The Similarity Engine

"I need to understand why my best friend tried to kill me."

Writer: Andy Lane

Format: Audio

Released: June 2010

Series: Jago & Litefoot 1.04

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

When Jago takes a tumble on an unseasonably icy road, he ends up in hospital. But this is no ordinary medical establishment, and the patients are suffering from no ordinary illnesses. At last, the fiendish scheme of Dr Tulp is drawing to its cataclysmic climax. The Similarity Engine is operational. And a new, improved model of mahogany murderers have been unleashed...

Verdict

The Similarity Engine was a fantastic episode to conclude the first series of Jago & Litefoot! I have been so impressed with the spinoff range so far and even though I'm only one series is, I can certainly see why it has such a good reputation. I'm excited to move forward if this is anything to go by! I really liked how this rounded the story arc out going back as far as The Mahogany Murderers to tie everything up with Dr Tulp. It started in somewhat humorous circumstances with Jago getting ready for a job interview before slipping on some ice that was found by kids out of nowhere. It was not ice season so that was a big surprise to have that fall! I liked how Litefoot continues to be enlisted for help and that was the case here for another investigation, but after his fall Jago was completely missing and in some strange and uncommon medical facility. His being alongside Smith was immediately gruesome as Jago described the horrible circumstances of his face essentially being eaten from the inside! Quite the roommate for old Henry Gordon. The police being up to some dodgy business at the docks was fun and I liked how the Constable spilled some details on the mysterious black coal and how those engaged with it in the force were showing some very odd symptoms. I enjoyed hearing how some of the circumstances were familiar to Litefoot and the later lightbulb moment of him recalling a sixteenth century book was good stuff. The ship from the docks seemingly bringing a disease that was eating people from within certainly had a lot of potential, but the truth behind it was much more damning. The moment where it appeared that Litefoot had inadvertently killed Jago was such a shock and it had a huge impact with the description of a train cart running over his neck. The idea of Jago trying to throw his best friend to that fate was just off, but we soon discovered that Dr Tulp was firmly in control and Jago was an improved mahogany mannequin! That was excellent. Tulp had refined the process of jumping minds now which was great and I liked how Litefoot was keen to point out that his technological knowledge was not of this time. Tulp almost responded in admiration at this knowledge! Tulp was involved in astral projection which I thoroughly enjoyed and that's where he'd obtained the technical knowledge, but applying it to the resources of the Victorian age was a little more difficult. The continuity with The Spirit Trap when learning that he was the median for Vanguard and her crazed mission to take the Queen was marvellous, and I loved how he compared Brits taking materials from China to explain what he was taking from the future. The return of the Sergeant was nicely done in saving Litefoot and the effects and sound of Tulp's mannequin being set into a bonfire was sublime. Jago transferring himself to his own corpse was terrific and Tulp revealing a financial agreement with the Far-Off Travellers really brought things for the series full circle in a nice way. The ore being used to power Tulp's Singularity Engine was very good and it actually turning out to be uranium was brilliant because it was real and familiar rather than something alien. The police would then be suffering from radiation poisoning and that explained Tulp's desire to wear gloves constantly. He just couldn't bear to touch those in his employ despite what he promised them. The caveat that there was something in the ore that was taking over Tulp was intriguing and with that wanting the Earth, I do wonder if there's something to come back on there for series moving forward. The cliffhanger finish with another body drained of blood being found was unexpected, and Litefoot seemingly moving onto a different path with Sanders was intriguing to say the least! Some devilish business was certainly afloat, but not as devilish as Jago wanting to use the uranium to light his theatre! I hope he never changes. Overall, a really strong episode. 

Rating: 9/10