"Phil won't leave his room" - A Doctor Who Production History

Part 28 - The Wrong Doctors (Chapter 3)
The future Doctor and Koryn are in the deserted control gallery of Port 9 of the Dalek warship. The Doctor is intently studying a monitor.

"The timeline is shifting, repairing itself." He starts to fiddle with a patch bay. "Koryn, can you just keep plugging and unplugging the cables here. Keep sending different signals to different parts of the ship."

"OK, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to change some the programming so that the timeline monitor is more sensitive to minor shifts which are always happening. The bridge of the ship will be seeing history as in a constant state of flux, which means they won't be expecting their time patrols returning any time soon especially not the one that was meant to arrive in Port 9."

Elsewhere, the TARDIS has just landed and in the console room, The Fifth Doctor is studying the scanner. Outside appears to be a deserted patch of land. There are a few small buildings nearby and in the distance what appears to be an aircraft hangar. Beyond all that appears to be sea. Finally he spots something like a golf buggy speeding towards the TARDIS.

The Doctor steps outside the TARDIS as the buggy comes to a halt. From the passenger side steps a burly security guard (Adam Fogerty) holding a futuristic rifle. "You look like you expect trouble", says The Doctor. "I hate to disappoint, but I don't think I have any to give you."

"It's alright, Doctor, he's with me", says a familiar voice. Stepping from the driver's side of the buggy is Zoe Heriot.

"Zoe! You recognize me! You remember me!"

"Don't worry, I got a message from some of your friends." She holds up a white hypercube with a wry smile. "They said it was important. Anyway, welcome to Project Cornucopia."

We fade to the buggy approaching a small building. Zoe's voice fades up, indicating some little time has passed.

"The social upheavals of the last 10 years have brought about a new interest in environmentalism and fears about overpopulation." The buggy comes to a halt and the passengers step out. "What we're standing on now is a landing pad in the Atlantic Ocean. The real work is all done in a bio-dome beneath the waves." She opens the door of the building, the guard steps inside as Zoe ushers The Doctor in before joining him.

We see a huge greenhouse, full of colossal plants. In the middle of all this is a lift shaft. The view tracks down the shaft until it reaches the floor and Zoey, the guard and The Doctor step out. "The great fear is that one day, we'll run out of land to grow things on," says Zoe. "This is a possible alternative. Obviously, we can only have so many of these domes, so we're also experimenting with the yield and size of the plants…". She breaks off as an alarm bell starts ringing, quietly but insistently. "Code M, Dr Heriot," says the security guard. "I'm sorry, Doctor," says Zoe. "One of our service droids will escort you to the break room. You can wait there until I get back."

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From the DWM Archive article on The Wrong Doctors

The lights come on in the darkened break room the moment service droid Lambda and The Doctor enter. "Doctor, please take a seat. The television responds to voice commands. Can I bring you any refreshments?" "Coffee, white, two sugars, please." "I will obey. Is there anything else?" "Tell me, Lambda, what is a Code M alert?" "What is your security clearance code, Doctor?" "Oh, it's not important." Lambda leaves to get The Doctor's coffee. The Doctor looks around and works out how to turn off the light. He carefully walks to the far wall opposite the door and draws back the blind. Outside in the ocean are sinister, glowing red lights, moving slowly, apparently scanning the base. "Code M, I presume", mutters The Doctor. The lights suddenly come on in the room and someone (Richard Beckinsale) gives a yelp of surprise.

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"Richard Beckinsale was one of the people who visited me after my heart attack. We'd been on friendly terms since he was in one of my Poirots. He was saying how Eric Morecambe had 'bullied' him when he was doing a guest spot on one of their shows. Eric and Ern liked to rehearse and rehearse and Richard said that after a while, he was getting tired and his skin was getting grey. Richard said he was waving away help and Eric was having none of it. Eric had had enough problems with his heart to recognize the signs. An ambulance was called and after that, Richard said it was similar to what one hears about Alcoholics Anonymous. It was like Heart Attacks Anonymous and Eric behaved like a 'sponsor'. So Richard became my 'sponsor', I suppose. On one of his visits, the cheeky sod asked if there was a part in the Doctor Who special. Well, I couldn't refuse. So I gave PJ a call and when all was said and done, it was the shooting of Don's part that best fit in with Richard's schedule."

- Roger Delgado, DVD Extra, The Wrong Doctors

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"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't realize anyone was in here. I wasn't told to expect anyone. And you are?"

"A friend of Dr Heriot. She just calls me The Doctor, so does everyone else."

"But your name is?"

"Not something I like to be reminded of."

"I'm Bentley. Working out of lab 5: cacti and succulents. I sometimes help out with fungi in lab 4."

"How many labs do you have?"

"Just the five. Have you been give the tour?"

"No, Dr Heriot was called away. A Code M alert."

"Ah, that's why you were looking at the outside with the lights off. I'm not sure I believe her, I don't think it's sapient life spying on us, just some curious fish."

Lambda enters "Your drink, Doctor. Professor Bentley, can I get you anything?"

"No," says Bentley pointedly. Lambda leaves.

"These things give me the creeps. I prefer the old ones. Less human looking, more cute."

"How many of the new ones are there? Lambda's the eleventh letter of the Greek alphabet so presumably…"

"Thirteen."

"And when did they arrive?"

Bentley suddenly looks suspicious. "I think Dr Heriot had better answer your questions."

As he says that, Zoe arrives. "Ah, I see you've met Professor Bentley, Doctor. I hope…"

"Professor Bentley asked if you'd given me the tour and I was telling him you hadn't."

"Well, there's time for that tomorr…"

"I really would like to take the tour as soon as possible."

"I'm really not sure…"

"For old time's sake, Zoe. Old time, like the space station, or Dulcis, or that time with IE."

Zoe frowns. She does not care for this Doctor's manner. "Very well," she sighs.

Zoe is driving The Doctor through the main greenhouse in one of the buggies. She points out things of interest, but The Doctor doesn't appear to be listening. He's tinkering with something that looks like a miniature radio. Satisfied, he places it on the dashboard of the buggy. He interrupts Zoe's tour spiel.

"That thing should prevent any electronic eavesdropping. Tell me about the Code M alerts, the red lights outside the dome and when those new service droids arrived."

"Doctor, I'm a grown woman and a respected scientist I don't need you rushing in to save the day."

"Ordinarily, I'm sure that's the case. But my people sent me here because they expected serious trouble and I think whoever's causing the trouble is using your presence here to draw me out."

"Well, why did it have to be this version of you? Why couldn't it be my Doctor?"

"Because this is a trap for your Doctor. If I'm the one who trips it, I might just gain an advantage. Who runs Project Cornucopia?"

"It's part of an international effort, overseen by the Atlantic Science Federation."

"Atlantic? So not all countries are involved?"

"No. Some countries just don't see things our way. There's something of a struggle."

"A Cold War? Plus c'est la même chose."

Zoe stops the buggy. "Just what are you trying to say?"

"I'm here because there are several attacks on the timeline being launched by the Daleks. I don't think your presence here is the whole reason for the attack. This is all too benign. If this place was just a great big undersea farm, the Daleks would just come in guns a-blazing and they haven't. What do they want? By the way, is there a cold lab?"

"Lab 3, yes. But why?"

"Let's take a look at Lab 3."

Among the cold, clean and white expanses of Lab 3, Zoe looks around fearfully.

"Doctor, we're really not supposed to be here."

"You get used to it. I'm rarely meant to be anywhere. Do you have diving suits or diving bells? Something to help me get a better look outside."

"We have both of those things. What does that have to do with Lab 3?"

"Nothing, I'm multitasking. Aha!"

Zoe looks around to see that The Doctor has opened a fridge with his sonic screwdriver.

"Doctor! What are you doing?"

"Confirming a theory." He slams the fridge door shut and locks it again. He starts to walk back to the buggy. "Were you with Project Cornucopia from the start? Did you see the dome being constructed?"

"Erm, no. I joined nine months into the project. Doctor, I can't keep up with you."

"We're not supposed to be here." He's already in the passenger seat. "Let's get out of here and out there. Next stop, diving equipment."

In the docking bay Zoe and The Doctor find staff members Stark (David Swift) and Nolan (Bob Sherman) waiting for them.

"Bentley told us you were giving someone a tour and we really need to know more about him," Nolan says angrily.

"I'm generally known only as The Doctor. My name is John Smith, which is an even less useful name than 'The Doctor'. I met Zoe on Wheel Station 3. One of you fellows works in Lab 3?"

"I do," says Stark.

The Doctor approaches Stark. Unintentionally, there's something of the gangster about him as he whispers gruffly, "I'm also completely immune to bacillus alsosasvesti."
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"'Álsos asvésti' being Greek for 'Lime Grove'. The Latin for 'Lime Grove' is 'Lime Grove', so we had to go Greek. Shepherd's Bush didn't translate well in either language."

- PJ Hammond, DVD Extra, The Wrong Doctors

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Stark looks shocked. His mouth opens but nothing comes out.

"Zoe and I are going outside. I think I know what's going on in here. The last unanswered question is out there."

Nolan and Stark look on as Zoe and The Doctor leave for the mini-sub.

"I think that man is trouble," says Nolan.

"He already is, but if he really knows what's going on out there, I think we'll have to bear it."

Inside the mini-sub, Zoe asks The Doctor "What was that with Stark?"

"Project Cornucopia is a front for a germ warfare lab."

Zoe looks distraught. "You can't be right! How…how would you know…?"

"My suspicious nature, I'm afraid. I'm here because there are Daleks involved and they're not going to show interest in a farm. The Daleks would just destroy it in the hopes of robbing a growing population of its food. You gave me the impression of competing ideologies on the Earth, which indicated to me one or both sides would have weapons stashed somewhere. Does this have some sort of x-ray or thermal camera? Something that can see through walls, maybe?"

"Yes, there are a few cameras for penetrating the water, foliage, coral, that sort of thing. Hang on, the depths are that way. We're facing the dome. What are you looking for?"

"Service droids. Let's see.” He turns a dial to change camera. "No, no, no AH! Look at that!"

"What is it?"

"Inside that droid is a mutant. A Dalek mutant. You have five labs and you're so understaffed Bentley has to help out in fungi, but you have thirteen service droids. When Stark has something very nasty and very effective developed, the Daleks would have killed you all and launched a germ warfare attack. Now, let's go into the depths. What year is it, Zoe?"

"2093."

"Of course it is," The Doctor smiles.

"Doctor!" Zoe screams as red lights become visible in the distance. The Doctor fiddles with the sub radio until he's satisfied he has the right frequency.

"This is a vessel from Project Cornucopia. I am The Doctor. I represent some of the humans in the dome, but I am not a human myself. I request an audience to explain that there is a presence on this planet that poses a threat to all life on Earth."

There is an agonizing moment of silence.

"Vessel, you are recognized. Follow us."

"Zoe, you're about to meet the Sea Devils."

Bently, Stark and Nolan are in the break room. There's a palpable tension which is broken by a flash of yellow lights and voice crackling across speakers.

"Project C-crackle-pia this is-crackle-Heriot. Await-crackle-at dock. Am returning. Sub damaged. The Doc-crackle-dead. Repeat-crackle-damaged-crackle-tor is dead!"

The men have rushed to the docking bay. Zoe has taken a seat and is breathing heavily.

"The Doctor's been killed! There's an invasion coming!"

"What invasion?" gasps Stark. Zoe ignores him and grabs handset mounted on the wall.

"All service droids to Lab 3. Defensive mode."

Service droid Delta enters the room.

"May I enquire as to the nature of the alert in Lab 3?"

"The Doctor has been killed by Sea Devils," says Zoe. The three men look at each other confused. "They're launching an imminent attack. They're going to blow open Lab 3 to enter the dome.

The droid stays still. Its emotionless face hiding the Dalek intelligence inside. Zoe's eyes narrow. She's aware that the Dalek is trying to decide whether to believe her.

"They know about the bacilli in there. The Doctor told them and paid for it with his life."

The lights on the droids chest flash red and yellow. "I have sent a signal. Twelve droids will enter Lab 3. I will remain and monitor your safety."

A low thrum reverberates through the dock. The sound of all the vessels approaching the dome. The noise stops. It is soon replaced by a harder to define noise.

"For God's sake what is that?" asks Bentley. Stark has run the television screen in the dock and has brought up thermal image of the dome.

"It's boiling! The water around Lab 3 is boiling!"

The air is split by the sound of screaming droids.

Droid Delta turns to Stark. "You will explain!" The unnerving calm has gone from its voice.

Unseen by Delta, Zoe has pulled a gun from her jacket and unerringly aims it at the lower back of the droid and fires. As the droids falls to the floor, Zoe lets the gun fall from her hands.

"I'm sorry, Zoe," says a familiar voice. The Doctor has entered the dock, flanked by two Sea Devils.

"Where the devil did you come from?" Nolan asks incredulously.

"Slipped in with my friends here during the excitement. These two gentlemen", he gestures to the Sea Devils, "are here as part of a diplomatic visit to Project Cornucopia. As you've all no doubt worked out, the invasion was a ploy to draw the Daleks away to Lab 3, which has been attacked by microwave heat weapons. I'm afraid that this has also resulted in the sterilization of all projects stored there. My old friend Louis Pasteur really knew his stuff."

Stark appears somewhat exasperated, but is already accepting the situation. "The Atlantic Science Federation has some information shared by UN intelligence operations, so I'm not really surprised that this happened. But I think you need to understand that my work is necessary."

"You have come this close," The Doctor holds his index finger and thumb close together, "to developing a weapon that was going to be used to annihilate the human race. It just so happens that through my superior diplomatic skills, I have arranged for this species to save all life on Earth. Give a call to the Atlantic Science Federation and tell them that the race of people sometimes know as 'Sea Devils' are willing to talk. Germ warfare is out, but their knowhow will make Project Cornucopia a tremendous success." He turns around and the air of menace leaves him completely. He gives a sad but warm smile.

"Zoe, I know this wasn't easy. Killing is a disgusting thing, but sometimes it's the least of a vast number of evils. Catch your breath, gather your thoughts and before I go, give me the tour. The real tour."

Later, outside the TARDIS, The Doctor and Zoe are saying their goodbyes.

"Here's hoping next time I see you will be a social call," says The Doctor.

"What happened to Jamie, Doctor?"

"His memory was wiped like yours, but now your memory is restored, there's no excuse not to return his. Anyway, the Time Lords owe me a lot of favours."

"What about all this? Does it all work out?"

"I can't tell you that. 2093? Not a bad year. There are better."

"Like 2094?"

The Doctor gives a wry smile and enters the TARDIS which soon dematerializes.
 
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I think Going Straight was agreed from the outset to be a one series thing, but a Christmas special in 1980 seems like something all parties would be willing to do.
 
Did Frazer Hines get to appear opposite Troughton in either A Face from the Past, or The Four Doctors?
And does Max Bolton count as a companion?
 
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Yes and yes.
Not really. Max doesn't travel in the TARDIS apart from short jumps between locations in the same adventure. He's never been taken away from his base of operations or the location of his latest case for a trip.
 
I like this Project Cornucopia segment, it so classic Who, and just reads like a great fun show.

Nice you saved Richard Beckinsale too.
 
Not something I've given much thought. Physically, it'll be a dancer who's good at robot movements. Vocally, I'm going to say Kerry Shale, giving the droids a unnervingly calm, slightly smarmy American accent (OK, he's Canadian, but y'know).
 
Thanks. By the way I've had an idea. What if all the surviving Doctors get their own Radio 4 serial around the time of the 40th anniversary, in a way to boost publicity and create hype for the then upcoming 2003 revival? Maybe the CBS and ninth Doctors could be involved too, so as to redeem themselves to the fanbase. It seems from what you've said so far, that in the eyes of the fans, they are somewhat decisive anomalies.
 
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Thanks. By the way I've had an idea. What if all the surviving Doctors get their own Radio 4 serial around the time of the 40th anniversary, in a way to boost publicity and create hype for the then upcoming 2003 revival? Maybe the CBS and ninth Doctors could be involved too, so as to redeem themselves to the fanbase. It seems from what you've said so far, that in the eyes of the fans, they are somewhat decisive anomalies.
I love this idea, personally.
 
It does fit in, because I'm going to have two R4 series a year in 1994 and 1995 and with a different Doctor each time. The Eighth and Ninth Doctors aren't hugely divisive (there's no serious debate as to whether they "count"), but there's behind the scenes stuff with the Ninth.
 
He appears to have been the choice of the Christie estate, so that's a reason for him to still have it in a TV series ITTL. I need to think as whether it would still be produced by LWT and starting in 1989.
 
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