Susan Q
Susan Q, formerly Susan L, was a member of the Happiness Patrol.
Biography[[edit] | [edit source]]
Early life[[edit] | [edit source]]
Susan L was a citizen of Terra Alpha. She worked as a singer and dancer in theatres across the planet until she was press-ganged into auditioning for the Happiness Patrol, after which she destroyed her collection of blues seventy-eights from old Earth with the exception of Lucille by Big Joe Turner. She passed the audition with the highest marks and was tasked with coaching new candidates.
Susan L was friends with Daisy K, her superior in Happiness Patrol B, (PROSE: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (novelisation)"]) who taught her how to shoot. (TV: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (TV story)"]) She did not, however, get on with Priscilla P, who did not like her attempts to understand killjoys or her reluctance to use her fun gun. After her copy of Lucille was discovered, Susan L was demoted to Susan Q. (PROSE: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (novelisation)"]) One day, she woke up decided that she could no longer go on pretending to be happy whilst her friends disappeared. (TV: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (TV story)"])
Helen A's downfall[[edit] | [edit source]]
Susan Q was sent to the waiting zone to collect Ace, who had escaped with the Seventh Doctor for the Happiness Patrol auditions. Once Ace Daisy K had recaptured Ace, Susan Q took her to headquarters to prepare for the auditions, stopping to listen to Earl Sigma's music on the way, (PROSE: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (novelisation)"]) but she decided to let her escape. (TV: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (TV story)"]) She was subsequently beaten by Daisy K and her guards (PROSE: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (novelisation)"]) and condemned by Helen A to death by fondant surprise.
The Doctor saved Susan Q by having the Kandy Man redirect the fondant and she was instead taken to the Forum with Ace to re-audition for the Happiness Patrol. (TV: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (TV story)"]) Although the pair briefly escaped thanks to a drone sniper, (PROSE: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (novelisation)"]) they reached Forum Square and were saved by the Doctor, who encouraged them to feign happiness. She subdued Priscilla P in the waiting zone with Earl's help and disarmed Daisy K in the palace before she could kill the Doctor. Once Helen A fled, Susan Q unravelled muzak tapes and destroyed several tannoys.
Susan Q said goodbye to the Doctor and Ace, (TV: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (TV story)"]) advising them not to worry about Gilbert M as the Kandy Man had been the dangerous one, (PROSE: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (novelisation)"]) and thanked the Doctor for giving the blues back to Terra Alpha. (TV: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (TV story)"])
Personality[[edit] | [edit source]]
Susan Q enjoyed music and dance, evidenced by her work in the theatre, and especially enjoyed the blues. She was pressured into joining the Happiness Patrol (PROSE: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (novelisation)"]) and did not feel that she belonged with them, realising that she was pretending to be somebody that she was not. (TV: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (TV story)"]) Unlike many of her colleagues, she preferred to try to understand killjoys and spent a long time talking to them before she would use her fun gun, which earned her Priscilla P's ire. According to Priscilla P, Susan Q never joined in and was not part of the team. (PROSE: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (novelisation)"])
Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]
Originally, Susan Q was to have been tricked into helping Ace escape the Happiness Patrol headquarters.[1]
