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Doctor Who: The Beast Below

The Doctor and Amy travel into the future, where Earth has been decimated by solar flares and Britain's population has evacuated in a giant starship. However, the starship conceals a genocidal secret, one which Amy is suborned into keeping from the Doctor.


8.9/10 (24 Votes cast)

Episode Info


Episode number: 5x2
Airdate: Saturday April 10th, 2010
Special Airtime: 06:25 pm

Director: Andrew Gunn
Writer: Steven Moffat


Guest Stars
Sophie OkonedoSophie Okonedo
As Liz 10
Recurring
Ian McNeiceIan McNeice
As Churchill (Winston Churchill)
Recurring
Terrence HardimanTerrence Hardiman
As Hawthorne
Hannah SharpHannah Sharp
As Mandy (Mandy Tanner)
Alfie FieldAlfie Field
As Timmy
David AjalaDavid Ajala
As Peter
Catrin RichardsCatrin Richards
As Poem Girl
Chris PorterChris Porter
voiced Smilers / Winder
Main Cast
Matt Smith (3)Matt Smith (3)
As The Eleventh Doctor
Karen GillanKaren Gillan
As Amy Pond

Recap

In the distant future, the giant Starship UK is equipped with a vast city. In a classroom, the children are called before the teacher, a two-faced mannequin known as a Smiler sitting in a booth. One face smiles and one frowns. They all receive good marks, except for Timmy. Afterward, Timmy talks to his fellow student, Mandy Tanner, who tells him he'll have to walk all the way to London, 20 decks away. She warns him that he'll be sent below. As she enters the elevator, a robed figure bars him from entering. Timmy takes the next elevator and another Smiler is waiting for him. A girl on a viewscreen starts reciting poetry and talks of going below, and the elevator descends all the way to floor zero. The floor opens beneath Timmy as he screams...

Read the full recap
Episode Quotes
Amy: My name is Amy Pond. When I was seven, I had an imaginary friend. Last night was the night before my wedding, and my imaginary friend came back.

Amy: I'm in the future. Like, hundred of years in the future. I've been dead for centuries.
The Doctor: Oh, lovely. You're a cheery one.

Amy: So, is this how it works, Doctor? You never interfere in the affairs of other peoples or planets... unless there's children crying.
The Doctor: Yes.

The Doctor: Well, the difference being that the computer doesn't accept me as human.
Amy: Why not? You look human.
The Doctor: No. You look Time Lord. We came first.

Amy: I voted for this. Why would I do that?
The Doctor: Because you knew if we stayed here, I'd be faced with an impossible choice--humanity or the alien. You took it upon yourself to save me from that. That was wrong. You don't ever decide what I need to know.
Amy: I don't even remember doing it.
The Doctor: You did it. That's what counts.
Amy: I'm... I'm sorry.
The Doctor: Oh, I don't care. When I'm done here, you're going home.

The Doctor: Nobody talk to me. Nobody human has anything to say to me today!

Amy: What if you were really old and really kind and alone? Your whole race dead, no future, what couldn't you do then? If you were that old and that kind and the very last of your kind, you couldn't just stand there and watch children cry.

The Doctor: Big day tomorrow.
Amy: Sorry, what?
The Doctor: It's always a big day tomorrow; We've got a time machine! I skip the little ones.

Amy: In bed above, we're deep asleep. While greater love lies further deep. This dream must end, this world must know. We all depend on the beast below.



Other Episode Crew

Executive ProducerSteven Moffat  |  Beth Willis  |  Piers Wenger
ProducerPeter Bennett (3)
Production DesignerMichael Edward Thomas (3)
EditorJohn Richards
CastingAndy Pryor
Line ProducerPatrick Schweitzer
First Assistant DirectorSteve Robinson
Second Assistant DirectorJames Dahaviland
MusicMurray Gold
Costume DesignerRay Holman
Make-upMorag Smith
GripJohn Robinson (3)
Camera OperatorMartin Stephens
Set DesignerBen Austin
Set DecoratorArwel Wyn Jones
Location ManagerPaul Davies (3)  |  Gareth Skelding
Property MasterPaul Aitken (2)
Production CoordinatorJess Van Niekerk
Assistant EditorCat Gregory
Post Production SupervisorSamantha Hall  |  Chris Blatchford
Supervising Sound EditorPaul McFadden
GafferMark Hutchings
On-Line EditorMatthew Clarke (2)  |  Mark Bright (2)
Director of PhotographyGraham Frake
Stunt CoordinatorCrispin Layfield
Post Production CoordinatorMarie Brown (2)
Production ManagementSteff Morris  |  Claire Thomas
Sound MixerJeff Welch
Script EditorBrian Minchin
Dubbing MixerTim Ricketts
Sound RecordistBryn Thomas
Third Assistant DirectorHeddi Joy Taylor
Costume SupervisorLindsay Bonaccorsi
Boom OperatorDafydd Parry
Art Department CoordinatorAmy Pope
Main Title ThemeRon Grainer
Production AccountantCeri Tothill  |  Carole Wakefield
Camera AssistantJon Vidgen  |  Tom Hartley
Best BoyPeter Chester
Casting AssociateAndy Brierley  |  Alice Purser
Production ExecutiveJulie Scott (2)
Unit ManagerGeraint Williams  |  Rhys Griffiths
Foley EditorHelen Dickson (2)
ColoristMick Vincent
ContinuityNon Eleri Hughes
Focus PullerSteve Rees  |  Shirley Schumacher
RunnerNicola Lynon Price  |  Laura Jenkins
Prop BuyerCatherine Samuel
Graphic ArtistJackson Pope
Makeup ArtistAbi Brotherton
Concept ArtistPeter McKinstry  |  Shaun Williams
Production BuyerBen Morris (4)
Supervising Art DirectorStephen Nicholas
Standby Art DirectorDafydd Shurmer
Construction ManagerMatthew Hywel-Davies
Standby PropsTom Evans (2)  |  Phill Shellard
Production RunnerSian Warrilow
Associate DesignerJames North
Sound Special Effects EditorPaul Jefferies
Make-up DesignerBarbara Southcott
VFX EditorCeres Doyle
Make-up SupervisorPam Mullins
Costume AssistantSara Morgan  |  Maria Franchi
Additional EditingMat Newman
 

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