Short but compelling story. I loved the interweaving of the narrative with future Doctors and the reveal of Missy at the end

The First Doctor #31

'Doctor Who and the Horror of Coal Hill' (2017) from the 2017 Adventure Calendar.

A mostly good little story with the First Doctor and a teacher from Coal Hill going up against from fog-led werewolves. Nothing particularly outstanding, although the First Doctor's characterisation is rather good. I can't say I care much for the inclusion of the Third, Eleventh, and Twelfth Doctors - they kind of clog up an otherwise okay story for me. The ending with Missy is also a bit convoluted, but I guess poses to add to her arc of being a good person.

I really enjoyed it, at points the collection of character feels at first glance a bit odd, but I did overall enjoy it. The Framing Device was really well-used and enjoyable. It’s superb seeing a great Portrayal of the complicated Emotions of Hartnells Doctor pre Season 1 it seems. I love how he simply tells that Susan is much much older and doesn’t see anything wrong with it, that’s an alien touch I always enjoyed. Shivani is a really likeable Character and loved the ending with 12! Overall, really enjoyed this one, feels like one of the Big Finish Book Short Trips at their best to me! Which is a compliment, of course.

Three Doctors, a one off companion, space wolves and Coal Hill School.

This is a fun read but it does rather lay on the continuity quite heavily.  The First Doctor is at Coal Hill School in 1963.  There's fog.  A policeman gets sent to check on the junkyard.  The Third Doctor and the Eleventh Doctor retell part of the story.  Sarah Jane Smith is being told the story.  There's a reference to Clyde and the Doctor's fez.  And the Doctor's signet ring.  There's even a bit about the school being rebuilt and renamed as an Academy as it is in Class!

So whilst this is an entertaining, released for free, short story, is all a bit much continuity wise.

📝9/10

Counting down to Whomas 2024, one adventure at a time!

Day Three and Four: Back To The Early Days!

MY SCATTERED AND TOTALLY IRRELEVANT NOTES:

This adventure calendar story takes us back to 1963, just before the Doctor and Susan left Totters Lane to embark on their journey through time and space with Ian and Barbara. It’s a compact yet tense tale that ultimately transforms into something heartfelt. The highlight of the story is how perfectly the First Doctor is characterized, capturing his essence flawlessly, while also creating a chilling atmosphere through the fog and alien werewolves slowly emerging and enveloping our protagonists. The story also builds an endearing connection between the Doctor and his temporal companion, Shivani Bajwa.

Occasionally, the narrative shifts to the Third Doctor, recounting the adventure to Sarah Jane, and to the Twelfth Doctor, visiting an older Shivani in the 21st century. These abrupt scene changes can feel disorienting, but they add depth to the story, even though it would have worked just as well without them.

This portrayal of the Doctor is true to the selfish and cantankerous nature of his early first incarnation. However, by the end, he also reveals glimpses of the warmth and humanity that would come to define him later in his life.

In all, this short story is unexpectedly well-crafted and poignant, fitting seamlessly into the Doctor's established timeline.

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:

There’s a line here that confirms that this adventure happens shortly before the beginning of An Unearthly Child.