Ghost Light

Updated October 5, 2004

SYNOPSIS The Doctor has given Ace an Initiative Test. It's up to her to figure out what's going on when they arrive in the upper observatory of a creepy Victorian mansion. As they investigate the house, they discover a big game hunter who's gone mad, a Neanderthal butler, the housekeeper from Hell, and Josiah Samuel Smith, the man in charge of it all.

Is Josiah actually in Control? For that matter, what is Control? Why is everyone afraid of Light? And what did Ace actually do to the house in 100 years time? Some of these questions are actually answered in the course of the story.

REVIEW Ghost Light always wins the spot for Trina's Favorite Doctor Who story. And it probably always will. So why? I hear you asking. Let's see, Doc7 in dark jacket? Check. Creepy atmosphere? Check. Quotable dialogue? Check. Rewatchability? Check. Moving music? Check. Plenty of Sylv & Sophie interplay? Check.

I know a lot of people have complained that they just don't understand Ghost Light (members of the cast included). I'm not one of them. Sure, I didn't get it the first time, but after repeated watchings, I took something away each time. The trick is to realize that Control is the control of an experiment. During the course of the DVD extras (commentary, etc.) Andrew Cartmel and Marc Platt explain all of this. I'm quite pleased that I had it figured out years before.

PRODUCTION INFO Produced by BBC in 1989. (The last Doctor Who to be recorded - until 1996.)

AVAILABILITY Available.

Play.com: £13.99 (Region 2 & 4 DVD)
Choices Direct: £14.99 (Region 2 & 4 DVD)

VHS Video: I'd say hold out until it gets to Region 1 DVD, but if you want an NTSC copy now, Amazon.com has it for $4.96 and Buy.com has it for $8.99.

SOUNDS As with all my wavs, I have compressed and uncompressed versions.

For the regular 11,025 Hz, 16 bit, Mono sounds, click on the button. For the compressed MPEG Layer-3 sounds, click on the button.

Gwendolyn: "I think Mr Matthews is confused..."
Doctor: "Nevermind, I'll have him completely bewildered by the time I'm done with him."
Ace: "I'll help!"

Ace: "Who are you calling 'young lady,' bog brain?"

"My theories appall you, my heresies outrage you, I never answer letters, and you don't like my tie."

Ace: "Don't you have things you hate?"
Doc7: "I can't stand burnt toast. I loathe bus stations - terrible places full of lost luggage and lost souls."
Ace: "I told you, I never wanted to come back here again!"
Doc7: "And then there's unrequited love. And tyranny, and cruelty."
Ace: "Too right."
Doc7: "We all have a universe of our own terrors to face."
Ace: "I face mine on my own terms!"

Josiah: "All my work could be ruined!"
Doctor: "That's my gal!"

Gwendolyn sings "That's the Way to the Zoo."

"I've lit the blue touch paper and found there's nowhere to retire to."

"Oh, things are getting out of control - even *I* can't play this many games at once!"

"Who was it said Earthmen never invite their ancestors 'round to dinner?"

"Confusion, wastage, tyrrany, burnt toast, 'til all the atlas is pink!" [Plays "Rule Brittania"]

"Wicked!"