The Curious Incident of the Doctor in the Night-Time (audio story): Difference between revisions

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{{real world}}
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{{Infobox Story
{{Infobox Story SMW
|image            =  
|image            =  
|series          = ''[[Main Range]]''
|series          = ''[[Main Range]]''
|audio anthology  = ''[[Breaking Bubbles and Other Stories]]''
|audio anthology  = Breaking Bubbles and Other Stories
|range            = Main Range
|range            = Main Range
|number in range  = 188d
|number in range  = 188d
Line 11: Line 11:
|companions      = [[Peri Brown]]
|companions      = [[Peri Brown]]
|enemy            = [[Llangragen]]
|enemy            = [[Llangragen]]
|setting          =  
|setting          = [[12 Arcadia Gardens]]; [[Houseproud]]
|writer          = [[Nev Fountain]]
|writer          = Nev Fountain
|director        = [[Nicholas Briggs]]
|director        = [[Nicholas Briggs]]
|producer        = [[David Richardson]]
|producer        = [[David Richardson]]
Line 19: Line 19:
|epcount          = 1
|epcount          = 1
|publisher        = Big Finish Productions
|publisher        = Big Finish Productions
|release date    = [[11 July (releases)|11 July]] [[2014 (releases)|2014]]
|release date    = 11 July 2014
|format          = 1 CD<br/>Download<br/>4th of 4 stories
|format          = 1 CD<br/>Download<br/>4th of 4 stories
|production code  = 6Z/AC
|production code  = 6Z/AC
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|prev            = An Eye For Murder (audio story)
|prev            = An Eye For Murder (audio story)
|next            = Revenge of the Swarm (audio story)
|next            = Revenge of the Swarm (audio story)
}}{{audio stub}}
}}
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the fourth and final story in the audio anthology, ''[[Breaking Bubbles and Other Stories]]'', which comprised the one hundred and eighty-eighth release in [[Big Finish]]'s [[Main Range|monthly range]]. It was written by [[Nev Fountain]] and featured [[Colin Baker]] as the [[Sixth Doctor]] and [[Nicola Bryant]] as [[Peri Brown]].
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the fourth and final story in the audio anthology, ''[[Breaking Bubbles and Other Stories]]'', which comprised the one hundred and eighty-eighth release in [[Big Finish]]'s [[Main Range|monthly range]]. It was written by [[Nev Fountain]] and featured [[Colin Baker]] as the [[Sixth Doctor]] and [[Nicola Bryant]] as [[Peri Brown]].


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== Plot ==
== Plot ==
[[Michael Jennings|Michael Andrew Jennings]] recounts the strange ocurences he's been noticing recently, including the fact that the number of his father's gnomes in the garden is 130 rather than the usual 129. His father [[Geoffrey Jennings]] brings him to the store he works at where Michael's autism gets his father into trouble (he tries to interact with a customer and lights a candle, triggering the fire alarm).
[[Michael Jennings|Michael]] goes with his father, [[Geoffrey Jennings|Geoff]], to [[Houseproud]] where he unknowingly gets his father fired by lighting a [[candle]] and setting off the [[fire alarm]] whilst trying to help [[customer (The Curious Incident of the Doctor in the Night-Time)|a customer]]. Geoff had an argument with Michael's mother, [[Olivia Jennings|Olivia]], during which Michael goes into the [[garden]] and counts the [[garden gnome]]s, finding that there is 130 rather than 129. Michael notices that his father resembles a gnome in his [[fishing]] clothes and decides to solve the mystery of the extra gnome, but he is taken to stay with his [[Peggy (The Curious Incident of the Doctor in the Night-Time)|Auntie Peggy]] after the [[police]] visit to give Olivia unfortunate news.


Michael sees his father prepare to go fishing when they return home after his father is fired (unbeknownest to Michael) but he never returns. He is informed by his mother some time later that his father died on the [[Fishing|fishing trip]] as the [[boat]] capsized. He doesn't understand and begins to conduct his own investigation, suspecting something strange because when his father's gnomes were collected, he counted 130 instead of the usual 129. One night he notices two stranges wandering about the garden, one of them wearing strange yellow trowsers that look like the ones the gnomes wear.
After a few days, Michael returns home and learns that his father [[drowning|drowned]] whilst fishing, which does not make sense to him. He sees [[Sixth Doctor|the Doctor]] and [[Peri Brown|Peri]] in the garden through his [[bedroom]] [[window]] at [[night]] and, assuming that they are investigating the extra gnome, he goes to Houseproud where the gnomes have been returned and purchases the gnome he does not recognise. He deduces that the gnome must be his father and attempts to interview it, but he is interrupted by the arrival of the Doctor and Peri, who claim to be [[social worker]]s when Olivia comes to the front door. The Doctor informs her that [[Llangragen]] of the [[Genoi]], who resembles a gnome, sent out an invitation to the house which led to Geoff being fired for stealing gnomes from work.


Michael starts his investigation but is interrupted by a knock at the door. It is the Doctor and Peri, who are posing as [[social worker]]s. They speak with [[Olivia Jennings|Olivia]] who explains she has been careful around Michael because she doesn't want him to think it is his fault or that he had any part in why his father died. However, when the Doctor makes a strange comment about an alien invasion on the horizon, she slams the door in their faces.
Olivia slams the door on the Doctor and Peri and Michael continues his interview of the gnome he believes to be his father. The gnome talks to him and orders him to take him back to Houseproud, but Michael does not wish himself or his mother to be sad and traps him in a [[box]] so that he cannot leave, after which he paints a gnome to resemble this one and puts it in the [[shed]] window to lure the Doctor. He locks the Doctor in the shed as he believes him to be the chief gnome given that he does not change his [[clothes]] and demands that he returns his father to [[human]] form, heading back inside to fetch the gnome from the box when he begins to suspect that he might indeed by Llangragen and not his father.  


Michael resumes his interview with the extra gnome he bought earlier, beliving it to be his father. It speaks back to him and it does claim to be his father but the gnome treats him horribly and he locks it in his toy chest. Just then he hears a sound outside, and recognizing the Doctor, sets up a trap and locks him in the shed. The Doctor explains that the gnome Michael has is dangerous and that he needs to see it, but Michael thinks the Doctor is the leader of the gnomes and has turned hi father into one. After they talk, Michael goes off under the pretence of getting the gnome as the Doctor asked him but leaves the Doctor locked in the shed.
Olivia lets the Doctor out of the shed and, after listening to his claims about the Genoi, says that Michael will not be so easily convinced to give up on the notion that Llangragen is his father. He, Peri and Olivia go to Houseproud where Llangragen awakens the [[13th Genoi Battalion]] and Michael, overcoming his feelings of overstimulation, sets off the fire alarm by lighting candles to destroy the Genoi and Llangragen's damper device. After having [[dinner]], the Doctor sits with Michael in the garden and tells him that his father is still alive in his memory. Michael closes his eyes to remember his father and the Doctor slips away, leaving in the TARDIS as Michael remembers his father telling him that he is special.


The Doctor is found by Olivia who lets him out but threatens to report him to the police, however, he manages to explain in time what is going on. She chides the Doctor for his lack of emotional understanding, and they realise Michael is going to help the gnome (named [[Llangragen]]) by taking it back to the location of its buried ship to awaken its comrades (other [[Genoi]]) and invade.
Michael takes Llangragen to his ship in the store his father worked at and doesn't understand what's going on. However, Llangragen berates Michael for his stupidity, upsetting him. Luckily the Doctor, Peri and Olivia arrive amid the ensuing chaos and with the Doctor's encouragement, Michael lights some candles and triggers the fire alarm, releasing water and destroying the machine and the Genoi. Llangragen's plan foiled, the four of them return to Michael's home.
The Doctor, at Olivia's request, speaks with Michael in the backyard under the stars and explains to him that his father is still alive in the "past". He then tells him to close his eyes and imagine his father. Michael does, and smiles to himself, describing out loud the image of his father, while the Doctor quietly slips away, leaving Michael to enjoy his memories of his father.
== Cast ==
== Cast ==
* [[Sixth Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Colin Baker]]
* [[Sixth Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Colin Baker]]
* [[Peri Brown]] - [[Nicola Bryant]]
* [[Peri Brown]] - [[Nicola Bryant]]
* [[Geoffrey Jennings]] / [[Llangragen]] - [[Paul Panting]]
* [[Geoffrey Jennings|Geoff]] / [[Llangragen]] - [[Paul Panting]]
* [[Michael Jennings]] - [[Johnny Gibbon]]
* [[Michael Jennings|Michael]] - [[Johnny Gibbon]]
* [[Olivia Jennings]] - [[Anjella Mackintosh]]
* [[Olivia Jennings|Olivia]] - [[Anjella Mackintosh]]
* Customer - [[Nicholas Briggs]]
* [[Customer (The Curious Incident of the Doctor in the Night-Time)|Customer]] - [[Nicholas Briggs]]


== Worldbuilding ==
== Worldbuilding ==
* Michael's best friend Niall eats what he describes as "[[guinea pig]] food" at school.
* Michael's best friend [[Niall (The Curious Incident of the Doctor in the Night-Time)|Niall]] eats what he describes as "[[guinea pig]] food" at school.
* Geoff works at [[Houseproud]].
* [[Bob Johnson]] works with Geoff.
* [[Peggy (The Curious Incident of the Doctor in the Night-Time)|Peggy]] is Michael's aunt.
* The Doctor tells Michael that he met the original [[Vandals]].
* The Doctor tells Michael that he met the original [[Vandals]].
* The [[Genoi]] were placed on [[Earth]] by the [[Galactic Coalition]] as the planet's high ozone content acted as a natural paralysing agent on them. Their leader [[Llangragen]] managed to escape and has travelled to Earth with the intention of reviving his fellow Genoi and conquering the planet.
* The [[Genoi]] were placed on [[Earth]] by the [[Galactic Coalition]] as the planet's high ozone content acted as a natural paralysing agent on them. Their leader [[Llangragen]] managed to escape and has travelled to Earth with the intention of reviving his fellow Genoi and conquering the planet.

Latest revision as of 20:47, 18 March 2024

RealWorld.png

The Curious Incident of the Doctor in the Night-Time was the fourth and final story in the audio anthology, Breaking Bubbles and Other Stories, which comprised the one hundred and eighty-eighth release in Big Finish's monthly range. It was written by Nev Fountain and featured Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor and Nicola Bryant as Peri Brown.

Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

Michael is a young boy who likes to solve mysteries, such as the mystery of the extra gnome, the mystery of the absent father, and the mystery of the strange man in yellow trousers at the bottom of the garden.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Michael goes with his father, Geoff, to Houseproud where he unknowingly gets his father fired by lighting a candle and setting off the fire alarm whilst trying to help a customer. Geoff had an argument with Michael's mother, Olivia, during which Michael goes into the garden and counts the garden gnomes, finding that there is 130 rather than 129. Michael notices that his father resembles a gnome in his fishing clothes and decides to solve the mystery of the extra gnome, but he is taken to stay with his Auntie Peggy after the police visit to give Olivia unfortunate news.

After a few days, Michael returns home and learns that his father drowned whilst fishing, which does not make sense to him. He sees the Doctor and Peri in the garden through his bedroom window at night and, assuming that they are investigating the extra gnome, he goes to Houseproud where the gnomes have been returned and purchases the gnome he does not recognise. He deduces that the gnome must be his father and attempts to interview it, but he is interrupted by the arrival of the Doctor and Peri, who claim to be social workers when Olivia comes to the front door. The Doctor informs her that Llangragen of the Genoi, who resembles a gnome, sent out an invitation to the house which led to Geoff being fired for stealing gnomes from work.

Olivia slams the door on the Doctor and Peri and Michael continues his interview of the gnome he believes to be his father. The gnome talks to him and orders him to take him back to Houseproud, but Michael does not wish himself or his mother to be sad and traps him in a box so that he cannot leave, after which he paints a gnome to resemble this one and puts it in the shed window to lure the Doctor. He locks the Doctor in the shed as he believes him to be the chief gnome given that he does not change his clothes and demands that he returns his father to human form, heading back inside to fetch the gnome from the box when he begins to suspect that he might indeed by Llangragen and not his father.

Olivia lets the Doctor out of the shed and, after listening to his claims about the Genoi, says that Michael will not be so easily convinced to give up on the notion that Llangragen is his father. He, Peri and Olivia go to Houseproud where Llangragen awakens the 13th Genoi Battalion and Michael, overcoming his feelings of overstimulation, sets off the fire alarm by lighting candles to destroy the Genoi and Llangragen's damper device. After having dinner, the Doctor sits with Michael in the garden and tells him that his father is still alive in his memory. Michael closes his eyes to remember his father and the Doctor slips away, leaving in the TARDIS as Michael remembers his father telling him that he is special.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Michael's best friend Niall eats what he describes as "guinea pig food" at school.
  • Geoff works at Houseproud.
  • Bob Johnson works with Geoff.
  • Peggy is Michael's aunt.
  • The Doctor tells Michael that he met the original Vandals.
  • The Genoi were placed on Earth by the Galactic Coalition as the planet's high ozone content acted as a natural paralysing agent on them. Their leader Llangragen managed to escape and has travelled to Earth with the intention of reviving his fellow Genoi and conquering the planet.

Story notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added