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{{Infobox Short Story|
{{title dab away}}
story name=The Last Broadcast|
{{real world}}
series=[[Big Finish - Short Trips]]|
{{Infobox Story SMW
doctor=[[Fourth Doctor]]|
|series=[[Short Trips (series)#In print|Short Trips short stories]]
companions=[[Sarah Jane Smith]], [[Harry Sullivan]]|
|doctor = Fourth Doctor
year=|
|companions=[[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah]], [[Harry Sullivan|Harry]]
writer=[[Matthew Griffiths]]|
|enemy = [[Kathnor]]
publication=[[Short Trips: A Day in the Life]]|
|setting=[[Earth]]
previous story=[[How You Get There]]|
|writer = Matthew Griffiths
next story=[[The Terror of the Darkness]]|
|anthology = Short Trips: A Day in the Life
|}}
|release date = 7 July 2005
|prev = How You Get There (short story)
|next=The Terror of the Darkness (short story)
}}'''''The Last Broadcast''''' was the fourteenth short story in the [[Short Trips (series)|Short Trips]] anthology ''[[Short Trips: A Day in the Life]]''. It was written by [[Matthew Griffiths]]. It featured the [[Fourth Doctor]], [[Sarah Jane Smith]] and [[Harry Sullivan]].


==Summary==
== Summary ==
The terrible rainstorm has come to an end, and Geoff Sinton is about to go out to the pub when two strangers -- Naval Lieutenant Harry Sullivan and a man who calls himself the Doctor -- burst into his home, claiming they need to borrow his television. Harry tries to calm down the bewildered Geoff, whose wife Linda and sons Stuart and Richard watch in astonishment as the Doctor wires their satellite TV to their telephone and places a call to an alien war marshal named Kathnor. Kathnor refuses to surrender to the Doctor, and the Doctor explains to the Sintons that the Verulans are about to broadcast a signal that will immobilise everyone within range and leave the way clear for an invasion.  
As [[Geoff Sinton]] is about to head to the pub, two strangers, the Doctor and Lieutenant Sullivan, arrive at his house, claiming to be from the television company. As the Doctor works on their television, Geoff and his sons watch.


The Verulans catch Sarah, who has hidden aboard their ship to ensure that the power boosters are at maximum strength; however, the Doctor tricks Kathnor into looking at his ship’s escape pod, thus showing Sarah where it is. Kathnor then sends the signal, but the Doctor has already prepared for him, and the signal bounces back and destroys the Verulan ship; fortunately, Sarah manages to get to the escape pod in time. The Doctor and Harry rush off to rescue her, while the bewildered Geoff watches his excited sons, who have enjoyed this science-fiction interlude into their lives and are now pretending to be scary aliens.
The Doctor connects the television to the telephone, and an alien in a spaceship appears on the screen. The Doctor and the alien converse, and Sullivan explains that the alien is a [[Verulan]] named [[Kathnor]].


==Characters==
The Doctor tells Kathnor he will stop him, and explains to the Sintons that Kathnor plans to broadcast a signal that will help him invade Earth. The Doctor fiddles with some equipment, and a young girl named Sarah appears on the screen. She is hiding in the ducting, and has sabotaged the ship. As the Doctor, Harry and the Sintons watch, Sarah is captured by the Verulans and taken to the bridge.
*[[Fourth Doctor]]
*[[Sarah Jane Smith]]
*[[Harry Sullivan]]


==References==
Kathnor gloats about his plans, and activates the signal. The Doctor asks Kathnor if he has an escape hatch, saying the words loudly. Kathnor involuntarily looks in the direction of the escape hatch, and the Doctor tells Sarah to use it. In the meantime, he has reflected the Verulan signal back to their ship.
''to be added''


==Notes==
The escape pod detaches from the ship just before it explodes, and it doesn't take long for Sarah to confirm that she is aboard. She will land somewhere in the Canaries, so the Doctor and Harry say their goodbyes to the Sintons.
''to be added''


==Continuity==
== Characters ==
''to be added''
* [[Fourth Doctor]]
* [[Sarah Jane Smith]]
* [[Harry Sullivan]]
* [[Geoff Sinton]]
* [[Linda Sinton]]
* [[Stuart Sinton]]
* [[Richard Sinton]]
* [[Kathnor]]


==External Links==
== Worldbuilding ==
''to be added''
* Harry doesn't recognise [[mobile phone]]s.
* The Doctor calculates that Sarah will land somewhere in the [[Canary Islands|Canaries]].


{{prose stub}}
== Notes ==
* The events of ''[[How You Get There (short story)|How You Get There]]'', this story and ''[[The Terror of the Darkness (short story)|The Terror of Darkness]]'' take place in [[London]] on the same day.


[[Category:Fourth Doctor short stories|Last]]
== Continuity ==
* The unusual rainstorm has just ended. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[How You Get There (short story)|How You Get There]]'')
 
{{ST prose}}
{{TitleSort}}
 
[[Category:Fourth Doctor short stories]]
[[Category:Sarah Jane Smith short stories]]
[[Category:Short stories set on Earth]]
[[Category:Short Trips: A Day in the Life short stories]]

Latest revision as of 19:37, 5 March 2024

RealWorld.png

The Last Broadcast was the fourteenth short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: A Day in the Life. It was written by Matthew Griffiths. It featured the Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan.

Summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

As Geoff Sinton is about to head to the pub, two strangers, the Doctor and Lieutenant Sullivan, arrive at his house, claiming to be from the television company. As the Doctor works on their television, Geoff and his sons watch.

The Doctor connects the television to the telephone, and an alien in a spaceship appears on the screen. The Doctor and the alien converse, and Sullivan explains that the alien is a Verulan named Kathnor.

The Doctor tells Kathnor he will stop him, and explains to the Sintons that Kathnor plans to broadcast a signal that will help him invade Earth. The Doctor fiddles with some equipment, and a young girl named Sarah appears on the screen. She is hiding in the ducting, and has sabotaged the ship. As the Doctor, Harry and the Sintons watch, Sarah is captured by the Verulans and taken to the bridge.

Kathnor gloats about his plans, and activates the signal. The Doctor asks Kathnor if he has an escape hatch, saying the words loudly. Kathnor involuntarily looks in the direction of the escape hatch, and the Doctor tells Sarah to use it. In the meantime, he has reflected the Verulan signal back to their ship.

The escape pod detaches from the ship just before it explodes, and it doesn't take long for Sarah to confirm that she is aboard. She will land somewhere in the Canaries, so the Doctor and Harry say their goodbyes to the Sintons.

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Harry doesn't recognise mobile phones.
  • The Doctor calculates that Sarah will land somewhere in the Canaries.

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]