I thought exactly the same. They’re not really stranded anymore, are they? But I love the stories and the characters.
7 Likes
I mean they still are in place, and with the changes to the timeline I doubt time travel would help them get off earth, but yeah, it is still a shame.
The core of what Stranded is is still there, but the change to the format so quickly is a shame, I hope the future sets do more in that modern setting. To be fair I don’t think I’d’ve minded as much if it weren’t the full set that’s not in 2020.
5 Likes
I’m confused.
I listened to this…
The Attendants look like Autons and sound like the Ood; but they’re neither!
10 Likes
I liked the final story from Future Phantoms! Nowhere near as much as The Sitter, but it was still a very enjoyable episode with amazing performances, and the ending was fantastic! I love the reveal that The War Master was actually his TARDIS, and the utter rage and contempt at being abandoned was incredibly performed by Jacobi!
Overall, I think it wasn’t the best set sadly. The new format didn’t really land well with me, and the first two stories I just found pretty dull. But I really liked the back half and all the performances. Jacobi has such a great narration voice!
10 Likes
Finished the first story of the new Gallifrey set. I enjoyed it, and think Sean Carlson makes a good narrator. The Time Shayde appears to similar to the character of Shayde from the DWM Fifth and Eighth Doctor comics and the Time Sentinels from the Titan Tenth Doctor comics (for whoever it was that was asking). It’s a fine little story that appears to set late in Series 2. The more interesting aspect for me is what it might be setting up for the fourth story in the set. Anyway, next up is Brax in a story set in the middle of Series 4.
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I’ve started Nekromanteia 
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We hope you “enjoy” 
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Finished Coda! Jo Martin is great, though I do feel there’s a few points where he delivery needs a little work. But I think she’ll settle into the role with time, and generally she did a good job! Carley was amazing, needless to say. Loved the running joke with Benny’s name too!
I dooo think the story was weirdly expository at points? And maybe a little on the nose about these 2 being the “different” Doctors. But overall a good story that has me excited for the Fugitive run!
10 Likes
The War Doctor Begins 1.3: The Shadow Squad
It’s taken me a while to pick up after Lion Hearts which I found to be such a disappointment after the wonderful Light the Flame. Fortunately, The Shadow Squad was exactly what I needed. Clean concept, straightforward yet interesting story, some genuinely Doctorish moments for Carley’s sublime War Doctor.
I generally enjoy the appearances of the Dalek Time Strategist, so was happy to see that this interesting top tier Dalek played a key role in the story. Moreover, I loved the idea of the Temporal Eradicator Dalek. Clever and surprisingly sinister. It’s one of those stories that properly runs with the ‘time’ element of the Time War, and benefits from this tremendously. It’s timey-wimey in the right way and doesn’t let trying to be clever get in the way of a solid story well told.
Let sleeping Tharils lie. This was more like it!
10 Likes
Too much stuff and not enough time! I’ve got just under 30% remaining of The Monster’s Bones; I’ve started the new Gallifrey set, currently listened to the first story; I’ve the next Audio Club Extra Gallifrey to listen to, plus the new episode of The Doctor’s Beard podcast (covering Masque of Mandragora), and then of course I’ve got Spare Parts for regular Audio Club.
10 Likes
Finished The Monster of Peladon audiobook. Jon Culshaw is an excellent reader but this was a beat for beat adaptation of the TV version with hardly anything added.
Also did the final Whotalk Peladon episode which was on Monster of Peladon 4 - Marcia Wheeler and Nick Hobbs (again!).
Pandora next and then The Poison of Peladon.
11 Likes
Off to a bad start
Stranded 3.1 - Patience 5/10 (Spoilers)
Oh, so we’re just not even pretending that the premise matters anymore are we, great.
At least with the stories in the last set, they all had flashes to modern day, or the ending would be affecting the modern setting in some way, here it’s just dropping you onto alien worlds with no idea what’s going on. Sure our main cast don’t know what’s happening here either, but especially coming off another story that just did something like that, it’s not clever here, it’s just frustrating.
I think that’s how I’d describe this whole story to be honest. Frustrating. I had to go back and check that I hadn’t accidentally gone to the second story in the set, and when I realised I hadn’t I just got even more frustrated with the story.
Also the character stuff has been at the heart of Stranded so far, even when the rest of the story has been meh, the character interactions have been solid. Here. Meh. The story is basically split into three, Eight giving frustratingly cryptic narration, Helen and Tanya where there’s not really anything to write home about, and Liv and Andy where, well, you can’t go wrong with Andy, but generally there’s just not too much here. These are fun pairings if something more interesting had happened to force them together, but the reasoning given at the end is just a complete nothing.
The story wants you to care about the mystery but I genuinely couldn’t care less, I just want to get to the 20th century, to find out what’s going on with Divine Intervention and to see more of the cast of the flat. I want Stranded to feel like Stranded, and this just doesn’t feel like anything.
They’re asking for patience, and giving nothing back when you are.
11 Likes
Oof, I love Patience. I loved the strange and beautiful settings and the bizarre atmosphere. It’s a favourite Stranded story for me. I think the months-long wait between boxsets may have worked in its favour, though– the ongoing stories weren’t so present in my mind.
Stranded 3 seems to be most people’s least favourite boxset of the four, but it was my favourite! It went to some interesting places, although as you say, they very much are not Stranded…
9 Likes
Oh definitely, I think I’d probably like it a lot more if I wasn’t just binging through Stranded
So far my favourite set has absolutely been Stranded 1 so far, Genuinely think it’s criminal that they got away from that premise so quickly, I was loving that.
I’ve heard good things about Snow, so looking forward to that, but looking at the summaries for upcoming episodes, I really don’t think I’ll be a fan of this set, and that’s a real shame.
Still, hope to be surprised!
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I actually really liked Patience, and gave it 4/5!
Can’t really remember much about it now.
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I will keep my comments about Snow to myself for I did not like that one, but I’ll agree Stranded 1 was the best, and I think Str3 is where I started to feel very meh towards it all
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Torchwood: Broken
Another corker from the Torchwood audio range. Gareth David Lloyd puts in a typically outstanding performance, yet again, as Ianto Jones. It was a well constructed story, really delving into his psyche throughout a good chunk of season 1 and adding much depth to what he was given on TV for that first series. Oh, and Jack was so much better in this. He’s at his best when surrounded by characters who are more relatable. Overall, a lovely character piece.
7 Likes
Sontarans versus Rutans: Born to Die
Tremendous fun! This was a proper full-blooded Sontaran tale with a twist. Whilst the twist was pretty straightforward to guess, that reallly wasn’t the point of this story. I had a blast listening to this one (the Sontarans would be happy). Enjoyed the rainforest setting and sci fi lab complex. Plenty of humour with the Doctor pairing up with a Sontaran a la Strax. Plenty of action when it all comes to a head. A solid resolution.
10 Likes
Oh yeahh he really is
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Listened to the second story in the new Gallifrey set (the Brax one set in the middle of Series 4). It was okay, had some interesting ideas, but didn’t really grab as well. Now I’m jumping back a bit and listening to Pandora.
11 Likes