UNIT - Extinction

One of the most affectionately remembered groupings from “classic” Doctor Who was the UNIT “family”: The Doctor, Jo Grant, The Brigadier, Captain Yates and Sergeant Benton – they had a real camaraderie – likeable believable characters fighting off the unlikeable, the unbelievable and the incomprehensible!

I make absolutely no apologies for the fact that I am a massive fan of “New Who” (actually after 10 years, is it still new?) but my one bugbear (apart from the casting of Matt Smith!) was that UNIT just wasn’t done right. Or maybe it was done too right. Gone were the cosy old days where a scientist, a dippy girl, three soldiers and a load of extras in uniform would save the world – UNIT in the new Who world were a lean mean military machine – a very corporate, soulless outfit, led on screen by a collection of bland soulless Colonels and Captains. Even the addition of former companion Martha Jones to the ranks of UNIT didn’t humanise it nearly enough. Yes UNIT had become a modern efficient paramilitary force. And then one day in September 2012 all that changed with the introduction of Jemma Redgrave as Kate Stewart. UNIT were still a modern paramilitary force, but they had a face, a heart and a soul, for Kate was the daughter of the late great Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. Adding Ingrid Oliver as Osgood into the mix a year later, and finally New Who had a New UNIT “family”.

It is amazing just how popular Kate and Osgood have become with fans – they have only appeared in a handful of episodes but they already feel like part of the makeup of modern Doctor Who and it is already difficult to envisage UNIT without them.

So imagine how thrilled I was when it was announced that Big Finish had the New Series Licence and that their first foray into this world was a UNIT Box Set featuring Kate and Osgood.

But it’s not just Kate and Osgood, they have their own “family”: Warren Brown as Lieutenant Sam Bishop, Ramon Tikaram as Colonel Shindi and James Joyce as Captain Josh Carter, and this first box set sees them face off against The Nestene Consciousness.

 As is the form with Box Set releases, this one is split into four interlinked parts:

Vanguard by Matt Fitton

This one sets the tone for the series – it is grand and epic in scale and almost has the feel of a Bond film. It introduces the villain of the piece Simon Devlin (Steve John Shepherd) a billionaire semi reclusive head of Devlin Future Tech who has developed a revolutionary 3D Printer which his corporation is almost giving away…

Add to the mix Tracy Wiles as Jacqui McGee, an undercover journalist and mysterious objects falling to earth and you have the beginnings of a global thriller of epic proportions.

Earthfall by Andrew Smith

 This story really gives Ingrid Oliver the chance to shine as Osgood – because in this part Osgood is sent on a field mission.

I love Osgood, she is fast becoming one of my favourite characters in Doctor Who, and it is lovely to get to know her character a bit better. She is a scientist, not a field operative, yet in this episode we see she is more than just glasses and an inhaler. She, along with Sam Bishop, are sent to the Gobi Desert to retrieve the Nestene swarm leader unit, but they are not alone, the Autons are also looking for it…

The great thing about audio drama is the scale, an almost limitless budget of the imagination – and the soundscapes created here transported me right into the middle of the search for the energy unit. This one is pure adrenalin, after the measured episode one, the clock really is ticking, the sense of urgency is palpable.

Bridgehead by Andrew Smith

This is it, this is where it all “kicks off” (to coin a phrase), all the pieces put in place in episode one and two pay off and the invasion begins. Josh is undercover at Devlin Futuretech as the Nestene plan is revealed. There are some genuinely disturbing body horror moments in this episode – several very David Cronenberg moments when Josh is captured and subjected to, well, I will let you find that out for yourselves – but it really isn’t pleasant.

The story is really fast-paced helped along by the new Who story telling trait of rolling news coverage – this gives the Nestene threat a really global scale and instills the production with a sense of urgency and danger.

Armageddon by Matt Fitton

A truly epic finale sees Osgood paired with Jacqui and Kate with Colonel Shindi as they both try to come up with solutions to the Nestene Invasion. Rolling news again forms the backdrop to the storytelling with news of pitched battles in the major cities of the world, of humans being rounded up by Autons and of desperate resistance to the invasion.

The story is very UNIT – in fact in structure it is quite similar to the original UNIT story, The Invasion. Head of corporation allied with aliens, starts off as a thriller and turns into a high octane action movie with lots of explosions, the world saved by a combination of science and military might. Yes indeed it is a classic UNIT story. My one gripe is this – I worked out after a few minutes of episode one how the invasion was going to be staged, but it came as a surprise to the characters when it happened (not wanting to give spoilers away), now this may be because I was 1. aware who the enemy was, and 2. because I have seen all the Auton episodes on TV and obviously the characters have not – still, they would have surely been aware as characters of previous Nestene incursions, or at least had a chance to view files…

I am sounding like a real nit-picker, but it really did bother me. But that is only one little thing in an otherwise marvellous box set. The acting, the sound design, the pacing, are all excellent. Jemma Redgrave is her usual Kate, unassuming on the surface with a keen mind, Ingrid Oliver continues to charm as Osgood, and newcomers Ramon Tikaram, Warren Brown and James Joyce give head, heart and soul to the proceedings. Steve John Shepherd as Simon Devlin comes across as evil, but also tragic (as all the best villains do), the way he was brought under the influence of the Nestene is shocking and gruesome and Nick Briggs gives us a truly frightening Nestene voice.

So a strong start to hopefully a long running series of new UNIT stories. It’s nice to see what Kate and Osgood can do when the Doctor isn’t there to save the world, and judging by this box set, they do a pretty good job.

8/10.

Jago & Litefoot & Strax - The Haunting

When is a crossover not a crossover? When it features characters that originated in the same series. Confused? You will be….

Crossovers are the holy grail of geekdom – Batman meeting Superman, the Avengers Assemble, Simpsons meets Family Guy, Coronation Street with Albion Market (well maybe not the last one… then again).

As a child I could never understand why Doctor Who didn’t turn up in Star Trek, it seemed the obvious thing to happen. Forty years of cynicism and knowledge of boring things like rights and actor availability have scuppered that dream, but the news of a crossover still makes me happy.

There is happy and then there is HAPPY. Imagine happy (lower case) as having a great day out with your family or friends. Now HAPPY – is your birthday, Christmas, Wedding Day and winning the lottery all rolled into one. Well HAPPY is what I was when I found out about Jago & Litefoot & Strax. I actually screamed and punched the air and exclaimed “Oh yes!” and “BA-DA-BING!” (in the style of Sir David Tennant).

So what exactly has got me so excited about this release? Well, I will give you a clue. First it contains Jago, secondly it contains Litefoot and thirdly it contains Strax. What is so marvellous about that, I hear you ask? Well dear reader, please read on…

So, Jago and Litefoot – London’s premiere pursuers of paranormal panjandrums, and everyone’s favourite comedy Sontaran, Strax – together at last. I have been hoping for this for years, both Messers J & L and the Paternoster gang inhabit Victorian London – both sets of protagonists are canon in the Whoniverse, it was inevitable that they would meet eventually, and in this special release, meet they do.

Starting off in the Red Tavern, and as always ending in the Red Tavern – this is story is firmly rooted in the style of Jago and Litefoot with Strax as a guest star and sees Strax on the trail of an energy source and after causing a bar room brawl in the Red Tavern, he meets up with the infernal investigators and -to use one of Mrs W’s favourite phrases – “hilarity ensues”.

This is a very funny story – humour has always been a part of Jago and Litefoot’s world, but the addition of Strax is an inspired piece of writing – he fits in just so well and is very very funny. From misunderstanding basic questions, to mistaking Jago for Jenny and Litefoot for Vastra, to thinking someone has stolen the kitchen, to a disastrous visit to the theatre, the laughs come thick and fast – and it really is testament to the writing and interplay between Trevor Baxter, Christopher Benjamin, Dan Starkey and Lisa Bowerman. As or the plot – well it involves a haunted house, and a woman who steals brains (a delightfully arch Carolyn Seymour of Survivors fame) – a typical day at the office for our heroes and it is no coincidence that the haunted house – Number 27 Bruton Street, is also the source of the energy that Strax is searching for.

As a Jago and Litefoot story it is wonderful, the addition of Strax makes it a classic a dream combination that I hope to hear from again the addition of Madam Vastra and Jenny to any future releases may just make me want to invent a whole new word for how happy I am.

Overall a delight from beginning to end – I  have not laughed so much in a very long time.

10 /10.

Torchwood - Forgotten Lives

Made in Wales, set in Wales, with a cast including many Welsh actors. As a Welshman I was over the moon. A Welsh genre fantasy show?  This sort of thing neverhappened. But in 2006 Russell T Davies made it so (to paraphrase some other sci-fi show or other). However – and it is a big however – it didn’t seem to stray too far from Cardiff, and we up here in the North, (the Gogs), didn’t have any encounters with Jack and rest of the Torchwood team.  Until now.

You see in Forgotten Lives we are introduced to the previously unknown Torchwood – Wrexham. Oh yes! I literally cheered on my drive to work whilst listening. In my mind, if there is a Torchwood Wrexham, then surely in some part of the Torchwood Universe there is a Torchwood Trefriw…

But I digress, as always – and force myself away from my usual flights of fancy (Torchwood Trefriw – come on Big Finish, you know you want to do it – and bring myself back to this months release.

As with the previous two months, this release deals with particular character from Torchwood and in this one it is Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) and Rhys Williams (Kai Owen) who take centre stage. It is four years since the events of Miracle Day – Gwen and Rhys have settled down and Torchwood is a thing of the past.  They are parents to a four year old girl called Anwen. Life is – well, normal. And then they get a phone call. A strange call in Welsh from an old lady – and the mention of a name from the past: Jack Harkness. This is a phone call that will change their lives and take them to the promised land of North Wales (yay!) in fact the phone call takes them to the Bryn Offa Nursing Home (not far from Llangollen) and there they meet an old man who claims to be Captain Jack Harkness…

Kai Owen and Eve Myles slip right back into the characters of Rhys and Gwen, it’s like they have never been away – the interplay is just so natural and realistic – yes, they save the world, but they need to worry about baby-sitter too.

This is a very interesting story, and in fact will keep you guessing for the first half or so as to whether “Mr Griffith” really is an ancient version of Jack Harkness or just a poor old man suffering from dementia who happens to think he may have been someone else.

Tonally this is a story of two halves – the mysterious investigation in the first half leads to a shocking confrontation, a terrible mistake and an unforgivable act. The tension is almost unbearable and Gwen is seen to really be someone you do not mess with. Rhys Williams continues to be the heart of Torchwood – the us, the in, the voice of common sense and real world – he utterly grounds the show and makes it believable – his talk of being a driver in North Wales, of a burger van called “Hot Buns” that always parked in the same lay-by as a contrast to the world which Gwen and Jack inhabit.

This story works as a standalone; there are a few lines of dialogue that hark back to Miracle Day and the previous audios, but this shouldn’t spoil your enjoyment one little bit. Another worthy addition to the Torchwood range, a great big Welcome back! to Gwen and Rhys and a Big Hello Torchwood! from North Wales.

Definitely not one to forget. 9/10.

Survivors Series 3

As the mighty Tom Baker once boomed out “Britain, Britain, Britain” But what is Britain? Well apart from the obvious answer, to me Britain is a collection of many nations (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Cornwall, Manx); an alliance bound together by an act of Union. We are home to many different creeds, cultures and philosophies. We welcome with open arms those who are different as they will enrich our society and they in turn enrich us and with evolution and learning from each. But the fundamental building blocks of fairness, liberty and respect remain in place. This is the Britain I love and this is the Britain I inhabit. I am Welsh, I am a Welsh speaker, I love my nation, but I love the whole that it is a part of; co-existence, support, respect (ribbing over sport) all part of our national make up – and as part of the European Union our cultural, philosophical and economic boundaries have grown and been enriched further. My Britain.

There are some who see Britain in a different way – they see Britain as an isolated island nation, a place where foreigners are not welcome, where those that are just a little bit different are to be feared. The sort of person who would see the pandemic in Survivors not as a disaster but as an opportunity, the sort of person who previously had their worst excesses reined in by the rule of law. The sort of person that would kill those who are different just because they are different and enjoy it. A bully, a tyrant, a bigot, a fundamentalist. Survivors Series 3 is the story of just one of those sorts of people. Survivors Series 3 is the story of John Vincent.

John Vincent, or Vinnie to his friends is a thoroughly frightening creation. A fully rounded three dimensional believable character – his hate oozes out of the production.  His oily, supercilious exterior barely covering a bubbling rage. A truly hateful character and utter plaudits to Paul Thornley for bringing him to life. As far away from an arch panto villain as you can get – Thornley injects Vinnie with a visceral hate fuelled energy, a genuine belief that the pandemic was caused by foreigners.  His rag tag band of Fascists have labelled themselves “The British Government” and are intent on rebuilding Britain in Vinnie’s distorted image – no foreigners, no gays, no contact with the outside world – England for the English.

The box set is spread over four interlinked stories and makes a good jumping on point for new listeners, because in episode one, we go back to the beginning, back to the pandemic:

Cabin Fever by Jonathan Morris

This is Molly’s origin story. Molly from Series 2 returns again played by Fiona Sheehan – she is being cared for by Dalton (Andrew French) as she has come down with a fever, and recounts a tale to him of how she came to survive the Pandemic. Turns out Molly was on a cross channel ferry with her friend Janet (Miranda Raison) returning to England. But England is blockaded, under quarantine because of the plague, so is the rest of Europe and they are left adrift, floating in the channel, abandoned, as death takes hold. This is a real powder keg situation and a certain Vinnie sees it as an opportunity to take command.  He and his “lads” waste no time asserting their authority and as the situation worsens so Vinnie’s attitudes become more and more extreme, revealing the sort of person that he really is.

Molly it turns out is an unreliable narrator, and the story of the relationship she forms with Gloria (an unrecognisable Lisa Bowerman) is all the more horrific when the reality of the situation dawns on Dalton. Vinnie is a man who will not be crossed, will not be spoken back to and will not compromise. His character is established here – he could be just another right wing thug, but the writing and the characterisation raise him to a whole new level of evil.

Contact by Simon Clark

Remember Series 1? Remember Maddie Price (Chase Masterson) the American Attorney trapped in the UK? Well she is back, and she has a plan. Maddie is holed up in the Post Office Tower with communications expert Jonathon (James Joyce), she is the voice of London Calling – reaching out to the world on shortwave radio to try to build an international community. But she is attracting attention. Abby Grant (Carolyn Seymour) and Daniel Connor (John Banks) have worked out where she is and are heading to the tower to ask can they use the Radio to ask for help in finding Abby’s son. Others have also picked up the voice of London Calling – a certain group calling themselves “The British Government”, a group led by one John Vincent, an if there is one thing Vinnie does not want is foreigners being called in to Britain. After all in his twisted mind foreigners caused the pandemic so why invite them in. By subterfuge Vinnie works out where the broadcasts are coming from and his group set so ff to the tower to stop them. What a tense episode, the verbal sparring and pretence of Vinnie that he is respectful when he meets Abby – he is an intelligent man, he wants Abby with her cultured English voice to be the voice of the British Government – Abby stands her ground which leads to…. well that would be telling.

A very tense episode, you can just feel the disaster coming, my heart was in my mouth as I inevitably waited for Vinnie to play his hand.

Rescue by Andrew Smith

Jimmy Garland is a bit of a hero, and an excellent character, played by Richard Heffer – he is the perfect anti-Vinnie. Cultured, well spoken, intelligent and British in the best sense of the word. He is also an ex-army officer and knows a thing or two about guns and explosives. Jimmy is the sort of man that instils loyalty, not through fear but through respect – something Vinnie will never have – and what better man to lead a rescue mission to the Post Office Tower. This is a real edge of seat episode showing all the best and worst in human nature. In fact this is a theme of Survivors – the triumph of hope over fear, of cooperation over isolation and it is no better personified than in Jimmy and Vinnie.

There are some very upsetting scenes during this episode, and some of the language is unpalatable at best – but these are the sort of people we are dealing with and Andrew Smith pulls no punches in his depiction of unfettered Fascism in its purest form – disturbing and humbling.

Leaving by Matt Fitton

A rumour of a ship leaving for America is enough to get Maddie Price ready for the journey. As our heroes head for Plymouth to meet up with the Captain of “Mayflower 3” – a voyage is planned to the USA, Maddie and Daniel have passage guaranteed board the Mayflower 3 – but Vinnie and the British Government have different ideas – they want to “protect our borders” whatever the cost. A chilling and heart pounding conclusion as the forces of progress and regress have their final confrontation. Sacrifices for the good of all are made, and Survivors will never be the same again…

What an exceptional set. Exceptional. I found Vinnie abhorrent, but superbly acted, he stole the show – no scenery chewing or panto just a violent thug with no-one left to tell him no – where his world view is the world view.

The stories are moving, but they are hard going – no soft soak, this is a brutal world and even the “good guys” who are trying to maintain a form of civilisation have to do some pretty extreme things – difference is they do these things because they have to not because they want to. It is a story of hope versus fear, I vote for hope every time, but hope has a price, and a very high one at that. If I lived in the world of Survivors, I don’t think I would have lasted long – I am an idealist and this is a world where your ideals can lead to your swift demise.

Brilliantly written, utterly compellingly acted and directed, to say I enjoyed it is not quite right, but boy did I appreciate it.

An unreserved 10/10.

Jago & Litefoot Series 10

Is it October already? Certainly is and that means that it’s time for the second release this year of the bi-annual box set of brilliance – the CD’s of surreptitious superiority… the downloads of diabolical deftness… the arrival of astronomical amounts of alliteration. Yes indeed, my lords, ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to Professor George Litefoot and Mr Henry Gordon Jago, ably assisted by Miss Ellie Higson and Inspector Quick. Ladies and Gentlemen, please give a warm Planet Mondas welcome to Jago and Litefoot Series 10.

Ten series. Forty episodes, three specials and a companion chronicle – not a bad legacy for a pair of characters who appeared on-screen in Doctor Who only once back in 1977, and with another series on the way in April these venerable Victorian’s voracious appetite for adventure doesn’t appear to be letting up!

Some episodes of a TV show are classed as “event TV” – the arrival of a new Doctor, a regeneration, a season finale, a live episodes of venerable old soaps, the death of a much loved character, well with Jago and Litefoot every release is an “event release”. They are by far my favourite of the Big Finish ranges – the warmth, the humour, the camaraderie, the alliteration – I feel like I know Henry and George, that I could transport myself back in time to the Red Tavern and happily partake in a loquacious libation served by the lovely Miss Higson whilst being regaled with theatrical anecdotes by Jago, as Litefoot good naturedly rolls his eyes. This is a testament not only to Robert Holmes who created them, but to all the writers at Big Finish who took the source material and grew the legend and in Series 10 it seems that they have become a bit of a legend, so well known in fact that they have a biographer – the mysterious (and quite annoying) Carruthers Summerton (Toby Hadoke) – in fact, Carruthers is their greatest fan…

 The story plays out as always over four linked plays and they are:

The Case of the Missing Gasogene by Simon Barnard & Paul Morris

A lovely way to start the set, pure classic Jago and Litefoot – an odd murder, larger than life characters and a mystery that isn’t really what it seems…

Our heroes (with Carruthers in tow) are called to the home of Sir Hartley Harecourt to investigate the murder of his servant – thing is he was killed in a locked room. A classic locked room mystery you might think? Think again. This is Jago and Litefoot and it is far more interesting than that, in fact the whole mystery hinges upon an old soda syphon that Sir Hartley has had stolen.

A great season opener – and it sets up an interesting dynamic for the rest of the series. Carruthers is irritating and manipulative, latching on to both George and Henry’s ego to turn them against each other, they spend much of the adventure investigating separate threads. But what is Carruthers agenda? is he really their biggest fan, or does he have other reasons to follow our heroes? All will be revealed further on in the set….

The Year of the Bat By Jonathan Morris

As long-time readers will know I do not like time travel cheat stories. Not one bit. And I inwardly groaned when I read the premise of this one.

Professor Litefoot receives delivery of a mysterious box called a “Yesterday Box” in which letters can be posted back in time to your younger self. This leads to a hitherto unseen adventure set some thirty years prior to the 1890’s with a younger Jago (Alex Lowe) and a younger Litefoot (Blake Ritson) separately inverstigating the kidnappings of children and fearsome floating Nanny’s. But wait I hear you say – Messers J & L didn’t meet until Episode Five of The Talons of Weng Chiang – and you are right, they didn’t – their present selves even reference this. In fact the whole story plays out like a Brian Rix farce with near misses of our heroes younger selves – it’s a complete hoot. Is it a cheat? Yes of course it is, the ending is a complete and utter cheat – but you know, the story telling is just so darned good I just don’t care.

The Mourning After by James Goss

Henry Gordon Jago is dead. Yes, you read correctly. Dead. Killed by a dart from a mysterious blowpipe. Ellie and Professor Litefoot attend his funeral and it’s incredibly moving to hear George trying to keep his emotions in check and retain the facade of Victorian respectability whilst he has lost his old friend. Trevor Baxter is on top form here. Jago on the other hand has other ideas about being dead, he wakes up in his coffin and is rescued by a mysterious woman Adella LeStrange (Camilla Power). The problem is Mr Jago has been buried for 100 years and Adella is one of the last surviving humans after a plague of Zombies started ravaging the earth soon after Jago’s apparent demise.

Back in Victorian times Litefoot is once again teamed up with Doctor Luke Betterman (David Warner) in what almost becomes a Jago and Litefoot take on Shaun of the Dead. Litefoot, Betterman, Ellie and Quick are holed up in the Red Tavern fighting off an army of Zombies – but who is responsible for them? Is Doctor Betteman all he seems? A great story, told in two different time zones, it’s Shaun of the Dead meets V for Vendetta meets The Good Old Days (the “next scene” joke at Jago’s wake is hilarious) and this mish-mash of styles works as James Goss makes them his own. Fab!

The Museum of Curiosities By Justin Richards

As the evidence against Doctor Betterman continues to mount our heroes (accompanied once again by Carruthers) investigate a bizarre series of seemingly unconnected murders that lead them one step at a time to the Museum of Curiosities, a most singular museum. A most curious museum. But who is its owner and why do all the exhibits – ah, but that would be telling…

A very strong season finale – this one has it all, murder, mystery, peril, alliteration and a nice pint at the Red Tavern as well. It keeps you listening right until the last moment as there is a cliffhanger leading into Series 11 that will make your jaw hit the floor…

So 10 series is as strong as ever. This range has not put a foot wrong; the pace, the characterisation, the acting, the music, is all a cut above and whilst I am sad that series 10 has ended, next month we have the much anticipated “Jago & Litefoot & Strax” – oh my! – to look forward to, and then there is that cliffhanger at the end of Series 10 to be explored further.

Overall a corking cavalcade of clever creativity and crafty capers. I have no hesitation at all in awarding this 10/10.

The Way Of The Empty Hand

If there is one thing that the Doctor stands for (and there are many) it is finding another way, looking for the peaceful diplomatic solution rather than the military solution, avoiding violence at all costs unless there really is no other way. The Second Doctor, presenting a shambolic unimposing figure is possible the least likely incarnation to find himself in a gladiatorial arena, but in The Way of The Empty Hand, that’s just what happens – to find out how dear reader then please read on…

Short Trips are just that, short interludes of up to half an hour long, a traditional “talking book” in which the story is narrated by an actor, in this case Frazer Hines, who narrates and plays all the parts, and is an astoundingTroughton.

Landing on an unnamed planet Jamie rushes off and promptly disappears; he has been kidnapped by the Overlord of Combatia and is being forced to fight in the Overlord’s seemingly endless quest to find the Ultimate Warrior (not the former WWF Wrestler though). As Zoe and the Doctor track him down, Jamie himself forms an alliance with fellow human kidnapee Gichin Funakoshi, a warrior from Japan, and together they go all Spartacus and organise a slaves revolt.

 This is very much your traditional “Doctor defeats an evil villain in a few hours” sort of story – and as in my favourite story of the 1980’s, The Happiness Patrol, the Doctor defeats this great evil through the power of words and concepts not violence – in fact it is his complete refusal to take up arms that is his salvation. Again, Frazer Hines is wonderful as Troughton – he captures his essence, his vocal tones, inflections and mannerisms perfectly.

The story crams a lot in to its 27 minutes running time, however the villain Overlord is really no more than a generic villain to be defeated and lacks a little depth, and in a clever piece of retrospective foreshadowing the ending echoes the War Games (which is yet to happen for the characters but has happened for the writers and listeners, if you see what I mean).

Conceptually it is a very interesting story, though it treads no new ground, in fact all of the plot elements seem familiar, gladiators, a floating space station, bringing down a dictator – but it is so fast paced and so well performed that this familiarity can be forgiven. Overall, not quite an Ultimate Warrior but a worthy opponent.

7/10.

Torchwood - Fall To Earth

Rarely does a character become more than the show that they were in. Even more rare when that character isn’t the lead, but part of an ensemble. When Ianto Jones died during Torchwood – Children Of Earth back on 2009, I think it is fair to say that no-onecould have envisaged a permanent shrine in Cardiff Bay at the location used for the exterior of his office – but there is, and it has been there for six years – such is the undying and unquestioning love that fans have for their idols, it has even become a Google Maps Hot Spot and a must-see location according to trip advisor. I was on a course with work in Cardiff last year and pointed it out, most were nonplussed but some thought, as I do that it was incredible that a fictitious character could have this much of an impact and inspire such devotion and creativity.

As always my ramblings do have a point, and the point is this – October 2015 is when Ianto Jones returns in Torchwood – Fall To Earth, the second in Big Finish’s Torchwood releases and to quote Bobby Ball: “it’s a little belter!”

Ianto (played by Gareth David Lloyd) is in a bit of a pickle, he is trapped on an experimental first ever passenger spaceship called Skypuncher, the owner – billionaire philanthropist Ephraim Salt, the passengers made up of the great and the good, the crew – all dead. And the spaceship is about to crash and then the worst thing in the world happens… Ianto gets a phone call from a call centre trying to sell him insurance and an unlikely alliance is formed between Ianto and call centre worker Zeynep (Lisa Zahra) as they try to get Ianto safely back to earth (and ensure that he is fully insured at the same time).

This is 55 minutes of pure edge of seat tension, an homage to all those airport disaster movies from the 1970’s, the ones where the stewardess has to fly the plane – this being the millennium it is the woman in the call centre talking Ianto down – going from on script sales drone to absolute hero all in the space of one phone call – and making a healthy commission from sales along the way.

It is easy to see why ianto is such a beloved character; he isn’t superhuman like Jack or a science wonder like Toshiko, in his words he just “makes the coffee” and is completely and utterly out of his depth in this situation… injured, desperate, frightened, but tenacious, he takes the metaphorical life-belt of Zeynep’s call with both hands and hangs on until the bitter end.

My stomach was in knots with this one, it’s pacy and deeply emotional – Zeynep’s transformation from call centre drone to fully rounded human being about whom we care deeply is a wonderful piece of writing. We find out about her family and her upbringing naturally throughout the duration of the call, and her realisation that things might just be getting a whole lot worse in the last 10 minutes or so made me root for her even more, heck if this had a hashtag I would be #TeamZeynep all the way.

There is a little harking back to last months release and mentions of a story arc, but this one stands on its own as one of the very best episodes of Torchwood, up there with Children Of Earth, Random Shoes and A Day in the Death, a triumph of writing, acting and production. I take my hat off to you Big Finish! Back down to Earth with a well deserved 10/10.