The Paternoster Gang: Heritage 3

Three more one-hour stories featuring the Paternoster Gang, each with ties to the backstories of one of them. This time, the stories, while separate, are linked by a common plot arc although it's a fairly minor element in the first two.

Family Matters – The first episode deals with Jenny's backstory, although it's a while before that becomes apparent, with Vastra on the trail of a prehistoric crocodile in the Thames and a pair of housebreaking lions. Once they do appear, Jenny's family are almost cartoonishly villainous giving Vastra the chance to rail against the evils of the human race. Which, to be fair, is understandable given what she goes through in this and the unpleasant side of Victorian life on display. While giving us more of an insight into Jenny's background than we've previously had there are also a couple of threads left hanging, doubtless to allow further stories in future. Plus, we get to see some tensions between the married couple, which makes things more believable and, of course, there's the usual fun at the expense of Strax. 4 stars.

Whatever Remains – Next it's Vastra's turn in a story that plays on her resemblance to Sherlock Holmes. Not only is this a pastiche of The Hound of the Baskervilles but also of Scooby Doo making for a particularly entertaining mix. All of the team are on top form, and despite the fact that this is nominally Vastra's story (being at least partially about Silurians) Jenny also gets some strong scenes, managing to steal the limelight on occasion. It zips along at a fair pace, a mixture of humour, mystery, and more sombre scenes that all fit together perfectly. It's not the deepest thing ever, but it's great fun. 5 stars.

Truth and Bone – The Silurian-themed plot arc wraps up in this final episode, although the focus is primarily on Strax. It also sees the return of some characters from a previous release in the series, making it probably the least standalone of the three stories here. Given that it is the Strax story, it's surprisingly serious, with a villainous Sontaran in pursuit of the gang and Vastra's sanity under threat, although there are still good one-liners and other moments of humour. Jenny is perhaps a little underused in it, although she does get a few good moments and it's counterbalanced by the addition of a scene in which we get to see a more reflective side of Strax as he ponders his life away from Sontar. 4 stars.