Girl in the Fireplace

Written by Steven Moffat
Directed by Euros Lyn

Madame de Pompadour is being haunted by a stranger called the Doctor. But is she really in 18th-century Versailles … or on board a ship in the 51st century?


GUEST CAST


SOPHIA MYLES …… Reinette

OK I liked and didn't like this ep

First, they've gotten quite wild with the intro stuff. I keep thinking....this can't be Doctor Who, am I on the right channel? Honestly, I've checked the guide at the beginning every week since the Ninja opening.

I don't really like Mickey on board but I loved the lines {Rose} " You can't keep the horse" {Doctor} " I let you keep Mickey" that almost makes him worth it. I think Captain Jack added something as a third, I even think Rose's Mom would add something, but I just don't like Micky

I thought Ten and Sophia Myles had WOW chemistry. It was a little disconcerting as both Ten and CE have clearly focused on Rose as a little more than companion vibe. To have the Doctor clearly attracted to another chick in so short a time was again.. disconcerting. I was surprised there was not more jealously from Rose, she was mostly hurt a bit it seemed.

On the other hand the Doctor is not human so attributing human mating rituals don't really apply, so I'm starting to buy that he can "love" many people deeply a one time.

So I'm hearing that Ten and SM were dating when this ep was filmed. Goodness, it showed, quite a shocking kiss for DW.

So it clearly really looked like Ten jumping the horse threw the window {points for that and his form, that part of coming off a fence is very difficult to look graceful in, the jump up is easy, down not so much unless it's a pretty high fence which this looked like it was} altho the overlay from clearly greenscreen wasn't very good.

I hated they cut the scene where Rose tells Mickey {or it comes out} the TARDIS had a homing device to get she and Mickey home if the Doctor couldn't get back. It looked like he'd abandoned them in space. I think I remember the homing thing coming up in "parting of the ways" but still that isn't what came to mind when Micky was questioning Rose. And it made the "how long did you wait" doctor comment not make sence. What a silly line to cut?

OK things I liked, now this is funny cause it's exactly some of the things I didn't like.

I liked they are starting to show the Doctor has different emotions than a human. Having an intense reaction to Madame de Pompadour and still clearly loving Rose, an echo of the Sara Jane ep, I think this is good. Giving the Doctor layers I hadn't seen before. Again, I'm not so much a shipper person with DW but I can see how this will cause a stir among newer more romantic veiwers.

I like that they are mixing up the look of the show. {even if it fools me} For the most part I think the blending of special effects of the newer more modern and paying homage to the older effects is working well.

I like Billie/Rose's acting with this Doctor very much. They have a common giddiness mixed with steel.

Still don't like Mickey

They were dating - and it really does show, doesn't it?

It was Ten riding the horse. He jumped over a fence in reality. I agree that the greenscreen thing didn't really work, but you stop noticing after the first few viewings

I also both loved and hated this ep. Although I think I'd now list it as one of my favourites.

I hated that DW would fall so completely for someone, in a romantic sense. But I also kind of loved that he does. Makes him less 'alien' and shows he does have real feelings that he's willing to show. His pain at finding MdeP dead on his return was really painful to see.

The clockwork people were scary, btw. Gave Pip nightmares for a week

Actually, no. They had a stuntman riding the horse, and then they pasted Ten's head on him - if you look closely you can see his hair is actually different. As far as I recall, DT was only ever allowed to dismount from the horse or something like that.

This episode is really a favourite of mine. I love the way it constantly surprises (a horse on a spaceship???), and Mme de Pompadour is quite a character. Doesn't hurt that they obviously have such great chemistry either Not growing up with DW, I have no qualms at all about the Doctor falling in love - see, there are some advantages to not having seen any of the old series.

Yeah, I can't imagine not having the classic in my head. I grew up with Tom Baker Doctor, it made a huge impression.

Disappointed the jump wasn't Ten but the angle showed it really was a pretty high fence so they prolly couldn't risk him even if he could ride that well. Wonder if he rides? I know Tony Head said he wasn't allowed to ride much when he was linked with Buffy cause it was considered too dangerous.

From what they said on the Confidential (and possibly also the commentary, which you can get from the official BBC website, and I highly recommend the one for this episode - Stephen Moffat is a great commenter), that clip of the horse jumping through the mirror was so complicated, they almost didn't film it. They weren't allowed to have a horse in that hall, and then DT wasn't allowed to ride it (I have a feeling he said something about not being able to as well), and it was all just incredibly complicated. I'm very glad they kept it in, though, it's so incredibly wild and impulsive and feels just right.

It is DT riding the horse over the fence. We see him do it in the Confidential programme.... I've watched that one several times and never picked up on it being a stuntman on the horse for the jump

The horse wasn't allowed in the house itself - they worried about their floor being damaged, and DT was relieved about that. But I'm pretty sure he did the actual jump

I went back and looked at the Confidential to see if I'd remembered it wrong (as if I needed an excuse ). I'm still convinced it was a stuntman jumping over the fence. Phil Collinson (the producer) says "we had to shoot David and the horse and a stuntman jumping over the fence on another day" (okay, I'm paraphrasing but it was pretty close to that). And then they show a clip of David getting on the horse in front of a green screen. Next they show someone jumping over the fence. I really think that's a stuntman, though admittedly you don't get a good look at his face:

- he's a different build, and he has a different hairstyle. And I don't see what they'd need a stuntman for, if not for that particular shot. It's a pretty darned high fence he's jumping.

David had much shorter and spikier hair in that episode, as witnessed here:

(What? No, it's not just an excuse for posting a picture of that kiss! )

I'm fairly certain Stephen Moffatt talks about it on the commentary as well, but I haven't had the time to re-listen, as I'm supposed to be busy studying...

Edit: Stephen Moffatt and Noel Clarke definitely say on the commentary that it's a stuntman doing the jump. (What? As if Dr Who doesn't win out over studying Administrative Law any day... ). Oh, and the commentaries are available for download from the BBC website here. I really recommend the one for this episode.

That's a really high fence I have in my day jumped quite a few 5 to 5 1/2 feet courses. That fence is higher I honestly thought they'd taken the fence jumping down a bank. I'm impressed they used a verticel.

You're right, it's a stuntman. I misunderstood the confidential clip.

'The Girl In The Fireplace' is a strange episode. They jump from the 18th century to the 51st century a lot in this episode. The Doctor fell in love with a woman from the past, and like with Captain Kirk, it was doomed to fail. He manage to save her from the villians only to lose her to the time stream.

OK, I didn't read the whole thread, because I didn't want to be spoiled, so I apologize if this was answered. I watched just the beginning of this epi until the scary guy popped up behind the little girl. It freaked me out so much that I turned it off. I've been really wanting to see this epi, since people like it so much, but is that scary guy going to keep popping up? Yes, I know I'm a big wimp, but I must know.

If you are talking about the Clockwork people, yes, they keep showing up but that is the scariest surprise scene. The Doctor, as always does a good job of being scarier than the monsters under the bed

Oh hon... if this one scares you Blink will be very bad for you, but that is the very best Doctor Who EVER IMO. All the Moffat written eps are very scary but at the same time very positive and very very elegant. Plus, he's the man to come { he's taking over for RTD} so you better just get used to being scared like this

I actually liked Blink A LOT, although there were parts that were a little hard for me to get through. It wasn't the surprise that bothered me so much, since I was expecting something to pop out. I have a weird phobia of scary dolls (I can't watch the episode of the Twilight Zone with the ventriloquest dummy), and that sort of looked like a scary doll to me. Thanks for the help.

Blink continues to scare the begeezes out of me. I'll never look at statues the same again There was this great bird bath with an Angel I really wanted but now I have to hide my eyes every time I go to the garden store