Interlude in the 31st Century is one of two stories that take place on the same night. This one tells a story that takes place in the future. The other is a flashback to the past. It begins with a light moment as The Doctor tries to get Rose to come with him on an evening out without Peter. Then we have Davie and Chris in charge of the kids, doing something they probably shouldn’t be doing, going out on a field trip in the TARDIS.

Going into their own future timeline also introduces problems. In this case the chief problem is called Tristie, the little boy the girls meet up with in the thirty-third century. He is Vicki’s son and Sukie’s grandson, playing with them as children. It can only work in a Doctor Who universe! This is the one and only time we see Tristie as a child, although the girls do carry on conversations with him telepathically, not knowing their true relationship with him. Later, though, he will return as an older character who will make incidental appearances alongside Chris and Davie.

The fact that something will happen to the Mount Lœng House at some time in their near future is a set up, obviously, for a major story plot. As yet, in November, 2007, that story plot hasn’t actually been written. It will involve an attempted invasion of Earth, not by any of the usual enemies like Daleks or Cybermen, but certainly by a past foe of The Doctor’s, and will stretch over two or three stories, but it isn’t happening JUST yet. Exactly what the message was that The Doctor put into Davie’s TARDIS still remains to be seen.

The section which takes them back to the house’s past was, quite simply, a chance for The Doctor and Davie to bond, man to man, without Chris or any of the other members of the family around. Because he needs to tell Davie something very important about his future. HE will inherit The Doctor’s name and reputation. In the future people will call HIM The Doctor. Davie accepts that honour and burden, little knowing how much of either it will be for him.

But it has been noted by those who read these stories, that the experience DID change Davie in some subtle ways. When he returns home to his own time and sits in the bedroom reading a story to Sukie and Vicki – and by proxy, Tristie, it is an older, wiser, Davie who does so, one who looks out of the window and sees the stars and knows that he must be ready for that storm The Doctor said was coming.