TEXT: EXT. STREET, OUTSIDE MAGPIE'S SHOP A dark and stormy night in London outside Magpie's Electrical shop. Lightning flashes across the sky. INT. MAGPIE'S SHOP Inside, Magpie sits and leans sullenly on the counter, balancing his accounts. In the background, a television is on. ANNOUNCER / THE WIRE: Orchestrations were arranged by Sir Rodney Fenning, and Dame Eve English is a member of the Kings Lynn Players. So tune in again next week for more from the: What's My Line team. We see the black and white television face of the Announcer/the Wire- 30's/40's and sincere. ANNOUNCER / THE WIRE (CONT'D): And that brings us to the end of programming for today. So, from all of us here at Alexandra Palace, a very good night. As her face blinks from the screen, Magpie sits up and sighs. MAGPIE: Two hundred pounds overdrawn. We hear "God Save the Queen" in the background as Magpie tears a page from his ledger and screws it up. MAGPIE (CONT'D): I need a miracle. He throws the paper into a bin before leaning back on the counter and burying his head in his hands. EXT. ROAD In through a window, we hear laughter from a radio in a home. INT. CONNELLY'S HOUSE, LIVING ROOM Gran laughs as Tommy sits on the sofa reading "The Radio Enthusiast". Rita Connelly is sewing by the window. RITA (laughs at the radio): He's a caution, that one! He does make me laugh. Internal door opens, and Eddie Connelly walks in in a suit and tie, war medals on his chest. GRAN: Oh, our lord and master. EDDIE (straightening his tie): Rita, I'm off out. TOMMY (turning to Eddie): Dad. He lifts up the 'Radio Enthus
SUMMARY:
The Doctor and Rose land in Muswell Hill , London in 1953 on the day before Queen Elizabeth II 's coronation . The Doctor befriends teenager Tommy Connolly, whose grandmother is hidden because she lacks any facial features and has no brain activity, a phenomenon that is common with those who have purchased television sets sold cheap for the coronation from Magpie Electricals, owned by Mr Magpie . Rose, investigating the shop, finds that Mr Magpie is under the influence of an entity known as " the Wire ", a refugee who has converted herself to an electrical form and is using the televisions and hopefully the upcoming coronation to consume enough minds to rebuild its body; she takes Rose's face as well. In discovery of this the Doctor is outraged and foils the Wire's plan with a device he creates, and those whose minds and faces were consumed are returned and London can safely watch the coronation.