List of characters from Nebulous
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Nebulous is a BBC Radio 4 science fiction-comedy written by Graham Duff and produced by Nicholas Briggs. The programme follows the adventures of K.E.N.T., the Key Environmental Non-judgemental Taskforce, a desperately underfunded Government organisation dedicated to protecting the environment and doing laundry in a post-apocalyptic world following a terrible eco-disaster known as the Withering.
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[edit] K.E.N.T.
[edit] Professor Nebulous
Played by Mark Gatiss, Nebulous is the protagonist of Nebulous, a brilliant scientist and the unappreciated leader of K.E.N.T. whose downfall is a direct result of his destruction of the Isle of Wight while he was moving it slightly to the left to give it more sun. He is often prone to going off on long metaphorical tangents while discussing the current crisis, only to stop himself and say "I'm drifting" when he goes too far. Nebulous's past is shown by brief flashbacks triggered by the word "clown" (Or, at least, words that sound like 'Clown'; on one occasion a flashback was just triggered by the word 'Cloud'). Nebulous's scientific bent and serious demeanour are explained by Nebulous's parents who both forced him to become a circus clown at the expense of his scientific studies. Although his reputation has suffered greatly due to the destruction of the Isle of Wight, Nebulous has made several prominent discoveries in his career, such as a cure for blindness and a sandwich that cures cancer (Marmalade and cucumber, apparently).
[edit] Paula Breeze
Played by Rosie Cavaliero, Paula Breeze is the ditsy assistant to Professor Nebulous, although how she qualified for a position in such an organisation given her apparent lack of any degree at all is a mystery. Paula is constantly pursuing her infatuation with Nebulous, despite him not noticing; any attempts that may actually get anywhere are always ended by her own idiocy. Although she commonly comes accross as an infatuated idiot, she is clearly devoted to Professor Nebulous, and has managed to come up with some relatively good ideas when under pressure.
[edit] Rory Lawson
Played by Graham Duff, Rory Lawson is Professor Nebulous’ other assistant, the self-professed ladies’ man of the team (Although his only successful romantic liason was when he and Paula were both drunk) who handles the more physical side of operations. Having taken an evening class in Media Studies and Applied Thinking, Rory yearns for the covert ops action and explosive confrontations of a top profile Government Agent but has to make do with aiding the team in cleaning clothes and repairing tumble driers. He appears to be somewhat more intelligent than Paula, having apparently blown up Buckingham Palace during his chemistry class at school. His catchphrase is "Bollocks!...Sir".
[edit] Harry Hayes
Played by Paul Putner, Harry Hayes is the fourth member of K.E.N.T., responsible for technological development. He was badly injured when Professor Nebulous disintegrated the Isle of Wight. He was rebuilt by the Professor and lives his life in constant agony while trundling around in a wheelchair constructed from old kitchen units. He is also afflicted by a faulty electronic voice box that plays his voice at an unbearablely high volume. Each episode features him saying, at least once, "UNLIKE YOU, PROFESSOR, I NO LONGER HAVE THE LUXURY OF [Insert bodypart of choice here]"; so far, he has claimed to have lost his chin, mouth, nose, eyes, one hand, toes (all ten), both legs and heart. Commonly, Harry remains at K.E.N.T. HQ during the team's missions, although he has departed it on some occasions, such as when he reinvented the vacuum cleaner. Despite his betrayal of the team at the end of series one to aid Doctor Klench, Harry has been forgiven by Nebulous in series two.
[edit] Gemini
Gemini, played Julia Dalkin, is the AI of K.E.N.T. and the narrator of the title sequence and the ending credits. Although supposed to have the combined intelligence of three Oxford dons and a supply teacher, Gemini has failed a number of times, at one point switching off K.E.N.T.'s oxygen supply. The name suggests that there is a counterpart somewhere, but the only reference to this counterpart so far has been a brief comment about Gemini's evil twin, sent to K.E.N.T. on a weekend exchange program.
[edit] Sir Ronald Rolands
Played by Graham Crowden, Ronald Rowlands is a Minister with Unusual Portfolio, K.E.N.T.’s attaché to the Government. Rolands always pronounces Nebulous's name as 'Nebros' (IPA:/ˈnebraːs/) and cares little for K.E.N.T., commonly stating "I'd like to do what I can, but afraid I can't" and would be perfectly happy to close the organisation down if given the opportunity.
[edit] Other characters
[edit] Erica Flazenby
Played by Julia Deakin, Doctor Erica Flazenby is the rival and former love of Nebulous who is currently the director of L.O.U.G.H.B.O.R.O.U.G.H. The two met while at the Oxford University Islands and shared an apartment for a year. At the last moment, Erica Flazenby’s name was changed from Erica Moody to its present form; the error remained in the press release from the BBC announcing the series debut.[1]
[edit] Doctor Klench
Played by David Warner, Dr Joseph Klench is the archenemy of Professor Nebulous and K.E.N.T. whom the Professor describes as "a chap who came to a crossroads in life and took a turning marked evil. He put his foot to the accelerator and he’s not stopping". His plans to date have included destroying the world with a stolen fragment of the sun, luring a sentient cactus to Earth, and destroying the Intergalactic peace conference while in Nebulous' body, although all three attempts have been thwarted by the Professor. Klench also parodies the Master from Doctor Who; like the Master he miniaturises his enemies, although like the Master, rather than killing them, he carries around in his suitcase to remind him of his power.
[edit] Nebulous's parents
Played by Matt Wolf and Julia Dalkin, Nebulous's parents appear only in flashbacks: in each episode Nebulous has a flash back to his childhood, in which his parents wanted him to become a clown and ignored such major scientific discoveries as his cure for blindness. Nebulous commonly awakes from these flashbacks saying "I shall not clown".
