MainDoctor WhoMusicSoftwareNZDWFCMel BushWeb GuideDisccon Guide
The DiscContinuity Guide Introduction 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dalek Empire Doctor Who Unbound Other Additions Updates Links Credits Glossary Index
Cover

'The Horror of Glam Rock'

First broadcast 14th January 2007. 1 episode.

Writer: Paul Magrs
Director: Barnaby Edwards

Roots: Glam rock music, especially that of David Bowie (including Starman's lyrics and Space Oddity's stylophone, plus Ziggy Stardust with repeated references to 'breaking up the band'), T-Rex (Marc Bolan is named, the alternative closing theme is a pastiche of 'Hot Love'., the featured top hat is either a nod to Bolan's attire or that of Slade's Noddy Holder) and [Roxy Music-era] Brian Eno. Lulu and Jimi Hendrix are mentioned, as are The Wombles (possibly an in-joke given their narrator is Bernard Cribbins), Jack London (Arnold says of the snowstorm 'It's like Call of the bleedin' Wild out there'). Lyrical references include Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall ("Hey, Doctor - leave them kids alone"), and Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven. Flo mistakenly calls the Tomorrow Twins "The Tomorrow People" (whose Homo superior characters are of course a nod to Bowie's Oh! You Pretty Things). Arnold takes his name from David Bowie's pre-Ziggy Stardust band Arnold Corns, itself named after Syd Barret's Arnold Layne; the Only Ones share their name with 70s rock/punk act The Only Ones, creators of the anthemic Another Girl, Another Planet. Tommy is probably named after the eponymous hero of The Who's most psychedelic rock opera, Bendy Roger's accent is a reasonable spoof of Bowie's contemporary East London drawl. The story title (coined by Nick Briggs) is a deliberate pun on The Horror of Fang Rock and uses the same trope of stranded travellers and alien invaders.

Goofs: Should Lucie really be taking ibuprofen for nausea?

Dialogue Triumphs: 'Glittery top hat, tinsel feather boa, stack-heeled boots and silver eye shadow - that points to just one thing-" "-tranny pile-up on the M62?"

Continuity: Trisha Tomorrow plays guitar (Arnold criticises her fretwork). Lucie's Aunty Pat (Patricia Ryder) was the drummer for Methylated Spirits (the other members were 'Bendy Roger' and Wendy), a band who once auditioned for Arnold Korne (he thought they were rubbish) and who split up at the beginning of this story. They never amount to anything, and Pat (Lucie almost says) never has any children of her own. Lucie's mother is Mary, Pat's sister, who worked in a shoe shop at the time and is blonde.

The Doctor has been trying to return Lucie to her time, but is still unsuccessful (see: Blood of the Daleks) - 1974 is as close to 2006 as he has been able to reach.

Lucie carries ibuprofen and an MP3 player. The TARDIS passing through a time eddy makes her travel sick.

Missing Adventures: The Doctor met and (it is implied) discussed music with Brian Eno. The Second Doctor (with Jamie and Zoe in tow) once joined the Martian chapter of the Hell's Angels as part of an elaborate ruse.

Links: The Zygon Who Fell to Earth

Location: The M62, just outside Bramlington City, near midnight on a Wednesday (The Twins are to be recorded 'live' - actually miming, on Top of the Pops the following night), winter 1974

The Bottom Line: 'For every star you see, there's a lot of darkness and obscurity around them'. Silly and enjoyable, and typically for Magrs, highly visual despite the audio format. There's the sense of a labour of love to this production, with some great casting by Barnaby, enthusiastic acting and fun incidental music if you can stand all the stylophones.

Feedback | Site Map | Admin