Mummy on the Orient Express

Last updated

249 –"Mummy on the Orient Express"
Doctor Who episode
Cast
Others
Production
Directed by Paul Wilmshurst
Written by Jamie Mathieson
Script editorDavid P Davis
Produced by Peter Bennett
Executive producer(s) Steven Moffat
Brian Minchin
Music by Murray Gold
Series Series 8
Running time47 minutes
First broadcast11 October 2014 (2014-10-11)
Chronology
← Preceded by
"Kill the Moon"		Followed by →
"Flatline"
List of episodes (2005–present)

"Mummy on the Orient Express" is the eighth episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who . It was first broadcast on BBC One on 11 October 2014. The episode was written by Jamie Mathieson, and directed by Paul Wilmshurst.

Contents

In the episode, the alien time traveller the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) investigates the deaths of passengers on board a space-bound train, who claim to have seen a mummy that is not visible to others prior to their deaths.

The episode was watched by 7.11 million viewers and received positive reviews from television critics.

Plot

Clara is ready to go on one "last hurrah". She allows the Twelfth Doctor to take her aboard a space-bound train modelled after the Orient Express. Unknown to Clara, the train's computer Gus has enticed the Doctor along with many other scientists there. They learn of the death of Mrs. Pitt after witnessing a mummy that no other passenger could see attack her, which makes the Doctor curious. The Doctor discovers the death of Mrs. Pitt and similar deaths on the train occurred exactly 66 seconds after lights flickered nearby; this follows the legend of a supernatural being called the Foretold.

The Foretold, as shown at the Doctor Who Experience Doctor Who Experience (30641624900).jpg
The Foretold, as shown at the Doctor Who Experience

When the Doctor expresses suspicion at the number of scientists gathered, the facade of the Orient Express disappears, revealing a laboratory; Gus informs the passengers they are now to study the Foretold to reverse engineer whatever technology it uses. The Doctor also realises the sarcophagus Clara and Mrs. Pitt's granddaughter Maisie had found in the storage car is for capturing the Foretold.

Professor Moorhouse and Captain Quell are the next targets killed by the Foretold. The Doctor and chief engineer Perkins realize that the Foretold is draining energy from its victims using phase-shifting technology. Perkins also observes that the victims were the medically weakest on the train. When Perkins reveals that Maisie is likely next due to her trauma, Clara lies to Maisie to bring her to the laboratory. Maisie sees the Foretold; the Doctor quickly draws on her memories to trick the Foretold into targeting him instead. In the 66 seconds, the Doctor successfully identifies the Foretold as a modified stealth soldier of a long-ago war and offers surrender to tell the Foretold that the war is over. The Foretold, finally released from its duty, offers the Doctor a salute before it disappears into a pile of dust, leaving behind its phase-shifting device.

The Doctor evacuates Clara and the passengers to the TARDIS, using the Foretold's device, and drops off the passengers to a nearby planet. He tells Clara that he tried hacking Gus to find who brought everyone to the train but Gus activated a self-destruct to keep the truth hidden. The Doctor explains that sometimes the only choices are bad choices and that he would move on to the next of the Foretold's victims until he beat it. Danny phones Clara to ask if she has said her final goodbyes to the Doctor. As she hangs up, she lies to the Doctor that Danny accepts her continuing to travel with the Doctor.

Continuity

The question "Are you my mummy?" is a reference to the Ninth Doctor episodes "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances" (2005). The Tenth Doctor repeats the question in "The Poison Sky" (2008). [1]

The Doctor confesses to Clara that the mysterious force which enticed him to the Orient Express "even phoned the TARDIS once", recalling the final scene of "The Big Bang" (2010), where the Eleventh Doctor answers a call concerning "an Egyptian goddess loose on the Orient Express, in space". [1]

The Twelfth Doctor is shown offering jelly babies to Professor Moorhouse, a tradition associated with past Doctors, particularly Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor. [1]

Danny Pink reminds Clara that the Doctor is "not your boyfriend". This is what the Doctor himself tells her at the end of "Deep Breath" (2014). [2]

Production

Filming

The read-through for Mummy on the Orient Express took place on 1 May 2014. Shooting started on 20 May and finished on 10 June. The episode was primarily filmed in the studio, but the scene with the Doctor and Clara on the planet was shot in Limpert Bay in the Vale of Glamorgan. [1]

Casting

Christopher Villers previously appeared in the classic serial The King's Demons (1983), and Janet Henfrey previously appeared in The Curse of Fenric (1989). Frank Skinner considers himself a die-hard Who fan, and he previously had appeared in the special The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot (2013). [1]

Broadcast and reception

Overnight ratings show that this episode was seen by 5.08 million viewers, a 22.1% share of the available audience and third for the night. [3] The episode was watched by 7.11 million viewers according to the final viewing figures. [4] On BBC America this episode was seen by 0.97 million viewers. [5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The A.V. Club A [6]
Paste Magazine 8.3 [7]
TV FanaticStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [8]
CultBoxStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
IndieWire A [10]
IGN 7.4 [11]
New York Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Digital Spy Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
The Daily Telegraph Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [14]

"Mummy on the Orient Express" received positive reviews. The episode also received an AI score of 85; the highest of series 8 up to this episode. [4]

Guardian columnist Dan Martin was positive towards the episode and praised the Mummy, saying, "At last, a proper new scary monster to get us behind the sofa," something he felt had been lacking so far in series 8. He called it "a triumph of production design matched with imagination," and praised Jamie Mathieson, who was writing for the show for the first time, for blending "cool monsters" and "awkward Tardis dynamics." He did, however, feel that the reveal of the monster's true nature was "underwhelming." [15] Ben Lawrence of The Daily Telegraph was positive toward the episode and awarded it four stars out of five. He praised the style of the episode and its ability to make the viewer a part of it: "as a viewer you felt hemmed in by the train’s narrow corridors, stalked by an invisible creature that could strike at any moment." He believed that Frank Skinner "started well" as Perkins but more impressive was David Bamber, describing his performance as Captain Quell as "poignant," and praised the development of the relationship between the Doctor and Clara. [14]

Morgan Jeffrey of Digital Spy praised the episode, giving it four stars out of five. He praised the chemistry of the two leads, Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman, saying they "remain an utterly magnetic coupling on-screen," citing the final TARDIS scene and the beach scene as "magic." He felt that the main problem of the episode was the decision to keep the two apart. He was positive towards Skinner's "genuine love for Doctor Who", which meant he was "practically beaming throughout," and called him "an endearing replacement" for Clara in the episode. He thought that like the previous episode "Kill the Moon", "Mummy on the Orient Express", had a Philip Hinchcliffe vibe too, and that "'Mummy' is a joy, with excellent production design and a roster of perfectly-pitched performances all adding up to create an enchanting atmosphere," and believed it had a "wonderful mood," which felt like "vintage Doctor Who." [13] Tim Liew, writing for Metro , was positive towards "Mummy", calling it "another strong standalone story. ... [The] period costumes helped create a distinctive look and feel, the mummified Foretold was well realised and the repeated use of the 66-second countdown clock injected a real sense of pace and jeopardy." [16] Neela Debnath of The Independent praised the guest stars, Foxes and Skinner, saying Skinner "acts his socks off." She remained critical of Clara, arguing that "her poorly conceived and written character fails to charm," despite praising Coleman's acting. Overall she felt that the episode was "a delightful outer-space romp." [17]

Ewan Spence gave the episode a positive review in Forbes . He praised the "fantastic core principle" to the plot. However, he was disappointed with the run time, believing it would have benefited from another five minutes, citing some areas that could have been explored further, particularly the escape from the train. He praised the cast and the lead, reflecting that "The Doctor infects Capaldi's performance. Drawing on his love for the series I could see the influences of many of the previous actors to take on the role," and praised the development of the Doctor and Clara's relationship. He called Mathieson's script "an impressive debut." [18] For The A.V. Club, Alasdair Wilkins awarded the episode a perfect "A" grade. He said, "When the time comes to write the final accounting of the 12th Doctor—and hopefully we won’t need to do that for a little while yet—'Mummy On The Orient Express' will loom large. This episode is a triumph for Peter Capaldi." He added that it was "the latest superb episode in a strong season" and that "Peter Capaldi's performance is enough by itself to elevate this story to classic status, but Jamie Mathieson's script provides him excellent support". [6]

In print

Mummy on the Orient Express
AuthorJane Rollason
Series Doctor Who novelisations
Publisher Pearson Education
Publication date
15 June 2018
ISBN 978-1292205830

Pearson Education published a novelisation of this episode by Jane Rollason for students of English language reading 24 May 2018. [19] [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twelfth Doctor</span> Fictional character from Doctor Who

The Twelfth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Scottish actor Peter Capaldi in three series as well as four specials. As with previous incarnations of the Doctor, the character has also appeared in other Doctor Who spin-offs.

<i>Doctor Who</i> series 8 2014 series of Doctor Who

The eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who began on 23 August 2014 with "Deep Breath" and ended with "Death in Heaven" on 8 November 2014. The series was officially ordered in May 2013, and led by head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat, alongside executive producer Brian Minchin. Nikki Wilson, Peter Bennett and Paul Frift served as producers. The series is the eighth to air following the programme's revival in 2005, the thirty-fourth season overall, and the first series since series five not to be split into two parts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clara Oswald</span> Fictional character in the TV series Doctor Who

Clara Oswald is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. She was created by series producer Steven Moffat and portrayed by Jenna Coleman. Clara was introduced in the seventh series as a new travelling companion of the series protagonist, the Doctor, in his eleventh and twelfth incarnations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Time of the Doctor</span> 2013 Doctor Who episode

"The Time of the Doctor" is an episode of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, written by Steven Moffat and directed by Jamie Payne, and was broadcast as the ninth Doctor Who Christmas special on 25 December 2013 on BBC One. It features the final regular appearance of Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor and the first full appearance of Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor following his brief cameo in the previous episode "The Day of the Doctor". The episode also features Jenna Coleman as the Doctor's companion Clara Oswald, plus several enemies of the Doctor, including the Daleks, Cybermen, Silence and Weeping Angels.

Listen (<i>Doctor Who</i>) 2014 Doctor Who episode

"Listen" is the fourth episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, first broadcast on BBC One on 13 September 2014. It was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Douglas Mackinnon.

"Flatline" is the ninth episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 18 October 2014. The episode was written by Jamie Mathieson and directed by Douglas Mackinnon.

Deep Breath (<i>Doctor Who</i>) 2014 Doctor Who episode

"Deep Breath" is the first episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, first broadcast on BBC One and released in cinemas on 23 August 2014. It was written by showrunner and executive producer Steven Moffat and directed by Ben Wheatley.

"Into the Dalek" is the second episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It was written by Phil Ford and Steven Moffat, and directed by Ben Wheatley, and first broadcast on BBC One on 30 August 2014.

"The Caretaker" is the sixth episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 27 September 2014. The episode was written by Gareth Roberts and Steven Moffat, and directed by Paul Murphy.

"In the Forest of the Night" is the tenth episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 25 October 2014. The episode was written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce and directed by Sheree Folkson.

Dark Water (<i>Doctor Who</i>) 2014 Doctor Who episode

"Dark Water" is the eleventh episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 1 November 2014. The episode was written by showrunner and head writer Steven Moffat and was directed by Rachel Talalay. It is the first of a two-part story; the concluding episode "Death in Heaven", the finale of the eighth series, aired on 8 November.

"Kill the Moon" is the seventh episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 4 October 2014. The episode was written by Peter Harness and directed by Paul Wilmshurst.

"Death in Heaven" is the twelfth and final episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 8 November 2014. The episode was written by showrunner Steven Moffat and directed by Rachel Talalay. It is the second of a two-part story; the first episode "Dark Water" aired on 1 November.

"The Girl Who Died" is the fifth episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 17 October 2015, and was written by Jamie Mathieson and Steven Moffat and directed by Ed Bazalgette.

"Before the Flood" is the fourth episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Toby Whithouse and directed by Daniel O'Hara. It was first broadcast on 10 October 2015, and is the second part of a two-part story; the first part, "Under the Lake", aired on 3 October.

"The Zygon Inversion" is the eighth episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 7 November 2015, and was written by Peter Harness and Steven Moffat and directed by Daniel Nettheim. The episode is the second of a two-parter, the first being "The Zygon Invasion", which aired on 31 October 2015.

"Face the Raven" is the tenth episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 21 November 2015, and was written by Sarah Dollard and directed by Justin Molotnikov.

"Hell Bent" is the twelfth and final episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Steven Moffat, directed by Rachel Talalay and first broadcast on BBC One on 5 December 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashildr</span> Fictional character from Doctor Who

Ashildr is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, portrayed by actress Maisie Williams. The character was introduced in the ninth series episode "The Girl Who Died", before making a few more appearances during the series.

"Oxygen" is the fifth episode of the tenth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Jamie Mathieson and broadcast on 13 May 2017 on BBC One.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mummy on the Orient Express: Fact File". BBC. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  2. ↑ Mummy on the Orient Express review, UK: Doctor Who TV, 12 October 2014.
  3. ↑ "UK TV Ratings", Twitter, 12 October 2014
  4. 1 2 "Doctor Who Series 8 (2014) UK Ratings Accumulator | Doctor Who TV". 11 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Saturday Cable Originals: 10.11.2014 | Showbuzz Daily". www.showbuzzdaily.com. Archived from the original on 16 October 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  6. 1 2 Wilkins, Alasdair (11 October 2014). "Doctor Who: "Mummy On The Orient Express"". The A.V. Club . Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  7. ↑ Rozeman, Mark (12 October 2014). "Doctor Who Review: "Mummy on the Orient Express"". Paste Magazine . Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  8. ↑ Otero, Henry A. (11 October 2014). "Doctor Who Season 8 Episode 8 Review: Mummy on the Orient Express". TV Fanatic. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  9. ↑ Stewart, Malcolm (11 October 2014). "'Doctor Who' review: 'Mummy on the Orient Express'". CultBox. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  10. ↑ Welsh, Kaite (11 October 2014). "Review: Is 'Doctor Who' Season 8 Episode 8, 'Mummy on the Orient Express,' a Countdown to the Season Finale?". IndieWire . Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  11. ↑ Risley, Matt (11 October 2014). "Doctor Who: "Mummy on the Orient Express" Review". IGN . Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  12. ↑ Ruediger, Ross (12 October 2014). "Doctor Who Recap: Don't Stop Me Now". Vulture.com . Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  13. 1 2 Jeffery, Morgan (11 October 2014). "Doctor Who series 8 'Mummy on the Orient Express' recap". Digital Spy . Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  14. 1 2 Lawrence, Ben (11 October 2014). "Doctor Who review: Mummy on the Orient Express". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  15. ↑ "Doctor Who recap series 34 episode eight, Mummy on the Orient Express", The Guardian, 11 October 2014.
  16. ↑ "Doctor Who season 8 episode 8 Mummy on the Orient Express: gone in 66 seconds", Metro, 11 October 2014.
  17. ↑ "Doctor Who Mummy on the Orient Express: Foxes & Frank Skinner make memorable cameos", The Independent, 15 October 2014.
  18. ↑ Spence, Ewan (11 October 2014), "Doctor Who series 8 episode 8 review: Mummy on the Orient Express", Forbes.
  19. ↑ Level 3: Doctor Who: Mummy on the Orient Express. Pearson Education. 12 April 2018. ASIN   1292205830.
  20. ↑ "Level 3: Doctor Who: Mummy on the Orient Express - Pearson Readers". readers.english.com. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.