42 (Doctor Who)

Separated from the TARDIS, the Doctor and Martha face a race against time as they and the crew of the SS Pentallion try to escape from the disabled spaceship before it falls into a nearby star.

[2] The Tenth Doctor and Martha receive a distress signal from the SS Pentallian, a human spacecraft that is hurtling towards the star of the Torajii system.

One of the crew, Captain McDonnell's husband, Korwin, has been infected with something that is causing his body temperature to rise to incredible levels.

The title of the episode was chosen as an homage to the Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,[3] written by Douglas Adams.

The stasis chamber is adapted from the prop used as the MRI scanner in "Smith and Jones", according to associate production designer James North.

[5] Likewise, the spacesuit the Doctor wears was previously seen in "The Impossible Planet" and "The Satan Pit" and has since been repainted, according to producer Phil Collinson in the online audio commentary for "42".

Written by Joseph Lidster, it details the reactions of one of the characters, Erina Lissak, a recent addition to the crew of the Pentallian, as the ship's engines stop, a countdown to impact begins, and she unexpectedly meets the Doctor and Martha.

[8] Producer Phil Collinson added in an episode commentary that the name was a reference to the real-time US television series 24.

[11] Originally planned for broadcast on 12 May 2007, this episode was postponed by the BBC due to their coverage of the final of Eurovision Song Contest 2007.