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Stranded #3
Doctor Who: Stranded 3
After crashing in 2020 London, the TARDIS is healing. It can now take its passengers through time and space – but the future has changed around them. A sinister force steers humanity’s destiny, and as the Doctor and friends investigate the mystery they’re trapped inside, they may make the outcome even worse.
3.1 Patience by Tim Foley
The Doctor decides to investigate the limits of the paradoxical timeline in which he and his friends are stranded. But they find themselves hunted by a force of mercenary Judoon. It seems that Earth’s altered history has changed the whole universe.
3.2 Twisted Folklore by Lizzie Hopley
Tracking the course of the future, the Doctor and friends arrive on Rarkelia - where human forces rule. Earth – and Divine Intervention – are shaping the universe in their own image. Helen, Liv and Tania embed themselves in society, while the Doctor starts a revolution.
3.3 Snow by James Kettle
Returning to London in the 2030s, the TARDIS travellers find a sinister elite taking hold. Baker Street now has just one lonely resident – and what’s more, it is the last place on Earth where snow ever falls.
3.4 What Just Happened? by John Dorney
All actions have consequences. The path to victory or disaster is unclear, unless seen from a different perspective. With the lives of the entire human race at stake, the Doctor confronts a nemesis like no other. And not everyone will make it home.
3.1 Patience by Tim Foley
The Doctor decides to investigate the limits of the paradoxical timeline in which he and his friends are stranded. But they find themselves hunted by a force of mercenary Judoon. It seems that Earth’s altered history has changed the whole universe.
3.2 Twisted Folklore by Lizzie Hopley
Tracking the course of the future, the Doctor and friends arrive on Rarkelia - where human forces rule. Earth – and Divine Intervention – are shaping the universe in their own image. Helen, Liv and Tania embed themselves in society, while the Doctor starts a revolution.
3.3 Snow by James Kettle
Returning to London in the 2030s, the TARDIS travellers find a sinister elite taking hold. Baker Street now has just one lonely resident – and what’s more, it is the last place on Earth where snow ever falls.
3.4 What Just Happened? by John Dorney
All actions have consequences. The path to victory or disaster is unclear, unless seen from a different perspective. With the lives of the entire human race at stake, the Doctor confronts a nemesis like no other. And not everyone will make it home.
5 pages, Audiobook
First published December 1, 2021
57 people want to read
About the author
John Dorney
166 books26 followersJohn Dorney is a British writer and actor best known for stage roles including the National Theatre, the BBC Radio 4 sitcom My First Planet; and his scripts for the Big Finish Doctor Who range. His script 'Solitaire' was rated the most popular Doctor Who Companion Chronicle of 2010 on the Timescales website and was the runner up in Unreality Sci-fi net's poll for Story of the Year 2010-11.
As well as Doctor Who, he has written for Big Finish's Sapphire and Steel series and on radio co-wrote three series of BBC Radio 4's Recorded for Training Purposes. He won the BBC Show Me the Funny 'Sketch Factor' competition, was a finalist in the BBC 'Laughing Stock' competition, and has performed in Mark Watson's Edinburgh Comedy Award winning long shows as 'The Balladeer'. On stage, he has written plays for the Royal Court Theatre, Hampstead and Soho Theatres.
He trained at LAMDA.
As well as Doctor Who, he has written for Big Finish's Sapphire and Steel series and on radio co-wrote three series of BBC Radio 4's Recorded for Training Purposes. He won the BBC Show Me the Funny 'Sketch Factor' competition, was a finalist in the BBC 'Laughing Stock' competition, and has performed in Mark Watson's Edinburgh Comedy Award winning long shows as 'The Balladeer'. On stage, he has written plays for the Royal Court Theatre, Hampstead and Soho Theatres.
He trained at LAMDA.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 5, 2021
It pains me to say, but for me, this release was a mixed bag.
For a long time, the 8th Doctor releases were pretty much something I always enjoyed.
But not everything can always be good, and here, we get a few misses.
So here we have a release with two pretty average stories in the first half, that miss a clear sense of direction and seemingly go nowhere and I am not even sure how they fit in the overall plot of the series.
I usually cherish in medias res stories, that start in the middle and leave you hanging and guessing.
I am fine with this.
But they did two stories exactly like that right at the start, one right after the other.
Two issues I had with this:
1. This really breaks the flow of the overall plot
2. This is really confusing
However, I am happy to say, the pace and the direction picked up in the last two stories.
In the second half of the release, there was a much more palpable sense of direction that drive the plot forward and let us understand what the whole series is about.
The idea of the mysterious snow in "Snow" is great and put a wonderful picture up in my mind, especially today, while outside my window everything had a light dusting of snow everywhere. Today was the perfect day to listen to this.
I also like the emotional side of the story and the overarching theme of consequences and time travel.
And then we come to the finale, and the idea and execution of "What just happened" was awesome. This is exactly the experimental type of stuff I expect of Doctor Who and I wish we would get more of.
All in all, this box set gets a mixed review from me, with two starting stories that seemingly go nowhere, but at least the set picks up in the later half.
As usual, very good performances and production values and although this was a remote lockdown recording, as McGann mentions in the extras, it comes together perfectly.
For a long time, the 8th Doctor releases were pretty much something I always enjoyed.
But not everything can always be good, and here, we get a few misses.
So here we have a release with two pretty average stories in the first half, that miss a clear sense of direction and seemingly go nowhere and I am not even sure how they fit in the overall plot of the series.
I usually cherish in medias res stories, that start in the middle and leave you hanging and guessing.
I am fine with this.
But they did two stories exactly like that right at the start, one right after the other.
Two issues I had with this:
1. This really breaks the flow of the overall plot
2. This is really confusing
However, I am happy to say, the pace and the direction picked up in the last two stories.
In the second half of the release, there was a much more palpable sense of direction that drive the plot forward and let us understand what the whole series is about.
The idea of the mysterious snow in "Snow" is great and put a wonderful picture up in my mind, especially today, while outside my window everything had a light dusting of snow everywhere. Today was the perfect day to listen to this.
I also like the emotional side of the story and the overarching theme of consequences and time travel.
And then we come to the finale, and the idea and execution of "What just happened" was awesome. This is exactly the experimental type of stuff I expect of Doctor Who and I wish we would get more of.
All in all, this box set gets a mixed review from me, with two starting stories that seemingly go nowhere, but at least the set picks up in the later half.
As usual, very good performances and production values and although this was a remote lockdown recording, as McGann mentions in the extras, it comes together perfectly.
October 4, 2023
Rounded up:
Story 1 - 3 stars
Story 2 - 3 stars
Story 3 - 5 stars
Story 4 - 4 stars
Story 1 - 3 stars
Story 2 - 3 stars
Story 3 - 5 stars
Story 4 - 4 stars
December 4, 2021
Patience:
6/10
Verdict: Optional
Very confusing plot, but in a way that is clearly saying 'don't worry, you'll get it by the end' and I did. Very slow but with some sparks of action here and there, and enough intrigue to carry me to the end. Overall, I don't think it was a great story, but it is a good example of controlled convolution with some decent character moments.
Twisted Folklore:
6/10
Verdict: Optional
There's a lot I should like about this story, but for some reason the elements don't line up for me. It's a great setting, nice cast and a well realised dystopian society. The problem I think was that off the bat I didn't know where I stood, I was thrown in and had to figure out what was happening, which took me quite a while. Since I didn't know where I stood, I didn't feel much of the tension and couldn't get a handle on the plot to some degree. I reckon I'd probably have a better time with relistens but initially this one isn't for me.
Snow:
6/10
Verdict: Optional
This is a very cozy melancholic story about grief and what's really important, and in that regard, this story is pretty great. However, the side stuff, the building up of the series plot does feel somewhat ham-fisted, and when the story wants me to believe that things that happen in this story are fixed, I didn't believe it for a second. Still, there are some pretty great moments, especially concerning the titular 'snow', and I absolutely love the couple of lines that comment on the Doctor's grief and how he's shown to deal with it.
What Just Happened?:
6/10
Verdict: Recommended
This is an odd one, because it has an amazing opening and set-up, which had me grinning from ear to ear, but I can't say that energy kept up for the rest of the story. There's a gimmic to this that I won't spoil, and while I loved it initially, I can't say the story justifies it's inclusion and in fact, led to a key moment at the start feeling a little brushed over. Unfortunately due to the nature of this, it inevitably will start out high pace and end with the slow exposition heavy section that we got. Maybe this concept should have been saved for a story that could justify it's inclusion and would benefit from it being used, however this is a big story for the overall plot so I would say to check this one if you want to keep following the Stranded series.
6/10
Verdict: Optional
Very confusing plot, but in a way that is clearly saying 'don't worry, you'll get it by the end' and I did. Very slow but with some sparks of action here and there, and enough intrigue to carry me to the end. Overall, I don't think it was a great story, but it is a good example of controlled convolution with some decent character moments.
Twisted Folklore:
6/10
Verdict: Optional
There's a lot I should like about this story, but for some reason the elements don't line up for me. It's a great setting, nice cast and a well realised dystopian society. The problem I think was that off the bat I didn't know where I stood, I was thrown in and had to figure out what was happening, which took me quite a while. Since I didn't know where I stood, I didn't feel much of the tension and couldn't get a handle on the plot to some degree. I reckon I'd probably have a better time with relistens but initially this one isn't for me.
Snow:
6/10
Verdict: Optional
This is a very cozy melancholic story about grief and what's really important, and in that regard, this story is pretty great. However, the side stuff, the building up of the series plot does feel somewhat ham-fisted, and when the story wants me to believe that things that happen in this story are fixed, I didn't believe it for a second. Still, there are some pretty great moments, especially concerning the titular 'snow', and I absolutely love the couple of lines that comment on the Doctor's grief and how he's shown to deal with it.
What Just Happened?:
6/10
Verdict: Recommended
This is an odd one, because it has an amazing opening and set-up, which had me grinning from ear to ear, but I can't say that energy kept up for the rest of the story. There's a gimmic to this that I won't spoil, and while I loved it initially, I can't say the story justifies it's inclusion and in fact, led to a key moment at the start feeling a little brushed over. Unfortunately due to the nature of this, it inevitably will start out high pace and end with the slow exposition heavy section that we got. Maybe this concept should have been saved for a story that could justify it's inclusion and would benefit from it being used, however this is a big story for the overall plot so I would say to check this one if you want to keep following the Stranded series.
February 20, 2025
I'm in the minority here, but I don't like Liv all that much. Also not a huge fan of Tania. I love having Andy as part of the TARDIS crew though.
June 13, 2022
“STRANDED 3”: A COMMENTARY
✅74% 👍54 👎19 = Good!
_________________________
Patience: 🙏🏼61% 👍11 👎7 = Average!
After travelling exclusively in time in the previous set, Stranded 3 adds the space aspect of the travel to the TARDIS' abilities, with the opening story set on an alien planet. Much like the opening story in Stranded 2, writer Tim Foley uses this story to divide the characters into different pairings to explore their feeling and relations. Foley paints a light mystery by suggesting that the travellers are stuck somewhere but do not know where and why. We are then slowly revealed what is going on, in a hilarious conversation between the Doctor and one of the Judoon. The main twist of Mr Bird being the Judoon's employer provides a nice connection to the first Stranded set.
It's hard to connect the different scenes initially, making the title of the story pretty fitting from the listener's point of view: your patience is duly tested. Some basic time loop and timey wimey shenanigans at play here are both confusing and unoriginal, even for Big Finish. Telling a story out of sequence has been done so many times before that it's kind of feeling tiresome by now. The climax of the story flies by in an instant, and there's not a real sense of a fallout from the build-up.
Andy has become the warm and likeable comic relief by this point, something of a Rory Williams copy, but needed to bring some lightheartedness into the mix. Liv and Tania's story remains front and centre and feels very natural and emotional by this point, even when told through Liv and Helen, with great performances from the involved actors. The Judoon hunting the party down are booming with personality, which is rare for the space rhino police!
The Doctor spends the bulk of the episode narrating a story, and it's neither very engaging nor very well connected to the rest of the adventure.
The sound design is minimal, but very well used to bring the varying weather condition of the alien planet to life, not to speak of the Judoon voices, which sound different enough to hide the fact that Nicholas Briggs is voicing them.
_________________________
Twisted Folklore: 🙏🏼62% 👍8 👎5 = Average!
Lizzie Hopley's story takes us to the planet Rarkelia in the future, where humanity rules based on the Doctor's believed divinity - somewhat of a fascinating parallel to Christianity and the Bible. Hopley also brings in elements of scientific research and experimentation, all in a process to finally flesh out Divine Intervention (which first appeared in Stranded 1) as an organization. With DI established as somewhat of an effective and rotten organization, they will surely become more of a palpable threat from here on out! Twisted Folklore also sets up plot strands that will surely come into play later in this set - and the last one - such as the mystery of the other Doctor.
Hopley throws us straight into the story and the unfamiliar setting with very little framing created around it, which makes it somewhat hard to get into the narrative initially. The plot strands that don't follow the Doctor and Tania are pretty slow and not very interesting.
Paul McGann and Rebecca Root make for a pretty good team in this one, and they are pure joy to listen to. Rakie Ayola is also great as Professor Wilks; she sounds like she's very much in love with her research and her beliefs.
Overall, Twisted Folklore doesn't do it for me. The main characters are stuck in separate storylines that barely converge and the atmosphere is kind of empty - not very exciting, funny, scary or experimental.
_________________________
Snow: ❤️95% 👍18 👎1 = Great!
Snow opens with one of the more touching scenes of this series so far; it hits all the feels because we've come to care about Ron and Tony, particularly after their adventure in the previous set. After this, writer James Kettle takes the opportunity to mix the time paradox throughline of this set with the basic premise of the entire series - the Doctor and his friends stranded in one set point in time and space. The story mainly focuses on the Baker Street inhabitants exploring the beginning of this new, mysterious timeline in London in the 2030s, and it feels like a true return to the strengths of the first two Stranded sets.
Kettle brings the alternate future London, with a scary totalitarian regime, alive well through the companions' interactions with familiar and unfamiliar characters. Meanwhile, Helen and the Doctor focus on solving a mystery surrounding "magical snow" that only falls around Baker Street and makes for engaging plot fuel. The snow itself plays a relatively minor part in the story and there's not much else here that actually develops the running theme of the set, other than the main twist.
Themes of trauma, loss and fixed points in time provide a strong emotional dimension, displayed in the titular snow and in the emotional response Liv in particular has to this setting.
Overall, Snow has something of an Inferno feel to it, since it features familiar characters in slightly different versions, meaning that we never quite know what to expect. After two disappointing stories in a row, Snow is a return to form; the story centres on the ongoing narrative of the regulars and weaves some mystery and light action into the mix as well.
It's nice to have the entire team together once more; their conversations feel natural and are enjoyable to listen to. There's more well-played character drama between Liv and Tania as well.
Jamie Robertson's music is both beautiful and suspenseful, so it perfectly underlines both the strong character moment and the unnerving alternate reality of the story.
Random Observations:
The year 2020 feeling "nothingy" in terms of its atmosphere is a clever little nod to the Covid lockdowns.
_________________________
What Just Happened?: ✅74% 👍17 👎6 = Good!
This story starts off in a manner that will make you confused; is there a mistake here, or why do we start from the very end? Until you realize that the story is told in reverse, which adds a whole new level of intrigue to the plot. The unique approach to the story also means that you will have to be more vigilant than usual, in order to keep up, and it's not always that easy. Fortunately, we are told every time we make a jump forward in time through a handy little narrated line, so we shouldn't be too lost.
There's also some of John Dorney's characteristic humour here, mostly in dialogue given to Andy. Dorney writes the story so that the narrative remains intriguing even when told backwards, beginning with the climax, ending on a low note, and giving us the answers before we get the questions. I'm not sure that I fully grasp this story or what it's trying to say - I left with more questions than I entered with.
Paul McGann and Joel James Davison are on fire here, especially in scenes where they share a dialogue. Davison's Robin is the big bad, whom we learn to be the leader of DI, a centuries-old "fake Doctor" with the mind of a teenager. That's honestly pretty brilliant stuff.
I'm happy to hear the focus put back and Liv and Helen who remain the primary companions.
Andy is always such a fun character to follow and I'm happy to laugh at his remarks even in this fairly depressing story.
There's quite a high level of tension present here, and the stakes feel substantially high for a set closer. It's pretty difficult to get an emotional grasp of the events when you constantly try to piece everything together to keep up with the narrative.
✅74% 👍54 👎19 = Good!
_________________________
Patience: 🙏🏼61% 👍11 👎7 = Average!
After travelling exclusively in time in the previous set, Stranded 3 adds the space aspect of the travel to the TARDIS' abilities, with the opening story set on an alien planet. Much like the opening story in Stranded 2, writer Tim Foley uses this story to divide the characters into different pairings to explore their feeling and relations. Foley paints a light mystery by suggesting that the travellers are stuck somewhere but do not know where and why. We are then slowly revealed what is going on, in a hilarious conversation between the Doctor and one of the Judoon. The main twist of Mr Bird being the Judoon's employer provides a nice connection to the first Stranded set.
It's hard to connect the different scenes initially, making the title of the story pretty fitting from the listener's point of view: your patience is duly tested. Some basic time loop and timey wimey shenanigans at play here are both confusing and unoriginal, even for Big Finish. Telling a story out of sequence has been done so many times before that it's kind of feeling tiresome by now. The climax of the story flies by in an instant, and there's not a real sense of a fallout from the build-up.
Andy has become the warm and likeable comic relief by this point, something of a Rory Williams copy, but needed to bring some lightheartedness into the mix. Liv and Tania's story remains front and centre and feels very natural and emotional by this point, even when told through Liv and Helen, with great performances from the involved actors. The Judoon hunting the party down are booming with personality, which is rare for the space rhino police!
The Doctor spends the bulk of the episode narrating a story, and it's neither very engaging nor very well connected to the rest of the adventure.
The sound design is minimal, but very well used to bring the varying weather condition of the alien planet to life, not to speak of the Judoon voices, which sound different enough to hide the fact that Nicholas Briggs is voicing them.
_________________________
Twisted Folklore: 🙏🏼62% 👍8 👎5 = Average!
Lizzie Hopley's story takes us to the planet Rarkelia in the future, where humanity rules based on the Doctor's believed divinity - somewhat of a fascinating parallel to Christianity and the Bible. Hopley also brings in elements of scientific research and experimentation, all in a process to finally flesh out Divine Intervention (which first appeared in Stranded 1) as an organization. With DI established as somewhat of an effective and rotten organization, they will surely become more of a palpable threat from here on out! Twisted Folklore also sets up plot strands that will surely come into play later in this set - and the last one - such as the mystery of the other Doctor.
Hopley throws us straight into the story and the unfamiliar setting with very little framing created around it, which makes it somewhat hard to get into the narrative initially. The plot strands that don't follow the Doctor and Tania are pretty slow and not very interesting.
Paul McGann and Rebecca Root make for a pretty good team in this one, and they are pure joy to listen to. Rakie Ayola is also great as Professor Wilks; she sounds like she's very much in love with her research and her beliefs.
Overall, Twisted Folklore doesn't do it for me. The main characters are stuck in separate storylines that barely converge and the atmosphere is kind of empty - not very exciting, funny, scary or experimental.
_________________________
Snow: ❤️95% 👍18 👎1 = Great!
Snow opens with one of the more touching scenes of this series so far; it hits all the feels because we've come to care about Ron and Tony, particularly after their adventure in the previous set. After this, writer James Kettle takes the opportunity to mix the time paradox throughline of this set with the basic premise of the entire series - the Doctor and his friends stranded in one set point in time and space. The story mainly focuses on the Baker Street inhabitants exploring the beginning of this new, mysterious timeline in London in the 2030s, and it feels like a true return to the strengths of the first two Stranded sets.
Kettle brings the alternate future London, with a scary totalitarian regime, alive well through the companions' interactions with familiar and unfamiliar characters. Meanwhile, Helen and the Doctor focus on solving a mystery surrounding "magical snow" that only falls around Baker Street and makes for engaging plot fuel. The snow itself plays a relatively minor part in the story and there's not much else here that actually develops the running theme of the set, other than the main twist.
Themes of trauma, loss and fixed points in time provide a strong emotional dimension, displayed in the titular snow and in the emotional response Liv in particular has to this setting.
Overall, Snow has something of an Inferno feel to it, since it features familiar characters in slightly different versions, meaning that we never quite know what to expect. After two disappointing stories in a row, Snow is a return to form; the story centres on the ongoing narrative of the regulars and weaves some mystery and light action into the mix as well.
It's nice to have the entire team together once more; their conversations feel natural and are enjoyable to listen to. There's more well-played character drama between Liv and Tania as well.
Jamie Robertson's music is both beautiful and suspenseful, so it perfectly underlines both the strong character moment and the unnerving alternate reality of the story.
Random Observations:
The year 2020 feeling "nothingy" in terms of its atmosphere is a clever little nod to the Covid lockdowns.
_________________________
What Just Happened?: ✅74% 👍17 👎6 = Good!
This story starts off in a manner that will make you confused; is there a mistake here, or why do we start from the very end? Until you realize that the story is told in reverse, which adds a whole new level of intrigue to the plot. The unique approach to the story also means that you will have to be more vigilant than usual, in order to keep up, and it's not always that easy. Fortunately, we are told every time we make a jump forward in time through a handy little narrated line, so we shouldn't be too lost.
There's also some of John Dorney's characteristic humour here, mostly in dialogue given to Andy. Dorney writes the story so that the narrative remains intriguing even when told backwards, beginning with the climax, ending on a low note, and giving us the answers before we get the questions. I'm not sure that I fully grasp this story or what it's trying to say - I left with more questions than I entered with.
Paul McGann and Joel James Davison are on fire here, especially in scenes where they share a dialogue. Davison's Robin is the big bad, whom we learn to be the leader of DI, a centuries-old "fake Doctor" with the mind of a teenager. That's honestly pretty brilliant stuff.
I'm happy to hear the focus put back and Liv and Helen who remain the primary companions.
Andy is always such a fun character to follow and I'm happy to laugh at his remarks even in this fairly depressing story.
There's quite a high level of tension present here, and the stakes feel substantially high for a set closer. It's pretty difficult to get an emotional grasp of the events when you constantly try to piece everything together to keep up with the narrative.
January 25, 2024
The third volume in this plot arc sees the protagonists no longer stranded, with the TARDIS able to travel to alien planets again – albeit with its full functionality yet to be restored. The previous volume, however, set up more than enough plot to keep this one going as the Doctor and companions seek to avert the dystopian (and ultimately apocalyptic) future timeline that two of the prior episodes were built around. It's relatively slow, and one of the stories is a little weak, but overall, it continues what's been another great 8th Doctor series.
Patience – The first story sees the Doctor and companions hiding out on three different, apparently abandoned, planets. Their pursuers do eventually turn up, but until then it’s mostly a story of the interactions between the two pairs of companions, interspersed with the Doctor recounting a fairy tale. By the point that there is somebody else for them to talk to, however, it’s already clear that all is not as it seems with the three threads of the story having more in common than initially seemed to be the case. The result is an odd mystery that has something of the feel of a ghost story without actually being one – and that eventually involves Judoon. While arguably nothing much happens for much for it, it’s nonetheless an interesting story that also provides some character development that hints at upcoming changes. 4.5 stars.
Twisted Folklore – The theme of fairy tales and folklore continues in the second story. Here, the TARDIS has arrived on a world on the fringes of the Earth Empire where the human rulers are subjugating the indigenous inhabitants. It all ties in to the altered history created by events in the second volume and it becomes apparent early on that the Empire is, in part, using indoctrination through children’s stories to achieve its aims. With the companions separated as they help out various parts of the resistance, and the whole thing beginning in media res for no particular reason, it’s harder to get to grips with than the previous story, and is quite confusing in places. The details of the Empire’s scheme and how the Doctor plans to stop don’t make too much sense either, although, on the bright side, there are some strong moments for Liv and the alien voices are done better than is often the case - having a subtle but distinctive sibilance rather than using some electronic distort. 3 stars.
Snow – This is, in large part, a story about grief and abandonment. Sure, there’s a mysterious phenomenon that acts as a metaphor for what some of the characters are feeling, but it’s not the core of the tale. In addition to this, and almost feeling like a subplot, there are further revelations about how the alternate timeline came about, as we see the origins of the fascist state that was a setting for one of the stories in the previous volume. Unless you count the proto-fascists, however, there are no monsters in this one, which is focussed more on character and emotion albeit with a conclusion that’s less maudlin than one might expect. 4.5 stars.
What Just Happened – 5 stars. Speaking of which, it ends (or rather, begins) on a cliffhanger. We know how it ends, but the mystery is in how we got there, which isn’t fully revealed until the beginning as well as reflecting the story’s wider themes about cause and effect. Some listeners may well find that (like this review) pretentious and confusing but, for me, it’s cleverly written, with twists and turns that work in the opposite way to those in a regular story. But what’s significant about it is that it’s told in reverse, even to the extent of starting with the closing credits and ending with the opening theme music. The basis of it is straightforward, as the Doctor tracks down his nemesis and tries to prevent the destruction of the human race. As previously in this series, the best story is saved for last.
Patience – The first story sees the Doctor and companions hiding out on three different, apparently abandoned, planets. Their pursuers do eventually turn up, but until then it’s mostly a story of the interactions between the two pairs of companions, interspersed with the Doctor recounting a fairy tale. By the point that there is somebody else for them to talk to, however, it’s already clear that all is not as it seems with the three threads of the story having more in common than initially seemed to be the case. The result is an odd mystery that has something of the feel of a ghost story without actually being one – and that eventually involves Judoon. While arguably nothing much happens for much for it, it’s nonetheless an interesting story that also provides some character development that hints at upcoming changes. 4.5 stars.
Twisted Folklore – The theme of fairy tales and folklore continues in the second story. Here, the TARDIS has arrived on a world on the fringes of the Earth Empire where the human rulers are subjugating the indigenous inhabitants. It all ties in to the altered history created by events in the second volume and it becomes apparent early on that the Empire is, in part, using indoctrination through children’s stories to achieve its aims. With the companions separated as they help out various parts of the resistance, and the whole thing beginning in media res for no particular reason, it’s harder to get to grips with than the previous story, and is quite confusing in places. The details of the Empire’s scheme and how the Doctor plans to stop don’t make too much sense either, although, on the bright side, there are some strong moments for Liv and the alien voices are done better than is often the case - having a subtle but distinctive sibilance rather than using some electronic distort. 3 stars.
Snow – This is, in large part, a story about grief and abandonment. Sure, there’s a mysterious phenomenon that acts as a metaphor for what some of the characters are feeling, but it’s not the core of the tale. In addition to this, and almost feeling like a subplot, there are further revelations about how the alternate timeline came about, as we see the origins of the fascist state that was a setting for one of the stories in the previous volume. Unless you count the proto-fascists, however, there are no monsters in this one, which is focussed more on character and emotion albeit with a conclusion that’s less maudlin than one might expect. 4.5 stars.
What Just Happened – 5 stars. Speaking of which, it ends (or rather, begins) on a cliffhanger. We know how it ends, but the mystery is in how we got there, which isn’t fully revealed until the beginning as well as reflecting the story’s wider themes about cause and effect. Some listeners may well find that (like this review) pretentious and confusing but, for me, it’s cleverly written, with twists and turns that work in the opposite way to those in a regular story. But what’s significant about it is that it’s told in reverse, even to the extent of starting with the closing credits and ending with the opening theme music. The basis of it is straightforward, as the Doctor tracks down his nemesis and tries to prevent the destruction of the human race. As previously in this series, the best story is saved for last.
January 6, 2022
Siamo al terzo capitolo di Stranded.
3.1 Patience by Tim Foley
I vari companion del Dottore si trovano isolati, in coppie male assortite, su mondi desolati e sono inseguiti da un plotone di Judoon.
Il Dottore, rintanato in solitaria in una grotta, cerca di ricomporre le fila e di sconfiggere l'ennesima arma gallifreyana fuori controllo.
Quello che sembra evidente è che il Tardis e i suoi occupanti sono finiti in una versione del 2020 diversa da quella che conosciamo e che ci sia qualcuno dietro a manovrare i fili.
3.2 Twisted Folklore by Lizzie Hopley
Sempre sulle tracce della Divine Intervention e del fantomatico Dottore che ne tira le fila, il nostro Dottore arriva sul pianeta Rarkelia e cerca di sovvertire le regole imposte dell'impero Terrestre e dalla onnipresente Divine Intervention.
Con Liv, Helen e Tania cerca di rimettete le cose a posto, organizzando una ribellione e realizzando che, se vuole capire come si è arrivati a questo futuro anomalo, bisogna tornare all'anno che ha dato origine a tutto... il 2020.
3.3 Snow by James Kettle
Il gruppo ritorna a Londra, ma una decina di anni dopo il periodo di partenza.
Trovano la città dominata da una organizzazione che governa con pugno di ferro.
Molte cose sono cambiate in peggio e nella casa in Baker Street resta un solo abitante e, rispetto al resto del pianeta, molta neve.
Ennesima dimostrazione della piega sbagliata che ha preso il tempo e la necessità di salvare la situazione e far tornare tutto sui giusti binari è fondamentale.
3.4 What Just Happened? by John Dorney
Finale caotico per il terzo boxset.
Saltando indietro nel tempo ad ogni paragrafo vediamo come siamo arrivato al finale drammatico presentato nelle prime battute di quest'ultimo audio.
Vediamo come è perché le cose si sono svolte in un certo modo nei tre episodi precedenti, ma senza una vera spiegazione... dopo tutto manca ancora un boxset.
La apparente morte di uno dei personaggi mi lascia un po' perplessa (non è la prima in questo box), ma le cose non sono concluse e siamo ancora in una realtà alternativa.
Ho fatto molta fatica a seguire le quattro storie. Solitamente, per colpa della mia scarsa memoria sulla lunga distanza, riesco a rientrare nella storia circa a metàdel primo audio.. Questa volta, nonostante l'aiuto dato dalla wiki, non sono riuscita a riconnettermi con la storia principale e ho fatto molta fatica a capire dove eravamo e perché.
Vedremo con l'ultimo se le cose si sistemeranno o, per la prima volta, dovrò riascoltare tutto per capirci qualcosa.
3.1 Patience by Tim Foley
I vari companion del Dottore si trovano isolati, in coppie male assortite, su mondi desolati e sono inseguiti da un plotone di Judoon.
Il Dottore, rintanato in solitaria in una grotta, cerca di ricomporre le fila e di sconfiggere l'ennesima arma gallifreyana fuori controllo.
Quello che sembra evidente è che il Tardis e i suoi occupanti sono finiti in una versione del 2020 diversa da quella che conosciamo e che ci sia qualcuno dietro a manovrare i fili.
3.2 Twisted Folklore by Lizzie Hopley
Sempre sulle tracce della Divine Intervention e del fantomatico Dottore che ne tira le fila, il nostro Dottore arriva sul pianeta Rarkelia e cerca di sovvertire le regole imposte dell'impero Terrestre e dalla onnipresente Divine Intervention.
Con Liv, Helen e Tania cerca di rimettete le cose a posto, organizzando una ribellione e realizzando che, se vuole capire come si è arrivati a questo futuro anomalo, bisogna tornare all'anno che ha dato origine a tutto... il 2020.
3.3 Snow by James Kettle
Il gruppo ritorna a Londra, ma una decina di anni dopo il periodo di partenza.
Trovano la città dominata da una organizzazione che governa con pugno di ferro.
Molte cose sono cambiate in peggio e nella casa in Baker Street resta un solo abitante e, rispetto al resto del pianeta, molta neve.
Ennesima dimostrazione della piega sbagliata che ha preso il tempo e la necessità di salvare la situazione e far tornare tutto sui giusti binari è fondamentale.
3.4 What Just Happened? by John Dorney
Finale caotico per il terzo boxset.
Saltando indietro nel tempo ad ogni paragrafo vediamo come siamo arrivato al finale drammatico presentato nelle prime battute di quest'ultimo audio.
Vediamo come è perché le cose si sono svolte in un certo modo nei tre episodi precedenti, ma senza una vera spiegazione... dopo tutto manca ancora un boxset.
La apparente morte di uno dei personaggi mi lascia un po' perplessa (non è la prima in questo box), ma le cose non sono concluse e siamo ancora in una realtà alternativa.
Ho fatto molta fatica a seguire le quattro storie. Solitamente, per colpa della mia scarsa memoria sulla lunga distanza, riesco a rientrare nella storia circa a metàdel primo audio.. Questa volta, nonostante l'aiuto dato dalla wiki, non sono riuscita a riconnettermi con la storia principale e ho fatto molta fatica a capire dove eravamo e perché.
Vedremo con l'ultimo se le cose si sistemeranno o, per la prima volta, dovrò riascoltare tutto per capirci qualcosa.
May 13, 2022
Doctor Who: Stranded 3 - 3.625/5 stars
It’s kind of sad that the Baker Street house characters don't feature as much in this boxset. As for the selection of stories, I found that Patience really doesn’t tie into the overarching storyline as well as the rest. Maybe it’ll be important later? Stranded 3 is an average box set after the first 2 were such interesting idea boxes, this set just sort of drags on a bit before the final set.
3.1 Patience by Tim Foley - 3/5 stars
The baby Judoon feels like Big Finish trying to do a baby Yoda knockoff. I feel really disappointed that they aren't directly continuing the main plot. Stranded 1/2 did such a good job getting me invested in the plot and now it’s just sort of dragging on a bit. The story is just ok.
3.2 Twisted Folklore by Lizzie Hopley - 4/5 stars
This story continued the whole Divine Intervention story better than the previous. Even going back to the planet of the Rarkelian assassins from Stranded 1.4 Divine Intervention. The aesthetic of the story is one that I enjoy, portraying a religion around the Doctor and seeing how its negative effects are hurting the society as people have twisted the Doctor’s adventures from the past. This story is the equivalent of The Good Doctor by Juno Dawson getting adapted into Stranded’s main storyline.
3.3 Snow by James Kettle - 4.5/5 stars
Dystopian Future caused by Divine Intervention much like Stranded 2.4 The Long Way Round. Instead of being in 2050, this story is set in 2035 and shows how Divine Intervention has affected the characters from the Baker Street house. Ron still lives in the house, alone, his husband dead and he is harassed by DI. His tragic future is the biggest emotional pull in this story. Meanwhile, Liv and Future Tania discuss their fight they had in the past and how Tania hasn’t seen Liv in 15 years. The story is emotional, and frightening as continues the Divine Intervention storyline.
3.4 What Just Happened? by John Dorney - 3/5 stars
This story is told backwards. I don’t know why considering thats the only gimmick it has. Other than that the story is continuing from the Cliffhanger of the last boxset. Where we find out more about Robin, etc, etc. It has an obvious cliffhanger leading into the last boxset. It’s just sort of there.
It’s kind of sad that the Baker Street house characters don't feature as much in this boxset. As for the selection of stories, I found that Patience really doesn’t tie into the overarching storyline as well as the rest. Maybe it’ll be important later? Stranded 3 is an average box set after the first 2 were such interesting idea boxes, this set just sort of drags on a bit before the final set.
3.1 Patience by Tim Foley - 3/5 stars
The baby Judoon feels like Big Finish trying to do a baby Yoda knockoff. I feel really disappointed that they aren't directly continuing the main plot. Stranded 1/2 did such a good job getting me invested in the plot and now it’s just sort of dragging on a bit. The story is just ok.
3.2 Twisted Folklore by Lizzie Hopley - 4/5 stars
This story continued the whole Divine Intervention story better than the previous. Even going back to the planet of the Rarkelian assassins from Stranded 1.4 Divine Intervention. The aesthetic of the story is one that I enjoy, portraying a religion around the Doctor and seeing how its negative effects are hurting the society as people have twisted the Doctor’s adventures from the past. This story is the equivalent of The Good Doctor by Juno Dawson getting adapted into Stranded’s main storyline.
3.3 Snow by James Kettle - 4.5/5 stars
Dystopian Future caused by Divine Intervention much like Stranded 2.4 The Long Way Round. Instead of being in 2050, this story is set in 2035 and shows how Divine Intervention has affected the characters from the Baker Street house. Ron still lives in the house, alone, his husband dead and he is harassed by DI. His tragic future is the biggest emotional pull in this story. Meanwhile, Liv and Future Tania discuss their fight they had in the past and how Tania hasn’t seen Liv in 15 years. The story is emotional, and frightening as continues the Divine Intervention storyline.
3.4 What Just Happened? by John Dorney - 3/5 stars
This story is told backwards. I don’t know why considering thats the only gimmick it has. Other than that the story is continuing from the Cliffhanger of the last boxset. Where we find out more about Robin, etc, etc. It has an obvious cliffhanger leading into the last boxset. It’s just sort of there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2021
The whole Stranded series is an odd one. This is not your typical Doctor Who. Essentially, after the finale of Ravenous 4, the Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann), Liv and Helen are stuck in 2020 (a 2020 without Covid as these were planned and plotted out before the pandemic took hold) with a nearly dead TARDIS. As the series progresses, they make new friends and adjust to a life without the TARDIS. However, as things go on, it becomes clear that something is very wrong with the future (the earth is reduced to a desolate rock) and the Doctor and friends begin looking into a group called Divine Intervention and how things went so horribly wrong.
So here we get four stories: the first, Patience, sees the Doctor and friends split up and on the run from the Judoon while at the same time, seemingly loosing their memories. It's eerie with an intriguing mystery that took a while to get into. The Second, Twisted Folklore, sees the Doctor trying to prevent Divine Intervention from subjugated a reptilian alien species. It was good and is starting to put together some pieces of the overall arc. The third story, Snow, also gives some puzzle pieces, but is primarily a character piece with good development for both some of the leads and some of the secondary characters that have been introduced. The final story, What Just Happened?, is the big action, plot-driven story of the set that begins to put answers in place and really make me excited for the final set coming in February 2022. Except, the whole story is told backwards, so the big emotional punch is at the beginning.
I'm still not sure what to make of Stranded. It's a different type of story/series and a far cry from the past three series that have focused on Daleks, the Master and Time Lords. This set especially, and the others in this series seem much more character-driven than plot-driven, even though each story has a plot and there is a series arc. This series isn't really my favorite bit of the Eighth Doctor's run with Big Finish, but it's not bad, just different. If you're tired of Daleks and Gallifrey, then this series is a nice change of pace.
So here we get four stories: the first, Patience, sees the Doctor and friends split up and on the run from the Judoon while at the same time, seemingly loosing their memories. It's eerie with an intriguing mystery that took a while to get into. The Second, Twisted Folklore, sees the Doctor trying to prevent Divine Intervention from subjugated a reptilian alien species. It was good and is starting to put together some pieces of the overall arc. The third story, Snow, also gives some puzzle pieces, but is primarily a character piece with good development for both some of the leads and some of the secondary characters that have been introduced. The final story, What Just Happened?, is the big action, plot-driven story of the set that begins to put answers in place and really make me excited for the final set coming in February 2022. Except, the whole story is told backwards, so the big emotional punch is at the beginning.
I'm still not sure what to make of Stranded. It's a different type of story/series and a far cry from the past three series that have focused on Daleks, the Master and Time Lords. This set especially, and the others in this series seem much more character-driven than plot-driven, even though each story has a plot and there is a series arc. This series isn't really my favorite bit of the Eighth Doctor's run with Big Finish, but it's not bad, just different. If you're tired of Daleks and Gallifrey, then this series is a nice change of pace.
January 25, 2025
Stranded 3
Patience
I love it when BF does the more experimental stuff, and this is definitely one of those timey-wimey-wibbly-wobbly stories. We’re thrown into the story with no idea what’s going on, just to find out that the characters have no clue either! Even though the explanation at the end is a bit convenient, I loved the interaction between everyone. Great setup for the rest of the box set too. 4.5 stars.
Twisted Folklore
A second story where we have to guess what’s going on, and it doesn’t work quite as well as in Patience. Too many characters in too many places, with the main story and fake stories and real fairy tales, it’s a bit of a mess. Pity, cause the story about colonization through religion is powerful in itself. 2.5 stars
Snow
Snow was very sweet and very sad (heartbreaking actually), with great dialogue and amazing characterization, slightly let down by a bit simple resolution. 4.5 stars.
What just happened?
It’s a John Dorney story so obviously it’s great. It’s also a story that you should know nothing about before listening, so just believe me when I say it’s a 4.5 stars experience.
Patience
I love it when BF does the more experimental stuff, and this is definitely one of those timey-wimey-wibbly-wobbly stories. We’re thrown into the story with no idea what’s going on, just to find out that the characters have no clue either! Even though the explanation at the end is a bit convenient, I loved the interaction between everyone. Great setup for the rest of the box set too. 4.5 stars.
Twisted Folklore
A second story where we have to guess what’s going on, and it doesn’t work quite as well as in Patience. Too many characters in too many places, with the main story and fake stories and real fairy tales, it’s a bit of a mess. Pity, cause the story about colonization through religion is powerful in itself. 2.5 stars
Snow
Snow was very sweet and very sad (heartbreaking actually), with great dialogue and amazing characterization, slightly let down by a bit simple resolution. 4.5 stars.
What just happened?
It’s a John Dorney story so obviously it’s great. It’s also a story that you should know nothing about before listening, so just believe me when I say it’s a 4.5 stars experience.
January 28, 2022
Weakest entry in the "Stranded" arc so far. It doesn't help that the first and fourth episodes are quite experimental, or that three of the four episodes begin in media res, requiring you to work at puzzling out what's actually happening, or that the fourth episode is told in reverse, which was a completely unnecessary gimmick, adding confusion to a critical episode in the story arc.
Also, the final episode appears to be the final end for one character, but because the story is told in reverse, it comes off like nobody really cares. Like, hey, you just killed off a regular! Are we going to address this?
All of that leaves just one episode, "Snow," that's just a straightforward episode. But it's only tangentially about the story arc, and more about grief and loss. And . . . not bad. But also, I don't really care anymore what happens to these people.
Can't wait until Stranded is over and we can move on.
Also, the final episode appears to be the final end for one character, but because the story is told in reverse, it comes off like nobody really cares. Like, hey, you just killed off a regular! Are we going to address this?
All of that leaves just one episode, "Snow," that's just a straightforward episode. But it's only tangentially about the story arc, and more about grief and loss. And . . . not bad. But also, I don't really care anymore what happens to these people.
Can't wait until Stranded is over and we can move on.
January 17, 2025
Really a 3.5 rating, and it was difficult to decide which direction to let the rating on here fall: The first and last stories were *great* (= 4 stars each), and the middle 2 were quite decent (still good, of course, just not outstanding in particular; = a comfortable 3 stars for those). But the first and last stories really stood out.
Also, reading up on Patience after listening to the first story was fascinating-- this was the first time I had finally been introduced to any details about the identity of the Doctor's . So awesome that they finally brought into the broader audio lore! <3
Also, reading up on Patience after listening to the first story was fascinating-- this was the first time I had finally been introduced to any details about the identity of the Doctor's . So awesome that they finally brought into the broader audio lore! <3
December 7, 2021
Found myself humming over how best to review this boxset, there were ups and downs with a lot of confusion! (it all made sense by the end).
The overall arc is starting to become clear with "Divine Intervention" being the main protagonist for this series, however i did feel the first two stories were just fillers with the action and conclusions forming within the last two stories of the set.
Hands down my favourite TARDIS team of the McCann Era. I do however feel Liv is being prepared for an exit, which is understandable given she's been a companion since Dark Eyes!
Either way, i get an overall sense that something terrible is going to happen....
The overall arc is starting to become clear with "Divine Intervention" being the main protagonist for this series, however i did feel the first two stories were just fillers with the action and conclusions forming within the last two stories of the set.
Hands down my favourite TARDIS team of the McCann Era. I do however feel Liv is being prepared for an exit, which is understandable given she's been a companion since Dark Eyes!
Either way, i get an overall sense that something terrible is going to happen....
April 28, 2023
Really struggled with this series but points for effort and ambition. I had to listen to episodes 1 and 4 twice because they were quite hard to follow and the 2nd one, I just didn't care enough to listen to it again.
It's very ambitious, experimental and different to the preceding 2 volumes and I can't complain that it was boring, but oh man was it tough to follow.
The last episode was good, on reflection, and it did make me laugh a couple of times. I hope the last volume is a bit more coherent though.
It's very ambitious, experimental and different to the preceding 2 volumes and I can't complain that it was boring, but oh man was it tough to follow.
The last episode was good, on reflection, and it did make me laugh a couple of times. I hope the last volume is a bit more coherent though.
June 15, 2025
If anyone was considering checking out the audio line of Doctor Who adventures, the 8th Doctor is a great saga to follow. The fact that he never got a full season on the TV show leaves the writers with a lot more wiggle room to do big, epic storylines with cool and original companions and villains. These are the stories that come closest to feeling like the 2005 revival, with a great mix of stand-alones and ongoing arcs. If anyone was ever curious about dipping their toes into Big Finish's Who-niverse, the 8th Doctor is the place to be.
December 12, 2021
This is a good installment in this series, but the fourth story within this might be more engaging once the story continues on in the next release. I did appreciate the interesting reverse way of telling it, but I liked the previous three stories better.
January 24, 2023
Not quite as strong as the previous two box sets. There was a twist in “Snow” that had me worried until a revelation sort of undid it. The final story “What Just Happened?” is interesting in how it’s told in reverse order, bringing Seinfeld to mind. Done better overall than Creature of Beauty.
January 1, 2022
Next time, on relisten, I am going to listen to the final story in reverse. I love the risk take , feels like old BF but it got irritating to be honest. Just a little.
January 15, 2022
Loved all 4 stories, inventive, smart, emotional. These are fantastic characters in a great setting, absolutely wonderful.
January 15, 2022
The doctor and crew try to save the human race from dying out.
January 31, 2022
Not a fan of the first two, third was emotionally strong, fourth was interesting.
April 23, 2022
Shatters all expectations! Incredible concepts that give us something so fresh and unique in the world of Doctor Who, plus a final story told entirely in reverse - seriously clever stuff.
May 3, 2025
After enjoying the fantastic Stranded 2, I've found myself back on the ball with The Eighth Doctor's adventures after nearly over a year-long break. Heard very mixed reviews on this set, so I'll see what I think!
Patience:
The Doctor, Helen, Liv, Tania, and Andy are on the run from Judoon, finally, back in space The Doctor's trying to understand the full extent of Divine Intervention's interference but not everything is as it seems.
A mind-boggling adventure that is very experimental, atmospheric, clever, funny, and is ultimately a great puzzle box of a story where you don't fully understand the story until the end, confusing from the absolute start but the result is so satisfying! 8.5/10
Twisted Folklore:
The Tardis Crew are on a mission all around the planet of Rarkelia to end a tyranny that has lasted too long, but in doing so does The Doctor risk creating an even bigger paradox?
This is a great story at its core with some fantastic ideas specifically the use and corruption of fairytales to manipulate a world into a dystopian empire by the colonist invaders Divide Intervention, this has all the beats of a great story, and whilst it is somewhat effective and the characters are definitely well written with some very nice moments. It honestly feels like to me it's missing something, a beat or two. It feels somewhat generic for the story it's trying to go for, I would say it needs to feel bleaker but I feel it just needs to be a bit more interesting with the execution overall than what's presented here.
It's a fun little story but for the kind of story it wants to be with its very creative ideas, it feels like a story that isn't really in the mood to take a risk or two, unlike the previous story which was a huge risk in itself. 5/10
Snow:
Investigating further into Divine Intervention and where it started The Tardis Crew travel slightly forward into the future but not everyone on baker street is having a great time. Divine Intervention's interference has begun and those who lived on Baker Street are suffering but there's snow inside the house making someone feel slightly better about life.
This was a really fantastic character piece about death and grief. James Kettle handles this story beautifully whilst also remembering the overall arc and sets up a society that is slowly transforming into a fascist state. The twist about the snow is an odd one but really lovely at the same time. Some very powerful scenes in this story. 9/10
What Just Happened?:
The Tardis Team head on out into the future not only to find out who the mysterious 'Doctor' is but also to prevent a disaster that wiped out an entire species, but something is very wrong for everything seems to be going backward.
This was an experimental story that I really enjoyed, I like stories that change how the linear progression of the story by subverting it in some way, and here it's done in a way that really works but it makes it awkward to review because it's one of those again that if you speak anything about it you run into the risk of spoiling the story, it's really worth listening to though and I loved the bleak approach this story takes. 8/10
Overall: The weakest installment in Stranded so far. All the stories are good with Snow being the highlight. 32.5/40
Patience:
The Doctor, Helen, Liv, Tania, and Andy are on the run from Judoon, finally, back in space The Doctor's trying to understand the full extent of Divine Intervention's interference but not everything is as it seems.
A mind-boggling adventure that is very experimental, atmospheric, clever, funny, and is ultimately a great puzzle box of a story where you don't fully understand the story until the end, confusing from the absolute start but the result is so satisfying! 8.5/10
Twisted Folklore:
The Tardis Crew are on a mission all around the planet of Rarkelia to end a tyranny that has lasted too long, but in doing so does The Doctor risk creating an even bigger paradox?
This is a great story at its core with some fantastic ideas specifically the use and corruption of fairytales to manipulate a world into a dystopian empire by the colonist invaders Divide Intervention, this has all the beats of a great story, and whilst it is somewhat effective and the characters are definitely well written with some very nice moments. It honestly feels like to me it's missing something, a beat or two. It feels somewhat generic for the story it's trying to go for, I would say it needs to feel bleaker but I feel it just needs to be a bit more interesting with the execution overall than what's presented here.
It's a fun little story but for the kind of story it wants to be with its very creative ideas, it feels like a story that isn't really in the mood to take a risk or two, unlike the previous story which was a huge risk in itself. 5/10
Snow:
Investigating further into Divine Intervention and where it started The Tardis Crew travel slightly forward into the future but not everyone on baker street is having a great time. Divine Intervention's interference has begun and those who lived on Baker Street are suffering but there's snow inside the house making someone feel slightly better about life.
This was a really fantastic character piece about death and grief. James Kettle handles this story beautifully whilst also remembering the overall arc and sets up a society that is slowly transforming into a fascist state. The twist about the snow is an odd one but really lovely at the same time. Some very powerful scenes in this story. 9/10
What Just Happened?:
The Tardis Team head on out into the future not only to find out who the mysterious 'Doctor' is but also to prevent a disaster that wiped out an entire species, but something is very wrong for everything seems to be going backward.
This was an experimental story that I really enjoyed, I like stories that change how the linear progression of the story by subverting it in some way, and here it's done in a way that really works but it makes it awkward to review because it's one of those again that if you speak anything about it you run into the risk of spoiling the story, it's really worth listening to though and I loved the bleak approach this story takes. 8/10
Overall: The weakest installment in Stranded so far. All the stories are good with Snow being the highlight. 32.5/40
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