Doctor Who: The Scorchies

Were it not for the obvious copyright issues, this should really be called “The Muppet Invasion of Earth”. The story takes the form of a broadcast of a children's TV show, in which the eponymous puppets have captured Jo Grant and are using her as their human guest star for the episode as they finalise their plans for world conquest.

Yes, it really is that mad. Naturally, this provides for lots of cheeky references to TV shows and stars of the 1970s, although it's probably fair to say that you have to be the right age (and British) to spot most of them. Indeed, a couple of the characters are at least as reminiscent of Bagpuss as they are of The Muppet Show or Sesame Street.

The Scorchies are voiced by veteran actor Melvyn Hayes, hamming it up with a range of comic voices that helps to mitigate the limited number of actors inherent to the format. I have to say that I laughed out loud on more than one occasion, which is really all one can ask of something like this. Especially effective is the Scorchies' habit of breaking into cheery songs at appropriate moments, with accompaniment that one can so easily imagine being provided by Rowlf and the Muppet Show house band.

I'll give it 4.5, deducting half a point for the inevitable limitations of the Doctor and Brigadier being very obviously not voiced by the originals. But, in every other respect, it's a triumph, and one of the better comedies that Big Finish has done.

And now I'm going to have the tune to ‘Jo is Making a Thing' stuck in my head all week...