The Woman Who Lived (TV story)

 was the sixth episode of the ninth series of Doctor Who produced by BBC Wales. It featured the return of Ashildr, now going by the name "Me", after her introduction in the previous episode, The Girl Who Died. The episode explored the darker aspects of immortality -- the relativity of time and the short period of human lives being a focus.

Just like with the Fourth Doctor story The Deadly Assassin, the Doctor is without a true companion for the majority of the story. Although this is because his current companion isn't a resident onboard the TARDIS, and not to do with departure.

This episode was also the first since The Poison Sky in 2008 to be written by a woman.

Synopsis
A deadly highwayman called 'The Knightmare' roams in the dark streets in England, 1651. As the Doctor searches for an unearthly element, the two come face-to-face. The Time Lord finds that things are not all as they appear. Who is the Knightmare's sidekick? And can the Doctor protect the Earth from an enemy that has secret intentions?

Plot
The Knightmare stopped a carriage, and held the owners at gunpoint, asking for an amulet. Soon after, The Doctor came, and his devices showed him the chest on the back of the carriage contained the amulet. However, the carriage quickly went in escape. The Doctor initially didn't recognise The Knightmare, but did so after she removed her mask and reverted to her original voice.

The two went back to her mansion, where Ashildr repeatedly asked to be The Doctor's companion, but he refused repeatedly. She also stated how her name was now 'Me', and that her humanity had been "run dry". They decided that they were looking for the same prize, and they stole it from Fanshawe house.

After his amulet had been retrieved from the Fanshawe house, Leandro revealed himself to the Doctor, who discovered that in order to reach another world through the doorway the amulet would conjure, a death was required.

At Tyburn, a man named Sam Swift was to be executed. Both Ashildr and Leandro were in attendance. The Doctor used his psychic Paper to pardon him, but Ashildr used Leandro's amulet to kill Sam Swift anyways and open a portal; this revealed an army of Leonians was alive and ready to invade Earth from Delta Leonis. His lie discovered, Leandro admitted that he had tricked Ashildr, but when she used a Mire medical kit she had in her possession to reverse the death of Sam Swift, the portal she had opened was closed. For failing in his mission to keep the portal open so his people could invade, Leandro was killed.

Cast

 * The Doctor - Peter Capaldi
 * Clara - Jenna Coleman
 * Me - Maisie Williams
 * Sam Swift - Rufus Hound
 * Coachman - Gareth Berliner
 * Lucie Fanshawe - Elisabeth Hopper
 * Mr Fanshawe - John Voce
 * Clayton - Struan Rodger
 * Pikeman Lloyd Llewelyn - Gruffudd Glyn
 * Pikeman William Stout - Reuben Johnson
 * Leandro - Ariyon Bakare
 * Crowd 1 - Daniel Fearn
 * Crowd 2 - Karen Seacombe
 * Hangman - John Hales
 * Voice of the Knightmare - Will Brown

Story notes

 * This marks the first full length Twelfth Doctor story to feature Clara Oswald in a lesser role, only appearing at the end.
 * According to an interview with writer Catherine Tregenna in DWM 492, the story is set in Hounslow.
 * Ashildr mentions that she fought at the Battle of Agincourt. The episode was first broadcast the day before St Crispin's Day, 25 October, 2015 - the 600th anniversary of the battle.

Ratings

 * BBC One: 4.34 million

Filming locations
to be added

Production errors
to be added

Continuity

 * The Doctor mentions that the Terileptils started the Great Fire of London. (TV: The Visitation)
 * The Doctor refers to Jack Harkness and his immortality. (TV: Everything Changes, et.al.)
 * Clara wears her silver bird necklace. (TV: The Bells of Saint John)
 * Clara is not with the Doctor because she is taking her Year Seven students to taekwondo. Clara previously told the Doctor she had been taking taekwondo lessons. (TV: Robot of Sherwood)
 * The Doctor uses the psychic paper. (TV: The End of the World et.al.)
 * The Devil/Satan is mentioned by Fanshawe and the Knightmare. (TV: The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit et.al.)
 * Ashildr/Me still has the second Mire medical kit, but uses it to save Sam Swift. (TV: The Girl Who Died)
 * The Doctor uses his sonic sunglasses. (TV: The Magician's Apprentice/The Witch's Familiar et.al.) They had previously been broken. (TV: The Girl Who Died)
 * The Doctor mentions how much humans matter.
 * The Doctor, in an attempt to jog Ashildr's memory, mention Einarr, and how the Doctor called him "Chuckles", as well as the Viking village. Later he said he just tried to save a terrified young woman's life. (TV: The Girl Who Died)
 * The Doctor helps Clara's student meet Winston Churchill. The Second Doctor, Sixth Doctor and Eleventh Doctor have previously met Churchill. (PROSE: World Game, Players, TV: Victory of the Daleks, The Wedding of River Song)
 * The Doctor says he is on record as being against bantering. (TV: Robot of Sherwood)
 * The Doctor plays his electric guitar. (TV: The Magician's Apprentice, Before the Flood)
 * Me asks the Doctor how many companions he has lost. (TV: Earthshock, AUDIO: Absolution, To the Death, et al.)
 * Me mentions being present at the Battle of Agincourt. The Fourth Doctor previously mentioned to his companion Leela she would have loved Agincourt. (TV: The Talons of Weng-Chiang)
 * The Doctor demonstrates he is a skilled horse rider. (TV: The Masque of Mandragora et.al.)
 * Clara hugs the Doctor but this time he embraces it. (TV: Deep Breath, et al)
 * Clara mentions to the Doctor that she "isn't going anywhere". Previous companion Rose Tyler had also said this to the Doctor. (TV: Army of Ghosts)

DVD releases
to be added

Blu-ray releases
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