Written By: John Dorney, Matt Fitton, Marc Platt, Edward CollierDirected By: Ken Bentley
Cast
Paul McGann (The Doctor), Nicola Walker (Liv Chenka), Hattie Morahan (Helen Sinclair), Robert Bathurst (Padrac), Caroline Langrishe (Lady Farina), Bethan Walker (Kiani), Ramon Tikaram (Castellan), David Yelland (Walter Pritchett), John Woodvine (Galileo Galilei), Harry Myers (Cleaver), Esther Hall (Virginia), Gunnar Cauthery (Cavalli), Ewan Bailey (Count Licori/Father Locke/Orbs), Matthew Cottle (Paine) and Mark Bonnar as The Eleven - with a special appearance by Sylvester McCoy (The Seventh Doctor)

In February I was fortunate to be present at Big Finish day 6.  The prospect was an intriguing one, but the one thing that hadn’t crossed my mind was the thought of exclusive announcements.  During one of the main panels discussing Big Finish as a company, with a Q and A session included, it was announced that there would be a sequel to the unreleased Dark Eyes 4.  The sequel was to be entitled “Doom Coalition” but no other details were revealed.

Fast forward to post-Dark Eyes 4 and Doom Coalition 1 is now released.  Listening to the trailer I wasn’t entirely sure what to think, other than that seeing Liv Chenka and Paul McGann’s Doctor would most likely be worth the few months of waiting.  The plot seemed to be uncertain from the brief sample we had, in comparison to its predecessor where you could at least make educated guesses as to what might transpire.

To avoid spoilers, I will simply give my impression of the four stories and how they interweave in a similar fashion to the review of Dark Eyes 4.

1. The Eleven

For those who read the cast list, you might be forgiven for thinking that Sylvester McCoy’s seventh Doctor might be limited to an appearance that doesn’t add much to the character.  However, it actually sets up the whole of the box set with a powerful confrontation between The Doctor’s seventh incarnation and an original villain, known only as The Eleven.  This powerful Time Lord criminal describes himself as having “an affliction”,  demonstrated by the seamless switching between multiple personalities, apparently from his various regenerations.  For the first story in this collection, the voice acting, sound design and music are all of the quality standards that are expected by Big Finish, meaning you will have little difficulty in conjuring up any of the settings, people or situations created.  Of particular note is the aforementioned Eleven, who in spite of the fact he is played by two separate people, there is no obvious break in consistency.

The ending of this episode, whilst potentially seeming anticlimactic, sets itself up well to continue into the next story.  In spite of the action packed ending, the links may not be anywhere near as clear cut as the structure might have you believe.

2. The Red Lady

Two men enter a room containing a collection of artefacts all left by an extremely focused individual, though the focus is not initially obvious.  This introduction serves to create the intrigue necessary to carry the plot forward, with the references to the culture of the time in which The Doctor and Liv find themselves also being of interest.  Here is where the references and prior knowledge of the Dark Eyes saga, in particular Dark Eyes 4, will be of assistance in unravelling what might seem at first to be a         confusing set of unintelligible references within the first 10 minutes.  However, those who don’t know the prequels very well or at all will be pleased to learn that future references are subtle and underhand, with the cast handling the dialog, including the comedic moments, with the utmost deftness.  The plot thickens as Liv and The Doctor investigate suspicious activities surrounding the collection, with the fact that the locations are few and far between making for an almost claustrophobic and fitting sense of urgency.  The horror themes of the latter half of this episode really shine through the actors’ delivery and the Red Lady’s presence is ominous enough to create a sense of dread at what might transpire.  Unfortunately, whilst I understand the reason for the vocal effect employed to mask the message near the end of the episode, it is far too distorted for it to be even remotely intelligible apart from the references from the cast.  This only serves to lessen the sense of intrigue that it attempts to create.

3. The Galileo Trap

Florence in 1639 is conjured up with surprising brilliance and the “alien behemoth” from the synopsis of this episode is also startlingly deadly in its presentation.  The plot of this episode does take a while to come together, with at least 2 interlinking threads that eventually convene into a well-conceived and mysterious link to The Eleven.  The cast, new members and old alike, handle their parts well, with the alien voices and delivery being very much a key area of the episode’s prowess.

4. The Satanic Mill

To use a time old phrase from Doctor Who’s history, “the moment has been prepared for”.  However, whilst the pieces are in place for The Doctor’s confrontation with The Eleven, they do not come together until near the end of the story.  The voice acting continues to be of the highest standards, with the emotionally charged deliveries only seeking to add to the events leading to the conclusion of this first entry in the Doom Coalition series.  However, the fate of The Eleven is left amongst other questions that will surely be answered in the sequel.

In conclusion, Doom coalition opens up a number of new areas to explore with the companions and cast who join McGann’s doctor in this 4 story set.  With the sound design and non-invasive score being well thought out, it leaves me as a fan of the Dark Eyes Saga wondering just how far the well-known Time Lord’s eighth incarnation will go to stop The Eleven’s machinations and save not just earth, but most likely the universe as well. 

Starring: Simon Williams, Pamela Salem, Karen Gledhill,
Hugh Ross, Philip Pope, and Richard Hope

Also Featuring: Oscar Pearce, Nigel Carrington, Francesca Hunt, Dominic Rowan, Adrian Lukis, Denise Black, Phillip Bretherton, Alex Ferns, and Mary Conlon.

 

  Writers: Mark Wright, Cavan Scott, Matt Fitton, John Dorney,
Ken Bentley

Director: Ken Bentley

 

Producers: David Richardson, Script Edited by John Dorney

Executive Producers Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs

Released July 2015, Big Finish Productions

Spoilers Feature, with a major Spoiler Warning for Story 4 - Please Take Care!

And so we come to another quality box set of adventures which encompass spy thriller, weird science, paranormal and alien intrusion, and mid 20th century period revisitation. This set of stories has been with us now for a few months and I can say the wait this time round  for the next season was much shorter, after consuming three seasons in a comparatively intense burst. However there is a price involved for my (and surely many others') eagerness for new fare...

Although I have yet to enjoy the original 7th Doctor/Ace story from Big Finish The Assassination Games, I still managed to grasp the nature of the Light alien and how it had some very impressive power that let it hide itself amongst 'normal' human beings. It is up to the particular listener though whether to find that story, (and so enjoy another meeting of the Doctor and his Earth-based friends from Remembrance of the Daleks).

New Horizons is a fine opener from  Mark Wright and Cavan Scott, which allows Alison and Rachel to take centre stage. We have some rather glaring 'replacements' for Simon Gilmore and Toby Kinsella. They are clearly are not what they appear to be, at least to us if not the two female scientists, any yet they may have some good intentions within them. The story is paced as well as any thriller from this franchise, and is also easy to follow, which often is a personal enjoyment issue I have with audio dramas.

The Keep is a very well done tale which mixes in characterisation with a good conspiracy plot, and some dodgy projects undertaken by unscrupulous scientists. A one-off story not featuring Gilmore and Sir Toby was acceptable, but listeners would struggle to miss out on these two male leads any longer, and fittingly they return to the fray with plenty to do. The series three cliffhanger is addressed well, in its being a logical solution and yet not feeling jarringly 'easy'.

This second story of the box set probably is the most successful of the lot, even if its ambitions are not the highest. Ken Bentley, the writer, certainly has improved on his already promising The Forgotten Village from last year.

The third story, Rise and Shine is in many ways the climax to not only the main arc of this fourth series, but indeed the longer-term developments of yesteryear. Paying off the sleeper arc, and finally seeing some finality to the Templeton character who has been one of the best components of this show over the years. There is a very real threat, as those the team must overcome intend to use global chemicals with harmful effects that may have catastrophic  implications for Earth.

Revelations and twists concerning changes of allegiance permeate this story, and there is a lot of action which makes things dramatic but perhaps also demands a little something from the listener in having to visualise the events.  However, the ultimate resolution is as good as any story and the mind control manipulation aspects are done 'right' instead of falling into predictable cliché. This effort from John Dorney could be the perfect end to a trilogy box set, and set up things for next year. Yet instead...

**Spoilers Follow**

..we have the shock of what transpires on the latter tracks of Clean Sweep. This would appear to be the end of Counter-Measures forever.. or at least the heroic trio that first graced us with their precedence in 1988 alongside Sylvester McCoy's Doctor. The actual main story is pretty routine, and rarely shocks, even if the suspense is done well. After the preceding story, this low-key affair does notably provide a memorable fate for Heaton. This individual had been rather dubious in his intentions, and now actively sees the end of the military-scientific group - once and for all.

The way that we realise that Gilmore, Alison and Rachel are taken out by hit men is really almost too much to take in. The sound effects almost spoil the effect, being to my mind 'under done'. But the chilling last scene as Sir Toby pretends not to know of his three (ex)colleagues is up there in Big Finish lore as the best coda to a finale of any.

Summary:

So this season takes a lot of new approaches to its stories and where the characters end up. For the most part this is a good change of style. I liked how the stories were closely inter-linked. If one has the inclination the entire box set can be consumed within a day or two rapidly. The core four cast are totally at ease in their roles by now. And with Hugh Ross in particular doing justice to his terrific role in the scripts this is a fine showcase of audio drama performance, and deeply satisfying. Depending on what you take as canon, the fate of Rachel in particular does fly in the face of Millennial Rites - a spin off novel published in the mid 1990s - but perhaps the Big Finish 'big cheeses' are keeping the actual truth well-hidden, and we may still see more material for these wonderfully believable heroes.

Extras:

We have come to expect very well done pieces on each of the stories in a box set by cast and crew involved with Counter-Measures for three years now. This CD is no different in showing focus and depth, expanding on what the listener can make of the stories' themes and messages. Casting has almost always been spot on and I continue to enjoy clearly sincere expressions of elation by different performers who help make this series so strong when it comes to interpersonal drama. But the best vignettes are still from the main cast, who have many interesting things to say about their characters' well-done development. What is said about the seemingly conclusive fourth story is also especially fascinating. Simon Williams, Pamela Salem  and Karen Gledhill all seem quite philosophical that that was a positive way to wrap things up (at least for now). The reasons given by the writing team and producer David Richardson are also quite valid. And yet I can only hope that the flexibility of audio and the wider Doctor Who universe will see some way for the endearing protagonists to show their qualities another day; perhaps alongside one of the many incarnations of the 'Madman in a Box'..

Written by Jonathan Morris
Directed by Ken Bentley
Big Finish Productions, 2015
Stars: Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor),
Bonnie Langford (Melanie Bush), Angus Wright (Alek Zenos),
Mary Conlon (Celia Dunthorpe), Robbie Stevens (Sir Niles Bunbury/Frank Lewis), Kirsty Besterman (Serena Paget), Ashley Zhangazha (Brinsley Heaton), Lizzie Roper (Shari), Dominic Thornburn (Afrid), Nicholas Briggs (The Daleks)

The recent two-part opener to Doctor Who’s ninth series was a trip down memory lane – for both the Twelfth Doctor and his fans. Aside from overtly drawing on Dalek mythology, represented by the portrayal of Daleks of many shades, colours and variations from across the TV program’s history, and the restoration of the Dalek home world of Skaro, The Magician’s Apprentice/The Witch’s Familiar also homaged other parts of the pop culture zeitgeist (eg Back to the Future, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

While it’s a quite different tale from the modern TV series opener, Big Finish’s recent Doctor Who audio adventure We are the Daleks, featuring Sylvester McCoy’s Seventh Doctor and Bonnie Langford’s Melanie Bush, is also a nostalgia piece. However, it draws more subtly on Dalek mythology than its TV counterpart, as well as homaging other pop culture elements (eg The IT Crowd, Star Trek, Galaxy Quest, Ender’s Game, Beadle’s About, 1980s console video games) and some real life events, eg the 1987 international stock market crash, the Bradford riots and militant unionism, and the entrenchment of Thatcherite conservatism in Britain. According to BF’s Doctor Who range script editor Alan Barnes, just as the 1988 TV adventure Remembrance of the Daleks was a nostalgia piece that homaged the early 1960s and Dalekmania, Jonathan Morris’ script also seeks to objectively revisit and reassess the 1980s with not-so rose-tinted glasses.

Is it a success? On the whole, Morris skilfully crafts an entertaining, action-packed, rapid but well paced and thought-provoking plot from the above melting pot of ideas. In fact, so much happens in just the first episode (of what is a four-part, two-hour serial) that you’re quite surprised when you realise that you’ve only been listening to the tale for 30 minutes. There is no attempt at mystery and the dull Terry Nation-style go-slow approach to reintroducing the Daleks here. From the moment the TARDIS materialises in central London in the pre-titles teaser to episode one and the Doctor and Mel realise the capital’s skyline is now dominated by a skyscraper resembling a Dalek, the listener is thrust headlong into a new Dalek scheme to invade the Earth via the free market and a life-like console game called Warfleet. Along the way, we’re introduced to a remarkable array of supporting characters: Alek Zenos (Angus Wright), the head of the Dalek-controlled Zenos Corporation, Zenos IT administrator (and computer game enthusiast) Brinsley Heaton (Ashley Zhangazha), journalist Serena Paget (Kirsty Besterman) and two MPs in the stuffy, anti-Common Market Sir Niles Bunbury (Robbie Stevens) and the Thatcheresque, pro-free market and ultra-conservative Celia Dunthorpe (Mary Conlon).

The pace of the serial comes down a notch in the subsequent instalments once Morris has rapidly brought us up to speed.  He is free to focus on the Dalek machinations of Warfleet, which tie in with the Daleks’ efforts to wipe out anti-Dalek league forces, led by their perennial enemies the Thals, in a meteoroid cluster neighbouring Skaro, and of wooing Great Britain into a new economic partnership that will introduce Earth to the intergalactic free market and promise humanity a “new golden age of prosperity”. The latter is an ingenious, albeit uncharacteristic approach by the Daleks but their other methods of subversion throughout the plot – which homage classic Dalek serials such as Power of the Daleks, Evil of the Daleks, Destiny of the Daleks and Remembrance of the Daleks, as well as modern serials Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways and Victory of the Daleks – are entirely consistent with their modus operandi. Just as it was ludicrous in Power or Victory to see Daleks crying “I am your servant/soldier” and serving cups of tea, so it’s amusing and menacing in equal measure to hear Daleks serving and offering prawn cocktails and bon-a-bons when Mel attends a gala launch at the Zenos Corporation. It is intriguing to know why they are being so covert and devious, qualities you don’t necessarily attribute to Daleks but which the metal meanies have demonstrated throughout the program’s history.

Indeed, Morris cleverly juxtaposes just how close humanity is to the Daleks, both through the covert use of Warfleet and the Dalek-like Zenos Tower, as well as highlighting humanity’s general propensity for self-interest, greed, deceit, partisanship, parochialism, intolerance and warmongering – qualities that are strongly defended in certain quarters of the political spectrum as democratic, patriotic and integral to “our way of life”. This is a theme which Terry Nation first mooted in his early Dalek serials (particularly The Daleks and Genesis of the Daleks) but Morris presents them in a way that is fresh, modern and down to earth. The Doctor expresses his disgust when Dunthorpe expresses these sentiments: “Good grief! Who needs Daleks when you have politicians?” And even the stuffy Bunbury is mortified by Dunthorpe’s behaviour when he realises the full extent of the Daleks’ plan to subvert the British population:  “Good god, Celia! You can’t do this! You’re turning them into fascists!” The further this serial progresses, the more pertinent its title becomes.

The performances throughout this play – from the regulars down – are first rate. Sylvester McCoy plays a Seventh Doctor who is gradually making the transition from comical figure to the wily manipulator that he was from Remembrance of the Daleks onwards. Therefore, while McCoy’s portrayal of the Doctor is not as over the top as it was in his first three televised serials (this tale is in all probability set between Delta and the Bannermen and Dragonfire), it is still a lighter, good-humored interpretation, marked by the Seventh Doctor’s early penchant for hackneyed lines (eg “I get by ... with a little help from my friends!” or “Ashes to ashes, rust to rust!”). As depicted on the cover sleeve, the Doctor even dresses in what he thinks is the outfit of a “youngish, upwardly mobile professional” (typically, the Time Lord’s fashion sense is wrong again!).  However, McCoy loses none of the Seventh Doctor’s steel or authority in dialogue with the Daleks or the Daleks’ humanoid allies.

After a break of several years since she last reprised the role for Big Finish, Bonnie Langford returns as once maligned companion Melanie Bush. Big Finish’s Doctor Who plays over the last 16 years have not only restored much respect to the later 1980s Doctors such as McCoy and Colin Baker but they have revitalised companions from the same era such as Nicola Bryant’s Peri Brown, Sarah Sutton’s Nyssa and Mark Strickson’s Turlough. Langford’s Mel is no exception here. Gone is the piercing, hyperactive, over-effusive, irritating, helpless (and some might argue useless) damsel that trailed McCoy’s Doctor in the TV program’s much detested 24th season (although none of that can be laid at the feet of Ms Langford who suffered from poor character development and awful scripting and disliked her character as much as the fans did). In the “damsel’s” place is a confident, independent, likeable and measured young woman whose professional IT knowledge and skills are for once utilised (after being barely referenced in the TV series) and ultimately play a major role in the climax. What remains consistent in Langford’s portrayal from the TV series are Mel’s selflessness and courage (especially when she is embroiled in the Warfleet game). There is no doubt Langford enjoys the opportunity to flesh out a very two-dimensional character that she had once thought she’d left far behind in the ‘80s (in the CD extras, she describes Doctor Who as the “gift that just keeps on giving”). Just as We are the Daleks reassesses the “heady” days of the late ‘80s, so it also gives the most sceptical Whovian the opportunity to reappraise Langford’s true talent as a reinvigorated Mel.

The supporting cast is outstanding. Angus Wright effortlessly brings a vocal authority to Alek Zenos that in the first episode in particular evokes memories of the late Maurice Colbourne’s Lytton in his dealings with the Daleks (Resurrection of the Daleks). Wright, of course, was brilliant as Magnus Greel in the Fifth Doctor tale The Butcher of Brisbane, in which he was able to make a quite insane, ruthless character simultaneously flawed and sympathetic. Similarly, he makes the dubious Zenos three-dimensional, empathetic and not as black and white as he seems.

Mary Conlon is also excellent as Celia Dunthorpe; thanks to Conlon’s initial delivery, you imagine Dunthorpe to be a harmless, old-fashioned and dotty MP, not unlike Harriet Jones when she was first introduced in Doctor Who. Of course, what you get instead is a pushy, rational, motivated and coldblooded individual (“Ambition is not a dirty word!”) with quite dangerous values and ideas who is aiming squarely for the premiership (even though she is unaligned to any political party) and would probably eat Harriet Jones for breakfast! The Daleks, despite being “ethically challenged”, prove to be a perfect stepping stone for Dunthorpe’s aspirations – and as her fate remains unresolved (there is a brief allusion to Asylum of the Daleks), it would be a waste if Big Finish doesn’t revive the character for a rematch with the Doctor at a later date.

Both Wright and Conlon eclipse the other performers in the versatile Robbie Stevens (who in addition to voicing the crusty Bunbury plays union shop steward Frank in episode one), Ashley Zhangazha, Serena Paget, and Lizzie Roper and Dominic Thornburn (who play Thal resistance fighters). But it is Dalek voice artiste Nicholas Briggs who continues to steal the show. You would think by now that Briggs must be weary of the Daleks (or at least prepared to share the voice modulator duties on the BF audios so he can save his throat for his TV performances!) but if so, it doesn’t show. Briggs continues to play all of the Daleks with passion and purpose (as Sylvester McCoy remarks, there are at least six different Daleks in him!), saving his best performance for the booming, guttural tones of the Dalek Emperor, which (in a nod to Evil of the Daleks and The Parting of the Ways) sounds exactly like the behemoth you would imagine it to be.

Of course, much of the success of Briggs’ performance is also down to Big Finish’s sound production values which are overseen in this tale by Wilfredo Acosta. Acosta is also responsible for the incidental music, successfully capturing the flavour of McCoy era Doctor Who episodes in his electronic score, which riffs off the likes of the then controversial TV composer Keff McCulloch.

We are the Daleks is one of the most enjoyable, innovative takes on the Daleks for some time (both on TV and audio), as well as being an entertaining and thought-provoking Doctor Who adventure in its own right. The serial not only satirically implies that the Daleks may have had an influence in the economic and cultural upheavals that plagued Britain and the world economy in the 1980s but it also highlights that even after nearly three decades many of the same problems that existed then are equally as prevalent in the 21st century. The themes of We are the Daleks are as topical as ever.

Right on the heels of their last adventure, the Fourth Doctor and Leela are heading for the planet of Telos, but without the (often vital) support of the genius computer dog K9.

What new discoveries will feature when the Cybermen's base on Telos is distrubed, and how can the Doctor deal with a combined force of the imperious Cyber-Controller and crafty Cyber-Planner? What will happen when the Doctor is having to try and uncover the consequences of his actions when he first visited Telos with Jamie and Victoria in his Second incarnation? Will the spare parts obtained from Krelos be implemented into making a new Cyber-army?

The answers are immediately forthcoming, but not necessarily pleasing.

The big - and for many long-term fans huge - draw is the involvement of bothFrazer Hines andBernard Holley, who are part of a small group of people to still be with us from the main cast of the highly regarded The Tomb of the Cybermen. Hines reprises Jamie once again, and also provides the voice of the Second Doctor to a  very convincing level. Holley is certainly convincing as the young man he played in the opening episodes of Tomb, but I do find this script simply repeats one of the Troughton story's flaws in not giving a strong actor enough to do. Also we do not actually get a proper crossover of the two TARDIS crews, which admittedly is owing to the plot and to the Cybermen needing to observe timelines carefully for their agenda to work. Given how the cast in the making of documentary even point out this 'missed opportunity' I just wonder if Nicholas Briggs was at one point thinking of revising his story to allow this, or just wanted to make a coherent plot and finale story his priority.

Also there is some clever use of what on TV were vibrant and memorable clothing props in the form of the Doctor's endless scarf and his former companion Jamie's kilt, and how they drive the story forward. Just as in The Fate of Krelos the use of a malignant K9 is very welcome as this plot device was rare and only used to any notable effect by creators Bob Baker and Dave Martin. Even though the Cybermen are meant to be one collective race, the sheer personality of K9 means that there appears to be more of a dynamic than one would expect, so I must praise John Leeson for some fine work there.

If the main objective was for the listener to be entertained then this two parter certainly meets that in workmanlike fashion. It has decent pace, clear enough sound effects, and not overly intrusive music. Louise Jameson is as accomplished as ever, really making you appreciate Leela's many natural gifts and her devotion to the Doctor even when he appears to feel helpless. Tom Baker is always very engaging owing to his huge reserves of charisma, but perhaps were one to see a story from Season 15 and then listen to this, there are some definite signs of this being an older and less bombastic Fourth Doctor. Furthermore I say that when I personally feel Tom's weakest season and set of performances were overseen by Graham Williams when he first took charge and had much less budget to work with.

But what matters is having a duo of heroes to care about, and the Tom/Louise team have certainly produced many a fine outing together both onscreen and via audio.

Of course knowing how the actors have become much more on friendly terms with each other through doing commentaries, conventions, and so on may be something Classic Who followers may take subconsciously into these original plays.  But to my mind, one example of the brilliance of Tom Baker was that he was just as strong acting against those he agreed with as those he did not, and regardless could always convince as the main hero of the story - one who may have been unpredictable but always knew how to overcome opposition.

Nicholas Briggs of course is at hand to do the Cyber-voices and makes the silver giants as chillingly robotic and soulless as we have come to expect, over the years of Big Finish stories and obviously the revived TV series. The Cybermen are certainly not holding back and wish to leave their individuality-destroying-mark on a rather less malevolent civilisation. Without giving too much away, the legacy of their destructive ways was already shown in 'Krelos' and this story hinges on just how much the TARDIS crew can act to avert this - bearing in mind that K9 is still under Cyber control at the start of this season finale.

Other supporting cast is also more than up to the mark. Michael Cochrane has been a first-rate contributor to Doctor Who as evidenced in his two 1980s turns; one alongside Peter Davison, and one with Sylvester McCoy. Even when a script wobbles he is magnetic and memorable, and this again holds true for the 'multi-person' Geralk. Veronica Roberts' Relly is also more than serviceable, even if she is not given too many of the play's best lines of dialogue. We are invested in her fate and that makes the overall story work.

What  prevents this play from being a real winner is the slightly muddled ending. It plays out compellingly enough but just veers on the wrong side of deus ex machina and seems to nullify some of the actions of characters that we really thought would matter more. I do like how the method used to achieve a good result has a major impact on what the Doctor and Leela will ultimately take away from their escapades. They show their resourcefulness under pressure but perhaps it is left to others to somehow appreciate that effort. There just seemed more potential from the various enticing components of the play for a really explosive finish. While an interesting approach to have two plays with lots of 'timey wimey' I did end up feeling a little more impressed with The Fate of Krelos (if ultimately it aspired for less grandiose effect) than I did this finale.

Apart from what I said earlier on about the casts' muted misgivings, the making of documentary is certainly worth a listen and will especially interest those who either know and love Tomb, or who still are keen to see it either on a stream or on one of the increasingly scarce Revisitation DVD box sets. Briggs was certainly as good in direction as ever, and the enthusiasm of the cast for their work together is as bright as the unrelenting sun that makes Telos an arid environment. That is until curiosity draws would-be-pioneering travellers down to the underground...

Torchwood: The Conspiracy
Wriiten by David Llewellyn
Directed by Scott Hancock
Starring: John Barrowman (Captain Jack); John Sessions (Wilson); Sarah Ovens (Kate); Dan Bottomley (Sam)
Released by Big Finish Productions - September 2015

“The twenty-first century is when everything changes – and Torchwood is ready.”

They’re not alone, either: echoing this memorable guiding mantra to a tee, Big Finish have spared no expense to ensure that the first instalment in their new series of Torchwood audio releases mirrors its televised source material, demonstrating just as much innovation, engaging storytelling and political layers as audiences could possibly hope for from a budding drama coming to the market in 2015. Indeed, where some of the studio’s recent titles like Jago & Litefoot and last month’s The Sixth Doctor – The Last Adventure justifiably kept one foot lodged firmly in the past so as to entice fans of their respective eras, The Conspiracy instead goes remarkably far out of its way to remind its listeners that it’s a modern beast through and through, not only via its aforementioned dramatic ambition but moreover its integration of contemporary social forums aplenty in an enviably seamless fashion. From pre-recorded voice messages to nifty Instagram posts to local radio interviews, the number of narrative elements which have been plucked straight from our present cultural stratosphere into this captivating opening instalment’s web beggar belief.

On the surface this renewed emphasis from Conspiracy’s honoured wright, David Llewellyn, on clearly establishing – or rather re-establishing in the case of the show’s considerable band of followers, although newcomers needn’t feel daunted about stepping aboard for the impressively accessible ride – his storyline’s setting as here and now mightn’t seem a particularly revolutionary contributory element, yet its effect on the overall listening experience couldn’t be more profound if it tried. One sequence in particular perfectly encapsulates its impact, in fact; as the ever-dedicated, ever-eternal Captain Jack Harkness investigates the seemingly innocuous ramblings of populist conspiracy theorist George Wilson regarding a seedy, seemingly omniscient organisation dubbed only “the Committee”, all the while relating his progress to the listeners and his teammates (none of whom are referenced directly beyond a single namecheck for Gwen Cooper, though we’re all but certainly looking at a pre-“Exit Wounds” mission here), he comes across an intrepid YouTube blogger who carries suspicious knowledge of the supposedly covert organisation based beneath Cardiff Bay. This chance encounter in turn prompts Jack to momentarily digress from his retelling of the day’s events in order to play us a subsequent clip from the budding reporter’s portfolio concerning Torchwood – a simple conceit to be sure, but one which works wonders in terms of revealing new, semi-paranoid layers to the construct in question, doubling the sense that we’re listening in on a fictional Earth near identical to our own, whilst only taking up a few moments of our time before we’re returned to Harkness’ ongoing interview-turned-interrogation of Wilson without so much as a hint of narrative disconnect. Insignificant as they may seem when viewed in isolation, it’s small moments such as this one which make all the difference with regards to the scribe’s valiant efforts to establish the latest franchise to have fallen into Big Finish’s lap as every bit as compelling a contender as its predecessors.

Had there not been an accomplished central cast ensemble present to back Llewellyn’s thoroughly contemporary script, however, all might have been nought; just look at how the original Cardiff-set TV drama’s lesser efforts such as “Cyberwoman” and “Sleeper” fared with viewers upon presenting them with scarcely memorable secondary performers, then in contrast at how the likes of Susan Brown and a certain Mr. Peter Capaldi elevated “Children of Earth” to previously unthinkable levels of gravitas with their work as Bridget Spears and her ultimately pathos-ridden employer just half a dozen short years ago. Enter John Barrowman, who – despite not having played the supposed “Face of Boe” on-screen since 2011’s divisive Miracle Day – steps back into the role of Jack as if not a day has passed since we last heard the ex-Time Agent’s charming voice, lending the entire production a characteristically jovial feel throughout. Regardless of whether he’s matching wits with Wilson’s marvellously sly daughter Kate (portrayed with delicious aplomb by Sarah Ovens), contemplating the need for answers in today’s world of alleged transparency with Wilson himself (prepare to be taken aback by John Sessions’ understated yet wholly believable take on what could easily have been a one-dimensional construct in the wrong vocal chords) or realising the consequences of his team’s increased publicity as his conversations with Dan Bottomley’s simultaneously intrusive and touchingly vulnerable reporter Sam Hallett take a turn for the deadly, the voice behind one of Doctor Who’s best-loved recurring heroes delivers to nothing less than an impeccable extent. Little wonder, then, that despite its relative lack of stakes-raising set-pieces, in contrast to recent instalments in Big Finish’s output such as the hugely underwhelming The Warehouse, The Conspiracy never seems poised to lose its audience’s attention, since Barrowman, Bottomley and company each bring such unrelenting energy to the table this time around.

Whilst we’re on the subject of individual commendations, let’s not forget the oft-overlooked yet undeniably sterling work done by everyone involved with the Torchwood range’s sound design behind-the-scenes. It’s one feat to yank across the audio effects used to depict the technologically brimming, almost sentient landscape of the team’s iconic Hub so as to strengthen the dominant sense that we’re very much bearing witness to a direct continuation of the original series here, yet to balance the volumes and background effects involved with rendering Jack’s narration, his past interactions with Wilson et al, the slightly distorted audio of videos recorded primarily for viewing on mobile devices and various other text-within-a-text scenarios takes true talent of the highest degree, talent which many devoted followers of all things Big Finish might argue (completely justifiably in this case, we should add) that only the Berkshire-based studio’s diligent band of technical wizards possesses. Indeed, given that this reviewer at times unashamedly favours literary evaluation which primarily critiques narrative and where relevant performances, it’s telling when an aesthetic or aural aspect catches his eye or ear, and in this instance, there’s certainly no getting around the extent to which the dramatic weight of the overall piece would suffer were we to remove the nameless geniuses whose invaluable work began after recording from the equation.

Now, chances are some readers have been sticking around this long in order to reach this critique’s inevitable “but…”, yet aside from the rather abrupt manner in which Llewellyn (no doubt hoping to allow his successors ample room to develop upon the Committee’s still largely ambiguous plans for Earth) brings his otherwise faultless tale to a close and the lack of much in the way of tangible character development for Jack beyond yet another unfortunate blast from his past, it’s astoundingly difficult to pinpoint much about which one can complain in any great substance here – an unexpected result indeed, particularly given how long Big Finish have already spent dabbling in the realms of audio storytelling to date. Then again, throughout its five or so years on air, Torchwood always dared to subvert expectations in the most spectacular fashion, and in this respect its stunning latest outing hasn’t let the side down in the slightest; quite to the contrary, The Conspiracy holds the even rarer honour of ranking, at least in this reviewer’s humble opinion, as one of the studio’s most thrilling, finely-paced, strongly performed and therefore satisfying works yet, or to summarise the situation in a more succinct manner:

“This is when everything changes for audio storytelling – and we’re definitely ready to see what’s coming next.”