Silver Scream (comic story)

Silver Scream was the first story of a connected arc that extended through Doctor Who (2009). It introduced the characters of Matthew Finnegan and Emily Winter, who would later join the Doctor as companions. Important to the overall story arc in this series, the Doctor saved Winter's life, even though her death was a fixed point in time. This act led directly to his trial by the Shadow Proclamation in Fugitive.

Summary

The Doctor arrives in 1920's Hollywood and uncovers a conspiracy.

Plot

Part 1

In Hollywood 1926, the Doctor is at a celebrity party under the guise of many celebrities such as Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks. Kato, the butler, interrupts him by introducing him to filmmaker Archie Maplin. After speaking to Archie, the Doctor also meets young actress Emily Winter and then Matthew Finnegan, a runner at the United Actors' studio. Eventually, the Doctor notices a man called Maximilian Love walk in. The Doctor tries to talk to him, but his assistant, Mr Leo Millar, bars him. Undeterred, the Doctor makes an appointment with Maximilian.

The next day the Doctor meets Archie, who talks with him and reveals that the film studio is in the middle of a Chronal Template. Unbeknownst to the Doctor, he is being watched by Maximilian and Leo, who note he is not human - nor Terronite, like them. They then hear someone enter the reception room, who turns out to be Emily. Leo takes her in the room, only to find Maximilian strapped down. Emily is then restrained by Leo and starts to scream.

Meanwhile, Matthew is spying on Millar's studio. He tells the Doctor that he does not trust Leo, saying that he turned up here only six months ago. They audtioned for actors and only 10% got through. The other 90% all went home destined never to act again. As Emily walks out of the studio, Matthew asks her if she got the part. She says she never did, and does not remember anything about it. The Doctor notes that she is dazed, and finds out that the part of the brain that gives optimism has been altered chemically, thereby removing it. Archie comes up to them and says to the Doctor that Leo gave him a lot of money in the hopes that Maximilian would get lots of fame. The Doctor notes something is going on, goes to intervene, and Archie comes with him. The Doctor enters Leo's lab and finds the transference machine, which had been causing all the actors to lose their minds. The Doctor discovers that the Terronites stole the machine. Leo points his gun at the Doctor, Archie raises his stick, but is shot by Leo. The Doctor thinks he is dead, but Leo tells him he is merely stunned. He then aims his gun at the Doctor.

At that moment, Emily and Matthew step outside and spy the Doctor being held at gun point by Leo and Maximilian, and watch them get into a car. Emily picks up an axe and they both get in another car. They follow them to a railway line, the Doctor is shot and tied down, forced to watch as a train comes towards him.

Part 2

Characters

References

To be added.

Notes

Silver Scream was originally intended to include Charlie Chaplin, however it was found out late that there were rights problems in using him, and so he was replaced with a character named Archie Maplin. If it had been Charlie Chaplin, then it would have fit in with Donna's reference to him in Journey's End similarly to how the Doctor mentioned a desire to meet Agatha Christie in Last of the Time Lords. The story contains a veiled reference to Chaplin, establishing that "Maplin" is a different individual.

Cover Gallery

Continuity

In Journey's End when Donna Noble is about to get her memories wiped by the Doctor. She suggests going to meet Charlie Chaplin. As noted above, rights issues prevented the use of Chaplin for this story, however the Doctor does make an oblique reference to "the fellow in the bowler hat", indicating that Maplin is intended to be a different individual existing in the same universe as Chaplin (which preserves continuity should Chaplin ever appear on the TV series).
In an interview, Tony Lee confirmed that the ongoing series featuring the Tenth Doctor occurs right before the final specials.
The characters of Matthew and Emily return at the end of the following story arc, Fugitive, at which point they become companions of the Doctor.
The Doctor refers to himself at various times as Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Pee-Wee Herman and Harry Knowles to different characters.
The Doctor also refers to the talent show Americas got Talent.

Timeline

Silver Scream occurs at some point after the events of TV: Planet of the Dead, as the story that immediately follows it, Fugitive contains a reference to the "four knocks" prophecy, while the story that immediately occurs after that, Tesseract contains references to Malcolm Taylor and Lady Christina de Souza.

Reprints

Silver Scream is included in Doctor Who Volume 1: Fugitive, a graphic novel-style omnibus published by IDW in March 2010.

Tardis