Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time! 

“A PHOTOGRAPH TO REMEMBER: VICTORIAN PHOTO-HORRORS AND SONTARAN SENTIMENT”

The second story in The Paternoster Gang: Heritage 1, A Photograph to Remember leans into the uncanny, exploring what happens when the dead don’t stay dead—but instead come back through photographs, with subtle and sinister changes. This is a story steeped in eerie atmospherics, with the gang investigating an exhibition hall where portraits of lost loved ones seem to be bringing the departed back… though not quite as they were. While the idea of resurrected dead isn't exactly novel, the photographic angle adds a fresh layer of creepiness, especially when the reanimated loved ones slowly descend into grotesque, zombie-like monstrosities. The sound design here deserves special praise for crafting some truly disturbing moments.

THE BLOOMSBURY BUNCH – MIRRORS WITH A DARKER POLISH

Joining the fray is a rival investigative group known as the Bloomsbury Bunch—essentially a darker, twisted mirror of the Paternoster Gang. Tom, a soft-spoken human with poor self-esteem, is in a romantic relationship with the stern and emotionally repressed Sontaran Stonn, echoing Jenny and Vastra’s dynamic with an intriguing (and slightly exasperating) symmetry. Beth Goddard gives a steely performance as Vella, a bitter Silurian whose disdain for humanity makes her a malevolent counterpoint to Vastra. The way these two duos parallel and contrast each other drives much of the story’s tension and lends it a sharp interpersonal edge.

THE RETURN OF A SON-TERRIFIC VOICE

Christopher Ryan returns to the Sontaran ranks as Stonn, after previously playing General Staal in The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky. His performance is a treat—gruff and commanding, yet with a subtle emotional depth that offers a nice contrast to Dan Starkey’s delightfully ridiculous Strax. In fact, Stonn’s quiet devotion to Tom adds a dose of unexpected heart to the tale. While Strax continues to be the comedic core of the Paternoster Gang, Ryan’s Stonn reminds us that not all Sontarans need to be punchlines.

A BUILDING BLOCK TOO FAMILIAR?

There is, admittedly, some déjà vu in the plot construction. Like The Cars That Ate London!, this story revolves around mysterious goings-on in a specific Victorian institution—in this case, a photography exhibition for the bereaved. That’s two haunted buildings in a row, with alien secrets and shady rival groups lurking within. It's not repetitive enough to sink the story, but it does slightly undercut the originality.

INTERGROUP TENSION AND CHARACTER CHEMISTRY

Where A Photograph to Remember really shines is in the way it balances its ensemble. Jenny and Strax get most of the action and punchlines, while Vastra handles the investigative and confrontational scenes with Vella. The antagonistic chemistry between Vastra and Vella—and between Strax and Stonn—is especially fun, with each side looking down on the other for their choices, tactics, and emotional entanglements. Interestingly, it's Tom, the outsider of both groups, who emerges as the story’s emotional anchor, tentatively bridging the divide when the danger escalates and the reanimated dead begin to spread across London.

ROOM TO DEVELOP

While the reveal of the alien influence is dragged out longer than necessary—especially given how obvious the Sontaran hints are from early on—the final act delivers enough momentum to forgive the delay. And as the chaos spreads, the potential for future encounters between the Paternoster Gang and the Bloomsbury Bunch is set up intriguingly. There’s clear friction, but also the smallest hints of respect… or at least tolerance. The door is very much left open for round two.

📝VERDICT: 7/10

A Photograph to Remember offers a strong continuation of Heritage 1, enriching the world of the Paternoster Gang by throwing a darker mirror at them in the form of the Bloomsbury Bunch. Though the structure feels a little too familiar coming off the previous story, the chilling photographic concept, the resurrection twist, and the character dynamics more than make up for it. Christopher Ryan is a standout as Stonn, providing a Sontaran with gravitas and grace, and the growing web of rivalries and relationships keeps things emotionally textured. It’s a story about how we remember the dead—and what happens when those memories come back… wrong.

This was much better than the first episode, and quite a lot of fun. The humour was still there, but this time the problem seemed to have weight and hold danger for the trio, even though they still required a full explanation for how it came about. Also, the Bloomsbury Bunch were great and I look forward to their reappearance.