The Universe is Calling (TV story)

The Universe is Calling
Main character(s):	Ryan, Yaz, Graham
Featuring:	Thirteenth Doctor
Main setting:	Sheffield
Release details
Premiere network:	BBC One
Release date:	15 July 2018
Format:	1×50 second mini-episode
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The Universe is Calling was a promotional mini-episode, billed as a teaser by the BBC, first broadcast on 15 July 2018 during the half-time of the football World Cup final. The mini-episode comprised of specially shot footage of the Thirteenth Doctor's companions experiencing time distortions prior to the arrival of the Doctor, and it served as a teaser for series eleven of Doctor Who.

Plot

Ryan Sinclair is in a takeaway, watching a football announcer on his smart phone while eating eggs and beans on toast, when a time distortion appears around him. In that second, a hand reaches past him and takes a slice of his toast.

Concurrently, Yasmin Khan is with two friends, watching the same football presenter while eating pizza; Yaz is disappointed to find that one her friends is eating the last slice, but she is quckly distracted by a shaking bookcase. Another time distortion happens around her, Yaz noticing a flash of the tail-end of a grey coat, before she looks down and finds the pizza box filed with a fresh pizza.

Meanwhile, Graham O'Brien is at a chip shop whilst reading the Sheffield Advertiser newspaper, with the same football presenter on the television behind him, but, not unlike Yaz, is distracted by a flash of a grey coat. Looking back down at his newspaper, he is surprised to see that he is now holding an issue of The Beano.

Finally, the Thirteenth Doctor appears, outside the takeaway where Ryan was not long ago, and she smiles.

Cast

(In order of appearance)

• Football commentator 1 - Alan Shearer
• Ryan Sinclair - Tosin Cole
• Football commentator 3 - Gary Lineker
• Football commentator 4 - Frank Lampard
• Thirteenth Doctor - Jodie Whittaker
• Yasmin Khan - Mandip Gill
• Friend 1 - Lauren Pate
• Friend 2 - uncredited
• Football commentator 2 - Rio Ferdinand
• Graham O'Brien - Bradley Walsh

Crew

• Composer - Jamie Salisbury

Worldbuilding

• The takeaway has a sign on the wooden door saying that it is open on Sunday from XX:00AM to 4:00PM and that is has free Wi-Fi. The window has a neon light of the word "takeaway". It also has signs for cake and coffee.
• On Ryan's table, there is a soda tumbler, a white polystyrene cup, a tomato-shaped ketchup dispenser, salt and pepper shakers, vinegar, and a menu.
• Ryan wears a grey t-shirt and a navy blue jacket.
• The room Yaz and her friends are in has a mirror, a chest of drawers, photographs and picture frames, a plant, curtains, soft chairs, a television, cushions, cans of cola, a brown glass vase, shelving units with books, bowls, and pots.
• The pizza box states, on the side, "Caution: hot", "delicious fresh", "tasty flavour", and "hot handmade".
• Yaz wears a light denim jacket, a dark t-shirt, and earrings, and her friends wear a pink woolen jumper and an eggshell blue shirt.
• The chip shop has Saxa salt, vinegar, polystyrene cones, a poster for sausage and chips, and various battered foods.
• Graham holds a copy of The Beano Summer Special 1981.

Notes

• The teaser takes place during the 2018 football World Cup final. The hosts of the BBC's coverage of the event - Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard - appear as themselves, filmed in their studio in Russia.
  • The only characters to speak are Alan Shearer and Rio Ferdinand, who were edited to seem like they were talking about the new Doctor Who series.
• A 12-second teaser advertising series 11 of Doctor Who was uploaded to the Doctor Who YouTube channel on the 13 July 2018.

Continuity

to be added