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The episode was written by [[James Moran (writer)|James Moran]], who previously wrote the film ''[[Severance (film)|Severance]]'' and the ''[[Torchwood]]'' episode "[[Sleeper (Torchwood)|Sleeper]]"; Moran was requested to write the episode as a consequence of the latter.<ref name="slash">{{Cite journal|last=Hugo|first=Simon|coauthors=Moran, James|date=March 2008|title=Slash Fiction|journal=[[Torchwood Magazine]]|publisher=[[Titan Magazines]]|location=[[London]]|issue=2|pages=49–51|accessdate=17 August 2008}}</ref> Moran had difficulty writing the episode, and had to rewrite the Doctor's opening line over twenty times.<ref name="RadioTimesWhoWatch"/> The Pyrovile were also edited during writing: they were previously called Pyrovillaxians and Pyrovellians.<ref name="facts" />
The episode was written by [[James Moran (writer)|James Moran]], who previously wrote the film ''[[Severance (film)|Severance]]'' and the ''[[Torchwood]]'' episode "[[Sleeper (Torchwood)|Sleeper]]"; Moran was requested to write the episode as a consequence of the latter.<ref name="slash">{{Cite journal|last=Hugo|first=Simon|coauthors=Moran, James|date=March 2008|title=Slash Fiction|journal=[[Torchwood Magazine]]|publisher=[[Titan Magazines]]|location=[[London]]|issue=2|pages=49–51|accessdate=17 August 2008}}</ref> Moran had difficulty writing the episode, and had to rewrite the Doctor's opening line over twenty times.<ref name="RadioTimesWhoWatch"/> The Pyrovile were also edited during writing: they were previously called Pyrovillaxians and Pyrovellians.<ref name="facts" />


Moran worked closely with Davies because of the constraints imposed by filming.<ref name="DWM394">{{Cite journal|last=Spilsbury|first=Tom|date=April 2008|title=The Gallifrey Guardian: Series Four Episode 2: The Fires of Pompeii: Volcano Day!|journal=[[Doctor Who Magazine]]|publisher=[[Panini Comics|Panini Publishing Ltd]]|location=[[Tunbridge Wells]], [[Kent]]|issue=394|pages=8–9|accessdate=14 April 2008}}</ref> Davies encouraged Moran to insert linguistic jokes similar to those in the comic book series ''[[Asterix]]'', such as ''Lucius Petrus Dextrus'' ("Lucius Stone Right Arm"), [[TK Maxx]]imus, and [[Spartacus]]; the use of the phrase "I'm Spartacus!" refers to the [[Spartacus (1960 film)|1960 film]].<ref name="facts" /><ref name="confidential" /> Moran based the ancillary characters of Metella ([[Tracey Childs]]) and Quintus from Caecilius's family in the [[Cambridge Latin Course]]; the character of Evelina was the only member of the family created by Moran.<ref name="facts" /><ref name="confidential">{{cite episode |title=The Italian Job |series=Doctor Who Confidential |serieslink=Doctor Who Confidential |network=BBC |station=BBC Three |airdate=2008-04-12 |season=4 |number=2 }}</ref> At the end of Book I of the Cambridge Latin Course, Caecilius and his family perish in Pompeii on the day of the eruption. This episode creates an alternate ending to their story, where they are rescued by the Doctor and move to Rome. The line "You must excuse my friend, she's from Barcelona" was a reference to an apologetic catchphrase from ''[[Fawlty Towers]]'', attributed by the production team to [[Sybil Fawlty]].<ref name="facts" />
Moran worked closely with Davies because of the constraints imposed by filming.<ref name="DWM394">{{Cite journal|last=Spilsbury|first=Tom|date=April 2008|title=The Gallifrey Guardian: Series Four Episode 2: The Fires of Pompeii: Volcano Day!|journal=[[Doctor Who Magazine]]|publisher=[[Panini Comics|Panini Publishing Ltd]]|location=[[Tunbridge Wells]], [[Kent]]|issue=394|pages=8–9|accessdate=14 April 2008}}</ref> Davies encouraged Moran to insert linguistic jokes similar to those in the comic book series ''[[Asterix]]'', such as ''Lucius Petrus Dextrus'' ("Lucius Stone Right Arm"), [[TK Maxx]]imus, and [[Spartacus]]; the use of the phrase "I'm Spartacus!" refers to the [[Spartacus (1960 film)|1960 film]].<ref name="facts" /><ref name="confidential" /> Moran based the ancillary characters of Metella ([[Tracey Childs]]) and Quintus from Caecilius's family in the [[Cambridge Latin Course]]; the character of Evelina was the only member of the family created by Moran.<ref name="facts" /><ref name="confidential">{{cite episode |title=The Italian Job |series=Doctor Who Confidential |serieslink=Doctor Who Confidential |network=BBC |station=BBC Three |airdate=2008-04-12 |season=4 |number=2 }}</ref> At the end of Book I of the Cambridge Latin Course, Caecilius and Metella perish in Pompeii on the day of the eruption, but Quintus survives. This episode creates an alternate ending to their story, where they are all rescued by the Doctor and move to Rome. The line "You must excuse my friend, she's from Barcelona" was a reference to an apologetic catchphrase from ''[[Fawlty Towers]]'', attributed by the production team to [[Sybil Fawlty]].<ref name="facts" />


The episode was heavily based on a moral question posed to the Doctor by Donna: whether to warn the population of Pompeii, or to recuse themselves from the situation.<ref name="DWM394" /><ref name="confidential" /> Moran also had to deal with the intensity and sensitivity required when writing about the eruption.<ref name="confidential" /> Davies and Moran both appreciated [[Catherine Tate]]'s performance, and cited Donna's ability to humanise the Doctor and help him deal with "lose-lose situations" as the reason the Doctor travels with companions.<ref name="DWM394" />
The episode was heavily based on a moral question posed to the Doctor by Donna: whether to warn the population of Pompeii, or to recuse themselves from the situation.<ref name="DWM394" /><ref name="confidential" /> Moran also had to deal with the intensity and sensitivity required when writing about the eruption.<ref name="confidential" /> Davies and Moran both appreciated [[Catherine Tate]]'s performance, and cited Donna's ability to humanise the Doctor and help him deal with "lose-lose situations" as the reason the Doctor travels with companions.<ref name="DWM394" />

Revision as of 20:30, 2 February 2012

190 – "The Fires of Pompeii"
Doctor Who episode
An adult Pyrovile bears down on the Doctor and Donna inside Mount Vesuvius.
Cast
Others
Production
Directed byColin Teague
Written byJames Moran
Script editorBrian Minchin
Produced byPhil Collinson
Executive producer(s)Russell T Davies
Julie Gardner
Production code4.3
SeriesSeries 4
Running time50 minutes
First broadcast12 April 2008
Chronology
← Preceded by
"Partners in Crime" 		Followed by →
"Planet of the Ood"
List of episodes (2005–present)

"The Fires of Pompeii" is the second episode of the fourth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 12 April 2008.

The episode takes place during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. In the episode, the Doctor is faced with a moral dilemma: whether to save any of the population of Pompeii. The Doctor's activities in Pompeii are impeded by the rock-like Pyrovile, and their allies, the Sybilline Sisterhood, who are using the volcano to convert the humans to Pyroviles.

The episode was filmed in Rome's Cinecittà studios, and was the first time the Doctor Who production team took cast abroad for filming since its revival.[1] The production of the episode was impeded by a fire near the sets several weeks before filming and problems crossing into Europe.

Critics' opinions regarding the episode were mixed. The premise of the episode—the moral dilemma the Doctor faces—and Donna's insistence that he save a family from Pompeii were widely praised. However, the episode's writing was criticised, in particular, the characterisation of the supporting cast: the dialogue was described as "one-dimensional"[2] and Peter Capaldi and Phil Davis's dialogue as "whimpering and scowling".[3]

Synopsis

The Doctor (David Tennant) and Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) arrive in what the Doctor believes to be Rome in the first century AD. After an earthquake and witnessing a nearby mountain begin to smoulder, he realises he has in fact materialised in Pompeii on 23 August, AD 79, one day before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. When he and Donna return to the TARDIS' location, he is told it was sold to a Lucius Caecilius Iucundus (Peter Capaldi), a marble sculptor.

The episode's antagonists are the Pyrovile, giant rock-like creatures resembling golems whose home planet was "lost". They operate secretly with the Sybilline Sisterhood as their proxies. They use the Sisterhood, which incorporates a high priestess (Victoria Wicks) and her acolytes, Spurrina (Sasha Behar), Thalina (Lorraine Burroughs), and an unnamed soothsayer (Karen Gillan), to make prophecies while slowly converting them to stone. The Sisterhood is inducting Caecilius' daughter Evelina (Francesca Fowler) and is allied to the local augur Lucius (Phil Davis). The Doctor is disturbed by their knowledge of his and Donna's personal lives, and by Lucius' latest commission, a marble circuit board.

The Doctor breaks into Lucius' home and discovers that he is creating an energy converter. He is accosted by Lucius, who sends a Pyrovile to kill the Doctor. The confusion allows the Sisterhood to kidnap Donna briefly. The Doctor quickly rescues Donna and escapes with her into the Sisterhood's hypocaust system, which leads to the centre of Mount Vesuvius.

File:Pompeii the last day 1.jpg
A dramatisation of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, in a scene from the 2003 BBC co-production Pompeii: The Last Day.

Mount Vesuvius is being used by the Pyrovile to convert the human race to Pyroviles, in an effort to conquer Earth. The Doctor realises the volcano will not erupt if the energy converter is running, and with Donna's encouragement, subsequently switches it off, triggering the eruption of Vesuvius, considering Pompeii's destruction and the death of its population the lesser of two evils. The Doctor attempts to leave, but Donna convinces him to save Caecilius and his family, whom he then takes on board the TARDIS. The family, The Doctor, and Donna then watch Pompeii's destruction from a vantage point. The Doctor assures the family that Pompeii is never forgotten before leaving with Donna. As he watches the destruction, Caecilius comments that "the great god Vulcan must be enraged", and coins the word "volcano" to describe it. Afterwards, the Doctor comments that Donna was right: that some times he needs someone to stop him.

The last scene takes place six months later in Rome. Caecilius' family are shown to be successful: Caecilius is running a profiting business, Evelina has a social life in comparison to her seclusion in Pompeii (with her arm having fully healed), and his son Quintus (Francois Pandolfo) has given up the wasteful life he led in Pompeii and is training to become a doctor. Before Quintus leaves, he pays tribute to the family's household gods, whose statues are in the form of the Doctor, Donna and the TARDIS (stylized with a Roman staircase).

Production

Writing

How does [the Doctor] decide who lives, who dies, when to intervene, and when not to? If you do save them, where do you stop? Do you remake the universe according to what you think is right and wrong?

Executive producer Russell T Davies originally planned to include a serial set in Pompeii in the first new series of Doctor Who, after seeing the documentary Pompeii: The Last Day.[5] That episode's position was given to "Boom Town"[5] and the idea was shelved for three years.

The episode was written by James Moran, who previously wrote the film Severance and the Torchwood episode "Sleeper"; Moran was requested to write the episode as a consequence of the latter.[6] Moran had difficulty writing the episode, and had to rewrite the Doctor's opening line over twenty times.[1] The Pyrovile were also edited during writing: they were previously called Pyrovillaxians and Pyrovellians.[7]

Moran worked closely with Davies because of the constraints imposed by filming.[4] Davies encouraged Moran to insert linguistic jokes similar to those in the comic book series Asterix, such as Lucius Petrus Dextrus ("Lucius Stone Right Arm"), TK Maxximus, and Spartacus; the use of the phrase "I'm Spartacus!" refers to the 1960 film.[7][8] Moran based the ancillary characters of Metella (Tracey Childs) and Quintus from Caecilius's family in the Cambridge Latin Course; the character of Evelina was the only member of the family created by Moran.[7][8] At the end of Book I of the Cambridge Latin Course, Caecilius and Metella perish in Pompeii on the day of the eruption, but Quintus survives. This episode creates an alternate ending to their story, where they are all rescued by the Doctor and move to Rome. The line "You must excuse my friend, she's from Barcelona" was a reference to an apologetic catchphrase from Fawlty Towers, attributed by the production team to Sybil Fawlty.[7]

The episode was heavily based on a moral question posed to the Doctor by Donna: whether to warn the population of Pompeii, or to recuse themselves from the situation.[4][8] Moran also had to deal with the intensity and sensitivity required when writing about the eruption.[8] Davies and Moran both appreciated Catherine Tate's performance, and cited Donna's ability to humanise the Doctor and help him deal with "lose-lose situations" as the reason the Doctor travels with companions.[4]

The series' story arc was hinted by the Doctor's invocation of the Shadow Proclamation, an intergalactic code invoked in "Rose", "The Christmas Invasion", "Fear Her" and "Partners in Crime",[9][10][11][12][13] and referencing the "Medusa Cascade", which executive producer Russell T Davies stated in Doctor Who Magazine would "come back to haunt us" later in the series.[14] Moran also added continuity links independent of the story arc: as a "fun continuity thing", the script includes a scene in which the Doctor admits partial responsibility for the Great Fire of Rome, as depicted at the end of the 1965 serial The Romans;[15][7] and the sale of the TARDIS as modern art refers to the 1976 serial City of Death, which includes a scene in which the TARDIS is appraised in a similar fashion.[7]

Filming

"The Fires of Pompeii" was filmed at the Cinecittà studios in Rome.

The episode was filmed at the Cinecittà studios in Rome in September 2007.[8] The filming reused some of the sets from the show Rome. Other locations suggested were in Malta and Wales, but the size of the project, the biggest since the show's revival, resulted in production taking place in Italy.[8] This was the first time the majority of the episode was filmed abroad and the first time the cast had filmed abroad since 1996;[8] the television movie was filmed in Vancouver[16] and pick-up shots had previously been made in New York City for "Daleks in Manhattan".[8] Cinecittà had accepted the BBC's request in order to promote the studios, despite the show's small budget.[4]

Scenes set at the Temple of Sibyl were filmed at the Temple of Peace, Cardiff.[17]

Filming an episode abroad had been suggested in 2004,[4] but the episode was the first such occasion.[8] Planning began in April 2007, before Moran had written the script, and continued until the production team travelled to Italy.[8] Several weeks before filming started, a fire disrupted the production.[18][19] Moving to Rome caused problems for the production team: the equipment truck was delayed for several hours at the Swiss border; the special effects team were delayed for twenty-four hours at Customs in Calais.[8] The production team only had 48 hours to film on location. The aftermath of the eruption was filmed on the same night as the location shots. To create the falling ash, the special effects team used a large mass of cork, with a "constant supply of debris raining down".[1]

Broadcast and reception

Tate perfectly portrayed Donna's anguish as she forlornly appealed for people not to run to the beaches and certain death. For me, that short scene was the emotional highpoint of a series of heart-rending scenes, each with Donna at their heart.

Scott Matthewman, The Stage[2]

Overnight figures estimated the episode was watched by 8.1 million viewers, with a peak of 8.5 million viewers. The consolidated figure was 9.04 million. The episode was the second most watched programme on 12 April; Britain's Got Talent was viewed by 9.44 million people. The episode was the tenth most-watched programme of the week and received an Appreciation Index score of 87 (considered Excellent).[20][21][22]

The episode received several mixed and positive reviews. Ian Hyland, writing for News of the World, said that Tate "was almost bearable this week". He also complimented the "TK Maxximus" joke. He was ambivalent to Donna's reaction to the Doctor leaving Caecilius's family to die: he criticised her acting, comparing her to The Catherine Tate Show character Joannie "Nan" Taylor, but said "top again if that was intentional". He closed saying "this week was a hundred times better than that lame opening episode. Scarier aliens, stronger guest stars and a proper adult-friendly storyline involving sisterhoods and soothsayers."[23]

Scott Matthewman of The Stage said that Donna's insistence to change the past "formed the emotional backbone of this episode, producing some truly heartbreaking performances". He liked the joke about the TARDIS's translating the Doctor's and Donna's Latin phrases to Celtic, saying it was "subtly played throughout the episode [...] in a way that builds the joke without trampling it into the ground". His favourite part was Donna's attempts to divert the population of Pompeii away from the beach; the scene was "the emotional highpoint of a series of heart rending scenes". However, he criticised Moran's writing, specifically, Quintus's and Metella's dialogue, saying the former "remained pretty much one-dimensional throughout".[2] Alan Stanley Blair of SyFy Portal also gave a positive review. He was highly appreciative of Tate, saying "[she] moved even further away from her "Runaway" character that initially joined the show." The phrase "TK Maxximus" and the Doctor's use of a water pistol to subdue the Pyrovile was complimented, as was the special effects used to animate the Pyrovile. However, he disapproved of the use of Cockney colloquialisms in the episode, most notably the Stallholder (Phil Cornwell) saying "lovely jubbly".[24]

Ben Rawson-Jones of Digital Spy gave the episode three stars out of five. His opening said "Fantastic effects and a well developed moral dilemma bolster 'The Fires Of Pompeii', although the episode fails to erupt." Rawson-Jones felt that Moran's script took "too long to actively engage the viewer and tap into the compelling premise of the time travellers arriving in the doomed city shortly before 'volcano day'." and that "the subplots are unsatisfyingly muddled for the majority of the narrative." He also complained about the characterisation of the supporting cast, saying that "Peter Capaldi and Phil Davis [deserved] better". However, he said the moral dilemma the Doctor faced was "compelling" and the Doctor's use of the water pistol "adds a pleasing sense of fun to counterbalance the impending stench of death and harks nicely back to the Tom Baker era of the show." Overall, he appreciated the premise of the episode, but thought the episode "deserved better writing".[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Doctor Who Watch". Radio Times (12–18 April 2008). BBC: pp 10–15. 2008. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ a b c Matthewman, Scott (13 April 2008). "Doctor Who 4.2: The Fires of Pompeii". The Stage. Retrieved 14 April 2008.
  3. ^ a b Rawson-Jones, Ben (12 April 2008). "S04E02: 'The Fires Of Pompeii'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 14 April 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Spilsbury, Tom (April 2008). "The Gallifrey Guardian: Series Four Episode 2: The Fires of Pompeii: Volcano Day!". Doctor Who Magazine (394). Tunbridge Wells, Kent: Panini Publishing Ltd: 8–9. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  5. ^ a b Sullivan, Shannon Patrick (2006). "The Lost Stories (M-Q)". A Brief History of Time (Travel). St. John's: ShannonSullivan.com (published 25 November 2006). Retrieved 27 February 2007.
  6. ^ Hugo, Simon (March 2008). "Slash Fiction". Torchwood Magazine (2). London: Titan Magazines: 49–51. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ a b c d e f "The Fires of Pompeii - Fact File". BBC. 12 April 2008. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "The Italian Job". Doctor Who Confidential. Season 4. Episode 2. 12 April 2008. BBC. BBC Three. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help) Cite error: The named reference "confidential" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  9. ^ Pixley, Andrew (14 August 2008). "The Fires of Pompeii". Doctor Who Magazine. The Doctor Who Companion: Series Four (Special Edition 20). Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent: Panini Comics: 38–47. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  10. ^ Writer Russell T Davies, Director James Hawes, Producer Phil Collinson (25 December 2005). "The Christmas Invasion". Doctor Who. BBC. BBC One. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |city= ignored (|location= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ Writer Matthew Graham, Director Euros Lyn, Producer Phil Collinson (24 June 2006). "Fear Her". Doctor Who. BBC. BBC One. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |city= ignored (|location= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ Writer Russell T Davies, Director James Strong, Producer Phil Collinson (5 April 2008). "Partners in Crime". Doctor Who. BBC. BBC One. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |city= ignored (|location= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ Writer Russell T Davies, Director Keith Boak, Producer Phil Collinson (26 March 2005). "Rose". Doctor Who. BBC. BBC One. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |city= ignored (|location= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Spilsbury, Tom (April 2008). "The Gallifrey Guardian: Series Four Episode 1: Partners in Crime: Back in Business!". Doctor Who Magazine (394). Tunbridge Wells, Kent: Panini Publishing Ltd: 6–7. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  15. ^ Writer Dennis Spooner, Director Christopher Barry, Producers Verity Lambert, Mervyn Pinfield (6 February 1965). "Inferno". The Romans. Doctor Who. BBC. BBC1. {{cite serial}}: Unknown parameter |city= ignored (|location= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ Sullivan, Shannon. "Doctor Who (1996)". A Brief History of Time (Travel). Retrieved 19 April 2008.
  17. ^ "Walesarts, Temple of Peace, Cathays Park, Cardiff". BBC. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  18. ^ "'Doctor Who' Rome set hit by fire". Digital Spy. 11 August 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2007.
  19. ^ Cook, Benjamin (14 November 2007 (cover date)). "International Playboy". Doctor Who Magazine. No. 388. p. 54. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ Hilton, Matt (13 April 2008). "Fires of Pompeii - AI and Digital ratings". The Doctor Who News Page. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  21. ^ Hilton, Matt (13 April 2008). "Fires of Pompeii - Overnight Ratings". The Doctor Who News Page. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  22. ^ Hilton, Matt (23 April 2008). "Fires of Pompeii - Final Ratings". The Doctor Who News Page. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  23. ^ Hyland, Ian (13 April 2008). "Britain's Grot Talent". News of the World. Archived from the original on 16 April 2008. Retrieved 14 April 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ Blair, Alan Stanley (14 April 2008). "Review: 'Doctor Who' - Fires Of Pompeii". SyFy Portal. Archived from the original on 14 April 2008. Retrieved 14 April 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
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