The Zygon Who Fell to Earth
Encyclopedia
The Zygon Who Fell to Earth is an audio drama based on the long-running British
science fiction television
series Doctor Who
. This audio drama was produced by Big Finish Productions
.
and Lucie
are visiting Auntie Pat in the 1980s
, where she owns a lakeside hotel and is married to a man named Trevor. Two executives from a record company to convince Trevor, a former folk singer, to make a comeback, but Trevor refuses. That night, Lucie follows the executives to the lake and sees them drinking Skarasen milk before being caught. When Lucie returns to the Doctor she insists that they investigate the cellar, and they find a Zygon
body-print machine with the real Trevor inside.
The Doctor and Lucie reveal to Pat that her husband is a Zygon, but she already knows, and loves him anyway. Lucie returns to the executives, and its revealed that they are all Zygons in disguise. They need to recover a vital control crystal from Warmaster Hagoth - Trevor - but he has given it to Pat as a brooch, and now it's fused to the skin of her throat. When the executives kidnap Pat, the Doctor and Trevor follow her to the Zygon ship, with the fake Lucie in tow. On the ship, the Doctor rescues the real Lucie and outs the fake.
The Zygons rip the brooch from Pat's throat, killing her in the process and allowing them to arm warheads and launch an attack on the Earth. Trevor, distraught over Pat's death and not caring about his own life, allows the Doctor and Lucie to escape and then commands the Skarasen to attack and destroy the ship, stopping the Zygon plot. Lucie is unable to accept that her Auntie Pat is dead, since she knew her in the future. Once Lucie has gone to sleep Trevor returns in his Zygon form. Using the last of his strength he permanently takes the form of Auntie Pat and resolves to live an ordinary life and allow Lucie to believe the real Pat survived.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
science fiction television
Science fiction on television
Science fiction first appeared on a television program during the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary world not limited by the constraints of reality; this makes television an excellent medium...
series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
. This audio drama was produced by Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
.
Plot
The DoctorEighth Doctor
The Eighth Doctor is the eighth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by Paul McGann...
and Lucie
Lucie Miller
Lucie Miller is a character in a series of audio plays produced by Big Finish Productions for BBC7 based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
are visiting Auntie Pat in the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
, where she owns a lakeside hotel and is married to a man named Trevor. Two executives from a record company to convince Trevor, a former folk singer, to make a comeback, but Trevor refuses. That night, Lucie follows the executives to the lake and sees them drinking Skarasen milk before being caught. When Lucie returns to the Doctor she insists that they investigate the cellar, and they find a Zygon
Zygon
The Zygons are a fictional extraterrestrial race in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. They first appeared in the Fourth Doctor serial Terror of the Zygons, where it was revealed that centuries ago, the Zygon homeworld was destroyed in a stellar explosion. A...
body-print machine with the real Trevor inside.
The Doctor and Lucie reveal to Pat that her husband is a Zygon, but she already knows, and loves him anyway. Lucie returns to the executives, and its revealed that they are all Zygons in disguise. They need to recover a vital control crystal from Warmaster Hagoth - Trevor - but he has given it to Pat as a brooch, and now it's fused to the skin of her throat. When the executives kidnap Pat, the Doctor and Trevor follow her to the Zygon ship, with the fake Lucie in tow. On the ship, the Doctor rescues the real Lucie and outs the fake.
The Zygons rip the brooch from Pat's throat, killing her in the process and allowing them to arm warheads and launch an attack on the Earth. Trevor, distraught over Pat's death and not caring about his own life, allows the Doctor and Lucie to escape and then commands the Skarasen to attack and destroy the ship, stopping the Zygon plot. Lucie is unable to accept that her Auntie Pat is dead, since she knew her in the future. Once Lucie has gone to sleep Trevor returns in his Zygon form. Using the last of his strength he permanently takes the form of Auntie Pat and resolves to live an ordinary life and allow Lucie to believe the real Pat survived.
Cast
- The DoctorDoctor (Doctor Who)The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
— Paul McGannPaul McGannPaul McGann is an English actor who made his name on the BBC serial The Monocled Mutineer, in which he played the lead role... - Lucie MillerLucie MillerLucie Miller is a character in a series of audio plays produced by Big Finish Productions for BBC7 based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
— Sheridan SmithSheridan SmithSheridan Smith is an English actress and singer who is best known for her contributions to the British sitcoms Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Gavin & Stacey and Benidorm. She has also become a recognised face in West End theatre, where she has appeared in Little Shop of Horrors,... - Trevor — Steven PaceySteven PaceySteven Pacey is an English actor, best known for his role as Del Tarrant in the third and fourth seasons of the sci-fi series Blake's 7....
- Urtak — Malcolm StoddardMalcolm StoddardMalcolm Stoddard is a British actor who has appeared on television.His credits include: The Voyage of Charles Darwin, Colditz, The Brothers, The New Avengers, Blake's 7, Squadron, By the Sword Divided, Juliet Bravo, Boon, The Bill, Families, Emmerdale, The Campbells, Heartbeat and The...
- Mims — Tim Brooke-TaylorTim Brooke-TaylorTimothy Julian Brooke-Taylor OBE is an English comic actor. He became active in performing in comedy sketches while at Cambridge University, and became President of the Footlights club, touring internationally with the Footlights revue in 1964...
- Aunty Pat — Lynsey Hardwick
- Grakus — Katarina Olsson
Production and casting
- Katarina Olsson has previously appeared in several Big Finish audio plays including the previous Eighth Doctor audio season as the Headhunter. She continues to feature this season in a variety of roles due to her vocal versatility.
- Featuring the song "Falling Star" sung by Steven Pacey with music by Tim Sutton and lyrics by Barnaby Edwards.
- The appearance of Tim Brooke-Taylor means that all three of The GoodiesThe GoodiesThe Goodies are a trio of British comedians who created, wrote, and starred in a surreal British television comedy series called The Goodies during the 1970s and early 1980s combining sketches and situation comedy.-Honours:All three Goodies now have OBEs...
have now appeared in Doctor Who audio plays for Big Finish: Graeme GardenGraeme GardenDavid Graeme Garden OBE is a Scottish author, actor, comedian, artist and television presenter, who first became known as a member of The Goodies.-Early life and beginnings in comedy:...
starred in Bang-Bang-a-Boom!Bang-Bang-a-Boom!Bang-Bang-a-Boom! is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
and Max WarpMax WarpMax Warp is an audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. This audio drama was produced by Big Finish Productions.-Cast:*The Doctor — Paul McGann*Lucie Miller — Sheridan Smith...
whilst Bill OddieBill OddieWilliam "Bill" Edgar Oddie OBE is an English author, actor, comedian, artist, naturalist and musician, who became famous as one of The Goodies....
appeared in Doctor Who and the PiratesDoctor Who and the PiratesDoctor Who and the Pirates is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
.
Continuity
- This story is Big Finish's first use of the ZygonZygonThe Zygons are a fictional extraterrestrial race in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. They first appeared in the Fourth Doctor serial Terror of the Zygons, where it was revealed that centuries ago, the Zygon homeworld was destroyed in a stellar explosion. A...
s. - Lucie's Aunty Pat first appeared in Horror of Glam RockHorror of Glam RockHorror of Glam Rock is an audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. This audio drama was produced by Big Finish Productions and was broadcast on BBC 7 on 14 January 2007.-Plot:...
, to which this story acts as a sequel, and returns in Death in BlackpoolDeath in BlackpoolDeath in Blackpool is an audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. This audio drama was produced by Big Finish Productions.-Plot:...
. - The Zygons the Doctor says he met "back in the 19th century, down south," are apparently from The BodysnatchersThe Bodysnatchers (Doctor Who)The Bodysnatchers is an original novel written by Mark Morris and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
, a BBC Doctor Who novel.