Scene 68: Doctor Who FanScript Extract

So, I was sorting out all my stuff on my computer today, trying to get enough space to render this footage I needed when I came across an old script of mine I never thought I'd see again - Swarm Science, a Doctor Who script I actually tried to send to the BBC! 

It's not that great - re-reading the beginning I'd probably get the action going much quicker now if I rewrote this  -  but I actually did a lot of research on the 1920's for this script, and spent quite a bit of time on it, so despite it not going anywhere I guess it was good practise for future scripts. 

Anyway, I thought I'd share some on the blog since I've been so  busy and uninspired to write, which has meant I haven't written a proper post or review in ages. I hope this bridges the gap and makes up for it a bit - and its a bit of fun for all the Doctor Who fans out there!

EXT. CITY STREET: DAY 

March 1925 - a busy high street.

A fashionably dressed girl on a bicycle LOUISE ’LULU’ HEATLEY (26), in a cloche brakes in front of a cafe.

She locks up the bicycle and goes inside. 

CUT TO:

INT. CAFE, UPSTAIRS DINING-ROOM: DAY

Lulu dodges round the tables and the waitresses to a table by the window where EDITH MARSH (25) is lounging, as she fiddles with a cigarette case whilst talking idly to DENIS BARNES (27), who is picking a slice of lemon out his gin and tonic.

LULU 
Am I late?

EDITH 
No, no, you’re on time actually. I ordered a pot of tea for us to share.

LULU 
Oh, merci. 

Lulu pulls up a seat, putting down a bag and a green hardback volume of Vasari’s Lives. She pushes a pair of round glasses up her nose, and begins to pour herself a cup of tea.

LULU
Do we know when the train goes?

DENIS
Four.

LULU
Good. I’ll have time to fetch my luggage from home. I’ve been really looking forward to seeing you two, and going on this sojourn to London.

EDITH
Me too, dear. Wait til I show you

my rooms, I’ve had them decorated. And we must go and see that

new play, the Vortex.

DENIS
And that new dance club. But let’s eat first, shall we? 

Denis picks up a menu.

LULU
Yes, I’m as hungry as a wolf.

CUT TO:

EXT. FACTORY YARD: DAY

An abandoned factory yard, walled in, with a rusty gate hanging loose.

A couple of workmen are walking beside the wall. MAURICE SIMMONS, 42, with a slight limp, pushing a bike, and BILL WALKER, 25, with a burn mark on his face.

They pause by the gates and look up at the factory. A cloud of black is rising from one of the old chimneys.

BILL
Hey, there’s smoke rising from over there. Has that factory re-opened?

MAURICE
Don’t think so. (beat) It’s probably just a load of homeless people in there.

The smoke tails off.

MAURICE CONT’D 
Come on, we need to get a move on. We can cut through here.

BILL
Isn’t it shorter through town?

MAURICE
Nah, trust me. I used to work  round here before they started making tanks. 

Maurice opens the gates and they walk through. 

CUT TO:

INT. CAFE, UPSTAIRS DINING ROOM: DAY

The table is covered in the remnants of luncheon.

EDITH
What now? We still have a couple of hours.

DENIS
There’s the pictures I suppose. I mean, there’s not much else down here to do, is there? It’s all rather industrial and rural...

EDITH
Good idea. What’s showing?

DENIS 
I don’t know.

LULU
Take a look in the paper, theyalways have cinema listings.

DENIS
I never buy local papers.

EDITH
Ask to borrow someone’s then.

Lulu frowns. They look about the cafe. There are well-dressed ladies drinking delicately. A young couple smoking and flirting near the staircase. A pair of imposing looking older men are talking gruffly

about business.

And...sat alone at the table is a MAN in eccentric attire with his feet up on a chair, fiddling with what looks like a manual egg whisk.

His table is a jumble of stuff - a book in a foreign language, cups, plates with half eaten toast and scones, pots of jam, a pot of tea, a newspaper and several bits of wire.

LULU
Voila. Go on Denis.

DENIS(pulls face) 
Ask him?

LULU
Why not?

EDITH
Look at his table. He looks a bit odd.

DENIS
He is odd. I saw him stirring butter into his tea just before you arrived.

LULU
So?

DENIS
So I’m not talking to him.

LULU
Fine. I’ll go.

She gets up and walks over, faltering by the table for a moment.

LULU(shyly) 
Excuse me? 

The man doesn’t look up.

DOCTOR
Black coffee with two sugars and a slice of lime, and are you sure you don’t have any...

The man looks up.

DOCTOR
Oh, (big smile) g’day.

LULU
Good afternoon. Sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if I might borrow your newspaper? I want to check the listings for the movies.

DOCTOR
Ah, good old silent movies.

He pulls the paper out from under a pile of plates, and hands it to her.

DOCTOR
Who’s your favourite? Buster Keaton, Lilian Gish, Charlie Chaplin...

LULU
Max Linder. I used to watch his movies when I was a child in Paris.

DOCTOR
Really? You don’t sound Parisian?

LULU
Oh, don’t be put off by my accent. I was born there, but my father was English, and we moved here when I was young...

Note: Original characters copyright KCS, Doctor Who belongs to the BBC.

Scene 31: Five Fictional Women Scientists from TV

Yesterday was Ada Lovelace Day, is an annual event to raise awareness of women in the sciences. This includes engineers, technologists, scientists and mathematicians. 

To celebrate I have done a short list of some fictional female scientists from TV, that have hopefully been an inspiration to girls and guys who've watched the shows.

The list is in no particular order, and covers a range of genres, though generally I have ended up picking characters I am familiar with and that are in science fiction. I have also decided to stick to characters where it has been made clear that they are scientists or have degrees within the shows - for example, I have not included T'Pol from Enterprise even though she was the Science Officer, as it is unclear which science she works in.  

I have also included links other articles on the web, mostly Wiki entries, about the listed characters professions, and the different sciences. 

1] Colonel Sam Carter - Stargate series

Sam Carter was a theoretical astrophysicist, pilot and engineer, and one of the most intelligent female characters across the whole Stargate series. She was part of the original team along with Dr Jackson, Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c. 

2]  Dr Liz Shaw - Doctor Who

Liz Shaw was a scientist from Cambridge University who was recruited by UNIT. An expert on meteorites  with degrees in medicine and physics, she assisted the Third Doctor whilst he was at UNIT until she resigned to continue her own research. 

3] Abby Sciuto - NCIS

Abby is a Forensic Specialist working at NCIS. A kind, cheerful Goth, she is an expert in DNA analysis, ballistics and digital forensics.

4] Zoe Heriot - Doctor Who

Zoe was a scientist on board Space Station W3 when she met the Second Doctor. She is an astrophysicist, and a first class astrometricist with a degree in pure mathematics and a photographic memory. 

5] Dr Amy Farrah Fowler - The Big Bang Theory

Amy is a neuroscientist, who does research into addiction. She was introduced to show as a dating website match found by Raj and Leonard for Sheldon, who she is very similar too. The actress who plays her, Mayim Bialik, actually has a real Ph.D in neuroscience.


For more inspiration check out this video of some young female scientists and engineers showing off their projects in America.