“It stalks you. It whispers. It wants you to turn around. It wants you to look. But if you do… If you see it…”
Talmouth is a lonely seaside town. No-one has heard from it for days. No-one who goes in comes out. Something has happened to Talmouth. Has it been taken over by aliens? Or is it something far, far worse?
Gwen Cooper’s come to Talmouth to find out. What’s happened has to be seen to be believed. But by the time you’ve seen it, you’re already dead.
TORCHWOOD: MADE YOU LOOK
The Torchwood series has been one of the most consistently impressive Big Finish ranges, and the second series closes with yet another impressive story, Guy Adams’ “Made You Look.” Gwen investigates a seaside town where a creature is killing off the population, the gimmick being that the creature kills you the third time you see it. Naturally, Gwen teams up with a blind woman to combat this menace. Because she can’t see, get it? The script spells this out in a clunky scene that gives the audience no credit whatsoever. Fortunately, the story is generally quite effective: the creature is creepy as hell, and Eve Myles really sells her terrified acting – you can tell she’s scared but she’s fighting the fearful impulses through her training. “Made You Look” has no apparent connection to the Committee arc, nor does it do much to flesh out Gwen as a character, so it’s basically just a straight-up horror story. Nothing wrong with that, especially when it’s this good. My only complaint is with the ending, which comes out of nowhere and doesn’t resolve anything. They just leave! What about the horrible murder-monster they’re leaving behind? “Oh, we’ll come back and lock it in a box.” Oh, you will? How’s that? I get the point Adams is making about bullying, but this stretches credulity to breaking point. Still, I’m not down on “Made You Look.” It’s quality audio drama with some great performances and sound design. No masterpiece, but they don’t all have to be like that. I’m very much looking forward to the upcoming box set.
Recommended.
7/10