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{{good article}}
{{Doctorwhobox
{{about|the Doctor Who episode|the 2007 horror film|Forest of the Dead (film)}}
| number = 199b
{{Use British English|date=January 2015}}
| serial_name = Forest of the Dead
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
| image =]
{{Infobox Doctor Who episode
| caption = After River Song sacrifices herself in place of the Doctor, the 4022 saved people are returned to life in the Library.
| number = 195b
| show = DW
| serial_name = Forest of the Dead
| type = episode
| show = DW
| doctor = ] (])
| type = episode
| companion = ] (])
| guests = | image =
| caption =
*] – Professor River Song
| doctor = ] – ]
*] – Dr Moon
| companion = ] – ]
*Harry Peacock – Proper Dave
| guests =
*] – Strackman Lux
* ] – ]
*Jessika Williams – Anita
*] – Other Dave * ] – Dr Moon
* ] – Proper Dave
*Eve Newton – The Girl
* ] – Strackman Lux
*Mark Dexter – Dad
*Jason Pitt – Lee * Jessika Williams – Anita
* ] – Other Dave
*Eloise Rakic-Platt – Ella
*Alex Midwood – Joshua * Eve Newton – The Girl
*] – Miss Evangelista * ] – Dad
* Jason Pitt – Lee
*Jonathan Reuben - Man
* Eloise Rakic-Platt – Ella
| writer = ]
* Alex Midwood – Joshua
| director = ], ]<ref>{{cite web |title=Doctor Who - Episodes - Series Four - Forest of the Dead - Credits|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/episodes/?episode=s4_09&action=iplayer&pid=b00c191w&title=Forest%20Of%20The%20Dead&summary=As%20the%20shadows%20rise,%20the%20Doctor%20forges%20an%20alliance%20with%20the%20mysterious%20River%20Song.%20%20But%20can%20anyone%20stop%20the%20Vashta%20Nerada?| publisher=] }}</ref>
* ] – Miss Evangelista
| script_editor = ]
* Jonathan Reuben – Man
| producer = ]
| director = ]
| executive_producer = ]<br>]
| writer = ]
| production_code = 4.9
| date = ] ] | script_editor = ]
| producer = ]
| series = ]
| executive_producer = ]<br>]
| length = 45 mins
| composer = ]
| preceding = "]"
| production_code = 4.10
| following = "]"
| series = ]
| imdb_id = 1205440
| length = 2nd of 2-part story, 45 minutes
| date = {{Start date|2008|6|7|df=y}}
| preceding = "]"
| following = "]"
}} }}
'''"Forest of the Dead"''' is the ninth episode of the ] of ] ] series '']''. It was first broadcast by ] on ] ].<ref>{{cite web |title= Steven Moffat Takes Charge|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/news/latest/080520_news_01|accessdate=2008-04-04|publisher=]}}</ref> It is the second of a two-part story, following "]". "'''Forest of the Dead'''" is the ninth episode of the ] of the British ] series '']''. It was first broadcast by ] on 7 June 2008. It is the second of a two-part story; the first part, "]", aired on 31 May; it was Moffat's last written story before replacing ] as head writer and showrunner starting from the ] in 2010.


In the episode, the ] ] ] is trapped inside a virtual reality in a planet-sized library's hard drive in the 51st century and has false memories implanted of a married life. At the same time, another time traveller, the ], seeks to rescue Donna and thousands of other humans saved inside the library hard drive while being pursued by a microscopic swarm known as the Vashta Nerada. The episode also features the death of ], who goes on to become a recurring character. She is an archaeologist who has a close relationship with the Doctor, but because of the non-linearity of this partnership, the Doctor in the episode has only just met River.
==Synopsis==
===Plot===
Following from "]", the ] and the exploration team manage to escape the ] and take refuge in a well-lit room. As they work out a plan, the Doctor is concerned about how he can trust River Song, so she whispers a single word in his ear which convinces him: his real name. ] finds herself at a care home named "CAL", apparently two years later, with Dr Moon treating her. He introduces her to another man, Lee, and is later seen visiting the married Donna and her family. However, Donna keeps noticing that something is wrong; she seems to skip from one place to another at a whim, only to be reminded of the journey by Dr Moon. The little girl watches both the Doctor and Donna by switching channels on her television.


Forest of the Dead was watched by 7.84 million viewers. This came out to a 40% audience share, the highest in series four. It received highly positive reviews, who praised the character of River Song, and Tate's performance. This episode, along with "Silence in the Library", was nominated for a ] in the ] category.
In the library, the Doctor discovers that the moon is sending out electromagnetic signals that are interfering with his ]. Strackman Lux explains that the moon is a ] for the planet-side computer core. The Doctor briefly interrupts this signal, and suddenly appears in Dr Moon's place next to Donna; Dr Moon is quite literally the "doctor moon". The Doctor then understands that the message "4022 saved" didn't mean they were rescued, but that their teleport patterns were saved to the library's hard drive. They are found once more by the Vashta Nerada suit and forced to flee, but the Doctor stays behind to reason with it. Through the communicator on the suit, the Vashta Nerada explain that the library is their forest; the paper of countless books in the library was made from trees filled with Vashta Nerada spores, from which they hatched after being shipped to the library. They manage to kill Anita and Other Dave after resuming the chase. River still laments the non-appearance of the Doctor she knew, recalling him making whole armies run away and opening the ] with a click of his fingers.


==Plot==
In the computer core, the truth of the situation is revealed to Donna by none other than Miss Evangelista. She reveals that her Data Ghost was captured by the library's wireless internet, though was corrupted and caused her face to become severely disfigured while increasing her intelligence, leaving her "brilliant but unloved" and able to see the false reality for what it really is. She points out that all the children are merely identical copies, and gets Donna to remember the library. However, the young girl, watching from her television, does not want Donna to know and uses her remote to injure one of Donna's children. Donna leaves Miss Evangelista behind, but her acceptance of the simulated reality is nevertheless shaken, and her invented children disappear when confronted with the fact that they don't exist. The little girl, increasingly frustrated by events, "switches off" her father and throws her remote to the floor, activating the computer's self-destruct mechanism. Dr Moon attempts to protect the girl as he is programmed to do, but he is also switched off.
]''.]]
The ], ], Strackman Lux, and the remainder of their team flee the microscopic ] on the planet-sized Library. Other team members are consumed by the Vashta Nerada, with their space suits being animated by the swarms. During a respite, Lux explains that the Library, and a giant computer constructed at its core, was constructed by his grandfather for Lux's aunt, Charlotte, who was diagnosed with a terminal illness at a young age, to allow her mind to live on among the collected works of humankind. The Doctor realises Charlotte's mind is struggling to cope after "saving" the thousands of patrons by transferring their physical forms to the computer core 100 years ago when the Vashta Nerada attacked.


Within the simulation of a contemporary Earth village, ] is tended to by Dr Moon (an avatar of the ] program) and introduced to Lee, whom she marries. Aware that time seems to be skipping, Donna is alerted by Miss Evangelista, one of River's team members killed by the Vashta Nerada, that she is in a simulation.
To stop the countdown, the Doctor, River Song, and Lux make their way to the computer core. Here, Lux reveals the meaning of CAL: Charlotte Abigail Lux, his grandfather's daughter, who was ] into the computer as a child because she was dying. In this manner, Charlotte could live forever with the sum total of human knowledge to pass the time. However, the strain of maintaining 4022 unique personalities has driven her mad, and the only way to set things right is to reintegrate them in the library. As CAL cannot do this alone, the Doctor prepares to wire his own mind into the system as extra memory, though it will surely kill him. As he works, he is confronted by one of the Vashta Nerada suits. He insists that in exchange for getting to keep their forest, he will get to save the people in the computer core. They initially refuse, but when the Doctor tells them to search for his name in the library's archives, they promptly change their tune and give him a day to clear the planet. River, unwilling to let the Doctor die, which would rewrite history and erase their time together, knocks him out and takes his place, rescuing those trapped in the computer at the cost of her life instead of his.


In the core, the Doctor learns from the Vashta Nerada that their forests were used to create the books of the Library, and so claim the Library as their own. The Vashta Nerada allow the Doctor one day to free the people trapped in the computer core, including Donna, after which the Library will belong to them. The Doctor prepares to hook himself to the computer terminal to provide the extra memory required to download everyone, aware this will likely kill him. River knocks him out and takes his place, insisting that the Doctor's death now would prevent her meeting him in her own past (due to their mismatched timelines).
As the rescued humans are teleported home, Donna meets up with the Doctor. Having been unable to find her husband from the virtual world, the pair walks to the TARDIS, unaware that he is in the next group being teleported out. As the Doctor mournfully leaves River's diary and her sonic screwdriver in the library, he realises the reason why his future self gave her the sonic screwdriver in the first place: it holds a communication device with a Data Ghost. He uses it to bring River back to life inside the computer. After returning to the TARDIS, he decides to test what River Song said about his future: he opens and closes the TARDIS doors by clicking his fingers, then continues his adventures. Meanwhile, River Song appears in the virtual world, where she is greeted by Charlotte and Dr Moon. Anita, the two Daves and Miss Evangelista (her face restored) also appear, their Data Ghosts having been saved by Charlotte and brought into the computer for eternity. Josh and Ella, the homogeneous children from CAL's world, are seen to live with Charlotte and River.


The patrons stored inside the computer rematerialise on the Library surface, where they teleport away to safety. Lee is unable to call out to Donna as he leaves. As the Doctor and Donna leave behind River's diary and ], the Doctor wonders why his future self would give River his screwdriver. He finds a data recorder inside the mechanism which has preserved River's thought pattern. The Doctor saves her pattern to the core. River wakes up in the Earth simulation and is greeted by Charlotte and River's team members who had fallen victim to the Vashta Nerada. Charlotte assures her that the simulation is now a "good place" where River will be safe.
===Continuity===
According to Steven Moffat, the squareness gun used by Professor River Song to help the party escape from the impending Vashta Nerada at the beginning of the episode is intended to be the same ] that was used by ] in the episode "]". Moffat suggests that it was left in the TARDIS after "]", and taken by River Song in the Doctor's future. The name "squareness gun" was coined by ] in the earlier episode.<ref>{{cite serial | title = ] | series = ]| network = ] | station = ] | city = London | began = 2008-06-07 | ended = 2008-06-07}}</ref>


==Production==
The Doctor states several times, while questioning River Song about the origins of her sonic screwdriver, that he never gives them away. While technically true, he did give ] a sonic lipstick, a lipstick-shaped item with a similar range of functions, as a parting gift along with ] at the start of '']'' television series.
===Writing===
This was the second two-parter written by ] for the show, and the sixth episode written by him in total, after "]"/"], "]", "]", and "Silence in the Library".<ref>{{cite news |last=Dowell |first=Ben |date=20 May 2008 |title=Profile: Steven Moffat |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/may/20/bbc.television4 |access-date=16 October 2024 |work=] |publisher=}}</ref> "Forest of the Dead" was initially given the title "River's Run";<ref name="rtaprilfoolsday">{{Cite magazine|date=April 2008 |title=The Stars are Coming Out |magazine=] |issue=5–11 April 2008 |pages=14–24 |publisher=] }}</ref> however, its name was changed relatively late in production ('']'', a major interviewer for the show and episode, had to use the previous title in their column due to the change being so late); in the end, the title was chosen by amalgamating two other suggested titles- "Forest of the Night" and "Return of the Dead".<ref name="cbbc">{{Cite web |date=4 April 2008 |title=Dr Who takes on Forest of the Dead |publisher=] |access-date=4 April 2008 |url-status=live| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7330000/newsid_7331400/7331484.stm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408072520/http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7330000/newsid_7331400/7331484.stm |archive-date=8 April 2008 }}</ref>{{sfn|Pixley|2008|p= 106}} Josh and Ella, Donna's two children in the computer-generated world, were named after Steven Moffat's son and his son's friend, as the friend was a big fan of ''Doctor Who''.<ref name="confidential">{{cite episode |title=] |series=] |network=] |station=] |airdate=2008-06-07 |series-no=4 |number=9 |location=London}}</ref>{{sfn|Pixley|2008|p= 97}}


Most of the cast was shared between both episodes of the two-parter, except Donna's cyberspace husband Lee. In early drafts, Lee was supposed to be an overweight woman, the male version being how she imagined herself in cyberspace, with her stammer supposed to reveal her identity to the audience; Davies said the idea was subsequently dropped, being "too big a concept" for a brief moment.{{sfn|Pixley|2008|p=97}}
Professor River Song uses ] (not heard by the viewer) in order to gain his trust. The secret behind the Doctor's true name was first explored in "]" (also by Steven Moffat), and later referred to in "]" and "]".


Moffat had all the characters survive in some form, in line with his previous episodes, saying that the characters "sort of die", but end up "having a nice storyline"; he said that he felt that the future Doctor would have thought of something that would resolve the situation, and that if someone, like himself, does not believe that souls exist, "the characters are completely themselves, with nothing left behind", as their memories have been completely copied to the simulation.{{sfn|Pixley|2008|p= 97}}
==Production==
"Forest of the Dead" was initially announced under the title "River's Run",<ref name="rtaprilfoolsday">{{cite journal |year=2008 |month=April |title=The Stars are Coming Out |journal=] |issue=5-11 April 2008 |pages=pp 14-24 |accessdate=2008-04-01 |publisher=] }}</ref> before its name was changed relatively late in production.<ref name="cbbc">{{cite web |title=Dr Who takes on Forest Of The Dead | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7330000/newsid_7331400/7331484.stm|accessdate=2008-04-04|publisher=] }}</ref>


===Casting===
Several scenes from this episode and "Silence in the Library" were filmed at ]'s ]. These include the library reception area where the TARDIS arrives, and the staircase where the Doctor and Donna look out over the empty library. The climactic scenes of the episode (in the library core) were filmed in an electrical substation of a disused ] factory in Waunarlwydd, Swansea.<ref>{{cite web|title=Podcast commentary for Forest of the Dead|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/doctorwho/|accessdate=2008-06-07|publisher=]}}</ref>
The role of River Song, whom Davies described as "sort of the Doctor's wife", went to ].<ref>{{cite book |title=Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale&nbsp;– The Final Chapter |last=Davies |first=Russell T |author-link=Russell T Davies |author2=Benjamin Cook |author-link2=Benjamin Cook (journalist) |year=2010 |publisher=] |location=London |isbn=978-1-84607-861-3 |page=263}}</ref> Kingston was not told her role was supposed to be recurring, learning only later that Moffat always intended for Song to come back for return appearances.<ref name="EW interview">{{cite magazine| url=https://ew.com/article/2011/04/21/doctor-who-alex-kingston/| title= 'Doctor Who': Alex Kingston talks playing the mysterious River Song|last=Collis|first=Clark|date=21 April 2011|access-date=12 December 2022|magazine=]|publisher=]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427073928/http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/04/21/doctor-who-alex-kingston/|archive-date=27 April 2011}}</ref> Kingston said she enjoyed getting to play an unusual ] female role.<ref name=TVSquad>{{cite web| title=Alex Kingston on River Song, Being the Doctor's Equal, and Steven Moffat's Plans| url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2011/04/21/alex-kingston-doctor-who/|last=Zaino|first=Nick|work=] |publisher=]|date=23 April 2011|access-date=1 May 2011|url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425090431/http://www.tvsquad.com/2011/04/21/alex-kingston-doctor-who/|archive-date=25 April 2011}}</ref> She said she felt a "warm bond" with Tennant and Tate,<ref name="radiotimes1">{{cite web |url=http://www.radiotimes.com/content/show-features/doctor-who/alex-kingston-on-doctor-who/ |title=Alex Kingston on Doctor Who|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324034845/https://www.radiotimes.com/content/show-features/doctor-who/alex-kingston-on-doctor-who/ |archive-date=24 March 2010 |publisher=] |date=31 May 2008 |access-date=7 December 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> a sentiment that Tennant and Tate shared."<ref name="radiotimes2">{{cite web |url=http://www.radiotimes.com/content/show-features/doctor-who/alex-kingston-guest-stars/ |title=Alex Kingston Guest-Stars|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110809235001/http://www.radiotimes.com:80/content/show-features/doctor-who/alex-kingston-guest-stars/ |archive-date=9 August 2011 |publisher=] |date=31 May 2008 |access-date=7 December 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>


The role of Strackman Lux went to ], who appeared in '']'' with David Tennant. The roles of the other team members were given to newcomers.{{sfn|Pixley|2008|p= 98}}
Josh and Ella, Donna's two children in the computer-generated world, were named after Steven Moffat's son and his son's friend.<ref name="confidential">{{cite serial | title = ] | series = ]| network = ] | station = ] | city = London | began = 2008-06-07 | ended = 2008-06-07}}</ref>


===Filming and effects===
==Reception==
]
Forest of the Dead was watched by 7.1 million viewers, giving it a 40.0% audience share; the highest in Series Four and the highest in its timeslot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gallifreyone.com/news.php|title=Forest of the Dead - Overnight Ratings|publisher=Outpost Gallifrey|date=2008-06-08}}</ref> The episode received an ] score of 89 (considered "Excellent"), the joint highest score the programme has achieved alongside "]", "]" and the preceding episode "]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gallifreyone.com/news.php#newsitemEkEFpEpyFZTPVBQaDt|title=Forest of the Dead - AI and Digital Ratings|first=Marcus|date=2008-06-09|publisher=]|accessdate=2008-06-09}}</ref>
Filming for the two episodes had taken place in late January and early February 2008, with reshoots taking place in the middle of March.{{sfn|Pixley|2008|p= 95}} There were three key locations: ] for the corridors, walkways and bookcase rooms in the Library, ] for the entrances and under library and ] as the main set of the library.{{sfn|Pixley|2008|p =95}}

Various new locations were also used for this episode; the climactic scenes of the episode, in the library's computer core, were filmed in an electrical substation of a disused ] factory in Waunarlwydd, Swansea,<ref name="bbc">{{Cite web|title=Podcast commentary for Forest of the Dead|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/doctorwho/|access-date=2008-06-07|publisher=]|archive-date=1 March 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301054309/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/doctorwho/|url-status=live}}</ref> scenes set in CAL's databanks were filmed at Dyffryn Gardens, St Nicholas;<ref>{{Cite web| url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/arts/sites/doctor-who-wales/alllocations/dyffryn-gardens |title= Walesarts, Dyffryn Gardens, St Nicholas |publisher= ] |access-date= 2010-05-30 |archive-date= 14 April 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190414131729/http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/arts/sites/doctor-who-wales/alllocations/dyffryn-gardens |url-status= live}}</ref> and outside shots were shot across Wales in location such as Palace Road, Victoria Park and Hensol Castle.{{sfn|Pixley|2008|p= 95}}

The presence of the Vashta Nerada was created with lighting managed by director of photography Rory Taylor. To draw the eye toward the shadows, they were deepened in post-production by visual effects company ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/content/show-features/doctor-who/creating-the-vashta-nerada/|title=Creating the Vashta Nerada|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109090940/http://www.radiotimes.com/content/show-features/doctor-who/creating-the-vashta-nerada/|archive-date=9 January 2010|work=] |date=June 2008|access-date=25 March 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The wedding dress Catherine Tate wears in this episode is the same dress she wore in "]".<ref name="bbc" />

==Broadcast and reception==
===Release===
On 6 June, "Silence in the Library" was re-run on ], and "Forest of the Dead" was broadcast on its usual timeslot on ] on Saturday 7 June, running against coverage of the ] and ] on ]; the episode came out the winner, getting more viewership than the football. Like previous episodes in the series, the episode was followed by an episode of '']''.{{sfn|Pixley|2008|p= 107}}

===Ratings===
Forest of the Dead was watched by 7.84 million viewers,<ref name="barb">{{cite web|url=https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/weekly-top-30/?_s=4 |title=Weekly Top 30 Programmes |publisher=] |access-date=19 August 2024}} (No permanent link available. Search for relevant dates.)</ref> giving it a 40% audience share; the highest in Series Four and the highest in its timeslot.{{sfn|Pixley|2008|p= 107}} The episode received an ] score of 89 (considered "Excellent"), one of the highest figures the new series had received to date, alongside "]", "]" and the preceding episode "]".{{sfn|Pixley|2008|p= 107}}

Following the two-parter, Davies praised Moffat, who was succeeding him as showrunner from the next series onwards. He said that Moffat brought "the best attributes" to ''Doctor Who'', such as "intelligence and wit and fears and thrills and dynamism".{{sfn|Pixley|2008|p= 107}}

===Critical reception and accolades===
The episode received positive reviews from critics. The performance of Tate was heavily praised, along with that of Kingston and Tennant, and the emotional beats between the latter two.<ref name="AVR" /><ref name="IGNR" /><ref name="DGR" /> The Vashta Nerada,<ref name= "DGR" /><ref name="RTR" /> and the "emotional" ending were also praised.<ref name="DGR" /><ref name="DSR" /> Some reviewers called the two-parter a highlight, and the best of the season.<ref name="IGNR" /><ref name="DGR" />

Keith Phipps of '']'', giving the episode an 'A-', stated that the episode centered "the emotional core of the Doctor", especially his scenes with River Song. Though he did not find the episode as satisfying as the first part, he still thought it was a "terrific" episode in isolation.<ref name="AVR">{{cite web|last=Phipps|first=Keith| url= https://www.avclub.com/doctor-who-forest-of-the-dead-1798204641 |title= Doctor Who: "Forest of the Dead"| publisher= ] |date= 27 June 2024 | access-date= 13 November 2024}}</ref> ] found “Forest of the Dead” to be a "beautiful contradiction" to "Silence in the Library". He praised the moment of River's self-sacrifice as a "beautiful and tragic" scene.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.gamesradar.com/tv_review_doctor_who_4_9_forest_of_the_dead-review/ |title= TV REVIEW: Doctor Who 4.9 "Forest of the Dead"| publisher= ] |date= 8 June 2024 | access-date= 27 September 2024}}</ref> Similarly, Patrick Mulkern of '']'' found River Song to be an interesting character, and liked the "reams of brilliant ideas" in the episode.<ref>{{cite web|last= Mulkern |first= Patrick|url= https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-guide/silence-in-the-libraryforest-of-the-dead/ |title= Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead ★★★★★| publisher= ] |date= 15 October 2013 | access-date= 27 September 2024}}</ref>

Simon Brew of '']'' heavily praised the episode for its "complete" utilisation of characters and its "masterful" scripting.<ref name="DGR">{{cite web |date=8 June 2008 |title=Doctor Who series 4 episode 9 review: Forest of the Dead |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who-series-4-episode-9-review-forest-of-the-dead-4/ |access-date=13 November 2024 |website=] |publisher=}}</ref> Ben Rawson-Jones from '']'' found that the episode used psychological fears to "brilliantly build" upon the opening; and praised the "stunning twist" on the concept of the parallel world.<ref name="DSR">{{cite web|first=Ben|last=Rawson-Jones| title=S04E09: 'Forest Of The Dead'| url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/cult/a97960/s04e09-forest-of-the-dead-97960/| website=]|date=8 June 2008|access-date=27 September 2024}}</ref> '']''<nowiki/>'s Travis Fickett found the moment of the Doctor lying in sadness after ]'s sacrifice to be one of the series' most emotional moments.<ref name="IGNR">{{cite web|first=Travis|last=Fickett| url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/07/01/doctor-who-forest-of-the-dead-review| title=Doctor Who: "Forest of the Dead" Review |website=]|date=1 July 2008|access-date=27 September 2024}}</ref>

''IGN'' named the two-parter the fourth best story of Tennant's tenure, calling it "a densely-plotted, labyrinthine story. They found it to be a creative and "moving" story.<ref name="IGR">{{cite web|first=Matt|last=Wales|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/105/1058228p2.html|title=Top 10 Tennant Doctor Who stories|website=]|date=5 January 2010|access-date=25 March 2012|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111217193644/http://tv.ign.com/articles/105/1058228p2.html|archive-date=17 December 2011}}</ref> ''Radio Times'' named the two-parter Moffat's ninth best story, praising the "spectacular" cast, and calling the script "deliciously creepy" tying everything together.<ref name="RTR">{{cite web| first=Louise| last=Griffin| website=]| url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-steven-moffat-episodes-ranked/|title=Every Steven Moffat Doctor Who episode ranked from worst to best| date=17 May 2024|access-date=13 November 2024}}</ref> This episode, along with "Silence in the Library", was nominated for a ] in the ] category, but lost out to '']''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/Hugo2009.html|title=2009 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form|work=The Locus Index to Science Fiction Awards|access-date=20 March 2009|first=Mark|last=Kelly|publisher=]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326074410/http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/Hugo2009.html|archive-date=26 March 2009}}</ref> The episode won the 2009 ] for Best Script in Film or Television.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://constellations.tcon.ca/2009.shtml|title=The Constellation Awards – A Canadian Award for Excellence in Film & Television Science Fiction|website=constellations.tcon.ca|access-date=25 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150601072515/http://constellations.tcon.ca/2009.shtml|archive-date=1 June 2015}}</ref>

==See also==
*]


==References== ==References==
{{reflist}} {{Reflist}}


==External links== ==External links==
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* {{Cite magazine |title=Series Four Companion |url=https://archive.org/details/dwm-special-edition-the-companion/DWM%20Special%20Edition%2020%20-%20The%20Series%204%20Companion%202008/ |access-date=25 August 2024 |magazine=] |last=Pixley |first=Andrew |date=19 November 2008 |issue=20 – Special Edition}}
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*{{BBCDWnew | year=2008 | id=S4_09 | title=Forest of the Dead }} *{{BBCDWnew | year=2008 | id=S4_09 | title=Forest of the Dead }}
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Latest revision as of 00:45, 14 November 2024

This article is about the Doctor Who episode. For the 2007 horror film, see Forest of the Dead (film).

2008 Doctor Who episode
195b – "Forest of the Dead"
Doctor Who episode
Cast
Doctor
Companion
Others
Production
Directed byEuros Lyn
Written bySteven Moffat
Script editorHelen Raynor
Produced byPhil Collinson
Executive producer(s)Russell T Davies
Julie Gardner
Music byMurray Gold
Production code4.10
SeriesSeries 4
Running time2nd of 2-part story, 45 minutes
First broadcast7 June 2008 (2008-06-07)
Chronology
← Preceded by
"Silence in the Library" 		Followed by →
"Midnight"
List of episodes (2005–present)

"Forest of the Dead" is the ninth episode of the fourth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast by BBC One on 7 June 2008. It is the second of a two-part story; the first part, "Silence in the Library", aired on 31 May; it was Moffat's last written story before replacing Russell T Davies as head writer and showrunner starting from the fifth series in 2010.

In the episode, the time-travelling temp Donna Noble is trapped inside a virtual reality in a planet-sized library's hard drive in the 51st century and has false memories implanted of a married life. At the same time, another time traveller, the Tenth Doctor, seeks to rescue Donna and thousands of other humans saved inside the library hard drive while being pursued by a microscopic swarm known as the Vashta Nerada. The episode also features the death of River Song, who goes on to become a recurring character. She is an archaeologist who has a close relationship with the Doctor, but because of the non-linearity of this partnership, the Doctor in the episode has only just met River.

Forest of the Dead was watched by 7.84 million viewers. This came out to a 40% audience share, the highest in series four. It received highly positive reviews, who praised the character of River Song, and Tate's performance. This episode, along with "Silence in the Library", was nominated for a Hugo Award in the Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form category.

Plot

The Vashta Nerada inhabited suit as shown at the Doctor Who Experience.

The Tenth Doctor, River, Strackman Lux, and the remainder of their team flee the microscopic Vashta Nerada on the planet-sized Library. Other team members are consumed by the Vashta Nerada, with their space suits being animated by the swarms. During a respite, Lux explains that the Library, and a giant computer constructed at its core, was constructed by his grandfather for Lux's aunt, Charlotte, who was diagnosed with a terminal illness at a young age, to allow her mind to live on among the collected works of humankind. The Doctor realises Charlotte's mind is struggling to cope after "saving" the thousands of patrons by transferring their physical forms to the computer core 100 years ago when the Vashta Nerada attacked.

Within the simulation of a contemporary Earth village, Donna is tended to by Dr Moon (an avatar of the virus checker program) and introduced to Lee, whom she marries. Aware that time seems to be skipping, Donna is alerted by Miss Evangelista, one of River's team members killed by the Vashta Nerada, that she is in a simulation.

In the core, the Doctor learns from the Vashta Nerada that their forests were used to create the books of the Library, and so claim the Library as their own. The Vashta Nerada allow the Doctor one day to free the people trapped in the computer core, including Donna, after which the Library will belong to them. The Doctor prepares to hook himself to the computer terminal to provide the extra memory required to download everyone, aware this will likely kill him. River knocks him out and takes his place, insisting that the Doctor's death now would prevent her meeting him in her own past (due to their mismatched timelines).

The patrons stored inside the computer rematerialise on the Library surface, where they teleport away to safety. Lee is unable to call out to Donna as he leaves. As the Doctor and Donna leave behind River's diary and sonic screwdriver, the Doctor wonders why his future self would give River his screwdriver. He finds a data recorder inside the mechanism which has preserved River's thought pattern. The Doctor saves her pattern to the core. River wakes up in the Earth simulation and is greeted by Charlotte and River's team members who had fallen victim to the Vashta Nerada. Charlotte assures her that the simulation is now a "good place" where River will be safe.

Production

Writing

This was the second two-parter written by Steven Moffat for the show, and the sixth episode written by him in total, after "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances, "The Girl in the Fireplace", "Blink", and "Silence in the Library". "Forest of the Dead" was initially given the title "River's Run"; however, its name was changed relatively late in production (Radio Times, a major interviewer for the show and episode, had to use the previous title in their column due to the change being so late); in the end, the title was chosen by amalgamating two other suggested titles- "Forest of the Night" and "Return of the Dead". Josh and Ella, Donna's two children in the computer-generated world, were named after Steven Moffat's son and his son's friend, as the friend was a big fan of Doctor Who.

Most of the cast was shared between both episodes of the two-parter, except Donna's cyberspace husband Lee. In early drafts, Lee was supposed to be an overweight woman, the male version being how she imagined herself in cyberspace, with her stammer supposed to reveal her identity to the audience; Davies said the idea was subsequently dropped, being "too big a concept" for a brief moment.

Moffat had all the characters survive in some form, in line with his previous episodes, saying that the characters "sort of die", but end up "having a nice storyline"; he said that he felt that the future Doctor would have thought of something that would resolve the situation, and that if someone, like himself, does not believe that souls exist, "the characters are completely themselves, with nothing left behind", as their memories have been completely copied to the simulation.

Casting

The role of River Song, whom Davies described as "sort of the Doctor's wife", went to Alex Kingston. Kingston was not told her role was supposed to be recurring, learning only later that Moffat always intended for Song to come back for return appearances. Kingston said she enjoyed getting to play an unusual action hero female role. She said she felt a "warm bond" with Tennant and Tate, a sentiment that Tennant and Tate shared."

The role of Strackman Lux went to Steve Pemberton, who appeared in Blackpool with David Tennant. The roles of the other team members were given to newcomers.

Filming and effects

The Old Swansea Central Library to the right in the image

Filming for the two episodes had taken place in late January and early February 2008, with reshoots taking place in the middle of March. There were three key locations: Upper Boat Studios for the corridors, walkways and bookcase rooms in the Library, Brangwyn Hall for the entrances and under library and Old Swansea Central Library as the main set of the library.

Various new locations were also used for this episode; the climactic scenes of the episode, in the library's computer core, were filmed in an electrical substation of a disused Alcoa factory in Waunarlwydd, Swansea, scenes set in CAL's databanks were filmed at Dyffryn Gardens, St Nicholas; and outside shots were shot across Wales in location such as Palace Road, Victoria Park and Hensol Castle.

The presence of the Vashta Nerada was created with lighting managed by director of photography Rory Taylor. To draw the eye toward the shadows, they were deepened in post-production by visual effects company The Mill.

The wedding dress Catherine Tate wears in this episode is the same dress she wore in "The Runaway Bride".

Broadcast and reception

Release

On 6 June, "Silence in the Library" was re-run on BBC3, and "Forest of the Dead" was broadcast on its usual timeslot on BBC1 on Saturday 7 June, running against coverage of the Canadian Grand Prix and Euro 2008 on ITV1; the episode came out the winner, getting more viewership than the football. Like previous episodes in the series, the episode was followed by an episode of Doctor Who Confidential.

Ratings

Forest of the Dead was watched by 7.84 million viewers, giving it a 40% audience share; the highest in Series Four and the highest in its timeslot. The episode received an Appreciation Index score of 89 (considered "Excellent"), one of the highest figures the new series had received to date, alongside "The Parting of the Ways", "Doomsday" and the preceding episode "Silence in the Library".

Following the two-parter, Davies praised Moffat, who was succeeding him as showrunner from the next series onwards. He said that Moffat brought "the best attributes" to Doctor Who, such as "intelligence and wit and fears and thrills and dynamism".

Critical reception and accolades

The episode received positive reviews from critics. The performance of Tate was heavily praised, along with that of Kingston and Tennant, and the emotional beats between the latter two. The Vashta Nerada, and the "emotional" ending were also praised. Some reviewers called the two-parter a highlight, and the best of the season.

Keith Phipps of A.V. Club, giving the episode an 'A-', stated that the episode centered "the emotional core of the Doctor", especially his scenes with River Song. Though he did not find the episode as satisfying as the first part, he still thought it was a "terrific" episode in isolation. SFX found “Forest of the Dead” to be a "beautiful contradiction" to "Silence in the Library". He praised the moment of River's self-sacrifice as a "beautiful and tragic" scene. Similarly, Patrick Mulkern of Radio Times found River Song to be an interesting character, and liked the "reams of brilliant ideas" in the episode.

Simon Brew of Den of Geek heavily praised the episode for its "complete" utilisation of characters and its "masterful" scripting. Ben Rawson-Jones from Digital Spy found that the episode used psychological fears to "brilliantly build" upon the opening; and praised the "stunning twist" on the concept of the parallel world. IGN's Travis Fickett found the moment of the Doctor lying in sadness after River Song's sacrifice to be one of the series' most emotional moments.

IGN named the two-parter the fourth best story of Tennant's tenure, calling it "a densely-plotted, labyrinthine story. They found it to be a creative and "moving" story. Radio Times named the two-parter Moffat's ninth best story, praising the "spectacular" cast, and calling the script "deliciously creepy" tying everything together. This episode, along with "Silence in the Library", was nominated for a Hugo Award in the Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form category, but lost out to Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. The episode won the 2009 Constellation Award for Best Script in Film or Television.

See also

References

  1. Dowell, Ben (20 May 2008). "Profile: Steven Moffat". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  2. "The Stars are Coming Out". Radio Times. No. 5–11 April 2008. BBC. April 2008. pp. 14–24.
  3. "Dr Who takes on Forest of the Dead". CBBC Newsround. 4 April 2008. Archived from the original on 8 April 2008. Retrieved 4 April 2008.
  4. Pixley 2008, p. 106.
  5. "River Runs Deep". Doctor Who Confidential. Series 4. Episode 9. London. 7 June 2008. BBC. BBC Three.
  6. ^ Pixley 2008, p. 97.
  7. Davies, Russell T; Benjamin Cook (2010). Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale – The Final Chapter. London: BBC Books. p. 263. ISBN 978-1-84607-861-3.
  8. Collis, Clark (21 April 2011). "'Doctor Who': Alex Kingston talks playing the mysterious River Song". Entertainment Weekly. Time, Inc. Archived from the original on 27 April 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  9. Zaino, Nick (23 April 2011). "Alex Kingston on River Song, Being the Doctor's Equal, and Steven Moffat's Plans". TVSquad. Weblogs, Inc. Archived from the original on 25 April 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  10. "Alex Kingston on Doctor Who". Radio Times. 31 May 2008. Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
  11. "Alex Kingston Guest-Stars". Radio Times. 31 May 2008. Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
  12. Pixley 2008, p. 98.
  13. ^ Pixley 2008, p. 95.
  14. ^ "Podcast commentary for Forest of the Dead". BBC. Archived from the original on 1 March 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2008.
  15. "Walesarts, Dyffryn Gardens, St Nicholas". BBC. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  16. "Creating the Vashta Nerada". Radio Times. June 2008. Archived from the original on 9 January 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  17. ^ Pixley 2008, p. 107.
  18. "Weekly Top 30 Programmes". Barb Audiences. Retrieved 19 August 2024. (No permanent link available. Search for relevant dates.)
  19. ^ Phipps, Keith (27 June 2024). "Doctor Who: "Forest of the Dead"". A.V. Club. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  20. ^ Fickett, Travis (1 July 2008). "Doctor Who: "Forest of the Dead" Review". IGN. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  21. ^ "Doctor Who series 4 episode 9 review: Forest of the Dead". Den of Geek. 8 June 2008. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  22. ^ Griffin, Louise (17 May 2024). "Every Steven Moffat Doctor Who episode ranked from worst to best". Radio Times. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  23. ^ Rawson-Jones, Ben (8 June 2008). "S04E09: 'Forest Of The Dead'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  24. "TV REVIEW: Doctor Who 4.9 "Forest of the Dead"". GamesRadar+. 8 June 2024. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  25. Mulkern, Patrick (15 October 2013). "Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead ★★★★★". Radio Times. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  26. Wales, Matt (5 January 2010). "Top 10 Tennant Doctor Who stories". IGN. Archived from the original on 17 December 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  27. Kelly, Mark. "2009 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form". The Locus Index to Science Fiction Awards. Locus. Archived from the original on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
  28. "The Constellation Awards – A Canadian Award for Excellence in Film & Television Science Fiction". constellations.tcon.ca. Archived from the original on 1 June 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2018.

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