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Christopher Eccleston
The Long Game
Ninth Doctor Logo


Synopsis


The Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe
The Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe
 In the far future, Satellite 5 broadcasts to the entire Earth Empire. Nothing escapes the eye of the sinister Editor and The Doctor suspects mankind is being manipulated.

 But just who is the Editor working for? And does Adam have what it takes to become the Time Lord’s companion?

Source: BBC DVD


General Information

Season: Twenty Seven (New Series 1)
Production Code: 1-7
Story Number: 162 (New Series: 6)
Episode Number:703 (New Series: 7)
Number of Episodes: 1
Percentage of Episodes Held:100%
Working Titles:"The Companion Who Couldn't"
Production Dates: November - December 2004
Broadcast Date: 07 May 2005
Colour Status: Colour
Studio: BBC Wales (Unit Q2, Newport)
Location: None
Writer:Russell T Davies
Director:Brian Grant
Producer:Phil Collinson
Executive Producers:Julie Gardner, Mal Young and Russell T Davies
Associate Producer:Helen Vallis
Script Editor:Elwen Rowlands
Editor:John Richards
Production Manager:Tracie Simpson
Production Designer:Edward Thomas
Director of Photography:Ernie Vincze BSC
Casting Director:Andy Pryor CDG
Costume Designer:Lucinda Wright
Make-Up Designer:Davy Jones
Cameraman:Martin Stephens (Operator)
Visual Effects:The Mill
Special Effects:Any Effects
Prosthetics:Millennium Effects
Stunt Co-ordinator:Lee Sheward
Incidental Music:Murray Gold
Special Sounds (SFX Editor):Paul Jefferies
Sound Recordist:Ian Richardson
Title Music:Ron Grainer and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Arranged by Murray Gold
Number of Doctors: 1
The Doctor: Christopher Eccleston (The Ninth Doctor)
Number of Companions: 2The Companions: Billie Piper (Rose Tyler) and Bruno Langley (Adam Mitchell) (Departs) Guest Cast: Simon Pegg (The Editor) Additional Cast: Colin Prockter (Head Chef), Christine Adams (Cathica), Anna Maxwell Martin (Suki), Tamsin Greig (The Nurse) and Judy Holt (Adam's Mum)Setting: Satellite 5, Earth orbit (200,000) Villain:The Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe

The Episodes

No. Episodes Broadcast
(UK)
Duration Viewers
(Millions)
In Archive
703The Long Game07 May 200544'25"8.0Yes

Total Duration 44 Minutes


Audience Appreciation

Average Viewers (Millions) 8.0
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (2005)61.10%  (Position = 10 out of 10)
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (2009)58.05% Lower (Position = 165 out of 200)
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (2014)59.08% Higher (Position = 205 out of 241)
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (2023) Position = 10 out of 10


Archives


 This story exists and is held in the BBC's Film and Videotape Library.



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Notes


This story is an updated version of an idea Russell T Davies originally submitted to the Doctor Who production office way back in the early 1980s.

This story features special guest Simon Pegg - who has been narrating the BBC3 documentary Doctor Who Confidential.

This story also sees the sudden departure of Adam Mitchell who joined The Doctor and Rose Tyler at the end of the previous story "Dalek".

While this is not the first time that a companion has tried to change history (that distinction belongs to Barbara Wright in "The Aztecs"), Adam is the first to try and exploit the future for personal gain. Adam is also the first on-screen companion in Doctor Who history to be evicted from the TARDIS for bad behaviour.

The working title for this story was "The Companion Who Couldn't" - referring to the story arc that led to Adam's swift departure from the TARDIS.

The full name of the monster in this story is 'The Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe'. This has been shortened to just 'The Jagrafess' or just 'Max'.

It is revealed that this story is set during the 'Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire'. The First Earth Empire featured in several Third Doctor stories, including the 1972 story "The Mutants" and the 1973 story "Frontier in Space".

Following the "Bad Wolf" theme begun in earlier stories of this season, one of the broadcast channels featuring the Face of Boe (from "The End of the World") is named "BAD WOLF TV".

Established as the home of a news network, Satellite 5 eventually became a 'studio' for television game shows. By the time The Doctor returned to it 100 years later in "Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways", it was producing versions of shows such as Big Brother and The Weakest Link as part of the Daleks's plan to harvest humans.

Like the previous stories the ending contains a trailer for the next story. In this case "Father's Day".

Following on immediately after this story, on BBC3, was the seventh chapter of Doctor Who Confidential "The Dark Side" looking into evil genii and sudden death.



First and Last

The Firsts:

 The first trip in the TARDIS for new companion Adam Mitchell played by Bruno Langley.

 The first story, of the revived television series, not to have any location filming.

 The first Doctor Who story to be directed by Brian Grant.


The Lasts (Subject to Future Stories):

 Bruno Langley' last story as companion Adam Mitchell.


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Story Images

Show Text
Satellite Five
Satellite Five
Rose, Adam and The Doctor
Rose, Adam and The Doctor
Rose Tyler
Rose Tyler
Adam Mitchell
Adam Mitchell
 
Suki and Cathica
Suki and Cathica
The Editor
The Editor
The Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe
The Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe
Information Overload
Information Overload
 
Rose and The Doctor Chained
Rose and The Doctor Chained
Cathica Takes Control
Cathica Takes Control
Adam Arrives Home
Adam Arrives Home
The Doctor Clicks his Fingers
The Doctor Clicks his Fingers
 




Quote of the Story


 'But you two... don’t exist. Not a trace. No birth, no job, not the slightest kiss. How can you walk through the world without leaving a single footprint?'

The Editor



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Release Information

FormatTitleRelease Date (UK)Code NumberCover ArtRemarks
Video
DVD
The Long Game - Father's Day - The Empty Child - The Doctor DancesAugust 2005BBCDVD 1757Photo-montage
Video
DVD
The Complete First SeriesNovember 2005BBCDVD 1770Photo-montageTARDIS Boxed Set containing all 10 stories
Audio
CD
Original Television Soundtrack - Series 1 and 22007Photo-montageMusic by Murray Gold
Video
DVD
Series 1 - 4 Box SetOctober 2009BBCDVD 3058Boxed set containing all 43 stories on 23 Discs
Video
Blu-Ray
The Complete Series 1-7 Box Set (Limited Edition)December 2013BBCBD 0242Photo-montageLimited Edition Blu-Ray boxed set containing all Series 1-7 stories at full 1080p high definition
Video
DVD
The Complete First Series (2014 Re-release)August 2014BBCDVD 3965Photo-montageBoxed set containing all 10 stories
Video
Blu-Ray
The Complete First Series Box SetAugust 2015BBCBD 0261Photo-montageBlu-Ray boxed set containing 10 stories
Audio
LP
Original Television Soundtrack - Series 1 and 22016Photo-montageMusic by Murray Gold
Video
DVD
The Complete First Series Box Set (Limited Edition Steelbook)March 2017Photo-montageLimited Edition DVD Steelbook boxed set containing 10 stories (Amazon Exclusive)
Video
Blu-Ray
The Complete First Series Box Set (Limited Edition Steelbook)March 2017BBCBD 0343Photo-montageLimited Edition Blu-Ray Steelbook boxed set containing 10 stories (Amazon Exclusive)
Video
Blu-Ray
Series 1 - 4 & Specials Blu-Ray CollectionNovember 2023BBCBD 0582Photo-montageBoxed set containing all Ninth and Tenth Doctor stories upscaled to high definition


In Print

No Book Release
Doctor Who Magazine - PreviewIssue 356 (Released: May 2005)
Doctor Who Magazine - After ImageIssue 358 (Released: July 2005)
Doctor Who Magazine - Time TeamIssue 436 (Released: July 2011)
Doctor Who Magazine - The Fact of FictionIssue 539 (Released: July 2019)
Doctor Who DVD FilesVolume 4 (Released: February 2009)

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Photo Gallery


The Doctor and Companions

 
Christopher Eccleston
The Ninth Doctor

   

Billie Piper
Rose Tyler
 
Bruno Langley
Adam Mitchell
   




On Release

DVD Cover
DVD Cover

BBC
VIDEO
Complete Series DVD Box Set
Complete Series DVD Box Set

BBC
VIDEO
Original Television Soundtrack Silva Screen CD Cover
Original Television Soundtrack Silva Screen CD Cover

Silva Screen
AUDIO
Series 1-4 DVD Box Set
Series 1-4 DVD Box Set

BBC
VIDEO
   
Complete Series 1-7 Ltd Edition Blu-Ray Box Set
Complete Series 1-7 Ltd Edition Blu-Ray Box Set

BBC
VIDEO
Complete Series DVD Box Set<BR>(2014 Re-release)
Complete Series DVD Box Set
(2014 Re-release)

BBC
VIDEO
Complete Series Blu-Ray Box Set
Complete Series Blu-Ray Box Set

BBC
VIDEO
Original Television Soundtrack Vinyl Cover
Original Television Soundtrack Vinyl Cover

Silva Screen
AUDIO
   
Complete Series DVD Limited Edition Steelbook Box Set
Complete Series DVD Limited Edition Steelbook Box Set

BBC
VIDEO
Complete Series Blu-Ray Limited Edition Steelbook Box Set
Complete Series Blu-Ray Limited Edition Steelbook Box Set

BBC
VIDEO
Series 1 - 4 & Specials Blu-Ray Collection Cover
Series 1 - 4 & Specials Blu-Ray Collection Cover

BBC
VIDEO



Magazines

Doctor Who Magazine - Preview: Issue 356
Doctor Who Magazine - Preview: Issue 356

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine - After Image: Issue 358
Doctor Who Magazine - After Image: Issue 358

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine - Time Team: Issue 436
Doctor Who Magazine - Time Team: Issue 436

Marvel Comics
Doctor Who Magazine - The Fact of Fiction: Issue 539
Doctor Who Magazine - The Fact of Fiction: Issue 539

Marvel Comics
   
Doctor Who DVD Files: Volume 4
Doctor Who DVD Files: Volume 4

GE Fabbri


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