Big Finish, Companion Chronicles
This story is pretty basic in plot but if you’re in the mood for silliness with an ominous overtone, this is the story for you! Perhaps on a different day I would’ve given this 4 jelloids as it’s pretty unique. The only thing I can think of that comes half-way close is Bang-Bang-a-Boom, as there are musical numbers in it and some silliness. There is a serious threat, which comes through a television show called The Scorchies. Everyone who watches it will be killed by the psychic capabilities of the muppets involved in the show, who are the show and the show is them, transmitted across vast distances, destroying planet after planet in revenge for their own folly.
The interview afterwards is quite unique. Apparently David Richards gave the production team the questions and they just recorded the answers themselves, in their own studio. They talk about creating the songs and layering things in to make them when it came to production, which is interesting to hear about. More production talk than we normally get on a Big Finish audio but I wouldn’t want it all of the time…
The cast of characters for the TV show is quite varied, though it is odd that the whole planet filled with people end up cut down to a cast of three mice, an “ugly doll, stuffed kitty, Paul Bunyan looking muppet, and a professorial type. Where is everyone else? A statement on TV destroying an entire culture but the small cast is odd considering the source of the show, though not the budget of Big Finish. Not that this is a bad thing for the story, mind you. Just an odd thing. The songs didn’t annoy me and if I would’ve been in the mood for them, I can easily imagine bopping along with them. Not for the faint of heart is this story! For the ending is dramatic but the tale is sad.
Katy Manning (Jo Grant/Scorchies) and Melvyn Hayes (Scorchies)
Writer: James Goss
Director: Ken Bentley
Release: March 2013