Only Connect (short story)

Only Connect was the third short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: Transmissions. It was written by Andy Lane. It featured the Fourth Doctor.

Summary Edit

James Willaker is an architect working on a new estate that is still in the very early planning stage. One night he leaves work and takes a taxi. Exhausted, he unthinkingly gives the driver the address of the new estate, which doesn't exist yet. On arriving at the empty site, Willaker wonders how the driver knows about the place, and the driver admits he is a time traveller called the Doctor. He says that many taxi drivers are time travellers.

The Doctor and Willaker go to a café and the Doctor discusses history with Willaker . He talks about the importance of people in history and asks Willaker about any interesting projects he's been involved with. Willaker mentions a strange building called Chase Manor. When they part the Doctor tells Willaker that he should talk with taxi drivers because he'll never know when he has information that could save one of their lives.

Characters Edit

• Fourth Doctor
• James Willaker
• Security guard
• Taxi driver

References Edit

• James mentions Harrison Ford from Blade Runner and Flash Harry from St Trinian's.
• The Doctor mentions Immanuel Kant.
• The Doctor is driving a Peugeot.
• The Doctor name drops Walter Raleigh and knows who Jean-Michel Jarre is.
• The Doctor says the second best tea he ever tasted was made by Corporal Bell.
• The Doctor tells a story about Ray Buduick.
• James drinks whisky while watching Newsnight.
• The Doctor appears to be travelling alone.

Notes Edit

• On 23 December 2012, an audio reading of this story, read by John Banks, was released free to Big Finish Productions subscribers whose subscription had included 1001 Nights. The story was released standalone as part of the Short Trips Rarities series on 28 September 2018.

Continuity Edit

• Willaker, an architect, mentions that he worked on Harrison Chase's mansion. (TV: The Seeds of Doom)

External Links Edit

• Official audio reading of Only Connect on the Big Finish website.