Planet of the Dead (TV story)

Planet of the Dead is the confirmed title of the first of the 2009 specials, due to air at Easter 2009 (exact broadcast date has yet to be announced by the BBC, although some media have suggested 11 April as the broadcast date). It will star David Tennant and feature two new characters, Christina and Malcolm, along with UNIT. Production of the special began on 19th January 2009.

Synopsis
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Plot
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Cast

 * The Doctor - David Tennant
 * Malcolm - Lee Evans
 * Lady Christina de Souza- Michelle Ryan
 * Captain Arisa Magambo- Norma Dumezweni

Production crew
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Story notes

 * The title of the episode was unveiled during the closing credits of The Next Doctor broadcast on 25 December 2008, several weeks before production of the episode was due to begin.
 * This is the first Doctor Who episode in which series producer Russell T. Davies shares co-writing credit, and the first episode since the show's return in 2005 to credit two writers. The last televised story to credit two writers was the 1993 mini-episode Dimensions in Time.
 * Davies stated in the commentary for The Next Doctor that it will feature UNIT, as well as two new characters named Christina and Malcolm.
 * In his column for Doctor Who Magazine, Davies wrote that the special will feature two new races never before seen. Davies also characterises Planet of the Dead as an "antidote" to the continuity-heavy Journey's End and The Next Doctor, which means old monsters appearing is unlikely.
 * The casting of Michelle Ryan has been reported both by media and via on-set confirmation. Ryan, best known for her work on the UK soap opera EastEnders and the American science fiction series Bionic Woman, had previously co-starred in the Steven Moffat-written miniseries Jekyll and was also reportedly a candidate for new companion after the departure of Billie Piper in 2006.
 * Evan's stated the character he would be playing, Malcolm, was a professor.

Rumours

 * This episode is rumoured to be set in the 22nd Century, on a "desert" planet. (If UNIT is involved then the possiblities of it being set in the 22nd Century are minimal.)
 * Being set on contempoary Earth, this now opens the possibility of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Captain Yates, Sergeant Benton and Dr Jones returning.
 * The inclusion of Captain Arisa Magambo strongly implies that at least part of this episode will be set on contemporary Earth.
 * It was rumored that this episode was going to be filmed abroad, possibly in Dubai. While the rumor that one of the 2009 specials will be filmed in the UAE has been picked up by British and Dubai media with regards to one of the later specials, there was no indication that any foreign filming for Planet of the Dead was imminent once production began in Cardiff in mid-January 2009.

Ratings
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Filming Locations

 * Cardiff (UNIT)

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors
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Continuity
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DVD and Other releases
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