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“DIVINE INTERVENTION: ALIEN QUIZZES, FRACTURED FRIENDSHIPS, AND THE PROMISE OF THINGS TO COME”

The most recognisably Doctor Who tale in the box set, but one that ultimately feels like the first half of a much larger story.

David K. Barnes' Divine Intervention opens Stranded 1's finale with the Doctor participating in a bizarre TV quiz show—an image that instantly recalls Bad Wolf (2005), albeit with less dismemberment and more whimsy. It's a cheeky, character-driven opening that offers some much-needed levity and cleverly establishes the Doctor's desperate need for cash in a world where psychic paper doesn’t pay the rent.

The quiz show is just one of several moments where Barnes uses familiar Doctor Who ingredients to create something recognisably Who-ish, but filtered through the odd, grounded domesticity of the Stranded format. That domesticity is once again fractured by the intrusion of something alien—this time, a mysterious race of beings hunting the Doctor for crimes he hasn’t committed yet.

PAUL MCGANN’S RESTLESS DOCTOR

Paul McGann is excellent here, blending all the frustration, impatience, and pent-up mania of a Time Lord stuck in one time zone for far too long. He gives us everything from alien hauteur (accidentally crashing Liv’s date) to childish excitement (gleefully engaging with the quiz show nonsense), but the true highlight is the growing tension with Liv and Helen.

The Doctor has always bristled at constraints—but here, the emotional consequences of that are finally laid bare. The confrontation between him and his companions is a long time coming, but while the story toys with the idea of a proper fallout, it never quite goes all in. The tension is real, the feelings raw… and then it’s all over a little too quickly. A bigger, messier argument would have been welcome, especially given how emotionally complex the rest of the set has been.

WELCOME BACK, ANDY… AND ROBIN

Tom Price’s return as Sgt. Andy Davidson is a joy. His chemistry with McGann fizzes in unexpected ways, and their double act here—trading quips while navigating an alien mystery—is some of the most fun the set has to offer. Andy’s discomfort around the Doctor (while hiding his Torchwood past) is subtle but adds a lovely undercurrent of tension.

Robin, one of Baker Street’s more intriguing residents, is also finally given some breathing room. His emotional involvement in the narrative begins to form a foundation for his increased presence in Stranded 2, and here he adds both heart and a certain yearning to the story’s quieter moments. His desire for something more—more meaning, more belonging—is a quiet echo of the Doctor's own restlessness.

ALIENS AND ATMOSPHERE

The alien element here is perhaps the most traditional of the set: mysterious, hostile, hunting the Doctor across time. There’s a strong sci-fi premise—accusations of future crimes, reality distortions, strange time echoes—but it feels like a mere sketch of something bigger. The aliens themselves are more a narrative device than compelling characters, and while their gradual reveal is well-paced, their impact never quite lands. We’ve had the “you’re being hunted for future crimes” storyline before, and while it teases future plotlines well, it’s hard not to feel like we’ve seen this idea done better elsewhere.

That said, the story shines in atmosphere. The sound design and score are standouts, particularly during the scenes involving alien intrusions and temporal anomalies. These moments give the story an epic feel that contrasts with the otherwise small-scale stakes of the set.

THE MOST DOCTOR WHO STORY… AND THE LEAST SATISFYING CONCLUSION

Compared to the grounded character drama of Wild Animals or the suburban weirdness of Must-See TV, Divine Intervention is the most conventional Doctor Who narrative in Stranded 1. There’s running, there’s shouting, there’s an alien plot to resolve—it ticks the usual boxes. But that’s also part of the problem.

As the set finale, it feels more like the mid-season climax of a TV series than a true conclusion. Key emotional beats are rushed or left dangling. The resolution is thin, the villainy vague, and the final moments suggest a “to be continued” that doesn’t offer a satisfying emotional payoff to the themes built across the previous episodes.

Ultimately, it feels like the first half of a film—or perhaps the first movement in a symphony—with the crescendo still to come in Stranded 2.

📝VERDICT: 7/10

Divine Intervention is a spirited, character-led sci-fi romp that offers the most classic Doctor Who thrills of the set—alien incursions, time distortions, and quirky quiz show cold opens—but it also feels like the least complete. Despite strong performances from McGann, Walker, and Price, and a wonderfully eerie atmosphere, its lack of emotional or narrative closure leaves it feeling unfinished.

A promising midpoint in the Stranded arc rather than a true finale, Divine Intervention is a fun but flawed closer that reminds us the journey is far from over.