Doctor Who (1963–1989): Season 15, Episode 9 - Image of the Fendahl: Part One - full transcript

Archeologists near a reputedly haunted woods use a time scanner to explore the history of a sinister 12 million year old skull, creating a hole in time that attracts the Doctor's attention.

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Oh, don't just sit there, Eustace,
say something.

Why don't you just publish
and get it over with?

Why should anyone believe it?
I found him and I don't.

Are you questioning
my technical competence?

Of course not.

The volcanic sediment
is 12 million years old.

I accept without reservation the results
of your excellent potassium-argon test.

Thank you.

What I don't accept is that Eustace here
got himself buried under a volcano

at least eight million years
before he could have possibly existed.

Colby, Dr Fendelman is waiting
for the corrected coordinates.



Here you go.

-Thank you.
-Oh, and, Maxi,

end the day with a smile.

Ah!

Yes.

Good. Good. Right.

Stael, we can begin.

Phase one power.

Phase one power.

Phase two power.

Phase two power.

Switching to main computer control.

Activate full power run-up sequence.

Activating full power run-up sequence.



Now.

I can't. I can't!

Full power.

Excellent, Stael.

We can begin the scan.

Commencing scan. Program one.

Professor Marius
would not be very pleased.

Nasty.

Very nasty.

-Will he be all right?
-Shh!

I don't know. "It" will be all right.

"It" just has a little corrosion
in "its" circuits.

I can call K9 "he" if I want to.
You call the Tardis "she".

-Never.
-You do. I've heard you.

You called it "she" just a moment ago.

And another thing,
it is quite clear to me

that you cannot control
this old machine either.

What did you say, Leela?

-Leela said...
-I heard what you said.

Then why ask?

Leela, I understand
the Tardis perfectly.

There's not one single part of her

that I haven't adjusted or repaired
at some time or another.

Don't cry about it.

Furthermore, I'm in complete
and constant control of her.

Complete and...

What is it? What's wrong?

Someone's using
the sonic... Sonic time scan.

Come on, old girl.
Don't let us down now. Come on.

What's happening?

We're been dragged towards a relative
continuum displacement zone.

A what?

A relative continuum displacement...
It's a hole in time.

-What will happen?
-I wish I knew.

Can we get free?

That depends on this misunderstood,
unmanageable old machine.

I meant no disrespect.

-She's turning.
-I could have been mistaken.

She's done it.
Well done, old girl. You're wonderful.

Wonderful. She's wonderful.
Isn't she wonderful?

Tardis wonderful!

You did not tell me.
Can she really understand what we say?

Yeah, well, she just generates
a low intensity telepathic field,

and obviously primitive thought patterns
like yours appeal to her.

-They do? Oh!
-Yes.

-Oh...
-That's odd.

-What, my thought patterns?
-What?

No, no, no.
I can't calculate the coordinates.

What are we going to do?

We just have to trace the scan
back to its source.

To destroy it?

We have to stop it being used,
certainly,

otherwise it will cause
a direct continuum,

implode and destroy the planet
it's operating from.

Well, do we know which one that is yet?

-It can't be. Oh, no.
-What? What is it?

-Not that one.
-What one?

-Not there.
-Not where?

-Earth.
-Earth?

Yes.

Your ancestors have a talent
for self-destruction

that borders on genius.

Listen, Doctor, I do not like the way
you keep talking about my ancestors.

I like your new dress.

-Thank you.
-It's a pleasure.

Ah, Thea.
You are feeling better this morning?

Yes, I'm fine, thanks, Dr Fendelman.

I still don't remember
what happened, though.

But I do remember it was your turn
to make breakfast this morning, Max.

Ah, yes, I'm afraid that was my fault.

We have been working all night,
haven't we, Max?

We have only just finished.

And the results...

I think the results
will amaze even Colby.

-Where is he by the way?
-He is out exercising Leaky.

Leaky?

Here, boy. Leaky, come on.

Leaky, now, what have you got there?

More bones, is it?
You old bone hunter, you...

But Colby's methodology
cannot be faulted.

The excavation of the skull
was brilliant.

The reconstruction was first-class work.

But he cannot accept
the evolutionary implications.

And you, Thea. Can you accept them?

Chronology is my field, Dr Fendelman.

I'm a technician,
not a human palaeontologist.

-There's a corpse by the wood.
-What sort of corpse?

A dead one. What other sort is there?

-Male or female?
-Male.

-Do we know him?
-I never saw him before.

How did he die?
Are there signs of violence?

Well, not exactly.

By the look of him,
he didn't die easily.

It is never easy to die.

Well, thank you, Max.
I'm going to call the police.

No, no. A moment,
a moment. No, we must consider.

What's to consider?
There's a body out there.

We can't just leave it.

Or are you breeding vultures
in that secret lab of yours, hmm?

This is no time for discourtesy, Adam.

I'm sorry. It was a shock.

He looks terrible.

He must have been terrified
when he died.

Adam, just think for a moment.

These woods,
they are supposed to be haunted.

Now, can you imagine what would happen

if there were news
of a mysterious death in them?

Well, there'd be a certain
amount of publicity.

Publicity? It would be a circus.

They attract enough lunatics already
without advertising for them.

Well, I don't see
we have much alternative.

Adam, Adam.

Our work is at a critical stage.

Your discovery could be one of

the most important milestones
in human development.

Your work will fundamentally affect
how man views himself.

We cannot be interrupted
at this moment of destiny.

-Yes, but...
-And besides,

we wouldn't want your Nobel Prize
to be jeopardised

by an unfortunate coincidence,
now, would we?

What are you suggesting?

I'm not suggesting anything.

Adam will recover
and then he can show us the body.

Then we will decide, eh?

We could arrange for it
to be found somewhere else.

But that's illegal.

A small deception only.

-Adam, you can't possibly...
-It wouldn't make much difference.

There, you see?
We work something out, eh?

Stael.

Get on to London.

Tell Hartman I want a security team
here within two hours.

Tell him I want the best men
we have and I want them armed.

Then I shall want you to do
a post-mortem on that body.

-Earth?
-Earth.

Is this the place
of the sonic time scan?

Oh, yes. Oh, well, more or less.

I haven't pinpointed it definitely.

But it's certain
to be around here somewhere.

Come on, then.

No, no, no.
The one who leads says "Come on".

Come on.

Good morning, ladies.

Now, which one of you
has the time scanner, hmm?

This doesn't look
like the place, Doctor.

I did say more or less.

Now, this does look
rather less than more.

You know, I don't think these cows
know anything about the time scanner.

Never mind. It's a beautiful day.

The exercise will do us good. Come on.

Ah.

Look, it's there, Stael.

If we can get a visual representation
of this area here,

then we shall see
the living owner of that skull.

I have completed the post-mortem.

And?

I cannot find the exact cause of death.

There is a small blister
at the base of his skull,

but that can't have killed him.

Natural causes, then.

There is something strange.

Oh, what's that?

The outward signs are that
the man died quite recently.

His watch is still working.

He has a Thermos of tea in his pocket
which is still hot,

yesterday's newspaper.

-The mud on his boots is still...
-Yes, yes, yes, Stael, get on with it.

The body is decomposing.

Already?

It's falling apart as you watch.

-The cause?
-I don't know.

But it's as though all the energy
has been removed.

All the binding forces gone
and all that remains is a husk.

-Are the security team in place?
-Yes.

Good.

You will dispose of the body, Stael.

And nobody must know of this.

Nobody at all.

Doctor.

Doctor!

Hmm?

He came armed and silent.

You must have been sent by Providence.

No, I was sent by the Council
to cut the verges.

Your Council should choose
its warriors more carefully.

A child of the Sevateem
could have taken you.

Escaped from somewhere, hasn't she?

If you're her doctor, you shouldn't
let her wander around loose.

She could do someone a damage.

He was not hunting us?

No.

Would you like a Jelly Baby?

You both escaped from somewhere,
haven't you?

Frequently.

What's the nearest village?

Fetchborough,
about a mile down that way.

Fetchborough.

-Tell me about the ghosts.
-Don't know what you mean.

Ain't nothing like that round here.

-He is lying.
-The strangers, then?

What, Fendelman and that lot
up at the Priory?

Yes. Fendelman. Tell me about him.

Well, he's foreign, isn't he?
Calls himself a scientist.

They do say he's one
of the richest men in the world.

You wouldn't think so to look at him.
Scruffy devil.

They say he made his money
out of electronics.

But that don't seem likely
'cause he ain't Japanese.

-Japanese?
-No.

His people dig up bodies.

They do?

-Splendid.
-Grave robbers.

Or archaeologists.

-Where is this Priory?
-Yon side of the village.

And it's haunted of course?

Oh, aye. But it's the wood
more than the...

Shh! Don't you worry. What's your name?

-Ted Moss.
-Ted Moss? Hmm.

Don't you worry, Mr Moss.
We won't tell a soul. Living or dead.

Come on, Leela.

Just relax and stay there.
We'll get it sorted out.

Don't you tell me what to do
in me own kitchen.

This isn't your kitchen, Grandma.

I'm ain't your grandma.
Don't ye "Grandma" me.

Hey, what's going on here? Who are you?

This fellow's trying to stop me
coming in the house.

My name is Mitchell.
I'm the security team leader.

And no one is allowed
in or out without clearance.

This loony old trout
seems to think she's an exception.

-Loony old trout?
-Oh, gently, Mrs T, gently.

Remember your varicose veins.

I've had it with you, now,
you old stoat.

Any more trouble and I'll have you
outside and set the dog on you.

-Hey, now, just a minute.
-You can't talk to her like that.

Oh, don't mind him, my lovelies.

Sooner or later he'll be sorry.

Later or sooner, he'll regret.

Well, I'll be going now, Professor.

You can tell Dr Fendelman
I'll come back when the others is gone.

I don't hold with the likes of thee.

There isn't a dog born
that as attack me, boy.

They got more sense than most people.

-Now I can see why they burnt witches.
-Cheaper than oil.

I don't know who you are, friend,
but I hope you can cook.

I told you who I am.

You meant all that stuff
about restrictions?

Of course.

You said no one could come in or out
without authorisation?

-No.
-Does that apply to us?

Yes, Miss Ransome.

Oh, that's ridiculous.

Authorisation from whom?

I think you better have a word
with Dr Fendelman.

Stay here, Thea. I'll go.

Dr Fendelman!

What on earth is he playing at?

You are impressed?

I don't know.

I always say if you've seen
one jukebox, you've seen them all.

This is archaeology?

Oh.

This is the ultimate archaeology, Adam.

It was data from here which led me
to the excavation sites in Kenya.

And when we had excavated the skull
and assembled it and Thea had dated it,

then the real work
of this machine could begin.

And that is?

About 10 years ago

when I was working on
a missile guidance system,

I noticed a sort of vibration.

A sort of sonic shadow.

What is it?

There's a guard.

-I shall kill him.
-No.

-Why not?
-You'll upset the dog.

Listen, Leela,
you simply must stop attacking people.

-Why?
-Because you'll get us into trouble.

Do not worry, Doctor,
I shall protect you.

What? You'll protect me?

Come on, we'll circle around the back.
Come on.

Crazy as a bed bug.

He actually believes
that he can see into the past

with that electronic fruit machine
he's got down there.

Did he demonstrate it for you?

Did he demonstrate it?
Of course he didn't demonstrate it.

How could he?

I mean, the whole thing
is a load of old rubbish.

He thinks because he can pervert
the laws of the land,

he can do the same
for the laws of physics.

Well, it's a bit late
to be self-righteous

about perverting
the laws of the land, isn't it?

What?

Yes. Yes, I suppose it is.

Did he...

Did he give any reason
for not demonstrating it?

Apparently it only works after dark.

Hmm.

-Minimising solar disruption, perhaps.
-What?

Well, Fendelman's no fool
when it comes to electronics.

He was one of the authentic geniuses
in the field

until he developed this interest
in the origins of man.

You mean until he flipped his lid?

Oh, come on.
We'll go and get the supper.

The house must be that way.
Now, come on.

All right, now, whatever you do,
stay close to me, understand?

Leela!

Leela!

She's done it again.