The Emporium is a little quieter this week. The wine bottle remains firmly corked, which is probably for the best. One of our number appears to have enjoyed rather too much celebration the previous evening, though, in fairness, they had an excellent reason.
Naturally, this leads to an unexpected discussion about the theme tune to Give Us A Clue, before a tale emerges involving a member of the team, a television gameshow, and the Granada Men & Motors channel. It is, by any reasonable measure, the least suitable programme imaginable for the unfortunate participant involved.
Eventually, and with some effort, the conversation finds its way back to Doctor Who.
After greeting our ever-expanding audience around the world, the first box of the evening is opened.
The Post Box contains a question from regular contributor Gary Gillatt, whose correspondence is rapidly becoming part of the Emporium's fixtures and fittings. His question is a deceptively simple one: what makes a great cliffhanger? From the unforgettable to the ridiculous, the trio explore the art of leaving an audience desperate for next week's instalment. Along the way, Mike reaches deep into the vaults of memory in search of a particularly effective example from a story that no longer entirely exists.
The Travel Trunk takes us to Manchester, where Rymill & Son recently attended screenings of the recovered episodes of The Daleks' Master Plan. Gavin finds himself in conversation with the daughter of a genuine Doctor Who legend, while discussion turns to the men behind the Daleks themselves. Which famous operator became so indispensable that others found opportunities disappearing? How different were the Dalek props from one another? And is it possible that the creatures' long history of extermination once extended to one of our team via a suspiciously timed bout of Covid?
The Memory Box transports us to a time before online shopping, same-day delivery and digital convenience. Back to catalogues, postal orders and eagerly awaited parcels arriving through the letterbox. \"John Fitton Books and Magazines\" remains a phrase capable of triggering instant nostalgia among Doctor Who fans of a certain vintage. Was there something magical about waiting weeks for an item to arrive? Something that modern fandom has perhaps lost? The discussion also takes an unexpected diversion through a famous Liverpool comic shop and into an unlikely obsession with a television soap opera.
Finally, The Tool Box opens to reveal a single note bearing the words: \"Saying yes to Gary.\" The consequences of this decision soon become apparent. Could Gary Gillatt be quietly evolving into the Emporium's unofficial fourth member? Why is Mike suddenly facing a mountain of work? And thanks to Margaret Rymill's diary entries from the early 1990s, we gain a fascinating glimpse into the earliest days of Father Rymill's prop-building adventures. Some long-forgotten projects, ambitious schemes and curious creations emerge from the pages.
And so another evening passes in the Emporium, where one question invariably leads to three more, where memories remain wonderfully unreliable, and where even the simplest conversation can unexpectedly open a door into the past.
Just don't ask who drank all the wine.
Someone is still denying responsibility.
You can get in touch with us on all sorts of social media.
Gavin's Twitter and Bluesky: @themindrobber
Gavin's Instagram: gav_themindrobber
Paul's Twitter: @paulcarmichaelv / Paul's Bluesky: @paulcarmichaeluk
Music by Graeme Allan
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