Plot
Gwen Cooper arrives at the house in Fetch Priory to take the part as the lead in a horror movie production. Derek Jennings introduces her to the crew and they get comfortable, although they note that she seems rather "out of it". The generator for the power goes out and Derek tells Ged Gently to fix it. Meanwhile Gwen talks with Phil but suddenly goes funny. She calms down and while she and Phil talk, she again exhibits strange behaviour.
Ged finds the generator has been sabotaged and before he can warn the others he is killed by a Fendahleen. Gwen, Derek and Phil talk and Derek reveals how they found out about Fetch Priory and the incident that took place several years ago in 1977. While they prepare to shoot the movie, Phil tries to warn Gwen to leave, saying she's smart and that what they do is not good but Gwen declines, saying she is here to play the part. Marco takes Phil outside and warns him that Gwen agreed to the terms and he mustn't get attached to their victims. They then resume shooting.
On another break, Phil and Gwen chat some more and he again tries to warn her but after she rebuffs him, he angrily storms off after telling her she's a terrible mother. They resume filming, but Gwen suddenly improvises a frightening speech and the mannequin used in the film transform into the Fendahl. Derek and the crew are frightened out of their wits and try to escape while Gwen attempts to summon the Fendahl. Derek gets trapped from gazing directly at Gwen's eyes and the others escape. Marco, however, reveals everything is going according to plan after they escape and demands they meet the Fendahl core at the ____. Meanwhile, Gwen, possessed by the core, taunts Derek, revealing his dark lust for violence and rape against women and transforms him into a Fendahl. Phil calls his family and tries to speak with his daughter for help but his ex-wife cuts the line. Marco sets up and meets the Fendahl core. He reveals that he is actually descended from Dr. Fendelman and wants to become the Fendahl core, believing he is powerful enough and so deserves it. The Fednahl core reveals it gave the files to Jack Hartman who would give them to his daughter Yvonne who would deposit them in the Torchwood archive upon which Gwen Cooper would stumble, initiating the chain of events. The core tells Marco to come close so that he may possess it, however, it is a ruse, and it reveals that he is blinded by his sexist views and he is transformed into a Fendahleen. The core orders the other Fendahleen to search for Phil.
Phil finds the car keys for the vehicle they arrived in and attempts to flee but is cornered by some Fendahleen. He manages to escape a second time, and makes it to the car, only to find the motor's dead. Gwen as the core enters the car, only to become herself again. She explains that the Fendahl preys on the weak and that it tried to prey on her and so she reversed it by using it back.
References
- Derek mentions that they had shot a film in the house in Fetch Priory in which their lead actor wore a leather bikini. Leela, the fourth Doctor's companion who was well-known for wearing a leather bikini and was the companion featured in the story TV: Image of the Fendahl
- Phil takes the fake skull and recites the line from Shakespeare's play Hamlet, "Alas, poor Yorick..."
- Derek mentions that Gwen is perfect for the part of the "scientist" because of her dark hair. Thea Ransome was a scientist and had very dark hair like Gwen's.
Notes
- the actress who played her, Wanda Ventham , had her dyed black while playing the part.
Continuity
- Rhys calls Gwen and their daughter Anwen is mentioned. (TV: )