In Review: Big Finish: Zygon Century: Transformation

Synopsis: In Zygon Century: Transformation, the Zygons have come to claim the Earth. This time, they’re playing the long game. 

For the Black Cadre, have a plan. It’s a plan that will take exactly one hundred years to come to fruition. 

From the streets of St Petersburg to the plains of Death Valley, the Zygon Century continues.

Review: Zygon Century: Transformation was an extremely effective and affecting volume. The three stories set the soundscape for a twisted, no-holds-barred conclusion.

Story

One strength of the set lay in follow through. The writers continued to develop characters listeners greatly cared about.

Additionally, each writer gave listeners a wonderful new taste of time and genre. Taken together, the mix of established and new elements left the audience thoroughly invested.

“1922: The Black Cadre” by Jonathan Barnes was a marvelous reintroduction to Herbert Scott. Barnes wrote Scott as tempered, but not defeated by life.

He also gave Scott a layered and unpredictable leading lady. Ilse Lange was a woman of the era, who challenged Scott in all the right ways.

“1968: An Incident in Death Valley” by Lauren Mooney & Stewart Pringle caught listeners up with Vorvoren. She evolved significantly by the end of tale, courtesy of new friends with secrets of their own.

“1974: The Caldwell Restitution” by Ken Bentley was Doctor Who as if written by John le Carré. Caldwell returned, cycling through all the spy tropes, with  deftly crafted nuance.

Along the way, he encountered a different Doctor. Both would be pushed to their limits in a grittier corner of the world.

Acting

The entire cast was excellent. That said, the returning performers really stood out.

First, Jonathan Rigby did another confident and memorable turn as Herbert Scott. Next, Charlie Russell again played every emotion as Vorvoren.

Along with them, Joshua Manning fully committed to all facets of Caldwell.

As marvelous as they were, though, Tim Treloar and Eric Roberts stole every scene they were in. Thus, they reminded listeners about the wider universe outside the Zygon plot.

Overall

Thank you, Big Finish. Zygon Century: Transformation left me on the edge of my seat.

You can purchase Zygon Century: Transformation here.