First broadcast on 11 April 2009 as the first Easter special in Doctor Who history, Planet of the Dead marks the second of the 2009 specials that would lead toward the end of the Tenth Doctor’s tenure. Written by Russell T Davies and Gareth Roberts, and directed by James Strong, this episode brings a lighter tone after the emotional introspection of The Next Doctor. With sun-drenched visuals, high adventure, and a new one-off companion, it’s a story that feels like a classic sci-fi romp. Rewatching in 2025, it remains a fun if somewhat lightweight tale, buoyed by a breezy performance from David Tennant and some ambitious location work.
The story begins in modern-day London with a classic Davies setup: a seemingly ordinary bus journey is suddenly hurled through a wormhole to a distant desert planet. Among the passengers is Lady Christina de Souza, a thief on the run after stealing a valuable golden chalice from a museum. Played with suave confidence by Michelle Ryan, Christina brings a very different dynamic to the Tenth Doctor’s usual companions. She’s smart, composed, and very much her own agent.
The chemistry between Tennant and Ryan is immediate. Christina is bold and flirtatious, not unlike an intergalactic Lara Croft, and Tennant’s Doctor is clearly both intrigued and exasperated by her. Their banter is snappy, and there’s a spark that makes one wonder what a longer partnership between them might have looked like. She challenges him, flirts with him, and at one point even swings across an alien canyon with a grin. In short, she’s not your typical companion—and that’s part of the episode’s fun.
The alien world they find themselves stranded on was filmed in Dubai, marking one of the show’s most ambitious location shoots up to that point. The result is visually striking: real dunes, bright sunlight, and an expansive sky that sells the idea of a hostile, far-off planet. The production team’s effort pays off in giving the special an epic feel, even though the plot is relatively small-scale.
That plot involves a race against time to repair the bus and escape the desert before a swarm of metallic stingray-like creatures—the Tritovores—break through the dimensional portal into Earth. These creatures devour everything in their path, and their presence adds urgency without ever feeling like the core focus. In truth, the special is less about danger and more about mood. It’s an adventure in the classic sense, with tension but little tragedy.
Supporting characters include UNIT, represented by Captain Magambo (returning from Turn Left) and the nerdy genius Malcolm, played with jittery enthusiasm by Lee Evans. Evans is clearly having fun, and while his performance is divisive, it does inject a lot of personality into the Earthbound side of the story. His worshipful awe of the Doctor is amusing, and the final scene of him hugging the TARDIS is unexpectedly endearing.
Thematically, Planet of the Dead is about connections and farewells. Christina wants to join the Doctor in the TARDIS, and in many ways, she’d be a perfect fit. But the Doctor refuses. His loneliness is mounting—we can see it in his eyes—but he’s still reeling from what happened to Donna and the weight of travelling alone. He won’t risk another person’s life, not now. The scene where he turns Christina down, even as she soars away in her stolen flying bus, is telling. He’s not ready to share the TARDIS again, not yet.
There’s also a growing sense of foreboding. The psychic passenger, Carmen, delivers a cryptic warning to the Doctor: "Your song is ending, sir. It is returning. It is returning through the dark. And then... he will knock four times." It’s a chilling moment, beautifully played by Tennant, who registers the prophecy with a flicker of dread. From here, the countdown to his regeneration begins in earnest.
Rewatching in 2025, Planet of the Dead is enjoyable, if not essential. It’s light-hearted, glossy, and paced like a summer blockbuster. While it lacks the emotional punch of the Tennant era’s heavier stories, it succeeds on its own terms as a cheerful, well-produced adventure. It also provides a last moment of levity before the final three specials delve into darker, more reflective territory.
And perhaps that’s the point. The Doctor gets to be the hero in the desert, save the day, and smile as a flying London bus soars into the sky. He gets to play, just for a little while longer, before destiny begins to close in.
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