The team investigate an epidemic of mental health problems and find a link to a very old threat…

It seems as if this is the last standalone adventure for the Counter-Measures team for the foreseeable future, although they will be back for the all-singing, all-dancing Big Finish jamboree box set marking 20 years of Doctor Who at Big Finish later this year. It’s a considerably stronger story than its immediate predecessor, with writer Ian Potter giving us a Counter-Measures take on a mix of the Radio 4 series Pilgrim and The Avengers.

There are threads for all of the four main characters, with Karen Gledhill’s musical talents allowed an airing, and there are plenty of plot twists and surprises along the way. Tim Bentinck’s Lord Cavall is one of the series’ stronger creations, and it’s good to hear him back on the range, once again with an intriguing relationship to Gledhill’s Allison. Hugh Ross and Simon Williams make a fun ‘odd couple’ as Sir Toby and Ian Gilmore, while Pamela Salem reinforces Rachel Jensen’s scientific credentials. Ken Bentley’s direction and Joe Meiners’ sound design fuse with Nick Briggs’ score to give a strong aural landscape.

Verdict: Hopefully the team’s adventures will continue, but if they are going to be confined to guest starring appearances in future, then they’ve gone out on a high. 9/10

Paul Simpson