Jago & Litefoot: Series 3

In the third season of these Victorian adventures, the titular heroes are joined by Leela, who, of course, they met in their only TV appearance, The Talons of Weng-Chiang. Leela is on the hunt for time anomalies, with the result that the season has more of a sci-fi (and specifically, time travel sci-fi) feel to it than the previous ones.

* Dead Men's Tales - In some respects, this is a fairly traditional ghost story, with the shades of dead sailors rising from the Thames. This brings some of the supernatural tone of the previous season with it, although, of course, it's all connected with the time disturbances. There are some humorous moments as Jago and Litefoot try to look inconspicuous in a rough dockside pub, and Leela, while she is at this point in her life presumably used to Gallifreyan society, still struggles with the culture of Victorian London. The resolution to the story is, perhaps, a little too easily achieved, but it does fit well with the theme of a ghost story. 4.5 stars.

* The Man at the End of the Garden - This story feels oddly out of place, and not because it doesn't seem to have anything to do with the season's plot arc (this was also true of my favourite story of the second season, after all). Rather, it's because the central plot device is simply magic, seeming as if it's fallen in from some entirely separate series. The debt owed to novels such as Five Children and It is evident, and, within that universe it would be an excellent story, albeit aimed at an older audience. The regulars and the strong period feel lift it above the merely peculiar, although one of the guest actors is less effective (and, no, it isn't the young girl), but it's still doesn't really work in context. 3.5 stars.

* Swan Song - The plot arc swings back into focus in what is essentially the first of a two-part story. Our heroes trace the temporal disturbances to Jago's theatre in a story that's heavy on theatrical themes. The play cuts between the action at the theatre, and events in 2011, at the other end of the time anomaly. This does have the effect that the Victorian atmosphere that J&L does so well is diluted almost to non-existence here, but the story makes up for this with some good characterisation and a complex storyline that weaves past and future together. 5 stars.

* Chronoclasm - The final story is also the most science fictional, as our heroes track down the force responsible for the disturbances, and are menaced by alien metal spheres. Jago finds himself duplicated by a twist in the timeline, although the pace of the action prevents the obvious comic potential in this from being overdone and becoming tiresome. The villain's motives, if not hugely original, are at least somewhat different from what you initially expect, and the resolution ties back into the previous story, keeping them more tightly linked than is often the case in this series. As usual, the play concludes with a teaser for the next season. 4 stars.

Overall, I had a sense here that the writers are becoming more comfortable and consistent with the main characters, presumably because they have, by now, more than just one TV story to go on. Leela is superb, working well alongside the regulars, and getting a number of good moments. The last two episodes depart from the Victorian/occult themes that dominated the previous two seasons, which may disappoint some listeners, but they worked for me.

Average rating: 4.25 stars, rounded to 4.