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Stranded #2
Doctor Who: Stranded 2
The TARDIS is still stranded but the healing process has begun. After living in Baker Street for months, the Doctor, Liv and Helen find their new friends becoming curious about who they really are.
But is it wise to tell them, when their future – and their past – are filled with danger?
And in the shadows, the Curator is watching.
2.1 Dead Time by Matt Fitton
The Doctor wants to take the TARDIS on a test flight. But he has rather more passengers than he’d like. Soon, the crew are stranded once again in an uncertain future. One where planet Earth appears to be dead. And very soon, so will any visitors...
2.2 UNIT Dating by Roy Gill
When the Doctor dips into his past to help TARDIS repairs in the present, Andy joins him on a trip to UNIT. In the 1970s, young soldier Ron Winters has just met lab assistant Tony Clare. But in 2020, they need Liv and Helen’s help when their memories start falling apart...
2.3 Baker Street Irregulars by Lisa McMullin
The Doctor takes Zakia and Aisha to see some family history: their grandmother had her own secret life in Baker Street, during World War II. As Tania and Liv try to defuse an unexploded bomb, the sisters face explosive revelations of their own.
2.4 The Long Way Round by John Dorney
Something is wrong with Earth’s future – so the Doctor decides to see it for himself. But very soon, the travellers are captured. Someone seems to know their every move. An interrogator wants answers, but do they even know the right questions?
But is it wise to tell them, when their future – and their past – are filled with danger?
And in the shadows, the Curator is watching.
2.1 Dead Time by Matt Fitton
The Doctor wants to take the TARDIS on a test flight. But he has rather more passengers than he’d like. Soon, the crew are stranded once again in an uncertain future. One where planet Earth appears to be dead. And very soon, so will any visitors...
2.2 UNIT Dating by Roy Gill
When the Doctor dips into his past to help TARDIS repairs in the present, Andy joins him on a trip to UNIT. In the 1970s, young soldier Ron Winters has just met lab assistant Tony Clare. But in 2020, they need Liv and Helen’s help when their memories start falling apart...
2.3 Baker Street Irregulars by Lisa McMullin
The Doctor takes Zakia and Aisha to see some family history: their grandmother had her own secret life in Baker Street, during World War II. As Tania and Liv try to defuse an unexploded bomb, the sisters face explosive revelations of their own.
2.4 The Long Way Round by John Dorney
Something is wrong with Earth’s future – so the Doctor decides to see it for himself. But very soon, the travellers are captured. Someone seems to know their every move. An interrogator wants answers, but do they even know the right questions?
5 pages, Audiobook
First published March 1, 2021
57 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 25, 2021
Secondo boxset per le nuove avventure dell'ottavo Dottore, Liv e Helen incagliati in una Londra di un 2020 atipico, senza traccia della pandemia che ha colpito la nostra realtà.
2.1 Dead Time by Matt Fitton
Il Dottore è riuscito a riparare in parte il TARDIS, ma riesce solo a spostarsi nel tempo.
Con alcuni degli inquilini di Baker Street a seguito, compreso Andy (ormai presenza fissa in molte produzioni), si ritrova in un futuro apocalittico che, con il loro arrivo, sta per diventare ancor più apocalittico.
La storia si incentra su Robin, giovane introverso e disadattato, e prelude ad alcuni fatti che forse vedremo in seguito.
2.2 UNIT Dating by Roy Gill
Per cercare un pezzo per riparare il TARDIS, il Dottore decide di andare negli anni '70, dentro il quartier generale della U.N.I.T. e prendere in prestito da sé stesso l'oggetto che gli serve.
Con Andy a carico si troverà bloccato in un loop temporale che potrebbe complicare la vita a due dei suoi coinquilini di Baker Street, Ron Winters e Tony Clare.
2.3 Baker Street Irregulars by Lisa McMullin
Nel terzo episodio è il turno di Zakia and Aisha di viaggiare nel passato, sulle tracce della loro nonna.
Episodio che si interseca con il mistero di base, che coinvolge Liv e Tania e un ordigno misterioso arrivato dalla seconda Guerra Mondiale.
La notte del grande Blitz si arricchisce di una nuova incarnazione del Dottore... come se non fossero già abbastanza.
2.4 The Long Way Round by John Dorney
Protagonista dell'ultima storia è una donna che ancora non conosciamo e che ha come compito interrogare dei misteriosi viaggiatori che potrebbero essere in combutta con il pericoloso criminale noto come Dottore.
Siamo in un futuro dispotico e non ben precisato, frutto di qualche evento che si origina dai fatti della Londra del 2020... Trama che probabilmente ci accompagnerà nel prossimo volume.
Quattro storie, apparentemente autonome, che ci permettono di conoscere meglio gli inquilini di Baker Street e danno vita a ottime interazioni.
Il capitolo della U.N.I.T., con Jon Culshaw nei panni del Brig, è un bel tuffo nel passato con una infinità di citazioni.
2.1 Dead Time by Matt Fitton
Il Dottore è riuscito a riparare in parte il TARDIS, ma riesce solo a spostarsi nel tempo.
Con alcuni degli inquilini di Baker Street a seguito, compreso Andy (ormai presenza fissa in molte produzioni), si ritrova in un futuro apocalittico che, con il loro arrivo, sta per diventare ancor più apocalittico.
La storia si incentra su Robin, giovane introverso e disadattato, e prelude ad alcuni fatti che forse vedremo in seguito.
2.2 UNIT Dating by Roy Gill
Per cercare un pezzo per riparare il TARDIS, il Dottore decide di andare negli anni '70, dentro il quartier generale della U.N.I.T. e prendere in prestito da sé stesso l'oggetto che gli serve.
Con Andy a carico si troverà bloccato in un loop temporale che potrebbe complicare la vita a due dei suoi coinquilini di Baker Street, Ron Winters e Tony Clare.
2.3 Baker Street Irregulars by Lisa McMullin
Nel terzo episodio è il turno di Zakia and Aisha di viaggiare nel passato, sulle tracce della loro nonna.
Episodio che si interseca con il mistero di base, che coinvolge Liv e Tania e un ordigno misterioso arrivato dalla seconda Guerra Mondiale.
La notte del grande Blitz si arricchisce di una nuova incarnazione del Dottore... come se non fossero già abbastanza.
2.4 The Long Way Round by John Dorney
Protagonista dell'ultima storia è una donna che ancora non conosciamo e che ha come compito interrogare dei misteriosi viaggiatori che potrebbero essere in combutta con il pericoloso criminale noto come Dottore.
Siamo in un futuro dispotico e non ben precisato, frutto di qualche evento che si origina dai fatti della Londra del 2020... Trama che probabilmente ci accompagnerà nel prossimo volume.
Quattro storie, apparentemente autonome, che ci permettono di conoscere meglio gli inquilini di Baker Street e danno vita a ottime interazioni.
Il capitolo della U.N.I.T., con Jon Culshaw nei panni del Brig, è un bel tuffo nel passato con una infinità di citazioni.
May 26, 2021
8 remains Big Finish's best doctor, Stranded's his best range. Stories 2 and 4 are the highlights but - as with the first set - it all feels more than the sum of its parts. None of these stories are a 'chimes' or 'spare parts'. But the wider narrative functions differently, so they don't need to. The format and consistent set of characters has allowed for the best drama BF've pulled off in years, from what I've heard anyway.
I reckon this set is an improvement on the first too - Stranded 1 introduced a convincing, detailed core set of personalities - but some of the bit parters, single story guys, felt like stock characters (the copper, the robber, etc). Stranded 2 feels more confident than that, and it's starting to build a world around its premise in ways I really like.
The thing I was not expecting about this series is that Tom Price's Andy, reprising his Torchwood character, is really really great and clearly has loads more potential. It's enough to make you want to see him brought back as a lead on the TV series, or given a full-time companion role in one of the upcoming main ranges. He really is excellent.
This thing could last 10 sets. And I hope it does. Big Finish's range'll feel smaller without it.
I reckon this set is an improvement on the first too - Stranded 1 introduced a convincing, detailed core set of personalities - but some of the bit parters, single story guys, felt like stock characters (the copper, the robber, etc). Stranded 2 feels more confident than that, and it's starting to build a world around its premise in ways I really like.
The thing I was not expecting about this series is that Tom Price's Andy, reprising his Torchwood character, is really really great and clearly has loads more potential. It's enough to make you want to see him brought back as a lead on the TV series, or given a full-time companion role in one of the upcoming main ranges. He really is excellent.
This thing could last 10 sets. And I hope it does. Big Finish's range'll feel smaller without it.
June 2, 2022
"STRANDED 2" IS GREAT!
❤️93% 👍88 👎7
_________________________
Dead Time: ❤️90% 👍18 👎2
🌞 THE GOOD:
A testament to the strength of the music and sound design is just how tense the lengthy and dialogue-free moment of the TARDIS travelling into the future feels.
Matt Fitton juggles multiple groups of characters very well, using the different groups and pairings to move the main plotlines of Stranded along (Torchwood, Liv/Tania, Robin's independency, the time paradoxes)and bring in character development, while also keeping the mystery of the future setting alive.
Robin gets more involved in the narrative, which is interesting, particularly as he is made out to be someone of significance.
Tania keeps getting better and better, both as a love interest for Liv and as a natural part of the Doctor's froing TARDIS team.
The notion of an abandoned Earth with killer robots and a sterilization process is a creepy one and a great source of tension in the final act of the story.
We pick up right where the first set left us off, and you can hear from the Doctor how happy and relieved he is to have the TARDIS back again!
It's sweet how now when the Baker Street people know the truth about the Doctor and his friends, they just want him to hang around rather than leave them right away to resume his travels!
It's exciting how this story plants some hints as to the real identity of some of the residents on Baker Street (such as Tania being accepting of Liv's persona, since she is very well versed, and the two old guys knowing the Brig).
Fitton brings some more agency to the series by having the Doctor take the TARDIS for a test drive - which goes wrong of course - and he ends up seeing himself and his fellow travellers (Liv, Helen, Tania, Andy and Robin, the greatest collection of accidental companions ever!) further into the future than was intended.
A testament to the strength of the music and sound design is just how tense the lengthy and dialogue-free moment of the TARDIS travelling into the future feels.
The setting feels realistically deserted.
Andy feels a bit like Rory: he wants to be a hero and show off his skills as someone who has met aliens and experienced time travel, but his actions constantly backfire.
The main point of this story is that we're in a future that is not supposed to look the way it is, with humankind gone extinct way too early. What an intriguing mystery to carry on to the following stories.
---
📛 THE BAD:
I appreciate the attempt to refresh the series by changing the setting, but I don't feel that the supposed future London comes alive very well or plays into the narrative all that much.
The climax kind of comes and goes with a very quick resolution to get the TARDIS back to current times.
_________________________
UNIT Dating: ❤️97% 👍34 👎1
🌞THE GOOD:
This story ties the past and the present together as it goes, beautifully adding more history to the already convoluted UNIT timeline. The present is used as a nice framing device and the past is the content with which the frame is filled.
"What's the J stand for?"
"Jo!"
#technicallythetruth
It’s great to hear Andy is somewhat stressed out again and mostly blundering through every situation.
We never truly see how the Doctor's actions in the past change the present as they happen, so that’s a very intriguing aspect of the plot.
The companions have to solve the problem from their end, while the Doctor is stuck in the middle of it. This is a great use of characters stranded at different points in time.
The title of the story is clever in many ways.
There’s a beautifully emotional ending with Helen and Liv that ties nicely to the overall story.
We finally get to know the old gay couple who popped up in the last set; this story explores them through the past and the present.
The Doctor continues his test flights, this time taking Andy to the past and leaving the rest in the present.
Jon Culshaw is great as the Brig here and helps make this story and its setting feel realistic
Ron and Tony are instantly elevated as characters by becoming the leads of this story.
The script uses a basic Groundhog Day-style time loop for comedic effect, but also to build on Tony and Ron’s relationship. It's classic, clever and fun.
What better way to attach this story in the 70s other than to bring in the Ogrons as aliens! And this one’s a pretty sweet individual!
Same-sex relationships then and now are explored subtly but gracefully.
It’s pretty funny how they downplay the Doctor meeting the Brig purposefully to play with your expectations (and make a joke out of it!)
---
📛THE BAD:
The solution to the story is very low-key and just kind of pops up out of nowhere and then flies by with little fanfare.
_________________________
Baker Street Irregulars: ✅89% 👍16 👎2
🌞THE GOOD:
The treat of the story is the tense mystery around the bomb in Baker Street and how it connects to 1941 and Torchwood.
The Liv/Tania relationship from Stranded 1 continues to develop here, as does Tania’s secret Torchwood connection.
We shift focus from Tony and Ron in the previous story to the Akhtars and their historical connection to Baker Street.
The tension surrounding Tania and her Torchwood connections is growing, putting a strain on her relations with Liv.
The sound design works wonders in capturing the horrors of the London Blitz.
The Akhtars make for quite enjoyable companions for the Doctor.
There’s loads of action in this one, as the Doctor becomes something of a wartime James Bond, while the companions try to disarm an alien bomb.
This is something of a character-driven story, with lots of focus on the meaning of family and the painful memories that connect us.
---
📛THE BAD:
The setting isn’t used to full effect.
The two main sources of tension are there, but the resolutions to them feel very underwhelming.
_________________________
The Long Way Round: ❤️91% 👍20 👎2
🌞THE GOOD:
This is the most uniquely structured Stranded episode so far, with the narrative told through a series of interrogations our leads have to endure some time in the future. This approach keeps the story going through conversations while also slowly fleshing out the plot.
Annabelle Dowler does a great job maintaining a subtle level of peril and mystery while effectively interrogating the leads. Every conversation brings a new dramatic layer to the plot and reveals another new thing that changes the story.
I love how the dialogue slowly reveals more of the situation - and how Houlbrooke seems to know an unnervingly lot about the Doctor.
Another thing I love about the story is how Holbrooke initially feels friendly, before turning more and more into a villain - and then calling the Doctor's identity into question, thus making us question both her and the Doctor.
The ending is a twist that truly made my jaw drop - and means we are headed towards very intriguing territory in the next set!
Tom Baker's back as the mysterious Curator - and he's just as intriguing as previously!
The structure of the story allows every character to receive their spot in the limelight and move the plot forward, one bite at a time. The story leans into the unique strengths of every character, such as Andy's bumbling persona or Liv's deeper understanding of the Doctor.
At the heart of the story, we find just another timey wimey adventure presented in a slightly different manner, and the plot remains fairly coherent this time around.
---
📛THE BAD:
This is a slightly slower story that takes a good while to get going, and sole conversations go on for quite a bit so you might find yourself getting lost.
The bits with the Curator and Gemma between the interrogations hamper the flow of the story somewhat and aren't very interesting, until later om when their meaning becomes clear.
_________________________
❤️93% 👍88 👎7
_________________________
Dead Time: ❤️90% 👍18 👎2
🌞 THE GOOD:
A testament to the strength of the music and sound design is just how tense the lengthy and dialogue-free moment of the TARDIS travelling into the future feels.
Matt Fitton juggles multiple groups of characters very well, using the different groups and pairings to move the main plotlines of Stranded along (Torchwood, Liv/Tania, Robin's independency, the time paradoxes)and bring in character development, while also keeping the mystery of the future setting alive.
Robin gets more involved in the narrative, which is interesting, particularly as he is made out to be someone of significance.
Tania keeps getting better and better, both as a love interest for Liv and as a natural part of the Doctor's froing TARDIS team.
The notion of an abandoned Earth with killer robots and a sterilization process is a creepy one and a great source of tension in the final act of the story.
We pick up right where the first set left us off, and you can hear from the Doctor how happy and relieved he is to have the TARDIS back again!
It's sweet how now when the Baker Street people know the truth about the Doctor and his friends, they just want him to hang around rather than leave them right away to resume his travels!
It's exciting how this story plants some hints as to the real identity of some of the residents on Baker Street (such as Tania being accepting of Liv's persona, since she is very well versed, and the two old guys knowing the Brig).
Fitton brings some more agency to the series by having the Doctor take the TARDIS for a test drive - which goes wrong of course - and he ends up seeing himself and his fellow travellers (Liv, Helen, Tania, Andy and Robin, the greatest collection of accidental companions ever!) further into the future than was intended.
A testament to the strength of the music and sound design is just how tense the lengthy and dialogue-free moment of the TARDIS travelling into the future feels.
The setting feels realistically deserted.
Andy feels a bit like Rory: he wants to be a hero and show off his skills as someone who has met aliens and experienced time travel, but his actions constantly backfire.
The main point of this story is that we're in a future that is not supposed to look the way it is, with humankind gone extinct way too early. What an intriguing mystery to carry on to the following stories.
---
📛 THE BAD:
I appreciate the attempt to refresh the series by changing the setting, but I don't feel that the supposed future London comes alive very well or plays into the narrative all that much.
The climax kind of comes and goes with a very quick resolution to get the TARDIS back to current times.
_________________________
UNIT Dating: ❤️97% 👍34 👎1
🌞THE GOOD:
This story ties the past and the present together as it goes, beautifully adding more history to the already convoluted UNIT timeline. The present is used as a nice framing device and the past is the content with which the frame is filled.
"What's the J stand for?"
"Jo!"
#technicallythetruth
It’s great to hear Andy is somewhat stressed out again and mostly blundering through every situation.
We never truly see how the Doctor's actions in the past change the present as they happen, so that’s a very intriguing aspect of the plot.
The companions have to solve the problem from their end, while the Doctor is stuck in the middle of it. This is a great use of characters stranded at different points in time.
The title of the story is clever in many ways.
There’s a beautifully emotional ending with Helen and Liv that ties nicely to the overall story.
We finally get to know the old gay couple who popped up in the last set; this story explores them through the past and the present.
The Doctor continues his test flights, this time taking Andy to the past and leaving the rest in the present.
Jon Culshaw is great as the Brig here and helps make this story and its setting feel realistic
Ron and Tony are instantly elevated as characters by becoming the leads of this story.
The script uses a basic Groundhog Day-style time loop for comedic effect, but also to build on Tony and Ron’s relationship. It's classic, clever and fun.
What better way to attach this story in the 70s other than to bring in the Ogrons as aliens! And this one’s a pretty sweet individual!
Same-sex relationships then and now are explored subtly but gracefully.
It’s pretty funny how they downplay the Doctor meeting the Brig purposefully to play with your expectations (and make a joke out of it!)
---
📛THE BAD:
The solution to the story is very low-key and just kind of pops up out of nowhere and then flies by with little fanfare.
_________________________
Baker Street Irregulars: ✅89% 👍16 👎2
🌞THE GOOD:
The treat of the story is the tense mystery around the bomb in Baker Street and how it connects to 1941 and Torchwood.
The Liv/Tania relationship from Stranded 1 continues to develop here, as does Tania’s secret Torchwood connection.
We shift focus from Tony and Ron in the previous story to the Akhtars and their historical connection to Baker Street.
The tension surrounding Tania and her Torchwood connections is growing, putting a strain on her relations with Liv.
The sound design works wonders in capturing the horrors of the London Blitz.
The Akhtars make for quite enjoyable companions for the Doctor.
There’s loads of action in this one, as the Doctor becomes something of a wartime James Bond, while the companions try to disarm an alien bomb.
This is something of a character-driven story, with lots of focus on the meaning of family and the painful memories that connect us.
---
📛THE BAD:
The setting isn’t used to full effect.
The two main sources of tension are there, but the resolutions to them feel very underwhelming.
_________________________
The Long Way Round: ❤️91% 👍20 👎2
🌞THE GOOD:
This is the most uniquely structured Stranded episode so far, with the narrative told through a series of interrogations our leads have to endure some time in the future. This approach keeps the story going through conversations while also slowly fleshing out the plot.
Annabelle Dowler does a great job maintaining a subtle level of peril and mystery while effectively interrogating the leads. Every conversation brings a new dramatic layer to the plot and reveals another new thing that changes the story.
I love how the dialogue slowly reveals more of the situation - and how Houlbrooke seems to know an unnervingly lot about the Doctor.
Another thing I love about the story is how Holbrooke initially feels friendly, before turning more and more into a villain - and then calling the Doctor's identity into question, thus making us question both her and the Doctor.
The ending is a twist that truly made my jaw drop - and means we are headed towards very intriguing territory in the next set!
Tom Baker's back as the mysterious Curator - and he's just as intriguing as previously!
The structure of the story allows every character to receive their spot in the limelight and move the plot forward, one bite at a time. The story leans into the unique strengths of every character, such as Andy's bumbling persona or Liv's deeper understanding of the Doctor.
At the heart of the story, we find just another timey wimey adventure presented in a slightly different manner, and the plot remains fairly coherent this time around.
---
📛THE BAD:
This is a slightly slower story that takes a good while to get going, and sole conversations go on for quite a bit so you might find yourself getting lost.
The bits with the Curator and Gemma between the interrogations hamper the flow of the story somewhat and aren't very interesting, until later om when their meaning becomes clear.
_________________________
March 21, 2021
Listened to this pretty much in one sitting- this should tell you everything you need to know.
I really enjoyed myself here, and it managed to keep my attention throughout.
It feels like coming home and looking in on some old friends.
The stories themselves were nothing special or too exciting (they are pretty much up to the usual BF standard), however, this really lives off the relationships the characters share/ develop for each other.
I actually like this. This is much more about the characters and their background and interaction than it is about the action and the universe blowing up. Much more low key.
I like the way of storytelling, I like the characters, I like to learn more about all the people living in this merry house of misfits.
I really enjoy what Tanja and Andy are bringing to these stories, but then I am rather fond of Andy. He is basically the only character (apart from Billis Manger of course) who makes me check out Torchwood.
I like that these stories are more grounded and that they deal with some depth with the fallout the Doctor leaves in his wake. And the writing does a good job bringing this across.
Plus, I just do not need any universe shattering events happening all the time.
It even makes me care about the cat! I am now really curious how the story about the cat progresses and I expect to have him become another feline companion!
Now that they started with the cat, the cat has to stay. It would be a waste to simply forget about him.
I also realized that the tone and "feel" of Stranded 2 (for me at least!) just is the same as it was for the later Dark Eyes and Doom Coalition.
Yes, it is missing the "zing" of the first Dark Eyed/ Doom Coalition, but I just right now felt exactly as I felt when I listened to Doom Coalition 2 and 3.
Same tone, the same Liv and Helen, the vibe stays the same for me.
I ,however, have to add, I did not feel as strongly connected to "Stranded 1". So Volume 2 improves on that and I again begin to feel "at home".
As for the Big Bad, who is having his first appearance in this volume...
Since Volume 1, early on, I had already suspected who it was going to be, and surprise! I was right.
Oh well, you cannot always have evil Time Lords, and I think this villain really fits the theme of this series, with the heavy emphasis on character development and interaction.
All in all, another great set from BF, with the usual great production values and performances.
I really enjoyed myself here, and it managed to keep my attention throughout.
It feels like coming home and looking in on some old friends.
The stories themselves were nothing special or too exciting (they are pretty much up to the usual BF standard), however, this really lives off the relationships the characters share/ develop for each other.
I actually like this. This is much more about the characters and their background and interaction than it is about the action and the universe blowing up. Much more low key.
I like the way of storytelling, I like the characters, I like to learn more about all the people living in this merry house of misfits.
I really enjoy what Tanja and Andy are bringing to these stories, but then I am rather fond of Andy. He is basically the only character (apart from Billis Manger of course) who makes me check out Torchwood.
I like that these stories are more grounded and that they deal with some depth with the fallout the Doctor leaves in his wake. And the writing does a good job bringing this across.
Plus, I just do not need any universe shattering events happening all the time.
It even makes me care about the cat! I am now really curious how the story about the cat progresses and I expect to have him become another feline companion!
Now that they started with the cat, the cat has to stay. It would be a waste to simply forget about him.
I also realized that the tone and "feel" of Stranded 2 (for me at least!) just is the same as it was for the later Dark Eyes and Doom Coalition.
Yes, it is missing the "zing" of the first Dark Eyed/ Doom Coalition, but I just right now felt exactly as I felt when I listened to Doom Coalition 2 and 3.
Same tone, the same Liv and Helen, the vibe stays the same for me.
I ,however, have to add, I did not feel as strongly connected to "Stranded 1". So Volume 2 improves on that and I again begin to feel "at home".
As for the Big Bad, who is having his first appearance in this volume...
Since Volume 1, early on, I had already suspected who it was going to be, and surprise! I was right.
Oh well, you cannot always have evil Time Lords, and I think this villain really fits the theme of this series, with the heavy emphasis on character development and interaction.
All in all, another great set from BF, with the usual great production values and performances.
May 5, 2022
Doctor Who: Stranded 2 - 4.125/5 stars
Each story still has threads that weave overarching plots but they don’t rely on them as much as the first boxset. I think this is a great continuation and keeps a fast-paced momentum of mystery throughout. The Baker Street side characters are still really fun. The main five characters are enjoyable. Tania and Liv’s relationship is great in this.
2.1 Dead Time by Matt Fitton - 4/5 stars
I enjoyed this continuation of the previous set. Tania and the Doctor vibed really well. Andy is fun in this. Robin has to leave Baker Street at the end and it's quite heartbreaking. The story is a basic one, although it definitely sets the tone of the boxset, making it obvious that it wont be as soap-like.
2.2 UNIT Dating by Roy Gill - 5/5 stars
Fun Timeloop story. Comedic and heartwarming 8th Doctor/Brigadier moments. Great interactions between Andy and 8. Cute old married gay couple backstory. Helen has a heartbreaking moment where she talks about the disowning of her gay older brother back in the early 1960s. Beautiful ending. This story is my favourite of the set.
2.3 Baker Street Irregulars by Lisa McMullin - 4/5 stars
Cute little World War II time travel story about family. Love the twist at the end. Tania and Liv have a fun little B plot. Love how they’ve been giving the different residents of 107 Baker Street spotlight episodes of development with the Doctor and Companions as the ones driving the narratives. The Tania/Andy Torchwood secret plot thats been developing has piqued my interest here too.
2.4 The Long Way Round by John Dorney - 3.5/5 stars
Fun style. Love the one on one interviews of the main 5 characters. Tom Baker as the Curator is great in this. And a great twist villain in the end. This story is very different to the previous 3 but it helps build the stakes for the future. I was a little disappointed that this didnt follow on from the cliffhanger of the last story.
Each story still has threads that weave overarching plots but they don’t rely on them as much as the first boxset. I think this is a great continuation and keeps a fast-paced momentum of mystery throughout. The Baker Street side characters are still really fun. The main five characters are enjoyable. Tania and Liv’s relationship is great in this.
2.1 Dead Time by Matt Fitton - 4/5 stars
I enjoyed this continuation of the previous set. Tania and the Doctor vibed really well. Andy is fun in this. Robin has to leave Baker Street at the end and it's quite heartbreaking. The story is a basic one, although it definitely sets the tone of the boxset, making it obvious that it wont be as soap-like.
2.2 UNIT Dating by Roy Gill - 5/5 stars
Fun Timeloop story. Comedic and heartwarming 8th Doctor/Brigadier moments. Great interactions between Andy and 8. Cute old married gay couple backstory. Helen has a heartbreaking moment where she talks about the disowning of her gay older brother back in the early 1960s. Beautiful ending. This story is my favourite of the set.
2.3 Baker Street Irregulars by Lisa McMullin - 4/5 stars
Cute little World War II time travel story about family. Love the twist at the end. Tania and Liv have a fun little B plot. Love how they’ve been giving the different residents of 107 Baker Street spotlight episodes of development with the Doctor and Companions as the ones driving the narratives. The Tania/Andy Torchwood secret plot thats been developing has piqued my interest here too.
2.4 The Long Way Round by John Dorney - 3.5/5 stars
Fun style. Love the one on one interviews of the main 5 characters. Tom Baker as the Curator is great in this. And a great twist villain in the end. This story is very different to the previous 3 but it helps build the stakes for the future. I was a little disappointed that this didnt follow on from the cliffhanger of the last story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2025
I really enjoyed this volume.
April 26, 2021
I was concerned when I head that the second boxset would take some of the characters from the first volume into different time. The contemporary setting of volume one was a breath of fresh air. However this still focuses on characters more than Sci fi adventure and one tale in particular really had the same kind of emotional punch as the first volume. Whilst not as strong as volume 1 this does move the characters along and the final cliffhanger will have you ready to listen to episode one straight away!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2023
Story 1 - 4 stars
Story 2 - 4.5 stars
Story 3 - 4.5 stars
Story 4 - 4 stars
Story 2 - 4.5 stars
Story 3 - 4.5 stars
Story 4 - 4 stars
May 6, 2021
I'm giving this 5 stars, I thought 2 stories were more 4 but overall it was brilliant and one of the best things BF have done in ages. The first story saw the (rather large) group travel to the far future. It was nice to see Tania get to travel in time and have more time with the Doctor. I was very glad annoying teenage boy was only in this episode though and then disappeared.
The 2nd story was a very sweet story of the gay boys in Unit. It was a bit odd that they went with the Brig for them to meet up with, voiced by the impersonator, when they could have met up with Jo, voiced by Katy Manning herself. It was also so obviously written by a man when at the end two queer woman sat around and talked about how homophobia effected MEN and neither of them even mentioned their own experiences, or even their sexuality. Which was the most artificial thing I think I've ever heard.
The 3rd story was my favourite. Traveling back in time again, this time to second world war. Liv and Tania had a wonderful domestic, (done very authentically hello woman writer!) It was nice to see a couple that weren't fighting just for a plot point but because of a natural progression in their relationship. The sisters back story was wonderful, their parents and her grandmother's role in the war was fantastic. Definitely my favourite of the 4.
The 4th story was my least favourite, I think because there wasn't much character development, and the threat seemed trivial. By this point I think everyone should have figured out the Doctor isn't a psychopath. And as lovely as it is to have dear old Tom around, he didn't really add much.
The 2nd story was a very sweet story of the gay boys in Unit. It was a bit odd that they went with the Brig for them to meet up with, voiced by the impersonator, when they could have met up with Jo, voiced by Katy Manning herself. It was also so obviously written by a man when at the end two queer woman sat around and talked about how homophobia effected MEN and neither of them even mentioned their own experiences, or even their sexuality. Which was the most artificial thing I think I've ever heard.
The 3rd story was my favourite. Traveling back in time again, this time to second world war. Liv and Tania had a wonderful domestic, (done very authentically hello woman writer!) It was nice to see a couple that weren't fighting just for a plot point but because of a natural progression in their relationship. The sisters back story was wonderful, their parents and her grandmother's role in the war was fantastic. Definitely my favourite of the 4.
The 4th story was my least favourite, I think because there wasn't much character development, and the threat seemed trivial. By this point I think everyone should have figured out the Doctor isn't a psychopath. And as lovely as it is to have dear old Tom around, he didn't really add much.
July 27, 2023
The low-key story of the Doctor being stranded on Earth continues in this collection. More pieces of the plot arc come together here, but the main distinguishing feature from Stranded 1 is that the TARDIS is once again capable of time travel – but not yet of travelling through space. Still stuck in London, this allows for a heavier emphasis on time travel as a plot device (rather than, say, alien planets), and makes good use of the cast of characters set up in the previous volume.
Dead Time – Starting directly where volume 1 left off, this soon sees the Doctor taking an unusually large number of travelling companions off in the TARDIS, only to arrive on an uninhabited Earth six million years in the future. It’s clear that part of the purpose of this is to lay seeds for future episodes; we see the eventual outcome of some major event that has yet to happen. Aside from that, though, the story sees the travellers wandering about in an empty desert, giving them plenty of time to interact with one another and for the show to develop their characters – Tania, especially, being built up as potential companion material. Despite the eventual danger of the setting, it’s almost a downtime episode, taking time to show how the different characters react to their predicament. 4 stars.
UNIT Dating – The cheeky title of this episode doesn’t refer to what you might think it does (although there are nods to that, too). It sees the Doctor travelling back to the UNIT of his third incarnation’s days and ending up causing a temporal anomaly that not only affects him and Andy in the past, but Liv and Helen in the present day. It’s a good time travel story, further enlivened by being wound around a couple of UNIT soldiers starting a romantic relationship whose outcome is changed by the shifting events. Plus, of course, we have Jon Culshaw as the Brigadier getting some good scenes with Eight that address issues that the ‘70s show never did. 4.5 stars.
Baker Street Irregulars – With time travel available again, a story set in the past was inevitable, and it feels appropriate that this one is mostly a straight historical. That element of the plot sees the Doctor taking two of his tenants back to 1941 to learn more about their grandmother’s work for the SOE. Naturally enough, that soon leads to adventure – albeit with Nazis less directly involved than one might expect – but it is accompanied by an SF side-plot concerning an unexploded bomb that turns out to be anything but. The historical elements, borrowing on a nickname for the SOE when it was, indeed, based on Baker Street, are loosely reminiscent of the real-world story of Noor Inayat Khan… one of those little bits of history that our white-male-dominated vision of WWII era Britain tends to overlook. 4 stars.
The Long Way Round – The concluding story alternates between scenes of the time travellers being interrogated by a mysterious woman holding them captive and The Curator having a friendly chat with a child on a park bench. It’s the sort of thing that’s ideally suited for audio, since it wouldn’t have much in the way of visuals if it were made for TV. Instead, it relies on the personalities of the various characters as each is interviewed one by one and the story, and how it connects to the larger plot, slowly unfolds. I worked out the ‘surprise’ reveals early on, but they aren’t the beauty of the story, which come from the top-notch acting and dialogue. 5 stars.
Dead Time – Starting directly where volume 1 left off, this soon sees the Doctor taking an unusually large number of travelling companions off in the TARDIS, only to arrive on an uninhabited Earth six million years in the future. It’s clear that part of the purpose of this is to lay seeds for future episodes; we see the eventual outcome of some major event that has yet to happen. Aside from that, though, the story sees the travellers wandering about in an empty desert, giving them plenty of time to interact with one another and for the show to develop their characters – Tania, especially, being built up as potential companion material. Despite the eventual danger of the setting, it’s almost a downtime episode, taking time to show how the different characters react to their predicament. 4 stars.
UNIT Dating – The cheeky title of this episode doesn’t refer to what you might think it does (although there are nods to that, too). It sees the Doctor travelling back to the UNIT of his third incarnation’s days and ending up causing a temporal anomaly that not only affects him and Andy in the past, but Liv and Helen in the present day. It’s a good time travel story, further enlivened by being wound around a couple of UNIT soldiers starting a romantic relationship whose outcome is changed by the shifting events. Plus, of course, we have Jon Culshaw as the Brigadier getting some good scenes with Eight that address issues that the ‘70s show never did. 4.5 stars.
Baker Street Irregulars – With time travel available again, a story set in the past was inevitable, and it feels appropriate that this one is mostly a straight historical. That element of the plot sees the Doctor taking two of his tenants back to 1941 to learn more about their grandmother’s work for the SOE. Naturally enough, that soon leads to adventure – albeit with Nazis less directly involved than one might expect – but it is accompanied by an SF side-plot concerning an unexploded bomb that turns out to be anything but. The historical elements, borrowing on a nickname for the SOE when it was, indeed, based on Baker Street, are loosely reminiscent of the real-world story of Noor Inayat Khan… one of those little bits of history that our white-male-dominated vision of WWII era Britain tends to overlook. 4 stars.
The Long Way Round – The concluding story alternates between scenes of the time travellers being interrogated by a mysterious woman holding them captive and The Curator having a friendly chat with a child on a park bench. It’s the sort of thing that’s ideally suited for audio, since it wouldn’t have much in the way of visuals if it were made for TV. Instead, it relies on the personalities of the various characters as each is interviewed one by one and the story, and how it connects to the larger plot, slowly unfolds. I worked out the ‘surprise’ reveals early on, but they aren’t the beauty of the story, which come from the top-notch acting and dialogue. 5 stars.
February 12, 2022
So I've been meaning to continue with Stranded for a little while now. But admittedly whilst I really enjoyed the first set, the rest of the series just sounded to me as if it lost its meaning but I've heard since from people it hasn't and I might understand it a bit more if I continue on listening to the series, so here we are!
Dead Time:
This little story is fun but it's a little lacking in substance. It's a story where you have interesting science fiction concepts but not a whole lot is done with them to be particularly meaningful. But what makes this story fun and enjoyable time is the fact it focuses on being a character piece over anything else and I will give it to Matt Fitton whilst it's not a particularly exciting one it is enjoyable and having all these characters, laughing, arguing and bantering together is a delight.
I was a little confused at the start with some of the elements of the series but that's only because it's been over a year since I've listened to the first set of Stranded. 6/10
Unit Dating:
This is a story I've heard really good things about from people and by god it's incredible! A timey-wimey love story about time loops and it's so much fun with a strong emotional core. This is an incredibly strong character piece with UNIT, The Brigadier, an Ogron, and a gay couple and by god did it almost have me in tears of joy!
This is a story I believe should be experienced rather than being told prior so I'll keep it short. This is by far one of the best Eighth Doctor Adventures ever written, it's a very strong story with some major character development but also remembers to be a lot of fun with a little bit of fan service on the side without feeling like it's forced. Everything just clicks into place for this story! 10/10
Baker Street Irregulars:
I'm a sucker for WW2 stories in Doctor Who, especially when they're good and Baker Street Irregulars is very good indeed. This is another story with a strong emotional core whilst also developing our characters further including Aisha and Zakia Akhtar who get an absolute bombshell of a twist. Speaking about bombs we see Liv and Tania's relationship progress for the best or worst in this whilst they trying to defuse a device that is at first confused for a bomb.
After the very lacking Dead Time, the series is finally getting back into gear and I'm having a wail of a time, it's fun, emotional and I can't wait to see what the next installment brings us! 8.5/10
The Long Way Round:
John Dorney has done it again, not only has he ended the set on a high note but he's written an engaging interrogation drama filled with plenty of twists and turns. This is one's hard to review because you'll become too afraid of giving certain moments away but I will say since it's his only story in this set that Tom Baker is as charming and funny as ever but I'm really intrigued by what The Curator has to do with the bigger picture!
I love that I am finally starting to understand what this series is all about and this last story has left me craving for more! 1o/10
Overall: 34.5/40
Dead Time:
This little story is fun but it's a little lacking in substance. It's a story where you have interesting science fiction concepts but not a whole lot is done with them to be particularly meaningful. But what makes this story fun and enjoyable time is the fact it focuses on being a character piece over anything else and I will give it to Matt Fitton whilst it's not a particularly exciting one it is enjoyable and having all these characters, laughing, arguing and bantering together is a delight.
I was a little confused at the start with some of the elements of the series but that's only because it's been over a year since I've listened to the first set of Stranded. 6/10
Unit Dating:
This is a story I've heard really good things about from people and by god it's incredible! A timey-wimey love story about time loops and it's so much fun with a strong emotional core. This is an incredibly strong character piece with UNIT, The Brigadier, an Ogron, and a gay couple and by god did it almost have me in tears of joy!
This is a story I believe should be experienced rather than being told prior so I'll keep it short. This is by far one of the best Eighth Doctor Adventures ever written, it's a very strong story with some major character development but also remembers to be a lot of fun with a little bit of fan service on the side without feeling like it's forced. Everything just clicks into place for this story! 10/10
Baker Street Irregulars:
I'm a sucker for WW2 stories in Doctor Who, especially when they're good and Baker Street Irregulars is very good indeed. This is another story with a strong emotional core whilst also developing our characters further including Aisha and Zakia Akhtar who get an absolute bombshell of a twist. Speaking about bombs we see Liv and Tania's relationship progress for the best or worst in this whilst they trying to defuse a device that is at first confused for a bomb.
After the very lacking Dead Time, the series is finally getting back into gear and I'm having a wail of a time, it's fun, emotional and I can't wait to see what the next installment brings us! 8.5/10
The Long Way Round:
John Dorney has done it again, not only has he ended the set on a high note but he's written an engaging interrogation drama filled with plenty of twists and turns. This is one's hard to review because you'll become too afraid of giving certain moments away but I will say since it's his only story in this set that Tom Baker is as charming and funny as ever but I'm really intrigued by what The Curator has to do with the bigger picture!
I love that I am finally starting to understand what this series is all about and this last story has left me craving for more! 1o/10
Overall: 34.5/40
July 2, 2021
Dead Time:
7/10
Verdict: Recommended
It kind of feels like having this many companions at once and making it work is to intentionally slap modern who in the face. It seriously is remarkable that with so many spinning plates the story doesn't drop them, everyone who joins has a plotline and they all come together. They all get a chance to show why they're companion material. This story also had amazing tension throughout, anyone could die in this story and it's built up for it to happen. The setting is pretty great and the main villains are pretty decent as well.
UNIT Dating:
7/10
Verdict: Recommended
Really wholesome story, and also one with some high stakes. Now that we've had a whole boxset to get to know these characters, seeing them in life threatening scenarios is properly tense, especially this one, where the best pair in Baker Street are at risk. Fun time travel plot with a 'past affects the future' storyline.
Baker Street Irregulars:
7/10
Verdict: Recommended
These stories are all really wholesome while also having high stakes. The setting is great and the characters are all distinct in this. While the ending caught me off guard and was pretty out of nowhere, I actually liked it quite a lot. It adds a new dimension to certain characters that I think they needed.
The Long Way Round:
6/10
Verdict: Recommended
Fun story that plays with the format a bit to give us segments from different interrogations. I found the concept behind the interrogator's character to be pretty interesting, but in practice I'm not sure I cared much for their arc, which unfortunately the entirety of this story focuses on. The story also keeps alluding to this dystopian future, but we never see it, which sort of hampers any impact that storythread could have. I'm really not sure how to feel about that twist ending, I'm gonna have to see how it all turns out in future boxsets.
7/10
Verdict: Recommended
It kind of feels like having this many companions at once and making it work is to intentionally slap modern who in the face. It seriously is remarkable that with so many spinning plates the story doesn't drop them, everyone who joins has a plotline and they all come together. They all get a chance to show why they're companion material. This story also had amazing tension throughout, anyone could die in this story and it's built up for it to happen. The setting is pretty great and the main villains are pretty decent as well.
UNIT Dating:
7/10
Verdict: Recommended
Really wholesome story, and also one with some high stakes. Now that we've had a whole boxset to get to know these characters, seeing them in life threatening scenarios is properly tense, especially this one, where the best pair in Baker Street are at risk. Fun time travel plot with a 'past affects the future' storyline.
Baker Street Irregulars:
7/10
Verdict: Recommended
These stories are all really wholesome while also having high stakes. The setting is great and the characters are all distinct in this. While the ending caught me off guard and was pretty out of nowhere, I actually liked it quite a lot. It adds a new dimension to certain characters that I think they needed.
The Long Way Round:
6/10
Verdict: Recommended
Fun story that plays with the format a bit to give us segments from different interrogations. I found the concept behind the interrogator's character to be pretty interesting, but in practice I'm not sure I cared much for their arc, which unfortunately the entirety of this story focuses on. The story also keeps alluding to this dystopian future, but we never see it, which sort of hampers any impact that storythread could have. I'm really not sure how to feel about that twist ending, I'm gonna have to see how it all turns out in future boxsets.
June 7, 2021
Ho adorato le prime tre storie, ma la quarta è stata una delusione.
Un'ora di interrogatori senza capo né coda, in cui l'interrogatrice cerca di convincerci che il Dottore sia chissà quale villain senza avere uno straccio di prova, mentre i companion continuano a ripetere che non è così. Non viene neanche usato come espediente per conoscere i personaggi: tutto quello che dicono lo sappiamo già. Chi fosse Gemma lo si vedeva lontano un miglio, e il plot twist finale, anche se non lo avevo previsto, non mi ha lasciato con chissà quale impatto. Davvero un peccato perché Dorney è uno dei miei autori Big Finish preferiti e mi aspettavo di meglio. Si salva solo la performance di Tom Baker come curatore.
Per le altre storie avrei dato 5 stelle: mi piace molto la dimensione umana di questa serie e la grande quantità di personaggi che abbiamo modo di approfondire.
Un'ora di interrogatori senza capo né coda, in cui l'interrogatrice cerca di convincerci che il Dottore sia chissà quale villain senza avere uno straccio di prova, mentre i companion continuano a ripetere che non è così. Non viene neanche usato come espediente per conoscere i personaggi: tutto quello che dicono lo sappiamo già. Chi fosse Gemma lo si vedeva lontano un miglio, e il plot twist finale, anche se non lo avevo previsto, non mi ha lasciato con chissà quale impatto. Davvero un peccato perché Dorney è uno dei miei autori Big Finish preferiti e mi aspettavo di meglio. Si salva solo la performance di Tom Baker come curatore.
Per le altre storie avrei dato 5 stelle: mi piace molto la dimensione umana di questa serie e la grande quantità di personaggi che abbiamo modo di approfondire.
May 22, 2021
Stranded 1 showed much promise. This second set, for me, ended brilliantly. The very last story is truly outstanding. Even a character who has always sounded like they're lying down shifts up a gear. But for most of the other stories the actors sound bored silly. The love story is like the most utterly dull soap opera ever trying to be woke. I was looking forward to hearing the Brigadier, but while he sounds like the original when he's away in the distance, close up he often sounds like he's morphing into the fourth Doctor. As for being "stranded", the writers are already moving away from that.
March 16, 2021
In the second volume of the Starnded series, The Eighth Doctor, Liv and Helen are still stuck in 2020 Baker St. The TARDIS is slowly healing, but at this point can only travel in time, not space. What we get are four stories that take us to the far-future, the UNIT era (shortly after Day of the Daleks), World War II and 2050. Enjoyable, not quite reality because no COVID, but nothing truly epic (especially after majorly epic 2-part finale to Ravenous). Good stories that continue the ongoing adventures of the Eighth Doctor.
June 6, 2021
I'm giving this three stars just because I want to believe this plot arc is going to be interesting. Eventually. Because at the moment it's mostly an LGBT soap opera. *YAWN*
This series has to start picking up the pace, because instead of anticipating the resolution to Stranded, I'm already thinking about the series that'll come after and whether it will be a return to form.
This series has to start picking up the pace, because instead of anticipating the resolution to Stranded, I'm already thinking about the series that'll come after and whether it will be a return to form.
January 9, 2025
What a terrific boxset! The first episode “Dead Time” is the least interesting, but still a lot of fun. Unit Dating is funny and so sweet. Baker Street Irregulars is so much fun! But it’s The Long Way Around is the icing on the cake, though. Written by John Dorney of course, the best writer Big Finish has. Chilling, structurally brilliant, and with a great cliffhanger ending. Brilliant.
March 15, 2021
Boy howdy! What a boxset. I saw some of that ending coming but didn't peg it for when it did.
Bravo! Thank you Big Finish and all the brilliant actors who've managed to create during the pandemic. Love you all!
Bravo! Thank you Big Finish and all the brilliant actors who've managed to create during the pandemic. Love you all!
May 1, 2021
Really enjoyed this set - much more cohesive than the first set and there's a deeper delve into the background of some of the tenants introduced in Stranded 1. UNIT dating was the pick of the bunch of strong stories.
March 17, 2021
This whole series has been great. All the characters are so distinct in a very natural way, and so many women too.
March 26, 2021
Wow, that was an epic new instalment for the Stranded arc, adding some complexity and intrigue to things, very well done
April 5, 2021
The doctor and liv test fly the tardis.
March 1, 2023
Stranded has to be amongst the best doctor who in any medium
March 28, 2023
If I could give this a 6/5 I would. Every episode was fantastic.
May 12, 2023
This one is great
Baker Street Irregulars isn't as great as the rest of the set, but UNIT Dating pulls its weight
Baker Street Irregulars isn't as great as the rest of the set, but UNIT Dating pulls its weight
July 14, 2024
A strong sequel to the original stranded boxset.
November 19, 2024
"ogron not have... ĻĀ§ÅĢŇĄ. everything bad."
December 30, 2024
Didn't much enjoy the first box set in this series, sadly; however, this second set was actually a huge improvement-- *much* better writing all-around-- so I'm glad I continued. 👍
May 10, 2025
The Doctor and the Brigadier need to bang already.
May 10, 2025
This series keeps getting better and better!
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