S4.E7

The Unicorn and the Wasp

Episode aired Jun 13, 2008
TV-PG
45m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Felicity Jones, Catherine Tate, David Tennant, Fenella Woolgar, and Adam Rayner in Doctor Who (2005)

With a 1926 dinner party turning into a murder mystery, The Doctor and Donna Noble get the chance to meet Agatha Christie on the eve of her well-known 9-days disappearance.With a 1926 dinner party turning into a murder mystery, The Doctor and Donna Noble get the chance to meet Agatha Christie on the eve of her well-known 9-days disappearance.With a 1926 dinner party turning into a murder mystery, The Doctor and Donna Noble get the chance to meet Agatha Christie on the eve of her well-known 9-days disappearance.

Director
- Graeme Harper
Writers
- Gareth Roberts
- Sydney Newman
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

7.8K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Graeme Harper
Writers
- Gareth Roberts
- Sydney Newman
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
Because of Agatha Christie appearing as a central character in the story, references are made throughout the dialogue to her works. Donna and others drop the names of several of Agatha's works: Why Didn't They Ask Evans, Murder on the Orient Express, N or M, Nemesis, Cards on the Table, Cat Among the Pigeons, Dead Man's Folly, They Do It With Mirrors, Appointment with Death, Sparkling Cyanide (also known as Death Remembered), Endless Night, Crooked House, and Murder at the Vicarage. Also, the book that Lady Eddison reads in a flashback is another Agatha Christie work, 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.'

Goofs
We're told thieves broke into the church on Thursday night, but in the flashback, the church is lit by daylight.

Quotes
[the Doctor makes muffled noises while making a shaking motion]
Donna Noble: I can't understand you! How many words?
[the Doctor holds up one finger]
Donna Noble: One! One word! Shake, milk-shake, milk! Milk! No? Not milk! Um, shake, shake, shake! Cocktail shake! What, d'you want a Harvey Wallbanger?
The Doctor: Harvey Wallbanger?
Donna Noble: Well, I don't know!
The Doctor: How is Harvey Wallbanger one word?
Agatha Christie: What do you need Doctor?
The Doctor: Salt! I was miming salt! I need salt! I need something salty!
[Donna grabs a bag from the counter]
Donna Noble: What about this?
The Doctor: What is it?
Donna Noble: Salt!
The Doctor: That's too salty!
Donna Noble: Oh, that's too salty!
Agatha Christie: What about this?
[Agatha hands the Doctor a jar and he upends it, eating the food]
Donna Noble: What's that?
Agatha Christie: Anchovies.

Connections
Featured in Doctor Who Confidential: Nemesis (2008)

Soundtracks
Love Is The Sweetest Thing
(uncredited)
By Ray Noble

User reviews28

Review

Featured review

9/10

The Sting of death

My Series 4 Review: Episode 7

The Unicorn and the Wasp

This story has the Doctor and Donna attending a garden party in the 1920s and meeting Agatha Christie just prior to her famous real life temporary disappearance. Then there is a murder mystery involving a giant wasp from outer space! It sounds ridiculous but the unbelievable nature of events and the coincidences are all deliberately used to great comedic effect.

Writer Gareth Roberts tends to write comedy episodes and this one is exceptionally witty and knowing in its humour. Tennant and Tate are hilarious. The idea of a murder mystery involving Agatha Christie is very cleverly made to work and it is quite inspired and fun.

The giant wasp is done well in terms of effects but is perhaps an idea a little bit too far. The wasp aspect, especially the buzzing of the human side of the character, is the only little thing in the episode I wasn't so keen on. But this is still an excellent entertainment with many great features.

It reminds me of the 5th Doctor story Black Orchid which is probably not a total coincidence.

It is lovely to get an appearance from Christopher Benjamin who had appeared brilliantly more than once in the classic series so many years earlier plus Felicity Kendal of The Good Life fame and Felicity Jones of Star Wars Rogue One fame. The period setting is lovely too.

David Tennant and Catherine Tate are superb as usual.

My Rating: 8.5/10.