The Stolen Earth

198a – "The Stolen Earth"
Doctor Who episode
Towards the end of the episode, Rose Tyler cradles a dying Doctor after a Dalek shoots him with its gunstick. The climax was written by executive producer Russell T Davies as a pastiche of science fiction romance, and described by David Tennant as "a moment of high emotion for all involved".[1]
Cast
Doctor David Tennant – Tenth Doctor
Companions Catherine Tate – Donna Noble Billie Piper – Rose Tyler Freema Agyeman – Martha Jones John Barrowman – Jack Harkness Elisabeth Sladen – Sarah Jane Smith
Others Penelope Wilton – Harriet Jones Gareth David-Lloyd – Ianto Jones Eve Myles – Gwen Cooper Thomas Knight – Luke Smith Bernard Cribbins – Wilfred Mott Jacqueline King – Sylvia Noble Adjoa Andoh – Francine Jones Julian Bleach – Davros Michael Brandon – General Sanchez Andrea Harris – Suzanne Lachele Carl – Trinity Wells Richard Dawkins – Himself Paul O'Grady – Himself Marcus Cunningham – Drunk Man Jason Mohammad – Newsreader Paul Kasey – Judoon Kelly Hunter – Shadow Architect Amy Beth Hayes – Albino Servant Gary Milner – Scared Man Barnaby Edwards,[N 1] Nick Pegg, David Hankinson, Anthony Spargo – Dalek Operators Nicholas Briggs – Dalek Voice Alexander Armstrong – Voice of Mr Smith
Production
Directed by	Graeme Harper
Written by	Russell T Davies
Script editor	Lindsey Alford
Produced by	Phil Collinson
Executive producer(s)	Russell T Davies Julie Gardner
Music by	Murray Gold
Production code	4.12
Series	Series 4
Running time	1st of 2-part story, 45 minutes[2]
First broadcast	28 June 2008 (2008-06-28)
Chronology
← Preceded by "Turn Left" Followed by → "Journey's End"
List of episodes (2005–present)

"The Stolen Earth" is the twelfth episode of the fourth series and the 750th overall episode^[3] of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 28 June 2008.^[4] The episode was written by show runner and head writer Russell T Davies and is the first of a two-part crossover story with spin-offs Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures; the concluding episode is "Journey's End", the finale of the fourth series, broadcast on 5 July.

The finale's narrative brings closure to several prominent story arcs created during Davies' tenure as show runner. In the episode, contemporary Earth and 26 other planets are stolen by the Daleks, aided by their megalomaniacal creator Davros and a shattered but precognitive Dalek Caan. As the Doctor (David Tennant) and his companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) try to find Earth, his previous companions Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman), Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen), and Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) convene to contact him and mount a defence against the Daleks. In the episode's climax, the Doctor is gunned down by a Dalek and begins to regenerate.

The episode marks the first appearance of Davros in 19 years since the 1988 serial Remembrance of the Daleks; he is portrayed by Julian Bleach. It is also the first Doctor Who appearance of Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles); Ianto Jones (Gareth David-Lloyd); Luke Smith (Thomas Knight); and Mr Smith (voiced by Alexander Armstrong), though Myles previously appeared in The Unquiet Dead as Gwyneth. Adjoa Andoh and Penelope Wilton reprise supporting roles as Martha's mother Francine Jones and former Prime Minister Harriet Jones respectively. Paul O'Grady and Richard Dawkins make cameo appearances as themselves as television personalities who attempt to assuage public fear.

The two-part finale's epic scale and underlying plot was first conceived in early 2007 as the last regular-series story for departing producers Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner, and Phil Collinson: the fourth series finale is the last story produced by Collinson; and Steven Moffat and Piers Wenger replaced Davies and Gardner as showrunner and executive producer respectively in 2010. Major concepts were already specified by July 2007 and the script was written in December 2007; Davies began on the 7th and finished on the 31st. Filming for the finale took place in February and March 2008, and post-production finished in mid-June 2008, only two weeks before the episode aired. To conceal as many plot elements as possible, the episode's title was not disclosed until sixteen days before broadcast, preview DVDs omitted the scene where the Doctor regenerates—the last scene is the Doctor being shot by a Dalek—and the episode aired without a preview trailer for "Journey's End".

"The Stolen Earth" was reviewed positively by both the audience and professional reviewers. The Audience Appreciation Index score was 91: an unprecedented figure for Doctor Who and one of the highest ratings ever given to a television programme. On its original broadcast, it was viewed by 8.78 million viewers and was the second most-watched programme of the week; at the time of broadcast, it was the highest position Doctor Who had ever reached. Critical reaction was overwhelmingly positive. Nicholas Briggs and Julian Bleach were commended for their portrayal of Dalek Caan and Davros respectively; and most aspects of Davies' writing were applauded. Most notably, the twist ending of the episode was universally appreciated. The shock regeneration created an unprecedented level of public interest in the show, which continued until the transmission of "Journey's End".

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