Connections Des

 

The three-part series recalling the capture of Dennis Nilsen after he reported that the drains were blocked near his home, and the discovery of body parts causing the problem, to his incarceration at Her Majesty's Pleasure, is by far one of Tennant's most horrific and shocking roles to date, but by golly he plays him well. Nobody could see any part of the Doctor in this characterisation. Those dead eyes. That cold hearted figure. Gave me the shivers just looking at him. 

A brilliant piece of acting from all involved. The film was directed and written by Lewis Arnold, Kelly Jones, Luke Neal and Brian Masters. Masters was the biographer who interviewed Nilsen from prison and kept up their meetings long after his incarceration. 

Despite this being a horrific piece of drama, and not for those with a weak stomach, I couldn't help but notice just how many familiar cast faces there were, so it warranted a Connection this month. 

So, as ever, we've done the research so that you don't have to. 

Cast  

David Tennant played Dennis Nilsen for all 3 episodes in 2020 and was one of the executive producers of the series. He played the 10th Doctor from 2005 - 2010, returning in 2013 for The Day of the Doctor with the 11th and War Doctor. Also appeared as himself in The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot in 2013 and every other Doctor Who related series from documentary to mini animated series including Dreamland voicing the 10th Doctor for 6 episodes in 2009, and appearing in SJA for The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith also in 2009. He appeared in three Children in Need Doctor Who Specials from 2005 - 2008, not to mention the Music of the Spheres short in 2008. He was also part of the video game Doctor Who: Attack of the Graske (which I loved playing) in 2005, and another piece of research excitement, of which now I'll need to grab a copy of, if any about was uncredited as the voice of a warehouseman in Episode 5 of Doctor Who mini series Scream of the Shalka in 2003. 

In a recent poll, (2020) David's Doctor beat the 13th Doctor as the first Doctor anyone thinks of, playing the role. Now naturally, this could have been mostly from NuWho fans, because a fair few people across social media have protested that Tom Baker should have taken this crown, with Tennant coming 2nd, but...it's interesting to note that it was a close thing between Whittaker's character and Tennant's. 

Daniel Mays played Peter Jay for 3 episodes in 2020. Played Alex in Doctor Who episode Night Terrors in 2011. 

Jason Watkins played Brian Masters for 3 episodes in 2020. Played Webley in Doctor Who episode Nightmare in Silver in 2013. 

Ron Cook played DSI Geoff Chambers for 3 episodes in 2020. Played Magpie in Doctor Who episode The Idiot's Lantern in 2006. 

Jay Simpson played DS Chris Healey for 3 episodes in 2020. Played Jay in SJA two parter The Lost Boy in 2007. 

Silas Carson played Russell Cavendish for 1 episode in 2020. Didn't know this till I researched, but voiced the Aliens in Doctor Who episode The End of the World in 2005, and voiced The Ood for all episodes regarding Oods from 2006 - 2008 including yet uncredited as Ood Sigma for The End of Time parts 1 & 2 in 2009/10. Also voiced Kudlak and the Emperor characters in SJA episodes Warriors of Kudlak parts 1 & 2 in 2007, and in the Tardisodes voiced The Ood for Prelude to the Satan Pit and Prelude to the Impossible Planet in 2006. 

Jamie Parker played Allan Green QC for 1 episode in 2020. In 2010 voiced Wulfric and Edgar in the Doctor Who: The Sixth Doctor Adventures audio drama Leviathan. 

Pip Torrens played Ivan Lawrence QC for 1 episode in 2020. Played Rocastle in the Doctor Who two parter The Family of Blood and Human Nature in 2007. 

Tor Clark played the Jury Foreman for 1 episode in 2020. Played the Female Teacher in Doctor Who episode Let's Kill Hitler in 2011. 

Ken Bones played Judge Croom-Johnson for 1 episode in 2020. Played The General in Doctor Who episodes The Day of the Doctor in 2013 and Hell Bent in 2015, and was the Voice in The Time of the Doctor in 2013. 

Beth Goddard played Frances for 1 episode in 2020. Played Sister Helena in SJA episode Eye of the Gorgon two parter in 2007. Also appeared as this character in the SJA episode The Mad Woman in the Attic: Part 1 in 2009. 

Camera and Electrical Department 

Jade Jenkins was Second assistant camera: "b" camera for the full 3 episodes in 2020. Was camera trainee for 2 episodes of Doctor Who in 2020.

Beyond The TARDIS Des by DJ Forrest

 

Dennis Andrew Nilsen was a Scottish serial killer who murdered 15 young men and boys between 1978 and 1983 at his home in London. His youngest victim was only 14. He was convicted at the Old Bailey of six counts of murder and two of attempted murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment on 4^th November 1983, with a recommendation that he served a minimum of twenty-five years. This was later changed to a whole life tariff which means that he would never be given parole. That he will never be released. 

On 12^th May, 2018, Nilsen died in his prison cell at the age of 72. 

I had heard of Nilsen when I was a youngster but there were a lot of serial killers at that time, so he was just another in a long list of criminals. However, Des, and indeed the documentary after the three-part series, really opened my eyes as to just how vile Nilsen really was. 

Tennant’s depiction of this character was horrifying, and the likeness between the pair visually was shocking. Not once during his performance of Nilsen did Tennant break a smile. Not once did I witness a touch of the Doctor. He displayed a deadness behind the eyes. A cold-hearted killer. This was not a character role that you could warm to, that you would want to root for. 

In one of the scenes, his biographer, Brian Masters could not understand how Nilsen could sit and eat a sandwich in his kitchen, while the severed head of one of his victims was boiling away in a pan on the stove. 

Tennant played Nilsen to a tee. 

To be fair, much of the three series event was like a Doctor Who reunion, but each of the actors played characters so far removed from the sci fi series that you couldn’t see them in anything other than the roles they played in Des. 

But it wasn’t just Tennant who played a ‘blinder’. Daniel Mays as Detective Chief Inspector Peter Jay was also outstanding in his role, along with Jason Watkins as biographer Brian Masters and Ron Cook as DSI Geoff Chambers. 

In our current world where we barely see anyone smoking a cigarette and most definitely not indoors, Des brought it all back to the screen. It was just like watching The Sweeney again except without the strong language. Everyone smoked, and Mays’ character was no exception. Peter Jay died of a cancer related illness many years later. 

If you haven’t seen Des yet, you can catch up with it on one of the streaming channels on the tellybox. It’s well worth a watch, but make sure you’ve a strong stomach. It’s not for the faint hearted.