Deep and Dreamless Sleep (short story): Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 19:26, 3 November 2024

Deep and Dreamless Sleep was a Christmas-themed Tenth Doctor short story by Paul Cornell. It was published in The Sunday Times on Christmas Eve 2006. Because it was set on the same day it was published, its events are partially concurrent with The Christmas Invasion.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor attempts to see central London's Christmas lights on Christmas Eve, 2006. However the TARDIS lands in the bedroom of a boy called Daniel Francis Thompson. Daniel runs into the TARDIS, saying that he wants to see Christmas. He starts pressing buttons, taking both of them into time and Space.

They arrive in Ypres in Belgium at Christmas 1914. They see the German and British armies playing football. Ninety minutes later, at the end of the match, they return to the TARDIS and Daniel again says that he wants to see Christmas. The Doctor travels to many different times and places and gets lots of people to come to a party for Daniel. The Doctor notices that the guests seem to have difficulty focusing on him. At the end of the party Daniel again runs to the console, saying that he wants to see Christmas. They arrive at Bethlehem and see the Nativity scene.

Returning to the TARDIS Daniel begins to fade away. The Doctor, realising what is happening, uses the TARDIS to follow Daniel to where he really is, the A&E department of St. Nicholas's Hospital. As the Doctor watches, Daniel wakes up to see his parents and the Doctor knows he will survive.

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Paul Cornell also explores the World War I era in the television stories Human Nature and The Family of Blood.
The story opens on Christmas Eve 2006, the same day as the events of The Christmas Invasion begin. Daniel's accident is said to have occurred on 24 December 2006 as well. This means there are actually two versions of the same incarnation of the Doctor in London simultaneously.
The title derives from the lyrics of the Christmas carol "O Little Town of Bethlehem". Likewise, The Silent Stars Go By is also named after words coming from the same line ("Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by"). Cornell also used another lyric from the same verse when titling the short story The Hopes and Fears of All the Years.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Ninth Doctor is the referee for the 1914 football game in COMIC: The Forgotten.

The First and Twelfth Doctor's are also at the Ypres Christmas truce prior to their Regenerations. (TV: Twice Upon a Time)

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

Deep and Dreamless Sleep at the Doctor Who Reference Guide

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+{{title dab away}}
 {{real world}}
-{{title|''{{PAGENAME}}''}}
+{{Infobox Story SMW
-{{Infobox Short Story|
+|series =
-story name= Deep and Dreamless Sleep|
+|doctor = Tenth Doctor
-series=|
+|setting=[[24 December|24]] and [[25 December]], various years
-doctor=[[Tenth Doctor]]|
+|writer = Paul Cornell
-companions= Daniel|
+|publication=''[[The Sunday Times]]''
-year=[[24th December|24th]] and [[25th December]], various years including [[2006]] and [[1914]]|
+|release date = 24 December 2006
-writer=[[Paul Cornell]]|
+}}
-publication=[[Wikipedia:The Sunday Times|The Sunday Times]]<br>[[24th December|24]] [[December]] [[2006]]|
+'''''Deep and Dreamless Sleep''''' was a [[Christmas]]-themed [[Tenth Doctor]] short story by [[Paul Cornell]]. It was published in ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' on Christmas Eve 2006. Because it was set on the same day it was published, its events are partially concurrent with ''[[The Christmas Invasion (TV story)|The Christmas Invasion]]''.
-previous story=|
-next story= |
-|}}
-'''"Deep and Dreamless Sleep"''' was a [[Christmas]]-themed [[Tenth Doctor]] short story by [[Paul Cornell]]. It was published in ''[[Wikipedia:The Sunday Times|The Sunday Times]]'' on Christmas Eve 2006. Because it was set on the same day it was published, its events are partially concurrent with ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]''.
 == Plot ==
-The Doctor attempts to see central [[London]]'s [[Christmas]] lights on [[Christmas]] Eve, [[2006]]. However the [[The Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]] lands in the bedroom of a boy called [[Daniel Francis Thompson]]. Daniel runs into the TARDIS, saying that he wants to see Christmas. He starts pressing buttons, taking both of them into time and Space.
+The Doctor attempts to see central [[London]]'s [[Christmas]] lights on [[Christmas]] Eve, [[2006]]. However [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] lands in the bedroom of a boy called [[Daniel Francis Thompson]]. Daniel runs into the TARDIS, saying that he wants to see Christmas. He starts pressing buttons, taking both of them into time and Space.
-They arrive in Ypres in [[Belgium]] at Christmas [[1914]]. They see the German and [[British]] armies playing football. Ninety minutes later, at the end of the match, they return to the TARDIS and Daniel again says that he wants to see Christmas. The Doctor travels to many different times and places and gets lots of people to come to a party for Daniel. The Doctor notices that the guests seem to have difficulty focusing on him. At the end of the party Daniel again runs to the console, saying that he wants to see Christmas. They arrive at Bethlehem and see the Nativity scene.
+They arrive in [[Ypres]] in [[Belgium]] at Christmas [[1914]]. They see the German and [[British]] armies playing [[football]]. Ninety minutes later, at the end of the match, they return to the TARDIS and Daniel again says that he wants to see Christmas. The Doctor travels to many different times and places and gets lots of people to come to a party for Daniel. The Doctor notices that the guests seem to have difficulty focusing on him. At the end of the party Daniel again runs to the console, saying that he wants to see Christmas. They arrive at Bethlehem and see the Nativity scene.
 Returning to the TARDIS Daniel begins to fade away. The Doctor, realising what is happening, uses the TARDIS to follow Daniel to where he really is, the A&E department of [[St. Nicholas's Hospital]]. As the Doctor watches, Daniel wakes up to see his parents and the Doctor knows he will survive.
 == Characters ==
-*[[Tenth Doctor]]
+* [[Tenth Doctor]]
-*[[Daniel Francis Thompson]]
+* [[Daniel Francis Thompson]]
-*Michael (Thompson?)
+* [[Michael (Deep and Dreamless Sleep)|Michael]]
-*Ann (Thompson?)
+* [[Ann (Deep and Dreamless Sleep)|Ann]]
-*Stan Laurel
+* [[Stan Laurel]]
-*Oliver Hardy
+* [[Oliver Hardy]]
-*The Chuckle Brothers
+* The [[Chuckle Brothers]]
-*Sonia
+* [[Sonia (Deep and Dreamless Sleep)|Sonia]]
-==References==
+== Worldbuilding ==
-* Real-life Hollywood comedians Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy make a cameo appearance.
+''to be added''
-==Notes==
+== Notes ==
-*Paul Cornell also explores the [[World War I]] era in [[DW]]: ''[[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]'' and ''[[The Family of Blood]]''.
+* Paul Cornell also explores the [[World War I]] era in the television stories ''[[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]'' and ''[[The Family of Blood (TV story)|The Family of Blood]]''.
+* The story opens on Christmas Eve 2006, the same day as the events of ''[[The Christmas Invasion (TV story)|The Christmas Invasion]]'' begin. Daniel's accident is said to have occurred on [[24 December]] [[2006]] as well. This means there are actually two versions of the same incarnation of the Doctor in London simultaneously.
+* The title derives from the lyrics of the Christmas carol "{{w|O Little Town of Bethlehem}}". Likewise, ''[[The Silent Stars Go By (novel)|The Silent Stars Go By]]'' is also named after words coming from the same line ("Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by"). Cornell also used another lyric from the same verse when titling the short story ''[[The Hopes and Fears of All the Years (short story)|The Hopes and Fears of All the Years]]''.
-==Continuity==
+== Continuity ==
-*The Doctor is traveling alone, most likely placing this in the gap between ''[[The Runaway Bride]]'' and ''[[Smith and Jones]]'', based on when it was written and published, though it could just as easily take place during any later companionless interval or post-''[[Journey's End]]''. Further proof for the post-''Runaway Bride'' setting is given by the fact the Doctor claims he's fought [[Robot Santa|evil versions of Santa]] a "couple" of times.
+* The [[Ninth Doctor]] is the referee for the 1914 football game in [[COMIC]]: ''[[The Forgotten (comic story)|The Forgotten]]''.
-*The story opens on Christmas Eve 2006, the same day as the events of ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]'' begin. Daniel's accident is said to have occurred on[[ 24th December]] [[2006]] as well. This means there are actually two versions of the same incarnation of the Doctor in London simultaneously.
-*The Doctor allows a number of individuals into the TARDIS to share Christmas with Daniel -- including Laurel & Hardy -- but erases their memories of the experience after he returns them to their proper time and place. This could be seen as an oblique reference to the [[Time Lord]] ability to erase memories ([[DW]]: ''[[The War Games]]''), as well as foreshadowing the later fate of [[Donna Noble]] ([[DW]]: ''[[Journey's End]]'').
-*The Doctor visited St. Nicholas's Hospital six months prior to Daniel's hospitalization.
-*The [[Ninth Doctor]] is the referee for the 1914 football game in ''[[The Forgotten]]''.
-==Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors==
+* The [[First Doctor|First]] and [[Twelfth Doctor]]'s are also at the [[Ypres]] Christmas truce prior to their [[Regeneration]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Twice Upon a Time (TV story)|Twice Upon a Time]]'')
-*London was in the midst of the [[Sycorax]] invasion during the timeframe of this story, yet no reference is made to this. ''The timeframes of the two stories are close, but not exact. Insofar as the people of [[Earth]] are concerned, the Sycorax invasion started just after midnight, Christmas Day, when the first images from the [[Guinevere One]] probe were relayed by [[BBC News 24]]. Dan wakes up at exactly the same time, and the story ends before the broadcast on BBC News 24 could possibly have finished. Consequently, there's no reason for anyone in "Dreamless" to reference the events of [[DW]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]''. ''
-*Since his newly-regenerated self is not far away, isn't the Doctor taking a chance going to London? ''Not really. At the precise moment this story ends — seconds after midnight Christmas Day, 2006 — his newly-regenerated self is immobile in [[Jackie Tyler]]'s flat. He knows his younger, post-regenerative self wouldn't be "active" until well after daybreak on Christmas Day, 2006. In fact, this story is quite '''continuous''' with ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]'', because it characterizes the Doctor as "always lik[ing] to have a look the Christmas lights" in central London — something he'd have missed during the events of his tenth persona's first adventure. His desire to see the Christmas 2006 lights is thus natural, if indeed he's a bit of a "Christmas lights" geek.''
-*Daniel is said to have entered surgery at 2130, but been in recovery by sometime just before midnight. Although Daniel's injuries are never specified, the fact that he is in a coma suggest they were extensive. Thus, this is an implausibly short space of time for major surgery, even given the fact that the story establishes the Doctor tried to give every advantage to the hospital staff.
-==See also==
+== External links ==
-*[[Christmas]]
+{{dwrefguide|stories10.htm#1|Deep and Dreamless Sleep}}
-*[[Santa Claus]]
-*[[The Hopes and Fears of All the Years]]
-==[[Tenth Doctor - Timeline|Timeline]]==
+{{TitleSort}}
-*This story takes place after [[DWBIT]]: ''[[Plague Panic]]''
+[[fr:Deep and Dreamless Sleep]]
-*This story takes place before [[DW]]: ''[[Smith and Jones]]''
-==External links==
-*[http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article1264037.ece Deep and Dreamless Sleep - Times Online]
-* {{Dwrefguide|stories10.htm#1|Deep and Dreamless Sleep}}
-[[fr:Deep and Dreamless Sleep]]
-{{TitleSort}}
 [[Category:Tenth Doctor short stories]]
+[[Category:2006 short stories]]
 [[Category:Stories set at Christmas]]
-[[Category:Sunday Times short stories]]
+[[Category:Stories set in London]]
+[[Category:Stories set in 2006]]
+[[Category:Stories set in 1914]]
+[[Category:Stories set in Belgium]]
+[[Category:Stories set in World War I]]
+[[Category:Stories set in the 1st century]]
+[[Category:Stories set in the Middle East]]