Harriet Jones

Doctorwhocharacter


name=Harriet Jones
series=Doctor Who
affiliation=Ninth Doctor Tenth Doctor
Children of Time
race=Human
planet=Earth
era=21st century
start="Aliens of London"
finish="The Stolen Earth"
status=Deceased
portrayed=Penelope Wilton

Harriet Jones 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".

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.cite episode | title = Aliens of London | episodelink = Aliens of London | series = Doctor Who | serieslink = Doctor Who | credits = Writer Russell T Davies, Director Keith Boak, Producer Phil Collinson | network = BBC | city = Cardiff | airdate = 2005-04-16] After Christopher Eccleston's departure from the series' 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 discomfited 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. [Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition #14, 9th November 2006, “Episode X: The Christmas Invasion” by Andrew Pixley, Panini Publishing Ltd.]

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. Despite becoming Prime Minister (and still afterwards as well) she continues to do this, to which the series' characters and even alien races such as the Daleks and Sycorax are always forced to respond: "Yes, [I/we] know who you are."cite episode | title = The Christmas Invasion | episodelink = The Christmas Invasion | series = Doctor Who | serieslink = Doctor Who | credits = Writer Russell T Davies, Director James Hawes, Producer Phil Collinson | network = BBC | city = Cardiff | airdate = 2005-12-25] cite episode|title= The Stolen Earth | episodelink = The Stolen Earth (Doctor Who) | series = Doctor Who | serieslink = Doctor Who | credits = Writer Russell T Davies, Director Graeme Harper, Producer Phil Collinson | network = BBC | city = Cardiff | airdate = 2008-06-28]

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.

Fictional character history

In the 2005 episodes "Aliens of London" and its continuation "World War Three", Harriet Jones is introduced as an backbench MP 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'.cite episode | title = World War Three | episodelink = World War Three (Doctor Who) | series = Doctor Who | serieslink = Doctor Who | credits = Writer Russell T Davies, Director Keith Boak, Producer Phil Collinson | network = BBC | city = Cardiff | airdate = 2005-04-23] 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. In the 2006 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' downfall. 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. [Doctor Who Magazine Edition #388, November 2007, Panini Publishing Ltd.] The character appears for the final time in the 2008 episode "The Stolen Earth". 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, Sarah Jane Smith, Martha Jones, and Rose Tyler. 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. She controls the broadcast from her own home, allowing the Doctor to successfully follow its signal back to Earth at the expense of her location becoming visible to the Daleks. Just before the Doctor makes contact, Jones' house is breached. As a trio of Daleks approach her, she states defiantly that the Daleks will fail as they know nothing of humanity, before she is killed. Rose informs the Doctor of her sacrifice in the following episode "Journey's End".cite episode|title= Journey's End | episodelink = Journey's End (Doctor Who) | series = Doctor Who | serieslink = Doctor Who | credits = Writer Russell T Davies, Director Graeme Harper, Producer Phil Collinson | network = BBC | city = Cardiff | airdate = 2008-07-06]

List of appearances

;Series 1 (2005)
* "Aliens of London" / "World War Three"

;Christmas Special (2005)
* "The Christmas Invasion"

;Series 4 (2008)
* "The Stolen Earth"

Other appearances

"Doomsday" establishes that an alternate Harriet Jones is the President of the United Republic [née Kingdom] on a parallel Earth, 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.cite episode| title = Doomsday| episodelink = Doomsday (Doctor Who)| series = Doctor Who | serieslink = Doctor Who | credits = Writer Russell T Davies, Director Graeme Harper, Producer Phil Collinson | network = BBC | city = Cardiff | airdate = 2006-07-08]

References