Series 4 (Doctor Who)



Series Overview

Series 4 of Doctor Who, occasionally known as Season 30 for clarity between it and Season 4, started on the 5th April 2008.

David Tennant stayed on as the Tenth Doctor, and Catherine Tate reprised her role as Donna Noble, following her one off in the The Runaway Bride.

Old Friends Return

They were be joined by Freema Agyeman, returning as companion Martha Jones for five episodes of the series, which started with The Sontaran Stratagem after her three epsiode spell with Torchwood. Jack Harkness crossed over from Torchwood for a second time later in the series. Billie Piper returned as Rose Tyler for a three episode stint starting with Turn Left, but also made cameo appearences in Partners in Crime, The Poison Sky and Midnight. How she escapes the Parallel Universe has not yet been stated. Sarah Jane Smith, Mickey Smith and Jackie Tyler also made combacks in the final two episodes, making this series the first in the new series to feautre more than 5 companions. K9 may also make a brief appearance in Journey's End.

Crossovers

The final two episodes of the series also feature crossovers from the companions shows Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures. Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones cross over form Torchwood when the Torchwood 3 Hub gets attacked by the Daleks. Luke Smith crosses over in the first of the two-part finale when his 'Mother' Sarah Jane Smith gets called upon by the Doctor, and his friends Maria Jackson and Clyde Langer cross over in the last episode.

Series 4 will feature several milestones. It is the Thirtieth broadcast season of Doctor Who, and will feature the 750th broadcast episode (episode 12), the 50th new series episode (episode 7), and the 200th broadcast story of Doctor Who (The eighth story of the season).

On the 1st of February, BBC and Carlton Screen Advertising released a brand new trailer for Series 4. It went on TV and Online on Saturday the 22nd of March. The brand new theme tune, premiered in Voyage of the Damned was featured from the start of Series 4.

Acording to Russell T. Davies 6 planets will be mentioned in Series 4 these are: Midnight, Ood Sphere, Messaline, Shan Shen, Pyrovillia and the Lost Moon of Poosh.

There is no specific arc word or phrase but there are small hints to the finale in each episode and they could be anything from words and phrases to individuals, planets or species.



Specials

 * Time Crash - Children in Need Special
 * Voyage of the Damned - Christmas Special

Episodes

 * Partners in Crime
 * The Fires of Pompeii
 * Planet of the Ood
 * The Sontaran Stratagem/ The Poison Sky
 * The Doctor's Daughter
 * The Unicorn and the Wasp
 * Silence In The Library/ Forest of the Dead
 * Midnight
 * Turn Left
 * The Stolen Earth/Journey's End

Confirmation

 * Series 5 will not be seen until 2010.
 * In an interview Russell T. Davies said the Medusa Cascade would return and play a major part in Series 4.
 * After this series, Julie Gardner will no longer be an executive producer.
 * Catherine Tate will be leaving in Journey's End. She has also confirmed she will not appear in the 3 specials in 2009.
 * After this series and the 3 specials in 2009 Russell T. Davis will be succeeded by Steven Moffat as head writer

Primary Cast

 * The Doctor - David Tennant (All episodes)
 * Donna Noble - Catherine Tate (All episodes)
 * Rose Tyler - Billie Piper (Partners in Crime (Cameo), The Poison Sky (Cameo), Midnight (Cameo), Turn Left - Journey's End)
 * Martha Jones - Freema Agyeman (The Sontaran Stratagem - The Doctor's Daughter, The Stolen Earth - Journey's End)

Secondary Cast

 * Jack Harkness - John Barrowman (The Stolen Earth - Journey's End)
 * Sarah Jane Smith - Elisabeth Sladen (The Stolen Earth - Journey's End)
 * Mickey Smith - Noel Clarke (The Stolen Earth - Onwards)
 * Jackie Tyler - Camille Coduri (The Stolen Earth - Journey's End)
 * Gwen Cooper - Eve Myles (The Stolen Earth - Journey's End)
 * Ianto Jones - Gareth David-Lloyd (The Stolen Earth - Journey's End)
 * Luke Smith - Tommy Knight (The Stolen Earth - Journey's End)
 * Maria Jackson - Yasmin Paige (Journey's End)
 * Clyde Langer - Daniel Anthony (Journey's End)
 * Astrid Peth - Kylie Minogue (Voyage of the Damned)

Novels

 * Ghosts of India
 * Shining Darkness
 * The Doctor Trap
 * Beautiful Chaos
 * The Eyeless