Editing City of Death

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2012}}
{{Infobox Doctor Who episode
| number             = 105
| serial_name        = City of Death
| show               = DW
| type               = serial
| image              = 
| image_size         = 
| caption            = 
| doctor             = [[Tom Baker]] – [[Fourth Doctor]]
| companion          = [[Lalla Ward]] – [[Romana (Doctor Who)|Romana]]
| guests             = 
*[[Julian Glover]] – [[List of Doctor Who villains#Scaroth|Scaroth/Count Scarlioni]]/Tancredi 
*[[Catherine Schell]] – Countess Scarlioni 
*[[David Graham (actor)|David Graham]] – Kerensky
*Kevin Flood – Hermann
*[[Tom Chadbon]] – Duggan
*[[Peter Halliday]] – Soldier{{efn|Also provided the 2nd Jagaroth and the voice of the television newsreader, both uncredited}}
*[[Eleanor Bron]], [[John Cleese]] – Art Gallery Visitors
*Pamela Stirling – Louvre Guide
| director           = [[Michael Hayes (director)|Michael Hayes]]
| writer             = "[[David Agnew]]" (pseudonym for [[David Fisher (writer)|David Fisher]], [[Douglas Adams]] and [[Graham Williams (television producer)|Graham Williams]])
| script_editor      = Douglas Adams
| producer           = Graham Williams
| executive_producer = 
| composer           = [[Dudley Simpson]]
| production_code    = 5H
| series             = [[Doctor Who season 17|Season 17]]
| length             = 4 episodes, 25 minutes each
| started            = {{Start date|1979|9|29|df=y}}
| ended              = {{End date|1979|10|20|df=y}}
| preceding          = ''[[Destiny of the Daleks]]''
| following          = ''[[The Creature from the Pit]]''
}}

'''''City of Death''''' is the second serial of the [[Doctor Who season 17|seventeenth season]] of the British [[science fiction on television|science fiction television]] series ''[[Doctor Who]]'', which depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as [[the Doctor (Doctor Who)|the Doctor]]. It was produced by the [[BBC]] and first broadcast in four weekly parts between 29 September 1979 and 20 October 1979 on [[BBC One|BBC1]]. The serial was written by "[[David Agnew]]" – a pseudonym for the combined work of [[David Fisher (writer)|David Fisher]], [[Douglas Adams]], and [[Graham Williams (television producer)|Graham Williams]] – and directed by [[Michael Hayes (director)|Michael Hayes]].

''City of Death'' features the [[Fourth Doctor]] ([[Tom Baker]]) and his companion [[Romana (Doctor Who)|Romana]] ([[Lalla Ward]]). Set primarily in present day [[Paris]], the plot concerns a scheme by Count Scarlioni ([[Julian Glover]]), in reality an alien called Scaroth, to steal the ''[[Mona Lisa]]'' to finance experiments in [[time travel]] in the hope of averting the accident that killed the remainder of his race [[Devonian|four hundred million years previously]], which began the existence of life on the planet as well.

The original storyline devised by Fisher was heavily retooled by [[script editor]] Adams, aided by producer Williams. It was the first ''Doctor Who'' serial to [[Filming location|film on location]] outside of the United Kingdom; the production team worked in Paris during April and May 1979; studio work was completed in June.

Broadcast during a [[1979 ITV strike|strike]] that took [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] (the BBC's rival) off the air, ''City of Death'' scored high ratings. The fourth episode was watched by over sixteen million viewers, the [[List of most watched television broadcasts in the United Kingdom|highest UK television audience]] ever attained by an episode of ''Doctor Who''. Although retrospectively regarded as one of the best serials from the series' classic run, initial reception was mixed, with criticism of the humorous tone.<ref>{{cite web|title=BBC – Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide – City of Death – Details|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/cityofdeath/detail.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608224103/http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/cityofdeath/detail.shtml|archive-date=2012-06-08|website=[[BBC]]}}</ref> In September 2009, it was ranked as readers' eighth favourite story (of 200-to-that-date) in ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' issue 413.

==Plot==
In Paris, [[Fourth Doctor|the Doctor]] and [[Romana (Doctor Who)|Romana]] sense a time distortion. They observe the Countess Scarlioni using an alien device to scan the security systems housing [[Leonardo da Vinci]]'s ''[[Mona Lisa]]'' at the [[Louvre]]. The pair meet Inspector Duggan, who suspects the Countess to be involved in an art theft scheme with her husband, Count Scarlioni. Duggan joins the Doctor and Romana in investigating the Scarlioni mansion. There, they discover Dr. Kerensky's temporal experiments, the source of the distortions, and six exact copies of the ''Mona Lisa''. The Doctor instructs Romana and Duggan to continue investigating while he returns to the [[TARDIS]] to visit Leonardo. The Count successfully steals the real painting and captures Romana and Duggan after the Doctor leaves. Learning that Romana is familiar with time, he kills Dr. Kerensky and forces Romana to continue the tests.

The Doctor arrives at Leonardo's studio but is captured by another Scarlioni, who reveals he is really Scaroth, the last Jagaroth. His people arrived on Earth 400 million years ago, but the others died when their craft exploded, and his own body was fragmented across time. Collectively, Scaroth's fragments manipulated humanity to invent technology that will let him go back in time to stop the explosion. To finance his work, he employed Leonardo to create copies of the ''Mona Lisa'' to sell off after stealing the original. After Scaroth leaves, the Doctor escapes and writes "This is a fake" on the blank canvases before returning to the present.

Scaroth threatens to destroy Paris if Romana stops helping him. The Doctor tries to gain the Countess' help by showing Scaroth's true form, but Scaroth kills her. Romana completes the work and Scaroth uses it to travel to the past. The Doctor, Romana and Duggan follow him via the TARDIS, fearing that the ship's explosion created life on Earth, and if Scaroth should prevent it, humanity would not exist. Duggan knocks Scaroth out in time, returning the latter to the present, where he is discovered, unmasked, by his bodyguard. The ensuing fight sets the mansion ablaze, destroying Scaroth and the paintings save one marked copy. Duggan argues that they've lost an invaluable piece of art, but the Doctor assures him that the copy, still done by Leonardo's hand, will go unnoticed, and that art is worthless if its monetary value is all that matters before bidding him farewell.

==Production==

===Conception and writing===
[[File:Douglas adams portrait cropped.jpg|thumb|The episode was co-written by Douglas Adams.]]
Writer [[David Fisher (writer)|David Fisher]] had contributed two scripts to ''Doctor Who''{{'}}s sixteenth season&nbsp;– ''[[The Stones of Blood]]'' and ''[[The Androids of Tara]]''&nbsp;– and was asked by producer [[Graham Williams (television producer)|Graham Williams]] for further story ideas. Fisher submitted two proposals; the first of these became ''[[The Creature from the Pit]]'' while the other, ''The Gamble with Time'', concerned a plot to rig the casinos in [[Las Vegas]] to finance time travel experiments.<ref name="DWM_Archive_26">Pixley, ''Archive Feature. City of Death'', p. 26</ref> Williams asked Fisher to rework ''The Gamble With Time'' as a spoof of [[Bulldog Drummond]], a fictional adventurer from the 1920s.<ref name="DWM_Archive_26" /> Fisher's draft script centered around Scarlioni, a member of the Sephiroth race, who had accidentally become fractured in time. The script was mainly set in the year 1928 with the Doctor and Romana, aided by Drummond-esque detective "Pug" Farquharson, on the trail of the stolen Mona Lisa, pursuing Scarlioni from Paris to [[Monte Carlo]] where his partner, the Baroness Heidi, is using time travel technology to cheat at [[roulette]] at the casino to fund Scarlioni's time travel experiments. Other settings included Paris in 1979, Leonardo da Vinci's studio in the year 1508, and prehistoric Earth.<ref name="Paris in the Springtime">Strading & Morris, ''Paris in the Springtime''.</ref> At this point, production unit manager [[John Nathan-Turner]] had worked out that the production team could afford to film on location in Paris with a stripped-down crew.<ref name="DWM_Archive_27">Pixley, ''Archive Feature. City of Death'', p. 27</ref> This necessitated a rewrite to Fisher's scripts to move the action to Paris and, for cost reasons, to drop the 1920s setting.<ref name="DWM_Archive_27" /> The Doctor's robotic dog companion [[K9 (Doctor Who)|K9]] also had to be removed from the script as the cost of bringing the robot dog and his operators to Paris was prohibitive.<ref>Howe et al., ''The Handbook'', p. 471.</ref>

However, Fisher was going through a divorce, and his personal situation meant that he was unable to perform the rewrites.<ref name="Paris in the Springtime" /> This meant that script editor [[Douglas Adams]], aided by Graham Williams, had to perform a complete rewrite of the story over the course of a weekend.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/city-of-death-at-40-revisiting-doctor-who-s-most-watched-story-2/|title = City of Death at 40: Revisiting Doctor Who's most-watched story|date = 26 September 2019}}</ref> According to Adams, Graham Williams "took me back to his place, locked me in his study and hosed me down with whisky and black coffee for a few days, and there was the script".<ref>Gaiman, ''Don't Panic'', p. 49.</ref> The revised script, now titled ''The Curse of the Sephiroth'', was credited to "David Agnew", a standard pseudonym used by the BBC and which had been previously used on ''Doctor Who'' for the season fifteen serial ''[[The Invasion of Time]]''.<ref>Barnes, ''The Fact of Fiction. City of Death'', p. 16-17.</ref> The serial was subsequently retitled ''City of Death'' on 8 May 1979.<ref name="DWM_Archive_Extra_38">Pixley, ''Archive Extra. City of Death'', p. 38.</ref> Adams would later reuse elements of ''City of Death'', along with the unfinished ''Doctor Who'' serial [[Shada (Doctor Who)|''Shada'']] (1979; 2003), in his novel ''[[Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency]]'' (1987).<ref>Simpson, ''Hitchhiker'', p. 232.</ref>

In Part One, Lalla Ward as Romana makes a throwaway reference to a great art gallery called the Braxiatel Collection; the ''[[Virgin New Adventures]]'' novel series would later expand on this, introducing the character [[Irving Braxiatel]], a [[Time Lord]].<ref name="Fact_Of_Fiction_19">Barnes, ''The Fact of Fiction. City of Death''.</ref> Braxiatel also appears in the ''[[Bernice Summerfield]]'' series of novels and audio dramas and in the ''[[Gallifrey#Gallifrey audio series|Gallifrey]]{{Broken anchor|date=2024-11-22|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=Gallifrey#Gallifrey audio series|reason= }}'' series of audio dramas which starred Ward as Romana.<ref name="Fact_Of_Fiction_19" />

===Casting===
[[File:John Cleese at 1989 Oscars.jpg|thumb|left|''City of Death'' features a cameo by comedian and actor John Cleese.]]
[[Julian Glover]] was a well-established character actor who had previously appeared as [[Richard I of England|Richard the Lionheart]] in ''[[The Crusade (Doctor Who)|The Crusade]]'' (1965). He was reluctant to don the Jagaroth mask as he felt the mask would impede his performance. As a result, he is doubled by Richard Sheekey in those scenes.<ref name="DVD_Notes_1"/> [[Tom Chadbon]] was cast as Duggan on account of his resemblance to the [[Franco-Belgian comics]] hero [[Tintin (character)|Tintin]].<ref name="Commentary_1">Hayes et al., ''City of Death DVD Commentary'', Part One</ref> [[Peter Halliday]] had previously appeared in several ''Doctor Who'' serials including ''[[The Invasion (Doctor Who)|The Invasion]]'' and ''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians]]''.<ref name="AVC"/>

Douglas Adams knew [[John Cleese]] and [[Eleanor Bron]] through his connections with ''[[Monty Python]]'' and the [[Footlights]].<ref name="DVD_Notes_4">Wiggins, ''Production Notes'', Part Four.</ref> On learning that both would be working in [[BBC Television Centre]] on the day the art gallery scenes were to be recorded, he persuaded them to make a cameo appearance in a short scene written for "two Englishmen".<ref name="DVD_Notes_4" /><ref name="DWM_Archive_29">Pixley, ''Archive Feature. City of Death'', p. 29</ref> Cleese and Bron agreed on the condition that there be no pre-publicity regarding their appearance; Cleese wanted them to be credited as "Helen Swanetsky" and "Kim Bread" but the BBC declined.<ref name="DWM_Archive_Extra_38-39">Pixley, ''Archive Extra. City of Death'', p. 38-39.</ref> Cleese liked the name "Kim Bread" and used it in later projects.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/cityofdeath/detail.shtml|title=BBC - Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide - City of Death - Details|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> During recording, Cleese and Baker also recorded two short comedy skits for the BBC [[Christmas tape]].<ref name="DWM_Archive_Extra_38-39" />

===Filming===
''City of Death'' director Michael Hayes had previously directed ''[[The Androids of Tara]]'' (1978) and ''[[The Armageddon Factor]]'' (1979).<ref>Lofficier, ''Programme Guide'', p. 99</ref> He also had experience filming in Paris, having worked there on adaptations of ''[[Maigret (1960 TV series)|Maigret]]'' (1960–63) and other [[Georges Simenon]] stories for the BBC.<ref name="Commentary_1" /> Location filming took place in Paris between 30 April 1979 and 3 May 1979.<ref name="DWM_Archive_27" /> It proved a difficult shoot as the dates coincided with the May Day holiday period, which meant that many of the locations chosen for filming were closed, necessitating considerable improvisation on the part of the cast and crew.<ref name="DWM_Archive_27" /> Model filming was conducted at [[Bray Studios (UK)|Bray Studios]] between 8 May 1979 and 10 May 1979.<ref name="DWM_Archive_28">Pixley, ''Archive Feature. City of Death'', p. 28</ref> These concentrated on the shots of the Jagaroth spacecraft taking off from the prehistoric Earth and were overseen by Ian Scoones, a veteran of ''[[Thunderbirds (TV series)|Thunderbirds]]''.<ref name="DWM_Archive_28" /> Following rehearsals, production moved to [[BBC Television Centre]] where the remaining scenes were recorded in two blocks; the first between 21 May 1979 and 22 May 1979 and second between 3 June 1979 and 5 June 1979.<ref>Pixley, ''Archive Feature. City of Death'', p. 28-29</ref>

Tom Baker found filming in Paris to be very different from what he was used to in the UK where crowds would gather to watch the filming and meet the stars. ''Doctor Who'' was not shown in France at the time and so the cast and crew were largely ignored.<ref name="DVD_Notes_1">Wiggins, ''Production Notes'', Part One.</ref> Lalla Ward found ''City of Death'' the most challenging ''Doctor Who'' serial she worked on but was pleased with the outcome, saying, "We had to film loads of scenes in the rain and cold... there was no glamour in it at all... it was different from the ordinary stories too and I like the finished result".<ref>{{cite journal| last = Marson | first = Richard |date=May 1984 | title = Lalla Ward Interview | journal = [[Doctor Who Magazine]] | issue = 88 | pages = 20–24 | issn = 0957-9818}}</ref> Seeing her costumes as an important part in creating the role of Romana, Ward clashed with costume designer Doreen James, rejecting the silver catsuit James had designed for her for the story.<ref name="DVD_Notes_2">Wiggins, ''Production Notes'', Part Two.</ref> Ward came up with the idea for the schoolgirl costume she wore in conjunction with Baker, recalling, "I thought it would be fun to wear something that little girls probably hated wearing because it might cheer them up... I didn't bank on the fact that I'd also get loads of letters from their fathers saying 'Cor! School uniform!'".<ref>{{cite journal| last = Cook | first = Benjamin | date = 3 March 2004 | title = Across the Universe... | journal = [[Doctor Who Magazine]] | issue = 340 | pages = 14–19 | issn = 0957-9818}}</ref>

==Broadcast and reception==
{{Episode table
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 |series = 6 |title = 20 | aux1=6 | airdate = 10 | viewers = 6 | country = UK
 |seriesT    = Episode
 |aux1T      = Run time
 |viewersR   = <ref>{{cite journal |editor-last=Wright |editor-first=Mark |last=Ainsworth |first=John |year=2018 |title=City of Death - The Creature from the Pit - Nighmare of Eden - The Horns of Nimon |url=https://archive.org/details/Doctor-Who-Complete-History/CH31%20City%20of%20Death%20-%20The%20Creature%20from%20the%20Pit%20-%20Nighmare%20of%20Eden%20-%20The%20Horns%20of%20Nimon/ |journal=Doctor Who: The Complete History |publisher=[[Panini Comics]], [[Hachette Book Group|Hachette Partworks]] |volume=31 |issue=105-108 |page=45}}</ref>
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{{Episode list/sublist|City of Death
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{{Episode list/sublist|City of Death
 |EpisodeNumber      = 2
 |Title              = Part Two
 |RTitle             = 
 |OriginalAirDate    = {{Start date|1979|10|6|df=y}}
 |Viewers            = 14.1
 |Aux1               = 24:33
 |LineColor          = 
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{{Episode list/sublist|City of Death
 |EpisodeNumber      = 3
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 |RTitle             = 
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{{Episode list/sublist|City of Death
 |EpisodeNumber      = 4
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''City of Death'' was broadcast on BBC1 over four consecutive Saturdays beginning on 29 September 1979.<ref name="DWM_Archive_30">Pixley, ''Archive Feature. City of Death'', p. 30</ref> At this time, [[industrial action]] had blacked out rival broadcaster [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] and as a result, the serial scored very high ratings, averaging 14.5 million viewers over the four episodes; 16.1 million watched the fourth episode, the largest audience ever recorded for an episode of ''Doctor Who''.<ref name="DWM_Archive_30" /> The story was repeated on BBC1 across four consecutive evenings from Tuesday to Friday, 12 – 15 August 1980, achieving viewing figures of 6.3, 5.5, 5.6 and 5.9 million viewers respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://guide.doctorwhonews.net/story.php?story=CityofDeath&detail=broadcast|title=Doctor Who Guide: broadcasting for City of Death|website=Doctor Who Guide}}</ref>

Audience appreciation ratings for the first two parts of ''City of Death were'' a respectable score of 64%.<ref name="DWM_Archive_30" /> ''[[Radio Times]]'' published two letters from viewers regarding ''City of Death''. Les Rogers of [[Hastings]] praised the serial's cast and the location filming; less impressed, however, was Paul R. Maskew of [[Exeter]] who felt the show was being played for laughs.<ref name="DWM_Archive_30" /> Responding to similar criticisms from viewers, Douglas Adams wrote, "If the programme didn't move and take a few risks then it would have died of boredom years ago".<ref name="DVD_Notes_3">Wiggins, ''Production Notes'', Part Three.</ref> Several viewers wrote to point out the discrepancy between the start of life on Earth of 4,000 million years ago and the date given in ''City of Death'' of 400 million years ago. Graham Williams replied, "The good Doctor makes the odd mistake or two but I think an error of 3,600 million years is pushing it! His next edition of the ''[[Encyclopedia Galactica]]'' will provide an erratum".<ref name="DVD_Notes_3" /> Another viewer wrote that the atmosphere of the primordial Earth would have been poisonous to the Doctor and his companions; Douglas Adams responded to this criticism, citing [[artistic licence]].<ref name="DVD_Notes_3" />

''City of Death'' was voted seventh in a 1998 poll of the readers of ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' to find the best ''Doctor Who'' story; the magazine commented that it "represented the height of ''Doctor Who'' as popular light entertainment for all the family".<ref>{{cite journal| last = Cornell | first = Paul | author-link = Paul Cornell | date = 3 June 1998 | title = The DWM Awards: City of Death | journal = [[Doctor Who Magazine]] | issue = 265 | pages = 14–15 | issn = 0957-9818}}</ref> In 2009, ''Doctor Who Magazine'' readers voted it in eighth place.<ref>{{cite web|first=Lester|last=Haines|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/09/17/best_who_ever/|title=Doctor Who fans name best episode ever|work=[[The Register]]|date=17 September 2009|access-date=10 August 2012}}</ref> In a more recent 2014 poll, the magazine's readers voted it fifth best Doctor Who story of all time.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Top 10 Doctor Who stories of all time|url=http://www.doctorwhomagazine.com/the-top-10-doctor-who-stories-of-all-time/|access-date=21 August 2014|magazine=Doctor Who Magazine|date=21 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206154728/https://doctorwhomagazine.com/the-top-10-doctor-who-stories-of-all-time/|archive-date=6 December 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> A 2008 article in ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' named ''City of Death'' one of the ten greatest episodes of ''Doctor Who''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/3674193/The-10-greatest-episodes-of-Doctor-Who-ever.html|title=The 10 greatest episodes of Doctor Who ever|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=2 July 2008|access-date=14 October 2012}}</ref> John Condor, writing in the [[fanzine]] ''[[Dreamwatch|DWB]]'' in 1991, hailed the story as "the best blend of kitsch, surrealism, fantasy, and comedy-drama seen in our favourite Time Lord's annals".<ref name="Television_Companion_478">Howe & Walker, ''The Television Companion'', p, 478.</ref> [[Vanessa Bishop]], reviewing the serial's DVD release, described it as "imaginatively written, well-performed and beautifully made, ''City of Death'' is a story where pretty much everything works".<ref name="Bishop">{{cite journal| last = Bishop | first = Vanessa | author-link = Vanessa Bishop | date = 7 December 2005 | title = Off The Shelf | journal = [[Doctor Who Magazine]] | issue = 363 | pages = 60–61 | issn = 0957-9818}}</ref> Reacting to the serial, as part of ''Doctor Who Magazine''{{'}}s ongoing "Time Team" feature, [[Jacqueline Rayner]] said "you're suddenly, almost violently, made aware this is happening in our world... with people just getting on with their business and two Time Lords walking through it. I don't think I've ever experienced that with ''Doctor Who'' up till now... it's the tiny touches of mundanity amid the fantastical that lift the story even higher".<ref>{{cite journal| last = Pritchard | first = Michael | date = 1 February 2005 | title = The Time Team | journal = [[Doctor Who Magazine]] | issue = 365 | pages = 55–57 | issn = 0957-9818}}</ref> [[Charlie Jane Anders]] and [[Javier Grillo-Marxuach]] of [[io9]] included it on their list of "10 TV Episodes that Changed Television", citing "the sharp dialogue and clever use of time travel [that] prefigure everything Steven Moffat has done with the series in recent years."<ref>{{cite web|first=Charlie Jane|last=Anders|url=http://io9.com/5913850/10-tv-episodes-that-changed-television|title=10 TV Episodes that Changed Television|publisher=[[io9]]|date=29 May 2012|access-date=24 June 2012}}</ref> ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' reviewer Christopher Bahn described ''City of Death'' as the "gem" of the seventeenth season, finding Adams' subtle comedy script "easily the funniest and most quotable the series ever achieved". While he praised Scarlioni's costume and the mask, he felt that more could have been done with using Paris as a filming location.<ref name="AVC">{{cite web|first=Christopher|last=Bahn|url=https://www.avclub.com/doctor-who-classic-city-of-death-1798171043|title=City of Death|work=[[The A.V. Club]]|date=8 January 2012|access-date=31 July 2012}}</ref>

However, [[Doctor Who fandom|''Doctor Who'' fandom]]'s initial response was not so positive; [[John Peel (writer)|John Peel]], writing in the fanzine ''TARDIS'' in 1979, decried it as "total farce... I simply couldn't believe this was ''Doctor Who''... the continual buffoonery is getting on my nerves".<ref name="Television_Companion_478" /> A similar view was held by [[Gary Russell]] who, reviewing the VHS release in 1991, said, "''City of Death'', like most Douglas Adams material, is overrated and misses the mark for me, falling between the stools of good pastiche and bad parody and making fairly unsatisfactory viewing".<ref>{{cite journal| last = Russell | first = Gary | author-link = Gary Russell | date = 15 May 1991 | title = Off The Shelf | journal = [[Doctor Who Magazine]] | issue = 173 | pages = 18–19 | issn = 0957-9818}}</ref> Vanessa Bishop countered that it was "the ''Doctor Who'' story it's alright to laugh at... we must now accept that ''City of Death'' is funny&nbsp;— because if we didn't the ''[[Crackerjack (TV series)|Crackerjack]]''-style sleuths, scientists and all... would leave it knocking about near the bottom of all the ''Doctor Who'' story ranking polls"<ref>{{cite journal| last = Bishop | first = Vanessa | author-link = Vanessa Bishop | date = 30 May 2001 | title = The DWM Review | journal = [[Doctor Who Magazine]] | issue = 304 | pages = 45 | issn = 0957-9818}}</ref> and, responding to the criticisms about the levels of comedy, that "it's precisely these things that make it seem so special".<ref name="Bishop" /> Reviewing the serial in 2011, Patrick Mulkern of ''[[Radio Times]]'' awarded it three stars out of five, stating he disliked the smug tone to the humour and Ward's "snooty" portrayal of Romana. Despite this, he noted that the serial had good production values and direction, as well as a few jokes that he enjoyed.<ref name="Radio Times">{{cite web|first=Patrick|last=Mulkern|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2011-02-14/city-of-death|title=Doctor Who: City of Death|work=[[Radio Times]]|date=14 February 2011|access-date=5 August 2012}}</ref>

==Commercial releases==

===In print===
{{Infobox book
|name = Doctor Who – City of Death
|image =
|caption =
|author = James Goss
|series = [[List of Doctor Who novelisations|''Doctor Who'' novelisations]]
|release_date = 21 May 2015
|publisher = [[BBC Books]]
|pages = 320
|isbn = 978-1-849-90675-3
}}
''City of Death'' is one of five ''Doctor Who'' serials from the series' original run (1963–1989) not to have been novelised by [[Target Books]]; the others are ''[[The Pirate Planet]]'', ''Shada'', ''[[Resurrection of the Daleks]]'', and ''[[Revelation of the Daleks]]''. Target approached Douglas Adams to write a novelisation, offering their standard advance of £600; Adams replied, "I don't want to be embarrassing but I do have a tendency to be a best-selling author".<ref name="Simpson_233">Simpson, ''Hitchhiker'', p. 233</ref> Target, concerned that their regular authors would seek better terms, refused to increase their offer.<ref name="Simpson_233" /> Several years later, Target editor [[Nigel Robinson]] offered an advance of £4,000&nbsp;– double what was the standard advance at the time&nbsp;– but Adams again declined.<ref name="Target">{{cite book |last=Howe |first=David J. |author-link=David J. Howe |others=Tim Neal |title=The Target Book: The History of the Target Doctor Who Books |year=2007 |publisher=Telos |location=London |isbn=978-1-84583-023-6 |pages=150 |chapter=Appendix C: Off Target}}</ref> Adams was unwilling to allow another author to write the novelisation.<ref name="Target" /> However, after Adams' death his estate allowed [[Gareth Roberts (writer)|Gareth Roberts]] to write an adaptation of the unfinished serial ''Shada'', which was published by [[BBC Books]] in 2012. In 2013, Roberts announced that he was working on a novelisation of ''City of Death'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/OldRoberts953/statuses/385491439771480064 |title=Twitter: OldRoberts953 |last1=Roberts |first1=Gareth |author-link1=Gareth Roberts (writer) |date=2 October 2013 |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=3 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfx.co.uk/2013/10/07/gareth-roberts-is-novelising-city-of-death/|title=Gareth Roberts is Novelising "City of Death"|work=[[SFX (magazine)|SFX]]|date=7 October 2013|access-date=12 October 2013}}</ref> to be published on 21 May 2015.<ref>{{cite book|title=Doctor Who: City of Death: Amazon.co.uk: Douglas Adams, James Goss: Books|id={{ASIN|1849906750|country=uk}}}}</ref> Roberts later announced that [[James Goss (producer)|James Goss]] was working on the book instead.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/OldRoberts953/status/524629974826115072|title=Gareth Roberts on Twitter: "Bit of news: the amazingly talented @gossjam is now doing the book of City of Death. It'll be fantastic!"|access-date=21 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2014/10/gareth-roberts-city-of-death-211014203915.html|title=Doctor Who News: Gareth Roberts no longer writing City of Death book|work=The Doctor Who News Page|access-date=21 October 2014}}</ref> An abridged version was published as part of the ''Target Collection'' 5 April 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.penguin.com.au/books/doctor-who-city-of-death-target-collection-9781785943270|title=Doctor Who: City of Death (Target Collection) by James Goss|website=penguin.com.au|access-date=12 November 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113060137/https://www.penguin.com.au/books/doctor-who-city-of-death-target-collection-9781785943270|archive-date=13 November 2017}}</ref>

===Home media===
''City of Death'' was released on VHS in April 1991 with a cover by Andrew Skilleter.<ref name="DWM_Archive_30" /> It was re-issued in 2001.<ref>Barnes, ''The Fact of Fiction. City of Death'', p. 23.</ref> A DVD was released in 2005 with special features including commentary by actors Julian Glover and Tom Chadbon, as well as director Michael Hayes, and the behind-the-scenes documentary "Paris in the Springtime".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.purpleville.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/rtwebsite/cityofdeath.htm |title=City of Death |access-date=23 May 2007 |last=Roberts |first=Steve |author2=Jonathan Wood |author3=Mark Ayres |date=8 August 2005 |publisher=[[Doctor Who Restoration Team]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070806144735/http://www.purpleville.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/rtwebsite/cityofdeath.htm |archive-date=6 August 2007}}</ref> It was also released as part of the [[Doctor Who DVD Files]] in Issue 37 on 2 June 2010. On 1 January 2013, [[AudioGO]] released a two-hour soundtrack of the serial, narrated by Lalla Ward.<ref name="audio">{{cite web|url=http://www.audiogo.com/uk/doctor-who-city-of-death-4th-doctor-tv-soundtrack-david-agnew-gid-1004854|title=Doctor Who: City of Death (4th Doctor TV Soundtrack)|publisher=[[AudioGO]]|access-date=3 January 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130219231133/http://www.audiogo.com/uk/doctor-who-city-of-death-4th-doctor-tv-soundtrack-david-agnew-gid-1004854|archive-date=19 February 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> A vinyl release of the soundtrack was released in 2018 exclusively for [[Record Store Day]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2018/04/vinyl-releases-for-record-store-day.html|title=Vinyl Releases for Record Store Day|publisher=[[Doctor Who News Page]]|author=Marcus|date=2018-04-21|access-date=2018-04-26}}</ref> Ian Scoones' [[storyboard]]s for ''City of Death''{{'s}} special effects sequences were published in [[Peter Haining (author)|Peter Haining]]'s book ''Doctor Who&nbsp;– 25 Glorious Years'' in 1988,<ref>{{cite book |last=Haining |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Haining (author) |title=Doctor Who: 25 Glorious Years |year=1988 |publisher=W. H. Allen |location=London |isbn=1-85227-021-7 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/doctorwho25glori0000hain/page/ –] |chapter=Designs on Doctor Who |url=https://archive.org/details/doctorwho25glori0000hain/page/}}</ref> and a Scaroth figure was released by Harlequin Miniatures in 1999.<ref>Pixley, ''Archive Extra. City of Death'', p. 39.</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Doctor Who}}
* [[Eduardo de Valfierno]]
* [[Cultural references to Leonardo da Vinci]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite episode | title = City of Death  | series = Doctor Who | series-link = Doctor Who | credits = "[[David Agnew]]" (writer); [[Michael Hayes (director)|Michael Hayes]] (director); [[Graham Williams (television producer)|Graham Williams]] (producer) | network = [[BBC]] | station = [[BBC One|BBC1]] | date = 29 September – 20 October 1979 | season<!-- per [[WP:WHO/MOS#Terminology]] please do not alter to seriesno --> = 17 | number = 105}}
*{{cite journal | last = Barnes | first = Alan | author-link = Alan Barnes (writer) | date = 8 December 2004 | title = The Fact of Fiction. City of Death | journal = [[Doctor Who Magazine]] | issue = 350 | pages = 16–23 | issn = 0957-9818}}
* {{cite book | last = Gaiman | first = Neil | author-link = Neil Gaiman | title = Don't Panic. Douglas Adams and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | edition = 2nd | year = 2003 | publisher = [[Titan Books]] | location = London | isbn = 1-84023-742-2}}
*{{cite video | people = Hayes, Michael, Tom Chadbon, Julian Glover |year=2005 | title = City of Death DVD Commentary | medium = City of Death DVD Special Feature | publisher = 2<nowiki>|</nowiki>entertain. BBCDVD1664 | location = London}}
* {{cite book | last = Howe | first = David | author-link = David J. Howe | author2 = Stephen James Walker | author2-link = Stephen James Walker | title = The Television Companion. The unofficial and unauthorised guide to Doctor Who | edition = 2nd | year = 2003 | publisher = Telos | location = London | isbn = 1-903889-52-9}}
* {{cite book | last = Howe | first = David | author-link = David J. Howe | author2 = Stephen James Walker | author2-link = Stephen James Walker |author3= Mark Stammers | title = The Handbook. The unofficial and unauthorised guide to the production of Doctor Who | year = 2005 | publisher = Telos | location = London | isbn = 1-903889-96-0}}
*{{cite book |last=Lofficier |first=Jean-Marc |author-link=Jean-Marc Lofficier |title=The Doctor Who Programme Guide&nbsp;– Volume 2: What's What and Who's Who |year=1981 |publisher=[[Target Books]] |location=London |isbn=0-426-20142-6 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/doctorwhoprogram0000loff}}
* {{cite book | last = Miles | first = Lawrence | author-link = Lawrence Miles | author2 = Tat Wood | author2-link = Tat Wood | title = About Time 4: The Unauthorized Guide to Doctor Who (Seasons 12 to 17) | year = 2004 | publisher = [[Mad Norwegian Press]] | location = [[Illinois]] | isbn = 0-9759446-3-0}}
*{{cite journal | last = Pixley | first = Andrew | date = 27 October 1993 | title = Archive Feature. Serial 5H. City of Death | journal = [[Doctor Who Magazine]] | issue = 205 | pages = 23–30 | issn = 0957-9818}}
*{{cite journal | last = Pixley | first = Andrew | date = 22 December 2004 | title = Archive Extra. City of Death | journal = Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition | issue = 9 – The Complete Fourth Doctor Volume Two | pages = 37–39 | issn = 0963-1275}}
* {{cite book | last = Simpson | first = M. J. | title = Hitchhiker. A biography of Douglas Adams
 | year = 2003 | publisher = [[Hodder and Stoughton]] | location = London | isbn = 0-340-82488-3}}
*{{cite video | people = [[Ed Stradling|Stradling, Ed]] (producer); [[Jonathan Morris (author)|Morris, Jonathan]] (writer) |year=2005 | title = Paris in the Springtime | medium = City of Death DVD Special Feature | publisher = 2<nowiki>|</nowiki>entertain. BBCDVD1664 | location = London}}
*{{cite video | people = Wiggins, Martin |year=2005 | title = Production Notes | medium = City of Death DVD Special Feature | publisher = 2<nowiki>|</nowiki>entertain. BBCDVD1664 | location = London}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|Fourth Doctor}}
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/cityofdeath/ ''City of Death'' episode guide on the BBC website]
*{{Isfdb title|id=1842034|title=City of Death}}

===Fan novelisation===
*{{Isfdb title|id=1724611|title=City of Death}}

{{Doctor Who episodes|C17}}
{{Douglas Adams}}
{{Fourth Doctor stories|selected=Television}}
{{Dirk Gently}}
{{Mona Lisa}}

{{good article}}

[[Category:Fourth Doctor serials]]
[[Category:Television episodes set in Paris]]
[[Category:1979 British television episodes]]
[[Category:Television episodes written by Douglas Adams]]
[[Category:Television episodes about ancient astronauts]]
[[Category:Doctor Who stories set on Earth]]
[[Category:Depictions of Leonardo da Vinci on television]]
[[Category:Mona Lisa]]
[[Category:Television episodes set in the 16th century]]
[[Category:Television episodes set in the 1970s]]
[[Category:Television episodes set in Italy]]