DOCTOR WHO ANNUAL: 2006: STORY 14

Steven Moffat’s short story from the Doctor Who Annual 2006, What I Did on My Christmas Holidays by Sally Sparrow, is well known for being the inspiration for Moffat’s very own Blink.

Because Blink is a very well-known and popular episode, it’s interesting to look out for similarities and differences between the short story and the TV episode. While we have the timey-wimey aspects that made Blink a success, such as the writing behind the wallpaper and the Doctor’s video message, a noticeable difference is the fact that Sally Sparrow is a younger character here.

But perhaps Blink’s biggest addition is the iconic Weeping Angels, who were not in the original short story.

Something that has been said many times before, but is most definitely true, is the fact that Moffat is absolutely wonderful at writing prose. It’s something I wish he did more.

But while the story is beautiful to read, it is slightly let down by the underwhelming story.

The short story is pretty solid. A bare-bones version of some concepts that would be fleshed out in Blink much better (I prefer the TV Questions works much better in a visual media and/or audios). Moffat is great at writing prose, so it’s always nice to read them. He writes the child wonder greatly, he already did great in that one Short Story in that 13th Lockdown Anthology. I probably sound much harsher than I should, but I did think it did its job well and was a lovely read.

Cute short story! I enjoyed reading this earlier idea for the scenario.

📝8/10

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

Day 5: It's Safe To Blink!

MY SCATTERED AND TOTALLY IRRELEVANT NOTES:

This 2005 short story by Steven Moffat, originally published in the Doctor Who Annual 2006, served as the inspiration for the iconic 2007 TV episode Blink.

The narrative centres on 12-year-old Sally Sparrow, with Moffat distinctively crafting the story as though it’s an essay Sally has written for school, giving it a unique and personal touch.

The story follows a simpler version of the plot familiar to fans of Blink: the Doctor is stranded in the past and uses a videotape to communicate with someone in the present, orchestrating a way to retrieve the TARDIS. However, this version features the Ninth Doctor rather than the Tenth, and it omits companions and the Weeping Angels. The focus is entirely on the interplay between Sally and the Doctor, exploring how the Doctor's past and future influence Sally’s present and future in a delightfully timey-wimey fashion. Little explanation is given for how the Doctor ended up in his predicament, allowing the story to concentrate on their charming interaction.

While not particularly action-packed, the story is carried by Sally’s infectious optimism and her engaging dynamic with the Doctor. Moffat’s signature timey-wimey twists add a layer of fun, making this a heartwarming and enjoyable read, especially during the holiday season.

A fun little short story, I love seeing the seeds of the idea that would become Blink, but how everything surrounding those ideas is so completely different.

Moffat is great at writing prose, and nails that childlike voice here.