In the Shadows

"We all fall down."

Writer: Joseph Lidster

Format: Audio

Released: May 2009

Series: Torchwood BBC Audio 03

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Owen, Tosh, Ianto

Synopsis

The Torchwood team are caught up in the deadly activities of a mysterious cab driver. 

When 24-year-old Steven Ballard is found dead, the police quickly realise that this is no ordinary case – for his body is that of a man in his seventies. They call in Torchwood to investigate, and after another corpse is found, it becomes clear that something terrible is happening. 

Someone is sending victims to a dark dimension, to be punished by the thing they fear most. Who is the shadowy taxi driver preying on his passengers? What significance do boxes of matches play in this mystery? And can Jack ever escape from his own personal Hell...?

Verdict

In the Shadows was a really strong Torchwood audio as a BBC original! I do think these are perhaps a little too long at over two hours with just one actor or actress in the narrator role, but I must admit I was very happy to hear that it was Eve Myles. She's my favourite person within Torchwood so she certainly made it a breeze of 2+ hours. I thought it was interesting that for Gwen she was retelling the events of the story after the events of the likes of Lost Souls and The Stolen Earth/Journey's End, but it was set somewhere during Series 1 and 2 prior to Something Borrowed. It was interesting to have a rough idea of the placing but nothing I would describe as definitive. It obviously wasn't that important to the story as a whole, but I do enjoy knowing where things take place chronologically. I thought the way the adventure was broken up amongst the main characters was good with Captain Jack in particular feeling very separated from the rest of his team. Exploring the concept of Hell as an actual place was brilliant and I loved that Tosh was even questioning if it existed because they could track him and Ianto whilst they were there and the coordinates didn't match up. They didn't make sense. Could it really be a place? I liked how they referenced the events of They Keep Killing Suzie when it came to her description of what death was and the black nothingness, but for Jack in particular to go to Hell was problematic because when he died he just kept coming back. He lived out some pretty horrifying experiences that were described in typically gory Torchwood fashion. The moment where he saw Gwen die by getting shot and the contents of her heart emptying out was quite something! It was also good to explore his relationship and feelings with Ianto, and I got the impression in this adventure that it was Ianto who felt the stronger at this point in time. I felt a little sorry for Tosh here as she didn't have a huge amount to do and she was a bit jealous of Gwen. She'd cheated on Rhys with Owen and yet still got the happy ending, whilst her feelings for the Torchwood doctor went unnoticed. At least to everyone except Ianto. I thought the inclusion of Andy was fun and the moment where he and Jack joked that Gwen was only in the police force and then Torchwood because of her looks was tremendous. She didn't take too kindly to that as you might imagine. The religious theme of the story was strong and I really thought Jefferson made for a good front of the fanatics. The constant mention of sin was fantastic and whilst I do think religion as a whole is just so problematic and silly, it serves as a wonderful basis for a story. If anything will drum up conflict and dissension then it's religion! Jack's nightmare getting an extended cameo from Trinity Wells was not something I expected but I thought it was very fun indeed. She only came out when the big news was happening, so Jack thought Cardiff would be the place for her. I mean, it was difficult to argue! The combination of Hell with the Huon particles was really strong and I liked how The Runaway Bride was tied in with Ianto knowing of Torchwood One's experiments with them from his time there. That was impressive and their ancient status allowed for ambiguity regarding Hell's location. The matchbox forming the basis of a suspected Torchwood One experiment was really well done and the way things were left open at the end with the matchbox of the cab driver and Jefferson remaining alive albeit in captivity was terrific. A little long, but a really fascinating exploration into the afterlife. Was Gwen trying to send a message to Tosh and Owen after the events of Exit Wounds? It seems so, and that's rather nice. Overall, a great listen! 

Rating: 8/10