Barbara is becoming increasingly annoyed at the Doctor’s behaviour…

Some of the Short Trips work well because the amount of plot that they contain really couldn’t be pushed into a longer format; others stand out because they are primarily character pieces, and the plot is secondary to the insights we get into the TARDIS crew, of whichever era it’s set. Paul Phipps’ tale definitely fits into the second category, initially looking at the way that Barbara tries to keep some normality in her life despite travelling through Time and Space and all the concomitant adjustments, and expanding into a wider examination of the changes that Ian and Barbara’s arrival forced on the Doctor and his granddaughter.

The story is narrated by Carole Ann Ford, but by no means is it Susan-centric: as is traditional for that period, the travellers become separated, with Ian and the Doctor facing the leader of a tribe and Susan and Barbara held as prisoners. It’s all linked to a quest that the Doctor dives into with the same telescopic vision that he displayed on Skaro – as is pointed out to him – but has the Doctor learned from his experiences with the human teachers?

One of the delights of the Short Trips is we can go from a major threat to Pete’s World to a much more basic need being fulfilled, and while A Small Semblance of Home is not an earthshattering addition to the Doctor Who canon, it’s great that there’s a place for stories of this type.

Verdict: A well observed character piece. 9/10

Paul Simpson