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Click here to return to the main site. Doctor Who - Half time Are you still pining for the days of 25-minute instalments of Doctor Who? For 26 years, barring the occasional oddity such as the 90-minute Five Doctors anniversary special and the 45-minute instalments that comprised Season 22, the traditional duration of a Who episode was about 25 minutes. However, with the start of the new series in 2005, that appears to have changed forever. But help is at hand! Richard McGinlay continues to compile his handy “stop ’em halfway through” guide to viewing the new series episodes... I accept that the old format of Doctor Who would seem like an oddity among today’s television schedules, when audiences are far more familiar with the structure of genre shows such as Stargate, Heroes and Lost. Nowadays, the only primetime drama series with episode durations of less than 30 minutes are soap operas. Nevertheless, a part of me still longs to have its Who served up in bite-size chunks of about 25 minutes. I find myself searching out suitable “half-time” cliffhangers in each new instalment, and I thought I would share my findings with you. If some of the timings that follow seem a little on the short side, remember that many old-series episodes (such as those of The Mind Robber and The Leisure Hive) fall far short of the full 25 minutes, that these timings do not include end credits, and that the subsequent part would be preceded by a recap. Furthermore, episodes from Series 2 could be preceded by their respective one-minute TARDISODE teasers. So, the next time you’re watching an episode of new Who on videocassette, DVD, DVR or PVR, try pausing it at the point I have indicated below and imagine that cliffhanger “sting”. Eeeeeeoooooowwwwww!!!
While Pete watches Frankenstein on TV, a different kind of creature is coming back to life in the hospital morgue. The regenerated Doctor opens his eyes and sits up, as Victor Frankenstein is repeatedly heard to yell: “It’s alive...!” 44 minutes 33 seconds in The Doctor feels the effects of the Master and Chang Lee opening the Eye of Harmony inside his TARDIS. “Something’s happening, something’s happening, something’s happening,” he gasps frantically. “Oh, my God,” cries Grace, powerless to help him... 65 minutes 40 seconds in In the TARDIS control room, Grace knocks the Doctor unconscious. She has fallen under the influence of the Master, who now enters the room accompanied by Chang Lee. The Master smiles across at his new acolyte. The blank-eyed Grace smiles back... Rose, 22 minutes 30 seconds in (preceded by series trailer; subsequent episode preceded by Rose-themed series trailer) In his shed, Clive issues Rose with a dire warning. “If the Doctor’s back, if you’ve seen him Rose, then one thing’s for certain: we’re all in danger.” Meanwhile, on the street outside, Mickey cautiously approaches a wheelie bin that seems to have taken on a life of its own. We freeze-frame as he yanks open the lid to peer inside...
“So,” says the Doctor as he and Jabe make their way along the maintenance shaft, “what you’re saying is, if we get into trouble there’s no one to help us out?” “I’m afraid not,” admits Jabe. “Fantastic!” Unseen behind them, a robotic spider emerges from its hiding place... (Jabe’s next words are muted by the cliffhanger “sting” and are not heard until the next instalment.) The Unquiet Dead, 25 minutes 45 seconds in (but by moving the Dickens/Doctor scene at time index 19:31-21:18 to the subsequent episode, this timing could be adjusted to 23 minutes 58 seconds) Gwyneth has managed to scare both Rose and herself with her spiritual insights about Rose and “the big bad wolf”. Suddenly the Doctor appears at the kitchen door. He is in need of Gwyneth’s help. “We’re gonna have a séance,” he announces... Aliens of London, 22 minutes 37 seconds in The Doctor realises that the revived alien is still in the room. He gets down on his hands and knees to search for it. As he pokes his head around one corner of a desk, the creature pokes its head around the other. We see only part of a strangely shaped ear and nose (and I don’t mean the Doctor’s) as the Time Lord regards it with a look of wonder... World War Three, 22 minutes 10 seconds in The Slitheen masquerading as Joseph Green has felt the death of one of his brethren, at the hands of Jackie and Mickey. He utters a vengeful oath: “That’s the last piece of luck anyone on this rock will ever have...”
Adam and Rose run for their lives as De Maggio makes a futile stand against the Dalek that is levitating up the stairs. We hear the soldier’s scream as she is exterminated. The youngsters continue to run... The Long Game, 21 minutes 03 seconds in (could be preceded by an Adam-themed recap from Dalek) The Doctor has deduced that the development of human civilisation has been set back by about 90 years, the same length of time that Satellite Five has been broadcasting. Elsewhere, Adam begins to transmit sensitive information about future technology back to his own time. From the scrolling screen, he reads, “The microprocessor became redundant in the year 2019, replaced by a system called SMT...” Father’s Day, 21 minutes 07 seconds in (could be preceded by a themed recap including moments from Rose - “Did I mention, it also travels in time?” - and The Long Game - “I only take the best. I’ve got Rose.”) “Time’s been damaged,” the Doctor explains, “and they’ve come to sterilise the wound... by consuming everything inside.” “Is this because...?” Rose stammers. “Is this my fault?” The Doctor’s silence speaks volumes. Outside the church, the Reapers swoop down to attack another victim... The Empty Child, 19 minutes 02 seconds in The creepy gas-masked child is outside the door, reaching a hand through the letterbox, pleading to be let in. “OK,” says the Doctor, after some consideration, “I’m opening the door now.” The child withdraws the hand. The Doctor unbolts the door... and opens it... The Doctor Dances, 23 minutes 03 seconds in Nancy is handcuffed to a table and guarded by Jenkins, a soldier who bears a characteristic scar on his hand. Nancy knows that Jenkins carries the Empty Child’s infection, just as surely as she knows that his touch will infect her. Before her terrified eyes, Jenkins begins to transform...
Margaret challenges those who have effectively condemned her to death - Jack, Mickey, Rose and the Doctor - to look her in the eye. None of them can... Bad Wolf, 20 minutes 38 seconds in The Doctor realises that he has been on this particular space station before - and quite recently too. “This is Satellite 5!” he exclaims, as we cut to an exterior shot of the station... The Parting of the Ways, 22 minutes 42 seconds in The Dalek fleet has arrived. “This is it!” announces Jack. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are at war!” Above the Earth, hundreds of Daleks swarm out of their ships, ready to attack the planet and the station... The Christmas Invasion, 14 minutes 52 seconds in (preceded by the 2005 Children in Need mini-episode) Rose, Mickey and Jackie are startled as the live broadcast from the Guinevere One space probe reveals a terrifying, growling alien face... 37 minutes 25 seconds in With the Doctor lying unconscious inside the TARDIS, Rose steps forward to address the Sycorax. “Someone’s got to be the Doctor,” she says. “They’ll kill you,” pleads Harriet Jones, Prime Minister. “Never stopped him.” Rose faces the crowded amphitheatre... New Earth, 21 minutes 13 seconds in (preceded by series trailer and TARDISODE 1) Looking down upon the hundreds of cells of infected humans, the Doctor announces the appalling truth: “No wonder the Sisters have got a cure for everything. They’ve built the ultimate research laboratory. A human farm...!” Tooth and Claw, 21 minutes 57 seconds in (preceded by TARDISODE 2) The werewolf breaks free of its cage. The Doctor stares at the awesome beast, as if mesmerised...
Perching on a rooftop, the sinister Mr Finch and a bat-like Krillitane observe the Doctor, Rose, Mickey and Sarah. Finch reacts as the Time Lord mentions his own people. The Krillitane swoops down towards the Doctor and Rose... The Girl in the Fireplace, 22 minutes 10 seconds in (preceded by TARDISODE 4) Rose and Mickey awake to find themselves in the clutches of the clockwork robots. Mickey begins to panic. “They’re gonna chop us up! Just like the crew. They’re gonna chop us up and stick us in a bit of stupid spaceship! And where’s the Doctor? Where’s the precious Doctor now? He’s been gone for flippin’ hours, that’s where he is!” The lead robot steps up to Rose. “You are compatible,” it announces. Close up on Rose... Rise of the Cybermen, 24 minutes 00 seconds in (subsequent episode preceded by TARDISODE 5) Mickey has made contact with his alternate universe grandmother, who apparently knows him as Rickey. They are about to enter her house when a blue van screeches to a halt alongside them. A young man jumps out of the vehicle and, uttering the words, “We’ve been looking for you everywhere,” bundles Mickey inside. As the van zooms away, the blind old woman is left behind on her doorstep, calling out her grandson’s name...
Rose and Pete have succeeded in locating Jackie, but they are too late. She has already been “upgraded”. “Jacks, I came to save you,” wails Pete. The emotionless Cyberman that was once Jackie Tyler declares: “This man worked with Cybus Industries to create our species. He will be rewarded by force. Take him to Cyber Control...” The Idiot’s Lantern, 21 minutes 42 seconds in (incorporating TARDISODE 7) The Wire reaches out and begins to suck Rose’s face into the television screen. “Just think of that audience tomorrow, my dear,” says Mr Magpie, “all settling down to watch the Coronation. Twenty million people. Things will never be the same again. I’m sorry - so sorry.” He turns away in disgust and shame at his own complicity. “Help me,” gasps Rose. “Goodnight, children,” the Wire smiles, “everywhere...” The Impossible Planet, 21 minutes 39 seconds in (preceded by TARDISODES 8 and 9) After hearing the sinister voice of the Beast, Toby feels a strange sensation in his hands. He tears off his latex gloves. The palms of his hands are now covered with the strange, alien symbols. He picks up a mirror - and sees that his face is also tattooed with the ancient characters. His eyes glow red. He collapses to the floor...
As Rose and Danny desperately try to escape from the Ood, Toby turns to one of the approaching creatures. He puts a finger to his lips to indicate secrecy. His eyes are glowing red. He is still possessed by the Beast... Love & Monsters, 23 minutes 01 second in (preceded by TARDISODE 10) Victor Kennedy has asked Bridget to remain behind for “a word in private” - just as he did before with the now missing Bliss. As she waves goodbye to the rest of the group and the lift doors slide shut in front of her, little do they realise how final this farewell truly is... Fear Her, 22 minutes 07 seconds in (preceded by TARDISODE 11) The Doctor, Rose and Trish are in Trish’s kitchen, discussing her daughter’s strange powers. “Chloe’s real dad is dead,” muses the Doctor. “But not the one who visits her in her nightmares. That dad seems very real. That’s the dad she’s drawn - and he’s a heartbeat away from crashing into this world.” “She always got the worst of it when he was alive,” explains Trish. “Doctor, how can a 12-year-old girl be doing any of this?” asks Rose. The Doctor takes a deep breath, then proclaims: “Let’s find out.” Purposefully, he leads the way from the room... Army of Ghosts, 22 minutes 15 seconds in (preceded by TARDISODE 12) As per their motto, “If it’s alien, it’s ours”, the personnel of Torchwood have claimed the TARDIS as their own. The Doctor and Jackie can only watch as the ship is driven away on the back of a truck. Rose, trapped inside the TARDIS, peers out through the police box’s doors... Doomsday, 22 minutes 21 seconds in As the Genesis Ark becomes active, Dalek Thay gloats: “Cybermen have been exterminated! Daleks are supreme!” “The Genesis Ark is primed,” announces Dalek Jast. “The Ark needs area of thirty square miles,” states their leader, the black Dalek Sec. “Move!” Close up on the mysterious device, as Jast reports: “Genesis Ark mobile!”
As Rose searches a deserted, windswept beach, her voice-over cryptically informs us: “Here I am at last, and this is the story of how I died.” We still don’t know how, or in what way, she died or is about to die. She looks for the Doctor but finds no sign of him. Then he fades into existence before her, insubstantial, like a ghost... The Runaway Bride, 14 minutes 48 seconds in (preceded by the closing 5 minutes 15 seconds of Doomsday) The Doctor urges the reluctant Donna to jump from the speeding taxi into the equally fast-moving TARDIS. Freeze-frame as she leaps... 35 minutes 24 seconds in The Doctor demands that the Empress of the Racnoss show herself. “Prepare your best medicines, Doctor-man, for you will be sick at heart,” she warns. Beaming down from her orbiting spaceship, the creature materialises in front of the Doctor and Donna, revealing her hideous, spider-like form to them and us for the first time. The Time Lord and the human look appalled... Smith and Jones, 21 minutes 28 seconds in (preceded by series trailer) When Martha witnesses Florence’s vampiric feeding habits, the bloodsucker orders one of her leather-clad Slabs to: “Kill her!” Martha races to find the Doctor, and soon both of them are being chased. They almost run into one of the Judoon, whom the Doctor wants to avoid at all costs. They enter a deserted part of the hospital. All the while, the pursuing Slab shows no sign of slowing down... The Shakespeare Code, 23 minutes 11 seconds in In the Globe Theatre, a rehearsal of the final scene of Love’s Labour’s Won accidentally conjures up a preview of the terrifying events to come. A swirl of red cloud gathers in the air above two players, and a hideous creature - apparently part bird, part witch - materialises within it. “By all the saints,” says one of the actors. “It’s a spirit. It’s a vile shade..”
“Bye then!” Regardless of the danger, determined to rescue Martha, the Doctor drops from Brannigan’s vehicle... Daleks in Manhattan, 23 minutes 57 seconds in Having barely escaped from the pig people in the sewers (but not without the loss of Frank), the Doctor, Martha and Solomon emerge... only to find themselves at gunpoint. The person holding the pistol, Tallulah, demands to know: “What have you done with Laszlo?” Martha looks on in fear and confusion... Evolution of the Daleks, 24 minutes 37 seconds in Inside the Empire State Building, Dalek Sec’s plans are nearing fruition - and the Doctor is helping! “There goes the gene solution,” says the Doctor, as the blue liquid flows up through the transparent pipes. “The life blood,” says Sec. Above them, dormant human bodies begin to twitch with life... The Lazarus Experiment, 21 minutes 12 seconds in (could be preceded by a recap from Smith and Jones) On the rooftop, the Doctor, Martha and her sister Tish witness Lazarus’s transformation into a giant, scorpion-like creature (our first full view of the monster). “Run!” shouts the Doctor, as the hideous beast lunges towards them... The Infinite Quest, 24 minutes 39 seconds in (i.e. the end of the seventh Totally Doctor Who mini-episode) Pilot Kelvin warns the Doctor and Martha that everything within a hundred-mile vector is about to be spatially disintegrated by Earth forces in order to exterminate the Mantasphid invaders. “Kills all known bugs - dead!” Up above, bombers approach the city carrying their lethal payloads... 42, 23 minutes 12 seconds in As the escape pod detaches itself from the ship, the Doctor repeats a desperate promise to Martha: “I’ll save you!” But Martha, trapped inside the pod, cannot make out his words. “I can’t hear you... I’m sorry.” The pod plunges towards the fiery surface of the sun...
In the privacy of his dormitory, Latimer opens the watch he somehow feels drawn towards. The watch he has purloined from John Smith. The watch containing the Doctor’s Time Lord essence. Strange visions flow into the boy’s mind: Daleks, Cybermen, Ood, the werewolf, Sycorax, the Empress of the Racnoss, Lazarus... Latimer snaps the watch shut. Elsewhere, the possessed Baines sniffs the air. He has detected a trace of the Time Lord he is searching for... The Family of Blood, 21 minutes 48 seconds in The Family possess the TARDIS, a device Smith claims to not even recognise. Nearby, the terrified Smith pleads with Martha and Joan for his continued existence. “I’m John Smith. That’s all I want to be. John Smith. With his life and his job... and his love. Why can’t I be John Smith? Isn’t he a good man? Why can’t I stay?” “But we need the Doctor,” insists Martha, regretfully. Smith gapes at her in horror... Blink, 22 minutes 13 seconds in Sally returns to the parking garage, only to find it deserted. Billy has vanished, as has the mysterious police box... Elsewhere, Billy falls back against a brick wall. He slides down to the ground, winded. A man and a woman run towards him. The man - the Doctor - carries a strange beeping device. “Welcome,” he declares. “Where am I?” asks Billy. “1969,” is the rather surprising reply... Utopia, 22 minutes 01 second in (could be preceded by a recap from the Torchwood episode End of Days) As the humans board the spaceship bound for Utopia, little do they realise that one of the savage Futurekind walks among them. She hisses, revealing her pointed teeth, then moves out of view...
With the Doctor, Martha and Captain Jack on the run as hunted fugitives, the Master reassures a Toclafane that “the machine” will reach critical tomorrow morning. “Tell your people: the world is waiting.” The Toclafane vanishes, and the Master looks out of his window at the rain-swept evening, as though he is gazing upon the dawn of a new era - or the end of an old one... Last of the Time Lords, 22 minutes 16 seconds in The truth about the Toclafane has been revealed: they are all that remain of the Utopia colonists from the end of the universe. The Master gloats to the caged Doctor. “Human race: greatest monsters of them all...” 43 minutes 18 seconds in Professor Docherty smiles in bemusement after being given a bouquet of flowers by Martha - a woman who is a stranger to her in the restored timeline... Time Crash (preceded by the closing 7 minutes 16 seconds of Last of the Time Lords and followed by the opening 6 minutes 44 seconds of Voyage of the Damned) A Host has gone “on the blink”. It is taken below deck for repair or disposal. This is the eighth such malfunction so far, including an incident in which a First Class passenger was nearly strangled, but the technician has no idea what is going wrong. Unseen, the inert Host twitches into life and turns its head... Voyage of the Damned, 28 minutes 05 seconds in Bannakaffalatta crawls through the narrow gap between the wreckage. The structure doesn’t look very stable. Suddenly, the ship shudders alarmingly...
The defenceless Doctor, surrounded by Hosts, asks them to: “Take me to your leader...” Partners in Crime, 24 minutes 01 second in The Doctor and Donna have finally noticed each other in opposite windows of the Adipose Industries building. They mime and lip-read messages to each other until, eventually, Donna realises she has been noticed by Miss Foster. “Get her!” yells Foster to her guards... The Fires of Pompeii, 24 minutes 30 seconds in The Doctor and Quintus urge Quintus’s family to leave the house, but their efforts are to no avail. From out of the hypocaust bursts a massive, humanoid creature of rock and flame... Planet of the Ood, 21 minutes 02 seconds in (could be preceded by a recap from The Impossible Planet and The Satan Pit) Trapped inside a cargo container literally packed with red-eyed Ood, Donna calls out to the Doctor for help. But the Doctor has problems of his own, trying to evade a giant mechanical grabber. He stumbles and falls. The deadly metal claws descend towards him... The Sontaran Stratagem, 22 minutes 15 seconds in “Come with us.” Two UNIT soldiers ask Martha to accompany them and report to Colonel Mace. Martha follows their lead. The camera pans back to reveal that these are the two soldiers we recently saw being conditioned by the Sontarans...
Rattigan is horrified to learn that Staal has betrayed him: there is no colony planet waiting for him and his group. Rattigan flees via the teleport pod, and Staal orders that no other humans will be allowed to escape their fate in this manner. “Close all teleport links to Earth. Isolate them - as they perish...” The Doctor’s Daughter, 23 minutes 22 seconds in The Doctor, Donna and Jenny are being pursued by Cobb and his soldiers, but their route is barred by a cat’s cradle of laser beams. “That’s not mood lighting, is it?” asks Donna, ruefully. The Doctor throws his toy mouse into the path of the laser beams. It explodes in a flash of light. “No,” sighs Donna, “didn’t think so...” The Unicorn and the Wasp, 22 minutes 10 seconds in After sipping his drink, the Doctor comes to a horrifying realisation. He calmly informs Donna and Agatha that: “Something’s inhibiting my enzymes.” Then he cries out in agony. “I’ve been poisoned...!” Silence in the Library, 20 minutes 03 seconds in While attempting to access the Library’s security systems, the Doctor has somehow managed to broadcast his image to the TV screen at the young girl’s home. “’Ello,” he says, a little hesitantly. “Hello,” replies the girl, curiously. “Are you in my television?” The Doctor looks confused... Forest of the Dead, 23 minutes 21 seconds in The “poor copy” of Miss Evangelista tells Donna about the nature of the world she is currently inhabiting. Meanwhile, the girl watches the event unfold on her TV screen. “What you see around you,” the copy explains, “this entire world, is nothing more than virtual reality...” Next update: Midnight, Turn Left and War on Skaro (or whatever episode 12 is going to be called!)
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The End of the World, 23 minutes 06 seconds in
Dalek, 23 minutes 53 seconds in
Boom Town
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The Age of Steel, 23 minutes 32 seconds in
40 minutes 18 seconds in
Gridlock, 21 minutes 41 seconds in
Human Nature
The Sound of Drums, 23 minutes 29 seconds in
49 minutes 10 seconds in
The Poison Sky, 22 minutes 35 seconds in
