Doctor Who (2005) Transcripts

ROSE
Bye!

JACKIE
See you later!

[Jackie sips her tea and picks up the phone. Rose runs down the stairs of the block of flats where she lives. Next, we are shown a typical busy London scene. Rose jumps off a bus. She is next shown working in Henricks. Presumably in her lunch hour, Rose and Mickey sit next to a fountain, having a laugh, eating, teasing each other and kissing. They get up to leave]

ROSE
Bye!

[She is shown back in Henricks]

LOUD SPEAKER
This is a customer announcement; the store will be closing in five minutes. Thank you.

[Rose is about to leave when the security guard at the door hands her a package]

SECURITY GUARD
Oi!

[Rose takes the package looking non- too- happy and enters a lift. When the lift pings, she alights in the basement]

ROSE
Wilson?

[She goes further down the corridor]

ROSE
Wilson, I've got the lottery money. Wilson?

[She knocks on a door that says 'HP Wilson CEO']

ROSE
You there? Look, I can't hang about 'cause they're closing the shop. Wilson! 

[to herself] 

ROSE
Uhh, come on!

[There is a sudden sound further along the corridor. Rose immediately snaps her head in the direction it has come from]

ROSE
Hello? Hello, Wilson, it's Rose. Hello? Wil- Wilson?

[She stops outside a fire door for a moment, and then opens it, and find herself in a room that looks as though it is used for storing shop dummies. She turns the light on and walks further into the room]

ROSE
Wilson? Wilson?

[She tries another door at the side. The fire door through which she entered closes abruptly. Shocked, she runs back and shakes the handles, but they will not open. There is small sound from behind her]

ROSE
Is that someone mucking about?

[She goes back into the room]

ROSE
Who is it?

[Behind her, a dummy slowly turns it's head of its own accord. Rose turns around just in time to see it step out of its alcove and towards her. She backs away slowly]

ROSE
Heh... you got me, very funny.

[The dummy says nothing and does not stop advancing. Two more join it]

ROSE
Right, I've got the joke! Who's idea was this? Was it Derek's?

[The dummies still advance - another comes from behind]

ROSE
Derek, is this you?

[All of the dummies are now alive. Rose backs up away and trips over a box. She quickly pulls herself up again and backs against a wall. The dummy lifts its arm to strike her. Rose screws her face up ready for the blow, when a hand grabs hers. Rose opens her eyes and snaps her head to look at the owner of the hand]

DOCTOR
Run.

[They run, just in time, through a fire exit. The dummies are in pursuit. The Doctor leads her into a lift. The doors close on one of the dummy's arms. The Doctor pulls it off and the doors close]

ROSE
You pulled his arm off!

DOCTOR
Yep!

[He tosses it to her]

DOCTOR
Plastic.

ROSE
Very clever, nice trick! Who were they then, students? Is this a student thing or what?

DOCTOR
Why would they be students?

ROSE
I don't know...

DOCTOR
Well, you said it!

ROSE
'Cause... to get that many people dressed up and being silly... they gotta be students.

[The Doctor grins]

DOCTOR
That makes sense! Well done.

ROSE
Thanks.

DOCTOR
They're not students.

ROSE
Whoever they are, when Wilson finds them, he's gonna call the police.

DOCTOR
Who's Wilson?

ROSE
Chief electrician.

DOCTOR
Wilson's dead.

[He steps out of the lift. Rose follows him]

ROSE
That's just not funny, that's sick!

DOCTOR
Hold on!

[He pushes her to the side slightly]

DOCTOR
Mind your eyes.

[He disables the lift with his sonic screwdriver]

ROSE
I've had enough of this now!

[He walks off]

ROSE
Who are you, then? Who's that lot down there? I said, who are they?

DOCTOR
They're made of plastic. Living plastic creatures. They're being controlled by a relay device in the roof. Which would be a great big problem if I didn't have this.

[He holds out some sort of electronic device]

DOCTOR
So!

[He opens the fire exit for Rose]

DOCTOR
I'm going to go up there and blow them up, and I might well die in the process. But don't worry about me, no. Go home, go on! Go and have your lovely beans on toast.

[Rose goes through the door]

DOCTOR
Don't tell anyone about this, because if you do, you'll get them killed.

[He shuts the door. Rose turns away looking slightly bemused. It opens again]

DOCTOR
I'm the Doctor, by the way, what's your name?

ROSE
Rose.

DOCTOR
Nice to meet you, Rose. Run for your life.

[He shuts the door again. Rose runs. Outside, nobody knows what is going on. Rose is distracted and nearly gets herself run over by a taxi]

TAXI DRIVER
Watch it!

[Rose proceeds to get as far away from the building as possible and looks back just in time to see the top floor blow up. She runs home - past a police box]

***

[At home, the News 24 is on the television]

REPORTER
The whole of Central London has been closed off as police investigate the fire. Earlier reports in the...

[The dummy's arm is lying on a chair. Jackie walks in holding a phone to her ear]

JACKIE
I know, it's on the telly! It's everywhere! She's lucky to be alive!

[Jackie hands Rose, who is sitting in front of the TV, a mug]

JACKIE
Honestly, it's aged her. Skin like an old bible. Walking in now you'd think I was her daughter! Oh and here's himself...

[Mickey appears in the doorway]

MICKEY [to Rose]
I've been phoning your mobile, you could've been dead! It's on the news and everything! I can't believe that your shop went up!

[He hugs her]

ROSE
I'm alright, honestly, I'm fine! Don't make a fuss.

MICKEY
Well, what happened?

ROSE
I don't know!

MICKEY
What was it though, what caused it?

ROSE
I wasn't in the shop, I was outside, I didn't see anything...

[Jackie walks in]

JACKIE
It's Debbie on the other end, she knows a man from the Mirror - five hundred quid for an interview!

ROSE
Oh that's brilliant! Give it here!

[She takes the phone and hangs it up]

JACKIE
Well, you've gotta find some way of making money. Your jobs kaput and I'm not bailing you out.

[The phone rings again and Jackie picks it up]

JACKIE
Beth! She's alive!

[She makes her way out of the room again]

JACKIE
I tell ya, sue for compensation! She was within seconds of death...

MICKEY
What're you drinking? Tea?? No no no, that's no good, that's no good. You're in shock, you need something stronger.

ROSE
Why?

MICKEY
You deserve a proper drink, you and me, we're going down the pub, my treat. How about it?

ROSE [smiling]
Is there a match on?

MICKEY
I'm just thinking about you, babe!

ROSE
There's a match on, ain't there.

MICKEY
Well, that's not the point. We could catch the last five minutes.

ROSE
Go on then. I'm fine, really. Go. Get rid of that...

[She gestures to the dummy's arm. Mickey points to his lips. Rose gives him a kiss. He pushes her back onto the chair and they laugh. He gets up to go and Rose puts a leg out to trip him up. Mickey picks up the arm and waves with it]

MICKEY
Buh Bye!

ROSE
Bye!

[Mickey pretends to strangle himself with the arm and leaves. Rose shakes her head fondly and turns her attention back to the news]

REPORTER
... fire then spread throughout the store... there is very little chance of saving the infrastructure...

***

[Outside, Mickey tosses the arm into a bin as he walks past it. The camera zooms into the darkness of the bin and out onto the red 7:30 on Rose's alarm clock]

***

[Rose whacks it to stop it beeping and sits up]

JACKIE [in background]
There's no point in getting up, sweetheart. You've got no job to go to.

[Rose flops back on her pillow]

***

[Later, when she is having breakfast, her mother is talking to her again]

JACKIE
There's Finches... you could try them. They've always got jobs.

ROSE
Oh, great. The butchers.

JACKIE
Well it might do you good! That shop was giving you airs and graces. And I'm not joking about getting compensation - you've had genuine shock and trauma! Arianna got two thousand quid off the council just because the old man behind the desk said she looked Greek! I know she is Greek, but that's not the point - it's a valid claim.

[Rose hears a rattling and gets up]

ROSE
Mum, you're such a liar, I told you to nail that cat flap down. We're going to get strays!

JACKIE
I did it weeks back!

ROSE
No, you thought about it!

[Rose discovers that the screws have fallen out onto the floor. The cat flap moves violently. Rose leaps backwards, then comes back again and pokes the cat flap open gingerly. The Doctor's face is right outside it. Rose gasps and opens the door]

DOCTOR
What're you doing here?

ROSE
I live here.

DOCTOR
Well, what do you do that for?

ROSE
Because I do! And I'm only at home because someone blew up my job.

[The Doctor gets out his sonic screwdriver]

DOCTOR
Must've got the wrong signal. You're not plastic, are you?

[He knocks Rose's forehead]

DOCTOR
No, bonehead. Bye, then!

[He makes to go, but Rose pulls him back inside]

ROSE
You, inside. Right now.

[She shuts the door]

JACKIE
Who is it?

[Rose pokes her head into Jackie's bedroom]

ROSE
It's about last night, he's part of the inquiry. Give us 10 minutes.

JACKIE
She deserves compensation.

DOCTOR
Huh, we're talking millions.

[The Doctor leans against the doorframe, waiting for Rose to come back. Jackie looks at him for a moment and stands up, flirtatiously]

JACKIE
I'm in my dressing gown.

DOCTOR
Yes, you are.

JACKIE
There's a strange man in my bedroom.

DOCTOR
Yes, there is.

JACKIE
Well, anything could happen.

DOCTOR
No.

[The Doctor walks off. Jackie pulls a face at his back. Rose is in the sitting room]

ROSE
Don't mind the mess. Do you want a coffee?

DOCTOR
Might as well, thanks! Just milk.

[Rose goes into the kitchen and starts making coffee. The Doctor stays in the sitting room]

ROSE
We should go to the police. Seriously. Both of us.

[The Doctor picks up a gossip magazine]

DOCTOR
That won't last, he's gay and she's an alien.

ROSE
I'm not blaming you, even if it was just some sort of joke that went wrong.

[The Doctor picks up a book and flicks through it]

DOCTOR
Sad ending.

ROSE
They said on the news they'd found a body.

[The Doctor picks up an envelope and reads it]

DOCTOR
Rose Tyler.

[He looks at his reflection in the mirror]

DOCTOR
Ahh, could've been worse!

[He prods his ears]

DOCTOR
Look at me ears.

ROSE
All the same, he was nice. Nice bloke.

[The Doctor shuffles a pack of cards]

DOCTOR
Luck be a lady!

ROSE
Well anyway if we are going to go to the police, I want to know what I'm saying.

[The Doctor shuffles them again and manages to make them all go flying]

ROSE
I want you to explain everything.

DOCTOR [referring to the cards]
Maybe not.

[He hears a scuffling noise]

DOCTOR
What's that then? You got a cat?

ROSE
No...

[The Doctor leans behind the sofa and the dummy's arm leaps out and grabs him by the neck]

ROSE
We did have, but there's these strays, they come in off the estate...

[Behind her, the Doctor is being strangled viciously by the hand while he tries vainly to fight it off. She comes in with the coffee but does not seem to quite register that the Doctor is being harassed by a rubber hand]

ROSE
I told Mickey to chuck that out...

[She puts the coffee down on the table]

ROSE
Honestly, give a man a plastic hand... anyway, I don't even know your name, Doctor... what was it?

[The Doctor throws the hand off and it flies across the room attaching itself to Rose's face. She screams and the Doctor leaps up and tries to pull it off. Jackie is drying her hair, completely oblivious in the other room. The Doctor and Rose crash onto the coffee table, breaking it, and roll onto the floor. The Doctor pushes her back onto the sofa and gets out his sonic screwdriver, disabling the hand]

DOCTOR
It's alright, I've stopped it. There you go, you see?

[He tosses it to her]

DOCTOR
Harmless.

ROSE
Do you think?

[She whacks him on the arm with it]

DOCTOR
Ow!

***

[They are next shown running down the stairs of the block of flats]

ROSE
Hold on a minute, you can't just go swanning off.

DOCTOR
Yes I can. Here I am, this is me, swanning off. See ya!

ROSE
That arm was moving, it tried to kill me!

DOCTOR
Ten out of ten for observation.

ROSE
You can't just walk away, that's not fair! You've got to tell me what's going on.

DOCTOR
No I don't.

[They exit the flats]

ROSE
Alright then. I'll go to the police. I'll tell everyone. You said, if I did that, I'd get people killed. So, your choice. Tell me, or I'll start talking.

DOCTOR
Is that supposed to sound tough?

ROSE
Sort of.

DOCTOR
Doesn't work.

ROSE
Who are you?

DOCTOR
I told you! The Doctor.

ROSE
Yeah. But Doctor what?

DOCTOR
Just the Doctor.

ROSE
The Doctor.

DOCTOR
Hello!

ROSE
Is that supposed to sound impressive?

DOCTOR
Sort of.

ROSE
Come on. You can tell me. I've seen enough. Are you the police?

DOCTOR
No. I was just passing through. I'm a long way from home.

ROSE
But what have I done wrong? How comes those plastic things keep coming after me?

DOCTOR
Oh! Suddenly the entire world revolves around you! You were just an accident, you got in the way, that's all.

ROSE
It tried to kill me!

DOCTOR
It was after me, not you! Last night, in the shop, I was there, you blundered it. Almost ruined the whole thing. This morning, I was tracking it down, it was tracking me down... the only reason it fixed on you is that you met me.

ROSE
So, what you're saying is, the entire world revolves around you.

DOCTOR
Sort of, yeah.

ROSE
You're full of it!

DOCTOR
Sort of, yeah.

ROSE
But, all this plastic stuff - who else knows about it?

DOCTOR
No one.

ROSE
What, you're on your own?

DOCTOR
Well, who else is there? I mean, you lot, all you do is eat chips, go to bed, and watch telly! When all the time, underneath you, there's a war going on!

[Rose grabs the arm back]

ROSE
Okay, start from the beginning. If you're gonna go with this living plastic, and I don't even believe that, but if we do... how did you kill it?

DOCTOR
The thing controlling it projects life into the arm. I cut off the signal, dead.

ROSE
So that's radio control?

DOCTOR
Thought control.

[Silence]

DOCTOR
Are you alright?

ROSE
Yeah. So, who's controlling it then?

DOCTOR
Long story.

ROSE
But what's it all for? I mean, shop window dummies... what's that about? Is someone trying to take over Britain's shops?

[They laugh]

DOCTOR
No.

ROSE
I know.

DOCTOR
It's not a price war.

[They laugh again. The Doctor's voice suddenly becomes serious]

DOCTOR
They want to overthrow the human race and destroy you. Do you believe me?

ROSE
No.

DOCTOR
But you're still listening.

[She stops. The Doctor walks on]

ROSE
Really though, Doctor. Tell me - who are you?

DOCTOR
Do you know like we were saying? About the Earth revolving?

[He walks back to her]

DOCTOR
It's like when you were a kid. The first time they tell you the world's turning and you just can't quite believe it because everything looks like it's standing still. I can feel it.

[He takes her hand]

DOCTOR
The turn of the Earth. The ground beneath our feet is spinning at a thousand miles an hour, and the entire planet is hurtling around the sun at sixty-seven thousand miles an hour. And I can feel it. We're falling through space, you and me. Clinging to the skin of this tiny little world, and if we let go...

[He lets go of her hand]

DOCTOR
That's who I am. Now, forget me, Rose Tyler.

[He takes the arm from her and waves it in front of her face]

DOCTOR
Go home.

[He walks away. Rose watches his retreating back and then starts to walk herself. The Doctor steps into a police box. Rose hears the sound of the TARDIS departing. She runs back as fast as she can. The police box is gone. She shields her eyes from the sun, looks around her, then walks away again]

***

[Rose enters Mickey's flat]

MICKEY
Yahey, there's my woman!

[He slaps her bum]

MICKEY
Kit off!

ROSE
Shut up.

[He gives her a kiss]

ROSE
Mwah!

MICKEY
Coffee?

ROSE
Yeah, only if you wash the mug. And I don't mean rinse, I mean wash. Can I use your computer?

MICKEY
Yeah. Any excuse to get in the bedroom.

[Mickey goes into the kitchen. Rose closes the door of his bedroom behind her]

MICKEY
Don't read my emails!

[Rose turns on the computer and types "Doctor" into a search engine. No relevant results are found. She types in "Doctor Living Plastic". Still nothing. She types "Doctor Blue Box". The first result reads "Doctor Who - do you know this man? Contact Clive here..." She clicks on it and a webpage with a blurry photograph of the Doctor and the words "Have you seen this man? Contact Clive" are presented to her. She clicks "Contact Clive."]

***

[Mickey is driving Rose to Clive's house]

ROSE
You're not coming in! He's safe, he's got a wife and kids.

MICKEY
Yeah but who told you that? He did. That's exactly what an Internet lunatic murderer would say.

[Rose gets out of the car anyway, grinning. Mickey doesn't look too happy, and gives a man putting out his rubbish the evils. Rose knocks on the door of a house and it is answered by a boy of about 11]

ROSE
Uh, hello, I've come to see Clive? We've been emailing.

BOY
Dad! It's one of your nutters!

[Clive appears]

CLIVE
Sorry. Hello. You must be Rose. I'm Clive. Obviously!

ROSE
I better tell you now - my boyfriend's waiting in the car, just in case you're going to kill me!

[They laugh]

CLIVE
No, good point. No murders.

[He waves to Mickey who nods, still distrustful]

CAROLINE
Who is it?

CLIVE
Oh it's something to do with the Doctor! She's been reading the website. Please come through, I'm in the shed.

[Clive's wife, Caroline, comes down the stairs carrying a washing basket]

CAROLINE
She? She read a website about the Doctor? She's a she?

[She smiles ironically and shuts the door. Mickey looks suspicious]

***

[Clive is showing Rose around the shed]

CLIVE
A lot of this stuff's quite sensitive, I couldn't just send it to you. People might intercept it, if you know what I mean. If you dig deep enough - keep a lively mind - this Doctor keeps cropping up all over the place. Political diaries, conspirousy theories. Even ghost stories. No first name, no last name. Just 'The Doctor'. Always The Doctor. And the title seems to have been passed down from father to son, it appears to be an inheritance. That's your Doctor there, isn't it?

[He points to a photo of the Doctor on a computer screen behind them]

ROSE
Yeah.

CLIVE
I tracked it down to the Washington public archive last year. The online photo's enhanced, but if we look at the original...

[He shows Rose some photographs of the Doctor standing in a crowd at the time and place of the assassination of JFK]

CLIVE
November the 22nd, 1963. The assassination of President Kennedy.

ROSE
Must be his father...

CLIVE
Going further back... April 1912.

[He brings over a photo album]

CLIVE
This is a photo of the Daniels family, Southampton. And friend.

[He points to the Doctor, standing with them]

CLIVE
This was taken the day before they were due to sail off for the New World. On the Titanic. And for some unknown reason, they cancelled the trip and survived. And...

[He produces a sketch]

CLIVE
1883. Another Doctor. And look - the same lineage. He's identical. This one washed up on the coast of Sumatra on the very day Krakatoa exploded. The Doctor is a legend woven throughout history. When disaster comes, he's there. He has a storm in his wake. And he has one constant companion.

ROSE
Who's that?

CLIVE
Death.

***

[Mickey is still waiting outside in his car. He looks around as a bin starts to shuffle its way towards him]

***

CLIVE
If the Doctor's back... if you've seen him, Rose... then one thing's for certain - we're all in danger.

***

[Mickey looks at the bin again, but it is stationary. A few seconds later, it starts moving again. He gets out of the car and walks to the bin, looking around it to see what is moving it. Seeing nothing, he places both hands on the lid and opens it dramatically]

MICKEY
Come on then!

[The bin is empty]

***

CLIVE
If he's singled you out... if the Doctor's making house calls... then God help you.

***

[Mickey shuts the bin, confused. He tries to walk away but his hands are stuck to the bin. When he tries to pull away, the bin stretches and won't let him. Eventually, the bin opens its lid and pulls him in backwards, shutting with a satisfied burp.]

***

ROSE
Who is he? Who do you think he is?

CLIVE
I think he's the same man. I think he's immortal. I think he's an alien from another world.

***

[Rose comes back to the car, talking before she's even got in]

ROSE
Alright! He's a nutter! Off his head! Complete online conspiracy freak. You win! Oof.

[She gets into the car. The person sitting at the wheel is obviously not Mickey, but a plastic replica of him. Rose seems not to notice.]

ROSE
What're we going to do tonight? I fancy a pizza.

MICKEY
Pizzaaa! P-p-p-pizza!

ROSE
... or a Chinese ...

MICKEY
Pizza!

[They drive off in a wobbly line]

***

[We next see them sitting on a table for two in a restaurant]

ROSE
Do you think I should try the hospital? Suki said they had a few jobs going in the canteen. That's it then... dishing out chips... I could do A Levels...

['Mickey' stares at her, grinning]

ROSE
I dunno. It's all Jimmy Stone's fault. I only left school because of him, and look where he ended up. What do you think?

MICKEY
So, where did you meet this Doctor?

ROSE
I'm sorry, wasn't I talking about me for a second?

MICKEY
Because, I reckon it started back at the shop, am I right? Is he something to do with that?

ROSE
No...

MICKEY
Come on.

ROSE
Sort of.

MICKEY
What was he doing there?

ROSE
I'm not going on about him, Mickey, I'm not, because, I know it sounds daft but... I don't think he's safe. I think he's dangerous.

MICKEY
But you can trust me sweetheart! 

[In quick succession] 

MICKEY
Babe, sugar, darling, sugar.

[Rose looks confused]

MICKEY
You can tell me anything. Tell me about the Doctor and what he's planning, and I can help you, Rose. Because that's all I really wanna do, sweetheart, babe, sugar, sweetheart.

ROSE
What're you doing that for?

[A Waiter approaches the table]

WAITER
Your champagne.

MICKEY
We didn't order any champagne.

[He grabs Rose's hand]

MICKEY
Where's the Doctor?

[The Waiter has simply moved to the other side of the table and holds the bottle out to Rose]

WAITER
Ma'am. Your champagne.

ROSE
It's not ours... Mickey, what is it? What's wrong?

MICKEY
I need to find out how much you know, so where is he?

WAITER
Doesn't anybody want this champagne?

[Mickey, exasperated, raises his eyes to the waiter for the first time]

MICKEY
Look, we didn't order i--

[The Waiter is revealed to be the Doctor]

MICKEY
Ah. Gotcha.

[The Doctor shakes the bottle]

DOCTOR
Don't mind me. I'm just toasting the happy couple. On the house!

[The cork pops out and hits Mickey squarely on the forehead. His forehead absorbs the cork and he spits it out of his mouth. It is finally revealed to Rose that Mickey has in fact been replaced with an Auton]

MICKEY
Anyway.

[His hands turn into clubs and he smashes the table in. Rose screams and runs out of the way. The Doctor grabs the Auton's head and pulls it off]

MICKEY'S HEAD
Don't think that's gonna stop me.

[A couple at a nearby table scream, but the Doctor grins. Rose presses the fire bell]

ROSE
Everyone out! Out now!

[Everyone runs out. The Auton stays inside, blindly smashing tables with his club-hands]

ROSE
Get out! Get out! Get out!

[Rose and the Doctor run through the kitchen and out of a back exit, with the Auton in fast pursuit. The Doctor locks a metal door with his sonic screwdriver while Rose tries desperately to find an escape out of the yard they are in. She bangs desperately at some locked gates]

ROSE
Open the gate! Use that tube thing, come on!

DOCTOR
What, this? This is a sonic screwdriver.

ROSE
Use it!

DOCTOR
Nah. Tell ya what, let's go in here.

[He approaches a police box in the middle of the yard and unlocks it. The Auton is beginning to make dents in the door from the other side. Rose runs to look at it]

ROSE
We can't hide inside a wooden box!

[She runs back to the gate and rattles the chains]

ROSE
It's gonna get us! Doctor!

[She runs into the police box, slams the door behind her, takes a few steps in, looking around, then runs straight back out again. She walks once around the police box and arrives back at the front again. The Auton finally makes a hole in the door, so she runs back into the police box]

ROSE
It's gonna follow us!

DOCTOR
The assembled hoards of Genghis Khan couldn't get through that door, and believe me, they've tried. Now, shut up a minute.

[Rose stands trembling near the door of the TARDIS, looking around at how huge it is compared with the outside. The Doctor is wiring up the head of the Auton]

DOCTOR
You see, the arm is too simple, but the head's perfect.

[Rose still looks alarmed]

DOCTOR
I can use it to trace the signal back to the original source. Right.

[He turns to Rose, giving her his full attention]

DOCTOR
Where do you want to start?

ROSE
Um... the inside's bigger than the outside?

DOCTOR
Yes.

ROSE
It's alien.

DOCTOR
Yup.

ROSE
Are you alien?

DOCTOR
Yes.

[Rose stares at him]

DOCTOR
Is that alright?

ROSE [quickly]
Yeah.

DOCTOR
It's called the TARDIS, this thing. T-A-R-D-I-S, that's Time And Relative Dimension In Space.

[Rose starts sobbing]

DOCTOR
That's okay. Culture shock. Happens to the best of us.

ROSE
Did they kill him? Mickey? Did they kill Mickey? Is he dead?

DOCTOR
Oh... didn't think of that.

ROSE
He's my boyfriend. You pulled off his head - they copied him and you didn't even think? And now you're just going to let him melt?!

DOCTOR
Melt?

[He turns around in time to see 'Mickey's' head melting with a bubbling noise]

DOCTOR
Oh, no no no no no NO!

[He starts running frantically around the console, pressing buttons and pulling levers]

ROSE
What're you doing?!

DOCTOR
Reviving the signal, it's fading! Wait I've got it...

[He looks at the screen]

DOCTOR
No No No No No No NO!

[The TARDIS shakes as the engines move]

DOCTOR
Almost there! Almost there! Here we go!

[The engines stop and the Doctor runs out the the TARDIS doors without another word]

ROSE
You can't go out there, it's not safe!

[She runs to the door and looks out after him, finding herself on London Bridge looking out over the River Thames]

DOCTOR
I lost the signal, I got so close.

[Rose hops out, looking confused again]

ROSE
We've moved! Does it fly?

DOCTOR
Disappears there, reappears here, you wouldn't understand.

ROSE
But if we're somewhere else, what about that headless thing? It's still on the loose.

DOCTOR
It melted with the head, are you going to witter on all night?

ROSE
I'll have to tell his mother...

[The Doctor looks at her questioningly]

ROSE
Mickey! I'll have to tell his mother he's dead, and you just went and forgot him, again!

[The Doctor rolls his eyes, unconcerned]

ROSE
You were right, you are alien.

[She turns to walk away]

DOCTOR
Look, if I did forget some kid called Mickey--

ROSE
Yeah, he's not a kid.

DOCTOR
It's because I'm trying to save the life of every stupid ape blundering on top of this planet, alright??

ROSE
Alright!

DOCTOR
Yes! It is!

[Rose shakes her head disbelievingly]

ROSE
If you are an alien, then how comes you sound like you're from the North?

DOCTOR
Lots of planets have a North.

[He folds his arms indignantly and looks away]

ROSE
What's a police public call box?

DOCTOR
It's a telephone box from the 1950s.

[He pats the TARDIS fondly, grinning]

DOCTOR
It's a disguise.

[Rose smiles and shakes her head]

ROSE
Okay. And this living plastic, what's it got against us?

DOCTOR
Nothing, it loves you. You've got such a good planet. Lots of smoke and oil, plenty of toxins and dioxins in the air... perfect. Just what the Nestene Consciousness needs. It's food stock was destroyed in the war, all its protein plants rotted, so Earth... dinner!

ROSE
Any way of stopping it?

[Grinning, the Doctor produces a tube of blue liquid from his jacket]

DOCTOR
Anti-plastic!

ROSE
Anti-plastic...

DOCTOR
Anti-plastic! But first I've got to find it. How can you hide something that big in a city this small?

ROSE
Hold on... hide what?

DOCTOR
The transmitter. The Consciousness is controlling every single piece of plastic so it needs a transmitter to boost the signal.

ROSE
What's it look like?

DOCTOR
Like a transmitter. Round and massive, slap bang in the middle of London.

[He paces around, agitated, looking around for a clue]

DOCTOR
A huge circular metal structure... like a dish...

[He stands facing Rose, his back to the railings of the bridge. Behind him, the London Eye looms 450 foot above them, but he doesn't seem to register]

DOCTOR
... like a wheel. Close to where we're standing. Must be completely invisible.

[Rose considers the Eye behind him]

DOCTOR
What?

[Rose nods towards the Eye. The Doctor turns around, then back to her, completely nonplussed]

DOCTOR
What?

[Rose shakes her head, looking at the Eye still. He turns around but still fails to make the connection]

DOCTOR
What is it? What?

[Rose simply carries on staring at it. The Doctor turns around again and finally, it clicks]

DOCTOR
Oh... fantastic!

[He grins inanely and runs off]

***

[Hand in hand, they run across London Bridge towards the Eye. They come to a halt at the foot of the Eye]

DOCTOR
Think of it. Plastic, all over the world. Every artificial thing waiting to come alive. The shop window dummies, the phones, the wires, the cables...

ROSE
The breast implants...

DOCTOR
Still, we've found the transmitter. The Consciousness must be somewhere underneath.

[Rose runs off and finds the entrance to a manhole at the foot of the wall she is looking over]

ROSE
What about down here?

[The Doctor runs to join her]

DOCTOR
Looks good to me.

[They run down the stairs to the manhole. The Doctor takes the lid off it, and red light and smoke pours out. They both climb down the ladder underground. The Doctor opens the door to another chamber and they go down some steps. The Doctor points to a huge, orange, wobbling mass in the middle of the chamber]

DOCTOR
The Nestene Consciousness, that's it, inside the vat. A living, plastic creature.

ROSE
Well, then. Tip in your anti-plastic and let's go.

DOCTOR
I'm not here to kill it. I've got to give it a chance.

[They go down some more steps. The Doctor leans over the railings and addresses the Consciouness]

DOCTOR
I seek audience with the Nestene Consciousness under peaceful contract. According to convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation.

[The Consciouness flobbles around a bit]

DOCTOR
Thank you. That I might have permission to approach.

[Meanwhile, as Rose paces around in the background, she spots Mickey and runs to him. The Doctor rolls his eyes]

ROSE
Oh, my God! Mickey! It's okay! It's alright!

[She squats down next to him]

MICKEY
That thing down there, the liquid, Rose - it can talk!

ROSE
You're stinking! Doctor, they kept him alive!

DOCTOR
Yeah, that was always a possibility. Keep him alive to maintain the copy.

ROSE
You knew that and you never said?

DOCTOR
Can we keep the domestics outside, thank you?

[Rose helps Mickey to his feet. The Doctor approaches the Consciousness]

DOCTOR
Am I addressing the Consciousness? Thank you. If I might observe, you infiltrated this civilization by means of warped, shunt technology. So, may I suggest, with the greatest respect, that you shunt off?

[The plastic globbers in what appears to be a negative manner]

DOCTOR
Oh don't give me that, it's an invasion! Plain and simple! Don't talk about constitutional rights!

[The plastic rears what would appear to be its head angrily]

DOCTOR
I - am - talking! This planet is just starting. These stupid little people have only just learnt how to walk, but they're capable of so much more. I'm asking you on their behalf - please, just go.

[Two Autons approach the Doctor from behind]

ROSE
Doctor!

[The Autons grab him. One of them takes the anti-plastic out of his jacket pocket]

DOCTOR
That was just insurance! I wasn't going to use it.

[The plastic globbers angrily]

DOCTOR
I was not attacking you. I'm here to help. I'm not your enemy. I swear, I'm not... what do you mean?

[Doors above him open to reveal the TARDIS]

DOCTOR
Oh, oh no - honestly, no! Yes, that's my ship.

[The plastic roars]

DOCTOR
That's not true. I should know, I was there. I fought in the war - it wasn't my fault! I couldn't save your world! I couldn't save any of them!

ROSE
What's it doing?!

DOCTOR
It's the TARDIS! The Nestene has identified its superior technology - it's terrified! It's going to the final base. It's starting the invasion! Get out, Rose! Just leg it! Now!

[Rose dials a number on her mobile]

ROSE
Mum?!

[Jackie is going down the steps of a police station]

JACKIE
Oh, there you are, I was just gonna phone. You can get compensation. I said so. I've got this document thing off the police - don't thank me!

ROSE
Where are you, mum?

JACKIE
I'm in town!

ROSE
Go home! Just go home, right now!

JACKIE
Darling, you're breaking up, look, I'm just going to do a bit of late night shopping. I'll see you later. Tara!

[She hangs up]

ROSE
Mum?! Mum!

[Jackie heads into the Queens Arcade shopping centre. The Consciousness sends out a signal]

DOCTOR
It's the activation signal! It's transmitting!

[The electric blue signal shoots around the Eye]

ROSE
The end of the world...

[The activation signal transmits from the London Eye]

***

[Clive is in the shopping centre, talking to his wife]

CLIVE
There's no point creating a spreadsheet if you're going to spend summer money in winter months.

[Caroline gasps as she walks past a shop window and the dummy taps the glass]

CAROLINE
Oh my God! I thought they were dummies! I nearly had a heart-attack!

[They look around and all the dummies are doing the same. Clive's wife smiles appreciatively... until they punch their way through the glass and step out of the windows. Jackie is coming down an escalator and looks in disbelief at the dummies walking around]

CLIVE
It's true. Everything I read, all the stories! It's all true!

[A dummy turns towards him. Its hand comes off and reveals a gun, which shoots him. Clive's wife and son scream]

***

[The Doctor is still being held hostage]

DOCTOR
Get out, Rose! Just get out! Run!

[Part of the ceiling falls in]

ROSE
The stairs have gone!

[Rose and Mickey try desperately to get into the TARDIS]

ROSE
I haven't got the key!

MICKEY
We're gonna die!

***

[The shopping centre is in chaos. Jackie stands at the bottom of the escalator looking confused for a few seconds, then screams and runs, dropping her shopping bag. Mickey and Rose are still cowering at the door of the TARDIS. Outside, Jackie finds that there is just as much chaos outside the shopping centre as there is inside. An army of dummies come out of the doors. Jackie runs down the road and ducks behind a car outside a wedding shop. The dummies in the window punch through the glass. Jackie screams]

***

[Rose watches the Doctor struggle to get to the anti-plastic, then seems to reach some kind of decision. She stands up]

MICKEY
Just leave him!

[The wedding dummies advance dangerously on Jackie. All three hold their arms out ready to shoot. Underground, Rose takes action]

MICKEY
There's nothing you can do!

[Rose picks up an axe]

ROSE
I've got no A Levels.

[The dummies raise their guns]

ROSE
No job...

[The hands open to reveal the space where the bullets can be released]

ROSE
No future.

[Jackie cowers. Rose hacks at a chain on the wall, trying to release it]

ROSE
But I tell you what I have got. Jericho Street Junior School under 7s gymnastic team.

[The chain comes loose and Rose grabs onto it]

ROSE
I got the bronze!

[Rose swings across the gap over the Consciousness. She kicks the Autons holding the Doctor hostage into the Nestene, anti-plastic and all. The Consciousness starts to writhe and scream. Rose lands safely in the Doctor's arms at the other side of the gap]

DOCTOR
Now we're in trouble.

[The Consciousness starts to explode as Rose and the Doctor run off. The signal from the Eye is cut off. The Autons in the high street that were previously attacking people, stop, and start to twitch as if they are doing some kind of dance. Jackie uncovers her eyes warily. Rose, the Doctor and Mickey all manage to reach the TARDIS. Rose grins at the Consciousness before she goes in and closes the door, as it starts to die. Just before the whole chamber goes up in flames, the TARDIS disappears. The dummies all fall to the ground, twitching at first, but dead]

***

[Mickey runs backwards out of the TARDIS and falls over, looking terrified. He backs against a wall. Rose, however, steps out and rings her mother on her mobile. Jackie answers]

JACKIE
Rose! Rose! Don't go out of the house, it's not safe!

[Rose laughs in relief to hear her voice]

JACKIE
There were all of these things! And they were shooting! And they--

[Satisfied that Jackie is alive, Rose hangs up on her, smiling to herself]

JACKIE
Hello? Hello?

[Rose runs over to Mickey]

ROSE
A fat lot of good you were!

[Mickey whimpers. The Doctor stands in the doorway of the TARDIS]

DOCTOR
Nestene Consciousness?

[He clicks his fingers]

DOCTOR
Easy.

ROSE [teasingly]
You were useless in there. You'd be dead if it wasn't for me.

DOCTOR
Yes, I would. Thank you. Right then! I'll be off! Unless, uh... I don't know... you could come with me.

[Rose looks at him and puts her hands in her pockets]

DOCTOR
This box isn't just a London hopper, you know, it goes anywhere in the universe free of charge.

MICKEY
Don't! He's an alien! He's a thing!

DOCTOR
He's not invited. What do you think? You could stay here and fill your life with work and food and sleep, or you could go, uh... anywhere.

ROSE
Is it always this dangerous?

[The Doctor nods]

DOCTOR
Yeah.

[Mickey puts his arms around Rose's legs like a little child]

ROSE
Yeah, I can't... I've um... gotta go and find my mum and um... someone's gotta look after this stupid lump...

[She laughs slightly and pats Mickey on the back]

ROSE
So...

DOCTOR
Okay. See you around.

[Rose looks at him intensely, as if she still hasn't really made up her mind. The Doctor does not take his eyes off her, but closes the door. Rose looks at the closed door. The engines of the TARDIS rev up, and it slowly disappears. Rose stares at the space where it was, lost in thought]

ROSE
Come on, let's go.

[Mickey is in absolute shock, staring at the empty space where the TARDIS stood]

ROSE
C'mon... come on...

[She helps him to his feet and they begin to walk away. However, the sound of the engines is heard again. Rose and Mickey spin around. The TARDIS reappears. The Doctor pops his head out]

DOCTOR
By the way - did I mention, it also travels in time?

[He grins slightly and goes back in - leaving the door ajar. Rose turns to Mickey]

ROSE
Thanks.

MICKEY
Thanks for what?

ROSE
Exactly.

[She kisses his cheek and runs into the TARDIS with a broad smile on her face]

***

CLOSING CREDITS