REVIEW: Doctor Who: Tip of the Tongue by Patrick Ness (Short Story)

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One of the most shocking announcements in the world of Doctor Who occurred last week with the announcement of its first spin-off in several years. The man behind this brainchild called Class is writer Patrick Ness, an established author who has written for both adults and children. Ness is also no stranger to the world of Who, having contributed Tip of the Tongue, one of 12 stories released in 2013 to celebrate the 50th anniversary. After reading the announcement about Class, I decided to give his previous contribution to the world of Doctor Who a try. I had actually received this collection of stories last Christmas, but I’ve yet to read most of these stories, including Tongue.

Here is the back cover blurb:

"Tip of the Tongue, by Patrick Ness, is a fifth Doctor adventure about a strange new craze for Truth Tellers, which is sweeping through the kids of small-town America. While the Doctor and Nyssa investigate the phenomenon, they discover the truth about the Truth Tellers is far more sinister than anyone could ever have imagined…"

Truth tellers are basically devices that look like sad faces that hang out of your mouth and are compelled to tell only the truth. Ness has fun in this story by first showing them as a nuisance then providing scenes where the truth can actually be quite destructive. The setting allows for Ness to explore themes of discrimination, poverty, and how difficult it is to be a teenager. The setting is a small town in Maine during the Second World War. While there have been many Doctor Who stories set during this time period, it was refreshing to have most of the action told from a child’s point-of-view and to be set in America. This allowed for a unique perspective as we watch the action unfold from the two leading characters, Jonny and Nettie.

It is always a risky endeavor to create a Doctor-lite story, as the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa only make brief appearances. However, it works given that this is a short story aimed at younger audiences. The leading characters for this story are two teenage outcasts, one who is picked on because of his German last name and the other because of her mixed race. Ness deftly handles these characters with finesse as he deals with very heated topics through the eyes of teenagers.

Although the Doctor is largely absent from events until near the end, the scenes in which he appears are written well. Ness manages to capture that boyish innocence that was the Fifth Doctor’s hallmark, the milkshake scene being my favorite. Although when it is time for the Doctor to take care of the problem, he steps up in grand form. You can really hear Peter Davison speaking the Doctor’s lines.

This story was a fun read that covered some weighty issues without coming down too heavily. In many ways, I was reminded of how much I enjoyed The Sarah Jane Adventures. Patrick Ness is skilled at knowing the mind of a teenager, so I feel like his new series Class will be quite good.

Next: Preview/Synopsis: 'Before the Flood'

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