Torchwood: Among Us 3 by Tim Foley, Ash Darby and James Goss (CD review).

How I Conquered the World by Tim Foley, Ash Darby, and James Goss

The sentient AI friend (Mia Hope) has been around a long time, and she’s a little bit fed up with being ignored. It is eager to inform Torchwood about its intentions and its desire to exert control over humanity. It’s a stark warning to the team that they’ve dropped the ball in a game they didn’t even know they were playing.

Doomscroll by Ash Darby

The world of influencers is curious and strange. What’s left of Torchwood needs to persuade them to give up their phones before whatever is out there manages to kill them. It’s not going to be easy; they are a very stroppy bunch. Taylor (Sally Walker) gets a little too involved, and there’s heartache at the end.

Heistland, by Tim Foley

It’s time to take down the digital currency Deadcoin, but Torchwood won’t cooperate with the Icelandic Tourist Information Office, even though Rhys Williams (Kai Owen) is one of their newest employees. There is some international travel, as well as some double-dealing. Yvonne Hartman (Tracy-Ann Oberman) climbs up a building’s exterior, and Orr (Samantha Béart) hides in a cupboard.

James Goss’ The Apocalypse starts at 6 p.m.

Friend is using Janet (Janet Ellis), who hosts an early evening show, and it appears that the apocalypse will commence at precisely 6 p.m. The world has gone mad, and the mobile masts are coming down, but the twist is that Torchwood is doing it. Ng (Alexandria Riley) has a new job as Janet’s PA, and she’s really good. Janet doesn’t know what’s coming or going, but she has the born-again Tommy (Mia Hope), who recovered from his coma, to interview, so that’s nice. He’s now walking around his garden to raise money, and it would be a coup if Torchwood wasn’t coming, the world wasn’t ending, and Tommy wasn’t Tommy. They should beware of messing with Janet. You won’t like it when she’s angry. Keep in mind that Torchwood remains indispensable.

These stories are immersive. In ‘How I Conquered the World,’ Friend shares with Torchwood everything it overlooked due to alien distractions, encompassing all the boxed sets since its revival. Beginning with a narrative reminiscent of ‘Friends Reunited,’ Friend explores the pernicious influence of social networking and the process by which societally unacceptable viewpoints become mainstream and unassailable. It illustrates how hate and fear propel the human race, and we are aware of its future trajectory. This outsider sees the human race as a plague that requires eradication.

This piece was crafted for the Twitter generation, infused with a hint of Facebook to cater to FOMOs and likes, while also setting the stage for the final episode.

The two episodes sandwiched in between are active adventures for the team. ‘Doomscroll’ means they have to get back out into the world. Mr. Colchester’s plan is to take an influencer to lunch, albeit as a hostage, and show her the world up close without the phone screen between them. He wants her to live in the moment.

Tyler falls in love with Chris, who is vacuous and almost empty. Tyler believes his love could save Chris, but it proves insufficient, and the realization of his own love destroys Tyler.

‘Heistland’ is a good old-fashioned adventure with lots of twists and turns, a bit of a breather emotionally.

The final episode, ‘The Apocalypse Starts at 6 p.m.’, has the marvellous Janet Ellis of ‘Blue Peter’ fame playing a version of herself. It’s a fantastic story, and it’s on point with the prevailing lunacy of our times.

The extras from interviews with the cast and writers are always worth listening to.

These are great stories, all with a point to make. They do it with drama, laughter, and sometimes tears and hugs. They are so good that I’ve already experienced them twice. I can’t wait to see what they do next.

Sue Davies

June 2024

(pub: Big Finish, 2023. 4 CDs 282 minutes 4 stories.  Price: £34.99 (UK) $44.56 (US). ISBN: ISBN: 978-1-83868-282-8. Digital: Price: $38.19 (US) ISBN: 978-1-83868-283-5)

cast: Samantha Béart, Paul Clayton, Jonny Green, Alexandria Riley, Janet Ellis, Kai Owen, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Helena Breck, Al Coppola, Eva Eklof, Mathew Foster, Victoria Gee, Mia Hope, Adam Howden, Jhon Lumsden, Jade Matthew and Sally Walker-Taylor

check out website: www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/torchwood-among-us-part-3-2234