Doctor Who review: Jago & Litefoot: Jago in Love lives up to its title

During a visit to Brighton, Jago falls in love in the opening episode of Doctor Who spin-off box set, Jago & Litefoot: Series 4.

The fourth series of Jago & Litefoot begins exactly where the previous box set left off: with our two protagonists meeting a mysterious character, voiced by Colin Baker, who introduces himself as…Professor Claudius Dark.

Immediately, the fourth series is given the mystery of who Dark is. (Or, at least, why he’s not being honest about who he really is.) But that mystery isn’t explored much in the opening episode. Instead, the story is exactly what it says on the tin: Henry Gordon Jago finally falls in love.

To handle such a personal story for a much-loved character, Nigel Fairs is on writing duties. The character that he creates for Henry to fall in love with – quite rapidly too – is a believable one. Abigail Woburn belongs to the theater just as much as Henry does, and the two form an instant connection rapidly but believably (especially in repressed Victorian England).

Christopher Benjamin is given a nice character-focused episode with Jago in Love, which really does live up to its title.

Image Courtesy Big Finish Productions

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A perfect match?

Elizabeth Counsell is great as Abigail. Along with having the perfect voice for a music hall singer, she also shares great chemistry with Christopher Benjamin as Henry. As a result, it’s easy to believe that these two could fall for each other so quickly.

I also need to praise the sound design on this one, which is honestly not something that I do enough. But the whole of Brighton – from the beach to the pier to the theatrical performances – is brought to life wonderfully by Howard Carter. He helps to make Brighton feel as distinct from London as possible, and that’s exactly what you need for an episode like this.

There is your more typical Jago & Litefoot story mixed in with all of this. And it’s an interesting one, particularly as it has an unusual use of mirrors. But it’s definitely overshadowed by the episode’s more personal aspect, and it’s lovely to see a character as great as Henry meet a good match for him. Overall, it’s a solid opening for this box set, one that tells a good standalone story while also promising bigger things to come…

Which stories in the Doctor Who universe have you enjoyed that have explored the characters in love? Which ones do you think work best and why? Let us know in the comments below.