Earth Defence: Series One - 2002

Earth Defence was the first canonical spin-off show for Doctor Who, it would’ve been created by Script Editor of Doctor Who Paul Cornell and would’ve aired from 13th April - 15th June 2002.

The series was created due to the reception of the return of Bernice Summerfield and the Earth Defence Agency in the Doctor Who episode ‘Destruction’. Cornell was originally going to run the show but due to how busy he was on Doctor Who he couldn’t do it, instead the task was given to Russell T Davies who had written some of the best Doctor Who stories around and in recent years wrote the critically acclaimed drama ‘Queer as Folk’. Although the series would be broadcast on BBC One it would actually be produced by independent company ‘Red Production Company’, Davies would be head writer and executive producer alongside Nicola Shindler, who had worked with Russell on Queer as Folk, the show’s main producer would be Nick Hurran.

The cast would feature Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield, Marc Warren as Lewis Carter, Sophie Okonedo as Alicia McKenzie and Jason Merrells as Tom Ashby.

The titles would show shots of Earth with the main cast names before the logo would show up and the episode and writer’s credit would follow soon after, the theme was composed by Murray Gold, Gold had previously worked with Davies before and Davies decided to bring him onto the series, Gold’s theme is a unique one with a creepy and edgy feel to it.

New World

13th April

By Russell T Davies

This story sets up the series and introduces us to the Earth Defence Agency, the story is basically the Doctor Who story ‘Partners in Crime’ from real life although it’s a lot darker, for example when

the people turn completely into adipose a lot of the fat from their bodies melt off whilst still turning into Adipose, overall it’s the same story.

Deadly Gas

20th April

By Chris Chibnall

This is basically the same story as the Torchwood episode ‘Day One’, so it’s very much the same.

Falling Down

27th April

By Steven Moffat

This story would be about the Earth Defence Agency investigating a cult named ‘The Doomsday Devoters’ who recruit people into joining their cult, they believe if they kill themselves they will be allowed in the afterlife before the apocalypse will happen. The story would focus on the team trying to stop the crew and their followers from jumping of the roof of a building but it’s no good as they all jump on the hour and plummet to their deaths.

Night Dreams

4th May

By Nicholas Briggs

This story sees Bernice having vivid nightmares every night about people on the streets being killed and when she wakes up they actually happen, the story would see the team try and help Bernice and at the end of the story it is revealed she was bit by an alien bug which can make you nightmares invade your head when awake, so none of the events happened and it was all in Bernice’s mind.

Aliens of London

11th May

By Russell T Davies

This is pretty much the same story as in real life, the only differences is that the character of

Harriet Jones is replaced with Barbara Warburton played by Penelope Keith and all the stuff with Rose going missing is changed as well but apart from that it’s the same.

World War Three

18th May

By Russell T Davies

Again pretty much the same but with Barbara instead of Harriet and all the Rose stuff gone as such I don’t need to discuss it.

Good Luck

25th May

By Rupert Laight

This story is about a man named Clive who seemingly gets good luck were ever he goes, Bernice becomes suspicious of him and it’s discovered he is wearing an alien ring which if worn can give someone the best life possible, the story would see the team trying to get the ring off him and in the end she does and Clive’s life falls apart around him.

Fizzy Drink

1st June

By Russell T Davies and Gareth Roberts

This story is pretty much the same as the Sarah Jane Adventures story Invasion of The Bane’, only difference is Luke’s character not becoming a regular at the end and is replaced with a

sentient alien who is trapped and just wants to go home and Sarah, Maria, and a few other of the characters being swapped out for Bernice, Lewis, Alicia and Tom.

Graveyard Blues

8th - 15th June

By Russell T Davies & Paul Cornell

This story would see the team investigate a Voodoo cult who are trying to resurrect the dead and make an army of zombies, the team would try and stop them but in the end a small group of Zombies awake and try to get in the church where the team and cult are hiding at the end of the story Bernice performs a ritual to make the Zombies die which the do, the cult are arrested and the day is saved. At the end of the story when Bernice is locking up the base a man encounters her, played by Timothy Dalton, he says his name is Thomas Szydlo and he runs an agency, similar to the Earth Defence Agency, called the Secret Extra Terrestrial Intelligence Service or M.I. X and he warns Bernice that she or her team better not get in his way otherwise it can go very bad for her, he then walks away and the episode ends.

And that concludes Series One of Earth Defence, it was fairly well received but had it’s floors, the next season is Season 39 of Doctor Who until then thank you for watching and goodbye.