Doctor Who review: The Paternoster Gang: The Ghosts of Greenwich is a strong mix of mystery and sci-fi
By James Aggas
The Paternoster Gang investigate ghost sightings and other strange phenomena in the last episode of their own Doctor Who spin-off box set, Heritage 1.
The first volume of Doctor Who audio spin-off series The Paternoster Gang ends with the episode The Ghosts of Greenwich. As you can probably guess from the title, the trio investigates strange ghost sightings occurring all over Greenwich. But it’s not long before they discover that something else is going on – especially since not all of the “ghosts” seen are actually dead…
We get to see Madame Vastra really show off her detective skills in this one, thanks to an intriguing mystery by Paul Morris. This one takes a few twists and turns, so while it starts out as one thing – in this case, a ghost hunt – it gradually transforms into something else.
It’s also clever at leaving you guessing who the real villain is and what their motivations are. We’re given hints along the way of course, but we’re also given some red herrings. Once revealed, the antagonist is a flawed character, but in a good way. They’re not typically evil, but they’re not exactly selfless, either. So it’s great to get a villain with interesting motivations.
Madame Vastra gets to show off her detective skills in Heritage 1’s last episode.
Image Courtesy Big Finish Productions
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History and humor
Alongside the story itself, The Ghosts of Greenwich takes a good look at Victorian values, while featuring more than a hint of commentary on the problems of today. It’s handled just right and presents an honest look at history while helping to establish some of the guest characters.
There’s also plenty of humor to be found in this one. Particularly with the character of Strax. As with previous episodes, he’s often given some of the funniest lines, with Dan Starkey delivering those lines perfectly.
But at the same time, Paul Morris makes sure not to overwhelm the story with that humor. He also includes some intriguing ideas in terms of both mystery and science-fiction. This is especially true during the climax of the story, where Vastra faces the antagonist and finds out what they really are.
Overall, The Ghosts of Greenwich rounds off the first volume of The Paternoster Gang rather nicely. Like The Cars That Ate London! and A Photograph to Remember, it works very nicely as a stand-alone adventure for the gang. At the same time, however, it has a hint – just a hint – that bigger things are to come. Especially at the very end…
Next. Review: Scorched Earth is a rich and morally complex drama. dark
Do you like a good mystery, especially if it manages to subvert your expectations? Do you think Madame Vastra got to show off enough of her deductive skills on television? Let us know in the comments below.