"Doctor Who" Tooth and Claw (2006)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Euros Lyn

Writer:

Russell T. Davies (written by)

TV Series:

"Doctor Who" (2005)

Original Air Date:

22 April 2006 (Season 2, Episode 2)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The Doctor and Rose are transported to 19th Century Scotland, where they meet Queen Victoria, and try to protect her from a ravenous werewolf and a band of assassinating warrior-monks

Plot Keywords:

Queen Victoria | Werewolf | 1870s | Victorian Era | Fantasy Episode

Cast

David Tennant	...	The Doctor
Billie Piper	...	Rose Tyler
Pauline Collins	...	Queen Victoria
Ian Hanmore	...	Father Angelo
Michelle Duncan	...	Lady Isobel
Derek Riddell	...	Sir Robert
Jamie Sives	...	Captain Reynolds
Ron Donachie	...	Steward
Tom Smith	...	The Host
Ruth Milne	...	Flora (as Ruthie Milne)

Runtime:

45 min | 45 min (50 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

UK:12

Filming Locations:

Tredegar House, Newport, Wales, UK

Trivia:

Torchwood Reference: The estate on which Sir Robert lives is called Torchwood. After the events take place, Queen Victoria vows that to honor the acts of Sir Robert, she would found an institute dedicated to finding such strange events. She would name it The Torchwood Institute

Goofs:

Factual errors: At dinner, Captain Reynolds speculates that the disappearances of local children have been blamed on wolves. Wolves had been extinct in the British Isles for more than a century by 1879.

Quotes:

Host: And so begins the empire of the wolf.

Movie Connections:

References "Balamory" (2002)

Soundtrack:

Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick

Absolutely phenomenal

"Tooth and Claw" is simply put, one of the finest episodes of Doctor Who in either of its incarnations. It is a spectacular feast for the eyes, featuring excellent production values and oft inventive direction and cinematography, for television anyhow. I realize I am in a distinct minority when saying this, but "Tooth and Claw" to me was an example of just how exhilarating and utterly captivating Doctor Who can be at its absolute best. The '12' rating bestowed upon this by the BBFC will give you an idea of the oft risqué content, especially for a program that should be 'family-oriented'. In many ways, this is a traditional Doctor Who tale, creepy and well-written with sharp, witty dialogue to boot.

Another thing is, I never found Werewolves creepy or scary at all, with a couple of notable exceptions (An American Werewolf in London), but this episode makes it work with very little violence at all. It's one of the creepiest Doctor Who episodes I've ever seen. Kudos to Euros Lyn for this stunning visual feast. His direction is often inventive and quite surprisingly excellent by the standards often expected from television, and his pacing is also excellent. He would go on to direct "The Girl in the Fireplace" and "The Idiot's Lantern", both of which were also superb visually.

Letter Grade: A+