WPC Ann Kelso’s day on the beat turns out to be anything other than routine…

The period of Doctor Who that Big Finish is recreating in the 4th Doctor Adventures is probably one of my favourites – and the fact that it was around the time I was 14 or 15 is likely to be no coincidence. It was the time when I first became aware of organised fandom, and devoured as much information about the show’s history as I could find during the gaps between new episodes.

Andrew Smith pens a terrific opener for this new “Season 15 and a half” – the stories are set between The Invasion of Time (in which Leela and K9 left and the Doctor revealed a kit for a new version of his canine chum) and The Ribos Operation (which introduced Mary Tamm’s Romana). The characterisation of the Doctor and the feel of the worlds in which he lives are spot on, and Jane Slavin’s WPC Ann Kelso slots neatly into place. There’s been the odd new audio companion who’s felt wedged into continuity, but Ann fits into the era as if she’s been there from the start and we somehow jumped the pages in the Programme Guide.

Slavin and Baker have a strong chemistry – helped by the fact that they’ve worked together on audio on a number of occasions previously – and director Nick Briggs adds Frank Skinner into the mix as a Chief Inspector who’s not quite as out of his depth as you might expect. Smith’s own background means that the police side feels authentic and the villains are somewhere between The Sweeney and Lynda La Plante (and that’s a compliment, particularly to Harriet Makepeace herself, Glynis Barber, who sounds like she’s having a great deal of fun). Jamie Robertson’s sound design and music aid the “period” feel – I refuse to believe it was 40 years ago.

Verdict: One of the most enjoyable audios of recent times. 10/10

Paul Simpson