Doctor Who
S8E22
· The Daemons Part 2

Jo’s frantic call for Mike’s help

In the claustrophobic, smoke-choked atmosphere of the Cloven Hoof Bar—a place already thick with supernatural tension—Jo’s desperation reaches a breaking point. The Doctor’s near-death state has left her isolated and vulnerable, and the bar’s patrons (including Bert) are either oblivious or complicit in the unfolding chaos. Jo’s voice cracks with urgency as she clutches the phone, her fingers trembling. The call to Mike isn’t just a plea for assistance; it’s a last-ditch effort to break the village’s isolation and drag UNIT—or anyone—into the crisis before the Master’s rituals reach their climax. Her phrasing (‘touch and go’) subtly reveals the Doctor’s precarious condition, while her insistence on Mike’s immediate arrival underscores the immediacy of the threat. The scene hinges on Jo’s emotional unraveling, a rare moment where her usual composure shatters under the weight of the supernatural horror surrounding her. The call’s failure to connect (implied by the abrupt end of the scripted line) foreshadows the Master’s growing control over the village’s communications, trapping Jo—and by extension, the audience—further in the unfolding nightmare.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Jo attempts to contact Mike for help, indicating a precarious situation.

anxiety to urgency

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

2
Jo Grant
Technical Assistant
 primary

Desperate and unraveling—her usual composure shattered by the Doctor’s critical state and the village’s isolation. There’s a quiet panic beneath her urgency, a fear that she’s running out of time and options.

Jo Grant is the emotional core of this event, her body language and voice conveying the full weight of her desperation. She clutches the telephone with trembling hands, her voice cracking as she delivers her plea to Mike. The phrase 'touch and go' is a deliberate understatement, masking the depth of her fear for the Doctor’s life. Her urgency isn’t just about the Doctor’s condition; it’s about the village’s suffocating isolation and the Master’s looming victory. The abrupt end of her dialogue suggests the call is cut off, leaving her stranded in the chaos, her usual resilience replaced by a raw, exposed vulnerability.

Goals in this moment
  • • To secure Mike’s immediate arrival to break the village’s isolation and counter the Master’s rituals
  • • To ensure the Doctor’s survival, even if it means defying the supernatural forces at play
Active beliefs
  • • That the Master’s influence is too strong for her to handle alone, requiring UNIT’s intervention
  • • That the Doctor’s life is the priority, even if it means risking her own safety or the mission’s secrecy
Character traits
Protective (of the Doctor, UNIT, and the mission) Resourceful (attempting to leverage UNIT’s resources despite the odds) Emotionally exposed (uncharacteristic fragility in the face of helplessness)
Follow Jo Grant's journey
Mike Yates
primary

Unseen but inferred as a beacon of hope—Jo’s desperation suggests she believes Mike is the key to salvation, though his absence (and the call’s failure) underscores the growing helplessness of the situation.

Mike Yates is the intended recipient of Jo’s frantic call, though he is physically absent from the scene. His role here is implied through Jo’s desperate plea, which frames him as the critical link to UNIT’s resources and the Brigadier’s authority. The urgency in Jo’s voice suggests she views Mike as her last hope to break the village’s isolation and counter the Master’s influence, though the failed call implies his inability to respond—at least for now.

Goals in this moment
  • • To arrive immediately and provide UNIT’s support to stabilize the crisis
  • • To act as a bridge between Jo’s isolated position and the broader organizational resources of UNIT
Active beliefs
  • • That UNIT’s intervention is the only way to counteract the Master’s supernatural threat
  • • That the Doctor’s survival depends on external help, given the village’s complicity or obliviousness
Character traits
Reliable under pressure (implied by Jo’s trust in him) Symbol of institutional support (UNIT’s reach beyond the village)
Follow Mike Yates's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

1
UNIT HQ Room Telephone

The UNIT HQ Room Telephone serves as both a lifeline and a symbol of Jo’s desperation. In her hands, it becomes a fragile connection to the outside world, a device that should offer salvation but instead fails her in her moment of greatest need. The telephone’s role is twofold: functionally, it’s the means by which Jo attempts to summon help, and narratively, its failure underscores the Master’s growing control over the village’s communications, trapping Jo and the audience in the unfolding horror. The abrupt end of the call suggests the Master’s influence is already seeping into the infrastructure, cutting off escape routes and isolating the characters further.

Before: Functional but under strain—Jo grabs it in a …
After: Non-functional (implied by the call being cut off), …
Before: Functional but under strain—Jo grabs it in a moment of crisis, implying it was previously used (or attempted to be used) by others in the bar.
After: Non-functional (implied by the call being cut off), symbolizing the Master’s control over the village’s ability to communicate with the outside world.

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Cloven Hoof Pub

The Cloven Hoof Bar is more than just a setting in this moment—it’s a pressure cooker of tension, where the air is thick with smoke, dread, and the unspoken threat of the Master’s rituals. The bar’s dim lighting and claustrophobic atmosphere amplify Jo’s isolation, making her plea to Mike feel even more desperate. The telephone’s ring and Jo’s frantic call create a stark contrast to the bar’s usual role as a hub of village life, now twisted into a place of supernatural horror. The patrons’ obliviousness or complicity adds to the sense of Jo being alone in her fight, trapped in a space that should offer refuge but instead feels like a cage.

Atmosphere Suffocating and tense—thick with smoke, whispered fears, and the unspoken weight of the Master’s influence. …
Function A fragile bastion against the chaos outside, but also a place where Jo’s isolation is …
Symbolism Represents the village’s complicity and Jo’s helplessness. The bar, once a neutral ground, has become …
Access Open to the public, but the supernatural tension makes it feel like a place where …
Thick smoke choking the air, obscuring vision and adding to the sense of claustrophobia Dim, flickering lights casting long shadows, emphasizing the bar’s transformation into a place of dread The distant hum of the telephone, a fragile lifeline that ultimately fails

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

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Key Dialogue

"JO: "Well, touch and go, I think Mike. Look, can you get down here right away?""