It's 18th Century France and the court of Versailles is under attack by clockwork killers. The mistress of
King Louis XV, Madame De Pompadour, calls for the mysterious man in her dreams - the Doctor.
EPISODE STATS:
The Girl In The Fireplace:
First Broadcast on 5th May 2006.
Running Time: 45 Minutes. Viewing Figures: 7.90 million. Written By Steven Moffatt. Directed By Euros Lyn. Executive Producers Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner. David-Tennant.com Rating: 10/10
PRODUCTION
NOTES:
Locations used in this episode included Dyffryn Gardens in Glamorgan, Tredgar House in Newport and Ragley Hall
in Warwickshire. The clockwork droids in the episode were designed
by Neill Gorton and Louise Page and were based upon the real life clockwork chess player, The Turk. Russell T Davies described The Girl In The Fireplace as 'a love
story for the Doctor'. The working titles for the episode included
Madame de Pompadour, Every Tick of My Heart and Reinette And
The Lonely Angel. Two horses were used on set. One horse called Bolero was used for close
ups and the other, for jumps. For
the scene were the Doctor jumps through the mirror on horseback, a stunt rider was used and David Tennant's head was superimposed
on to his body in post production.
THE FOES: Repair Droids from the S.S Madame de Pompadour begin stalking the human Madame
de Pompadour. A droid explains to Reinette that their ship was damaged in an ion storm and the droids have been harvesting
the body organs of the crew and wiring them in to the ship. One final part is needed for the ship to be fully repaired and to function again - Reinette's brain
and these clockwork monsters are willing to go to any lengths to get it, even threatening to decapitate her! THE FRIENDS: The Doctor falls in love with the beautiful and intelligent
and Reinette. There is literally
a meeting of minds for the couple when the Doctor reads her mind to find out more about the Droids plan and discovers to his
shock that Reniette can also read his mind. Reniette feels much sympathy towards the Doctor's innermost thoughts and his loneliness and calls him 'her lonely angel'. When Reniette tells the Doctor that it is time that
he learnt to dance, there is the suggestion that she and the Doctor have shared a level of intimacy. Rose, seeing that the Doctor has fallen in love with
Reinette is willing to allow her to travel with them in the TARDIS, but her question of "Why her?" which goes unanswered,
shows that Rose was perhaps jealous of the Doctor's feelings towards her. The Doctor is left heartbroken when he returns to Versailles too late and finds
that Reinette has died. She has left a letter referring to the Doctor as 'My Love' and 'My Lonely Angel' and willing him to
return to her soon...
FACTS:
The real Madame De Pompadour was apparently nicknamed "Reinette" by her
mother after a fortune teller claimed that she would someday 'reign' over the heart of a king.
This episode won
the 2007 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form.
Steven Moffatt wrote
the role of Reinette with Sophia Myles in mind as he admired her portrayal of Lady Penelope in The Thunderbirds after watching
it with his children.
The ballgown worn
by Sophia Myles in the episode was previously worn by Dame Helen Mirren in the film The Madness Of King George.
Whilst working on
Casanova with David Tennant, Russell T Davies began to research Madame de Pompadour and decided she would be brilliant in
an episode of Doctor Who.
The kiss with Reinette
was the first kiss the Doctor had experienced that wasn't with a companion.
