The Bloodless Soldier by Justin Richards has werewolves, The Bellova Devil by Alan Barnes has Bulgarian vampires and a sinister London club, The Spirit Trap by Jonathan Morris has table-tapping and parallel dimensions, and The Similarity Engine, by Andy Lane who brought them back in The Mahogany Murderers, reprises the villainous Doctor Tulp (and signals that the next series is on its way). Sure, the plots aren't always totally coherent but the super performances of Benjamin and Baxter as the central characters, and of pretty much everyone else, make these a joy to listen to. ( )

Out of the success of 2009's The Companion Chronicles: The Mahogany Murderers comes Jago & Litefoot, Investigators of Infernal Incidents, Big Finish Productions' newest Doctor Who spin-off. It obviously features Henry Gordon Jago, theatrical impresario, and Professor George Litefoot, police pathologist, from the classic serial The Talons of Weng-Chiang. Though their characters are among the best guest roles in Doctor Who, I have to admit that I was highly skeptical when this series was announced. Big Finish have had a glut of productions featuring elements of Doctor Who from the 1970s of late, and I was doubtful that this was really needed.

The definite highlight to the series is, of course, getting to hear Benjamin and Baxter reprise their roles from 1977. The two men do a beautiful job-- they have a great repartee, and they also work well paired with other characters, and they are simply fun in any context. Even when the stories themselves fail to entertain, the characters never do. It's been ages since I saw The Talons of Weng-Chiang, but it seems like no time at all has passed since 1977. (I know everyone says this in the extras, but that's because it’s true.)

Despite my misgivings, and a pair of weak plays early on, Jago & Litefoot was a joy to listen to, and I look forward to future installments. Indeed, Series Two is set up in The Similarity Engine's closing moments, though I didn't understand it at all. Long may the audacious adventurers, the daring duo, the investigators of infernal incidents, continue to defeat diabolical dastards in Victorian London.

You can read a longer version of this review at Unreality SF.