift up to find her before she can be executed. They'll need to hurry, as she's just lost the game...Hmph, there's no need to gloat so much about it Rodrick. The Doctor bursts in but HOLY HELL ROSE GOT SHOT AND TURNED INTO DUST! OH MY GOD! ROSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

As our hearts pound furiously, The Doctor looks shell shocked, not reacting as guards come in to capture them all, Jack shouting away in the background. They interrogate The Doctor about his sonic screwdriver, but he can't get over the fact he has gotten his companion killed. They are to be transferred to the Lunar Penal Colony, but apparently this is not OK, as The Doctor, Jack and Lynda rather easily over power the guards and get the hell out of there, heading for Floor 500. The behind the scenes team are a bit scared, as well they should be seeing the size of the gun they are bringing. When they arrive, The Doctor questions the The Controller, but the chap informs him that she can't answer. She's plugged into the system, and can't recognise him as he isn't staff. Jack makes his way into Archive 6, which happens to house the TARDIS, and discovers something strange. The Doctor meanwhile questions the staff about strange goings-on, demanding to see the archives. As a solar flare causes the systems to fluctuate, The Controller suddenly acknowledges The Doctor's presence, telling him that she has been waiting for him, and that the solar flare is hiding her from her masters'. They have been hiding in the 'dark space', shaping the Earth for many, many years. Their name is forbidden, but they fear The Doctor. The solar flare ends before she can speak their name. Jack returns to tell him that the TARDIS has figured it all out. Jack momentarily appears to go crazy, disintegrating Lynda with the say beam that killed Rose, but then returns her. Turns out it's a transmat beam, not a disintegrater, and therefore Rose is still alive. We then see her wake in some sort of chamber, but that's not the big twist - she spots something that scares the hell out of her, and we know what it is - it's only the bloody Daleks returned from the dead! The Controller manages to give The Doctor Rose's co-ordinates just before they transmat her to Rose's location and execute her. Though there is nothing visible at the co-ordinates, The Doctor tells them that the transmat beam is there to hide a second signal which is hiding whatever is around Earth. He unearths it, and then we see what it's hiding - 200 ships, 2000 Daleks on each. The evil pepper pots themselves open communications with The Doctor, telling him that there stratagem is nearly complete, and not to interfere or Rose really will be killed. He tells them to get stuffed, that he's going to rescue Rose, save the Earth, and then wipe every last stinking Dalek out of the sky. All the Daleks throw a hissy fit at this but too late, The Doctor is coming!

YES! 

Wow, that's a hell of an ending. It's an incredibly tense finale, right from the moment Rose is shot and we think she's dead (which seems entirely possible at this late stage in the series), to The Doctor meeting The Controller, and then the discovery of the Dalek fleet. The rest of the episode is a brilliant nod to 20th Century culture, in a much less cheesy way than in the second episode of the series, with the mystery of why they have been brought here at its core, and it brings together the Bad Wolf running plot brilliantly. We'll find out in the next episode that it isn't actually the Daleks who are the Bad Wolf, as you might guess at this point, but that's irrelevant - it's clear that all the sightings have been leading to a big reveal at the end of the series and we're going to see it next time. Very exciting stuff.

We also have one of modern Who's greatest quotes:

The Doctor: I'm going to rescue her. I'm going to save Rose Tyler from the middle of the Dalek fleet, and then I'm going to save the Earth, and then, just to finish off, I'm going to wipe every last stinking Dalek out of the sky!

Damn right you are Doctor!

So, what about those 20th Century culture references? Well, personally I thought they were great. As I said above, they're a vital part of the plot, not some cheesy piece to get a cheap laugh. They were three of the biggest and most recognisable reality TV shows at the time the episode was made, twisted into an even more messed up version. This is part of the point, of course - the human race is off course, manipulated from an unseen enemy, and the people are none the wiser that things are wrong. 

The humour that comes with it is brilliant, and has been the case for most of the series. Some of it is very subtle - it’s only fleeting, but the part where Jack rubs Trinny and/or Susannah’s android boobs is so out of the blue, but so in character. Or so Barrowman, whichever you prefer. On a semi-serious note, should the fact it’s just an android stop this being as un-childrens-tv-like as it would be if he caressed a real woman’s boobs? 

Also, he had a gun hidden up his bottom. Marvellous.

Elsewhere, there's some brilliant dialogue:

Anne Droid: So Rose, what do you actually do?

Rose: I just travel about a bit. Bit of a…tourist, I suppose!

Anne Droid: (deadpan) Another way of saying unemployed.

And:

The Doctor: Do you mind flirting outside?

Jack: I was just saying 'hello'!

The Doctor: For you, that IS flirting.

And oh how I laughed with Davina Droid’s comment of ‘You have 10 seconds to say your farewells, and then we’re going to get you!’. Brilliant wordplay on her actual catchphrase, and a hint as to what is to come for the audience who now that all is not what it seems. 

There's also a wonderful glimpse of what’s to come, as Torchwood is mentioned as the answer to one of the questions on The Weakest Link. Won’t mean anything to anyone now, but come Series 2…

What's done fantastically is how this really does feel like a perfect penultimate episode - everything in the series so far has built towards this moment, and when The Doctor threatens the Daleks, his greatest enemy, at the end, we really do feel prepared for a final battle in the last episode. When I think to how well it's done here, and how much this was missing from the penultimate episode of Series 7, it makes we appreciate it even more. Russell T Davies will always get criticism for how he resolves cliffhangers, but he's a true master at writing them. 

How It Fits Into The Series As A Whole

The Daleks survived the Time War, clearly - we found out exactly how in the next episode.

Bad Wolf Sightings

The name of the group in charge of all the television is the Bad Wolf Corporation.

Overall

A fantastic cliffhanger showcasing everything that has been brilliant with Series One - it's funny, exciting and tense, with a great mystery running through it as to why The Doctor, Rose and Jack have ended up where they are, and it sets up the finale perfectly. Wonderful stuff.

10/10