Trivia / Doctor Who S31 E4 "The Time of Angels"

• Actor-Inspired Element: In the script it was not written in that River would land on the Doctor when she flew into the TARDIS. It was an idea that Matt Smith came up with in rehearsal that proved difficult to film.
• Completely Different Title: The French title is "Le Labyrinthe des Anges, première partie" (The Labyrinth of Angels, Part 1).
• Enforced Method Acting: Matt Smith really did bite Karen Gillan's hand on several takes to provoke a proper reaction.
  Karen: The Doctor bites my arm, and I'm not really sure how we're going to do that. Is he actually going to do it?
  [cut to Matt Smith grinning broadly]
  Matt: Absolutely I'm going to bite her arm! Yeah, for sure!
• No Stunt Double: Alex Kingston did some of the shots of River being shot out of the escape pod herself.
• Out of Order: While this was the fourth episode in the running order to star Matt Smith, it was the first to be filmed, due to Alex Kingston's work schedule meaning she was only available to appear in the first and last shooting blocks of the season.
• Throw It In!: The Doctor ripping off a strap. First take was an accident but the producers loved it so they told Matt Smith to rip it off in subsequent takes.
• Word of God: According to Steven Moffat in his column in Doctor Who Magazine, River is pulling the Doctor's leg when she claims that the TARDIS noise is because he leaves the brakes on. The scene was written because the episode was underrunning.

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