In Review: Big Finish: Torchwood: The Three Monkeys

Synopsis: Burn Gorman and Tom Price are together again in Torchwood: The Three Monkeys.

Andy Davidson’s been ordered to watch over a local businessman. Everything’s always gone right for him, and Andy’s long wondered why.

Owen joins him on the stakeout. He knows something. The businessman’s attracted Torchwood’s attention. 

Tonight, the two of them are going to take him down. But will luck be on their side?

Review: Torchwood: The Three Monkeys by James Goss was written and recorded during Lockdown. Goss used truly tragic real life events as the starting point for a marvelous character piece.

The Story

Initially, I thought the three monkeys in the title referred to See-No-Evil, Hear-No-Evil, and Speak-No-Evil. Goss went with a more interesting theme, though. The three are Owen, Andy and the McGuffin.

Goss makes clever use of a science fiction classic to provide the McGuffin with context. Additionally, he cheekily allows Owen to call the McGuffin a McGuffin. 

For its part, the McGuffin does what it’s designed to do. It highlights the characters. These two men are who they are. As the story progresses, each comes to terms with that. 

Their development is incremental, yet profound. The setting is equally limited, but immense. Goss kept Owen and Andy in Andy’s police car for the most part. That choice allowed for scope and literal drive in the storyline.

Andy’s car also allowed for much needed dark humor. The scene in which Andy investigated the guarded McGuffin was worth the price alone. Juxtaposing Andy’s experience with Owen’s situation inside the car was a perfect use of the audio format.

As for the story’s real elements, I’m glad the businessman at the heart of it all wasn’t named. We should be allowed to forget the names of people like him.

The Acting

Burn Gorman and Tom Price are in top form. The story is functionally a two-hander. Both play it with nuance and ease.

Overall

Torchwood: The Three Monkeys is another excellent entry in this range. While I enjoy Andy and Norton Folgate more, Andy and Owen are quickly growing on me.

You can purchase Torchwood: The Three Monkeys here.