It’s time for Henry Gordon Jago to do his bit for Christmas – with some help from the Paternoster Gang…

Yes alright, it’s a bit early for Christmas stories (bah, humbug!) but Paul Morris’ tale for the Gang, aided and abetted by Henry Gordon Jago, is a lot of fun. Dan Starkey is given some of the best lines for Strax amid an excellent set-up that is just rife with possibilities for the slightly…overprotective Sontaran butler, but Morris doesn’t make the mistake of letting Strax be stupid – he may have an odd take on certain things, but he is trying to do the right things by his own lights.

The heritage element is focused firmly on Madam Vastra, with a creature from her time somehow becoming available for auction. It’s an annoying little critter, whose habits are not designed to make life easy for those around it (and tips of the hat to David Gerrold and Joe Dante en route). And that’s before Morris throws a horticulturist into the mix, who’s just dying to see Vastra’s collection… Well, somebody’s potentially dying anyway.

It’s a terrific romp, kept at a lively pace by director Ken Bentley, and Joe Kraemer’s sound design and score. Christopher Benjamin’s Jago fits in nicely to this particular adventure, and it’ll be good to hear from him occasionally – maybe in an adventure that incorporates the Doctor as well as the Gang.

Verdict: You’ll have a smile on your face for a lot of this – fine melodrama mixed with good humour. 9/10

Paul Simpson

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