The Apocalypse Element was the first serial of Season 35 of Doctor Who. It was written by Stephen Cole, directed by Nicholas Briggs and starred Hugh Bonneville as the Ninth Doctor & Beverley Cressman as Abigail Norwood.
Synopsis[]
When the planet Archetryx is threatened by a Dalek assault squad, the Doctor and Abigail become embroiled in an ever-deepening mystery. What has become of President Romana, missing for twenty years? What lurks in the vast gravity wells of Archetryx? What is the secret of the ancient element the Daleks are synthesising — and how does Gallifrey feature in their plans?
The Doctor finds that if his oldest enemies cannot conquer the universe they will watch it go up in flames...
Plot[]
To be added.
Cast[]
- The Doctor - Hugh Bonneville
- Abigail Norwood - Beverley Cressman
- Romana - Chloë Annett
- Monitor Trinkett - To be added.
- Assistant Monitor Ensac - To be added.
- Commander Vorna - To be added.
- Coordinator Vansell - To be added.
- The Monan Host - To be added.
- Lord President of Gallifrey - Michael Wade
- The Daleks - Nicholas Briggs
- Vrint - To be added.
- Alien Delegate - To be added.
Crew[]
To be added.
Worldbuilding[]
Daleks[]
- The Dalek force is led by a Black Dalek.
- Twenty years ago the Daleks removed Etra Prime from space-time, kidnapping a Monan and Time Lord delegation including Lady President Romanadvoratrelundar.
- Abigail is shot by a Dalek, paralysing her legs.
Elements[]
- Particles found on Etra Prime are what the Daleks call the "Apocalypse Element".
Galaxies[]
- The Daleks detonated a particle of the Apocalypse Element in the Seriphia Galaxy, destroying everything in it.
- The Seriphean Galaxy is four times the size of the Milky Way galaxy and home to over six hundred billion stars.
Gallifreyan technology[]
- The Rod of Rassilon and the Sash of Rassilon are needed to manipulate the Eye of Harmony.
- Much of Gallifreyan technology relies on an iris scan.
Other realities[]
- The Doctor mentions Romana having been in E-Space.
Planets[]
- Archetryx is host to a "Time Treaty" of "twenty of the greatest powers in space-time".
- Etra Prime is the oldest planetoid in the known universe.
Psychology[]
- At one point, Abigail worries that Romana has Stockholm syndrome, but she initially believes it to be called Stockbridge Syndrome.
Species[]
- The Monan Host haven't yet managed dimensional transcendence with their time technology.
- Species attending (and part of the treaty) include the Time Lords, the Monan Host and the Virgoans.
Science[]
- The Gravity wells on Archetryx are subterranean shafts where zero gravity is able to be manipulated.
TARDIS[]
- TARDISes on Gallifrey are kept in TARDIS cradles.
Time technology[]
- Archetryx is protected by a temporal barrier, inside which everything is one minute in the future.
- The Monan Host's time craft has powerful engines, more so than even the Time Lords' TARDISes.
Notes[]
- Part One pays tributes to Sydney Newman, who sadly passed away on the 30th of October, 1997
Continuity[]
- Abigail's legs are temporarily paralysed when she is shot by Dalek weaponry, as previously happened to the First Doctor's companion Ian Chesterton during his first encounter with them on Skaro. (TV: The Daleks)
- The Doctor refers to Romana's time in E-Space. (TV: Warriors' Gate)
Home video releases[]
VHS[]
- This story was first released on VHS.
DVD[]
- This story along with the other stories in Season 35 were released as Doctor Who: The Complete Thirty-Fifth Season in 2003.
Blu-ray[]
- This story along with the other stories in Season 35 were upscaled in 1080i50 high definition and were released as Doctor Who: The Collection - Season 35 in the UK.