1: Door
Spoiler Alert:
The storyline given bellow and those on the other pages for this Guide cover the story for the entire eps. If you do not wish to to know what happens in the eps do NOT read the story section.
| Names given in Italics were credited on the opening titles | |
| Gary Bakewell | Richard Mayhew |
| Laura Fisher | Door |
| Hywel Bennett | Mr. Croup |
| Clive Russell | Mr. Vandemar |
| Paterson Joseph | Marquis de Carabas |
| Trevor Peacock | Old Bailey |
| Elizabeth Marmuir | Jessica |
| Richard Leaf | Iliaster |
| Sean O'Callaghan | Lord Rat-Speaker |
| George Jackos | Landlord |
| Written by | Neil Gaiman |
| Series Devised by | Neil Gaiman, Lenny Henry |
| Produced by | Clive Brill |
| Director | Dewi Humphreys |
| Casting Directors | Alison Chard & Audrey Helps |
| Production Co-ordinator | Simon Fraser |
| 1st Assistant Director | Stephen Wolfenden |
| Script Supervisor | Nichol Hoye |
| Location Manager | Dee Gregson |
| Production Accountant | Sarah Trowse |
| Title Graphics | Dave McKean |
| Set Dresser | Amanda Ackland-Snow |
| Make-up Design | Sheelagh Wells |
| Sound | Mark Holding |
| Post Production Facilities | Molinare |
| Costume Design | Pam Downe |
| Production Designer | James Dillon |
| Music by | Brian Eno |
| Line Producer | Jonathan Finn |
| Editor | Bryan Oates |
| Director of Photography | Steve Saunderson |
| Executive Producers for the BBC | John Whiston, Chris Parr |
| Executive Producer for Crucial | Polly McDonald |
| A Crucial Films Production for BBC | |
| © BBC North MCMXCVI | |
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12 September 1996 |
| A strange young girl called Door is being pursued by the villainous Croup and Vandemar around a strange world of tunnels. The two men corner Door but she manages to escape by opening a doorway in the solid wall behind her. She falls onto a street in London at the feet of Richard Mayhew. Despite the protests of his girlfriend Richard helps Door when she asks him to take her to a place of safety. Richard takes her back to his flat and tends her wounds. Next morning Door awakes to find to her horror that she is in "London Above" and not "London Bellow". Meanwhile Croup and Vandemar come to Richard's flat claiming to be Door's brothers. Despite Richard's protests they search the flat but can find nothing. After they leave, convinced that Door is in the flat, Door reappears as if from nowhere. She realises she needs help and to Richard's astonishment she sends a message via pigeon. He is even more surprised when a rat brings Door the reply. Door sends Richard to fetch the Marquis de Carabas using the directions in the note. The Marquis agrees to help when he hears that Door is willing to pay him with "a big favour". On their way back to the flat, the Marquis stops off at a strange man called Old Bailey who is living on a roof top. The Marquis has decided to call in a long-standing favour Old Bailey has owed him. He asks Old Bailey to keep a strange silver box for him. Despite his horror at seeing the box Old Bailey agrees to keep it for the Marquis. Richard and the Marquis go back to his flat. Door thanks Richard for his help and leaves with the Marquis. Richard decides to go back to his normal life. However, for some reason everyone is ignoring him. His desk at work has been cleared out. Richard goes to see his girlfriend, Jessica, but she fails to recognise him. He goes back to his flat to find the landlord organising to clear out the flat and move someone else in. His mobile phone rings. It is Croup. Croup says that that Door days are numbered. He threatens Richard with a promise that he and Vandemar will come and get him. Richard packs a bag and leaves to search for Door and the Marquis at something called "The Floating Market" that the Marquis had mentioned. He meets a tramp who can see Richard. Richard follows him into an underground chamber full of people. Richard is brought in front of the Lord Rat-Speaker. The tramp, Iliaster says that he brought Richard to the Lord Rat-Speaker because he is an up-worlder asking about The Floating Market and Door. Iliaster says he thought the Lord Rat-Speaker would know what to do with Richard. The Lord Rat-Speaker says he does know what to do with Richard. He grabs Richard savagely and thrusts a knife to the hapless man's throat... |
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Episode Guide Compiled by Richard Spurr
Posted: 6 October 1999 |
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