The Idiot's Lantern
-!-
A pair of pink high heels and layers of tulle step out of the Tardis. Rose is in full 50's mod chick gear.
"I thought we'd be going for the Vegas era, you know the white flares and the, grr, chest hair." Rose asks the Doctor.
The Doctor has his hair in a Teddy boy quiff.
"You are kidding, aren't you? You want to see Elvis, you go for the late fifties. The time before burgers. When they called him the Pelvis and he still had a waist. What's more, you see him in style." The Doctor asks her before explaining that to see Elvis, you go to the earlier times of his music as the Doctor rides a scooter out of the Tardis. He's wearing a white crash helmet and shades. Sophia's on another scooter out of the Tardis while her outfit is blue jeans; red shirt and white high heels which is a contrast of the Union Flag.
"You going my way, doll?" The Doctor asks.
"Is there any other way to go, daddy-o? Straight from the fridge, man." Rose says.
"Hey, you speak the lingo." Sophia comments.
"Oh well, me, mum, Cliff Richard movies every Bank Holiday Monday." Rose explains as she gets on the pillion and puts on a pink crash helmet.
"Ah, Cliff. I knew your mother'd be a Cliff fan." The Doctor complains.
The two scooter ride off down the street.
-!-
"Where we off to?" Sophia asks.
"Ed Sullivan TV Studios. Elvis did Hound Dog on one of the shows. There were loads of complaints. Bit of luck, we'll just catch it." The Doctor explains.
"And that'll be TV studios in, what, New York?" Rose says.
"That's the one." The Doctor agrees.
A red London bus drives past the end of the street. The Doctor pulls up by a red post box and now we see lots of Union Flag bunting strung between the houses.
"Ha! Digging that New York vibe." Sophia says. "New York looking all good to me."
"Well, this could still be New York. I mean, this looks very New York to me. Sort of Londony New York, mind." The Doctor disagrees.
"What are all the flags for?" Rose asks.
-!-
Another television set is delivered from the back of Magpie's van.
"There you go, sir, all wired up for the great occasion." Magpie says to the newest customer.
"The great occasion? What do you mean?" The Doctor asks.
"Where've you been living, out in the Colonies? Coronation, of course." Magpie tells him.
"What Coronation's that then?" The Doctor asks again.
"What do you mean? The Coronation." Magpie says.
"It's the Queen's. Queen Elizabeth." Sophia tells him.
"Oh! Is this 1953?" The Doctor says.
"Last time I looked. Time for a lovely bit of pomp and circumstance, what we do best." Magpie agrees with him.
"Look at all the TV aerials. Looks like everyone's got one. That's weird. My nan said tellies were so rare they all had to pile into one house." Rose tells him.
"Not around here, love. Magpie's Marvellous Tellies, only five quid a pop." Magpie explains to her about his businees.
"Oh, but this is a brilliant year. Classic! Technicolour, Everest climbed, everything off the ration. The nation throwing off the shadows of war and looking forward to a happier, brighter future." The Doctor explains more about 1953.
"Someone help me, please! Ted!" Mrs Gallagher asks.
Two burly men in black suits bundle a person into the back of a car, with a blanket over his head.
"Leave him alone! He's my husband! Please." Mrs Gallagher asks the two burly men.
"What's going on?" The Doctor asks as Tommy runs out of his house.
"Oi, what are you doing?" Tommy asks Detective Bishop.
"Police business. Now, get out of the way, sir." Detective Bishop tells him.
"Who did they take? Do you know him?" Rose asks Tommy.
"Must be Mister Gallagher." Tommy says as the car drives away. "It's happening all over the place. They're turning into monsters."
"Tommy! Not one word! Get inside now!" Eddie yells at Tommy, who is his son.
"Sorry. I'd better do as he says." Tommy says.
The Doctor and Rose get back on the moped. Sophia gets on hers.
"All aboard!" The Doctor says.
-!-
"Operation Market Stall, go, go, go!" Bishop tells his other officers. as the car drives down an apparent dead end. A pair of gates with an Offices to Let on them open to let it in, then a couple of men push a vegetable barrow in front of it to block the way. The scooters catch up with the car.
"Lost them. How'd they get away from us?" The Doctor asks himself after getting dissapointed of losing them.
"Surprised they didn't turn back and arrest you for reckless driving. Have you actually passed your test?" Rose complains as he asks if the two Time Lord's have passed their test.
"Sure Rose. I passed my test. I misplaced my license in one of my other jackets however." Sophia explains.
"Men in black? Vanishing police cars? This is Churchill's England, not Stalin's Russia." The Doctor asks.
"Monsters, that boy said. Maybe we should go and ask the neighbours." Rose mentions.
"That's what I like about you. The domestic approach." The Doctor says.
"Thank you. Hold on, was that an insult? Whoa!" Rose asks as The Doctor zooms off again.
-!-
Later at night, The Doctor; Rose and Sophia still in their clothes, are at the Connolly's.
"Hi!" The Doctor, Rose and Sophia say in unison, Sophia looking a bit confused in the meantime.
"Who are you, then?" Eddie inquires.
"Let's see, then. Judging by the look of you, family man, nice house, decent wage, fought in the war, therefore I represent Queen and country." The Doctor says as he holds up the psychic paper. "Just doing a little check of Her forthcoming Majesty's subjects before the great day. Don't mind if I come in? Nah, I didn't think you did. Thank you."
-!-
"Not bad. Very nice. Very well kept. I'd like to congratulate you, Mrs?" The Doctor comments as he asks to congratulate the wife of Eddie.
"Connolly." Rita tells the Doctor the family's surname.
"Now then, Rita. I can handle this. This gentleman's a proper representative. Don't mind the wife, she rattles on a bit." Eddie tells the Doctor.
"Well, maybe she should rattle on a bit more. I'm not convinced you're doing your patriotic duty. Nice flags. Why are they not flying?" The Doctor tells him as he asks why they are not on the walls.
"There we are Rita, I told you, Get them up. Queen and country." Eddie asks Rita to get them up.
"I'm sorry."
"Get it done. Do it now."
"Hold on a minute." The Doctor says.
"Like the gentleman says."
"Hold on a minute. You've got hands, Mister Connolly. Two big hands. So why is that your wife's job?" The Doctor asks.
"Well, it's housework, innit?" Eddie tells him.
"And that's a woman's job?" The Doctor inquires.
"Of course it is." Eddie tells him.
"Mister Connolly, what gender is the Queen?" The Doctor asks him.
"She's a female." Eddie anwsers him.
"And are you suggesting the Queen does the housework?" The Doctor inquires.
"No. Not at all." Eddie says.
"Then get busy." The Doctor asks him.
"Right. Yes, sir. You'll be proud of us, sir. We'll have Union Jacks left, right and centre." Eddie reminds him.
"Excuse me, Mister Connolly. Hang on a minute. Union Jacks?" Rose interrupts him as he asks Eddie why he is calling the flags Union Jacks.
"Yes, that's right, isn't it?" Eddie asks her.
"That's the Union Flag. It's the Union Jack only when it's flown at sea." Rose corrects him.
"Oh. Oh, I'm sorry, I do apologise." Eddie apoligizes to her about his miscorrection of the flags.
"Well, don't get it wrong again, there's a good man. Now get to it!" Rose says before yelling at him to do it.
"Right then! Nice and comfy, at Her Majesty's leisure." The Doctor comments.
"Union Flag?" Sophia asks her as the trio settle on the sofa.
"Mum went out with a sailor." Rose says to Sophia.
"I bet she did. Anyway, I'm the Doctor and this is Rose and Sophie, and you are?" The Doctor explains to the other members of the family.
"Tommy." Tommy says to the Doctor.
"Well, sit yourself down, Tommy. Have a look at this. I love telly, don't you?" The Doctor says to him.
"Yeah, I think it's brilliant." Tommy comments.
"That's good." Sophia tells him.
The man on the TV is showing the viewers the vertebra of an ichthyosaurus.
"Now, why don't you tell me what's wrong?" The Doctor asks Rita.
"Did you say you were a doctor?" Rita inquires.
"Yes, I am." The Doctor agrees with that question.
"Can you help her? Oh please, can you help her, Doctor?" Rita asks hum.
"Now then, Rita. I don't think the gentleman needs to know." Eddie tells her.
"No, the gentleman does." The Doctor corrects Eddie.
"Tell us what's wrong, and we can help." Sophia says to her as Rita bursts into tears. Rose goes to comfort her.
"I'm sorry. It's all right. Come here. It's okay." Rose says to Rita, while comfortting her.
"Hold on a minute. Queen and country's one thing, but this is my house! What the?" Eddie says to himself as he throws the bunting down.
"What the hell am I doing? Now you listen here, Doctor. You may have fancy qualifications, but what goes on under my roof is my business." Eddie asks them while starting to yell as they remind him.
"A lot of people are being bundled into..." The Doctor starts to say.
"I am talking!" Eddie shouts at him.
"And I'm not listening! Now you, Mister Connolly, you are staring into a deep, dark pit of trouble if you don't let me help. So I'm ordering you, sir! Tell me what's going on!" The Doctor backanswers Eddie, scaring Sophia again after the Doctor did this when she met him as a thump. thump. thump noise is heard.
"She won't stop. She never stops." Eddie says.
"We started hearing stories, all round the place. People who've changed. Families keeping it secret because they were scared. Then the police started finding out. We don't know how, no one does. They just turn up, come to the door and take them, any time of the day or night." Tommy explains.
"Show me." The Doctor tells him.
-!-
The room of the grandmother of the Connellys is dark, no light.
"Gran? It's Tommy. It's all right, Gran. I've brought help." Tommy tells his grandmother as he turns the light on. The old woman is standing there with no eyes, nose or mouth. A black car pulls up outside.
"Her face is completely gone." Sophia says.
The Doctor uses the sonic screwdriver to scan her face.
"Scarcely an electrical impulse left. Almost complete neural shutdown. She's ticking over. It's like her brain has been wiped clean." The Doctor explains.
"What're we going to do, Doctor? We can't even feed her." Tommy complains.
Someone breaks down the front door.
"We've got company." Sophia says.
"It's them. They've come for her!" Rita says.
"Quickly. What was she doing before this happened? Where was she? Tell me. Quickly, think!" The Doctor asks the others.
"I can't think! She doesn't leave the house! She was just." Tommy rambles as the burly men in black burst in.
"Hold on a minute. There are three important, brilliant, and complicated reasons why you should listen to me. One." The Doctor says as the Doctor gets punched in the face.
"Doctor!" Sophia shouts.
The men throw a blanket over Gran and bundle her out while Rose tries to wake the Doctor up.
"Leave her alone! No!" Rita asks the men.
"Doctor!" Rose says.
"Don't hurt her!"
"Back inside, Rita."
"She's my mother."
"Back inside now, I said."
Gran is bundled into the car.
The Doctor suddenly sits up, nearly giving Sophia a Glasgow kiss.
"Ah, hell of a right hook. Have to watch out for that." The Doctor comments.
"Don't fight it. Back inside." Eddie says.
"Rose, come on!" Sophia tells Rose.
"Get back inside!" Eddie shouts to his other members of the family.
Rose stops at the living room door and sees red energy coming from the television set.
"But Dad, they took her!" Tommy says.
"Don't fight it, son. Don't fight it." Eddie tells his son.
"Rose, we're going to lose them again!" The Doctor says.
The energy disappears.
"Dad, they took her! That was Gran and they took her!" Tommy explains.
"Come on, back inside, now." Eddie command his wife and son.
The Doctor and Sophia rides off. Rose turns the set around to see the last of the energy disappearing into the aerial connection. She sees the supplier's label, too.
"Anyway, how did they find her? Who told them?" Tommy asks Eddie.
"You! Get the hell out of my house!" Eddie yells at her.
"I'm going. I'm done. Nice to meet you, Tommy, Mrs Connolly. And as for you, Mister Connolly, only an idiot hangs the Union Flag upside down. Shame on you!" Rose explains to the family while joking to Eddie.
This time the Doctor is quick enough to see the tail end of Operation Market Stall.
"Oh, very good. Very good." The Doctor comments.
"Want to go explore?" Sophia asks him as he goes exploring, and uses the screwdriver to open a small door in the big gates.
In the yard, he sees the two burly men padlock a wire door and walk off. The Doctor and Sophia go over and unlocks it. The Doctor goes into an area with large cages and opens one while Sophia watches him. It is full of blank people, who occasionally clench their fists. They turn towards the light of his torch, then someone switches on a pair of searchlights.
"Stay where you are." Detective Bishop asks the two people.
In the derelict building, with broken windows.
"Start from the beginning. Tell me everything you know." Detective Bishop asks the Time Lords.
"Well, for starters, I know you can't wrap your hand around your elbow and make your fingers meet." The Doctor comments.
"Don't get clever with me. You were there today at Florizel Street, and now breaking into this establishment. Now you're connected with this. Make no mistake." Detective Bishop explains to him.
"Well, the thing is, Detective Inspector Bishop." Sophia says.
"How do you know my name?" Detective Bishop asks.
"It's written inside your collar. Bless your mum. But I can't help thinking, Detective Inspector, you're not exactly doing much detective inspecting, are you?" Sophia continues.
"I'm doing everything in my power." Detective Bishop says.
"All you're doing is grabbing those faceless people and hiding them as fast as you can. Don't tell me orders from above, hmm? Coronation Day. The eyes of the world are on London Town so any sort of problem just gets swept out of sight." The Doctor explains the plan to the Detective Inspector.
"The nation has an imagine to maintain." The Detective Inspector says.
"But doesn't it drive you mad, doing nothing? Don't you want to get out there and investigate?" The Doctor asks.
"Of course I do. But, with all the crowds expected, we haven't got the man power. Even if we did, this is beyond anything we've ever seen. I just don't know anymore. Twenty years on the force, I don't even know where to start. We haven't the faintest clue what's going on." Detective Bishop explains to the Doctor.
"Well, that could change." The Doctor tells him.
"How?" Detective Bishop asks.
"Start from the beginning. Tell me everything you know." Sophia quotes Detective Bishop's first line again as another person is delivered to the holding area.
"We started finding them about a month ago. Persons left sans visage. Heads just blank." Detective Bishop tells the Doctor.
"Is there any sort of pattern?" Sophia comments.
"Yes, spreading out from North London. All over the city. Men, women, kids, grannies. The only real lead is there's been quite a large number in." The Bishop explains to her.
"Florizel Street." The Doctor says.
"Found another one, sir." Crabtree tells the Doctor.
"Oh, er, good man, Crabtree. Here we are, Doctor. Mrs Mcrimmion. Take a good look. See what you can deduce." The Detective Bishop explains to the two Time Lords but the pink shoes and skirt tell us even before Crabtree takes the blanket off.
"Rose." Sophia says.
"You know her?" Bishop asks them.
"Know her?" The Doctor repeats that as he and Sophia look at her in dispair.
They found her in the street, apparently, over by the Square, abandoned."
"That's unusual. That's the first one out in the open. Heaven help us if something happens in public tomorrow for the big day. We'll have Torchwood on our backs then, make no mistake."
"They did what?" The Doctor says.
"I'm sorry?" Bishop inquires.
"They left her where?" Sophia tells him.
"Just in the street." Bishop says.
"In the street. They left her in the street. They took her face and just chucked her out and left her in the street. And as a result, that makes things simple. Very, very simple. Do you know why?" The Doctor says to him before he asks.
"No." Bishop says.
"Because now, Detective Inspector Bishop, there is no power on this Earth that can stop me. Come on!" The Doctor tells him.
"Tommy, talk to me. I need to know exactly what happened inside your house." The Doctor asks Tommy.
"What the blazes do you think you're doing?" Eddie asks the Doctor.
"I want to help, dad." Tommy says to his father.
"Mister Connolly." Sophia says.
"Shut your face, you, whoever you are. We can handle this ourselves. Listen, you little twerp. You're hardly out of the blooming' cradle, so I don't expect you to understand. But I've got a position to maintain. People round here respect me. It matters what people think." Eddie explains to her and the Doctor.
"Is that why you did it, dad?" Tommy asks him.
"What do you mean? Did what?" Eddie inquires.
"You ratted on Gran. How else would the police know where to look, unless some coward told them." Tommy tells Eddie.
"How dare you! Do you think I fought a war just so a mouthy little scum like you could call me a coward?"Eddie dimisses this.
"You don't get it, do you? You fought against fascism, remember? People telling you how to live, who you could be friends with, who you could fall in love with, who could live and who had to die. Don't you get it? You were fighting so that little twerps like me could do what we want, say what we want. Now you've become just like them. You've been informing on everyone, haven't you? Even Gran. All to protect your precious reputation." Tommy explains on how Eddie fought for the fascism and equality for everyone in the Second World War.
"Eddie is that true?" Rita asks him.
"I did it for us, Rita. She was filthy. A filthy, disgusting thing!" Eddie delivers the truth to her.
"She's my mother. All the others you informed on, all the people in our street, our friends." Rita says to him.
"I had to. I, I did the right thing." Eddie tells her.
"The right thing for us or for you, Eddie? You go, Tommy. Go with the Doctor and do some good. Get away from this house, it's poison. We had a ruddy monster under this roof, all right, but it weren't my mother!" Rita explains to Tommy.
Rita slams the door shut on Eddie.
"Rita!" Eddie shouts.
"Tommy?" Sophia asks.
Trestle tables are being laid for the street party.
"Tommy, tell me about that night. The night she changed." Sophia asks him.
"She was just watching the telly." Tommy says.
"Rose said it. She guessed it straight away. Of course she did. All these aerials in one little street. How come?" The Doctor explains.
"Bloke up the road, Mister Magpie, he's selling them cheap." Tommy describes it.
"Is he, now?" Bishop asks Tommy.
"Come on!" The Doctor tells the others.
The Doctor breaks in.
"Here, you can't do that." Bishop tells the Doctor.
"Shop! If you're here, come out and talk to me! Magpie!" The Doctor yells.
"Maybe he's out." Tommy says.
"Looks like it." Sophia tells him.
The Doctor searches the drawers of the counter and finds the portable television.
"Oh, hello. This isn't right. This is very much not right. Tastes like iron. Bakelite. Put together with human hands, yes, but the design itself. Oh, beautiful work. That is so simple." The Doctor describes the portable television.
"That's incredible. It's like a television, but portable. A portable television." Bishop exclaims about the portable television as the Doctor raises his sonic screwdriver.
"It's not the only power source in this room." The Doctor says.
The television screens each light up with a different face mouthing help me.
"Gran?" Tommy asks as he sees his grandmother.
Rose is mouthing Doctor, Sophia.
"I'm on my way." Sophia tells her. "I'm on my way, Rose."
Magpie comes in from the back.
"What do you think you're doing?" Magpie asks the four in the shop.
"I want my friend restored, and I think that's beyond a little backstreet electrician, so tell me, who's really in charge here?" The Doctor asks Magpie as he asks who's the real person making the plans.
"Yoo hoo! I think that must be me. Ooh, this one's smart as paint." The Wire says.
"Is she talking to us?" Bishop asks.
"I'm sorry, gentlemen, I'm afraid you've brought this on yourselves. May I introduce you to my new friend." Magpie explains.
"Jolly nice to meet you." The Wire introduces herself to the others.
"Oh my God, it's her, that woman off the telly." Bishop reliazes.
"No, it's just using her image." Sophia corrects him. "It could be, Theta."
"What? What are you?" Tommy asks the Wire creature.
"I'm the Wire, and I will gobble you up, pretty boy. Every last morsel. And when I have feasted, I shall regain the corporeal body, which my fellow kind denied me." The Wire describes her feeding abilities to him as the black and white image transforms.
"Good Lord. Colour television!" Bishop exclaims at the colour television change.
"So your own people tried to stop you?" The Doctor says.
"They executed me. But I escaped in this form and fled across the stars." The Wire explains.
"And now you're trapped in the television." The Doctor finishes.
"Not for much longer." The Wire says.
"Doctor, is this what got my Gran?" Tommy asks.
"Yes, Tommy. It feeds off the electrical activity of the brain, but it gorges itself like a great overfed pig, taking people's faces, their essences. It stuffs itself." The Doctor explains to Tommy, describing to Tommy.
"And you let her do it, Magpie." Bishop says.
"I had to. She allowed me my face. She's promised to release me at the time of manifestation." Magpie says.
"What does that mean?" Tommy asks.
"The appointed time. My crowning glory." The Wire tells them.
"Doctor, the coronation!" Bishop says.
"For the first time in history, millions gathered around a television set. But you're not strong enough yet, are you? You can't do it all from here. That's why you need this. You need something more powerful! This will turn a big transmitter into a big receiver." The Doctor explains about The Wire's plan.
"What a clever thing you are! But why fret about it? Why not just relax? Kick off your shoes and enjoy the Coronation. Believe me, you'll be glued to the screen." The Wire tries to comfort them as energy lances out at them.
"Doctor!" Bishop complains.
"Hungry! Hungry! The Wire is hungry! Ah, this one is tasty. Oh, I'll have lashings of him! Delicious!" The Wire describes it.
The Doctor starts to finger the sonic screwdriver.
"Ah! Armed. He's armed and clever. Withdraw! Withdraw!" The Wire complains.
The three men and woman collapse.
"The box, Magpie! The box!" The Wire says.
Bishop's face is blank. Magpie grabs the portable.
"Hold tight." The Wire says as she zaps herself into the portable television. "Conduct me to my victory, Magpie."
The Doctor wakes, and sees the blank policeman.
"Tommy, wake up. Tommy, come on!" The Doctor says to Tommy.
"What happened?" Tommy asks.
"Where's Magpie?" Sophia inquires.
"We don't even know where to start looking. It's too late." Tommy complains.
"It's never too late, as a wise person once said. Kylie, I think. The Wire's got big plans. It'll need. Yes, yes, yes, it's got to harvest half the population. Millions and millions of people and where are we?" The Doctor rambles as he asks where they are.
"Muswell Hill." Tommy says.
"Muswell Hill. Muswell Hill! Which means Alexandra Palace, biggest TV transmitter in North London. Oh, that's why it chose this place. Tommy?" The Doctor describes it.
"What are you going to do?" Sophia inquires.
"We're going shopping." The Doctor says.
Tommy finds a big valve.
"Is this what you want?" Tommy asls him.
"Perfect! Right, I need one more thing." The Doctor says as he gives Tommy the collection of parts and runs outside to the Tardis, The Doctor runs in and gets the parts.
As Princess Elizabeth arrives at the Abbey, Magpie makes his way up the transmitter mast. The Doctor is building a contraption while he and Tommy run through the streets.
"I cant do this! Please, please don't make me!" Magpie complains.
"The time is at hand. Feed me! Feed me!" The Wire says.
"There!" Sophia points out the Wire and Sophia.
"Come on!" The Doctor shouts.
"Wait, wait, wait! Where do you think." The guard asks him as the Doctor shows him the psychic paper.
"Oh! I'm very sorry, sir. Shouldn't you and your wife be at the Coronation?" The guard apoligizes as he asks why he isn't at the Coronation.
"They're saving us a seat." The Doctor tells him.
"Who did he think you were?" Tommy asks.
"The King and Queen of Belgium, apparently." Sophia says as the Princess enters the Abbey.
"Keep this switched on. Don't let anyone stop you, Tommy. Everything depends on it. You understand?" The Doctor commands Tommy as he takes a coil of copper wire.
The Doctor runs to the transmitter as the Princess processes down the aisle.
"You'll get yourself killed up there! Your Majesty!" The guard tells the Doctor.
Magpie reaches the top of the mast and attaches the portable television. He plugs The Wire in and red energy fills the little screen then streams out from the top of the mast to all the nearby aerials. It starts to suck off the happy faces of the viewers in the Connelly household.
"Oh. Feast. Feasting The Wire is feasting." The Wire says.
The Doctor reaches the top of the transmitter mast.
"It's too late! It's too late for all of us!" Magpie complains.
"I shall consume you, Doctor." The Wire tells the Doctor.
"I won't let you do this, Magpie!" The Doctor reminds Magpie.
"Help me, Doctor. It burns. It took my face, my soul." Magpie says.
"You cannot stop the Wire. Soon I shall become manifest." The Wire explains.
"No more of this. You promised me peace!" Magpie complains.
"And peace you shall have." The Wire finishes Magpie's complaining.
Magpie is zapped into atoms.
"Been burning the candle at both ends? You've overextended yourself, Missis. You shouldn't have had a crack at poor old Magpie there." The Doctor jokes with The Wire.
The Doctor manages to get hold of the portable television without being electrocuted.
"Rubber soles, swear by them!" The Doctor calls to The Wire.
He plugs in his cable, and valves blow down in the control room.
"Oh dear. Has our little plan gone horribly wrong, Doctor?" The Wire says.
Sophia gets a replacement valve from the store. Tommy plugs the contraption back in. The red energy retreats back to the mast, and into the portable television. The people still have their faces.
"It's close down, I'm afraid, and no epilogue." The Doctor says to the Wire.
The Wire screams, then the screen goes blank. In the holding area, everyone has been restored to normal.
The National Anthem is playing.
"What have I missed?" The Doctor says.
"Doctor! What happened?" Tommy asks him.
"Sorted. Electrical creature, TV technology, clever alien life form. That's me by the way. I turned the receiver back into a transmitter and I trapped the Wire in here." The Doctor explains as his contraption turns out to be a VCR. "I just invented the home video thirty years early. Betamax. Oh, look. God save the Queen, eh?"
Queen Elizabeth the Second waves at the crowd from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
Gran and Tommy embrace. The Doctor hugs Rose and vice versia with Sophia.
The street party is in full swing.
"We could go down the Mall, join in with the crowds." Rose says.
"Rose, this is history right here. Enjoy it." Sophia corrects her.
"The domestic approach." Rose says.
"Exactly." The Doctor agrees with Rose.
"Will it, that thing, is it trapped for good on video?" Rose asks the Doctor about the tape.
"Hope so. Just to be on the safe side though, I'll use my unrivalled knowledge of transtemporal extirpation methods to neutralise the residual electronic pattern." The Doctor explains.
"You what?" Rose says.
"I'll tape over it, Rose." Sophia says to her.
"Just leave it to me. I'm always doing that." Rose tells her.
"Tell you what, Tommy, you can have the scooter. Little present. Best, er, keep it in the garage for a few years though, eh?" Sophia says to Tommy as Eddie leaves the house in his overcoat.
"Good riddance." Tommy comments as Rita and her mother hug as Eddie walks off.
"Is that it, then, Tommy? New monarch, new age, new world. No room for a man like Eddie Connelly." The Doctor says to him.
"That's right. He deserves it." Tommy agrees with the Doctor.
"Tommy, go after him." Rose tells Tommy.
"What for?" Tommy asks Rose.
"He's your dad." Rose says.
"He's an idiot." Tommy tells her.
"Of course he is. Like I said, he's your dad. But you're clever. Clever enough to save the world, so don't stop there. Go on." Rose disagrees with him as Tommy runs over to his father and carries his suitcase for him. The Doctor hands Rose and Sophia a glass of orange and they drink a toast.
A/N - So, The Idiot's Lantern is the breakpoint of 500,000 words! WOW. IN ONE AND A HALF YEARS, EVEN. So, that crossover is coming. I'm starting as soon as I post this. What is it, you may ask? If you remember in early 2015 on Twitter, I posted something - 'The Ressurection Game' is coming and it's back. I think I still have some details from my cancelled 400,000 word crossover. Yes. So - you may be getting that during the end of this week.
Anyways, back to this story. Alissia (AND THAT'S THE CORRECT WAY TO SAY THAT NAME.) hasn't done mostly anything this episode and that is because we are getting a pattern of lite episodes here. This episode is the Rose -lite episode, next will be the Alissia lite episode, then the Doctor and Rose lite episode and finally, the Doctor lite episode.
Stay tuned for 'The Ressurection Game' and The Impossible Planet!
LeftTriggerGamers - June 15th, 2015.
EDIT: 500,000 WORDS! YES.
