More Than This

"It's just easier to show you."

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: February 2016

Series: Torchwood Monthly 06

Featuring: Gwen

Synopsis

Gwen Cooper has triumphed against impossible odds before, but now she's finally met her match: Roger Pugh, Planning Officer for Cardiff City Council.

Mr Pugh doesn't believe the world needs Torchwood. Gwen set out to prove him wrong. For Mr Pugh, it's a day that'll change his life. If he can survive it.

Verdict

More Than This was a very good continuation of the Torchwood monthly range from Big Finish! I love the idea of Gwen having her own adventure and she really did shine here all by herself. I thought things started in a unique way with the conversation via answerphone after mutually missed calls between Gwen and Roger Pugh regarding the Torchwood planning application with the city council over a new base of operations which I thought was fun. The humour that came with the potential for safety forms being needed based on some of the background noise in Gwen's voicemails was great and rather than wait four months and have a mundane experience and impatiently see if the application was granted, Gwen decided that she would show Roger everything Torchwood was about so he could speed up the application process ever so slightly. The format with Roger at his wife Jessica's grave worked well and it was fun to see the difference in character between the two points in time. The Council initially preferring a vehicle storage or car park for the site Torchwood were applying for at Cardiff Bay was fun and it definitely showed where council priorities lay! However, people ployed at the top of the chain were now wanting Torchwood there with no explanation which I thoroughly enjoyed. Pugh's reaction when Gwen was showing him a day in the life of Torchwood was excellent and starting off with a decapitation and the head landing on the bonnet of the car he was inside was terrific! Andy's cameo was a lot of fun and his being more concerned with the parking was brilliant. His learning of an alien threatening a mum and child in an effort to lure in for mating season and extended the diversity of the gene pool was quite something, and this day in general was certainly eventful for Gwen and Roger! Gwen's explanation of her decapitating the alien with a window was excellent. All in a day! The comparison for police for humans being what Torchwood are to aliens and that aliens are not bad by default was superb and I quite liked that things kept moving, even if there was probably slightly too much going on. The alien painting that fed off the emotions of those who looked on it was a fun concept and Gwen demanding it to get in the bucket was a really fun moment. Pugh suggesting that another piece of work with green limbs was an alien was met with the line of the audio for me when Gwen replied that no, it was just shit. Wonderful stuff. The reminiscing of the days gone by at Cardiff Bay was a nice moment and Roger explaining how he felt small and questioning what mattered in the world was good. Gwen showing him a hotspot for the Rift and their efforts to repair a hole in the universe were great and I enjoyed that this got him involved in typical Torchwood activity. The starfish coming through the Rift showing a warning of something coming was good and akin to the Robot Santas which I liked. Roger's comparison of real life aliens and the imperfections of special effects in movies being too perfect was fantastic stuff and his first reaction to seeing an alien and the universe as a whole was very good. The concept of time fracturing and Gwen understanding this worked well and the effort to seal the hole was full of action and certainly entertaining. Upon staring into the universe, Roger pondering being with Jessica again but believing that death was final was heartfelt and the moment he let go of Gwen was decent in furthering the adventure, although I'm not entirely sure it needed it. The way the story linked with its title and Roger hoping there was more to life was very good indeed and something I appreciated, and Eve Myles put on a stunning performing with the determination shown to save Pugh and pull him out. Gwen being at the gravesite after the events occurred was a nice way to finish and hearing that Jessica had died during the events of Day One was really interesting and it was emotional to hear how her death was so pointless after being hit by a vehicle with the driver looking up at the meteorite that crashed that day. That was powerful. The line at the end with Roger mentioning he would look into the planning application was also very fun and a nice way to finish and bring things full circle. Overall, a great listen!

Rating: 8/10