‘BREADCRUMBS’

Please feel free to comment on my review.

The Fourth Doctor is Away Whilst Romana is on Holiday

This story is by James Moran, and it features the Fourth Doctor and the second Romana. James Moran is notable for writing ‘The Fires of Pompeii’ in the ‘Doctor Who’ TV series as well as ‘Sleeper’ and the third episode of ‘Children of Earth’ with Russell T. Davies in the ‘Torchwood’ series. Wow! 😀

As well as the story being included in the ‘Short Trips: Transmissions’ collection, there’s also an audiobook version of this story, read by John Banks. Originally, the audiobook version of ‘Breadcrumbs’ was released to Big Finish subscribers with ‘1001 Nights’, which was how I acquired it.

Now the audiobook version of ‘Breadcrumbs’ is available to subscribers who have ‘Wirrn Isle’ in their subscription. I enjoyed reading and hearing ‘Breadcrumbs’ at the same time, and John Banks does well with voicing Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor and Lalla Ward’s Romana who bounce off each other. 🙂

‘Breadcrumbs’ is an enjoyable short story about the Fourth Doctor trying to decode fragments of a message whilst Romana is away on holiday (presumably Paris, considering she kept bringing that up in her attempted conversion with the Doctor, who was being distracted by the message’s fragments).

Romana also played around with a beachball in order to get the Doctor’s attention, which failed miserably. 😀 The Douglas Adams atmosphere of Season 17 of the classic ‘Doctor Who’ TV series shines throughout this tale. I’m glad James Moran was able to capture that whilst writing the story.

The Doctor has a bet with Romana so that he prove he can cope without her and not get into trouble. The winner of the bet will have to pay for a meal at an expensive restaurant called Surrifleq 9. It’s amusing how that played out between the Doctor and Romana and who actually won. 🙂

K-9 doesn’t get a mention in this story, which is peculiar, as I would have thought he’d have a mention to establish at what point he’s at in his travels with the Fourth Doctor and Romana between Seasons 17 and 18. There’s an intriguing twist in the story where the Doctor ends up meeting himself.

‘Breadcrumbs’ rating – 7/10