UFO: Destruct Positive! by Andy Lane (CD audio review)

Big Finish do love a story and this is a nostalgic outing to 1970 when Gerry Anderson cut the puppet strings and give us live action with ‘UFO’. A second series was planned but morphed instead into ‘Space: 1999’ which had a longer run. In terms of TV hours, the one series was 26 episodes which is the equivalent of about four series from the BBC. On audio, it’s a more modest outing of three episodes for the first release. It’s a modern take with the attitudes and prejudices ironed out, in fact if you’re under 30, you won’t notice unless you watch the TV series.

The basic premise is that aliens are likely to invade as soon as they can get past Earth’s defences. Meanwhile, they disrupt with raids and snatch humans. The lack of knowledge of the aliens.

Destruct Positive!

This is an origin story for Straker (Barnaby Kay). He’s a hands-on test pilot who one minute is full of life’s certainties and the next finds himself in a very strange new world. It’s not just about Straker moving to quaint little England. His plan is attacked, he thinks by some Russian up-to-the-minute spy plane. Truth is stranger than that though.

Initially, he doesn’t know who to trust, just who is Lieutenant-Colonel Virginia Lake (Jeany Spark)? His world has shrunk into his post-crash hospital bed and he’s vulnerable.

There is a real likelihood of alien invasion and Straker will be at the forefront of Earth’s defence in a new organisation called SHADO.

This is episode manages to be informative and atmospheric, a great opener to the series and, despite being on audio, it is action-packed.

Things We Lost In The Darkness

Straker has swallowed his new reality though his wife, Mary (Charlotte Harris), must be bewildered by the move to the quiet countryside of England. Things are about to change even more for Ed but first there is a threat to deal with. Meeting his new team is only part of his new life.

Beth (Jasmin Hinds) and Karl (Sam Stafford) are travelling home from a party. He thinks he might be in with a chance but the night holds great danger. The next day Beth is being interviewed by Colonel Alec Freeman (Samuel Clemens) from SHADO because Karl has gone missing in bizarre circumstances. The danger is closer than they thought.

A creepy second story that brings home what might happen to Earth if the aliens get a foothold. Straker in his new role as Supreme Commander is tested and he has to sound out his new team to make sure they can be relied upon. Alec is initially resistant but is happier in his role once he knows where he stands and Virginia gets the chance to play with lots of mobile action vehicles or futuristic tanks in English.

Full Fathom Five

It’s all go on the new plan and Straker has a new office that is barely functioning and he’s hopeful that at least he can get Skydiver into action. Alec has already taken on a commander for it but Straker needs to investigate for himself. Captain Petra Carlin (Yasmin Mwanza) has an interesting background and now she in charge of a top of the range submarine. All this tech is all very well but it’s the people that make it work.

Striker is initially hostile to Carlin and he makes no bones about it to her. Events rather take over as she gets the chance to prove herself and quell his doubts.

These episodes are rather thrilling with superb sound design and music that help generate an immersive atmosphere. The suspense and fear are very much part of the drama. There’s a good mix of crazy futuristic tech and solid work from the actors who deliver a taught script. The three episodes offer variety while moving the story along and providing a firm foundation for the next series. Also, they call UFOs UF-FOs. As Straker says, ‘I like it’.

Sue Davies

November 2023

(pub: Big Finish, 2023. 3 CDs 228 minutes 3 stories. Price: £24.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-83868-901-8)

cast: Barnaby Kay, Jeany Spark, Samuel Clemens, Victor Alli, Phillipe Bosher, Nicholas Briggs, Charlotte Harris, Jasmin Hinds, Glen McCready, Lynsey Murrell, Yasmin Mwanza, Harry Myers, George Naylor and Sam Stafford

check out website: www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/ufo-destruct-positive-2635