The Gift (Doctor Who audio play)
Encyclopedia
The Gift is the 19th story in the Big Finish
anthology Short Trips: The History of Christmas
, written by Robert Dick and based on the long-running British
science fiction television
series Doctor Who
which features the First Doctor
and Susan
.
At first the Doctor is appears very concerned for Susan’s wellbeing. However, after hearing Doris protest about ever buying the boat for Alistair, the Doctor appears to forget all about Susan and becomes more interested in Alistair’s boat, suggesting that they sell it. With that, Alistair gets very upset and leaves the house in a rage.
Without Alistair present, Doris suggests to the Doctor that he indeed knows Alistair before today’s encounter. Confiding in Doris, the Doctor confirms that he recognises Alistair as one of his oldest friend despite not having physically met in his own timeline. Recognising that this whole “Susan” incident was just a ploy to get a meeting with Alistair, Doris asks the Doctor how Alistair will die. Unable to answer her question directly the Doctor tells her that all of his incarnations will be present at the funeral and will behave themselves (though some will argue at the wake). However, when Doris asks The Doctor to take the boat away with him, he replies that he unable to do so; as such a decision can not be made by him and that his Christmas gift to the Lethbridge-Stewart family – a gift of choice.
When Alistair returns, the Doctor and Susan have left leaving himself and Doris together to make the decision.
and Susan
are travelling alone and are at ease with humanity. However, the pair have not yet established themselves in 1960's London - placing this story after Frayed
and before the first TV episode 100,000 BC
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
anthology Short Trips: The History of Christmas
Short Trips: The History of Christmas
Short Trips: The History of Christmas is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Simon Guerrier and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is the second Christmas anthology released under the Short Trips title.-Stories:-External links:*...
, written by Robert Dick and based on the long-running British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
science fiction television
Science fiction on television
Science fiction first appeared on a television program during the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary world not limited by the constraints of reality; this makes television an excellent medium...
series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
which features the First Doctor
First Doctor
The First Doctor is the initial incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by the actor William Hartnell from 1963 to 1966. Hartnell reprised the role in the tenth anniversary story The Three Doctors in 1973 - albeit in a...
and Susan
Susan Foreman
Susan Foreman is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The granddaughter and original companion of the First Doctor, she was played by actress Carole Ann Ford from 1963 to 1964, in the show's first season and the first two stories of the second season...
.
Plot
General (Brigadier) Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart has retired and convinced his wife, Doris, to buy him a boat for Christmas. On Christmas Eve, whilst Doris is doing some late night shopping, Alistair takes the boat out for a pre-Christmas test drive (unbeknown to his wife). During his trip Alistair spots a young girl in the water. Taking her back to his house, an argument materialises other whether they should call the emergency services or whether Alistair deals with the situation himself. Their disagreement is interrupted by the arrival of an old man looking for his granddaughter. Despite never meeting this incarnation, Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart believes that the old man is the Doctor.At first the Doctor is appears very concerned for Susan’s wellbeing. However, after hearing Doris protest about ever buying the boat for Alistair, the Doctor appears to forget all about Susan and becomes more interested in Alistair’s boat, suggesting that they sell it. With that, Alistair gets very upset and leaves the house in a rage.
Without Alistair present, Doris suggests to the Doctor that he indeed knows Alistair before today’s encounter. Confiding in Doris, the Doctor confirms that he recognises Alistair as one of his oldest friend despite not having physically met in his own timeline. Recognising that this whole “Susan” incident was just a ploy to get a meeting with Alistair, Doris asks the Doctor how Alistair will die. Unable to answer her question directly the Doctor tells her that all of his incarnations will be present at the funeral and will behave themselves (though some will argue at the wake). However, when Doris asks The Doctor to take the boat away with him, he replies that he unable to do so; as such a decision can not be made by him and that his Christmas gift to the Lethbridge-Stewart family – a gift of choice.
When Alistair returns, the Doctor and Susan have left leaving himself and Doris together to make the decision.
Story Chronology
The DoctorFirst Doctor
The First Doctor is the initial incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by the actor William Hartnell from 1963 to 1966. Hartnell reprised the role in the tenth anniversary story The Three Doctors in 1973 - albeit in a...
and Susan
Susan Foreman
Susan Foreman is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The granddaughter and original companion of the First Doctor, she was played by actress Carole Ann Ford from 1963 to 1964, in the show's first season and the first two stories of the second season...
are travelling alone and are at ease with humanity. However, the pair have not yet established themselves in 1960's London - placing this story after Frayed
Frayed
Frayed is an original novella written by Tara Samms and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the First Doctor and Susan. It was released both as a standard edition hardback and a deluxe edition featuring a frontispiece by Chris Moore...
and before the first TV episode 100,000 BC
An Unearthly Child
The serial that became An Unearthly Child was originally commissioned from writer Anthony Coburn in June 1963, when it was intended to run as the second Doctor Who serial. At this stage, it was planned that the series would open with a serial entitled The Giants, to be written by BBC staff...