The Fifteenth Doctor Audition Piece (script)
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The Fifteenth Doctor Audition Piece was a script written by Russell T Davies for the auditions for the role of the Fifteenth Doctor on 1 December 2021; it was given a public release on 14 February 2024 as part of the Whoniverse section on the BBC Writers Room website.[1]
Plot
Being chased by Spikes, the Fifteenth Doctor and Robin run into a plain room, with little but a lone computer inside; they become sealed within the space, and, after the Doctor probes the computer, discovers they merely have one hundred seconds of air left. He reassures Robin he'll return him home to his family.
Robin tries asking the Doctor several questions about the individual who trapped them inside and the "blue box" that appeared outside, although the Doctor excitedly tries to guess Robin’s questions first; he does explain what the blue box is, but is uncertain about the former question.
The Doctor frees him and Robin, offering a place in the TARDIS, but reveals that he had deduced that he was in fact not Robin but the Spikemaster and traps him inside the room with his sonic screwdriver, before departing in the TARDIS with his companion.
Characters
- Fifteenth Doctor
- The Spikemaster
- Companion
Referenced only
- Robin
- Robin's mother
- Robin's brother
Worldbuilding
Spikes and the Spikemaster
- In his disguise, the Spikemaster appears to be a twenty-one year old human.
- The Doctor compliments "Robin's" hair.
- The Doctor claims to have sensed the existence of Robin's mother and brother in his eyes.
- The Spikes are "spiky thoughts — such as those one would have when they're angry, mad, had an idea, or love — brought to life.
The Doctor
- As he entered the room, the Doctor's mind races with five hundred thoughts at once.
- The Doctor believes as the room they're trapped in doesn't have a door nor a lock, they therefore cannot be locked in, but rather sealed in.
- The Doctor states that a word can change the world.
- When "Robin" calls the Doctor pedantic, the Doctor pedantically points out that the word "pedant" comes from Italian for teacher.
- The Doctor refuses to apologise for his love of knowledge.
Cultural references
- The Doctor tries to guess "Robin's" questions with cultural references:
- He asks if his question is "Who put the bop in the bop shoo bop shoo bop?" and "Who put the ram in the rama langa ding dong?"
- He asks if his question is "why, why, why Delilah?"
- He asks if his question is "how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?"
- He asks if his question is "the Governess, Anne Hegarty?"
- He asks if his question is "who shot Phil Mitchell?"
Notes
- Although it was only ever originally meant for internal use during the auditions for the Fifteenth Doctor, the script's later release in the Whoniverse section of the BBC Writers Room constituted an official release; however, as this story has only been released as a script, it is currently a non-valid source.
- The companion in this script is kept vague: it's unlikely that they were intended to be any specific character such as Ruby Sunday, as Millie Gibson had yet to be cast when the auditions for the Fifteenth Doctor were performed.
- The script does not reveal the gender of the Doctor, Robin or the companion.
Continuity
to be added
