Harriet Jones
| Doctor Who character | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Harriet Jones | |
| Affiliated | Ninth Doctor Tenth Doctor Children of Time |
| Species | Human |
| Home planet | Earth |
| Home era | 21st century |
| First appearance | "Aliens of London" |
| Last appearance | "The Stolen Earth" |
| Portrayed by | Penelope Wilton |
Harriet Jones MP is a recurring fictional character played by Penelope Wilton in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. With the revival of Doctor Who in 2005, Jones was introduced in the two-part story "Aliens of London" and "World War Three" as an MP who aids the Ninth Doctor against an alien invasion of London. Later becoming Prime Minister, she is also featured in two episodes with the Tenth Doctor: the 2005 Christmas special "The Christmas Invasion" and in the 2008 episode "The Stolen Earth".
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[edit] Character outline
The role of Harriet Jones was specifically written for Wilton by Doctor Who writer and executive producer Russell T Davies, with whom she had previously worked on Bob and Rose (ITV, 2001). Jones is introduced in the 2005 episode "Aliens of London", as a modest and unassuming backbench MP for the fictional constituency of Flydale North.[1] After Christopher Eccleston's departure from the series's lead role, Davies was eager to include elements of the 2005 season in that year's Christmas special, Tenth Doctor David Tennant's first full episode, to reassure viewers discomforted by the sudden change of lead actor. To this end, he and producer Phil Collinson secured the return of Wilton's character, now promoted to the role of Prime Minister.[2]
A running gag associated with the character is that Jones always introduces herself by flashing an identity card and stating her name and position, since her original constituency is a "tiny little place" no one has heard of.[1] Despite becoming Prime Minister (and still afterwards as well) she continues to do this, to which the series's characters and even alien races such as the Daleks and Sycorax are always forced to respond: "Yes, [I/we] know who you are."[3][4] She is a particularly sharp-minded woman and not given to panic; in fact, the worse the situation, the stronger her resolve is.
As is common with the portrayal of fictional politicians on British television, Harriet Jones's political party is not stated, although she does say that she is not one of the "babes", "just a faithful back-bencher." The only indication given of her political views is that she voted against the Iraq War.[1]
[edit] Fictional character history
In the 2005 episodes "Aliens of London" and its continuation "World War Three", Harriet Jones is introduced as a backbench MP for Flydale North caught up in events in London when an alien spacecraft crash-lands and the Cabinet is infiltrated by aliens named the Slitheen. She finds herself trapped with the Doctor and his companion Rose Tyler inside 10 Downing Street, and as the only elected representative present gives the Doctor the order to launch a harpoon missile, destroying the building but killing the Slitheen who were about to trigger nuclear war. At this point the Doctor tells Rose that Jones is destined to become Prime Minister, elected for three successive terms, and be the architect of a period known as Britain's 'Golden Age'.[1][5]
The character returns in the 2005 Christmas special "The Christmas Invasion", set several months later when the character is indeed now Prime Minister. Jones oversees the launch of the Guinevere Space Probe which is captured by an invading Sycorax spaceship. Although the invasion is averted by the Doctor, Jones orders the covert Torchwood organisation to shoot down the retreating Sycorax ship regardless, arguing that there will come a time when the Doctor will not be able to protect Earth and so she must do what she can herself to defend it. The Doctor reacts furiously however, warning her that he can bring her down with just six words: "Don't you think she looks tired?" In the episode's dénouement she is seen to be facing rumours of ill-health and a vote of no confidence.[3]
Later that series the Doctor arrives in the parallel world for the second time and when he asks Pete who the President is he replies "Someone called Harriet Jones." The Doctor tells Pete to keep an eye on her (in case she is like the other world's Harriet Jones).
In the 2007 episode "The Sound of Drums", it is stated that the Master, running for Prime Minister under the alias Mr Saxon, Minister of Defence, appeared right after Harriet Jones's downfall. It was indicated on Saxon's campaign website that Jones was still PM in 2008; In his column in Doctor Who Magazine, Russell T Davies explains his intention that by the Doctor ending Jones's career early, a "gap" was created in history that the Master was then able to exploit.[6]
The character appears for the final time in the 2008 episode "The Stolen Earth". After being deposed by the Doctor, she has given serious thought to the Doctor's view, but ultimately concludes that she was correct in not abdicating responsibility for Earth's protection to the Doctor.[7] Her concerns are proven justified. As the Earth surrenders to an invading army of Dalek warships, Jones broadcasts using a sentient "subwave" network which searches out those who can communicate with the Doctor - namely ex-companions Jack Harkness and his team at Torchwood Three, Sarah Jane Smith, Martha Jones, and Rose Tyler with future companion Wilfred Mott. The network, developed by the Mr. Copper Foundation, was created for a time when — as Jones had predicted — the Doctor would fail to protect the Earth in a time of crisis. Despite being only the former Prime Minister (as she repeatedly introduces herself with her identity card), she assumes command of Torchwood and her minuscule but disproportionately powerful militia, and controls the broadcast from her own home, thereby allowing the Doctor to successfully follow its signal back to Earth at the expense of her own location becoming visible to the Daleks. Just before the Doctor makes contact, Jones's house is breached. As a trio of Daleks approach her, she introduces herself for the final time and proclaims defiantly that the Daleks will fail as they know nothing of humanity, before she is exterminated.[4][8] Rose informs the Doctor of her sacrifice in the following episode "Journey's End".[9]
[edit] List of appearances
- "The Stolen Earth"
- "Journey's End" (flashback)
[edit] Other appearances
"Doomsday" establishes that an alternative Harriet Jones is the President of the United Republic (previously Kingdom) on a parallel Earth in succession to the unnamed President killed in Rise of the Cybermen, and her tenure is also being described there as a new Golden Age. On hearing this, the Doctor makes a disparaging sound and warns that world's Pete Tyler to keep an eye on her.[10]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d "Aliens of London". Writer Russell T Davies, Director Keith Boak, Producer Phil Collinson. Doctor Who. BBC, Cardiff. 2005-04-16.
- ^ Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #14, 9th November 2006, “Episode X: The Christmas Invasion” by Andrew Pixley, Panini Publishing Ltd.
- ^ a b "The Christmas Invasion". Writer Russell T Davies, Director James Hawes, Producer Phil Collinson. Doctor Who. BBC, Cardiff. 2005-12-25.
- ^ a b "The Stolen Earth". Writer Russell T Davies, Director Graeme Harper, Producer Phil Collinson. Doctor Who. BBC, Cardiff. 2008-06-28.
- ^ ""World War Three". Writer Russell T Davies, Director Keith Boak, Producer Phil Collinson. Doctor Who. BBC, Cardiff. 2005-04-23.
- ^ Doctor Who Magazine Edition #388, November 2007, Panini Publishing Ltd.
- ^ Statement in the video conference in "The Stolen Earth".
- ^ http://www.denofgeek.com/television/125894/tennant_calls_moffat_new_boss.html
- ^ "Journey's End". Writer Russell T Davies, Director Graeme Harper, Producer Phil Collinson. Doctor Who. BBC, Cardiff. 2008-07-06.
- ^ "Doomsday". Writer Russell T Davies, Director Graeme Harper, Producer Phil Collinson. Doctor Who. BBC, Cardiff. 2006-07-08.
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