001 ? video

[doctorate]

[ There is a high-pitched whistling audible on the Guide today -- nothing too loud, but it might certainly be unexpected. After a few seconds of this, the video flickers on, and a grinning Time Lord is visible on your screen. ]Friends, Vogons, citizens of the good ship Thor, lend me your ears

Comments

[Video]

[holmes_blogger]

[Well, there's a familiar face. Still, hearing someone introduce himself as "the Doctor" never gets old.]

Hello, Doctor. I'm going to take a guess and say you don't remember being here before?

[holmes_blogger]

[John just smiles patiently.]

Spot on. I was rather surprised when I got here and found out we were literary characters in most other worlds.

[doctorate]

I-- [ a beat, then, ] -- You're what?

[holmes_blogger]

[Is there a prize for confusing the Doctor?]

It gets better. Not long after Sherlock and I ended up here, another Sherlock Holmes showed up. Except this one is from Victorian England.

[doctorate]

[ /awards a metal! But in the meantime, have a sort of incredulous laugh ]

Now I know you're trying to wind me up. Is it because I'm new here?

[holmes_blogger]

Not at all. Have a look at the passenger list if you don't believe me.

[doctorate]

[ he takes a moment to study Watson ]

You're being serious. You're telling me that you're actually John Watson. The Doctor Watson.

[holmes_blogger]

Well I don't know about the John Watson. But I am Doctor John Watson, and I did live at 221B Baker Street with Sherlock Holmes.

Most people seem a bit put off by the time period actually.

[doctorate]

Yeah, 'cause you said-- 2010, right? Where I'm from, 19th century is more par for the course for the two of you.

That's brilliant, though! I mean, absolutely impossible and downright mad, but still-- brilliant!

[holmes_blogger]

You'll want to meet Holmes then. He's the one from the "proper" time period.

It does take some getting used to, but we're definitely not the only ones. [He gives the Doctor a smile.] For example, in my world, a Time Lord called the Doctor is a character on a very popular television programme.

[doctorate]

[ a reasonably lengthy pause, then, ] Right. Two of Sherlock Holmes on this ship, but just one of you, so far? You must have your hands full, Dr. Watson. [ and he says the last bit with relish, because it's absolutely amazing.

The next bit, however, brings him up short again -- at least, that is, until he smiles hugely and laughs a little ] They've got a television show about me?

. . . Oh, I hope it's brilliant. Is it brilliant? I'd be immensely disappointed if it isn't.

[holmes_blogger]

Yes, of course it's brilliant. How could it not be?

I grew up watching it actually. I was terrified of the Daleks when I was a child.

[doctorate]

Oh, I don't know, it could just be one of those odd campy shows with bad special effects and even worse monsters.

They've even got Daleks? I mean, right, that's actually-- well, that's actually very bad, but-- at least they're properly frightening.

[holmes_blogger]

Well, actually it's a little bit of both. The programme was rather low budget when it first started, but the stories were brilliant.

In fact, it's a little odd to realize that the Daleks aren't just something thrown together from whatever the props department could find. Do they really have a plunger for an arm?

[doctorate]

[ despite his better judgement, the Doctor os looking very amused ] Yeah, they do have a bit of one. And do their lasers look a bit like egg beaters? They do for me, at least.

[holmes_blogger]

Yes, exactly! It's amazing how something that should look ridiculous can be so frightening at the same time.

[In the back of his mind, John can't quite believe he's having this conversation.]