Anything that can be broken can be repaired – and time to meet a real petrolhead…

This month’s Future Shocks podcast drama from Anthony Kaseria and Nathaniel Tapley starts with an adaptation of Robert Flynn and Brett Ewins & Jim McCarthy’s Robot Repairs, which provides Terry Molloy to bring another mad (and distinctly unhumble) scientist to life. This one isn’t ranting about bringing everything under the control of his pepperpots, but believes he has created the ultimate indestructible robot. Trouble comes when he tries to prove it. It’s a fun version of the two part story that first appeared back in 1977, with Tony Way, Richard People and Lisa Bowerman giving sometimes wry performances, as things don’t go quite the way that Molloy’s Dr Small expects.

The second tale from Tharg (after one of the oddest segues we’ve had to date) is Drive, He Said, based on the story by Al Ewing and Edison George that first appeared in prog 1532, some 30 years later. Rufus Hound lets rip as  the petrolhead with a… rather familiar name, who’s delighted that he might get a chance to drive a car again (VROOM! VROOM!) but discovers others have different ideas. Two Blue Peter presenters add to the mayhem and Rick Blything and Pete Dennis’ sound design and production ensure there’s no mistaking the different elements.

Verdict: Another enjoyable pair of Shocks. 8/10

Paul Simpson