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3.9 The Family of Blood

Broadcast Details

Series / Episode No.
Episode Title
Transmission Date
Duration
Ratings (Millions)
Season
Doctor
Producer(s)
Script Editor
Written By
Directed By
3
Tenth / David Tennant
Susie Liggat
Paul Cornell

Regular Cast

The Doctor — Tenth / David Tennant
Martha Jones — Freema Agyeman

Guest Cast

Joan Redfern – Jessica Hynes
Jenny – Rebekah Staton
Tim Latimer – Thomas Brodie-Sangster
Baines – Harry Lloyd
Hutchinson – Tom Palmer
Clark – Gerard Horan
Lucy Cartwright – Lauren Wilson
Rocastle – Pip Torrens
Phillips – Matthew White
Vicar – Sophie Turner

Production Team

General production staff

Production Executive – Julie Scott
Production Manager – Tracie Simpson
Location Manager – Lowri Thomas
Location Scout – Branwen Evans
Unit Manager – Huw Jones
Production Co-ordinator – Jess van Niekerk
Production Assistant – Debi Griffiths
Production/Script Secretary – Kevin Myers
Production Runner – Si├ín Eve Goldsmith
Drivers – Wayne Humphreys, Malcolm Kearney
Senior Production Accountant – Endaf Emyr Williams
Production Accountant – Oliver Ager
Contracts Assistant – Bethan Britton
Finance Manager – Chris Rogers

Camera and lighting department

1st Assistant Director – Richard Harris
2nd Assistant Director – Steffan Morris
3rd Assistant Director – Sarah Davies
Floor Runners – Lowri Denman, Heddi Joy Taylor
Continuity – Non Eleri Hughes
2nd unit Camera Operator – Steven Hall
Focus Puller – Steve Rees
2nd Unit Focus Puller – Jamie Southcott
Grip – John Robinson
Camera Assistant – Tom Hartley
Boom Operators – Jeff Welch, Bryn Thomas
Gaffer – Mark Hutchings
Best Boy – Steve Slocombe
Electricians – Clive Johnson, Ben Griffiths

Art department

Chief Supervising Art Director – Stephen Nicholas
Supervising Art Director – Arwel Wyn Jones
Art Department Production Manager – Jonathan Marquand Allison
Art Department Co-ordinator – Matthew North
Associate Designer – James North
Set Decorator – David Morison
Props Buyer – Catherine Samuel
Storyboard Artist – Shaun Williams
Design Assistants – Peter McKinstry, Ian Bunting, Al Roberts
Cyfle Trainee – Christina Tom
Standby Props – Phill Shellard, Nick Murray
Standby Carpenter – Paul Jones
Standby Art Director – Tim Dickel
Standby Rigger – Bryan Griffiths
Standby Painter – Ellen Woods
Props Master – Paul Aitken
Props Chargehand – Gareth Jeanne
Props Storeman – Martin Griffiths
Forward Dresser – Amy Chandler
Construction Manager – Matthew Hywel-Davies
Practical Electrician – Albert James
Graphics – BBC Wales Graphics

Costume department

Costume Supervisor – Lindsay Bonaccorsi
Assistant Costume Designer – Marnie Ormiston
Costume Assistants – Sheenagh O’Marah, Kirsty Wilkinson
Make-up and prosthetics
Make-up Artists – Pam Mullins, Steve Smith, John Munro
Prosthetics – Millennium FX
Prosthetics Designer – Neill Gorton
Prosthetics Supervisor – Rob Mayor
On Set Prosthetics Supervisor – Lotta Hagvist
Prosthetics Technician – Anthony Parker

Movement

Stunt Co-ordinator – Glenn Marks
Choreographer – Ailsa Berk

Casting

Casting Associates – Andy Brierley, Kirsty Robertson

General post-production staff

Post-production Supervisors – Samantha Hall, Chris Blatchford
Post-production Co-ordinator – Marie Brown
Assistant Editors – Tim Hodges, Matthew Mullins
On-line Editor – Mark Bright

Special and visual effects

Visual FX Producers – Will Cohen, Marie Jones
Visual FX Supervisor – Dave Houghton
VFX Editor – Ceres Doyle
VFX Production Assistant – Marianne Paton
SFX Co-ordinator – Ben Ashmore
SFX Supervisor – Paul Kelly
SFX Technicians – Danny Hargreaves, Henry Brook
Colourist – Mick Vincent

Sound

Sound Recordist – Julian Howarth
Dubbing Mixer – Tim Ricketts
Supervising Sound Editor – Paul McFadden
Sound FX Editor – Paul Jeffries
Sound Editor – Doug Sinclair
Foley Editor – Kelly-Marie Angell

Synopsis

John Smith faces an agonising choice ΓÇö open the watch, destroy his human self and the love he feels for Joan, or remain human while the Family of Blood destroys the village around him. His decision, and the quiet grief of it, is the emotional heart of the two-parter. Once the Doctor returns, he dispenses with the Family in an unexpectedly dark and merciless fashion that reveals a colder side of him. The episode closes on a melancholy note as Joan, unable to forgive what the Doctor’s existence has cost her, refuses his offer to travel.

Merchandise Releases

Multimedia

The Life of John Smith | The Family of Blood (HD) | Doctor Who

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ΓÇ£The Family of BloodΓÇ¥ about?

ΓÇ£The Family of BloodΓÇ¥ concludes the story begun in ΓÇ£Human NatureΓÇ¥. The Doctor returns to his Time Lord identity to confront the Family of Blood after they continue their violent pursuit of him.

What happens to the Family of Blood?

The Family of Blood are punished by the Doctor in ways that reflect their crimes. Each member is given a fate that denies them their desire for immortality in different forms of eternal imprisonment.

What happens to John Smith?

John SmithΓÇÖs human life is effectively erased when the Doctor reclaims his identity. This creates a tragic loss, as the life he built as a human cannot continue.

How does the Doctor change in this episode?

The Doctor shows a darker side when dealing with the Family of Blood. He demonstrates the consequences of his power and the emotional cost of choosing to end threats permanently.

How does this episode fit into Doctor Who?

This two-part story is one of the most character-driven arcs in Doctor Who, highlighting the emotional complexity of the Tenth Doctor and exploring the cost of the DoctorΓÇÖs identity as both hero and judge.