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Post by sparacus on Jul 13, 2014 12:46:23 GMT -5
Ok, obviously we don't know yet how the real series 8 will turn out to be, however here is how I would have done it. This is a brief overview and as showrunner I would appoint other writers to flesh out some of the episodes into full scripts, as RTD and Moffat have done. I may develop some of these ideas later into a Series 9 fanfic project.
Episode 1 : The Haxion Project
The newly regenerated Doctor is asked by Kate Lethbridge Stewart to investigate a series of mysterious deaths in Cornwall, where the victims internal organs have been cooked, while their outer bodies are unblemished. The Doctor & Clara's investigations lead them to the Cranmore nuclear powerstation where the Doctor discovers that an alien, Kraan of the Krellanites has taken over the plant and is using it to produce deadly Veton radiation, used to refuel his space vessel. The Dotor has to stop Kraan as to relaunch his vessel would unleash a wave of Veton radiation in its wake which would destroy most life in England.
Episode 2: The Long Goodbye
Clara has been exposed to Veton radiation at the end of the previous episode. Becoming increasingly ill, she clings to the hope that the Doctor can save her via a trip to the mythical hospital planet Jampala. The Doctor learns the location of Jampala from a cult of mystics on Metabelis 3 and travells there in the TARDIS. Here the Jampalan healers are young women with blonde hair who claim that all illnesses can be cured from within by the power of meditation, followed by a journey to the cave of destiny. Clara begins the meditation programme and starts to recover, however the Doctor is suspicious. He learns from one of the healers, Mila, that no one returns from the cave. Mila is later found dead, with her throat cut and the Doctor suspects foul play.
The Doctor discovers that an energy entity, the Zenith, has taken over the planet and is feeding on the energy of the dying within the cave. The only way to kill the Zenith for someone to take the golden sceptre of life, an object of great power once owned by the founder of Jampala, into the cave and throw it into the Zenith energy. However the resulting energy release would kill the person doing so. Realising that she hasn't been cured at all, but merely feels better due to pain relief drugs which the healers have used in her food, Clara chooses to sacrifice herself by going into the cave and using the sceptre. Devastated that he could not stop her, the Doctor returns to the TARDIS shuts himself in the library room.
Episode 3: The Psychobombers (First part of a two-part story)
Returning to England, a weary and dissilusioned Doctor is shaken from his grief by news that senior figures in the British establishment are going insane and developing sudden catatonic schizophrenia. Most of the senior politicians and civil servants have been affected and a state of emergency has been declared with the military taking over control. The Doctor distrusts its head, General Draycott, and when a shoot-to-kill policy is introduced for anyone breaking a 7pm curfew and opponents start being interned in concentration camps, the Doctor fears for his safety and goes underground, disguising himself as a down-and- out. He learns from two rent boys, Adam and Loz, that Draycott and the military elite are working for a neo-fascist organisation known as 'The New Dawn' and that they have developed a technique known as psychobombing to take out their opponents. Adam and Loz direct him to their HQ, a country house on the outskirts of London. Here the Doctor intervenes to stop the execution of an asian servant and is then attacked by a pack of guard-dogs........ (Cliffhanger)
..... to be continued.
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Post by sparacus on Jul 13, 2014 15:55:25 GMT -5
Episode 4: New World Order (second part of a 2 parter)
The Doctor is rescued from the dogs by Draycott's men and dragged to his office where Draycott pistol-whips him and outlines his plans to export 'the revolution' to the USA. The Doctor is shocked to find that his old friend Mike Yates is among Draycott's conspirators. Draycott attempts to recruit the Doctor into 'The New Dawn' and invites him to drug-fuelled party, however the Doctor manages to escape and runs into Adam and Loz in the grounds, who have stolen the keys to the Psychobomb lab from Draycott's office following a liason. Meanwhile Mike Yates, who is secretly working for UNIT, warns the US government but is captured during the process. As Draycott's scientists intitiate the Psychobombing of the US government, the Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver to interrupt the signal, while UNIT troops arrive to assault the building.
Episode 5: The Year of the Cat
The Doctor reads in the Daily Telegraph of several cases of young children being attacked by cats in a remote part of Cornwall, with one fatality. He decides to visit the area and in the local pub runs into young Craig Jackson, a long-haired teenager who investigates unexplained mysteries. Craig informs the Doctor that there have been several further deaths but that the locals have covered them up, blaming the 'Beast of Bodmin', whom they believe to have magical powers. The Doctor is dismissive of such parochial superstitions. After an encounter with 'The Beast' itself on the moor and cat attacks spreading all over the UK, the Doctor and Craig discover that a feline alien race, the Trethalites, are behind the attacks, planning to genetically modify the cats of earth and take over. Teaming up with UNIT, the Doctor and Craig defeat the aliens.
Episode 6: The Gunpowder Plot
With Craig joining the Doctor as new companion, the Doctor decides to show him some history by visiting the court of Queen Elizabeth I. However the TARDIS time co-ordinator malfunctions and they land a few years too late in 1605. They stumble on the gunpowder plotters , perfecting their scheme in the backroom of the Black Dog Tavern, and a scuffle follows. Craig escapes but the Doctor is captured and is taken to Robert Catesby who orders him to be kept in the cellar until after the explosion. Craig tries to get to the King to warn him and, hearing from a flower seller called 'Loose Nellie' that the King is in Greenwich Palace, makes his way there. Here he is assumed to be mad by the royal guards but King James witnesses the scene and takes a shine to Craig, inviting him to a private supper. Here Craig warns the King of the plot, however one of the servants is a spy, overhears and sends a message to the plotters. Guy Fawkes now decides to change plans and assassinate the King by gaining access to the palace using the Doctor's TARDIS. Fawkes forces the Doctor to land the TARDIS in Greenwich Palace by knifepoint, however the Doctor overpowers Fawkes in the corridor using Venusian akido.
Episode 7: The Planet of No Return
The Doctor and Craig arrive on the lush, green planet of Hantar VI sometime in the future. The Doctor is impressed by the range of flora and vegetation and the beauty of the scenery. He encounters a newly arrived expedition from a nearby earth colony who are looking to expand. Their commander, Captain Kerrigan, is a cultivated gentleman and he and the Doctor hit it off. However Craig is disconcerted by the sense that something is wrong on the planet. Exploring the area, one of Kerrigan's men breathes in some strange spores and starts to feel ill. As he collapses onto the floor, he starts to transform into a plant. Horrified, the others try to help him but he lashes out with branch like arms and kills another of the men. Craig notices that in the distance a group of deer-like animals are being eaten by a giant, mobile tree-like plant. The Doctor realises that on this planet the plants consume the animals and that the air is thick with spores that convert animals into plants.
....to be continued.
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Post by sparacus on Jul 20, 2014 10:15:29 GMT -5
OK here are the next episodes:
Episode 8: Town of the Damned
The residents of Witham in Essex wake up one morning to find that they can't hold or pick up any object, including food or cups. Their hands pass straight through them. Even water from the tap runs straight through their hands. The streets are full of terrified, screaming people. At UNIT HQ, the Doctor and Craig hear that the whole of Witham and the countryside around it has been cut off, surrounded by a strange forcefield. Even the TARDIS cannot penetrate it.
The Doctor teams up with feisty scientist Dr Abby Thomas to investigate and together they design a device with which to penetrate the forcefield. However the Doctor, Craig and Abby are shocked to see that the residents have all vanished. Yet the Doctor senses that things are not what they seem and he feels a strong, telepathic message coming into his mind. As the Doctor looks around puzzled, the residents of Witham are all around him, however he, Craig and Abby simply can't see or hear them. They are invisible. However a 12 year old boy, Simon, who has psychic powers has got through to the Doctor who concludes that the residents have been moved not to another dimension but another plane of existance.
Meanwhile in another part of town, the main banks the NATWEST and Barclays are being robbed by a team of criminals . The bank security and staff can see the criminals but their hands pass straight through them and they are powerless to stop the raids.
The Doctor and Abby discover that the events are the result of a London based criminal, Gerry Hanning, who has stolen technology from Torchwood which can make people shift planes. The Doctor and Abby use their combined scientific knowledge to design a neutralising device to counter Hanning and his gang.
Episode 9: The Ghost of the Woodstock Festival
Craig asks the Doctor to take him to the Woodstock Festival, 1969, as he'd always wondered what it would be like to have attended. With Abby now a permanent member of the TARDIS team, they set off, Craig strumming his guitar. However the TARDIS lands several miles away from the site near an old deserted mansion . Craig insists that they try and land on the campsite however the Doctor senses that something is wrong. Looking up at the house he is sure that he sees a skeleton looking out of the window, however it vanishes. He insists on investigating and Abby agrees, annoying Craig who calls her a philastine scientist with no imagination.
Entering the house, Abby can hear strange organ music that the Doctor and Craig can't. She wanders off through the cobwebbed corridors until she comes to a large room where a figure dressed in a monk's habit is playing the organ. She cannot resist the strange, mesmerising music. The figure stops and approaches her, saying that he is Tobias Willias, a classical musician whose works were scoffed at by the music critics so he shut himself away and used his talents to compose' The perfect score' a piece of music so powerful that it could bend the minds of people to his will. Now he would use it to make Abby stay with him forever as his lover. Coming to her senses, Abby tugs at the hood of his habit which pulled away reveals the head of a skeleton. She screams and the Doctor and Craig come running, however Willias runs to the organ and starts playing and the music makes the Doctor and Craig collapse on the floor in a dreamlike state. Abby cannot resist its strange allure and starts to drape herself around Willias, removing her clothes. However the Doctor uses his willpower to overcome the force and realises that it is the organ itself that is generating the power and keeping Willias alive and that it is alien in origin. He summons his strength and runs to the organ and grabs the faded brown book of music that Willias is playing. They all run out of the house and into the TARDIS.
Later, at Woodstock, the Doctor reveals that the organ and the music must have been left here by some mysterious alien travellers, since neither of earth origin. Intrigued, Craig turns around to pick up the book of music, however it has gone. They look around at the throngs of hippies and realise that any one of them could have stolen it.
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Post by sparacus on Jul 20, 2014 10:16:47 GMT -5
Here is the next part of the pitch:
Episode 10: The Long Sleep Part 1 of a 2 parter
A series of mysterious deaths have occured in rural Somerset and the Doctor, Abby and Craig are called in by UNIT to help investigate. The Doctor becomes alarmed at the secrecy surrounding the investigation and starts to believe that Kate Lethbridge-Stewart is holding back from fully briefing him. They argue and Kate lets slip that orders have come from the very top that the investigation will not be made public. Later, in Somerset, the Doctor learns that the deaths are all connected to a top secret experimental fracking site and that the victims are mainly migrant workers from Eastern Europe. The project is being kept secret from the locals for fear of opposition and a cover story put out about digging to lay new drainage pipes. The Doctor and Abby row with the project manager, Steve Leeson, about this and Leeson gets some hired heavies to threaten the Doctor with having his legs broken.
Meanwhile the deaths continue and spread to the local Somerset villagers. The victims are dying of a mysterious poison. There is a riot among the East European workers but when Leeson threatens to sack them all they give in, despite the Doctor trying to spur them on. Craig breaks into Leeson's office and finds some mysterious alien looking technology in the back room, however he is attacked by one of Leeson's men who punches him to the ground, however he manages to scramble away and run.
Mike Yates turns up with info for the Doctor however on the way to meet him his car is surrounded in a lonely lane by Silurians......
Episode 11 : Farmageddon Part 2 of a 2 parter
Groups of Silurians begin to appear all over the area, fighting with UNIT troops and East European vigilantes as the poisoning deaths become an epidemic. Leeson rouses the workers and locals with an aggressive speech in the local pub , the King's Head, suggesting that the Silurians are deliberately contaminating the food supply by releasing bacteria which infects crops and even packaged food. He claims that the Silurians have only released a small amount so far but plan to use their full arsenal to poison the whole of the UK food supply.
The Doctor is unconvinced and urges Kate Lethbridge Stewart to raid Leeson's office and act on Craig's evidence. Kate insists that the new Head of MI5, Sir Peter Banning, has been placed in personal charge of protecting Leeson's operations and that any action against Leeson would finish her career. The Doctor accuses her of being unworthy of her father's name and this brings her to her senses and she agrees to act. However as the Doctor and UNIT approach Leeson's HQ they are surrounded by armed thugs in balaclavas. Escorted to the office, they are introduced by Leeson to Sir Peter Banning, who is actually the Master. The Doctor and Kate are thrown into a holding cell, where they see Mike Yates, who has been beaten up. One of the thugs pistol whips the Doctor and another threatens to sexually assault Kate. Mike manages to tell the Doctor the truth; that the Master has used the subterfuge of a fracking operation to deliberately rouse a large Silurian sleeping chamber and plans to start a war betweeen the Silurians and humanity. It is the Master that has poisoned the workers and locals and he has convinced the Silurian leaders that UNIT is responsible in order to falsely blame the Silurians as an excuse for an attack on them.
Craig and Abby manage to break into the HQ, assisted by Stanislas, a migrant worker who has the keys. They rescue the workers and go to meet the Silurian leaders to warn them. Meanwhile Kate and a recovering Mike use UNIT troops to launch an assault on Leeson's HQ. The Master escapes in Leeson's car, pushing him out into the path of a lorry.
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Post by sparacus on Jul 27, 2014 14:27:19 GMT -5
OK people, here are the last but one episode outline of this series 8 pitch:
Episode 12: The Dreams of Icarus Part 1 of a two parter
The Doctor is about to take Abby and Craig on a trip to see the Golden Fountains of Heightus VIII when he gets a strange sensation in his head and collapses. The TARDIS warning bell starts to chime. As the Doctor comes round he warns that someone is interfering with the fabric of time itself , which he as a Time Lord had sensed. Attempting to find the source of this he is shocked to find that the TARDIS has become completely inoperative, save for the bell.
Shortly afterwards, he receives a visit from Kate Lethbridge-Stewart informing him of mysterious lights in the sky seen over the MOD base near Framling Wood in Norfolk. The Doctor agrees to investigate, sensing that there might be a connection. Driving to the base in Bessie, the Doctor, Abby and Craig are travelling down a country lane when a boy aged around 15 staggers out in front of the car and is hit, falling into a ditch. Abby and Craig jump out and tend to the youth, who is only grazed, and help him to his feet. The Doctor sternly rebukes him for running out in front of the car, however he does not reply, just makes grunting noises. The Doctor, still angry, tells Abby and Craig that the lad is obviously special needs and that they should find the nearest village, see is anyone knows him and dump him on them. Driving on they come to an entrance gateway with 'St Oderic's Monastery' on it. Driving through the grounds, they come to a neo-gothic monastery and are greeted by an elderly monk called Brother Joseph. He explains that the boy is called Icarus and is a permanent resident in the monastery private school, St Oderic School. The monk grins and explains that middle class parents who give their children, "daft names like Icarus", dump their special needs kids here and are willing to pay a sizable sum to do so and get rid of them. Abby is disgusted and accuses Brother Joseph of being prejudiced against those with learning difficulties however Brother Joseph, now joined by another monk, Brother Stigand, just laughs and tells her to take it up with the good Lord.
They are invited to join the monks for evening dinner. As they wait around for the monks to finish evening prayers, Craig sneaks off to explore. As he walks through the cloisters, he is pulled to one side by a monk who identifies himself as Brother Isaac. He explains that the monastery 'corrupted by darkness' and that evil forces are at work there. He reveals that Icarus has been having strange dreams and prophetic visions and that he may be a vehicle for messages from God. Although the boy is mute, he has been keeping a diary. Brother Isaac hands the book to Craig. Meanwhile the Doctor and Abby do some exploring of their own and are shocked to see that the monks have turned one of the outbuildings into a bar and see Brother Stigand knocking back a whiskey and canoodling with a woman. The Doctor suspects that the monastery is a front for some kind of financial racket involving the school.
In the refectory, they are joined by Craig who hands the Doctor Icarus's diary. The Doctor skims through the strange diagrams and rambling words and his face turns ashen. He abandons his meal and storms out, followed by a worried Abby and Craig. He explains that they must see Icarus immediately, that there is knowledge in that diary that only an elite group of the Time Lords should know. Striding through the monastery grounds towards the school, they are hit by a strange, nauseous sensation and strange, pulsating lights of various colours appear in the evening sky. They suddenly vanish and the Doctor staggers on to the school. They are met by Brother Joseph who explains that Icarus is being punished for absconding. Abby finds the boy locked in a cupboard and soaking wet with cold water. She hits Brother Joseph in anger and the monk shouts for assistance. Several armed security guards appear and Abby and the Doctor are beaten to the ground.
Craig escapes and runs through the grounds and over a fence and through several a field. He phones UNIT and Kate explains that they are nearby at the MOD base. Craig can see the base in the distance, several fields away, and decides to walk there. Arriving at the gate he explains that he works with the Doctor and is ushered in. Inside he is immediately arrested and taken to a cell block where he is roughed up and thrown into a cell. Upstairs, Kate Lethbridge Stewart is meeting with the General in charge of the base, who is actually Brother Stigand, out of his habit. Stigand grins and invites Kate to see the base's weaponry research facility. She is shocked to see that the facility is packed with strange technology at the heart of which is a primitive TARDIS. Stigand explains that he has stolen the design from diagrams constructed by the Third Doctor when trying to redesign the TARDIS which were kept in the UNIT archive. He plans to use the technology to bend time and create a loop so that he can be young again and re-live his life:
"I want a second chance. I wanted to be successful, to be a great entrepreneur at 25 but ended up a failure" he explains.
Back at the monastery, the Doctor reveals to Abby that if Icarus' diary is accurate then someone is planning to create a time loop, a secret known only to Time Lords. To do so would free them. Abby asks who them are. The Doctor explains that they are a race of creatures that make the Daleks and Cybermen look mild in comparison.
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Post by sparacus on Jul 28, 2014 14:01:40 GMT -5
OK people, here is the final part of this alternate series 8 pitch. Its the finale! ENJOY :
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Episode 13: 'Forward Unto Yesterday' Part 2 of a two parter
Kate Lethbridge Stewart manages to press the UNIT alarm text button on her phone before she is overpowered and thrown into the cell with Craig. As she is being led away, Stigand reveals himself to actually be Sir Adam Kane, a 60 something successful electronics entrepreneur. Together with a group of like-minded businessmen he had founded the school and monastery as a subterfuge to disguise the fact that they were secretly working on the time loop project:
"I wanted to be successful by 25 not in my sixties. I want to live my life again and do it better and younger, we all do". He shouts at her. Kate demands to know how he got hold of the third Doctor's designs and documents:
"Mind your own business love" he shouts back.
Meanwhile the Doctor has overpowered the guards in the school, using Venusian Akido, and he, Abby and Icarus escape, running through the grounds. Stopping by a spinney to get his breath, the Doctor explains to Abby the dark secret of the Kaddi Order:
"A very long time ago , not long after Rassilon's time, there was a peaceful Empire in the Haxon galaxy known as the Kaddi Order. It was founded on benevolent principles and mutual aid and co-operation. At its heart were the Kaddi themselves, an exceptional people who valued knowledge and harmony above war and conflict. However there came to power an Emperor called Hassan Ka whose intellectual curiosity led him to seek the knowledge of the Time Lords and the time vortex. He used the wealth of the Empire to use bribery to gain access to eye of harmony technology and tried to transport his planet, Kaddus, into the dark stream within the Vortex, just for a split second, to satisfy his intellectual curiosity. The power of the dark stream turned the Kaddi into the most violent, destructive force in the universe, devoid of all pity. They destroyed whole civilisations as they rampaged through the universe and nearly caused the first Time War. However my ancestors managed to imprison them forever in the outer walls of time itself. Were these walls to be looped, then the Kaddi could be released. Without the Time Lords, they would be unstoppable."
Back in the MOD centre, Sir Adam Kane/Brother Stigand has brought forward his plans. As the other monks arrive, he announces that he will be the first one to 'take the journey into yesterday'. He flicks a switch.
The Doctor shudders and falls to the ground as the fabric of time undulates for a moment around them. Lights appear in the sky and form into triangular space vessels which pulsate with an eerie pink glow. The ships shoot off at vast speed in the direction of London as the Doctor groans on the ground:
"... its happening.... can't stand the pressure.. Time Lords have a sensitivity to time distortions...dying.." he moans. Abby is concerned:
"Doctor.. please . How do we stop this?" She screams in tears. The Doctor points at Icarus:
"The boy...." he whispers before passing out. Abby turns to Icarus who is crying and tugging her arm.
"What is it Icarus? Show me?"
The mute lad leads her through the countryside towards the MOD building. Arriving he holds his head, going into a brief trance-like state before leading her round to a side entrance used by delivery people. She vaults over security fence, knocks out a guard and lets Icarus in the gate. Icarus leads her to the cell where Kate and Abby are and they rescue them.
Meanwhile in London, the alien ships have arrived overhead and armed Kaddi Order Warriors start beaming down. They are golden skinned humanoid aliens, resembling greek statues with white body suits, and they begin to massacre the populace. In Oxford Street they shoot lazer guns which wipe out hundreds of shoppers in each blast. One of the ships fires an energy bolt which reduces the whole of Canary Wharf to ash. The rout of London has begun *cue Jeff Wayne's 'War of the Worlds' music as the soundtrack here*.
Outside the MOD building, a battle has begun between UNIT troops, commanded by Mike Yates, and Kane's security guards. Abby and Craig burst into the central control room but are overpowered by the 'monks' one of whom pulls a knife on Abby and prepares to stab her. However Icarus, in the commotion, walks calmly to a control panel and flicks a group of switches. The fabric of time shudders and there is a ghastly scream of a man in agony. In London the Kaddi and their ships vanish as the time loop is straightened. A charred body, that of Kane, materialises in the room. Abby throws off her assailant and kicks him in the groin. Picking up a gun, she shoots into the control panel, causing it to explode. Outside UNIT wear down the security and fight their way into the building. The Doctor staggers into the room and grins.
Later, back at the school, the Doctor has assembled all of the children into the main hall for an address:
..... and so from now on this school will be owned and run by UNIT as a charity for the benefit of of you all and specialising in care for those with autism and special needs. You can stay here for free *mock frown* so long as you are all well behaved". The children cheer.
Later the Doctor, Abby and Craig set off for London in Bessie. They all say goodbye and thanks to Icarus and the Doctor hands him back his diary:
"You have a very special gift young man, and I may need your help again. Be good."
Icarus smiles and they all laugh.
THE END
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Post by sparacus on Jul 28, 2014 14:07:38 GMT -5
OK folks, here is a complete list of the episodes in Series 8 (the alternative):
Ep1: The Haxion Project
Ep2: The Long Goodbye,
Ep3: The Psychobombers (Part 1 of a 2 part story)
Ep4: New World Order (Part 2 of a 2 part story)
Ep5: The Year of the Cat
Ep6: The Gunpowder Plot
Ep7: The Planet of No Return
Ep8: Town of the Damned
Ep9: The Ghost of the Woodstock Festival
Ep10: The Long Sleep
Ep11: Farmageddon
Ep12: The Dreams of Icarus
Ep13: Forward Unto Yesterday
The pitch will now be refined and put to the BBC at some future date. Next up will be the Alternate 2014 Christmas Special!!!!!
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Post by sparacus on Jul 28, 2014 17:51:30 GMT -5
Here is a draft copy of my letter to the BBC which will accompany this pitch.
Dear Mr Moffat/Doctor Who Production Team,
I enclose with this letter a proposed outline for a future series of Doctor Who which I hope you can take some time out of your presumably busy schedule to peruse. The outline is constructed in the form of a pitch which I'm willing to collaborate on sometime in the near future. The plan I have in mind Steve, and I hope you don't mind me calling you Steve, is that we could meet up sometime soon in London for a drink and a chat about the pitch and some possible collaborative scenarios. How about we meet in the Fitzroy Tavern? Its popular with Whovians and we might run into Colin Baker. I'll buy the drinks and invite a couple of ladies along as an added incentive. Obviously I'm not expecting you to use all of the story ideas, however I'm willing to work with you on any you may wish to take up. There is an historical, 'The Gunpowder Plot' which has proved very popular as have my new companions Craig and Abby. I have already posted the proposals on the Gallifrey Base website, which I know you are aware of, and the stories have garnered positive interest.
Anyway Steve, I hope to meet with soon. Bring some flunkies along if you wish as we'll need people to farm the proposals out to for embellishment, no use having dogs and barking yourself. All the best and love Capaldi's costume.
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