doctor-who-8-episode-7-kill-the-moon-shooting-script-030514

Oct 17, 2026

Upload by Adam

Shooting script for Doctor Who series 8 episode 7, “Return To Sarn,” created by Peter Harness, dated 03/05/2014. The opening sequences establish an urgent countdown aboard the International Moonbase as Clara and Courtney face a critical choice with limited time. The story transitions through Coal Hill School, revealing past events involving Courtney, the Doctor’s confrontation, and courtroom-like tension. The script then moves into the TARDIS and a decrepit shuttle environment packed with nuclear bombs while the crew braces for imminent danger.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages60

Reading Time1 h 32 min

AccessFree to download

EXT . LUNAR ORBIT-DAY

INT . INTERNATIONAL MOONBASE-DAY

INT . COAL HILL SCHOOL . CORRIDOR-DAY

INT . COAL HILL . STORE CUPBOARD-DAY (FLASHBACK)

INT . THE TARDIS-CONTINUOUS-DAY

INT . SPACE SHUTTLE-STORAGE BAY-DAY

DOCTOR WHO SERIES 8 EPISODE 7 "Return To Sarn " by PETER HARNESS SHOOTING SCRIPT 03/05/2014 (SHOOTING BLOCK 4) (c) BBC Wales 2014 DW8: 'Return To Sarn' by Peter Harness-Shooting Script-03/05/14 1 EXT . LUNAR ORBIT-DAY 1 The Moon, half in sunlight, half in shadow, hanging in space . CAPTION: The Moon, 2049 . * Travel down on to the surface , faster and faster, past crags, mountains, dark shapes: CUT TO: 2 INT . INTERNATIONAL MOONBASE-DAY 2 Tight on CLARA-she looks up at us . She’s wearing a spacesuit (without a helmet) . She’s scared . CLARA Hello, Earth . She is sitting at a control panel in a dusty, cobwebbed Moonbase . Two space-suited bodies are propped up against a wall . CLARA (CONT’D) We have a terrible decision to make . It’s an uncertain decision and we don’t have a lot of time . The man . . . who normally helps he’s gone . Maybe he’s not coming back . In fact, I really don’t think he is . We’re on our own . She looks up at COURTNEY, who stands there, afraid . Looking * anxiously at CLARA . CLARA looks at COURTNEY for a long moment, then looks back to the screen . CLARA (CONT’D) So-an innocent life versus the future of all mankind . A tear drops from CLARA’s eye . CLARA (CONT’D) . . .We have forty-five minutes to decide . Tight on a computer display, the countdown timer ticking down: 00:44:58 -57-56 . .. OPENING TITLES * 3 OMITTED 3 * © BBC 2014 PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL 1 . DW8: 'Return To Sarn' by Peter Harness-Shooting Script-03/05/14 4 INT . COAL HILL SCHOOL . CORRIDOR-DAY 4 THE DOCTOR hurries down the corridor with his usual urgency, alongside CLARA, who is trying to get him to listen . CLARA Courtney Woods . She’s just gone crazy-she’s uncontrollable . Doctor-she took your psychic paper . She’s been using it as fake ID . THE DOCTOR To get into museums? * CLARA No, to buy White Lightning or alcopops or whatever THE DOCTOR I’ve no idea what you’re talking about . What is Courtney Woods? CLARA One of my year tens . She was in the TARDIS . THE DOCTOR Doing what?! CLARA Throwing up . THE DOCTOR Oh, her . Oh, that was ages ago . CLARA She says you told her she wasn’t special. THE DOCTOR Rubbish . * CLARA She says that’s what sent her off the rails THE DOCTOR frowns . * CRASH CUT TO: * 4A INT . COAL HILL . STORE CUPBOARD-DAY (FLASHBACK) 4A * Tight on THE DOCTOR, leaning protectively against the TARDIS * door . * (CONTINUED) © BBC 2014 PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL 2 . DW8: 'Return To Sarn' by Peter Harness-Shooting Script-03/05/14 4A CONTINUED: 4A THE DOCTOR * No, Courtney, you may not come in! * Only very special people allowed in * here! * CRASH BACK TO: * 4B INT . COAL HILL . CORRIDOR-DAY THE DOCTOR and CLARA as before . 4B * * THE DOCTOR Pfph! CLARA I know-but you say something like that to someone-it hurts . Specially someone of her age . Specially if you’re you . Doctor it can effect her whole life CUT TO: 5 INT . THE TARDIS-CONTINUOUS-DAY 5 THE DOCTOR and CLARA enter . COURTNEY stands there by the console, standing defensively. She’s nervous, but she’s not going anywhere. THE DOCTOR Oi! CLARA Oi! COURTNEY I got stuff to clean up with! She lifts her arms . She holds some cleaning fluid in two squirty bottles . And on her wrists are two little black bands , which she demonstrates with a flick . COURTNEY (CONT’D) I got these from the chemist . THE DOCTOR Vortex manipulators! COURTNEY Travel sickness . THE DOCTOR Oh . . . Good . Because I don’t like people being sick in my TARDIS . No being sick . And no hanky-panky. (CONTINUED) © BBC 2014 PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL 3 . DW8: 'Return To Sarn' by Peter Harness-Shooting Script-03/05/14 5 CONTINUED: 5 CLARA Doctor- ! THE DOCTOR Sorry, those are the rules . CLARA You’re not going to need those, Courtney . You’re not

FAQs

What setting and timing does the script introduce at the start?

It begins in lunar orbit transitioning to the International Moonbase, with a countdown timer emphasizing that they have forty-five minutes to decide.

Why is Courtney Woods central to the conflict?

Clara says Courtney has gone out of control and that she took the Doctor’s psychic paper, using it to obtain identity access and causing major trouble.

What danger escalates when the story moves into the shuttle sequence?

The crew finds themselves on a decrepit space shuttle descending toward the Moon, surrounded by numerous nuclear bombs, while the shuttle begins to judder and threaten to crash.

Oct 17, 2026

Upload by Adam