Doctor Who review: Jago & Litefoot meet Oscar Wilde in Beautiful Things
By James Aggas
Jago & Litefoot get to meet a legendary writer in Beautiful Things, the second story from Doctor Who spin-off box set Jago & Litefoot: Series 4.
Jago & Litefoot meet Oscar Wilde. What a fantastic idea for a story, especially when you throw in one or two clear nods to The Picture of Dorian Gray, as well. Whether in Jago & Litefoot or in Doctor Who itself, it’s definitely an exciting idea.
On writing duties for this story is John Dorney. Writing for one of the greatest wits in history is an unenviable task, but Dorney accomplishes it brilliantly. He gives Wilde so much great dialogue when speaking with our regular characters. (The standout moment is out-alliterating Henry Gordon Jago! Up to now, that seemed to be impossible!)
Wilde is performed brilliantly by Alan Cox. Across a variety of different releases and series, Cox has proved himself to be a brilliant character actor at Big Finish. (He even played criminal mastermind Moriarty himself in the Sherlock Holmes range.) So it’s unsurprising to hear him perform Wilde with as much wit and dryness as you’d expect of the legendary writer.
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Shades of Gray
For a story like this, you need both a great villain and a great idea. Beautiful Things definitely has both. For the great villain, there’s Warren Gadd. Gadd is a rather horrific character – one who’s cold, ruthless, and places little value in human life. However, he also loves to appreciate art – and he’s very keen to get to know Oscar Wilde…
Regarding the great idea, the story features a rather interesting library. One that’s extremely dangerous to anyone who enters. John Dorney uses both Gadd and this library to explore questions over the true value of art. Is the observer of the creation more important, or the creator themselves? And is the process of making art – perfecting it, even – equally important?
Beautiful Things is a great little tribute to Oscar Wilde and his works, and a strong “celebrity historical” for Jago & Litefoot. Another great story from John Dorney, and a worth successor to his previous episode, Swan Song.
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Should Oscar Wilde meet the Doctor at one point? How well do you think they would get along? Can you think of any Doctor Who stories strongly influenced by Wilde’s works? Let us know in the comments below.