Doctor Who IVB Episode 1

"Palimpsest"
Written by:

Daniel Harma

From a story by
Robert Theggers & Dan Harma

All copyright the BBC

1 EXT. SYDNEY -- DAY
SLOW PAN across a futuristic CITY; SYDNEY, in the YEAR 3000.
TALL STEEL SKYSCRAPERS, a typical science fiction city. But
it’s all dirt, and rust and grime.

CAPTION: ’SYDNEY. 3000 A.B.D.’

CAPTION FADE OUT.
MUSIC: ’STREET OF DREAMS’, GUNS N’ ROSES

PRAC FX: It’s raining, really torrential, throwing it

down...
ENIGMA (V.O)
It rained, and it rained, and it
rained. On the city of Sydney, the
rain never stopped falling, for a
thousand years. And there was an
alchemist, a magician, a sorcerer,
and he tried everything to stop it,
used all his powers, and books, and
spells, and stories, but still it
rained. Day turned to Night, weeks
to years, but still it rained.
FADE TO:

2 EXT. SYDNEY -- NIGHT

SLOW PAN continues across the city as the sun sets, and it’s
night! Its not a nice place, not a place you’d want to be.

ENIGMA (V.O)
And so in desperation, the wizard
retreated to his tower, which
stretched up into the sky, and
still it rained, and the rain
threatened to wash him away, and
everything he’d done, and wash him
off the planet, and out of the
history books. And in his fear, he
looked up to the night sky...
PAN UP to NIGHT SKY, STARS TWINKLING.

ENIGMA (V.O)
(more a whisper now)
And in the sky, he saw all the
stars, and planets, and suns,
rotating and dancing like they
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (2) 2.

ENIGMA (V.O) (cont’d)

always had since the birth of time,
and always would, until their
death. And one of the stars...
shone brighter than the rest... And
it came closer, and shone brighter,
and came closer, and shone
brighter, until it came down to
him, on his balcony, and it spoke
to him. For it was a Timewright,
and it promised him great things.
It could stop the rain, restore him
to glory, and offer him the
immortality he craved, and place
him amongst the stars in the sky.
And all he asked was to be allowed
to enter the world again, for in
the dark ages the jealous gods had
usurped him, and banished him. And
the sorcerer was greedy, and he
agreed, and he allowed him in, and
he sold his soul. And I was reborn!

MUSIC ’STREET OF DREAMS’ FADE OUT

CUT TO TITLES
CUT TO:

3 INT. TV SCREEN -- DAY

The screen is a close up of an OLD STYLE TELEVISION.
On it is an old SCI-FI B MOVIE. Cliched, budget, low
quality: RUBBER ALIENS and DASHING CAPTAINS are fighting on
a RED SANDED PLANET.
One of the characters is a BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS, who is being
dragged away by the rubber aliens.

Gradually, MUSIC FADE IN: ’LIFE ON MARS’ DAVID BOWIE

AS the FILM continues, we...
PULL BACK TO...

FADE TO:
 3.

4 INT. FLAT - SYDNEY -- DAY.

A REAL TIP OF A FLAT.
In it, in the corner, is the TELEVISION (from Scene 3),
still playing the SCI-FI B MOVIE.
The flat is littered with DIRTY CLOTHES, COFFEE MUGS,
MAGAZINES, RUBBISH, CIGARETTE BUTTS...
Into the room walks FLORENCE!

And her face is the same as the BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS (scene 3,

Sci-Fi B Movie)! (e.g she was the actress portraying
beautiful princess)
But that was a few years ago, she’s older, her face is
lined, her eyes puffy and tired. She looks sad, maybe been
crying lately?
She SEES the TV playing the film, and STRIDES over, turns it
off; she doesn’t like it, reminds her off her past. She
presses a BUTTON on the TV and it ejects an old VHS CASSETE.

As she moves around the room, not doing much, half-hearted

attempt at tidying up...
FLORENCE (V.O)
(bitter, or at least
melancholy)
When I was young, I always wanted
to be a filmstar. I could have been
as well. The year was... 1982. I
was...twenty six? I’d been in a few
films, shown at the pictures and
everything. But then... One night,
I went to sleep, in my bed. I woke
up over a thousand years later. In
the ’New Human Empire’. In
Australia! Imagine that...
everything you’d lived, and loved,
gone. Like that. Oh, I was sad at
first. Sold everything I had-
wasn’t much. A cardboard box of
possesions. A card from my parents
saying they loved me. Some of my
videos. Then I had nothing left so
sell, but I had to survive, so I
sold... Anyway I began to build
myself a life. Met a man, John. In
the Royal Navy. Course, that
doesn’t mean boats. Means
spaceships. But now he’s been gone
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (2) 4.

FLORENCE (V.O) (cont’d)

for five years, flying to some
planet on the other side of the
galaxy. And I’m all alone again.
What do I have?

She’s walking across the flat, towards BIG FROSTED GLASS

DORRS to the BALCONY.
She begins to open them, and we...

REVERSE TO: PROFILE SHOT: CU: FLORENCE as she walks onto the
balcony.
PRAC FX: Bright lights dancing on her face, red, gold, blue,
green. She leans on the balcony wall, still CAMERA HOLDS on
her face.

FLORENCE (V.O)(CONT’D)
I’m a science fiction actress. What
use do they have for me here?
REVEAL: Her balcony is overlooking the MASSIVE SCI-FI CITY
from scenes 1/2.
FX: FLYING CARS with HUMANS and ALIENS on board, SPACESHIPS,
the works.
CU: FLORENCE She looks so sad.

FADE TO:

5 EXT. SYDNEY -- DAY

FLORENCE is walking through the city, keeping herself to

herself, looking down. The air is thick and YELLOW with
POLLUTION.
She walks along, towards the harbour.

FLORENCE (V.O)
But it’s okay now. I know what to
do. I know how to get home...
FADE TO:
 5.

6 EXT. SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE -- DAY

FLORENCE walks along it, slowly, sadly.

She walks to the edge, CLIMBS onto the RAILING. Oh no! She
cant!?
HER P.O.V: She looks down. Her feet, the edge of the bridge,
and below that... the WATER.

CU: FLORENCE. She closes her eyes.

She looks so, so sad.
FADE OUT: ’LIFE ON MARS’

FLORENCE
(Speaking out loud; to
convince herself)
I’ve got to. There’s nothing for me
here anymore.

HER P.O.V: She looks down and SEE’S...

From UNDER the bridge, and an ARM reaches out!! There’s
someone hanging UNDERNEATH the bridge! The arm is carrying
something, and it thumps a BRIEFCASE down on her feet. From
under the bridge comes a muffled voice.
MUFFLED VOICE
Hold that...
And out comes a BOX OF EGGS!

MUFFLED VOICE
And that...
And a TELESCOPE!?

CU: FLORENCE: All her depression forgotten, soooo confused!

MUFFLED VOICE
And all of these!

A VINYL RECORD (ABBA), STRING, JELLY BABIES, A POWER DRILL

MUFFLED VOICE
Ohhh, there it is!
And then, with a bit of scurrying, some grunting, another
ARM appears, and pulling himself over the edge of the bridge
is...
THE DOCTOR!

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 6.

Clamped in his mouth is the SONIC SCREWDRIVER!

He looks up at her, standing exactly where she was, not
having moved.
He looks at the pile of RUBBISH by her FEET.

HE FROWNS.
THE DOCTOR
(trying to speak around the
sonic screwdriver)
Areahhhr Zchou shgoin shto fellls
pe zasse za vourlt shor nossscht?
CU: FLORENCE: Frowns. What the hell...!?

FLORENCE
Um... Pardon?
THE DOCTOR
(Sighs, spits out the sonic)
I said are you going to help me
save the world or not?
Big cheeky grin!
And then he HEAVES himself up onto the bridge, dusts himself
down.

THE DOCTOR
(Sighs)
Oh, you’re not much fun are you?
Come on!!! Save the world? Defeat
the bad guys, destroy the doomsday
weapon, all in fifteen minutes?
OFF HER LOOK
THE DOCTOR
Oh, come on, you don’t get asked
that very often, do you?
CU: FLORENCE, still a bit shaken up, bit sad.
The Doctor notices

THE DOCTOR
What you doing here anyway? Bit
close to the edge, but, I dunno,
lovely spot for a bit of um...
spaceship spotting? Do people do
that? Birdwatching...

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (3) 7.

HIS P.O.V: The smokey, polluted city

THE DOCTOR
Pollution watching?
BEAT

THE DOCTOR
Don’t say much do ya? What were you
doing here anyway?

FLORENCE
I was... I um... What am I doing?!
What were you doing?
THE DOCTOR
Bit of this, bit of that.
Maintenance man, that’s me. Lovely
to meet you. I’m the doctor.
FLORENCE
Doctor of what?

THE DOCTOR
(grin)
Bridges! And um... (he looks at the
SONIC SCREWDRIVER; it’s blinking
and whistling furiously. Looks a
bit worried.)

MUSIC: ’RUNNING WILD’ AIRBOURNE

THE DOCTOR
...Oops. Do you want to you know,
move away? Talk somewhere else?

FLORENCE
Why? What’s that thing? Why’s it
beeping?

THE DOCTOR
It’s a sonic screwdriver.
FLORENCE
A....? A what screwdriver?

THE DOCTOR
Sonic. Essential part of any
bridge maintenance man’s toolkit.
When you sign up then um...
sergeant general of (cough) bridge
maintenance, he gives you a lovely
little talk, "This sonic
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (4) 8.

THE DOCTOR (cont’d)

screwdriver is your life. Without
it your bridge maintenance..."
(sees her expression, trails
off...)

FLORENCE
A bridge maintenance man with an
Abba LP?
THE DOCTOR
Ooh, you recognize Abba! Not many
round here do. Actually... that’s
probably not a good thing.
Anyways... Why are we discussing
this?! We need to move!

The SONIC SCREWDRIVER is:

PRAC FX: Flashing, beeping, buzzing, more than ever.
FLORENCE
Why?

THE DOCTOR
Just, bridge stuff.... Oh all
right, a bomb! Okay? Just run!
CU: FLORENCE: She believes him

FLORENCE
...fair enough
They start running, the Doctor staring cross eyed at the
sonic screwdriver as they do.
THE DOCTOR
Come on....
They DIVE off the edge of the bridge, swerving past CARS and
FLYING CARS, and getting quite a lot of HOOTS from angry
drivers.
CUT TO:

7 EXT. SYDNEY -- DAY

By the edge of the bridge, FLORENCE and THE DOCTOR, the

doctor scratching his head desperately

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 9.

THE DOCTOR
That bomb is going to off any
minute now! It’s going to be
destroyed-

He’s speaking with his back to the bridge.

PRAC FX: THE BRIDGE EXPLODES!!!! Behind him, throwing cars
into the air, a few screams, the sound of SIRENS
THE DOCTOR
And all the people, they’ll all be
killed as well...
He trails off, noticing Florence...
CU: FLORENCE: Shocked!

THE DOCTOR
(not turning around)
Oh no, it can’t be. Not yet. When I
turn around, that bridge will still
be there, standing just like all
the postcards! Nice, pretty, a few
flying cars, okay?! The bomb
definitely will not have gone off
yet!
He turns round

THE DOCTOR
Oh nooooo. Not my day is it?
FLORENCE
Listen! Police barge sirens!
THE DOCTOR
(bit down)
Yup. They’ll be here any minute,
shut off the area. Probably looking
for mysterious strangers who aren’t
on the census. Probably dressed
differently, carrying strange alien
technology that’s a potential
weapon. Behaving in a strange way,
or have been seen acting oddly near
the bridge. (Doesn’t get it) Well,
I hope they find them.
FLORENCE
Um.... Doctor?

(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (3) 10.

THE DOCTOR
(distracted)
Mmmm?

FLORENCE
So we start running then?
THE DOCTOR
Running?

FLORENCE
Mysterious stranger acting oddly on
the bridge carrying alien
technology? I’m guessing you’re not
on the census.

THE DOCTOR
(oops)
Gooooood point. Where do we go?
Anywhere good?

FLORENCE
There’s a place I know....
MUSIC ’RUNNING WILD’ FADE OUT
FADE TO:

8 EXT. TAVERN -- DAY

The DOCTOR and FLORENCE outside a TAVERN, old school, a
swingy sign with a name on ’The boar’s head’, mock tudor
facade, the works.
The Doctor looks slightly puzzled.
THE DOCTOR
A Bar?

FLORENCE
Nice place, you get all sorts.
THE DOCTOR
Did you just come here so I could
buy you a drink?
FLORENCE
Nah, you don’t look like the sort
of person who carries money with
them.

The Doctor raises his eyebrows, then nods, slowly, little

smile. He likes her.

(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (2) 11.

FLORENCE
Come on!?
She’s inside. He follows.
CUT TO:

9 INT. TAVERN -- DAY

Inside, lots of MOOD LIGHTING, CONVEYOR BELTS with DRINKS
on, lots of ALIEN SPECIES, HOLOGRAPHIC GAMES, the lot...
THE DOCTOR
Ooh, very Mos Eisley.
FLORENCE
More Star Wars really, isn’t it?
The Doctor notices this, raises his eyes.
FLORENCE
(To the BARMAN)
Two of the Super Supernovas please.
He complies, handing them the two drinks which are
CONSTANTLY CHANGING COLOUR.
THE DOCTOR
Lovely jubbly, thanks!
He starts drinking, biiiiiiig gulp.
Florence looks at him.

The BARMAN looks at him.

Florence coughs.
THE DOCTOR
Yes? Oh... Oh right, money!

He rummages in his pockets....

Out comes A GREEN ORGANIC COIN which begins to crawl away, A
DIAMOND, some coins that look remarkably like BUBBLES from
bubblebath which begin to float away, A SQUARE COIN, A
little ROBOTIC MAN.
The Doctor frowns.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 12.

THE DOCTOR
Do you take cheques?
Florence watches, laughing.
THE DOCTOR
Ooh, no, I know!
The ABBA LP!
THE DOCTOR
Here you go!
And he hands it over. The Barman is astounded- it’s worth a
fortune!
BARMAN
Really? For me?
THE DOCTOR
Go for it!
The barman shuffles off, carrying his prize. The Doctor, a
bit embarrased, turns to Florence, whose still laughing.
THE DOCTOR
Oi! You can stop laughing. The girl
from the year three thousand, who
knows what star wars is, and star
trek, and recognizes ABBA. Who are
you?
FLORENCE
I’m Florence. Florence Watson. And.
(she looks up, maybe hoping for the
Doctor to say something, but he
sits watching intently)I’m from
1982. Well. I was. I was 22. And
then I woke up, and I was here,
with a cardboard box of things. How
does that happen? I thought it was
the gods, playing a trick on me. I
was so bitter, so angry. They
looked down, at me, with a career,
and.... I was going to be an
actress. I was in some films. And
then, I ended up here. I spent so
many night in this tavern, till 4
or 5 in the morning. How does that
happen?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (3) 13.

THE DOCTOR
I dunno. Sorry. But I might be able
to help you with that.
FLORENCE
How!
THE DOCTOR
(conspiratorial whisper)
I’ve got a time machine!

FLORENCE
(half belives him)
No. Way.
THE DOCTOR
Yes. Promise. I’ll show you.

FLORENCE
(so disheartened)
If that’s true then...
THE DOCTOR
It is. But first, the bomb.
FLORENCE
Who was it?
THE DOCTOR
Mmmmm.... The bomb was really quite
advanced, so there must have been
some... offworld help.
FLORENCE
You saw the bomb?
THE DOCTOR
Yup, when I was under...
A SHADOW falls over the bar, someone behind them.

THE DOCTOR
(spinning around)
Ahh, that will be the police coming
because I’m sitting near to a
terrorist attack talking loudly
about bombs, time machines, and
acting like a mysterious offworld
stranger?
There are THREE MEN, all swathed from head to toe in BLACK
ROBES, long, ankle length.

(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (4) 14.

THE DOCTOR
Although.... You don’t look much
like plods?
Beat.

THE DOCTOR
Sooooo, second guess, you’re the
sinister people in robes watching
us, and now you’re going to take us
to your leader? Cos we know too
much? Cos I know that your the cult
of shadows?
Sharp intake of breath
THE DOCTOR
Thought so.
They’re led off.
THE DOCTOR
Come on Florence, there going to
take us to their secret meeting!
He’s really happy, loving it.
CUT TO:

10 INT. TAVERN - MEETING ROOM -- DAY

They are led to a nice, typical, cliched, meeting room under
the tavern. A long TABLE with MEN IN CLOAKS around it.

THE DOCTOR waves.

THE DOCTOR
Hello!
To florence

THE DOCTOR
Say hello nicely Florence!
FLORENCE
Hello nicely.

She gives a little wave.

ALL THE MEN are watching them, curiously.

(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (2) 15.

THE DOCTOR
Don’t mind us, we’ll just sit and
watch. Watch while you plan another
attack. An attack on innocent
people, killing millions, for you
own bitter little ends. Because
people died there. I wouldn’t mind
a little game like this, you all
dressing up and meeting under
Taverns, but people are dead. So,
you know. I’ll have to stop you.

CUT TO:

11 INT. TAVERN - MEETING ROOM -- DAY

Some time has passed.

THE DOCTOR and FLORENCE are tied to chairs with ropes.

THE DOCTOR
Ah. That didn’t work so well. I’ll
hold off the dramatic proclamations
in future.
Beat.
They ignore him.

THE DOCTOR
Well? Aren’t you going to question
me? Find out what I know?
Beat.

THE DOCTOR
...Fine. So, what we doing here
then? Waiting for someone? Is
someone important coming?

FLORENCE
Someone important coming and they
didn’t warn me? I mean look at what
I’m wearing! And no make up, not
done my hair, oooh, this is so
embarrassing!

One MAN in cloaks, robes, etc, shuffles slightly. This is

their LEADER

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 16.

THE LEADER
Couldn’t you have gagged them as
well? Do they never stop?
FLORENCE
...I recognize that voice...
THE DOCTOR
Probably. Most likely all of this
lot are wealthy, rich, famous. Want
a bit of a change at the weekends.

FLORENCE
Like blowing up bridges? So what
are they? Who?
THE DOCTOR
Sort of children who go round
pulling the wings of butterflies,
and shining the sun at ants with a
magnifying glass, chopping worms in
two to see if they regenerate, and
making bonfires with their sister’s
teddy bear and- oh hello!
Because, in the center of the room;
FX: A PULSING, STROBING BALL OF LIGHT, about a meter in
diameter, growing then shrinking, wrapping around, and
folding itself into various shapes.
THE DOCTOR
I guess this is who we’ve been
waiting for.

But the SINISTER MEN seem as surprised as he is, begin

scrambling away, scraping chairs on the floor, standing up.
All except their leader, who sits there unmoved.

THE LEADER
Do not be afraid, do not run. This
is the source of our power. This is
how we have been supplied with all
that we have needed to carry out
out campaign. He is a friend. He
came down from the stars to us,
seeking people of equal intellect
to his own.
Gradually they sit down, nervously.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (3) 17.

FX: And suddenly the LIGHT folds itself into the shape of a
MAN, medium height and build. For a minute, the light forms
the outline of a man, GLOWING, and pulsing, before fading
down to leave a man standing there; ENIGMA. His face is
bland, featureless, unmemorable, and he is dressed all in
white: white suit, shoes.
One SINISTER MAN never sat down, but edged away. Now he’s
fleeing, running to the door.
SINISTER MAN
What is that? What have you done!
He turns and flees yet...
Without even moving, apparently not even noticing,

FX: a BEAM OF WHITE LIGHT (similar to that when Enigma

arrived) streaks away from Enigma’s hand, and knocks over
the FLEEING sinister man. DEAD.
His hood falls back to reveal...

He’s a MUTANT, with GREENY-YELLOWY scales randomly in

patches over his face, and long CLAWS!
THE DOCTOR
(quietly, to Florence. Doesn’t
want attention)
Ooh, that’s different.
FLORENCE
What is he?

THE DOCTOR
Dunno. Poweful though. He’s
channeling that power directly from
the Time vortex.
He looks at her.

THE DOCTOR
I’m guessing you didn’t get that.
FLORENCE
Nope.

THE DOCTOR
Yeah, well-
Enigma TURNS, looks at him.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (4) 18.

THE DOCTOR
Hello!
ENIGMA
Doctor. Again. This is fast
becoming a habbit, no? Albeit an
unpleasant, predictable, and rather
boring one. Although,... you look a
little tied up at the moment
(starts to laugh) How wonderful! I
assume these delightful fellows are
responsible? In that case, I am
even more endebtted to them.
THE DOCTOR
Um... have we met?

ENIGMA
More than once. Are you saying you
can’t remember?
THE DOCTOR
B-List, cliched, camp villans with
a thing for long words and tight
suits? I’ve met a few, but you’re
not ringing any bells. Oh, why is
it this whole thing feels like a
bad bond movie?

ENIGMA
Doctor, I can assure you, you
wouldn’t forget me. (he notices
Florence) Oh, but this is Florence!
Ah, then this is before you’ve met
me in your timeline. How curiously
quaint. What an interesting idea.
THE DOCTOR
Well, I get around-

ENIGMA
Stop talking. Bored now. Do
whatever you normally do, run away.
Adresses SINISTER MEN

ENIGMA
Gentlement, please, remove your
hoods. We’re amongst friends here.
All do, except for Leader, who remains hooded. Enigma
notices but says nothing.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (5) 19.

ALL OF THEM are MUTANTS, some more animal than human, some
with scales, or serpent’s tales.
Florence raises her eyes.
CU: Florence. A little scared.

THE DOCTOR
Wowweee! Guesing you’re not all
famous or rich then, with faces
like that.

One of them spits, hisses.

SINISTER MAN #2
We are outcasts from society! They
reject us because of their
obsession with perfection!
THE DOCTOR
And there we go, this cliched james
bond movie now has mutated villains
and a title, ’the Obsession with
Perfection.’ Makes more sense that
Quantam of Solace though.
SINISTER MAN #2
The humans do not understand us.
Not yet.

ENIGMA
(interrupting)
Do you want to run away, break the
ropes, or use the sonic screwdriver
to construct an ingenious escape
plan?
THE DOCTOR
You really have met me before! In
my future!

ENIGMA
(sighs)
Quite doctor. I seem to have all
the bad luck, time lord.

FLORENCE
Time Lord? He told me he was a
bridge maintanance man.
They ignore her.

(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (6) 20.

ENIGMA
Now, you two, go!
And all of a sudden,
CUT TO:

12 EXT. SYDNEY -- DAY

THE DOCTOR and FLORENCE find themselves in the middle of a
street! No noise, no flash, just suddenly there.
The Doctor whistles.
THE DOCTOR
Impressive.

Florence is terrified, her hands are shaking; she’s not in a

good way.
She fumbles for a CIGARETTE, tries to light it. The Doctor
notices.

THE DOCTOR
Oi, don’t smoke! It’s bad for you!
He knocks it out her hands.

Then, realizing, he looks her in the eyes.

THE DOCTOR
Are you okay with this? You can go
home if you want.

FLORENCE
No I can’t. Home is a thousand
years away.
THE DOCTOR
(Remembering)
Okay. Well, then I’ll just have to
do what I always do!
FLORENCE
Which is?

THE DOCTOR
Save the world!
Beat.

(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (2) 21.

THE DOCTOR
Do you want to help?
FLORENCE
That... person... he said, he said
that... something about me, he knew
me, so it looks like I come with
you, help you. But, if he knew me,
from the future, doesn’t that mean
I can’t die? We know we win,
because otherwise he could’nt know
me!
THE DOCTOR
Time can be changed. Like a
palimpsest, overwritten, rubbed
out, replaced, redrawn. Your story
could be changed, as eaily as
anything.
This scares her a bit.
FLORENCE
Don’t care, I’m still coming.
THE DOCTOR
Brilliant!
FLORENCE
So um... how do we save the world?
THE DOCTOR
That’s... a good question. Got
anywhere we can go?

FLORENCE
My flat, it’s not far...
FADE TO:

13 INT. FLAT - SYDNEY -- DAY.

Moment of silence, still a tip.
Then...

BANG! The door flies open, and THE DOCTOR and FLORENCE
enter, the doctor still talking furiously...
THE DOCTOR
Sooooo.... they’ve still got more
plans, bigger plans. They want to
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 22.

THE DOCTOR (cont’d)

bring down this society, I guess,
they normally do. Soooo, it’s going
to be big. Something on a big
scale, everyone will have one, so,
what do we have here?
He looks around.
His P.O.V: HEAPS OF CLOTHES, BOXES piled up, FOOD CARTONS,
knee deep with stuff.

THE DOCTOR
Aah, looking for something in here
won’t be easy. Okaaay. New idea.
And-

Suddenly, gets an idea. Looks stunned

THE DOCTOR
Did you say.... your name was
Florence Watson? Like, Watson!

FLORENCE
Yes, why? Something wrong?
THE DOCTOR
Aww, no, something brilliant! I’ve
always wanted to say this. So,
Watson, any ideas?
FLORENCE
You know what Sherlock, No sh-

THE DOCTOR
Language!
FLORENCE
Sorry nana, I’ll stop smoking and
I’ll mind my tongue!

THE DOCTOR
(looks a bit miffed)
Good! But, anything happened
recently? Any big stuff, any
parcels, anything been given to the
whole country? Whole planet?
THE DOCTOR
There will be something that
everyone has, think...

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (3) 23.

FLORENCE
Noooo, not really. Can’t think of
anything. I mean I’m not sure if
I’m the best person to ask, but...

The Doctor isn’t listening, he’s scanning the room with the
SONIC SCREWDRIVER
FLORENCE
You won’t find anything, they’re
not in the habit of giving out
presents
PRAC FX: the sonic screwdriver.... beeepbeepbeep!!!!
He’s examinable something on the heap of rubbish, clothes...

THE DOCTOR
Then what’s this?
He’s holding something up, a SYRINGE, squinting at it, in a
plastic SPECIMEN BAG

FLORENCE
Oh, that, you really are from
another planet aren’t you? Everyone
had of those-

Realising...
FLORENCE
Oh god. No way. Is that alien?
THE DOCTOR
Yup. Mono-filament needle. I
thought we would be looking for, i
dunno, radios, clocks, strange
pipes, sat navs, but this is
worse... whatever it is... they’ve
injected it into your body! What
was the syringe for?
FLORENCE
A bit back... Some new virus...
Susporco virus, apparently it was
highly contagious, could wipe out a
third of the population of Earth...
Every city’s governor was told that
they had to give the vaccine to
everyone, to inject yourself. They
said they’d rushed the virus out,
but it had been fully tested, it
was safe?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (4) 24.

THE DOCTOR
Like I said, the cult of shadows,
the mutants, they must have people
in high positions... created the
whole story of the virus, then
distributed the ’vaccine’.
FLORENCE
And what is the vaccine? What have
they injected into my body?
THE DOCTOR
Weeeellllll, could be anything,
could be nothing...

FLORENCE
Doctor, you know don’t you. Tell
me!
THE DOCTOR
They’re mutants. They said that we
don’t understand them. Yet. How do
you understand something...?
FLORENCE
(understanding)
Become them...

THE DOCTOR
An alien virus. It will cause
everyone to... to mutate. Like
them. There will have to be a
trigger, a signal to activate it.
And then, in every person in
Syndey.. or Australia... maybe the
world...
FLORENCE
But... It- It won’t kill us?
THE DOCTOR
Not if it was introduced gradually,
but this... when they trigger the
signal, it will start, so quickly,
it will overload the bodies immune
systems. It’ll kill just fine.
He’s angry.
FLORENCE
But there’s hope, right? We just
have to find the... the signal, the
trigger?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (5) 25.

THE DOCTOR
Of course there’s hope. There’s
always hope, because you’re human.
You never, ever, stop hoping. I
sometimes wonder what would happen
if humans stopped hoping, and
thinking, and dreaming, and sailing
across the stars, and then I
remembered... it’d...
FLORENCE
It’d what?
THE DOCTOR
Oi, Watson, stop asking questions.
Let’s go get some answers instead,
and... Oh!

He’s noticed the OLD TELEVISION with VHS CASSETTES by it. He

runs over, looking interested, excited, pops it into the
player, has a look.
The SCI-FI B MOVIE starts, featuring FLORENCE as the
princess.
THE DOCTOR
Oooh look, it’s you!!
He looks at Florence, then at the TV, then at Florence, then
the TV again.
THE DOCTOR
Oh, no, they’ve got it all wrong,
what kind of shaceship is that, it
looks like it’s made of a ping-pong
ball, I mean that’s a bit budget!
FLORENCE
(almost apologetically)
I know, I was presing for a magic
door, or a bubble, like a glass
bubble thing, but they couldn’t
afford it.
THE DOCTOR
And Wobbly-sets! This is rubbish!

He turns it off again, pops the casette in his pocket.

THE DOCTOR
Let’s go save the world!

And, dragging Florence along by the hand he RUNS out.

 26.

FADE TO:

14 EXT. SYDNEY -- DAY

A little side street, narrow, cobblestones, between TWO
SKYSCRAPERS.
And, parked in the corner...
The TARDIS!!

THE DOCTOR
There she is, little piece of
Gallifrey!
FLORENCE
Gallifrey?
THE DOCTOR
Long story it’s my planet. Or it
was, anyway. Terrible day for pen
pushers right round the dimensions.
All that paperwork!
FLORENCE
So what’s that then?
THE DOCTOR
My spaceship. Tardis, this is
Florence, Florence, this is the
Tardis.
FLORENCE
That’s your spaceship? Bit rubbishy
init? I mean, you said that we were
budget for using pin-pong balls,
but that...!
THE DOCTOR
Bit rubbishy? Bit rubbishy!? (he
looks at the Tardis, pats her a
bit) Now you’ve offended her, she’s
upset. Say sorry!
FLORENCE
You want me to apologise to the
police box?
THE DOCTOR
Yup.

(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (2) 27.

FLORENCE
Sorry police box.
THE DOCTOR
She has a name....

FLORENCE
(sighing)
I’m sorry, TARDIS.
THE DOCTOR
That’s better! Now come on!
He unlocks the door, enters. She follows, curiously...
Their voices float out...

FLORENCE
You don’t see many like that...
PAN TO:

15 INT. TARDIS -- DAY

The DOCTOR making adjustments to the SCANNER, FLORENCE
having a good look around.
THE DOCTOR
We’re looking for something,
transimitting a singal, across the
whole city.
FLORENCE
What like a radio?

THE DOCTOR
Good point. Something that’s only
been transmitting a signal for an
hour max. Like um.... That.

FX: The scanner shows a TALL WING SHAPED building, half

function, half sculpture.
THE DOCTOR
That’s the one!

FLORENCE
Ooh, that the Queens Tower! It’s
ten minutes on foot, how long do we
have?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 28.

THE DOCTOR
About five. Maybe we’ll use the
TARDIS.
Beat.

THE DOCTOR
You know, the signal isn’t over a
large area, I could take you away,
in here, to another time, or place,
safe, deal with this lot, pick you
up?
FLORENCE
Nope. You can’t offer that choice
to everyone in Sydney, so that
wouldn’t be fair. I’m staying.

THE DOCTOR
Brilliant! Let’s go!
And the TIME ROTOR starts up, the engines grinding, roaring.

THE DOCTOR
Florence Watson, welcome onboard!
FLORENCE
Thanks, but it can’t compare with
the ping-pong ball spaceship, can
it?
THE DOCTOR
(laughing)
We’ve all got our own ping-pong
ball spaceship somewhere inside us.

FLORENCE
Where’s yours?
THE DOCTOR
Mine’s a lovely little planet
called Earth. In the year 1982.
I’ll show you. You’d like it!
They both laugh, and then....

THUMPPPPPP-CLANNNNNNG!!!!
THE DOCTOR
We’re there! Come on...

(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (3) 29.

FLORENCE
We’re there?
THE DOCTOR
Yup. Hope so. I don’t normally get
it wrong.

He THROWS open the doors, and...

They’re there!

On a flat platform, near the top of the BUILDING described

earlier, on the scanner.
CUT TO:

16 EXT. PLATFORM -- DAY

They STRIDE OUT, FLORENCE looking all around, THE DOCTOR
looking at the sky.
Above them is a TALL ARIAL thing.

FLORENCE
Um... that’s it? Just, that?
THE DOCTOR
(looks baffled)
Yes, spose so, this must be their
base. We just want to be nice and
quiet.
FLORENCE
So, take it down?

THE DOCTOR
Okay. Feels odd, this, no-one out
trying to stop us, no-one shouting
and firing guns.

And he approaches the base of the arial, begins to try and

deactivate it with the SONIC SCREWDRIVER, working it at the
bolts.
THE DOCTOR
This is... (grunting) a nice change
from... usual...
Beat.
Florence shivers, hugs herself. It’s chily.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 30.

FLORENCE
Is it working?

THE DOCTOR
That’s the odd thing. It’s undoing,
one bolt at a time, and when
they’re all out, the arial comes
down, and that’s it. Why?

FLORENCE
Well, the time... It’s been five
minutes...
And then, suddenly, she slips, looses her footing, and she’s
on the floor.

THE DOCTOR
Are you okay?
FLORENCE
Yep, I’m....fine...

Then, she begins to SHUDDER, rocking from side to side.

She gasps, begins to sweat.
THE DOCTOR
Florence!
He’s torn... He’s got to get this down, he’s got to go and
see if she’s okay.

THE DOCTOR
Florence!
FLORENCE
It’s..... fine..... just carry
on.... saving the world...

THE DOCTOR
You won’t die, I promise.
FLORENCE
I know...

Then she SPASMS suddenly.

CU: The doctor, looking concerned.
THE DOCTOR
Done it! Yes!
And the arial’s DISPLAY PANEL (readouts, etc) goes BLANK.

(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (3) 31.

THE DOCTOR
Yes! Florence, i’ve done it! I’ve
done it!
Beat.

THE DOCTOR
Florence?
He runs over to her; she’s unconscious, her face SCARLET

THE DOCTOR
Oh no! Not again!
He DRAGS her into the TARDIS
CUT TO:

17 INT. TARDIS -- DAY

THE DOCTOR lies FLORENCE on the floor, taking her
temperature, listening to her heart.

THE DOCTOR
I don’t understand it, the signal’s
stopped, she should be fine!?
He turns on the scanner and...

THE DOCTOR
What? What?! Whaaaat? It’s still
transmitting! But how?
Beat.

THE DOCTOR
Oh no. It’s not just coming from
this tower, this arial! It’s all of
them! Every single one, in the
whole of Sydney! I’m never going to
stop them all! I said this was too
easy! But who could have that much
power? Access to every transmitter
in the city? There must be
something... I’ll...

CU: The doctor. He’s had an idea.

THE DOCTOR
Yes! It might....

And he RUNS out the Tardis.

(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (2) 32.

CU: Florence;
FX: her forehead begins to crackle, and bubble, like
plastic, and slowly, scales begin to force their way
through, green, reptilian scales emerging on her forehead!

Slowly she opens her eyes, horrified. Touches her face

gently; recoils at the SCALES. So scared!
Slowly she stands up.

And, swinging from side to side- still really sick- exits

the TARDIS...
CUT TO:

18 EXT. PLATFORM -- DAY

FLORENCE emerges, clutching her face, shivering.
THE DOCTOR is half way up the aerial, clutching something.

SOUND FX/PRAC FX: The wind is HOWLING, ROARING in their

ears, face, because they’re so high up.
FLORENCE
Doctor, what are you doing?

THE DOCTOR
Get back in the TARDIS! It’s not
safe!
FLORENCE
I know! It’s not safe in the TARDIS
either though is it? How long do I
have?
THE DOCTOR
Five minutes maybe. But only about
three minutes until I do something
brilliant!
FLORENCE
Which is?

THE DOCTOR
The signal is coming from every
aerial in the city. I can’t stop
it!

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 33.

FLORENCE
Then...?
THE DOCTOR
I just have to... hide it!

CU: The Doctor, wincing, grunting, reaches into his pocket

for...
FLORENCE’S B-MOVIE SCI-FI FILM CASSETTE!

CLINGING onto the aerial with one hand, he reaches into his
POCKET for the SONIC SCREWDRIVER,
PRAC FX: buzzes it at the cassette, at the aerial, unclips a
few wires (nice and easy!) and plugs it in.

Beat.
Then...
From some unseen, invisible speakers, so loud, across the
whole city....

The SOUNDS of the FILM, played loud.

FLORENCE
What have you done?

THE DOCTOR
It’s going to drown out the
frequency they’re transmiting. It’s
across every frequency, every
aerial in the country!

FLORENCE
God, that’s embarassing...
Over the speakers...

CLICHED MOVIE ALIEN

I will never surrender, Zorg!
DASHING MOVIE CAPTIN
Then I... I’ll have to stop you!

BEAUTTIFUL MOVIE PRINESS

Oh nooo! Don’t fight, please!
CU: Florence... winces. But... something else...
Slowly, slowly....

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (3) 34.

FX: THE SCALES roll away, FADING into normal skin! She’s
back!
CU: FLORENCE
FLORENCE
I wish I’d died, this is so
embrassing.
The Doctor jumps down.

THE DOCTOR
Well, all good? Stopped baddies
nasty plan, now we fly away, not a
chance they’ll try and stop us,
have their revenge is there?

SOUNDS FX: Footsteps: lots of footsteps....

THE DOCTOR
Or not. Shame.
THE LEADER and ENIGMA as well as some SINISTER PEOPLE get
closer, much closer, shouting, angry....
The Doctor pretends to ignore them.
The MOVIE continues to play, loud, over the speakers....

THE DOCTOR
Is this really embarassing
Florence?
FLORENCE
Yes, very!
THE DOCTOR
Well, I suppose, I could... stop
it?

FLORENCE
How??
THE DOCTOR
Like this!

He aims the sonic screwdriver at the AERIAL, and the

CASETTE, 60 feet up, and...
ZEEEEEEEEPPPPPP!!!!!!
Great big EXPLOOOOOOOSION NOISE!

(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (4) 35.

THE DOCTOR
Whoopsie, looks like I broke it! Ah
well, never mind, better run cos
theres gonna be a great big
explosion! It’ll destroy the whole
building!
FLORENCE
Run?
THE DOCTOR
You got it!
THE LEADER
Doctor, you ahve stopped us! Ruined
everything! You will not escape!

THE DOCTOR
Nahh, I will, question is, will
you?
Stands up, angry

THE DOCTOR
You’ve killed people today. Lots of
people. I’m not going to sit,
playing along to your little games
of dress up. I’m going. Florence’s
is going. I’m giving you ONCE
chance to live. Take it.
And he turns his back, slowly walks away with florence,
towards the TARDIS.

The Leader seems to understand, backs down.

Enigma however, looks angry.
ENIGMA
Not this time!

CUT TO:

19 INT. TARDIS -- DAY

FLORENCE and THE DOCTOR enter.

The Doctor begins setting the controls.

FLORENCE
So it’s going to blow up? Will it
kill them?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 36.

THE DOCTOR
Course not! It’s not going to blow
up, that would be vandalism. I’d
never do that! It’s messy!

FLORENCE
You were bluffing?
THE DOCTOR
This city’s had enough death
already today.

Then, from outside a:

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!
HUGEEEEEEEEE EXPLOSION!

CU: THE DOCTOR. Confused.

Oops.
The Doctor and FLorence both run towards the DOORS, peer
through the windows...
THEIR P.O.V: The Building is ON FIRE! There’s a GREAT BIG
SHATTERED HOLE in the side, metal ripped apart, FLAMES
everywhere!

The leader is nowhere to be seen- he got away- but Enigma is

a few yards from the Tardis, clawing, and trying to crawl
closer, his face ANGRY, EVIL, covered in hate.
FLORENCE
Can’t we do anything?

THE DOCTOR
Nope. I don’t know what he was....
but he knows me. He was like
nothing I’ve ever seen before....
powerful, he harnessed the raw
power of the time vortex! That’s
impossible!
FLORENCE
But you’ll see him again? In your
future?
THE DOCTOR
Maybe. Time can change.
Overwritting itself, in flux, like
a palimpsest.

(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (3) 37.

FLORENCE
Yeah.... (Doesn’t get it) I didn’t
mention it earlier, but the whole
’bigger on the inside that the out’
thing.... that’s a good groove you
got going.
CU: THE DOCTOR: He grins. He likes her.
THE DOCTOR
Let’s see what’s happening down
there?
FADE TO:

20 EXT. SYDNEY -- DAY

The SUN is SETTING, red light, casting LONG SHADOWS over the
city.
MUSIC: ’SAINT IS A SINNER TOO’ by SLASH

THE DOCTOR and FLORENCE sit, in silence, by the RUINS of

SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE, dangling their legs over the side,
above the water.
They’re not saying much, just sitting there, enjoying each
other’s company.

Beat.
After a long time...
THE DOCTOR
(conversationally)
You know you could... come with me?
FLORENCE
Where?

THE DOCTOR
Exactly. That’s it. Where?
Everywhere, that has been, or will
be, might be, could be, should be.
We could sit and watch the slow
turn of the anvil of galaxies, at
the edge of the universe, where all
the stars and planets that have
died, slowly sink to the bottom of
time, and of existence, and fall of
the edge of the universe in an
explosion of colour! Red, Green,
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 38.

THE DOCTOR (cont’d)

Blue, White, Yellow, Orange, Cosmic
Latte, Frume...

FLORENCE
Frume?
THE DOCTOR
A colour. A colour that no person
on earth has ever seen. Except...
you can.
FLORENCE
Frume. Frume. Good name.

THE DOCTOR
Great name. Even better colour.
Just you wait and see.
Florence smiles. Lies back.

FLORENCE
I will.
Pause.
FLORENCE
Who was that? The Leader of the...
that group? I’ve heard his voice
before...
THE DOCTOR
I dunno.... Could be anyone rich
and unpopular...
REVERSE TO: Behind then, on the front of a building....
A HUGE DIGITAL BILLBOARD/POSTER of...

A man, with a fairly plain face, and underneath, a

slogan....
’Vote Jon Visagelux for a second term as president of
Syndey! He sucessfully predicted the Susporco virus!’

It carries on displaying slogans...

THE DOCTOR
...Could be anyone.... Let’s go.

They stand up, slowly, and, hand in hand, walk towards the
TARDIS, parked a few metres away, and enter...
SOUND FX: The wheezing, groaning sounds, and...

(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: (3) 39.

FX: It FADES AWAY...

Beat.
PULL BACK TO:

21 INT. TV SCREEN -- DAY

A LARGE SCREEN, showing the TARDIS fading away, and the
Doctor and Florence.

It over and over again cuts to close ups of their faces,

little lines zipp out of their faces, trailing across the
screen....
PULL BACK TO:

22 INT. OFFICE - SYDNEY -- DAY.

THE TV SCREEN is on the wall.

The room is DARK, full of SHADOWS.

THE LEADER (O.O.V)
Pause. Rewind. Play.
The screen does...

And REVERSE to REVEAL, watching the screen....

THE PRESIDENT OF SYNDEY! (Jon visagelux!) sitting there, but
when he speaks, it’s with the voice of the leader. Although
his hood is off, he wears the ROBES that he wore as ’the
leader’.
THE LEADER/THE PRESIDENT OF SYDENY
Damn them. Damn them.
Behind him, some movement, in the DARK of the room. Someone
steps forwards.
ENIGMA
Relax, Jon. We’ll meet them again.
Trust me.

Enigma! He survived!
CUT TO:
 40.

23 EXT. SPACE -- DAY

The TARDIS hangs in space, by a FEW PLANETS, a SUPERNOVA,
the works, typical space vista...

ENIGMA (V.O)
And the Jester made his escape, and
he was confident he had done
enough, and he blocked from his
mind the murders on his behalf, the
deaths he had caused, and ran. Ran
like a coward. But he was a fool.
Because they would meet again, his
friend, him, his foe. And that
time, one of them would die!
CUT TO: END TITLES: END OF EPISODE 4B.1