Gwen meets Mr Pugh, the one man who can say no to Torchwood…
1 Comment
Styre
on May 20, 2016 at 1:07 AM
TORCHWOOD: MORE THAN THIS
The first series of Torchwood audios from Big Finish comes to a close with Guy Adams’ “More Than This,” a Gwen Cooper story that continues the high level of quality seen throughout the range and provides great incentive to continue with the series into its second year. Set after Miracle Day, it features Gwen’s efforts to restart Torchwood in Cardiff – specifically her efforts to get a building permit from a local bureaucrat, Roger Pugh (Richard Nichols) for a new Hub! When he doesn’t believe her when she explains what Torchwood does, Gwen takes him on a whirlwind tour of a typical day in the life of a Torchwood operative. The story could easily serve as a pilot for a new Torchwood series, as it walks the audience through the essential elements. It’s also an elegant bookend to the series premiere “Everything Changes,” as now Gwen is the experienced operative taking the potential new recruit through his paces. Roger is an appealing character, whose resistance to the idea that there’s more to the universe than humanity comes not from skepticism but from pure emotion: grief over his wife’s death in a car accident. Ultimately, there’s a bit too much going on here – the story doesn’t need every incident Gwen and Roger confront – and the plot itself is a bit predictable, but the heart of the story is excellent. There’s nothing particularly new or innovative going on in “More Than This,” but character pieces don’t have to innovate – they just have to remind us of honest emotions. All in all, “More Than This” is an excellent conclusion to one of the best series of audios ever released by Big Finish. Here’s hoping the second series is just as good.
TORCHWOOD: MORE THAN THIS
The first series of Torchwood audios from Big Finish comes to a close with Guy Adams’ “More Than This,” a Gwen Cooper story that continues the high level of quality seen throughout the range and provides great incentive to continue with the series into its second year. Set after Miracle Day, it features Gwen’s efforts to restart Torchwood in Cardiff – specifically her efforts to get a building permit from a local bureaucrat, Roger Pugh (Richard Nichols) for a new Hub! When he doesn’t believe her when she explains what Torchwood does, Gwen takes him on a whirlwind tour of a typical day in the life of a Torchwood operative. The story could easily serve as a pilot for a new Torchwood series, as it walks the audience through the essential elements. It’s also an elegant bookend to the series premiere “Everything Changes,” as now Gwen is the experienced operative taking the potential new recruit through his paces. Roger is an appealing character, whose resistance to the idea that there’s more to the universe than humanity comes not from skepticism but from pure emotion: grief over his wife’s death in a car accident. Ultimately, there’s a bit too much going on here – the story doesn’t need every incident Gwen and Roger confront – and the plot itself is a bit predictable, but the heart of the story is excellent. There’s nothing particularly new or innovative going on in “More Than This,” but character pieces don’t have to innovate – they just have to remind us of honest emotions. All in all, “More Than This” is an excellent conclusion to one of the best series of audios ever released by Big Finish. Here’s hoping the second series is just as good.
Highly recommended.
8/10