The story starts with a woman, P.C. Pond being assigned to totters lane. The woman makes the original policeman assigned to the area loose his memory with some memory erase perfume. This police woman also seems to be a new substitute teacher Ms Song, Susan is sceptical of the new teacher. Ms Song also meets Ian Chesterton the science teacher who invites her to a drink at the Red Lion. We learn this woman's first name is river, river song. At the Red Lion she meets some more teachers, one being Barbara Wright, the history teacher. She expresses an interest in a student, a relatively new girl to coal hill. River joins in the convocation this pupil is a a girl named Sheila. A very good misdirect making us think shes talking about Susan, however she is one of Susans friends. With Lloyd and Sheila hanging out with Susan at the local park, Sheila splitting off and the other 2 walking along the canal.

River Ian and Barbara also depart, River having to clock on to her police job. I love there dynamic all being teachers and being very open with each other. Lloyd and Susan skip some stones and talk about some oppression Lloyd faces cause of his skin, Susan still new to the time period not really understanding why his skin makes others treat him differently. Lloyd thinking Susans grandfather might treat him different because of it. On Sheilas way home she spots something in the woods. While that happens the 2 run into river on her police job, she soon dashes off and Lloyd n Susan depart. Susan is being followed by a creature in the night she runs home to the Tardis and shuts the doors. River seems to have been hunting the beast. I love how mysterious river is especially if this is your first story with her it sets up the elements of who she is but not directly giving it away. After the fight and the creature has ran away, the Doctor walks into the junkyard to find river there. There first meeting is very fun, River knowing the Doctor more then the other way round Rivers comments on his age make me laugh.

The Next school afternoon, River does aerobics 20 years before its invented for PE its hilarious. After class Susan confines in River on a monster. Susan figuring out River isn't of the time period questioning why River is here and what the monsters are. The monsters seem to be a night predator hunting in the night. River asks Susan to keep a low profile and keep her secret.

Ian and Barbara have a nice scene showing there bond and care for the students, Sheila having skipped lessons in the afternoon. Barbara grabbing a file on the foster care home the Mitchell's from the school to visit Sheila to see if shes alright. Meanwhile River is found out to have some incorrect references in her forms, Ian sticking up for her saying shes an amazing teacher. Mr Newborn suspending her, Ian taking her out to the Red Lion again to talk about this. Barbara arrives at the Mitchell's house, Mr Mitchell seeming to not really care for the foster kids, sending Barbara away. Sheila and Lloyd arrive back and are met with an unwelcome hello from Mr Mitchell threatening her with sending her back to a home up north. I love how they explore Shelia and Lloyds home life. Cut too Ian and River's drink at the Red Lion Barbara meeting up with them, there's quite a lot of scene changes so it can be a little hard to follow. I was keeping track though. Later River and Barbara talk while Ian gets the drinks, we get a really good bonding scene between the pair and a bit of development with Barbara, saying she wish she could travel and how history is very important to her but on a teachers salary it would be impossible to travel.

The 3 lead by Barbara charge back to the Mitchell's house the doors open and the house ransacked. The 3 exploring the scene River calling the police and sending Barbara and Ian off to the police station. Turns out River found something upstairs she uses her tech to see if theirs any life signs there is one. Lloyd in the closet, Mr Mitchell seeming to be killed by the creature in the house however no sign of Shelia. Ian and Barbara come back and River is unsuccessful in turning them away, so she runs off after the creature that did this while the teachers look after Lloyd. Ian chases River down though, to protect Ian she goes back for him, giving him money to go to the Red Lion. Barbara noticing how she must not need 2 jobs if she has that much money.

The creatures in this story are very interesting, seemingly to have possessed Sheila using her as a day form waiting for the night to creep through the fog. The creature uses Sheilas raw emotions to help feed but not being in full control, the 3 talk about future events and even knowing of the doctor, planing to feed on the time lords. That's when River fully goes on the attack, as Lloyd watches on River defeats this creature and manages to send it back to where it came from without hurting Sheila with Susans help. River tells Susan to run off as Ian and Barbara come to find River stating you don't want them to take an interest in you yet. a very good reference to the future. Once Susan runs off calling Ian n Barbara over saying shes found Sheila.

At the end of the story Sheila and Lloyd move away to be with some family. River saying goodbye to the 3, even commenting on how Susans name Tardis catches on. Susan begs her to stay with her and the Doctor but alas she cant stay maybe in the future they will meet again. The Doctor and River having one last meet up River flirting and the Doctor not having it an amazing end to the episode.

this episode was extremly fun having this future of the Doctor interact with his past but I feel I shouldn't have enjoyed this as much as I should have. The monster feels a bit generic including its ties too the Ravenous I feel like its worth it for future companions Ian and Barbara development.