12.3. Orphan 55

Series 12 - 2020

Writer: Ed Hime
Produced by: Alex Mercer
Director: Lee Haven Jones
Music: Segun Akinola

Synopsis

Graham finds the sixth coupon from the Bandohzi Herald for a free holiday to a place called Tranquillity. When the six coupons are arranged in a cube Graham, Yaz, Ryan, and the Doctor, and transported from inside the TARDIS to Tranquillity Spa where there are met by their customer host Hyp3n (Hyphen with a 3) where she tells them they are booked in for two weeks, all inclusive. Whilst their rooms are being prepared Yaz looks for the pool, Graham finds a place to sit, Ryan goes to look inside the holiday comples leaving the Doctor to have a look around by herself.

Yaz finds the pool, and two guests - Vilma and Benni, whilst inside Ryan finds the bar and refreshment zone where he meets up with the Doctor just as he gets infected with a hopper virus from a vending machine. Fortunately the Doctor has a trick for getting the virus out of him and into a crisp bag, leaving Ryan to suck his thumb while he hallucinates.

There are more hopper viruses, that can attack both organic and computer systems, in the complex. Once the hopper viruses get in the system alarms are sounding as the perimeter is breached, and Vorm is given the task of hunting the creatures that have got in. As Vorm hunts the creatures guest security systems start to activate, and guests are asked to assemble at the nearest muster stations. The Doctor heads off to investigate as Ryan meets Bella, who is also sitting on the floor sucking her thumb.

The Doctor finds Hyp3n looking worried by a linen cupboard - a linen cupboard that requires a security pass. The Doctor manages to bluff her way inside with Hyp3n into the security centre. Looking at the screens the Doctor can tell that Tranquillity's ionic membrane is failing - which leads to the question why does a hoiliday spa need protecting with an ionic membrane. The situation escalates as the head of security, Kane , gets a report from Vorm that the creatures are attacking the guests. She starts to get weapons from the armoury. As the Doctor and Hyp3n watch the CCTV they can see guests panicking, and slowly the guest count of 23 starts to drop. Using the tannoy the Doctor tells all guests to meet at the linen cupboard.

With the teleport out of action Graham finds the maintenance man, Nevi, and his son Sylas. When they hear screaming they head to the linen cupboard as well where they meet up with Yaz, Vilma. After the Doctor gets the ionic membrane back online all non-approved lifeforms are ejected from the complex Graham finds Ryan and Bella. Outside the complex Kane tells the Doctor about the shields around Tranquillity that keep out the creatures - the Dregs. But someone sabotaged the system with the hopper viruses which caused the shields to drop and let the Dregs inside.

Kane reveals a damaged panel and the Doctor realises the whole complex is inside a protective dome and that the surrounding environment is just a projection on the inside of the dome. Outside the dome is a different environment, one which does not have much oxygen. When Yaz and Vilma hand Kane a scanner showing Benni is outside the Doctor rounds up everyone to mount a rescue mission. Kane hands everyone portable oxygen tanks and, using a truck built by Nevi, they head out onto the surface of Orphan planet - a planet that has become too toxic to support life - number 55. Only on Orphan 55 some life did survive - the Dregs.

When the Doctor asks about why a holiday complex was built on an orphan planet she realises the holiday complex generated revenue Kane could spend on terraforming the planet. When it becomes apparent that Benni has been taken by the Dregs Kane is prepared to abort the mission - until Vilma hands over a necklace that's worth a lot of money. As Kane prepares her weapon the Doctor spots an exciplex modulator - used to randomise the laser output. Which means the Dregs are capable of adapting to lasers, as well as the harsh environment outside.

When the vehicle they are in is disabled by a trap, and after Vilma shoots Benni (on his request), the group has no option but to make it to a service tunnel close by. Everyone apart from Vorm and Hyp3n make it to the tunnels where Kane assures them there is a short range teleport that can take them back - it has enough charge for one go. When a Dreg enters the tunnels the group run. Ryna grabs Bella and they jump into the teleport and end up back in the complex. Bella reveals she is Kane's daughter and, after her father left, is on orphan 55 to blow up everything Kane has built up with a series of bombs.

Stuck in the tunnels Kane leads them on a route that will take them back - but it does take them through a Dreg nest and the oxygen tanks, especially the Doctor's, are running low. Worrying about the low oxygen the Doctor tries to stop Yaz and Graham seeing a metal sign on the wall: Novosibirsk. A Siberian underground station, on Earth. With more Dregs coming there is no option but to run. Unable to run Vilma sacrifices herself to give the others a chance. They make it through the nest to a set of stairs that lead back to Tranquillity. Running low on oxygen the Doctor lags behind. As she passes by a sleeping Dreg she realises it breathes out oxygen, and her oxygen is able to partially fill up with the oxygen. The Doctor realises the Dregs suvive by breathing in the carbon dioxide and breathing out oxygen. When the Dreg wakes Kane returns to rescue the Doctor, and stays behind to fight as the Doctor, Yaz, Graham, Nevi, and Sylas, make it back into the complex pursued by Dregs.

Nevi and Graham head off to get the teleports working whilst Yaz and Graham try to barricade the steam room to stop more Dregs getting in. As the teleport reboots more Dregs make it through the barrier and Bella's bombs explode, taking out the complex. The Doctor, Yax, Ryan, and Graham, teleport back to the TARDIS.

Regular Cast

  • Graham O'Brien: Bradley Walsh
  • Ryan Sinclair: Tosin Cole
  • Yasmin Khan: Mandip Gill

Guest Cast

  • Kane: Laura Fraser
  • Bella: Gia RĂ©
  • Nevi: James Buckley
  • Vilma: Julia Foster
  • Hyph3n: Amy Booth-Steel
  • Vorm: Will Austin
  • Benni: Col Farrell
  • Sylas: Lewin Lloyd
  • Lead Dreg & Creature Movement: Spencer Wilding

Original broadcast on the BBC

Channel Title Date Viewers Rating
BBC 1 (HD) 1. Orphan 5 Sunday, 12 January 2020 19:10 - 20:00 5.38M 77

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