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Recap / Big Finish Doctor Who CCS 5 E 3 Find And Replace

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Jo Grant, now in her 60's and still Happily Married to Dr. Cliff Jones, gets interrupted during a Christmas shopping trip by Huxley, a leech-like Narrator from the planet Verbatim Six. Huxley insists (while enthusiastically narrating) that none of Jo's adventures with the Third Doctor happened. Instead, Jo allegedly travelled with Iris Wildthyme, working not for UNIT, but for something called "MIAOW" (the Ministry for Incursions And Other Wonders).

Jo starts to doubt her own memory, so Huxley takes her to Iris's TARDIS to sort the whole thing out over a nice cup of tea. Since Huxley won't believe of word of Jo's tales, Iris agrees to vworp everyone back in time over to UNIT base to see just what's going on. They're immediately arrested by Benton and (since the Brigadier is stuck in Geneva) put into a holding cell. Jo is delighted to be back at the UNIT of the 70's, and although she tries to hide her identity from Benton (with a big scarf wrapped around her nose and mouth), she eventually just throws off her disguise to give Benton a great big hug.

The whole gang goes to see the Third Doctor, working in his lab on his newest Master-detecting gadget. His reunion with Jo... As it turns out, he had hypnotised Iris (by reluctantly taking her out on a date) to become his substitute in Jo's history and to fool Huxley into writing a comprehensive history of Earth in which the Doctor and UNIT never existed. This way, he hoped to protect Jo from his enemies from the rest of her life. This earns him a grand What the Hell, Hero? from Jo, who explains to him that no matter what happens, her memories of the time she spent with Three are more precious to her than anything. Their reunion is brief, however, because young teenaged Jo is about to enter UNIT base, so Jo and Iris hastily make their way back to Iris's TARDIS. Huxley is left behind, without a job, until the Doctor (who's just finishing up his Master detector) suggests another very fascinating Time Lord who might be interested in having a narrating mind leech following him about.

As Jo leaves, the Doctor promises that someday, when his TARDIS becomes operational again, he'll come visit her.

Tropes

  • Bizarre Alien Biology: Huxley has five legs and reptilian skin.
  • Call-Back: The reality that Huxley is trying to Ret-Gone Jo's history into actually corresponds to some of Iris's blatant lies in "Excelis Dawns".
  • Character Narrator: Huxley, the novelizer from planet Verbatin Six. He spend most of the time narrating the events in real time including Iris tranquilizing him and Doctor's annoyance with his constant narrating.
    Huxley: [the Doctor] glared at Huxley and told him (as the Doctor) That's enough now, old chap. You can stop interfering now. The ladies have heard enough from you, no really you can stop talking now!
  • Identical Stranger: Iris (of course) looks the same as an older Jo in all Big Finish promotional material, but this is never mentioned by anyone. Played for Rule of Funny when Jo hides her face with a scarf to prevent being recognised, but no one comments on Iris, who is her exact double.
  • Ret-Gone
  • Running Gag: The Brigadier being stuck in Geneva.
  • Written-In Absence: Panda is out on some errand.

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