Synopsis
The Doctor and Donna spend some leisure time on the crystalline planet Midnight, which orbits close enough to its sun that the Xtonic radiation exposure would vaporize any living thing to walk unprotected on its surface. Donna opts to relax at a spa while the Doctor takes a four-hour shuttle bus ride to the Sapphire Waterfall.
The trip initially goes smoothly despite the shuttle being rerouted to a new course, but suddenly the shuttle stops. The Doctor checks with the shuttle's driver and mechanic, confirming that there's nothing wrong with the vehicle. He convinces them to open the shutter to look outside, and the mechanic believes he sees a shadow moving towards the bus. The crew calls for a rescue vehicle while the Doctor returns to the main cabin.
A few moments later, something begins knocking on the shuttle's hull, copying the passengers when they knock back. The knocking moves around the shuttle, making its way towards Sky Silvestry, apparently the most frightened of the lot, and dents the door she is standing by. The lights then temporarily fail and the shuttle is violently rocked. When the lights are restored, the seats near Sky have been ripped off the floor and she is cowering in the corner. An attempt to speak to the crew reveals that their cabin has also been ripped away.
Sky initially remains motionless, but is coaxed into turning around by the Doctor. Attempts to get her to speak only cause her to repeat what she is told, making it clear that Sky is no longer in control. The delay between Sky's repetitions becomes shorter with each moment, until she is repeating everyone instantly. Cabin fever sets in, and the passengers contemplate throwing her outside. The Doctor's attempts to calm the situation fail when the passengers become suspicious of him, especially when he his unwilling to reveal his name. This is only amplified when Sky focuses solely on repeating the Doctor's words.
As the Doctor tries to reason with Sky, he suddenly starts repeating her. Most of the passengers reason that the Doctor must be possessed, while the hostess and another passenger reason that this is just the next step: stealing the voice of another. The other passengers refuse to listen and begin to drag the Doctor towards the nearest door, all the while being goaded to by Sky. However, the hostess realises that Sky is not talking in her own voice when she uses two phrases the Doctor had used earlier. Before the other passengers can throw the Doctor out, she sacrifices herself by dragging Sky out of another door. The Doctor slowly recovers, and as the passengers wait for the rescue shuttle, he realises that no one knew the hostess' name. At the spa, the Doctor mournfully reunites with Donna.
Continuity
The Doctor mentions the Medusa Cascade, which has been mentioned several times in the series. Rose Tyler also appears on one of the shuttle's television screen, silently shouting for the Doctor, this time twice instead of once.Rose is mentioned twice by the Doctor: once by name, and again as a "friend who went to a different universe". Martha Jones is also mentioned.
This is the first time since Genesis of the Daleks where the TARDIS does not appear. This is also the second story without a companion in the main narrative, the first being The Deadly Assassin. It's also one of the few times where the adversary is neither seen nor given a name.
When the Doctor is asked for his real name, he lies and replies with the name "John Smith", a common alias of his, which is not believed. The mystery behind the Doctor's name is a recurring theme in the series revival, with specific mentions of the mystery in "The Girl In The Fireplace", "The Shakespeare Code", "The Fires of Pompeii" and "Forest of the Dead".
Rose Tyler appears on a screen, silently shouting while the Doctor has his back turned. This echoes similar appearances in "Partners in Crime" and "The poison Sky"
Davies wrote 'Who' story for Sharp
Russell T. Davies has revealed that he thought of actress Lesley Sharp when writing the recent Doctor Who story 'Midnight'.
The showrunner told Doctor Who Magazine that the character of Sky Silvestry was created especially for the acclaimed actress, saying: "We needed the absolute best for this episode, and we got them. I suggested Lesley - I actually wrote it thinking of her - because I'd been dying to work with her again and she'd keep asking to be in Doctor Who."
He continued: "She'd send me emails asking to be the Queen of Outer Space, which isn't exactly what she got, but this is better, probably. Technically, the part of Sky is the hardest thing I've ever asked an actor to do, and Lesley's simply astonishing."
Sharp previously starred in both Bob and Rose and The Second Coming by Davies
The showrunner told Doctor Who Magazine that the character of Sky Silvestry was created especially for the acclaimed actress, saying: "We needed the absolute best for this episode, and we got them. I suggested Lesley - I actually wrote it thinking of her - because I'd been dying to work with her again and she'd keep asking to be in Doctor Who."
He continued: "She'd send me emails asking to be the Queen of Outer Space, which isn't exactly what she got, but this is better, probably. Technically, the part of Sky is the hardest thing I've ever asked an actor to do, and Lesley's simply astonishing."
Sharp previously starred in both Bob and Rose and The Second Coming by Davies
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