7. Requiem

DOCTOR WHO: REDACTED

Episode 7

Written by

Ajoke Ibironke & Juno Dawson

BBC SOUNDS STING

We hear an eerie Spanish Riff play as the credits are read.

CREDITS

Doctor Who: Redacted. Episode 7.

Ajoke Ibironke & Juno Dawson

SCENE 1

A MYSTERIOUS ADVERT

We hear curious, mystical sounding music.

REQUIEM

Are you lost? Confused? Searching for answers? “Requiem” might offer the

answers you seek.

(Beat)

Something is very wrong with modern life. Loss, grief, missing people and alienation. A plague of loneliness.

(Beat)

Have you lost someone special? Fear no longer. I have the answers you seek. Join the Requiem Group. Our online support group for those who’ve lost somebody. Thursdays, 7pm, GMT.

(Beat)

10% discount for anyone with information about ‘The Doctor’.

INT.CLEO FLAT. DAY

CLEO and SHAWNA listen to the advert on Cleo’s laptop. The advert abruptly stops with a click.

CLEO

She mentioned the Doctor! Play it again!

SHAWNA

Who?

CLEO

(Sighs)

Never mind. Where’d you get that?

SHAWNA

I recovered it from corrupted files on Abbie’s laptop.

CLEO

So weird. What do you think it is?

SHAWNA

Well there’s only one way to find out.

And you heard what she said. It’s for

lost people and you lost someone...

CLEO

(Uneasy)

Come on Shawna - I appreciate it,

but babe -

SHAWNA

Look at this, “For when you lose those

whom everyone else has forgotten.”

CLEO

Shawna “Whom.” Who says “Whom”?

That’s some Bridgerton nonsense.

SHAWNA

The point is - I think this is a real

lead. UNIT didn’t know anything; the

police weren’t interested; we’ve lost Abby...what else can we do?

CLEO

Babe, if I take any more time off work...

I told Jill I have shingles on my face.

How much time does that buy me?

SHAWNA

I dunno. Like a week?

CLEO

Fine. Though what am I gonna say to

this group? I think my brother got

kidnapped by government agents? They’ll

have me on a psych ward before you can

say Alien Foetus in a Jar.

SHAWNA

I dunno, Joe Rogan got a Spotify deal.

Purposeful music fades into:

PHONECALL

FX – a phone ringing.

CLEO

(Affectionately)

Oh hey Nana Thompson!

NANA

Hello, Cleo?

CLEO

Oh Shawna’s just in the bath -

NANA

That girl never answers her ruddy phone.

CLEO

(Laughs) Do you want me to get her?

NANA

Leave her be. Tell her to call me. I

was going out of my mind. Tell me Cleo,

is my granddaughter OK? Running off to Glasgow like that.

CLEO

Oh she’ll be fine.

NANA

What’s wrong, love? I can tell something’s off with her.

CLEO

She’s had a bit of a falling out with Abby...

NANA

Oh I wish she’d find a nice lesbian

and settle down.

CLEO

Yeah you and me both.

NANA

And what about you? Have you got a nice

man?

CLEO

Not quite Mrs Thompson, the only man I’m looking for right now is my brother. He’s gone missing.

NANA

All these people going missing. Awful business isn’t it? And how’s your mum

doing?

CLEO

I don’t really talk to my mum, Mrs

Thompson.

NANA

Whyever not?

CLEO

It’s complicated.

SCENE 3

INT. CLEO BATHROOM. EVE

We hear water dripping as SHAWNA is in the bath. Reminiscing, she plays a voicemail from Abby.

VOICEMAIL

You have 1 saved message.

ABBY

So!! Hi!! It’s Abby. Abby McPhail.

We met earlier today? The alien girl?

Not like, a literal alien. Just, the

one that was talking to you about aliens?

Oh my god this is embarrassing. ANYWAY.

I was wondering if you maybe wanted to

get coffee some time? Call me back or

give me a knock; I’m in 5F.

SFX: Voicemail cuts off. Beep as Shawna hits a button.

VOICEMAIL

End of messages.

SHAWNA

(To self)

What happened to us, Abz?

VOICEMAIL

To listen again, press 1. To save this message, press 2. To delete, press 3.

SFX: Beep key tone.

VOICEMAIL

Message saved.

Music begins and fades into next scene:

SCENE 4

EXT. BUSY LONDON STREET. DAY

CLEO calls ABBY.

ABBY

Oh my god, Cleo. Thank god! Why aren’t

you returning my calls?

CLEO

After what you did are you surprised?

ABBY

I know...I -

CLEO

No I don’t want to hear it, Abz. You don’t do things like this to people you love. People who love you.

ABBY

I just...

CLEO

You chose those UNIT psychos over us.

How could you?!

ABBY

Well if we’re gonna get to the bottom of this mystery, we need them, Cleo.

CLEO

You hurt me. You and Shawna are literally the only family I have. I don’t want an explanation or apology. I want changed behaviour or nothing. Because we can’t be friends – we can’t be family if this is what you’re choosing.

ABBY

(Sighs) Do you really mean that?

CLEO

What do you think?

She hangs up.

Sombre music builds momentum and continues into:

SCENE 5

INT. CLEO FLAT. EVE

SHAWNA waits for CLEO.

SFX: Rustle of crisp packets and sweets.

SHAWNA

You’re utting it fine...

CLEO

I’m on British Cleo Time. Take it or

leave it babe.

SHAWNA

Are you alright? You been crying?

CLEO

No. Just life allergies. Come on, I don’t wanna miss the start.

The music stops. They log on to the Zoom call. We hear the mysterious music from the ad.

SHAWNA

Is this it..? We’re in a waiting room.

CLEO

Looks like it. Give us the chocolate.

SHAWNA

There’s 20 people here.

CLEO

Yeah makes sense. There’s a lot of people going missing aren’t there.

SHAWNA

There she is: Requiem. She’s got her

camera off, shall I message her?

SFX: Cleo opening chocolate and taking a bite.

CLEO

It’s starting!

REQUIEM

Welcome new members. What are your names?

CLEO

Hi, I’m Cleo.

SHAWNA

Shawna.

REQUIEM

Everyone, say hello to our new members.

GROUP

(Terribly out of sync, varying signal qualities)

Hi Cleo! Hi Shawna!

REQUIEM

Excellent. Let us begin. As ever, I shall remain anonymous but understand, like you,

I have experienced loss. It is the price

we pay for the beauty of mortality.

CLEO

(Whisper)

Babe are we sure this isn’t a cult? It’s giving me very culty vibes.

SHAWNA

(Whisper)

She can still see us talking even if we’re on mute.

REQUIEM

You’ve lost someone.

SHAWNA

There’s only 18 people now.

REQUIEM

Perhaps you have lost many people.

CLEO

People bailing already. Good sign.

REQUIEM

And you have told yourself that it will be easier if you ignore the pain. If you press on as if it were no great injury. If you simply pretend the wound was never there until it feels as if it wasn’t. I understand. But I can tell you from experience that that will not stop this pain. You will not escape your grief. She - it will be a part of you, always. A scar that will ache when it gets cold in the dark.

(Beat)

I am here to help you lance the wound. To remember those we’ve lost. To never let them disappear.

She takes a significant pause.

REQUIEM

Which of you has the courage to speak first?

(Beat)

Peter.

We now hear a montage of the groups’ tales of woe. High pitched, melancholy yet creepy music plays throughout the montage.

PETER

Yeah so, my wife uh, well she’s gone missing. It’s been hard...

CHRISTINA

...Because – and it feels awful to admit this but, I feel like I’m forgetting her. She’s only been missing for a few weeks but I’ve forgotten the sound of her voice, the way she smiled, even the colour of her eyes....

ELLIE

...Ellie here. I just wanted to say that I feel like I’m going a bit nuts actually. Like I’m seeing things…hearing things. I’m even having nightmares. But I can’t remember what’s causing them. And when I tell people I think something absolutely terrible has happened they don’t believe me.

REQUIEM

I believe you.

RACHEL

I’m Rachel. I know this sounds crazy, I do, but I just know deep down in my heart that I have a son. I can’t tell you his name, or what he looks like, but I just know I’m a –

Rachel stops abruptly. We hear static.

CLEO

Wait what happened there? Did she get cut off? This Zoom man.

SHAWNA

Shhhh!

CLEO

But where’d she go though?

MOHAMMED

There are pictures in my house of people I don’t recognise. I’m in the pictures too - how can that be? It doesn’t make any sense!

REQUIEM

Let us pause. Thank you, Mohammed. There

are all number of reasons that the mind might take it upon itself to protect you from its darkest corners. Our mind can

build a powerful shield around the past, keep us from the memories that wish us harm. I think it is important to remember that. It’s a reflex of survival. It’s your brain’s way of keeping you alive.

There’s a murmur of agreement. Cleo mutes the video call.

CLEO

What do you make of this? (Pause) It’s ok, we’re on mute.

SHAWNA

I hope Abby’s alright. Wherever she is...

SCENE 6

INT. UNIT LAB. EVE

FX - hear a howl of the Redacted Distortion, only this a very definite scream in the mix.

OSGOOD

Cut it off.

FX - a machine powers down.

ABBY

What is that?! It’s awful!

OSGOOD

We don’t know. Using Joel’s Dimensional Bridging Stabliser, we’ve isolated and amplified the disturbance. That’s what you’re hearing now. Glimpses from a parallel reality.

ABBY

Incredible. But it sounds like...

OSGOOD

Screaming. Yes, I know.

ABBY

Well then stop! You’re hurting it!

OSGOOD

We don’t know that. Metaphysically speaking, there’s nothing to hurt. All our monitors are very clear - there’s nothing there.

ABBY

But I can see...something. A shape. It looks like...a person.

SFX: Background noise of computers whirring and beeping.

OSGOOD

There’s a word for things you can see and hear but that aren’t really there.

ABBY

Ghosts.

OSGOOD

Whatever they are, we need to find what’s causing this and how it’s connected to thousands of missing people.

ABBY

Thousands?

OSGOOD

It’s an epidemic. A plague. And it’s

getting worse. At this rate, London

itself will disappear. And every other

major city on the planet. Paris, Rio,

Hong Kong…

ABBY

So what do we do?

OSGOOD

We find out what’s doing this. Resume the tests.

ABBY

No, no, no. Please wait...

OSGOOD

This is UNIT, Abby. Sometimes, we’re forced to make the hard choices. The choices no

one else can make. The choices no one else should have to make.

FX - the machine starts up again. The distorted scream gets louder.

ABBY

Osgood?

OSGOOD

Keep going.

The scream increases and suddenly stops.

SCENE 7

INT.DAYThe Zoom session continues.

REQUIEM

Perhaps it is time for our newest members

to contribute. Shawna?

SHAWNA

No thanks, not really the sharing kind.

REQUIEM

I understand. But I would encourage

you to try.

SHAWNA

We’re just trying to work out why people

are going missing.

REQUIEM

Who are you searching for?

SHAWNA

Well, Cleo’s lost her brother

REQUIEM

And who have you lost?

SHAWNA

No-one.

REQUIEM

There’s loss in your eyes.

SHAWNA

Oh god, I don’t even - you all have

real problems. I’m just upset about a

girl.

CLEO

Babe, that’s a real problem.

REQUIEM

I feel that we are missing context.

SHAWNA

Right. Sorry. There’s this girl –

woman, Abby.

Soft, heartwarming music plays as Shawna speaks fondly of Abby.

SHAWNA

She’s the smartest person I’ve ever met. Like, real deal, superhero, gonna-win-a-Nobel- prize level smart. But she’s also a carer for her Mum, so instead of I don’t know, joining the UN, she makes a podcast with me. With us.

REQUIEM

And what is the nature of this podcast?

SHAWNA

(Embarassed)

Mostly we talk about aliens. And Russian bots. QAnon, ATMOS, Saxon Truthers, you know.

REQUIEM

I see.

SHAWNA

The point is. I’m seriously head over

heels, Kristen Stewart rom-com actually in love with her. And I don’t want to be.

REQUIEM

Why?

SHAWNA

Well, first, she’s got this absolute waste of space of a boyfriend -

CLEO

(Interrupting)

Oh Shawna he’s fine come on.

(Shawna gives her a look).

Alright, I mean not as good as you obviously. Come on he’s fine.

SHAWNA

And more importantly, she just chose a bunch of space cops over her two best friends.

MOHAMMED

Space cops?

CLEO

Yes Mohammed, space cops. Keep up please.

SHAWNA

And I’m so angry with her. Because like, yes, I get it, she wants to go out and be a big damn hero. But just because they’ve got shiny uniforms doesn’t mean they’re the good guys.

REQUIEM

Are they the ‘bad guys’ then?

SHAWNA

Yes! No. I don’t know. All I actually know is that they lied to us. And they hurt Cleo. And I asked her to choose me and she didn’t.

And I really thought she would.

CLEO

Shawna, we’ll get her back.

REQUIEM

And what about you Cleo – what’s your story?

CLEO

Nah, it’s alright, someone else go.

REQUIEM

Cleo. Isn’t there anything you’d like to share? Shawna mentioned your brother.

The same high pitched music from before starts again.

CLEO

Uh, no, no. I wanna hear about the people

in these pictures in Mohammed’s house.

REQUIEM

Sorry, who’s house?

CLEO

Mohammed’s – you know the guy who was talking earlier.

SHAWNA

Babe, there is no Mohammed...

CLEO

Where’s he gone?

REQUIEM

No one has gone anywhere.

CLEO

Did he get cut off too? But his cameras still on though. Look, he’s right there! Kind of blurry...

SHAWNA

Who are you talking about?

CLEO

Mohammed. Look, look where I’m pointing!

ELLIE

Are you ok?

SHAWNA

Cleo, there’s nothing there.

CLEO

Yes there is! Look at him!

All fuzzy and… translucent.

SHAWNA

(UNSETTLED)

Cleo, this isn’t funny.

CLEO

I’m not joking Shawna!

SHAWNA

Ok so I’m starting to think the late-night coffee was a bad idea.

CLEO

(Thinking aloud)

Why am I different to you? I remember and you don’t.

SHAWNA

Remember who?! Cleo, seriously, you’re scaring me

CLEO

(Beat)

Alright. Look, I’ll show you.

That box. Top right.

(Beat)

See, look? He’s gone.

SHAWNA

There wasn’t anyone there, Cleo.

CLEO

Shawna think about it. Why would someone

set up a Zoom to an empty room?

SFX: Cleo scribbling down a list.

REQUIEM

What are you doing?

CLEO

I’m writing down everyone who’s still here. Ellie, Peter, Dave...

REQUIEM

But why? Do you want to talk about it?

CLEO

Well there’s no point is there? If they

disappear you’re going to forget

they existed. Just like everyone does,

all the time.

REQUIEM

You sound frustrated. Is this about your family?

CLEO

Give the girl a prize!

(Deep breath)

I don’t have a family.

REQUIEM

Did they disappear as well? Tell me.

CLEO

(sighs)

My brother has. My Mum didn’t.

It’d be easier if she’d been magicked away or taken by aliens. But with her it’s just good old fashioned rejection.

SHAWNA

And she’s an idiot.

CLEO

Thanks hun.

REQUIEM

What of your father?

CLEO

(choking up)

He’s dead.

(Long pause)

When I was a kid. There was some kind of...I don’t know. I don’t remember. Mum always said he just left. Packed up in the middle of the night without even saying goodbye,and left me alone with her. I never believed her. Now I don’t know if she was lying or if she didn’t even know.

Soft, sad music begins as Cleo tells her story.

CLEO

The point is he’s gone, and he’s never coming back. There’s no magic vanishing act, no aliens. Just me and my brother growing up with a single Mum in Peckham.

A single Mum who put up with me failing my GCSEs, but seriously couldn’t handle finding out she had a daughter.

REQUIEM

(Thoughtful pause)

I do not have children. It has always been my belief that such a choice, taken wisely, is the result of a kind of courage and compassion which I know I do not have. Raising a child requires a kind of limitless selflessness. An understanding that your world will only ever be a shadow of that of your progeny. That if you succeed, they will go on to find far greater

horizons than you had ever dreamt of. That they will, in a word, outgrow you. That your mother resists this is not, as I understand it, uncommon in your culture. But it is nonetheless a tragedy.

Still. Her narrow-mindedness will only ever be a reflection of her failure. It does not tarnish the courage and wisdom that moved you to go where she could not.

CLEO

Thanks, I guess.

REQUIEM

Knowledge of the self is the deepest mystery of all. For that, Cleo Proctor, you have my respect.

CLEO

That’s me. Halfway up the hill to enlightenment. Alright! Time for someone else to bare their soul now.

REQUIEM

Someone else?

CLEO

Yeah.

(Beat)

Wait, where’d everyone go?

SHAWNA

What do you mean?

REQUIEM

We’re the only ones here Cleo.

CLEO

What?

SHAWNA

You know. In the group.

CLEO

There were 20 of us at the start.

SHAWNA

What are you on about? It’s literally just us.

CLEO

Look, I wrote all their names down.

(Beat)

That’s not possible.

High pitched music suddenly comes back again.

CLEO

(Beat)

Shawna, did you do this?

SHAWNA

Did I do what?

CLEO

It’s like someone’s ripped through the paper. I can’t even read the names on my list.

SHAWNA

Why did you have a list of names?

(Cleo angrily turns on Requiem, her tone dark.)

CLEO

Who the hell are you, Requiem? What’s your real name?

REQUIEM

I’m sorry?

CLEO

No you will be. Turn your camera on now!

The music intensifies as Cleo demands answers.

REQUIEM

I cannot.

CLEO

Is it you? Are you the Doctor? Tell me now!

Faint Redaction effect in the background.

SHAWNA

Cleo, will you please stop! What are you talking about?

CLEO

It’s her! She’s doing it.

Redaction effect builds. Requiem’s voice is glitchy, hard to understand.

REQUIEM

Shawna, Cleo you’re in danger. You have to listen to me.

CLEO

Why? We don’t even know who you are.

Redacted Distortion begins.

REQUIEM

It’s coming. It’s coming for you.

It’s coming for all of us.

SHAWNA

What is?

CLEO

Are you the Doctor?

REQUIEM

The Doctor can’t help you now.

(Beat)

I’m coming for you.

Redacted Distortion builds.

CLEO & SHAWNA

(Scream)

SFX: Explosion sound and the laptop clatters to the ground, hot chocolate spills, mugs break.

Intense double bass plays a series of four notes in quick succession, emulating Cleo and Shawna’s fear and confusion.

CLEO

Oh my god! What the?!

SHAWNA

What the hell was that? She’s coming for us?

SFX: Buffering, glitching sound

RADIO PRESENTER #1

And now it’s time for Sounds of the 70s…

SFX: Buffering, glitching sound

RADIO PRESENTER #2

N’import quel problème, peu importe l’envergure, appelez juste…

SFX: Buffering, glitching sound

THE DOCTOR

(Distant)

I’m looking for Cleo Proctor.

Hopeful music lightly plays, as Cleo hears the Doctor’s voice. At the same time, the intense music builds.

CLEO

Hello?

THE DOCTOR

My name is The Doctor, time is running out...

CLEO

Doctor?

THE DOCTOR

The ghosts.

(Beat)

Whatever you do, don’t touch the ghosts.

The intense music suddenly stops.

END OF EPISODE

The low bassy surge of the Redacted Main Theme comes in, with its distinctive siren-like synths, rushing into a sudden glitch that dips into a slow, soft piano tune.

CREDITS

Doctor Who Redacted: Episode Seven,

by Ajoke Ibironke and Juno Dawson.

The piano tune keeps going for a moment before picking up the pass with a big beat of drums, strings and synths that turns into the Main Theme tune, a symphony of synths and strings revelling in alien weirdness.

CREDITS

Starring: Charlie Craggs, Lois Chimimba, Holly Quin-Ankrah, Jodie Whittaker and Doon Mackichan.

Directed and produced by Ella Watts.

Sound design by David Thomas and Arlie Adlington. Original composition by David Devereux.

A BBC Studios production.

With a rush like the TARDIS, the main theme music gets even bigger and louder, turning into a big, bright, fast paced melody that plays to the end of the episode, when it stops abruptly with a sharp glitch which ends with a beep.