"Doctor Who"
The Idiot's Lantern (2006)

Director:

Euros Lyn

Writer:

Mark Gatiss (written by)

TV Series:

"Doctor Who" (2005)

Original Air Date:

27 May 2006 (Season 2, Episode 7)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

In 1950s London, the police are hunting down strange, mute creatures. The people of Britain gather around their new-fangled "tele-vision" sets to celebrate the new Queen's coronation - but is something affecting the signal?

Plot Keywords:

1950s | Tardis | Eccentricity | Man With No Name | Girl Heroine

Cast

David Tennant	...	The Doctor
Billie Piper	...	Rose Tyler
Maureen Lipman	...	The Wire
Ron Cook	...	Magpie
Jamie Foreman	...	Eddie Connolly
Debra Gillett	...	Rita Connolly
Rory Jennings	...	Tommy Connolly
Margaret John	...	Grandma Connolly
Sam Cox	...	Detective Inspector Bishop
Ieuan Rhys	...	Crabtree
Jean Challis	...	Aunty Betty
Christopher Driscoll	...	Security Guard
Marie Lewis	...	Mrs. Gallagher

Runtime:

45 min | 45 min (50 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

UK:PG

Trivia:

Maureen Lipman shot her role in half a day at Alexandra Place.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: This episode takes place on the day before and the day of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation (1 and 2 June 1953). However, at the start of the show (a scene set some time prior to the main events), the Connolly family are seen listening to an episode of BBC radio comedy series "Take It From Here" - an episode that was first broadcast on 15 June 1953, two weeks after the coronation.

Quotes:

Eddie: You! Get the hell out of my house!
Rose: I'm going, I'm done! Nice to meet you Tommy. Mrs Connolly. And as for you Mr Connolly, only an idiot hangs the Union Flag upside down. Shame on you!

Movie Connections:

Features "Muffin the Mule" (1946)

Visually enthralling

Most people will tell you that a director on a television show cannot really make an impact, since all they do is run on set, take charge of the crew, and finish up the episode in less than a week. Due to this rushed process, television directors, supposedly, are restricted in terms of creativity, but "The Idiot's Lantern" is proof that this isn't necessarily true. Director Euros Lyn, also responsible for great episodes like "The Unquiet Dead" and "Tooth and Claw", makes this episode extremely entertaining with his visual style. "The Idiot's Lantern" might have been a fairly boring episode otherwise, disregarding the witty dialogue, the script wasn't exactly perfect. Inventive, zany cinematography make this episode a pleasure to look at. An inspired portrayal of the Doctor from Tennant and some witty dialogue make up for a pretty weak story and make this episode quite enjoyable. It's hardly the greatest episode, but it's good enough.

Letter Grade: B-