Downtime (Doctor Who)

Downtime is a direct-to-video spin-off of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Produced by Reeltime Pictures and written by Marc Platt, it was released in 1995.

The story features former companions Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, Victoria Waterfield, and Sarah Jane Smith. It explores the psychic legacy of the Great Intelligence's defeat in the 1968 Doctor Who serial "The Web of Fear" and "The Invasion". Set in a girls' school in rural England, Downtime sees the Great Intelligence, aided by a new avatar, Miss Winters, attempting to establish a foothold in the Earth's collective unconscious.

The Brigadier is called in to investigate strange occurrences at the school, while Victoria, now working for a spiritual retreat, also becomes embroiled in the events. Sarah Jane Smith, meanwhile, investigates a related mystery surrounding the disappearance of children from a nearby town. They must uncover the Great Intelligence's plan and prevent it from plunging the world into a new Dark Age.

The story delves into themes of memory, trauma, and the power of belief. It also expands upon the lore of the Great Intelligence and its connection to the Earth. Downtime is notable for its use of characters and concepts from the classic Doctor Who era and is considered a significant part of the expanded Doctor Who universe. It was followed by two sequels, Dæmos Rising and The White Witch of Devil's End.