Divine Intervention [AUDIO/2020.6.17]

★★★★☆

  I've seen quite a few people take a disliking to Divine Intervention, especially from people who seem not to emjoy what Stranded becomes after this episode. It's true that Divine Intervention is a great change of pace and the beginning of a whole new direction for the boxset series; no longer would the Doctor, Liv and Helen solely be stuck in 2020 London. It's also true that the TARDIS is barely operational anyway (which is a big step-up from being completely inoperable, I suppose), only able to perform "short hops" in time, a narrative element which creates an entirely new atmosphere and feeling for Stranded 2... but that's another story. Truth be told, I had such a wonderful time with Divine Intervention, and I'm confident that Stranded 1 is one of my favourite Eighth Doctor boxsets as a whole. I mean, the aliens were bound to arrive eventually -- I was never under the illusion of it being otherwise -- and I have no problem with it. Were the aliens here, stripped of their context, rather the same as any number of other stock scaly alien? Yeah, they were -- but with the added context that the Doctor allegedly committed an atrocity in the future that elicited such persecution, these Rarkelians become such fascinating clues for the future. I love Stranded's dedication to meticulously setting up story elements and clues and doing it in such an entertaining way. I mean, the audio drama starts with the Doctor amassing a fortune by winning a game show... and you expect me not to fall in love with it head over heels?

  Divine Intervention won't rock your world if you're looking for an Earth-shattering blockbuster, but if you're looking for a more than satisfactory conclusion to the first Stranded boxset, you've got just that. This is a wonderful work with top-notch performances and contributions from all involved (David K Barnes excels here as writer), and for its focus on Robin Bright-Thompson (one of the most imporatnt characters of Stranded) and his struggles as a child of a distant father who desperately latches onto the Doctor as a de facto father figure... I cannot fault it. The purpose of this fourth installment, I reckon, is to really show the residents of 107 Baker Street as one unit, as a family. I mean, it's pretty obvious when the central premise revolves around the Doctor taking everybody out for dinner (and tactlessly crashing Liv and Tania's date in the process). This episode wears its heart on its sleeve, and I find that so incredibly endearing. If  you haven't warmed to these residents -- Robin and his dad, Zakia and Aisha, Ron and Tony, Tania, Andy and the 8-Liv-Helen trio -- by the time this audio drama ends, I actually feel sorry for you. Divine Intervention is entertaining, confident, and it brings the TARDIS back from death. The new lease on life gets its own new lease on life. Stranded 1 will forever be in my heart as something truly special, a breath of fresh air after a decade of similar and comparatively less enthusiastic releases with sadistic Time Lords and universe-ending plots.