Gifted

"What is lost can always be found."

Writer: Roy Gill

Format: Audio

Released: August 2018

Series: Class Vol 1.01

Featuring: April, Ram

Synopsis

When a talent scout arrives in Shoreditch, Ram sees an opportunity to further his goals, whilst April strikes up a friendship with new boy, Thomas Laneford. Their choices draw all three to Carterhaugh House – but who is the mysterious Man that waits for them there...?

Verdict

Gifted was a fantastic start to the first volume of Class audios from Big Finish! I suppose they were always going to get some audios when it was announced that the spinoff would not go any further than its initial first series and whilst it would have been nice to continue the story from where things left off on television, it's nice to just get any sort of further adventures with the students! But it didn't start with anyone familiar as we were introduced to the enigmatic Mab who became a really good villain for the episode. She was taking in new boy Thomas Laneford after a near miss on the road with his bike and she became a little seductive which reminded me that Class was more of an adult themed show! I haven't revisited the series since it aired on television so this was a fun way to delve back into things and it all came flooding back once some continuity dialogue took place. The Carterhaugh House was a brilliant setting and Mab having a gift that could be passed on was fantastic, as Tom could apparently play the guitar with ease before she turned into her true creature-like self! April and Ram's initial dialogue was nice and I think it was a good move to focus on just these two characters instead of trying to incorporate the entire Class main cast. She was looking for a study club and Tom was right into that with some nice poetry lines after inadvertently dropping some of April's books. Ram's continued disappointment with his footballing abilities was good to revisit given his Lothan limb, and I thought it was fun that Mab knew he'd obtained this from the Doctor. Thomas did seem out of time though when calling a phone a transistor and being confused by the idea of a playlist. The study group between April and Tom was nice though and the idea of music being poetry was lovely and they soon built a nice connection. Mab offering her services to Ram as a talent scout was excellent and I liked how she didn't hide the fact she'd been watching him for a while. Tom's warning to April regarding not accepting a gift from Mab was very well done and I liked how he thought she was vane in finding that the library books she had were all about her. The ballads warning of Carterhaugh were tremendous and I loved how Ram didn't mess around in letting Mab know that he knew she was alien, especially with the space impossible fitting in the conservatory. Tom warning April to use the ballad as an act of resistance was superb and I liked that music was a way to get back to him. April had a perception blocker, as did Ram, but the use of the vinyl records as a link back was nicely done. Ram having more ability to play football with the gift was great, and the link between the Tamlin/Tamlane ballad reverting back to Tom Langford as a name evolution was excellent. I didn't see that coming! Mab in the ballad being possessive and Ram and April getting ready for the fight ahead was magnificent, although I do think April shouldn't have resorted her memory quite so quickly. Mab needed a claim on humanity as a parasite, but what if there was a stronger claim? It could force away which worked well. Thomas being aged five decades in a moment was a shock and showed Mab meant business, but her anchor was gone and whilst she tried to anchor onto Ram, April wasn't having any of that. April being mocked for her heart not being hers to give was a sublime line given her link with the Shadow Kin, but she fought for Ram and ensured that Mab lost her anchor to send her packing! Overall, a terrific start to the series!

Rating: 9/10