Bad Influence: Bad Apple Brigade

"I'm filling up with sap!"

Writer: Freddie Valdosta

Format: Audio

Released: May 2024

Series: Missy 4.02

Featuring: Missy

Synopsis

Missy finds herself stranded on Brownsea Island with a troop of girls sent there to improve themselves. But these girls are troublemakers, and Missy has a few lessons to teach them. 

Only, they're not alone. Something lurking in the woods has history with Missy – but for her, that might be the future...

Verdict

Bad Apple Brigade was another fun story to continue my way through the Bad Influence fourth series of adventures for Missy! This loosely followed on from how things finished in Missy and the Time Assassin with Missy being somewhat stuck. I thought it was fun for her to tackle being without her vortex manipulator because of water damage as surely you would think that something that could literally travel in time would not be susceptible to something so rudimentary! Even iPhones these days are somewhat immune to water damage unless plunged down the toilet or dropped in the bath for a considerable time! Alas, it was entertaining for Missy to be on Brownsea Island and with the setting of the early twentieth century, she wouldn't be finding anything that could help with her repairs. Her interaction with Miss Cressler was a superb way to start the adventure. Missy seemed to push her off a cliff simply because she found the teacher annoying! That was brilliantly Missy though and the anticipation for it to happen was great. I was smiling before it even happened. Is it bad that I was looking forward to Missy doing the dirty work and sending her flying? The comment from Cressler in saying how she wouldn't wish to swim in the sea below was the nail in the cabinet for her. There was only one direction for her from there! Missy was more interested in the two younger girls that were being reprimanded for some crimes by having what she thought was a camping trip. That was amusing as Missy would understandably not be aware of an English disciplinary system at this point in time. The isolated setting of Brownsea Island was excellent and I really enjoyed exploring it. It was unique and I'm a big fan of remote places like this. It worked well and there was a lot of potential. It's also exciting to be surrounded by sea as evidence by the Cressler fall. Agnes and Grace were strong characters and the relationship they shared was strong. I liked how they tried to use folk tales and scary stories for a fear factor whilst also being quite philosophical in debating on whether trees had feelings. Was the screaming what the wind was? That's a scary thought. Do apples scream when bitten in? I like exploring things like that. It's good to talk about so getting Missy's input was wonderful as she obviously sees things a little differently. Her past with Solaire was intriguing to explore and it was amusing for Missy to have her own version of River Song. She hadn't met Solaire before her encounter with him here, whilst he had been waiting for her for nearly a millennium! I liked the adult content with Missy having cheated on Solaire, on his birthday no less! It was good to see the development of Solaire in understanding what had happened, or rather yet to happen, and Missy had him wrapped around her little finger. She was always in control. Grace and Agnes trying to help Solaire get revenge on Missy was amusing as the poor things couldn't stand a chance, but I liked their efforts. Missy actually using Solaire to fix her vortex manipulator and extract the water and therefore fixing the damage was fun stuff, if not a little silly. I do think the shift from fearful to barely frightening easily scared girls when in normal form was interesting and perhaps made a little too much of a mockery, but I was entertained so I can't complain too much! Overall, another enjoyable episode to continue what has been a fun series so far! 

Rating: 8/10