Jago & Litefoot: Series 11

There is a tradition by this point that the odd-numbered seasons of Jago & Litefoot (apart from the first one, of course) throw something different into the mix, be it a change in the setting or a guest character from elsewhere. This time around, the ‘something extra' is that the Big Bad happens to be the Master, apparently fresh from the events of TV story The Deadly Assassin. At least to begin with, though, he's in the background, steering events from a safe remove without our heroes being aware of his presence.

• Jago & Son - The first episode is about... actually, I'm not entirely sure what it's about. There are Satanists, and a deadly monster stalking the streets of London, but beyond that, the plot is a bit hazy. Our two heroes are apart for much of the episode, each being given a new character to play off. In Jago's case, that's the titular son, or at least somebody who believes himself to be Jago's illegitimate son, although there's not really much exploration of the ramifications of this and the real story is (perhaps deliberately) left vague. Litefoot is paired instead with an old flame, now a formidable middle-aged woman who has taken up archaeology and, honestly, she's a lot more fun as a character. But she's not enough to raise this story above the merely middling.

• Maurice - Jago and Litefoot encounter composer Maurice Ravel as he's writing what's probably his second most well-known work (after Bolero), Gaspard de la Nuit. It's quite possible that if you know your musical history, and, in particular, the poems that the work in question is based on, you may find a lot more depth and resonance in this than I did. To me, unfortunately, that element meant nothing. Instead, I was left with a slightly odd story about an insectoid alien hiding in a terrarium and a minor mystery about why Ravel is carrying something that seems to belong to the Doctor. It's perhaps better than the first episode, but, once again, not up to the level that this series normally reaches.

• The Woman in White - Fortunately, things improve in the second half of the collection. The third story also features well-known historical figures, in this case noted thespian Sir Henry Irving and author Bram Stoker. In the real world, Irving was one of Stoker's inspirations for the character of Dracula, and here that's expanded, with the story involving some other tropes that appear in the famous novel. On the other hand, since J&L has done vampires before, the story here has to be about something different, yet sharing similar traits. The story weaves together separate investigations by its lead characters, as well as other pieces of Victoriana to create an engaging and dramatic tale that's different enough from Stoker's novel to avoid falling into the common SF trap of “he wasn't really an original writer, he just fictionalised something that had actually happened to him.”

• Masterplan - Finally, the Master becomes the focus as he reaches the point of being able to carry out his scheme. (This, incidentally, appears to occur immediately prior, from the Master's perspective, to the DW story And You Will Obey Me, released the previous month. However, the two stories are entirely standalone, with the connection being an easter egg, rather than a plot point). The supporting cast of Ellie, and especially Inspector Quick, have a significant role to play, and, as indicated on the cover, the Doctor also eventually makes an appearance. While he tends to dominate the denouement, however, most of the story isn't really following him, with the title characters and the Master playing a far more significant role. The insidious effects of the latter's scheme are effectively shown, and it's a satisfying conclusion to this latest set of stories.

The final story ends, as always, with a cliffhanger (foreshadowed, for once, by an event earlier on) that sets things up for the next season.