The First Doctor #23

'The Gift' (2005) from Short Trips: The History of Christmas.

The first of very likely many First Doctor stories that somewhat depends on your knowledge of future events in order to get the full extent of the story itself. I haven't met the Brigadier in Classic Who so I don't really have any understanding of him or his partner in the context of the show, but here they had a nice brief time that I can understand the cuteness of, despite the smaller details being lost to me. A very simple story aside from that with not much else going on other than the fanservice of seeing this incarnation meeting Lethbridge-Stewart.

Here is the sort of story which is only ever going to turn up in an anthology written by and for fans. It isn't fan fiction, as such, but it is fanwank. This story is, basically, the Brigadier (retired) meets the First Doctor and Susan before the First Doctor has met the Brigadier in his own timeline, as it were. And Doris is there too.

There's not a lot else going on. The Brig has a boat with which he rescues Susan from the middle of a lake. The Doctor pretends he doesn't know the Brigadier, but does actually because he's been to the Brigadier's funeral, in the future (which all the Doctor's attended). The Brigadier mentions having met the First Doctor in The Five Doctors but doesn't mention The Three Doctors. The Doctor leaves having warned the Brig to get rid of his boat.

It's nicely written but slight and I'm not 100% sure what the point of the story was aside from being a proper meeting between the Brig and the First Doctor. A Christmas present for the fans maybe.

The Story Starts with Susan being found in the middle of the lake by a man named Alistair, Alistair is interesting cause hes Alistair Gordon Leighbridge Stewart, THE Brigadier. He takes Susan back to his house after finding her on his early Christmas present, Doris is releaved he found her but annoyed that he used the boat early.

As soon as they put Susan into bed, the first Doctor walks in, It’s fun having Alistair have to pretend not to know the doctor to protect the web of time and I love how Doris n Alistair react to each the situation. First Doctor is extremely well written by Robert Dick.

1st doctor noticing his future incarnations in pictures on the wall is a nice touch the writer added. I also enjoyed how the Doctor was listening in to Alistair n Doris convocation about the future and having the three tip toeing around the fact to not damage the timeline is hilarious. 

The dynamic of Alistair and one is perfect, especially how there both old grumpy men, the brig storming off after a bit of a convocation gone wrong and instantly regretting it. Doris after that works out the Doctor knows who Alistair is cause he cares for them just as much as Susan. My heart. She Then trys to wonder if the Doctor knows how Alistair will die, this story is giving me emotions. Doris is really given a lot to work with here, we really get to know her feelings and thoughts the Doctor doesn't tell her though but says all of him will be there in the end.  Anyway like a shadow the Doctor n Susan disappear into the night, Alistair n Doris watch a fire huddled together.

This story is perfect its warm, its extremely strong and makes me so happy. Its a perfect season finale esc story which is why i've made it this metaphorical one