Henry Gordon Jago is introducing an audience to the various acts starring in the show he is presenting. Including Charlie Perkins & Lord Algae, Guinevere Godiva and Dachshund Delight. But before all that, he introduces the first act: Tumbling Took and the Tumbling Turks. All the while, the producer Aubrey oversees the rehearsal. He asks for a retake, but reassures the flustered Jago, who is still unfamiliar with the concept of television, that he is a natural. He asks for quiet and requests the cue for the title music…
A detective called Dave Sacker is investigating a case at the Kaleidoscope Theatre. At the aforementioned theatre, the host Timothy Vee (off of the TV) is introducing an exhibition of Delilah Samson’s art – who unfortunately is unable to attend. Once the ceremony is over, Vee greets Sacker. Vee immediately deduces that Sacker is investigating Samson’s disappearance and states that she left strict instructions that the ceremony should continue with or without her. Sacker finds this strange, it seems as if she knew she may disappear. Vee dismisses the disappearance as a publicity stunt, and if it is, it certainly worked. Sacker notices two gentlemen in very out of date clothes and asks Vee who they are, to which he has no idea. Before leaving, Vee offers to give free tickets to Sacker to see a recording of his TV Show. Sacker decides to question the two gentlemen when strange music begins to play, and everything in Sacker’s field of view begins to feel vivid and colourful. Everyone around him looked more attractive and were in a blissful state of euphoria, and in the centre of it all was Timothy Vee. Vee’s words echo in Sacker’s head: Good evening and welcome! It’s Timothy Vee off of the TV! Have you seen my little show? So glad you could make it, super! And aren’t the sculptures marvellous? Sacker becomes unsteady on his feet, but he notices something next to Vee. A sculpture of an Indian god with a jewelled third eye in the middle of its forehead, pulsing with light. A disorientated Sacker stumbles out of the theatre and into the night…
The next day, Sacker visits what was formerly the Red Tavern, Higgies, where he is questioned by a familiar woman, Ellie Higson, on what he is writing about. During their conversation, Ellie reveals herself to be the owner of the establishment, which bemuses Sacker as she looks quite young. Sacker notices the two gentlemen from the theatre, the ones who look as if they’ve walked out of a Dickens novel. Ellie feigns ignorance on their identities and quickly resumes her work. He watches as she speaks to the two men, the two men quickly leave as soon as they arrive. Now curious, Sacker follows the two men and sees them enter a cab. He manages to hail another cab following behind it and demands the cabbie to follow the aforementioned cab the two gentlemen entered. The gentlemen’s cab eventually stops outside a vintage bookshop and its occupants leave. With a place to investigate, Sacker resolves to return the next morning…
The next day, Sacker returns to the bookshop. The owner takes one look at Sacker and is taken aback in surprise, as if the detective looked familiar. But quickly regains his composure and asks how he can help. Sacker haphazardly asks if the shop stocks any Sherlock Holmes books. The owner manages to find a second edition of ‘A Study in Scarlet’. Sacker requests he put it to one side and he’ll collect it later. The owner hands him a business card to contact him. Sacker scans the card and discovers the name of the shopkeeper, a name that shocks him…Professor George Litefoot. Sacker asks what profession Litefoot has a doctorate in. Litefoot responds he is a professor of medicine and pathology. Litefoot asks for the detective’s name so he can make a note of who to give the book to. Sacker responds with his full name. Litefoot’s initial suspicion is confirmed. David Sacker is a descendant of his former colleague – Ormond Sacker. Sacker promises to call back later and leaves the shop.
Deep in thought, Sacker feels there was something strange about the shopkeeper. He returns to Scotland Yard and performs a background check on Litefoot. He discovers that no one by the name of George Litefoot is registered as living at the bookshop. He decides to return to the bookshop to continue his investigation. But first decides to recline by taking up Vee’s offer to see a recording of his show.
The title music for The Timothy Vee Show sounds the start of the recording. Vee walks out onto the stage and greets the audience. He lists off the guests for his show for the evening, but first introduces the presenter of a new hit TV show called ‘Those Were the Days’ – Henry Gordon Jago. The audience claps and cheers as a gentleman in very out of fashion clothes walks onto the stage and seats himself on the sofa. Vee asks if this is the first time Jago has appeared on TV, as ‘Those Were the Days’ hasn’t had its premiere yet. Jago, still not used to the idea of TV, asks if he is actually on TV being watched by the public at this very moment. Vee confirms that the show is live, so Jago takes the opportunity to wave to the cameras and greet the audience watching, much to the amusement of the audience and Vee. Vee asks what to expect from ‘Those Were the Days’. Jago elaborates that it will consist of various acts. From singers, dancers and artists from across the world, with Jago himself acting as a host as it was back in the old Regency Theatre. Vee continues by questioning Jago’s sense of fashion and mannerisms, believing it all to be an act. Jago, mildly insulted, defends himself by stating it is not. Vee quickly redirects Jago by asking him when the audience can expect to see ‘Those Were the Days’ air on TV. Jago informs the audience it is broadcast on Wednesday evenings at 9pm. With that said, Mr. Vee concludes his interview with Jago.
Sacker visits Jago in his dressing room. Upon entering, Jago explicitly calls Sacker Dr Sacker. Confused, Sacker confirms his identity to be David Sacker. Jago laughs and states that Sacker is his spitting image. Sacker more confused than ever, asks Jago who he is being compared to. Jago confirms that he knew an Ormond Sacker a very long time ago. Sacker confirms that he had a grandfather called Ormond. Sacker finds it strange considering that Ormond Sacker died 80 years ago, longer than Jago’s lifespan, so how would he know him? Jago quickly backtracks his statement and agrees that it couldn’t possibly be the same man. Before the two men could continue their conversation, Vee enters the room and confirms Sacker’s identity to Jago as a detective. He is on the case of the disappearance of Delilah Samson. He asks how the investigation is going, to which Sacker offhandedly dismisses as ongoing. Sacker questions Jago on his appearance at the Kaleidoscope Theatre. Jago confirms his appearance. Sacker continues by asking if he or his friend noticed anything strange at the theatre. Jago jokingly confirms this by stating he had no clue about what the sculptures were representing. Sacker specifies his question by asking if he felt any strange sensations, such as vivid colours or strange music. Jago and Vee deny experiencing any sensations. At a dead end, Sacker concludes his questions and bids the two men a good evening. Stepping out of the dressing room, Sacker ponders the names of the two strange gentlemen in Victorian garb. Henry Gordon Jago and Professor George Litefoot. He believes its impossible, but his tone tells him otherwise…
Sacker reads through a diary kept by his grandfather Ormond. The diary details most of the cases and investigations his grandfather was caught up in, including those that involved supernatural occurrences. The one recurring element in each supernatural case was the mention of two certain names: Henry Gordon Jago and Professor George Litefoot. How can these two men be involved with his grandfather 80 years ago and still be alive today?
Determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, Sacker returns to Litefoot’s bookshop and sees Litefoot leaving the shop. He discreetly follows the Professor until he enters Higgie’s restaurant. He sneaks around the side of the restaurant and sneaks through the side entrance. He hears the voices of Litefoot and Ellie chatting in the back room. He hears a knock and hears the voice of Jago entering and greeting his two friends. After a general chitchat, Litefoot requests a bottle of red wine and requests that she brings four glasses – one for each person present…and one for Sacker. With his cover blown, Sacker emerges from the darkness. Litefoot knew he was being followed from the very beginning. In fact, the trio had been expecting him! They were wondering how long it would take for the detective to figure everything out, particularly when Jago mentioned his grandfather’s name. They apologise for their discretion, but as infernal investigators, they can’t be too careful with who they can and cannot trust. Sacker at first is disbelieving and accuses both men of madness. He believed that the stories in his grandfather’s diary were stories of grandeur and delusion. The two Victorian gentlemen assure him what happened in his diary were the truth. Sacker, still trying to make sense of everything, believes the two men to be fans of the original gentlemen and have taken their names in tribute. But the two men assure him the Henry Gordon Jago and George Litefoot in his diary are the real deal standing before him. Sacker is still disbelieving as the two men would have to be over 100 years old for this to be true! Jago explains that they were sent into the future after travelling through time with The Doctor but doesn’t wish to go into detail as there is a lot to digest. Sacker however is all ears and requests they tell him an abridged version.
Litefoot starts by explaining how The Doctor possesses a machine called the TARDIS, which can travel through time and space. After helping The Doctor save the world in Victorian England from Kempston and Hardwick, he offered to let them travel with him as his companions. Jago attempts to elaborate on their adventures with The Doctor, but Litefoot cuts him off to keep the story short. After their adventures, the duo requested The Doctor to return them to 1893. After being dropped off by The Doctor in what they presumed to be The Red Tavern. They were shocked to discover he had dropped them off in the wrong time period – 1968! Immediately after that shocking revelation, a familiar woman enters the bar and holds the two men at gunpoint, believing them to be intruders. The two gentlemen recognise her voice as Ellie Higson. She demands they come into the light, so she can see them. Upon seeing their faces, she looks on in shock as she recognises her two old friends and pub patrons. The two men explain how they were transported to the future by The Doctor. Jago and Litefoot are just as shocked as she is, in fact Ellie hasn’t aged a day much like Jago and Litefoot despite the fact she should be over 90! But thanks to the villainous vampire Sanders, she is practically immortal and unable to age or die, despite the fact that Litefoot assumed he had cured her of her vampirism. While Jago remarks that having such an ability is quite the blessing, Ellie doesn’t see it that way. Everyone she knows, and loves grows old and dies while she continues without them. But as time went on, she kept herself busy by running her own restaurant and pub chains. She eventually worked her way up to the position of Landlady of the Red Tavern and turned it into a restaurant.
Sacker soon begins to wrap his head around the story. Jago and Litefoot travelled through time to the future, while Ellie had to go the long way around thanks to her immortality. She was also kind enough to secure employment for each of them. But now the infernal investigators are trapped in the future and can’t return to the past…or so they think…as Litefoot came to an epiphany not long after they arrived…
Not long after arriving, Jago and Litefoot are sitting in Ellie’s restaurant. Jago is drowning his sorrows in alcohol as they now have no way of returning home. But Litefoot is rather optimistic, as he has marvelled at all the technology and progress humanity has made since their time – such as cinemas, the decrease in poverty, the NHS, women’s suffrage, comprehensive education made readily available for every child, heart transplants, aviation and even talks of the great space race! Jago starts to come around to the benefits of the future but asks what else could be of offer. Litefoot slyly mentions miniskirts, to which Jago readily agrees. But they quickly reflect on the prospect of actually returning to their time. Litefoot comes up with the idea of looking themselves up in the historical records to see if there is any mention of themselves in the past. Ellie quickly shoots down the idea, stating it’s not a good idea to see what their own personal futures may hold for them, lest they do things differently with the knowledge they may gain. She does however assure them that they will eventually return to their time. She was in fact given strict instructions from Litefoot in the future to not tell his younger self how they achieve such a feat. Despite the fact that the two men can’t make head or tail of Ellie’s revelation – Jago and Litefoot feel greatly reassured that they’ll return to the 19th Century at some point in their future.
Sacker begins to humour the notion about the possibility of time travel, but decides to question the two men on a more rational quarry – what were they doing at the opening ceremony the other night? Litefoot reveals that they too were investigating the disappearance of Delilah Samson, just like Sacker. Sacker decides to pool his resources and ask what they’ve managed to find out. Litefoot confesses that they initially suspected Sacker of orchestrating the crime, until he mentioned the mesmeric trip he experienced upon looking at the statue. The two men reveal they too felt the strange effects of the statue, hence how they ruled out Sacker as a suspect. But they do have one other suspect…Timothy Vee. The phone rings and Ellie answers, and hands the phone to Sacker stating it’s a call for him. Sacker is suspicious, who else knows he’s here? The caller is Timothy Vee (off of the TV) and he is talking in a quick, panicked voice. Sacker tries to calm him down, but Vee hurriedly tells him to come to the TV studio and that he must stop them. Before he can elaborate further, the line gets cut off. Sacker decides to investigate the TV studio to see what the problem is. Jago and Litefoot offer to come with him, but Sacker is reluctant as Vee is a prime suspect and for all they know, this can be an elaborate trap. But the Infernal Investigators and Ellie refuse to back down. Sacker accepts their help and the group head off to the TV studio.
The group arrives at the TV studio only to find it completely deserted. They enter the studio where Vee’s show is recorded. Inside, they find the same statute as the one from Delilah Samson’s exhibition. Ellie notices that the jewel inside its head is glowing. Moments later, the three men begin to see vivid lights and colours, as well as images of young women dancing on the studio stage. Ellie doesn’t see anything and tries to tell the men none of what they’re seeing is real, but they are unfortunately lost in their trance. Ellie finally loses patience and slaps each of the men across the face to snap them out of their stupor. The attack seems to work, and the investigators come to their senses. They now know that the statue is behind the hallucinations. The studio lights are suddenly shut off, the group huddle together till their eyes adjust to the darkness. They hear the sounds of shuffling, they’re not alone in the studio. Moments later, the lights come back on and the sinister statue has disappeared…
The group investigates Timothy Vee’s dressing room. They don’t find him here, nor any sign of a struggle. Jago suspects that Vee in fact lured them to the TV studio with his panicked phone call. But Litefoot isn’t so sure, as it feels too obvious. Ellie suspects that someone is using Vee as bait in order to trap them. Sacker suggests they search the room for clues. Jago discovers Vee’s appointment diary, and under the current date is a meeting at ‘Mandrake House’ with the initials V.V.P.S.
The group travels to Mandrake House. On the way, Sacker explains the initials stand for ‘Victorian Values Preservation Society’. He explains they are a group that wishes to reinstate Victorian values and that they actively protest anything that seems remotely anarchic or harmful to modern society. They arrive at Mandrake House, a large mansion. The house is surprisingly lively for 2am. Ellie believes it to be a fancy-dress party, as she can see all of the guests are dressed as if they were in the Victorian era. Sacker suggests that Jago and Litefoot infiltrate the party seeing as they are already dressed in their Victorian garb, while he and Ellie proceed through the rear entrance. The two infernal investigators approach the door expecting to have to bluff their way inside. The doorman surprisingly addresses them by their names and claims that the party has been expecting them and invites them inside…
Sacker breaks a back window of the mansion to gain entry with Ellie. He deduces that they’re inside a storeroom. Unfortunately, Vee emerges from the shadows and pulls a gun on the two. He confidently states they’ve walked into a trap…
Meanwhile, Jago is gleefully taking advantage of the free champagne, much to Litefoot’s chagrin. Jago defends his actions by claiming to blend in. The host, Colonel Mandrake, addresses his guests. He speaks of how the country is wallowing in indecency, disrespect for authority, sexual promiscuity and delinquency. The country has lost its empire and the respect of the world. He proudly states its time to return to much simpler times with Tudor houses, little shops, and the village green! He ends his speech with ‘God Bless the Victorian Values Preservation Society!’
Vee explains to Sacker and Ellie that the VVPS wants to revert England back to a more moral age of decency. Sacker can see why the old fuddy duddies in the party would want to go back to the previous era, but what’s in it for Vee? Vee admits he thought the society was a joke at first, but the leader Colonel Mandrake coerced him to his side by showing him the ugly truth of modern society, and under his guidance, he can bring it back to a more sophisticated time.
Litefoot isn’t impressed by Mandrake’s speech, who obviously has no idea of what life was like in Victorian England like he does. But Jago thinks he has a point. This doesn’t go unheard by the Colonel, who addresses him by name. Mandrake introduces himself to the Infernal Investigators and asks for the opinions of the two men who he addresses as living authorities of Victorian life. Sinisterly enough, Mandrake has done his homework on the two men. He is aware that Jago is an up and coming TV presenter, and Litefoot is the proprietor of an antique bookshop. Litefoot challenges Mandrake’s romanticised vision of Victorian life – such as the city constantly being under a cloud of fog and mismanaged child labour. Mandrake however believes that besides those examples, life was still better than it is now. Litefoot further exemplifies the worst of Victorian life by stating that crime was worse, and disease was rife everywhere. Now angry, Litefoot condemns the VVPS as a façade and everything Mandrake believes is bad for society now was worse in the Victorian era. Seeing that he can’t persuade Litefoot, Mandrake calmly turns to Jago and asks for his opinion. While Jago does see the wonders of the future to come, he stands with Litefoot on his opinion. Mandrake is disappointed that they don’t share his vision, but while he can’t turn back the clock, he can influence the minds of the nation. He cryptically states that by the end of the day, England will come to appreciate the view of the VVPS. He summons two porters to give Jago and Litefoot ‘a guided tour’ of the mansion. The two porters aggressively take the Infernal Investigators away, with Jago protesting that this is ‘un-Victorian behaviour’…
The porters shove Jago and Litefoot into the basement, where they find Sacker and Ellie. Ellie venomously states that Vee was working for the VVPS all along. Jago demands to know what the VVPS’s plan is. After all, Mandrake is obviously going to kill them, so it won’t do any harm. Mandrake starts by telling the group how his father was a governor in British occupied India. He filled Mandrake’s head with stories of British supremacy. Once India earned its independence, they returned to England to find it changed from what they remembered. Its doors open to immigrants, socialism and its moral compass greatly disjointed. But he did return from India with a souvenir of sorts – Mandrake reveals the sinister statue with the jewelled eye. He explains how it has the power to influence the minds of people as well as show the myths of society. The visions that Jago, Litefoot and Sacker felt at the TV studio were how the world will remember the 1960s in the future – psychedelic music and sexy women. Jago realises that Mandrake was attempting to brainwash the group. Mandrake further explains that the statue has the abilities to manipulate the minds of those who are receptive to its suggestions, but those who are not receptive die painfully instead. Litefoot deduces that this was what happened to the missing Delilah Samson – she was not influenced by the statue, so she died. Mandrake laments that he had hoped to recruit her to his cause but doesn’t feel any sign of remorse for her death, nonetheless. He states that he added the jewelled statue to her exhibition, this was where he met and influenced Timothy Vee (who seems rather pleased to be working for Mandrake). Mandrake’s masterplan now dawns on Litefoot – with a TV personality like Vee on his side, he can broadcast the statue and its influencing power on TV via The Timothy Vee Show! Mandrake states that the nation needs to know the truth of this era – he states that the America and Vietnam are in a pointless war. It’s up in arms over the assassination of black civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. To sum it up, this isn’t an age of pop music and sexual liberation! It’s an age of revolution! Mandrake activates the statue and rather than hearing strange, psychedelic music and seeing sexy women dancing. Gunfire, explosions, fiery infernos, soldiers dying in a jungle and the horrific massacring of civilians flood their senses – Mandrake is showing them visions of the Vietnam War, and they can do nothing but watch the horror unfold around them…until they faint from shock. Vee confirms that they are all dead. Mandrake is pleased and plans to dispose of their corpses later…But first history is to be made…
Jago awakens and after a brief moment of disillusion, manages to regain his composure. He shakes Litefoot awake. Both men are surprised to find that they are still alive. Jago then feels a burning sensation in his jacket pocket. The crystal he procured from Venus is burning hot. Litefoot deduces that the crystal must have negated the ill effects of the statue! It must have the power to counteract the statue’s jewel! Sacker comes around with a painful headache. Ellie awakens too, but is traumatised by the visions she witnessed. Sacker assumes that while they’ve been out, Mandrake has been making his moves. He looks at his watch to see that it is eight o’clock…at night…they’ve been unconscious all day! And the Timothy Vee Show broadcasts live in one hour! With no time to lose, the group get up and make haste for the TV studio.
Mandrake and Vee go over their grand plan. Vee will introduce the guests for the evening. Then he will invite Mandrake onto the stage with his statue activated, which will broadcast its hypnotic spell across the nation…
The Infernal Investigators, Ellie and Sacker arrive at the studio just as the Timothy Vee Show theme music starts. Ellie laments that they’re too late, but Litefoot assures her its only just started and they still have time to stop Mandrake and Vee. Litefoot explains he and Ellie will try to stop the broadcast from the control room, while Jago and Sacker will enter the studio and take down Mandrake and Vee.As Mandrake believes them to be dead from the Vietnam visions, he should be taken by surprise.
Vee opens the show by stating he’ll be interviewing footballer George Best. There’ll be music by the Walker Brothers. But before all that, he introduces the audience to Colonel Mandrake of the VVPS. Unsurprisingly, Mandrake receives a lukewarm reception from the audience. Vee invites Mandrake to share with the audience what he has to show. Mandrake unveils the statue, much to the laughter of the audience. Vee instructs a cameraman to zoom the camera on the statue’s jewelled eye. With the plan in motion, Mandrake activates the statue and invites the audience to watch and learn…
Aubrey the producer is disgusted by the statue, but nonetheless orders the cameraman to continue filming. At this moment, Litefoot and Ellie burst into the room and order him to stop the broadcast. Litefoot explains that Mandrake is trying to hypnotise the country. Aubrey looks at the screen and sees the statue’s jewel glowing and pulsating.
Jago and Sacker enter the studio and see the audience completely under the spell of Mandrake, who is spouting his drivel about how the Victorian age was much more pleasant. Unfortunately for Sacker, he’s beginning to feel the effects of the statue…
Litefoot, Ellie and Aubrey desperately try to stop the broadcast. But the cameras and signals keep broadcasting, even with the power completely cut off. They must be receiving power from something else! Ellie realises that the statue must be feeding energy to the electronics!
With Sacker completely brainwashed, Jago realises its up to him to take down Mandrake and Vee. Vee doesn’t seem surprised by the fact that Jago is still alive, and promises that he will still die, if not by his hand, but by another. Vee addresses his audience and introduces them to Jago. He tells them that he is an enemy of the VVPC and must die. The audience turn feral and begin to menacingly approach Jago…
Litefoot, Ellie and Aubrey watch in horror as the studio audience invade the stage and try to attack Jago. Aubrey however is more concerned that he’ll lose his job. Eventually, the statue takes hold of his mind and he begins to mumble to himself. Litefoot now knows that he and Ellie aren’t safe. It’s up to Jago to save the world…
Vee continually goads the audience to kill Jago. But Jago keeps his cool and openly denounces Victorian values. He approaches Mandrake and his hypnotic statue. Mandrake, now scared, orders Jago to keep away. Jago grabs hold of the statue and despite Mandrake and Vee’s protests, throws the statue to the ground where it shatters to pieces. Mandrake and Vee scream in horror as the statue lays before them in bits…
Litefoot proudly proclaims that Jago has saved them. But the audience start to collapse. Aubrey comes to his senses and realises to his horror that he has broadcast a live riot. But Litefoot reassures him that he could have broadcast an execution!
Sacker comes to his senses, while Jago congratulates himself for saving the world. Vee comes to and wonders where he is. Jago asks him what he remembers. Vee recalls visiting the Kaleidoscope theatre and seeing Colonel Mandrake with the strange statue. With the mention of the Colonel, Sacker promptly arrests the villain, who is just as clueless as to why he’s being arrested. In fact, he’s so clueless that he doesn’t even realise that he’s back in England and not India! All he can recall was that he was looking at the strange statue. Jago realises the truth, Mandrake was under the statue’s influence! They are both innocent! With that said, Jago quickly remembers that the broadcast is live, so he takes the opportunity to promote his show ‘Those Were the Days.’
The night of ‘Those Were the Days’ premiere dawns. Jago has employed Aubrey as his show’s director after he was unceremoniously fired for broadcasting a riot. With his reputation in tatters, Timothy Vee has vanished from the airwaves and is now opening a boutique. Colonel Mandrake has disappeared from the public eye, as well as the remains of the VVPS and its funds. Jago admits that he is rather nervous, but nonetheless promises to put on a good show. Litefoot jokingly states there’s no pressure, as Ellie and Sacker are also in the audience. He also reveals that the crystal that protected him from the jewelled statue also aids his memories. Litefoot bids good luck to his friend before returning to the audience. Jago becomes annoyed as it is bad luck to wish such a thing on a performer. As he prepares to meet his public, a knock on the dressing room door sounds. He calls out for the person to enter. A young woman enters and introduces herself as Guinevere Godiva. Jago recognises her as one of his show’s special guests. Jago apologises as he is in rather a hurry to make his debut. Guinevere asks if he is available to meet with her for a drink. She mentions that she is an aficionado of the theatre and wishes to hear first-hand about the theatre life of yesteryear. Jago, impressed by her equally impressive vocabulary, agrees. Satisfied, Godiva leaves for her dressing room. Jago recomposes himself after meeting an attractive young woman. Another knock sounds, this time the stage hand informs Jago that they ready for him in the studio. With a cheerful confirmation, Jago leaves the dressing room to present the first edition of ‘Those Were the Days’. To the sound of his show’s theme song, Jago proudly presents ‘Those Were the Days’.
