Plans come together – and nothing can stay the same for Department 7…

That slightly melodramatic synopsis is appropriate for this story by Phil Mulryne that ties together many threads both from the old and new series, providing closure for so many elements that I really hope it’s not an indication that Big Finish is going to pull the plug (go online and buy it straightaway if you haven’t already!) It’s a story that, more than most Omega Factor tales, walks a fine line between drama and melodrama, with so many moments that could so easily tip the wrong way and lose all the good work that’s been done up to now.

Louise Jameson and John Dorney have always produced excellent work for this series, and they bring their A game for this, matched by everyone else in the cast. Alan Cox, Natasha Gerson and Gunnar Cauthery are all pushed into new territory with their characters with Elizabeth Payne’s Grace Roberts credible in the crucial role of Grace. Ken Bentley’s direction, Nick Briggs’ music and Steve Foxon’s sound design are always critical, but never more than in the final confrontations – we have to be down there in that crypt with Anne Reynolds and Adam Dean. (I listened to this driving in Saturday’s heatwave – and still shivered… the mark of a job well done.)

It’s very much a story that picks up on the character development of the previous 11 tales, and if – as I hope it won’t be – this is the end, then the new Omega Factor deserves the longevity of its predecessor.

Verdict: A very strong finale to this set. 10/10

Paul Simpson