A scientist, a soldier, a medium, an alienist and the most powerful woman in the world walk into a lighthouse…

“Flat Holm has a unique island character, with a sense of wilderness, remoteness and isolation”, so the official Cardiff Harbour Authority website informs visitors – but there’s no mention there of one of the most unusual offshoots of one of its claims to fame: the day that contact with something Other was made. Scott Handcock’s script builds on both the true history of the island (its involvement in Marconi’s experiments) with the 19th Century mythology that Big Finish have built around Torchwood to create a cracking story that you know really can only end one way, but it’s fascinating to see how it gets there.

Rowena Cooper has a double role, primarily reprising Her Majesty, and Gwyneth Keyworth is the Torchwood agent who’s brought her to Flat Holm to see if the claims about the device are true. Gruffudd Glyn, Wayne Forester and Kingsley Amadi complete the cast, with each imbuing their characters with a sense of period and the different outlook of 120 years ago – Forester and Cooper have some excellent scenes together in particular.

Lisa Bowerman’s direction allows the mystery to fester and there’s some good use of silence at times. Steve Foxon’s sound design once again has to carry out storytelling duties while Blair Mowat gives us what sounds like a new version of the theme (if not, then seriously remixed) that feels appropriate.

Verdict: Chilling, and a timely reminder that Yvonne Hartman was just one in a long line of Torchwood operatives who can make tough calls – going right back to the organisation’s founder… 9/10

Paul Simpson

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