‘A LONG NIGHT’
Please feel free to comment on my review.
Joan Wright’s Long Night with Barbara and the First Doctor
This story is by Alison Lawson and it features Barbara and the First Doctor. It’s about Barbara’s mum called Joan, who has gone through a tough year since her daughter went missing in ‘An Unearthly Child’. It’s interesting how the story explores Barbara’s disappearance from her mum’s point of view.
From November 1963 to November 1964, Joan recollects what happened when she reported her daughter missing to the police and how she reflects her thoughts about Ian also gone missing as well as one of the schoolchildren called Susan. Over time, Barbara’s disappearance got forgotten about. 😦
Joan visits her daughter’s bedroom to reflect on the tough year she’s had without Barbara. I like how this Short Trip deals with a companion gone missing from his/her parents. It was also done with Rose gone missing in ‘Aliens of London’. I’ve also done it with Billy gone missing in ‘Dawn of the Dwaxi’. 🙂
I liked that scene where Barbara woke up from having a vivid dream about her mum and she meets up with the Doctor in the TARDIS console room to talk about it. She shares her dream and the Doctor comforts her. Apparently, a TARDIS telepathic link was established between Barbara and her mum. 🙂
The story ends with Joan waking up from the same dream Barbara had and being told she’s alright; is travelling; and will be home soon. Hopefully that’ll be the case when Barbara and Ian return to Earth 1965 in ‘The Chase’ and hopefully Barbara will reunite with her mother in a future tale or something.
‘Short Trips: Companions’ has been a great collection of ‘Doctor Who’ short stories to read. These short stories are nice to read on holiday whenever you want a bit of ‘Doctor Who’ to enjoy and relax to. This was the first Short Trips book I read and thankfully it’s not the last as I’ve read more of them.
For me, the main story out of the collection is ‘Hearts of Stone’ featuring the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan and Adric, which I have enjoyed. I’ve also enjoyed stories like ‘The Little Drummer Boy’ and ‘Hidden Talent’. Hopefully it won’t be long before I check out another Short Trips anthology book. 😀
‘A Long Night’ rating – 8/10
‘Short Trips: Companions’ (Book) rating – 7/10
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