"Doctor Who"
Planet of the Ood (2008)

Director:

Graeme Harper

Writer:

Keith Temple (written by)

TV Series:

"Doctor Who" (2005)

Original Air Date:

19 April 2008 (Season 4, Episode 3)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Finding themselves on the Ood-Sphere planet in the 42nd century, The Doctor and Donna discover the truth over the Ood's willingness to serve humankind. |

Plot Keywords:

Unlikely Hero | Man With No Name | Eccentricity | Reincarnation | Telephone Box

Cast

David Tennant	...	The Doctor
Catherine Tate	...	Donna Noble
Tim McInnerny	...	Mr. Halpen
Ayesha Dharker	...	Solana Mercurio
Adrian Rawlins	...	Dr. Ryder
Roger Griffiths	...	Commander Kess
Paul Clayton	...	Mr Bartle
Paul Kasey	...	Ood Sigma
Tariq Jordan	...	Rep #1
Tony Gibbons	...	Rep #2
Silas Carson	...	The Ood (voice)

Directed by
Graeme Harper

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Keith Temple		written by

Produced by
Phil Collinson	....	executive producer
Russell T. Davies	....	executive producer
Julie Gardner	....	executive producer
Susie Liggat	....	producer

Original Music by
Murray Gold

Cinematography by
Rory Taylor		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
William Oswald		(as Will Oswald)

Casting by
Andy Pryor

Production Design by
Edward Thomas

Set Decoration by
David Morison

Costume Design by
Louise Page

Makeup Department
Pam Mullins	....	makeup artist
John Munro	....	makeup artist
Steve Smith	....	makeup artist
Barbara Southcott	....	makeup designer

Production Management
Chris Blatchford	....	post-production supervisor
Rhys Griffiths	....	unit manager
Samantha Hall	....	post-production manager
Debbi Slater	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sarah Davies	....	third assistant director
Jennie Fava	....	second assistant director
Gareth Williams	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Paul Aitken	....	property master
Anna Coote	....	art department coordinator
Matthew Hywel-Davies	....	construction manager
Barry Jones	....	senior propmaker
Jonathan Marquand Allison	....	art department production manager (as Jonathan Allison)
Peter McKinstry	....	design assistant
Nick Murray	....	stand-by props
Stephen Nicholas	....	chief supervising art director
James North	....	associate designer
Will Pope	....	stand-by carpenter
Phil Shellard	....	stand-by props (as Phill Shellard)
Ciaran Thompson	....	stand-by art director
Christina Tom	....	props buyer
Matthew Wild	....	dressing chargehand
Shaun Williams	....	storyboard artist
Ellen Woods	....	stand-by painter

Sound Department
Kelly-Marie Angell	....	foley editor
Julian Howarth	....	sound recordist
Paul McFadden	....	supervising sound editor
Bryn Thomas	....	boom operator
Jeff Welch	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Ben Ashmore	....	special effects coordinator
Victoria Bancroft	....	prosthetics technician
Neill Gorton	....	prosthetics designer
Peter Hawkins	....	on-set prosthetics supervisor (as Pete Hawkins)
Mark Hill	....	workshop manager
Paul Kelly	....	special effects supervisor
Sarah Lockwood	....	prosthetics technician
Justin Pitkethly	....	prosthetics technician (as Justin Pickethly)

Visual Effects by
Murray Barber	....	2D artist
Tim Barter	....	on-set visual effects supervisor
Sara Bennett	....	2D artist
Will Cohen	....	visual effects producer
Loraine Cooper	....	2D artist
Jean-Claude Deguara	....	3D artist
Ceres Doyle	....	visual effects editor
Alex Fort	....	matte painter
Nicolas Hernandez	....	3D artist
Simon C. Holden	....	2D artist
Dave Houghton	....	visual effects supervisor
Rebecca Johnson	....	visual effects coordinator
Marie A. Jones	....	visual effects producer (as Marie Jones)
Sam Lucas	....	3D artist
Bruce Magroune	....	3D artist
Jeff North	....	3D artist
Marianne Paton	....	visual effects production assistant
Jenna Powell	....	visual effects coordinator
Will Pryor	....	3D artist
Chris Tucker	....	3D artist
Simon Wicker	....	matte painter

Stunts
Abbi Collins	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Chester	....	best boy
Keith Freeman	....	stand-by rigger
Steven Hall	....	camera operator
Mark Hutchings	....	gaffer
Steve Rees	....	focus puller
John Robinson	....	grip
Jon Vidgen	....	camera assistant

Casting Department
Andy Brierley	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lindsay Bonaccorsi	....	costume supervisor
Rose Goodheart	....	assistant costume designer (as Rose Goodhart)
Barbara Harrington	....	costume assistant
Louise Martin	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Marie Brown	....	post-production coordinator
Matthew Clarke	....	on-line editor
Mick Vincent	....	colorist

Music Department
Ron Grainer	....	composer: theme music

Other crew
Olivier Ager	....	production accountant (as Oliver Ager)
Lindsey Alford	....	script editor
Jonathan Allott	....	location manager (as Jonathon Allott)
Bethan Britton	....	contracts assistant
Nicola Brown	....	production runner
Debi Griffiths	....	assistant production coordinator
Sheila Johnston	....	continuity
Kevin Myers	....	production secretary
Andy Newbery	....	floor runner
Jess Van Niekerk	....	production coordinator

Makeup Department
Stuart Bray	....	special makeup supervisor
Neill Gorton	....	special makeup and prosthetic effects
Rob Mayor	....	special makeup supervisor

Production Management
Lowri Thomas	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sean Clayton	....	second assistant director
Chris Hill	....	third assistant director
Alex Mercer	....	third assistant director

Sound Department
Colin Cooper	....	adr mixer
Dave Humphries	....	foley recordist
Richard Ostroff	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Charlie Bluett	....	special effects senior technician
Benjamin M. Esterson	....	special effects coordinator
Waldo Mason	....	special effects makeup

Camera and Electrical Department
Gareth Hughes	....	camera operator: second unit

Other crew
Ian Gruchfield	....	brand manager: BBC

Production Companies

• BBC Wales

Special Effects

• Any Effects (special effects)
• Millennium FX (prosthetics)
• The Mill (visual effects)

Other Companies

• BBC National Orchestra of Wales  thanks
• BBC Wales Graphics  graphics

Runtime:

48 min | 45 min (50 episodes)

Certification:

UK:12 (DVD rating)

Company:

BBC Wales

Good effort from Keith Temple

What really initially stands out in "Planet of the Ood" is that it sure is great to leave Earth for a while! Seriously, what is wrong with visiting some alien planets once in a while? Take a break from the space ships/vessels/stations and Earth and get some good old fashioned Doctor Who planet visitation done! The next thing that stands out is what an absolutely brilliant job Graeme Harper does directing Doctor Who. I've never seen a badly-directed episode from him and this is no exception, as "Planet of the Ood" is filmed so well and looks so good you barely notice some of the flaws in the script.

I say the script is flawed, but it's nothing too serious, maybe a little unsure on the mix between comedy and drama which it alternated between a little too quick at times.

All in all, "Planet of the Ood" is a fun, exciting Doctor Who adventure, nothing too special overall, but with some lovely parts to it. There was also an air of the Pertwee era in the story, definitely. The last two minutes or so once again very interesting, with the line "every song must end" in relation to the Doctor's 'song' being especially interesting.

7/10