| "The Impossible Planet" | |
|---|---|
| Series Doctor Who Season 2, Episode 8 | |
| |
| Air date | June 10th, 2006 |
| Writers | Matt Jones |
| Director | James Strong |
| Producers | Phil Collinson; Russell T. Davies; Julie Gardner |
| Starring | David Tennant; Billie Piper |
| Episode guide | |
| Previous "The Idiot's Lantern" |
Next "The Satan Pit" |
"The Impossible Planet" is the eighth episode of season two of the 2005 revival of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and the twenty-second episode of the series overall. It was directed by James Strong with a teleplay written by Matt Jones. It first aired in the United Kingdom on BBC One on June 10th, 2006. It first aired in the United States on BBC America on November 17th, 2006.
Synopsis[]
The Tardis materializes into a small room, and the Doctor and Rose steps out. The Doctor comments on how the Tardis didn't seem to want to land, which causes Rose to ask if they should leave. They both laugh at the suggestion, and proceed to leave the room, and walk down a hallway, with Rose commenting on a storm that was roaring loudly outside the base. When they enter a large room, the Doctor exclaims that it's a Sanctuary Base, which is used for deep space exploration. While looking around, the Doctor and Rose notice some writing that the Tardis couldn't translate, which baffles the Doctor. Deciding to get answers, the Doctor proceeds to try and leave the room through a door, but instead a group of aliens is waiting on the other side. They quickly say, "We must feed." Assuming they mean to eat them, the Doctor and Rose take defensive positions as more aliens continue to arrive until they are completely surrounded. Eventually one of the aliens says, after knocking on the sphere's they carry, "We must feed...you, if you are hungry." They then relax, albeit with confused expressions on their faces , when another door opens.
A trio of human guards enter, and are shocked upon seeing the Doctor and Rose. The leader of the group then uses his wrist radio to call the bases commander, who doesn't believe the security officer. Rose speaks up and says that visitors can't be too unusual if its a space station. The lead guard then asks them whether they know where they are, with the Doctor cheerfully responding no. Then a quake shakes the room, followed by an announcement of a larger quake over the intercom. After a command from the security chief, the Doctor and Rose follow the team out of the room down a hallway. The group are shaken by the quake in the hallway, struggling to keep from being knocked down as flashes of electricity flare, causing Rose to shriek, as the lead guard continues to urge them forward.
They soon come to a control room, where they find the rest of the crew working to prepare for the quake, shocking the inhabitants. Surprised, the Captain exclaims over the security guard telling the truth, while a young girl comments on them being real. A young man named Danny tries to rationalize that they must be hallucinations caused by oxygen problems until he realizes that they are indeed real, before being ordered back to his seat. The Captain then orders everyone to hold on, as the Doctor asks what planet they're on, only for a middle aged woman to comment that the planet has no name, and upon seeing the Doctor's confusion, realizes he has no idea where they are. Then a short quake rocks the room, but it ends quickly and the Doctor stands up and comments on it not being too bad.
Then he is knocked to the ground as a larger and more more powerful quake rocks the room. The captain, middle aged woman, and another young man near him struggle to hold on against the powerful quake, along with the Doctor and Rose. The young woman who commented on their arrival meanwhile was violently shaken by the quake, and Danny had to shield himself as flames popped up from his console. After awhile the quake stops and the lead guard comes over and puts out the fire near Danny. The captain states that storage 5 through 8 were lost, and then checks on each of the crew and they all respond that they're alright. Afterwards, the young man near the captain, whose name is Toby, is ordered to leave and examine the base's rocket, despite protesting that it wasn't his department. Rose then comments again on the storm, which leads the young woman from before to comment that there's nothing but vacuum outside. Upon seeing how puzzled the Doctor and Rose are, the older woman then begins to introduce the crew.
The older woman begins by introducing herself as Ida Scott, the team's Science Officer. She proceeds to begin pointing at crewmembers.
She begins with the the captain. She says his name Zachary Cross Flane, and that he is actually the acting Captain, since the actual captain died earlier. Zach nods at the duo in confirmation.
She then directs attention to thesecurity officer from before, who is Mr. Jefferson, the Security Chief, who looks at them in stoic confirmation.
Then she looks at the young man, whose Danny Bartock is a representative of the Ethics Committee. Danny cracks a joke about it not being as boring as it sounds, which illicits a smile from the duo.
Ida then states that the man who left for the rocket is Toby Zed, who is the archaeologist,
Ida then walks over to the young girl who is still working. As Ida walks up, the girl looks up and flashes a warm smile at them. Ida puts her hand on her shoulders, and says her name is Scooti Manista, the trainee maintenance officer, who's smile widens, before she goes back to work.
Ida then opens the room's overhead shield to reveal to the Doctor and Rose that the planet is orbiting a black hole. The Doctor protests that it is impossible to do so, but Ida argues that their current situation proves otherwise. The Doctor then explains black holes to Rose, who then jokes that it's worse than a storm.
On his way back to the control room, Toby hears a voice calling for him, but after finding nothing, shrugs it off and continues walking. He then enters the control room and grumpily tells Zach that the rocket is fine.
The crew then explain that the planet is called Krop Tor, and that they are there toretrieve the power source that is keeping the planet from being pulled into the black hole. They explain that they entered the planet through a gravity funnel, and though they landed mostly safe, the original captain was killed. They explain that the funnel is their only way out, which leads to Scooti joking about the situation only to get lightly tapped on the head by Danny. The Doctor then tries to calculate the power necessary for this phenomenon.
While he was doing that, Rose gets a drink from an Ood, and asks its name only for it to respond that it has no name. Rose then walks over and asks Scooti and Danny about the Ood. They explain that the Oods are slaves who serve them, which disgusts Rose, only for Scooti to lightly mock her. The Ood from earlier simply says that it enjoys serving, much to Rose's discomfort.
Meanwhile the Doctor to finish calculating the power necessary, which leads to the group discussing the potential for it. After enthusiastically hugging Zach for humans risking such a dangerous journey, they discuss how the Doctor and Rose land in. After a brief discussion, the Doctor realizes that the TARDIS was in a section the quake destroyed. The Doctor immediately dashes out of the room, with Rose following closely behind him. Eventually they reach a door that cannot be opened, and upon looking through a window realize the Tardis has fallen through a hole into the planet.
Back in the control room the Doctor tries in vain to convince Zach to divert drilling to reach the Tardis. Zach refuses citing they don't have the resources to do so, and declares the topic closed. Ida then tries to comfort the duo, telling them she'll place them on laundry duty. The Doctor then hugs Rose in order to try and reassure her about the situation. However both are clearly uneasy.
The base then enters the nightshift, and the crew performs their duties around the base.
Jefferson enters the mining area, surrounded by a horde of Ood. He observes them working before walking over to the railing. He looks down the chasm of a mineshaft.
Meanwhile, Scooti dresses in an orange spacesuit and exits the base, carrying a wrench. She walks out towards a radar looking piece of equipment, slightly struggling against the powerful winds sweeping the planet. Once she reached it, she used her wrench to tighten a bolt and observed that the machine was working properly. She then radioed Zach, and with a smile, reported that she finished repairing the equipment. Afterwards, she walked back to the base.
.
Danny was busing counting every Ood that was coming off duty. Meanwhile, Toby begins to hear a dark voice while working on translating the writing. Toby, assuming it is Danny pranking him, exits his room and tells "Danny" to stop. However, upon getting no response, the uneasy archaeologist returned to his room.
Elsewhere, the rest of the crew began to have dinner. While the Doctor was trying to translate the writing on the wall in habitation, Rose goes to get some food. Then she saw Scooti, fresh from her excursion outside, who was grabbing some food as well. Scooti gave Rose an encouraging smile and told her to pick what she wants. However, Scooti advised against trying the blue or the green with a laugh.
Rose then orders some food, and tries to small talk the Ood serving her food. Rose mentions how she used to serve food. The Ood then suddenly says, "The Beast and his Armies shall rise from the Pit to make war against God." This unnerves Rose who asks the Ood to repeat itself. However, the Ood, after hitting the translator, simply says it hopes she enjoys her meal. Rose then walks away, clearly unnerved.
Meanwhile in the control room, Zach is supervising the drilling when a demonic looking entity appears on the hologram while his back is turned and roars, but quickly disappears, leading to Zach nervously glancing around the room.
Toby meanwhile has continued to study the pottery fragments in his room. As he is working, the dark voice from early returns and calls his name. Distrurbed, Toby begins to turn around, but stops as soon as the voice orders him not to turn. The voice warns Toby that if he looks at him, he will die. Toby, now scared, still thinks its Danny. However he quickly rejects the idea and begins to turn again, only to stop once being warned again by the voice. Toby fearfully asks who the voice is, only for the voice to respond that it has many names. Toby then begins to act like he wants to turn around again, only for the voice to once again warn him that doing so will mean death. Toby again asks who the voice is, only this time the voice responds that he is right behind Toby. Toby becomes completely unnerved and almost turns his head, only to be warned by the voice not to. The voice then taunts Toby and says that he can almost touch him. Unable to handle it anymore, Toby turns.
Toby becomes possessed.
However, the room is revealed to be completely empty. Toby sighs in relief, but is clearly shaken and disturbed. Toby suddenly stopped and looked at his hands, as if feeling something. He then removes the gloves and examines his hands. He quickly discovers that the strange symbols have appeared on his palms. Panicking, Toby picks up a mirror, and discover that the symbols have now covered his body, and his eyes have turned red. Suddenly, Toby appears to be in pain, and collapses to the floor, unconscious.
Meanwhile, in the cafeteria the lights are flickering. Concerned, Ida calls Zach to ask what was happening. However, Zach informs her that its nothing but the Scarlet System being pulled in. Interested, Ida opens the window to observe as the system is pulled into the black hole. While watching, Ida relayed information about the people who lived there. After it was finished, the Doctor asked if Ida would leave the shutters open, which she agrees to. The she, Jefferson, and Scooti left to continue their duties, leaving the Doctor and Rose alone.
Rose begins by talking about how black holes can be portals, only for the Doctor to comment about how this one only eats. Rose then asks if the Doctor would be able to build another TARDIS, only for the Doctor to say he can't, since they were grown on his homeworld which is now gone, leaving the two of them stranded. They then both jokingly discuss their future plans, with the Doctor horrified at having to live in one place. This continues until Rose's phone repeats the message, "He is awake." Frightened, Rose throws the phone on the floor. Toby then awakens in his room with a murderous look in his eyes.
They then go visit Danny is Ood Habitation and try to solve the mystery of the message, Danny explains that they are telepathic, and probably just caught a signal from the systems breaking up around the black hole. However, the Oods telepathic signal begins to go haywire. Danny frantically asks Rose what the message on her phone was, which she said, "He is awake." The entire group of Ood then respond, "And you will worship him." The trio are shocked by this, and the Doctor quickly repeats "He is awake," only for the Ood to repeat what they said. The Doctor then asks the Ood who they're referring to, only for them to stay quiet.
Meanwhile, Scooti enters Toby's room with a blue folder in her hand. She announces, "Toby, I've got your expenditure..." However, she trailed off as she noticed the room was empty, surprising her. Confused at finding the room empty, Scooti glanced around trying to find the supposed occupant. Upon seeing the room was empty, Scooti walks over and places the file on Toby's desk. She stares at the alien symbols on the desk curiously for a moment. While she was staring at the strange symbols, the computer announced that door 41 had opened. Caught off guard, Scooti slowly raised her head, but remained still, stunned. She then turned her head in the direction of the announcement with a confused expression on her face as the computer announced door 41 had closed. Scooti then turned her head back around with a perturbed expression on her face. She repeated, "41.." to herself quietly, trying to understand what was happening. Scooti's expression quickly turned to one of concern as she realized that something was wrong. Worried, Scooti immediately sprinted out of the room, intent on discovering what had happened.
Scooti enters a corridor through Door 40, and immediately rushes over to the console for Door 41. Panting, Scooti immediately asks if the computer opened and closed door 41, which it confirmed. Scooti is surprised by this response, and she explains to the computer that its the airlock. Scooti further states that since its the nightshift no one is allowed outside. Scooti then catches her breath, and asks if someone went outside.. The computer confirms that someone went outside. Scooti waits patiently for the computer to tell her who went outside, but after a few moments asked who went outside, with an annoyed expression on her face. However the computer stated that it couldn't identify who left. Surprised, Scooti pondered this for a second, and quickly came up with another question. She queried the computer on which space suit was taken, hoping to identify the explorer from that. However, the computer stated that no space suit was taken. Upon hearing this Scooti became annoyed, and said the answer didn't make sense, because a spacesuit was essential to leave the base.
Scooti, irritated by the computer's impossible answer, concluded that it was almost certainly a malfunction. Scooti then raised her wrist radio and called Zach. Scooti reported that she thought that Door 41 had a problem. She explained that the computer had said that someone had left the base and journeyed outside to the planet's surface. She then released the button and waited for a response from Zach.
However, instead of a response from Zach, all that happened was the radio sent static. Confused, Scooti tapped the radio again and called for Zach, only to get more static. Scooti quickly became irritated by this. Scooti pressed the button and yelled "Zach," hoping for an answer this time. However, she still received nothing but static. This left Scooti standing there, looking both confused and frustrated.
Scooti looked hesitantly at the console, before sighing reluctantly and pressing the button. Growing frustrated, Scooti, with an annoyed tone, requested that the computer identify what was wrong with her radio, her tone indicating that she was in no mood for a ridiculous answer. However, the computer responded that there was no problem with her radio. This newest impossible answer only angered the already frustrated girl. Scooti instantly became angered, and more than a little confused, by the strangeness of the situation.. Irritated by the ridiculousness the computer was saying and losing her patience with the strange incident taking place, Scooti yelled angrily at the computer and demanded it tell her who went outside. Instead, the computer responded with, "He is awake." Caught off guard, Scooti blinked a few times and asked what it said, confusion evident on her face, clearly thinking she misheard what the computer said. However, the computer then repeated itself, confirming her thoughts. The anger vanished from Scooti's face with this response, and was replaced with fear and uneasiness, now realizing she was facing a very strange, and potentially terrifying situation. With an uneasy voice, she asked the computer what that meant, trying desperately to maintain her composure, and it responded, , "He who bathes in the black sun." Scooti's unease increased dramatically, and she became deeply perturbed by this response. Unnerved by the computer's strange messages, the young woman nervously backed away from the console. She stood back and stared at the console in shock and fear, unable to do anything but stare in disbelief. She then heard a sound down the hall, and turned to identify the source. Near door 42, the shutter for the viewport to the outside began to open on its own. Scooti stared at the viewport with nervous apprehension, curious to discover what was happening, but also unnerved by the strangeness of the situation. Finally, her curiosity won out, and Scooti hesitantly walked towards the viewport, anxious to discover the truth.
Scooti arrived as the shutter finished opening, and looked outside onto the surface. There she saw Toby standing in the vacuum of space, without a spacesuit., with his back to her. He was being buffeted by the winds of the planet, yet completely unharmed despite the harshness of the environment he was in without any protection.
Scooti's eyes widened in shock upon seeing him standing outside in the deadly vacuum unharmed. Scooti was shaken to the core by this sight, and tried desperately to comprehend what she was seeing, yet failed. Scooti continued staring at him in utter disbelief, unable to move or take her eyes off of him, let alone speak.
Toby then turned around, as if sensing her arrival, still covered in the ancient symbols and with red eyes. He gazed toward the viewport, and there he saw his younger crewmate staring at him in shock. He grinned wildly at Scooti, as if pleased by her arrival and the shocked expression on her face.
Scooti's eyes widened even further in shock as she was shaken further by Toby's smile. However, Scooti managed to regain her voice, and muttered "Toby," in complete shock and disbelief, her voice barely above a whisper. Completely unnerved, Scooti continued mumbling, "But there's no air, there's no...," before losing her voice again in shock. Scooti was completely bewildered and dumbfounded, with her logic failing her, as she tried to understand this new situation, yet it seemed impossible. Scooti was left unnerved and shaken, but still was unable to stop staring at her possessed crewmate with a shocked expression.
Toby calls Scooti
Upon seeing Scooti's bewildered response, Toby's grin widened, and he nodded at her, seemingly pleased. He then raised his arm, and began to motion towards her towards him, insisting she join him outside in the vacuum.
Scooti tempted
Scooti was continuing to stare at him when this began. She was quickly overpowered by his will, and her expression appeared hypnotized. Helpless to refuse his demands, the young woman raised her hand towards him. Scooti continued staring at him wide-eyed. Upon seeing her compliance, Toby's grin widened further, delighted by his control over her, and he continued to motion her towards him. Scooti stood there continuing to stare at him in awe and fascination, as Toby continued motioning her. Scooti's eyes began to moisten,and she appeared to be on the verge of tears, as Toby continued to urge her to join him, with increasing urgency.
Eventually, as if sensing something was wrong, Scooti managed to glance at her arm with an uneasy expression on her face. Scooti then managed to break free of his will, and brought her arm down to her side. Scooti then stared at Toby, nearly in tears, horrified by his violation of her mind. Regaining her senses, the horrified Scooti yelled "No, stop it, you can't be". Scooti then stared in disbelief and horror at Toby, with a desperate pleading expression on her face. Scooti was badly shaken, and utterly horrified of what Toby tried to do to her.
Angered by her resistance to his control and rejection of his demand, Toby's grin faded. He then glared at Scooti with homicidal rage, intending to kill her for her defiance. With the hand he had been gesturing at her with, he quickly formed a fist.
Instantly, sounds like glass breaking filled the corridor, as a white cloud appeared on the viewport before her eyes. Scooti, still badly shaken, was made even more uneasy by Toby's glare and the strange sounds. She began to look over the glass with a nervous expression, desperately trying to find the source of the sound. Then a deep crack suddenly appeared on the window between Scooti and the deadly vacuum. Terrified, Scooti gasped loudly in horror as she realized what he intended to do to her. Toby was going to crack the window so that the decompression would drag her to her death in the vacuum of space. Scooti's eyes widened in terror, as she briefly gazed at her possessed crewmate with an expression of horror and disbelief as she realized he intended to murder her. Completely frightened, Scooti immediately turned on her heel and sprinted towards door 40, desperate to escape the deadly vacuum.
Scooti tries to run.
...but she's trapped.
While running, Scooti frantically ordered door 40 to open, hoping it would be open by the time she got there. However to her despair, upon arriving Scooti quickly discovered that the door was still sealed and she was still trapped. Desperate, Scooti then frantically pressed the door's button as she again yelled at the computer to open the door, but with increased panic in her voice, as she looked with a terrified expression at the cracking window.
Open Door 40!
However the door remained shut despite her desperate pleas. Meanwhile, Toby continued staring into the corridor as he continued to break the glass. Scooti continued staring at the cracking glass in terror, and her composure began to disappear as she remained trapped in the doomed section. Scooti, crouching, screamed desperately at the computer to open the door, as she tugged at the door, desperate to escape and survive.
Open Door 40!!!
However, the door continued to ignore her pleas. Eventually the glass became full of cracks before Scooti's eyes. Realizing she was about to die, Scooti's remaining composure evaporated. Scooti screamed shrilly at the door to open as she continued to tug at the sealed door, nearly in tears, but still trying to escape and survive.
Toby smashes the window and kills Scooti
As Scooti was issuing the command for the door to open again, with a cruel smile, the possessed Toby unclenched his fist. Instantly, the cracked glass shattered, exposing the section to the vacuum. Air instantly rushed out of the exposed section. The rushing current of air quickly pulled Scooti, and despite her grip on the door, she was quickly dragged away. Completely terrified, Scooti let out a loud shrill scream as she was dragged away from the door towards the shattered viewport.
The Doctor and Rose were among the Ood when a violent quake shook the room as alarms rang, causing the panicking Danny to call Zach and ask what was happening. Around the base alarms began to blare as Zach informed everyone of the hull breach. Jefferson, Ida, and the security guards rushed desperately to get to safety, as Zach struggled to maintain air field. The Doctor, Rose and Danny raced toward Jefferson, Ida, and the guards and arrived as they reached safety, and saw them pull the now unpossessed Toby through the door before sealing the breach.
Jefferson then told Zach that everyone was fine, but Scooti wasn't with them. Jefferson tries to call her, but gets no response, leaving him worried. Zach then told them that she was in Habitation 3 which relieved Jefferson and Ida. The group then went towards Habitation 3, while the Doctor tried to get information from Toby to no avail. When the Doctor, Rose, and Toby reached Habitation 3 they saw the others searching frantically for Scooti until the Doctor sadly told them he found her. Scooti was floating out in space, dead, with her hair flying in the vacuum. The crew stared at her, devastated, while Jefferson reported her death to Zach before reciting Horatius while Ida closed the window commenting that Scooti was only 20 years old. Then the drilling suddenly stopped, and the crew began to prepare to complete their mission.
All around the base everyone reached their positions with Danny and a guard in Ood habitation supervising nonessential Ood, and the rest in the drilling area preparing for the elevator ride down. The Doctor persuaded Zach to let him accompany Ida to the core, which Zach reluctantly allowed, before he returned to the control room. The Doctor and Ida then rode down to the core, meanwhile the Ood begin to stand and ignore Danny's orders. The Doctor and Ida began exploring.
Meanwhile, Danny calls Zach and informs him about the Ood and says that their telepathic levels have reached the point where they should be brain dead, which causes Jefferson and the guard with him to point their guns towards the Ood. Finally, the Doctor and Ida came to a large trap door. They discovered more of the writing, and Rose attempted to ask Toby to translate before she, Jefferson and the female guard discovered that he was possessed again.
Toby explained that these were the words of the Beast. Jefferson tried to order the possessed archaeologist to stand down. Zach and the Doctor both tried to get a status report from the people in the drilling area, but were both ignored. Toby then taunted Jefferson about his wife, asking if she ever forgave him. Jefferson was clearly unnerved, but remained focused and threatened to shoot Toby. Toby responded by releasing a black gas like substance, that left him unpossessed, but caused all of the Ood to become possessed.
In the drilling room, 3 Ood advanced on Jefferson, Rose, and the guard until they were pushed to the door. In Ood Habitation, an Ood advanced on Danny and his guard until the Ood throws its translation sphere at the guard and electrocutes him, causing Danny to run in fright. Down in the core a new shaking begins as the trapdoor opens, and the planet begins to lose orbit and fall towards the black hole.
The Doctor and Ida stare down the trap door as malevolent laughter pours out of it, "The Pit is open, and I am free!"
Cast[]
Principal Cast[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| David Tennant | The Doctor |
| Billie Piper | Rose Tyler |
Guest Stars[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Danny Webb | John Jefferson |
| Shaun Parks | Zachary Cross Flane |
| Claire Rushbrook | Ida Scott |
| Will Thorp | Toby Zed |
| Ronny Jhutti | Danny Bartock |
| MyAnna Buring | Scooti Manista |
| Paul Kasey | Ood |
| Gabriel Woolf | The Beast |
| Silas Carson | Voice of the Ood |