Review by Daniel Mansfield

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Previously, The Paternoster Gang: Trespassers finally played its hand. The villainous interloper of the series’ title who has been plaguing the Gang for the last three boxsets was finally revealed as Brottac: a Zygon with one hell of a grudge. And now, in this final boxset in the Trespassers series, it’s time for the Gang to make their last stand against this devious, shapeshifting foe.

Big Finish newcomer Alan Ronald pens opening story I Married a Zygon, which sees the trio visit old friend Miss Faversham (Beth Chalmers), an eccentric aristocrat suffering from a strange malady. Neve McIntosh perfectly plays Vastra’s suspicion and paranoia as Faversham, seemingly on death’s door, plans a wedding to Nicholas Briggs‘ Lord Briar, who she believes to be Brottac in disguise.

Meanwhile Catrin Stewart‘s Jenny forms a lovely partnership with Lara Lemon‘s earnest ghost hunter Harriet Cross as the two investigate a series of hauntings, and Dan Starkey‘s Strax does battle in typically hilarious style with belligerent butler Randolph (Shogo Miyakita). With a fun twist, and lots for the Gang to do, I Married a Zygon makes for an enjoyable, if a little lightweight, opener to this finale boxset.

Helen Goldwyn‘s A Passion for Fashion is the standout of the set, as the Gang investigate (wait for it) fashionable hats that have a deadly impact on their wearers. Stewart’s Jenny is the star of the show here, falling prey to whatever malign influence the hats have on those who wear them, while McIntosh and Starkey are excellent as ever as they try to work out what has happened to their friend

Sometimes silly, but full of pointed commentary on the exploitation that clouds some corners of the fashion industry and some tantalisingly good ideas, this is the perfect palate cleanser before the Gang’s final showdown with Brottac in Lauren Mooney and Stewart Pringle‘s The Final Poblom.

Yes, you read that right. Poblom. Emphatically not Problem. And what exactly is a Poblom? Well, you’ll have to listen to find out. It’s a great idea, though somewhat underused, that I hope we hear more of in the future.

And speaking of great ideas, Paul McGann returns here as both the Eighth Doctor, and Brottac in the form of the Eighth Doctor. While in his former guise he doesn’t appear too much, he does at least get some good scenes towards the end (possibly setting up the next Paternoster Gang series?), though as Brottac he absolutely shines, imbuing the character with cold menace the likes of which we’ve never heard McGann play before.

Overall, this finale starts out great but peters out slightly towards the end. There’s also a coda that confused me somewhat, undoing the final scene by skipping past the thrilling cliffhanger ending. I hope this is a flash-forward and we get to hear the consequences of that play out, rather than the end of the story.

And so another series of The Paternoster Gang comes to an end… and what a ride it’s been. Zygons. Three Doctors. Friends old and new. It’s safe to say Trespassers has been a real success. Let’s hope whatever comes next (and I hope something does come next) will be both just as good, and very soon!

Last Stand is available on CD or as a download from http://www.bigfinish.com