The Last Oak Tree (TV story): Difference between revisions

{{Infobox Story

|image = StarkeyAndTheEgg.jpg

|season number = Series 1 (K9)

|main character = [[K9 Mark 2]], [[Starkey]], [[Jorjie Turner|Jorjie]], [[Darius Pike|Darius]], [[Alistair Gryffen|Gryffen]]

|featuring = [[June Turner|June]]

|enemy = [[Drake (Liberation)|Drake]]

|setting = [[London]], [[2050]]

|writer = [[Jim Noble]]

|director = [[Dale Bradley]]

|producer = [[Penny Wall]], [[Richard Stewart]], [[Simon Barnes]]

|broadcast date = [[12 April (releases)|12 April]] [[2010 (releases)|2010]]

|format = 1 x 30 minute episode

|production code = 1.14

|prev = Aeolian (TV story)

|next = Black Hunger (TV story)

'''''The Last Oak Tree''''' was the fourteenth episode of ''[[K9 (TV series)|K9]]''. It was written by [[Jim Noble]], directed by [[Dale Bradley]] and featured [[John Leeson]] as [[K9 Mark 2]], [[Keegan Joyce]] as [[Starkey]], [[Philippa Coulthard]] as [[Jorjie Turner]], [[Daniel Webber]] as [[Darius Pike]] and [[Robert Moloney]] as [[Alistair Gryffen]].

In a [[museum]], K9, Jorjie and Starkey stroll through a [[virtual reality]] [[Sherwood Forest]]. They find a notice stating, "Here stood the [[Major Oak]], sanctuary to the outlaw [[Robin Hood]] and his band of Merry Men." Jorjie tells Starkey she thought she would marry Robin Hood when she was a kid. When Starkey notes that both Robin Hood and the Major Oak are long gone now, a [[Robin Hood (The Last Oak Tree)|virtual reality simulation of Robin Hood]] comes out of the trees and contradicts him. He says the Major Oak lives in the museum and welcomes them to Sherwood Forest. K9 says he should be shorter. Robin is shocked at this "sorcery." Jorjie is surprised K9 has met the real Robin Hood. When Starkey asks Robin Hood about his tights, he tells him it was "chilly" in his day. K9 confirms that Britain was three degrees cooler in the [[Middle Ages]]; Robin notes that [[pollution]] has affected the [[planet]] and the oaks and silver birches have been cut down or died out. Robin Hood starts to glitch and loop and K9 detects an alien threat. They turn off the virtual reality forest as the patrons flee.

At the mansion, Gryffen listens to news of the theft. K9, Starkey and Jorjie arrive to show him the alien substance, which K9 says is emitting a high-pitched frequency. As June examines where the Major Oak was displayed, Drake arrives with orders from [[Lomax (The Bounty Hunter)|Lomax]]. The aliens have been classed as an A-level threat, "which means it's time to let the big boys play". June claims this is not his jurisdiction, but Drake picks up a piece of the alien substance. Gryffen tests the substance's magnetic field, confirming it made the CCPCs malfunction. K9 is not affected. Unlike the CCPCs, his electromagnetic shielding is impenetrable. Darius arrives, wondering if the museum is offering a reward, disgusting Jorjie with his selfishness. Gryffen asks Darius if the post office had his invitation for the Annual [[Bournedecker Awards for Scientific Excellence]]. When Starkey wonders if he'll leave the house, he says he won't. Gryffen says that he sees it as a tradition that every year he gets an invitation and every year he doesn't show up. Darius suggests the postman lost it. In fact, the postman is trapped underground by the alien substance.

* [[K9 Mark 2]] - [[John Leeson]]

* [[Professor]] [[Alistair Gryffen]] - [[Robert Moloney]]

* [[CCPC]] - [[Marcel Baum]]

* [[CCPC]] - [[Micheal Sharman]]

* [[CCPC]] - [[John Devine]]

* [[CCPC]] - [[Timothy Humphries]]

* [[Director]] - [[Dale Bradley]]

* [[Puppeteer]] - [[David Pawsey]]

== References ==

* When Starkey learns that the trapped postman is named Patrick, he calls him "[[Postman Pat]]", after the title character of the series of British stop-motion animated children's television programmes.

* This episode aired on the same day as the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' episode ''[[The Vampires of Venice]]''.

* The [[Department Technician (Liberation)|Department officer]] who monitors the situation at the museum also appeared in [[TV]]: ''[[Liberation]]''.

* K9 claims to have met the real Robin Hood. Travelling to [[Sherwood Forest]] in [[1190]] while attempting to prove to his [[companion]] [[Clara Oswald]] that Robin Hood was a mere myth, the [[Twelfth Doctor]] would realise he was indeed real after meeting him and helping him defeat the [[Sheriff of Nottingham]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Robot of Sherwood]]'') Another account shows Robin Hood and the [[Merry Men]] meeting the [[First Doctor]] with [[Susan Foreman|Susan]], [[Ian Chesterton|Ian]] and [[Barbara Wright|Barbara]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Thief of Sherwood]]'')

* ''K9: Ultimate Collectors Edition'', containing the full first series, scheduled for release in the UK on [[11 June (releases)|11 June]] [[2011 (releases)|2011]]. [http://www.amazon.co.uk/K9-Complete-Box-Set-DVD/dp/B0076WI3C2/ref=sr_1_4?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1339049905&sr=1-4]