Spoilsport (short story): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Story SMW
{{Infobox Story
|name=Spoilsport
|series=[[Short Trips (series)#In print|Short Trips short stories]]
|series=[[Short Trips (series)#In print|Short Trips short stories]]
|doctor=Third Doctor
|doctor = Third Doctor
|companions=[[Jo Grant|Jo]]
|companions=[[Jo Grant|Jo]]
|setting=[[Prague]], [[2221]]
|setting = [[Prague]], [[2221]]
|writer=[[Paul Finch]]
|writer=Paul Finch
|anthology=''[[Short Trips: Destination Prague]]''
|anthology = Short Trips: Destination Prague
|release date = 30 June 2007
|prev=Nanomorphosis (short story)
|prev=Nanomorphosis (short story)
|next=War in a Time of Peace (short story)
|next = War in a Time of Peace (short story)
}}
}}
'''''Spoilsport''''' was the tenth short story in the [[Short Trips (series)|Short Trips]] anthology ''[[Short Trips: Destination Prague]]''. It was written by [[Paul Finch]]. It featured the [[Third Doctor]] and [[Jo Grant]].
'''''Spoilsport''''' was the tenth short story in the [[Short Trips (series)|Short Trips]] anthology ''[[Short Trips: Destination Prague]]''. It was written by [[Paul Finch]]. It featured the [[Third Doctor]] and [[Jo Grant]].
== Summary ==
== Summary ==
''to be added''
The Doctor and Jo are brought to [[Prague]] in [[2221]] against their will by an old acquaintance of the Doctor's, [[Benek Chaloupka]], a former [[magician]]. He used to use a pair of [[Psion orb]]s in his act until one of them was broken. He now runs a museum called [[Marvels Less Mystifying]] that seeks to debunk things like [[magic]], [[superstition]] and the [[occult]]. However, to his embarrassment, his museum is haunted by [[ghost]]s.
 
The Doctor explains to Jo that Prague at this time is built on seven levels, with the lowest level housing the undesirable people — criminals and addicts.
 
As the Doctor and Jo investigate the museum, the Doctor rules out energy fields and holograms. They split up — the Doctor needs equipment from the TARDIS while Jo goes to Chaloupka's office. There she is confronted by several different ghosts, terrifying her. The Doctor also encounters ghosts, and is even attacked by a boy with a knife — who is not a ghost. The Doctor realises he must be protecting something and follows him to the lowest level of the city.
 
The boy was protecting a sleeping girl. When she sees the Doctor she runs away, but he steps on a Psion orb. The orb had been projecting the dreams of the two children while they slept.
 
The mystery solved, Jo and the Doctor leave. The Doctor is annoyed because he knows Chaloupka could have solved the problem on his own and was merely using the situation as a publicity coup.


== Characters ==
== Characters ==
* [[Third Doctor]]
* [[Third Doctor]]
* [[Jo Grant|Jo]]
* [[Jo Grant|Jo]]
* [[Benek Chaloupka]]


== References ==
== Worldbuilding ==
''to be added''
* Prague is part of the [[Third Czech and Slovak Republic]].
* The Doctor listens to "[[Coz I Luv You]]" by [[Noddy Holder]].
* In Jo's time, the president of [[Czechoslovakia]] is "Mr [[Ludvík Svoboda|Svoboda]]".
* Jo finds graves for [[Jan Neruda]] and [[Max Svabinsky]] in the [[Vysehrad Cemetery]].
* Benek mentions that the Doctor has [[Regeneration|regenerated]].
* [[Wax]] figures in the museum include [[Nostradamus]], [[Bigfoot]], and the [[Golem of Prague]].
* Jo sees an exhibit for the ''[[Mary Celeste]]''.


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
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== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
''to be added''
* The Doctor reminds Jo of their experiences with the so-called supernatural on [[Peladon]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Curse of Peladon (TV story)|The Curse of Peladon]]'') and in [[Devil's End]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Dæmons (TV story)|The Dæmons]]'')
[[Category:Prose stub switch]]
{{ST prose}}
{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}


[[Category:Third Doctor short stories]]
[[Category:Third Doctor short stories]]
[[Category:2007 short stories]]
[[Category:Short Trips: Destination Prague short stories]]
[[Category:ST short stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in 2221]]
[[Category:Stories set in Prague]]
[[Category:Stories set in the 23rd century]]

Latest revision as of 02:58, 22 June 2024

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Spoilsport was the tenth short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: Destination Prague. It was written by Paul Finch. It featured the Third Doctor and Jo Grant.

Summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor and Jo are brought to Prague in 2221 against their will by an old acquaintance of the Doctor's, Benek Chaloupka, a former magician. He used to use a pair of Psion orbs in his act until one of them was broken. He now runs a museum called Marvels Less Mystifying that seeks to debunk things like magic, superstition and the occult. However, to his embarrassment, his museum is haunted by ghosts.

The Doctor explains to Jo that Prague at this time is built on seven levels, with the lowest level housing the undesirable people — criminals and addicts.

As the Doctor and Jo investigate the museum, the Doctor rules out energy fields and holograms. They split up — the Doctor needs equipment from the TARDIS while Jo goes to Chaloupka's office. There she is confronted by several different ghosts, terrifying her. The Doctor also encounters ghosts, and is even attacked by a boy with a knife — who is not a ghost. The Doctor realises he must be protecting something and follows him to the lowest level of the city.

The boy was protecting a sleeping girl. When she sees the Doctor she runs away, but he steps on a Psion orb. The orb had been projecting the dreams of the two children while they slept.

The mystery solved, Jo and the Doctor leave. The Doctor is annoyed because he knows Chaloupka could have solved the problem on his own and was merely using the situation as a publicity coup.

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]