Torchwood: Zone 10

Finally, it's the turn of Toshiko to get her own episode and, while this isn't the strongest release in what's been a high-quality series, it doesn't disappoint, either. (By this point, Owen was the only character not to have featured, and it was a while before he did).

Here, Toshiko heads to Russia to investigate a mysterious location that has been transmitting a signal aimed specifically at her... since before she was born. The story unfolds slowly from that premise (which is in the pre-titles teaser), moving from Moscow to Siberia as pieces of the puzzle are uncovered and we learn more about what the Russian version of Torchwood has been doing in the area.

It's worth noting that this ties in closely with the multi-season arc in this audio series, so that it may not make much sense to anyone who hasn't listened to, as a minimum, The Conspiracy. If you have, it moves that story on a little, setting things up for future instalments. I'll also note that the actor playing the main Russian character does have quite a thick accent, but never to the point of him being difficult to understand (given the actor's name, it may well be genuine, for all I know).

There's a good mix of character and action here, aided by some good soundscaping, and a sense of isolation for much of the story. Toshiko is at the heart of it, a technical specialist without the combat training of her fellow agents, but gutsy and determined, as well as clever. Naoko Mori is particularly good, getting a chance to shine as the central character for once, and I look forward to further stories featuring her.