Infiltration: 1935 - The Miracle of Pendour Cove

"I wanted to give you a gift."

Writers: Lauren Mooney & Stuart Pringle

Format: Audio

Released: January 2025

Series: Zygon Century 1.02

Featuring: Zygons

Synopsis

Freddie Trewella has found a mermaid, beautiful and strange, washed ashore in a Cornish bay. He names her Vorvoren, and she comforts him in his harsh life of servitude to a zealot father.

As they grow together, Vorvoren shows Freddier her secret power, to change her appearance into anything she desires. But Freddie has secrets of his own, terrible secrets, and soon Vorvoren's great adventure among the humans becomes a nightmarish fight for survival...

Verdict

1935: The Miracle of Pendour Cove was an excellent episode to continue my way through the Zygon Century! After a strong opener we jump forward thirty-four years and without reading the synopsis prior to listening, I think it's fair to say this is not quite what I was expecting from a Zygon spinoff series. And yet it was absolutely brilliant. I was aware that this was the episode in the boxset that sparked a warning regarding domestic violence and unfortunately that does kind of give away the twist about Freddie, but it still didn't take away from it. The way the story started was so intriguing and I found myself immediately engrossed in the characters which is a huge positive. I thought Freddie seemed awfully vulnerable with how he was treated by his almighty religious father and he also seemed to be suffering from the death of his wife. So when he stumbled upon a mermaid who could blame him for thinking his life might be about to change? Of course, she was no mermaid and I think this is such an intriguing use of the Zygons and their ability as a shapeshifter. It really was like nothing before and I'm sure after it with how the Zygon that was dubbed Vorvoren came to be used almost for pleasure. Hearing a Zygon be so vulnerable was also a little strange and I was honestly wondering if that would remain the case for the entire episode! Vorvoren was a fascinating character and the way she grew to fear Freddie was difficult to listen but at the same that is what made it so engrossing. The shift in tone for the story once Freddie caught her talking to what he described as a filthy beggar was honestly incredible. He seemed so innocent and hurt but his true colours soon came out. I was amazed he ever left her in a position to open the door to a salesman selling brushes but the little twist there was another fine moment! He had intercepted the transmission with the Zygons and represented the Government who had been keeping tabs on them for over a decade. I'm very excited to hear how things finish but it really does feel like we're only just getting started with this series. The little mayday calls Vorvoren was receiving and ignoring was really good and I find her position on all things Zygon on the Cornish island to be really interesting. She hardly seems interested in the plan or in being a Zygon at all. She wanted to explore but she got wrapped up in something terrible with Freddie. His reaction to her taking the form of his wife was a little odd and then he wanted her to change for his own gratification from a magazine showing his favourite actress in a swimsuit on the beach. This was dark and not your typical Zygon adventure that's for sure! The way Freddie stood up to his dad was good but not as much as it was with Vorvoren standing up to him. In hindsight that may have been a mistake because he then didn't see his father with such fear. I thought Vovoren turning on Freddie and standing up for herself in her true colours was really well done though and he kind of got his comeuppance. He was a terrible man and the writing in portraying that was so well done. I loved how uncomfortable this made me feel and there was some powerful stuff discussed. Perhaps a tad more could have been done for the year of the setting, but otherwise this was tremendous. I look forward to hearing how things conclude! 

Rating: 9/10