The Curious Incident of the Doctor in the Night-Time (audio story)
The Curious Incident of the Doctor in the Night-Time was the fourth and final story in the audio anthology, Breaking Bubbles and Other Stories, which comprised the one hundred and eighty-eighth release in Big Finish's monthly range. It was written by Nev Fountain and featured Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor and Nicola Bryant as Peri Brown.
Publisher's summary
Michael is a young boy who likes to solve mysteries, such as the mystery of the extra gnome, the mystery of the absent father, and the mystery of the strange man in yellow trousers at the bottom of the garden.
Plot
Michael Andrew Jennings recounts the strange ocurences he's been noticing recently, including the fact that the number of his father's gnomes in the garden is 130 rather than the usual 129. His father Geoffrey Jennings brings him to the store he works at where Michael's autism gets his father into trouble (he tries to interact with a customer and lights a candle, triggering the fire alarm).
Michael sees his father prepare to go fishing when they return home after his father is fired (unbeknownest to Michael) but he never returns. He is informed by his mother some time later that his father died on the fishing trip as the boat capsized. He doesn't understand and begins to conduct his own investigation, suspecting something strange because when his father's gnomes were collected, he counted 130 instead of the usual 129. One night he notices two stranges wandering about the garden, one of them wearing strange yellow trowsers that look like the ones the gnomes wear.
Michael starts his investigation but is interrupted by a knock at the door. It is the Doctor and Peri, who are posing as social workers. They speak with Olivia who explains she has been careful around Michael because she doesn't want him to think it is his fault or that he had any part in why his father died. However, when the Doctor makes a strange comment about an alien invasion on the horizon, she slams the door in their faces.
Michael resumes his interview with the extra gnome he bought earlier, beliving it to be his father. It speaks back to him and it does claim to be his father but the gnome treats him horribly and he locks it in his toy chest. Just then he hears a sound outside, and recognizing the Doctor, sets up a trap and locks him in the shed. The Doctor explains that the gnome Michael has is dangerous and that he needs to see it, but Michael thinks the Doctor is the leader of the gnomes and has turned hi father into one. After they talk, Michael goes off under the pretence of getting the gnome as the Doctor asked him but leaves the Doctor locked in the shed.
The Doctor is found by Olivia who lets him out but threatens to report him to the police, however, he manages to explain in time what is going on. She chides the Doctor for his lack of emotional understanding, and they realise Michael is going to help the gnome (named Llangragen) by taking it back to the location of its buried ship to awaken its comrades (other Genoi) and invade.
Michael takes Llangragen to his ship in the store his father worked at and doesn't understand what's going on. However, Llangragen berates Michael for his stupidity, upsetting him. Luckily the Doctor, Peri and Olivia arrive amid the ensuing chaos and with the Doctor's encouragement, Michael lights some candles and triggers the fire alarm, releasing water and destroying the machine and the Genoi. Llangragen's plan foiled, the four of them return to Michael's home.
The Doctor, at Olivia's request, speaks with Michael in the backyard under the stars and explains to him that his father is still alive in the "past". He then tells him to close his eyes and imagine his father. Michael does, and smiles to himself, describing out loud the image of his father, while the Doctor quietly slips away, leaving Michael to enjoy his memories of his father.
Cast
- The Doctor - Colin Baker
- Peri Brown - Nicola Bryant
- Geoffrey Jennings / Llangragen - Paul Panting
- Michael Jennings - Johnny Gibbon
- Olivia Jennings - Anjella Mackintosh
- Customer - Nicholas Briggs
Worldbuilding
- Michael's best friend Niall eats what he describes as "guinea pig food" at school.
- The Doctor tells Michael that he met the original Vandals.
- The Genoi were placed on Earth by the Galactic Coalition as the planet's high ozone content acted as a natural paralysing agent on them. Their leader Llangragen managed to escape and has travelled to Earth with the intention of reviving his fellow Genoi and conquering the planet.
Story notes
- The story name alludes to the title of Whitbread Award-winning The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which is itself a quote from Arthur Conan Doyle. The novel is narrated in the first person through the protagonist in a similar manner to the audio story, while Michael Jennings himself shares some similar quirks and mannerisms with the protagonist of the novel.
- The protagonist of the book is on the autism spectrum. Olivia Jennings also expresses her suspicion that the Sixth Doctor may be autistic.
Continuity
to be added
