11,491
edits
Ghost Light (TV story): Difference between revisions
From Tardis Wiki, the free Doctor Who reference
a little tidying-up
m (added a little more info) |
(a little tidying-up) |
||
| Line 43: | Line 43: | ||
The Doctor and Ace follow the man as he explores another room of the old house. Suddenly the man picks up and aims an elephant rifle at them as he starts describing Redvers Fenn-Cooper's adventures, insisting he must find him. As the Doctor dodges out of the way, the curtain behind him slips open and the man sees his own reflection in the window. He lowers his gun in recognition, saying, "Redvers, I've found you!" | The Doctor and Ace follow the man as he explores another room of the old house. Suddenly the man picks up and aims an elephant rifle at them as he starts describing Redvers Fenn-Cooper's adventures, insisting he must find him. As the Doctor dodges out of the way, the curtain behind him slips open and the man sees his own reflection in the window. He lowers his gun in recognition, saying, "Redvers, I've found you!" | ||
A woman in black, two others in 1800s | A woman in black, two others in 1800s maids' uniforms, and a hunched butler enter. The woman in black says, "Fenn-Cooper, we were worried about you," then roughly twists his arm up behind his back and marches him out. The butler, [[Nimrod]], explains that the man is unbalanced and is under their care at the house. He then says his master, Mr Smith, asks if they would join his other guest in the drawing room. | ||
There they meet Smith's ward, [[Gwendoline Pritchard|Gwendoline]], conversing with the [[Ernest Matthews|Reverend Ernest Matthews]]. Matthews assumes the Doctor is actually Josiah Smith and begins criticising his ethics and far reaching support of the newly popular theory of [[evolution]]. After the girls leave together the | There they meet Smith's ward, [[Gwendoline Pritchard|Gwendoline]], conversing with the [[Ernest Matthews|Reverend Ernest Matthews]]. Matthews assumes the Doctor is actually Josiah Smith and begins criticising his ethics and far reaching support of the newly popular theory of [[evolution]]. After the girls leave together, the real Josiah Smith comes in wearing dark glasses and dims the lights. He then welcomes Matthews and the Doctor to the old house which is called [[Gabriel Chase]]. | ||
Soon Fenn-Cooper can be heard screaming and everyone converges at his door. The Doctor makes his way in to see a bright light pouring from the snuff box, but Nimrod forces him back out of the room again. The guests are told to leave him to the house staff. | Soon Fenn-Cooper can be heard screaming and everyone converges at his door. The Doctor makes his way in to see a bright light pouring from the snuff box, but Nimrod forces him back out of the room again. The guests are told to leave him to the house staff. | ||
| Line 58: | Line 58: | ||
=== Part two === | === Part two === | ||
The Doctor finds Gwendoline opening drawers containing specimen cases of beetles. She opens a final drawer which contains a man, saying that it's one of her "favourites" and that it's from Java. She then tells the Doctor that the | The Doctor finds Gwendoline opening drawers containing specimen cases of beetles. She opens a final drawer which contains a man, saying that it's one of her "favourites" and that it's from Java. She then tells the Doctor that the Reverend Ernest Mathews will be leaving for Java soon, and that Uncle Josiah sent her father there after he saw what was in the cellar. | ||
In the cellar the two aliens creatures are dragging Ace toward a door. Nimrod appears and comes to her rescue, brandishing a lantern while Ace takes up a stick and fights them off. | In the cellar, the two aliens creatures are dragging Ace toward a door. Nimrod appears and comes to her rescue, brandishing a lantern while Ace takes up a stick and fights them off. | ||
The Doctor, starting to worry about Ace, begins looking around, but the house matron, suddenly overly-friendly tells him that Ace has gone to bed. Gwendoline offers to show him. The Doctor moves past them to find Ace and all the uniformed maids suddenly raise revolvers and aim at him. | The Doctor, starting to worry about Ace, begins looking around, but the house matron, suddenly overly-friendly, tells him that Ace has gone to bed. Gwendoline offers to show him. The Doctor moves past them to find Ace and all the uniformed maids suddenly raise revolvers and aim at him. | ||
Ace continues to swing her stick at the threatening aliens. Central to the cellar room is a large oval light divided into many segments. Brandishing her stick she threatens "Let us go or I'll smash it!" This brings about a change of heart in Nimrod who says she is profaning the temple of light and grabs her stick, crying "The sleeping one must not be woken!" But as they struggle they strike the oval light and steam bursts from it. | Ace continues to swing her stick at the threatening aliens. Central to the cellar room is a large oval light divided into many segments. Brandishing her stick she threatens "Let us go or I'll smash it!" This brings about a change of heart in Nimrod who says she is profaning the temple of light and grabs her stick, crying "The sleeping one must not be woken!" But as they struggle they strike the oval light and steam bursts from it. | ||
An alarm goes off in the house and in the surprise the Doctor grabs one of the guns then grabs Josiah Smith, ordering him down the elevator. The Doctor and Smith arrive in the chaotic cellar and Smith cries that his work in his observatory could be ruined. | An alarm goes off in the house and in the surprise, the Doctor grabs one of the guns, then grabs Josiah Smith, ordering him down in the elevator. The Doctor and Smith arrive in the chaotic cellar and Smith cries that his work in his observatory could be ruined. | ||
Back in the house, Gwendoline starts crying, asking why her father went to Java and left her; and wondering where her mother is. | Back in the house, Gwendoline starts crying, asking why her father went to Java and left her; and wondering where her mother is. | ||
| Line 74: | Line 74: | ||
A screen comes up showing DNA and Ace realises they are actually in a stone spaceship. The Doctor says the owner will be displeased when it awakes, but Smith responds that he is the owner. The Doctor retorts that Smith is just part of the cargo. Smith regains the gun and orders the Doctor to stabilise the fluctuating energy before it blows up this part of England. In vying for control, the Doctor reopens the steam patch. | A screen comes up showing DNA and Ace realises they are actually in a stone spaceship. The Doctor says the owner will be displeased when it awakes, but Smith responds that he is the owner. The Doctor retorts that Smith is just part of the cargo. Smith regains the gun and orders the Doctor to stabilise the fluctuating energy before it blows up this part of England. In vying for control, the Doctor reopens the steam patch. | ||
Whatever is behind the door starts to come out and the others all run for the elevator. On the way up Smith's appearance starts to change. The Doctor says he is evolving again. On the main floor the maids come to help him from the lift. He orders them, "It's first light, secure the house!" The matron tells them to take Smith to the upper observatory. The Doctor tells Ace they won't see them again until nightfall. | Whatever is behind the door starts to come out, and the others all run for the elevator. On the way up, Smith's appearance starts to change. The Doctor says he is evolving again. On the main floor the maids come to help him from the lift. He orders them, "It's first light, secure the house!" The matron tells them to take Smith to the upper observatory. The Doctor tells Ace they won't see them again until nightfall. | ||
Josiah Smith awakens | Josiah Smith awakens Reverend Matthews from his chloroform-induced sleep, and while Matthews goes straight back to chastising evolutionary theory, Smith feeds him a banana and it is revealed that Matthews' arms have grown long ape-like hair. Gwendolyn, having seen that it is daylight outside, checks on her uncle Josiah and finds him still mid-transformation, looking sickly. He drops another dose of chloroform onto a handkerchief and Gwendoline administers it to the metamorphosing Matthews. | ||
Meanwhile, the Doctor opens the drawer with the man inside and wakes him. | Meanwhile, the Doctor opens the drawer with the man inside and wakes him. | ||
Ace awakens in a bed as a maid opens the curtains. She is not one of the uniformed non-speaking gun-wielding maids, but a pleasant servant named Mrs. Grose, who is bringing Ace breakfast. But she tells her it is after five and will be getting dark soon, "And no one in their right mind stays in this house after dark." | Ace awakens in a bed as a maid opens the curtains. She is not one of the uniformed non-speaking gun-wielding maids, but a pleasant servant named Mrs. Grose, who is bringing Ace breakfast. But she tells her it is after five and will be getting dark soon, "And no-one in their right mind stays in this house after dark." | ||
The man in the drawer turns out to be a police [[Mackenzie (Ghost Light)|Inspector Mackenzie]] from Scotland Yard sent to investigate the disappearance of George Pritchard (Gwendoline's father) in 1881, two years | The man in the drawer turns out to be a police officer: [[Mackenzie (Ghost Light)|Inspector Mackenzie]] from Scotland Yard, who was sent to investigate the disappearance of George Pritchard (Gwendoline's father) in 1881, two years previously, and is dead set on conducting his investigation. | ||
The Doctor is aware that there were two beings in the stone spaceship below the house — one asleep, the master of the ship; and one imprisoned, which was able to get through the door as he rescued Ace and the others. Josiah Smith has been keeping them subdued and using the ship's resources, fearing the ship's master. The explorer Redvers Fenn-Cooper saw it and lost his mind. And the neanderthal butler Nimrod worships it, but what is it? | The Doctor is aware that there were two beings in the stone spaceship below the house — one asleep, the master of the ship; and one imprisoned, which was able to get through the door as he rescued Ace and the others. Josiah Smith has been keeping them subdued and using the ship's resources, fearing the ship's master. The explorer Redvers Fenn-Cooper saw it and lost his mind. And the neanderthal butler Nimrod worships it, but what is it? | ||
| Line 90: | Line 90: | ||
The Doctor, wanting to move things along, turns the clock ahead so it strikes midnight and panels open in the wall revealing the uniformed maids, who then move silently into the room. Upstairs, the seated figures become animate and Gwendolyn attacks Ace. The matron knocks Mackenzie down and he is held by the previous husk of Smith. The new Smith enters the room and has them all go downstairs. | The Doctor, wanting to move things along, turns the clock ahead so it strikes midnight and panels open in the wall revealing the uniformed maids, who then move silently into the room. Upstairs, the seated figures become animate and Gwendolyn attacks Ace. The matron knocks Mackenzie down and he is held by the previous husk of Smith. The new Smith enters the room and has them all go downstairs. | ||
The Doctor talks about someone known as [[Control (Ghost Light)|Control]], one of the beings on the ship who has finally been set free. Out of the lift steps a shrouded figure. The Doctor says, "Thank you for trusting me, Control." A woman reveals her face and says that what they are desiring will be found in the darkness of the lift. Smith rushes to secure the doors but is electrocuted when he touches it. The Doctor calls, "Light" and the doors fly open as a bright light envelops them all. | The Doctor talks about someone known as [[Control (Ghost Light)|Control]], one of the beings on the ship who has finally been set free. Out of the lift steps a shrouded figure. The Doctor says, "Thank you for trusting me, Control." A woman reveals her face and says that what they are desiring will be found in the darkness of the lift. Smith rushes to secure the doors, but is electrocuted when he touches it. The Doctor calls, "Light" and the doors fly open as a bright light envelops them all. | ||
=== Part three === | === Part three === | ||
The Doctor helps Control release the trapped creature from the cellar, a being known as [[Light (Ghost Light)|Light]], who takes the form of an angel-like being. | The Doctor helps Control release the trapped creature from the cellar, a being known as [[Light (Ghost Light)|Light]], who takes the form of an angel-like being. | ||
Thousands of years in the past, an alien spaceship came to [[Earth]] to catalogue all life on the planet. After completing its task and collecting samples including Nimrod, the leader, Light, went into slumber. By [[1881]] the ship had returned to Earth. | Thousands of years in the past, an alien spaceship came to [[Earth]] to catalogue all life on the planet. After completing its task and collecting samples including Nimrod, the leader, Light, went into slumber. By [[1881]], the ship had returned to Earth. | ||
The year is [[1883]]. While Control remained imprisoned on the ship to serve as the "control" subject of the scientific investigation, events transpired such that Smith, the "survey agent", mutinied against Light, keeping him in hibernation on the ship. Smith began evolving into the era's dominant life-form — a Victorian gentleman — and also took over the house. By 1883 Smith had lured and captured the explorer Fenn-Cooper within his den. Utilising Fenn-Cooper's association with [[Victoria|Queen Victoria]], he plans to get close to her so he can assassinate her and take control of the [[British Empire]] to make it a better place. | The year is [[1883]]. While Control remained imprisoned on the ship to serve as the "control" subject of the scientific investigation, events transpired such that Smith, the "survey agent", mutinied against Light, keeping him in hibernation on the ship. Smith began evolving into the era's dominant life-form — a Victorian gentleman — and also took over the house. By 1883, Smith had lured and captured the explorer Fenn-Cooper within his den. Utilising Fenn-Cooper's association with [[Victoria|Queen Victoria]], he plans to get close to her so he can assassinate her and take control of the [[British Empire]] to make it a better place. | ||
Light is displeased by all the change on the planet while he was asleep. While Light tries to make sense of it all, Smith tries to keep his plan intact, but events are beyond his control. Angry that his catalogue is now missing the correct information, Light childishly decides to destroy all organic life to stop evolution after taking apart one of the maids to understand how humans work. He turns Gwendoline and her missing mother, revealed to be [[Pritchard (Ghost Light)|Lady Pritchard]], to stone in a bid to stop the speed of evolution. Inspector Mackenzie meets a sticky end and is turned into a primordial soup to serve at dinner. As Control tries to "evolve" into a lady and Ace tries to come to grips with her feelings about the house, the Doctor tries to keep the upper hand in all the events that have been set in motion. | Light is displeased by all the change on the planet while he was asleep. While Light tries to make sense of it all, Smith tries to keep his plan intact, but events are beyond his control. Angry that his catalogue is now missing the correct information, Light childishly decides to destroy all organic life to stop evolution after taking apart one of the maids to understand how humans work. He turns Gwendoline and her missing mother, revealed to be [[Pritchard (Ghost Light)|Lady Pritchard]], to stone in a bid to stop the speed of evolution. Inspector Mackenzie meets a sticky end and is turned into a primordial soup to serve at dinner. As Control tries to "evolve" into a lady and Ace tries to come to grips with her feelings about the house, the Doctor tries to keep the upper hand in all the events that have been set in motion. | ||
