Sweet Nothings

"I made the mighty Quill smile."

Writer: Michael Dennis

Format: Audio

Released: April 2020

Series: Class Vol 3.03

Featuring: Quill, Charlie, Matteusz

Synopsis

Living on Earth isn't easy when you're used to life as an alien freedom fighter. For Quill, it's a lonely existence – until she meets a Man outside Coal Hill Academy: the Man who can offer her everything she misses from her past... and more.

Verdict

Sweet Nothings was a very good story to conclude the third volume of Class audio adventures from Big Finish! This has been a really solid boxset and another strong series. I'm really enjoying what Big Finish are doing with this spinoff range and it's just a shame that we cannot get any continuation past the series we saw on television. That cliffhanger with the Weeping Angel going unresolved very much gripes me and I remain hopeful that one day we will continue where that left off. However, back to the matter at hand and after a brief cameo at the end of Catfish, this saw Dervia Kirwan steal the show in the recasted role of Miss Quill. I thought she was outstanding in bringing that character to life and it very much did feel authentic which is the biggest compliment I can give. There's always a worry when it comes to recasting and taking on the mantra of a character as strong as Quill is daunting, but she did an incredible job and the role, when I really enjoy, is certainly in safe hands. I liked how she was the focus of this episode and it was clear she was finding it tiresome to be teaching humans on a planet she didn't particularly rate or enjoy whilst being enforced guard of Charlie. The dynamic between those two is strong so it was really fun when she walked in on him and Matteusz in the middle of a sexual act. The double entendre of the Pole comment was very mature but too cheesy for my liking. Quill felt a little vulnerable in this story which was refreshing and it was just nice for her to let her hair down a little and actually smile. That wasn't something she often did, but she was able to take in the view of space when transported there by the humorously named the Man. I enjoyed the simplicity of him and the moment he named himself gave us a potentially glorious reference to an unseen or unheard encounter with Quill knowing of the Master as a being that went by a title. Even she appreciated the simplicity of Man. They quickly developed a really nice relationship with Quill able to have a little break from the planet and people she so loathed to be stuck on and with, and her reaction when he didn't show up one day very much showed she cared which was unlike her. Matteusz seeing straight away that she was seeing somebody was fun, but little did he know that Charlie was in on the entire thing! Now, it was clear that the Man was more than he seemed but him being a construct literally created by Charlie for Quill was not something I saw coming. Matteusz had a fun reaction in wanting the Beckhams conjured up, but that wasn't going to happen. Quill was pretty disgusted with the way she was used and felt like she'd been scapegoated. She didn't like not being in control, that much was clear. She did like Flog It though! That was a really amusing detail. Overall though, a pretty simple and lighthearted tale that allowed us to see a different side to Quill which was really nicely done. A great listen!

Rating: 8/10