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Review of UNIT Christmas Parties: Ships That Pass by dema1020

11 June 2024

I was a little miffed to find the third UNIT Christmas Party switches us from the Third Doctor to the Fourth. The Fourth Doctor, while I understand his popularity, kind of dominates much of the Christmas Treasury. It felt right that the Third Doctor was given these UNIT Parties since he has little else in the Treasury, while the Fourth Doctor has many memorable stories already in Short Trips 11.

Still, it wasn't hard to enjoy Ships That Pass. An alien ship crashes into UNIT headquarters, and the Fourth Doctor must save Harry and Sarah Jane from being crushed by the resulting disaster. It's quite the shift from the past UNIT Parties, but it is all deliberate and leads to some good moments. My particular favourite is how Harry and Sarah shared stories of their worst Christmases to keep their minds occupied while trapped in a terrifying situation. Writer Karen Dunn does a good job overall.

Review created on 11-06-24