Orphan 55 (TV story)

Orphan 55 was the third episode of series 12 of Doctor Who.

It showed one possible future for Earth, in which global warming and nuclear warfare eventually lead to it becoming an orphan planet, with those human survivors left behind evolving into Dregs. Notably, the Thirteenth Doctor explains that the relative future is always in motion, with multiple timelines hanging in the balance, dependent on the decisions of those who act in the present.

Synopsis
After Graham O'Brien wins Team TARDIS a free holiday at the high-end alien resort Tranquility Spa, it becomes clear that not everything is as it seems — why is the staff so worried about oxygen levels in the Spa when the planet appears to be hospitable to humans? What are the monsters stalking the corridors? And why does the planet on which they're all standing bear the ominous name of "Orphan 55"?

Plot
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Cast

 * The Doctor - Jodie Whittaker
 * Graham O'Brien - Bradley Walsh
 * Yasmin Khan - Mandip Gill
 * Ryan Sinclair - Tosin Cole
 * Kane - Laura Fraser
 * Bella - Gia Ré
 * Nevi - James Buckley
 * Vilma - Julia Foster
 * Hyph3n - Amy Booth-Steel
 * Vorm - Will Austin
 * Benni - Col Farrell
 * Sylas - Lewin Lloyd
 * Lead Dreg & Creature Movement - Spencer Wilding

Crew
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History

 * The Doctor states that Earth's fate as Orphan 55 is "one possible future, one timeline." In this timeline, Earth has become an orphan planet.

Locations

 * The underground tunnel historically served residents of Novosibirsk in Siberia.
 * Tranquility Spa has security cameras on the Aqua Spa zone, the Ocean View zone, the Tropical Vista zone and the Peaceful Paradise zone.

Medical ailments and remedies

 * The symptoms of a hopper virus in a human include wiggling fingers, which immediately signal the legs giving out, and hallucinations.
 * Graham briefly wonders if he is having a stroke after bumping his head on an invisible void panel.

Story notes

 * This episode lacks a cold opening, which would be a fluctuating on/off feature in Series 12.

Ratings
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Filming locations
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Production errors
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Continuity

 * The Doctor is still in a bad mood, which Team TARDIS have picked up on. (TV: Spyfall)
 * Ryan mentions that he works in a warehouse. (TV: The Woman Who Fell to Earth)
 * The Doctor previously identified a planet as Earth thanks to an underground station in her sixth incarnation. (TV: The Mysterious Planet)
 * The Doctor previously investigated a holiday resort, Paradise 5, which was hiding a secret with Peri Brown. (AUDIO: Paradise 5)
 * Bernice Summerfield previously visited Gigamarket where the humans were hidden behind a forcewall to stop the Borvali from hunting them down. (AUDIO: The Greatest Shop in the Galaxy)
 * Graham says "cockle." (TV: Kerblam!, PROSE: Mission of the KaaDok)
 * Ryan mentions his mother's death. (TV: The Woman Who Fell to Earth, The Tsuranga Conundrum)
 * Graham says that he is a bus driver. (TV: The Woman Who Fell to Earth, Rosa)
 * The Doctor says "When I say 'run', run" a favourite saying of her second incarnation. (TV: The Power of the Daleks, Kill the Moon)
 * The Doctor instructs her companions to be the "best of humanity." (TV: Cold Blood)

Home video releases
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