Episode 8: ‘Mummy on the Orient Express’

Air date: Saturday 11 October 2014, 8.35pm.

Written by Jamie Mathieson.

Directed by Paul Wilmshurst.

Guest cast: Frank Skinner, David Bamber as Quell, Daisy Beaumont as Maisie, Janet Henfrey as Mrs Pitt, Christopher Villiers, Foxes.

Official synopsis: “The Doctor and Clara are on the most beautiful train in history, speeding among the stars of the future – but they are unaware that a deadly creature is stalking the passengers. Once you see the horrifying Mummy you only have 66 seconds to live. No exceptions, no reprieve. As the Doctor races against the clock Clara sees him at his deadliest and most ruthless. Will he work out how to defeat the Mummy? Start the clock!”

Peter Harness: “I think that the two episodes with the silliest names, ‘Kill the Moon’ and ‘Mummy on the Orient Express’, may well turn out to some of the darkest ones of the season.”

Jamie Mathieson: “The issue I had in constructing the plot was, how do I hide the Mummy? I thought, ‘As soon as the Mummy starts killing people, how stupid are the passengers – and the Doctor – if they can’t spot the killer? I had all sorts of ideas until eventually I came up with the final solution… which I think is a bit spoilery to reveal here!”

Jamie Mathieson: “The thing about the title ‘Mummy On the Orient Express’ is, you think it’s going to be a silly romp, and it’s so not. From the first death onwards, you’re like, ‘Oh, this is quite dark.’ The way the Mummy kills people is particularly spooky. It doesn’t strangle people, doesn’t beat them up or stab them…”

Steven Moffat: “Aboard the most beautiful train in history, speeding among the stars of the future, a legend is stalking the passengers. Once you see the Mummy, you have 66 seconds to live. Clara sees The Doctor at his most deadliest and most ruthless – and finally she realises she’s made the right decision. Because this is their last adventure: it’s time to say goodbye to the Time Lord.”

Steven Moffat: “Brilliant idea for a monster. It looks stunning in a very glamorous way. And it has Foxes singing.”

Foxes: “I’m not playing a villain. I think I’m nice in the show …[the song] is a little bit different from what I’d usually do. It was really nice to be out of my comfort zone.”

Jamie Mathieson: “Steven Moffat says: “the Doctor is finally catching up on his phone calls.”… heh heh heh. Speculation – go!”

Foxes: “I can’t believe I’m actually going to be in an episode of Doctor Who! I was playing a gig and got chatting to the show’s production team who’d been watching my performance. I was telling them how much I loved Doctor Who and next thing they invited me to be on it.”

Steven Moffat: “We are completely thrilled that the amazingly talented Foxes is joining us on board … well, you’ll see. Let’s just say, the Doctor is finally catching up on his phone calls.”

Jamie Mathieson: “Watching rushes from my episode. Seeing Capaldi and Skinner say lines I made up feels like a fever dream. This is going to rock!”

Frank Skinner: “I love this show. I subscribe to Doctor Who magazine, I’ve got a TARDIS ringtone, a five-foot cardboard Dalek in my bedroom and when I got the call saying they wanted me to read for the part, I was in the back of my tour bus watching episode three of ‘The Sensorites’. I am beyond excited.”

Steven Moffat: “It’s no secret that Frank [Skinner]’s been pitching vigorously to get into Doctor Who for a while. He’s been volunteering to be ‘third monster on the left’ as long as I’ve been in this job. But now, in Jamie Mathieson’s sparkling script, we finally have a part that can showcase all of Frank’s famous wit and charm. Hopefully he’ll get out of my garden now.”

Jamie Mathieson: “I am writing for the British institution, children’s nightmare factory and infinite narrative sand-pit that is Doctor Who. Which is an honour. And a joy. And a huge pressure. And very, very cool.”