Things are going from bad to worse on the Liberator – so in some ways, the last thing they need is anyone else coming on board…

If you thought (as I did) that the various deceptions and deceits in Scott Harrison’s story couldn’t be surpassed in treachery and double-dealing, then think again – in his finale for this first set of adventures Steve Lyons seeks out the fault lines between the crew and prises them ever further apart. (To the extent that you do wonder just how some things can come back together again without need of the dreaded Big Red Reset Button.)

Lyons’ script plays on a natural bias that we all have; chances are you’ll come to the same conclusion as the characters  a little ahead of them (being privy to all the various different conversations) and it’s an area of the show that bears further investigation beyond this one story. It’s not quite a bottle show, but with the full regular cast involved, there’s only really time (and budget, one guesses) for one guest star and Ian Brooker’s Ozaban fits well into the trust-free zone!

This has been a strong first set, and with the suggestion at the end of this episode that we’re really entering uncharted space, I’m really looking forward to seeing where Supreme Commander John Ainsworth will take the crew next!

Verdict: The only thing you can trust in this story is its quality! 9/10

Paul Simpson