Doctor Who: The Parting of the Ways

"Do you know what they call me in the ancient legends of the Dalek homeworld? The Oncoming Storm. You may have removed all your emotions, but I reckon right down deep in your DNA there's one little spark left, and that's fear. Doesn't it just burn when you face me?"

―The Doctor

"The Parting of the Ways"
Series Doctor Who Season 27/1, Episode 9
Air date	June 18th, 2005 (UK) June 9th, 2006 (US)
Writers	Russell T. Davies
Director	Joe Ahearne
Producers	Phil Collinson; Russell T. Davies; Julie Gardner; Helen Vallis; Mal Young
Starring	Christopher Eccleston; Billie Piper
Episode guide
Previous "Bad Wolf"	Next "The Christmas Invasion"

"The Parting of the Ways" is the thirteenth episode of series one of the 2005 Doctor Who revival series. Combining all episodes of both the original series, the revival series and the 1996 TV special together it is the 709th episode of series twenty-seven. The episode was directed by Joe Ahearne and written by Russell T. Davies. It is the final episode of season one and first aired in the United Kingdom on June 18th, 2005 on BBC One. It first aired in the United States on BBC America and Syfy on June 9th, 2006.

In addition to being the season finale, the episode is notable for being the final appearance of Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor and the first appearance of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor.

Cast

Principal Cast

Actor	Role
Christopher Eccleston	The Doctor
Billie Piper	Rose Tyler

Guest Stars

Actor	Role
John Barrowman	Captain Jack Harkness
Jo Stone-Fewings	Male programmer
Jo Joyner	Lynda
Paterson Joseph	Rodrick
Nisha Nayar	Female programmer
Noel Clarke	Mickey Smith
Camille Coduri	Jackie Tyler
Anne Robinson	Ann Droid
Nicholas Briggs	Dalek
Barnaby Edwards	Dalek operator
Nicholas Pegg	Dalek operator
David Hanksinson	Dalek operator
Alan Ruscoe	Android
David Tennant	The Doctor
Jenna Russell	Floor manager

Notes & Trivia

• This episode is included on disc four of the Doctor Who: The Complete First Series DVD collection.

• Production code number: NCFR040J.

• Final episode of series one. This is the second part of a two-part episode.

• Jenna Russell, who plays the floor manager, is uncredited for her participation in this episode.

• Final appearance of the Ninth Doctor.

• First appearance of the Tenth Doctor, albeit only as a cameo. Played by actor David Tennant, the Tenth Doctor makes his first full appearance in "The Christmas Invasion" holiday special.

• This is the fifth appearance of Captain Jack Harkness on Doctor Who. He appeared last in "Bad Wolf". He appears next in "Utopia".

• The character of Ann Droid is a play on the phrase android.

• The full meaning of the phrase "Bad Wolf" is explained in this episode.

Allusions

• The scene where Rose Tyler explains the heart of the TARDIS to Mickey Smith is taken from the episode "Boom Town".

• Rose Tyler makes reference to meeting a younger version of her father Pete Tyler, which took place in "Father's Day".

• Rose Tyler's line, "I looked into the TARDIS and the TARDIS looked into me", may be a reference to Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Nietzsche. Another homage to the quote can be found in the "An Affirming Flame" episode of Andromeda, in which the character of Tyr Anasazi says, "You stare too long into the Abyss, the Abyss stares back at you".

• Mickey Smith will later make reference to this episode in "The Age of Steel" when he tells Preacher freedom fighter Jake Simmonds, "I once saved the universe with a big yellow truck".

Quotes

• The Doctor: This is Emergency Program 1. Rose, now listen, this is important. If this message has activated, then it can only mean one thing: we must be in danger, and I mean fatal. I'm dead, or about to die any second with no chance of escape.
• Rose Tyler: No!
• The Doctor: And that's okay, I hope it's a good death. But I promised to look after you, and that's what I'm doing. The TARDIS is taking you home...
• Rose Tyler: I won't let you.
• The Doctor: ...and I bet you're fussing and moaning now. Typical. But hold on and just listen a bit more. The TARDIS can never return for me. Emergency Program 1 means I'm facing an enemy that should never get their hands on this machine. So this is what you should do. Let the TARDIS die. Just let this old box gather dust. No one can open it, no one will even notice it. Let it become a strange little thing standing on a street corner. And over the years the world will move on, and the box will be buried. And if you want to remember me, you can do one thing. That's all, one thing: (The hologram of the Doctor turns to stare at Rose) Have a good life. Do that for me Rose. Have a fantastic life.

See also

Media

Doctor Who Doctor Who home video

Doctor Who seasons Doctor Who episodes

The World of Doctor Who

Doctor Who characters Doctor Who vehicles Doctor Who items

Doctor Who races Doctor Who locations Doctor Who organizations

Doctor Who miscellaneous

Doctor Who galleries Doctor Who appearances Doctor Who image category

Doctor Who companions Doctor Who cast & crew Doctor Who miscellaneous

External Links

Series links

Doctor Who at IMDB Doctor Who at the TV IV Doctor Who at Wikipedia Doctor Who at ShareTV.com

Doctor Who at TV Rage.com Doctor Who at TV.com guide Doctor Who at the TV Database Doctor Who at the Doctor Who Wiki

Episode links

"The Parting of the Ways" at IMDB "The Parting of the Ways" at the TV IV "The Parting of the Ways" at ShareTV.com

"The Parting of the Ways" at TV.com guide "The Parting of the Ways" at TV Rage.com "The Parting of the Ways" at the Doctor Who Wiki

References

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This article pertains to an episode from series 1 of the 2005 Doctor Who revival series.
See the Doctor Who (2005)/Season 1 episodes category.

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