Strap yourselves in because this is going to be a long post!
I have something of a complicated relationship with this fandom, to the point I was cancelled and deservedly thrown out around this time three years ago. I’ve always had a tendency to self-destruct whenever things are going my way, because I never feel like I deserve to have things going right.
Anyway, this is something I’ve spoken about with my counsellor and I’ve come to terms with the fact that some of the friendships I lost back then are in the past and that it’s time to let them go - I’m not the same person I was back then, and have made a conscious effort to be better, gaining many new friends along the way and repairing a couple of old friendships to.
Take the advice from someone who has been there - if you’ve been a complete [REDACTED] hole to people, hold your hands up and take accountability.
I took myself of all social media apart from Facebook during this time, but decided that I had to focus on rebuilding my confidence and my social life. I began posting reviews in the largest unofficial BigFinish Facebook group and gradually started gaining more confidence.
April 2022:
I’d gained a fraction of my confidence back by honing my review skills and making some friends in the Facebook group, but decided that I wanted to put myself back out into the fandom.
This is when I discovered TimeScales and began porting over all the reviews I put on the Facebook group.
It became something of a safe haven for me, and I managed to make quite a name for myself as someone who posted long-form reviews with over-analysing and cynicism.
In the two years I spent uploading to that site, I had uploaded over six hundred reviews and achieved the Diamond Reviewer badge - I still remember uploading my ‘Emancipation of the Daleks’ review as my 500th one.
I began promoting my reviews on TimeScales in the Facebook group and eventually Twitter - which I rejoined after more than a 24 month absence, and felt so much anxiety over.
Things were going well for the first time in ages.
April 2024
Only days after making a Tweet celebrating two years of writing reviews for TimeScales, it all came crashing down when THAT vile rant had been posted on their social media. I was disgusted and heartbroken - I couldn’t with good conscience continue supporting them and immediately reached out to my number one inspiration when it comes to reviews, someone who had actually praised my own reviews in turn - Doc Oho.
He was one of my biggest inspirations - you need only look at the format of my reviews to realise that - and I asked him how to set up a blogger as I planned on going fully indepentent. Tried that. The UI on that site was absolutely abysmal, and I gave up.
I was absolutely devastated and I began lamenting on Twitter - it wasn’t just about uploading reviews for me, it was about the work I’d put into repairing my mental state and moving on.
Then someone commented on my post - I believe she mentioned being a relative of @shauny - saying that there was this excellent website and forum where people could post reviews.
I joined TardisGuide that day without hesitation.
I knew others would’ve been in a similar situation to me, having felt betrayed by the other site and wanting somewhere to post their reviews now. That’s why I made every attempt to spread the word about TardisGuide and bring other people wanting to escape “the cesspit” over here.
I am so happy to see several other “TimeScales Escapees” over here now - people who understand how it feels to have lost our digital home, but to have found one which is so much more friendly and welcoming. Seeing people like @MrColdStream, @dema1020, @Muddyviolet over here - whose reviews I really admired - felt like such a win for the community.
Genuinely, @shauny, you should be immensely proud of the community you created here. I feel the most connected with this fandom I have ever felt, and just having discussions is a blast.
I take every opportunity to share TardisGuide links now.
Obviously you know that I tag the official Twitter account every time I share one of my reviews there.
I also still share reviews to that BigFinish Facebook Group… and since I’m the top contributor with over 17,000 points, I would like to think that people over there have took notice and joined TG.
Apolgies for this incredibly long and rambling post, and thanks for everyone that has read all the way through - just tells me that you’ve got enough patience to read one of my reviews
I just thought it would be nice to share my story, because it’s really been a journey.