It’s been just over 40 years since we first met the hearty Henry Gordon Jago and the principled Professor George Litefoot making their first appearance on our television screens in the infamous Talons of Weng-Chiang back in 1977 and Big Finish is celebrating by taking Jago & Litefoot Series 13 on a trip down memory lane.
Someone from the future has arrived in Victorian London on the trail of a renegade… but that trail leads them to Henry Gordon Jago and Professor LItefoot. So begins an adventure that will propel the Infernal Investigators into unknown territory, and an encounter with two people they should avoid at all costs: Themselves.
The Stuff of Nightmares by Paul Morris 10/10
Litefoot and Jago are both suffering from strange waking nightmares. They resort to hypnotherapy to try to diagnose the problem. But meanwhile, a Time Agent is looking for them – as a way of tracking down the notorious criminal Magnus Greel. Before they know what is happening, our heroes find themselves trapped in a dystopian future where nothing makes sense anymore…
Paul Morris does a great job kicking off the nostalgic season 13. When a time agent (like Captain Jack) from 50th Century arrives with a vortex manipulator (like Captain Jack) looking for Magnus Greel he accidentally propels Jago & Litefoot into a parallel universe. This is a great stand alone story and sets up the series theme very well, there isn’t a weak performance in the bunch: Abi Hayes as Agent Cara, Carolyn Pickles as psychiatrist Dr Hilary Standish, and Tony Turner as Harry Hypno really shine.
Chapel of Night by Jonathan Barnes 7/10
Trapped in a parallel world, Jago and Litefoot are enlisted to help Inspector Quick investigate the mysterious Chapel of Night run by Mrs Bartholomew. Needless to say, there is more to the chapel – and Mrs Bartholomew – than there initially seems. Soon our heroes are caught up in another horrifying and dangerous adventure. But more to the point, can they ever get back to their own world again?
This tale acts as a stand-alone tale and also confirms that our infernal investigators are indeed in a parallel world. The story feels a little like filler and exposition and doesn’t meet the standards of the three other tales.
How The Other Half Lives by Matthew Sweet 8/10
Perhaps inevitably, Jago and Litefoot meet their counterparts in the world where they now find themselves. The Litefoot in this world still owns Greel’s time cabinet, while Jago is also married to Xiu Xiu, a barmaid. But Greel’s cabinet is not the only thing to survive from his time in this world – there is also a giant rat on the loose in the sewers beneath London…
Matthew Sweet does a great job bringing together the Jago & Litefoot’s of each world together and of course, the giant Rat is back.
Too Much Reality by Justin Richards 9/10
Jago and Litefoot meet their equivalent infernal investigators in this world – Aubrey and Betterman. Together they investigate sightings of a strange ‘demon’ and bodies that mysteriously fade away… Before long they discover a crashed spaceship and find out the truth behind Mrs Bartholomew and the Chapel of Night. But even with this mystery solved, will they be able to get home again?
The final episode pulls together our Jago’s and Litefoot’s and their parallel world equivalent infernal investigators, Betterman & Aubrey together in one cracking adventure. Richard’s writing gets the better part of the Chapel of Night and Mrs Bartholomew storyline and sets us up with a big question mark hanging over Series 14, as to where/when Jago & Litefoot’s investigations will take them next. We also get some fantastic returning performances from David Warner as Dr Luke Betterman and Jamie Newall as Aubrey.
Great Nods
There are some lovely references back to the original televised story and some great nods back through the prior twelve seasons of Jago & Litefoot. This season acts as a welcome celebration of these timeless characters and the wealth of stories they now have under their respective belts.
BLOGTOR RATING 9/10
Written By: Paul Morris, Jonathan Barnes, Matthew Sweet, Justin Richards
Directed By: Lisa Bowerman
Cast
Christopher Benjamin (Henry Gordon Jago), Trevor Baxter (Professor George Litefoot), Lisa Bowerman (Ellie Higson), Conrad Asquith (Inspector Quick), Abi Hayes (Agent Cara), Carolyn Pickles (Dr Hilary Standish), Tony Turner (Harry Hypno/ Sergeant Delaney/ Dr Logan), Teresa Banham(Mrs Bartholomew/ Angelica), Oliver Lansley (Jack Ridpath), Jeff Rawle (Toby Brokesmith), Lucy Sheen (Xiu Xiu), Phoebe Thomas (Hannah Price), Oliver Jackson (Dicky Twist), David Warner (Dr Luke Betterman), Jamie Newall (Aubrey). Other parts played by members of the cast.
Producer David Richardson
Script Editor Justin Richards
Executive Producers Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs
