No Place Like Home: Doppelgängers

"There is no cure for a substance that is not known to exist."

Writer: Ken Bentley

Format: Audio

Released: December 2024

Series: Paternoster Gang 7.01

Featuring: Vastra, Jenny, Strax

Synopsis

After being imprisoned by a shapeshifting foe, Jenny has escaped through the London sewers and returned to Paternoster Row. Meanwhile, her captor (now disguised as Doppel-Jenny) infiltrates Paternoster Row with murderous intent! 

Verdict

Doppelgängers was an outstanding start to the No Place Like Home seventh boxset of adventures from the Paternoster Gang! This was a sensational start to the series and the third instalment of Trespassers looks set to be tremendous. With a story as is titled within the ongoing series umbrella title, this hits the nail on the head and follows up nicely from where The Gentlemen Thieves left off with the reveal that Jenny wasn't herself for quite some time. The humour in this episode was just off the charts and the doppelgänger element was just a sheer delight. Jenny worked best as the subject of impersonation for much of the episode and the confusion that caused throughout was incredible. Strax is hilarious at the best of times, but here was honestly another level altogether. The craziness of them reacting to Jenny returning from her slumber was magnificent and I thought the running gag of her smelling like shit was glorious. I mean, she had an excellent excuse in the fact that she had escaped through the sewers but it was getting commented everywhere and anytime somebody new interacted with her, much to her annoyance. The safe word of satsuma was intriguing and the comic value it provided with the doppleganger Jenny being there when they came up with it was great. I think something even funnier was Strax's ridiculously named apparatus that could revert any shapeshifter back to their normal form. It was quite the adaptation from detecting the Rutan Host! He was just on top form. And now I get to one of my all time favourite moments from anywhere and when in the Whoniverse. Vastra and the doppleganger Jenny getting it on was an unexpected moment in the story especially to hear in such detail and enjoyment, but Strax walking in and almost exclaiming glee at the fact the pair were 'wrestling' was sensational. And then he asked to join in! Well, I was completely buckled. A sensational Strax moment that is one to live long in my memory. The significance of the safe word was unexpected at the end though as Eastbourne was revealed to be that word for Vastra and Jenny's own 'wrestling' activities. Strax was confused as to why they had their own private safe word, but this was quite explicit in revealing what the pair get up to! In the Victorian era no less! I thought it was brilliant though and a very realistic way to find out which Jenny was the true version. Vastra being injected with the deadly poison for Silurian not of this Earth was a strong moment of terror and the effects it is having on her are still not realised. The concept of there not being a cure because it was supposed to be mythical seems hard to combat but I look forward to hearing how that plays out moving forward. I'm sure Fonipodio will have something in his shop of curiosities to help. Or might that be where the Second Doctor comes into play later in the boxset? I'm very intrigued to hear where he fits in. The gag of the doppleganger trying to get the poison into Vastra was overplayed wonderfully well and her annoyance at constantly being thwarted by Strax and Jenny was marvellous, especially when nobody was sure which Jenny was which! The Trespasser got there in the end though, and hearing how they took on the form of both Strax and Vastra too was impressive. The cliffhanger finish with them going to Reg Adams and hoping to resurrect his criminal empire was interesting and I can't wait to hear where things move forward from here. This was just tremendous listening from start to finish! Overall, a sublime opener! 

strax join in wrestling

Rating: 10/10