Among Us: Heistland

"A currency just for the elite."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: July 2023

Series: Torchwood 7.11

Featuring: Yvonne, Rhys, Ng, Orr, Tyler

Synopsis

Deadcoin is an exclusive cryptocurrency used by the world's governments to do dark deals. The ultimate weapon is for sale and Yvonne Hartman decides the only thing to do is to take Deacon down.

Verdict

Heistland was another excellent episode to continue my way through the third and final volume of Among Us to conclude Torchwood’s seventh series! I’m really enjoying that this volume in particular feels more like one overarching story which wasn’t really the case in the first two volumes, but this feels like we are really building towards what should now be an exciting finale! I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of cryptocurrency and whilst I don’t really understand it and the whole mining process, or really how it has value, it’s fun to explore. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the governments of the world were dealing in some sort of elitist currency so exploring that here was terrific. I thought the name Deadcoin was brilliant and I loved that there was an impending auction from the world’s major governments on Friend’s weapon that could wipe anyone out at will. And that war would take place using Deadcoin. Yvonne was rather calm in Torchwood’s need to put a stop to it and endure no government got their hands on such technology. They had less than two days to go until the auction and the end of the world but Yvonne was quite contempt with a hotel check in and meal. Tyler was roped in with the lure of a Torchwood pension and retirement package which was fun and I really liked how Orr was still incredibly guilty for what had happened to Chris in Deadscroll last time out. What I wasn’t expecting was the pair to kiss though! Tyler was reassuring her that he wouldn’t actually leave Torchwood although his comments to Yvonne weren’t exactly complimentary of the organisation, or at least what was left of it. The Icelandic involvement in the episode with Rhys and Kristin was an unexpected treat. They were in the know on Deadcoin too and the cryptocurrency’s servers being on the Icelandic island worked well. It was remote so not exactly an expected destination. Deducing where they were because of the snow melting around the suspected area was great stuff. Kristin as the head of the Icelandic Tourism Information Centre was really well done and I loved that front for something much bigger. Kristin being on the phone to Yvonne was tremendous and I loved how the former boldly claimed she wanted to take over Torchwood! I do wonder if there will be some sort of merger by the end of the finale given the financial leverage of the ITIC now following their obtaining of the Deadcoin servers. I thought Yvonne knowing they would do that was fantastic and she was one step ahead of the game when it appeared she was very much not. That was brilliantly done as she played both Friend and the ITIC to her advantage and ensured that no government would have the super weapon. The head of Deadcoin basically being a deep fake again was fun stuff and I’m really enjoying tapping into the difficulties of establishing what or who is actually real. You can’t trust anything! Yvonne almost expecting to meet Friend was good and I’m looking forward to an all out encounter in the finale. Mr Colchester not featuring but having his presence felt in providing the blackout to allow Yvonne to break into the headquarters and the private office, but Kristin was on hand to make her realised it was a dummy office. She’d have known if she didn’t wipe out the audit files. But it was all part of Yvonne’s plan. She was in charge of Torchwood despite Kristin’s claim that there was a power struggle with Jack gone and no leader, and I do wonder if Gwen will factor in with it being her idea to have the ITIC take over Torchwood and retain the current staff. Overall, exciting stuff and a terrific listen!

Rating: 9/10