Stranded One

Funny how they make 2020 out to be a quiet year...

Stranded is a triumph. It gallantly strides to a new era in the Eighth Doctor adventures, and is truly, truly unlike anything I have ever heard/seen before in Doctor Who and for that feat alone, doing something new with Doctor bloody 58 years old Who is amazing in itself. But no, Stranded had to go and be fricking amazing as well, thank you. Bit salty I have to wait a year for the next bit. Stranded is unique in it's scope, it decides "hey, you know how modern Doctor Who can't do ensemble casts when that's what Chibnall said he was going for? Let's just take a poop on that" and adds so many people in the recurring cast that there are hardly any one episode only characters. It's downright magical how thin the plot in Stranded is, and how much happens in it. There ain't much plot, as I said, but the character work is spectacular. Side Tangent: It may not make much sense some of it (based off of how London 2020 actually is currently) but it could maybe make sense in the first 2 or so months of the year if you're pushing it? Anyway, While Stranded is marvelous, it hasn't yet reached the highs of Doom Coalition or Ravenous, but it's the best first boxset Big Finish have put out yet, and has Tania, so Stranded is already winning. The truth is, it's hard to get episode specific with Stranded, because (Wild Animals Aside) all the episodes have the same problems and strengths. One character never gets a full stand out thing, it's completely ensemble, except for maybe the Doctor himself, but Liv, Helen, Tania, Robin, Andy, all of them get divided attention among the episodes, and although the character work is great, it can be sometimes difficult to keep track of everyone. I got confused in the first episode thinking confusing several of the minor apartment characters with Tania for instance. Never helps to drop so many new characters at the same time. All the same, I greatly enjoyed Stranded, and am now going to give very thin episode review things because what you say about one bit of Stranded tends to apply to the whole thing.

Lost Property by Matt Fitton

This story is solely responsible for Tom Baker's Curator even being on my favorite Doctor's list (which should be a post someday), he's simply spectacular. Lost Property is in series pilot mode, and it drops you right in, (which as I said, can be VERY confusing) but at the same time, some of the dialogue is just plain stunning. Everything the Curator says is beautifully melancholy, and just so perfect, His whole police box made of stories speech nearly made me tear up. I'm not saying Tom Baker saves Lost Property, but he very nearly does so, he's actually acting here, doing a very different performance than his usual fare, and I am all here for it. Besides that, Lost Property is passable throughout. But be aware, if not for Baker, this thing plummets hard. The thinnest plot of all four. Doesn't even depict the arrival of the TARDIS to London. Villain technology thing is kind of mediocre. It's hard to recognize people. Not exactly the Destination Wars, but a pretty great Fitton script for him, funny how frequently that happens when he isn't writing half the bloody boxset. 8/10

Wild Animals by John Dorney

Wild Animals does the unbelievable. It has a story with NO sci fi whatsoever in Doctor Who. It still has a crushingly good character analysis of the Doctor, the best Helen material since...maybe Salzberg. The plot is once again, the thinnest it's ever been, but screw that, I was invested throughout, Liv's plight, Tania's coming out scene, and the excruciatingly beautiful ending with the Zoo. Wild Animals made me cry when Absent fucking Friends couldn't. Is it the better story? Probably not. Is it still another John Dorney masterpiece? You betcha. 10/10

Must See TV by Lisa McMullin

Easily the weakest of the set, Must See TV sloppily adds Andy, (he does frick all until Divine Intervention, he's only in it for 10 minutes) but somehow is weirdly chilling, merely because of the unexplained. Is the culprit obvious? Yeah, you know it's Mister Byrd from minute one! Literally! and Not because they tell you! But still, it's oddly horrifying, and if not focused on so many of the extra apartment people, could have been a slick horror story straight out of the Torchwood MR. As it is, not bad at all. I loved it, it's just reeking of missed opportunity. I NEED to know what happens with Mister Byrd next. Just wish anything besides the TV, Andy and Liv stuff held my attention. 7/10

Divine Intervention by David K Barnes

I love David K Barnes, and even if this is his worst script yet, it's still absolutely amazing, and I love it, and I am literally only docking one point because of the TARDIS resolution, I have no other complaints. None. Zero. Zilch. Great drama at the start between The Doctor, Liv and Helen over the Game Show sequence (so fun!) followed by Andy and The Doctor having beautiful chemistry and followed by the sets first actual aliens showing up as a top off to this majestic series! Give Me More! 9/10