On March 26th 1977, Henry Gordon Jago and George Litefoot met for the first time. Now with their own spin-off series, here’s a look at just why the pair have remained so popular forty years later.
For many fans of the Classic Series, particularly the Tom Baker era, ‘The Talons of Weng-Chiang’ will always be a favourite. It’s a story that uses a lot of Doctor Who’s strongest elements so successfully. History, horror, humour, not to mention science-fiction. (Kind of a shame that last genre didn’t begin with an “h”. Almost a perfect stream of alliteration.) All well told and combined with nicely paced storytelling and wonderful characters.
It was with the characters that the story particularly shined. All of them were written well, particularly the Fourth Doctor and Leela. (The latter of which is at her very best in this story.) But ‘Talons’ was most notable for the creation of two completely original characters. Professor George Litefoot, an upper class pathologist, and Henry Gordon Jago, theater impresario.
These two characters would not only be fondly remembered by fans for years to come, but would even get their own audio spin-off series. A series that has lasted for 7 years and has given us 12 series already, with series 13 due next month. So why have two characters who only appeared in one television story left such an impact?
Beginning in 2010, the spin-off series Jago & Litefoot has proved to be a popular choice for Big Finish listeners. (Credit: Big Finish)
For one thing, as individual creations, they are rather marvellous to watch and listen to. Both of them feel completely fleshed out, with lives and histories all of their own. You enjoy watching their scenes and learning more about them. This makes their interactions with the Doctor and Leela all the more fun to watch. It seems that no matter who they’re paired up with, they’re always part of a great double act.
They’re also very distinct and very different people. Litefoot is a highly educated pathologist, an upper class man with a great deal of knowledge and a fair amount of wealth. Jago, on the other hand, is the eternal showman. He is a theater owner who enjoys hosting a variety of acts, as well as his job. He also has a habit of putting on a larger than life persona, both on and off the stage.
Together, Jago and Litefoot aren’t just the unlikeliest pair of friends. They’re also the unlikeliest pair of heroes.
And that’s what makes them so brilliant.
Meeting for the first time in episode 5 of ‘The Talons of Weng-Chiang’, they very rapidly become allies. This not only leads to some brilliant humorous dialogue between the two, but even to one of my favourite ever scenes. It’s a quiet scene, with Jago and Litefoot captured and sitting by themselves. Jago admits to Litefoot that he’s not exactly the bravest of men. While he hasn’t known him for long at all, he is afraid of letting him down “when it comes to it”. Litefoot quietly reassures him that he knows Jago won’t let anyone down.
It’s a wonderful little scene that shows the pair growing from simply allies to becoming friends for life. It really shows what marvellous actors Christopher Benjamin and Trevor Baxter really are. It’s due to their performances, as well as the writing of Robert Holmes, that have helped them to remain so memorable.
In 2015, the pair eventually met New Series character Strax, in Jago & Litefoot & Strax. (Credit: Big Finish)
Over 30 years later, in 2009, Big Finish gave us ‘The Mahogany Murderers’. Part of the Companion Chronicles range, the series usually focused on former companions telling stories they’ve had with the Doctor in the first person narrative.
However, ‘The Mahogany Murderers’ was different. Not only did it not feature the Doctor anywhere in the story, it didn’t even feature any companions. Instead, Benjamin and Baxter had returned to their roles of Jago & Litefoot, as they told each other details of one of their own adventures.
Due to the brilliant writing of Andy Lane, plus the brilliant performances of its two leads, the story was unsurprisingly a huge success. Big enough, in fact, to get a continuation. Not with another Companion Chronicle, but with Jago & Litefoot’s very own spin-off series.
Out of all the great spin-off series out there, Jago & Litefoot is undoubtedly one of my favourites. Not just from Big Finish, or even from Doctor Who, but of all time. The stories are of a consistently high quality, the tone is always exactly right, and they really are just a joy to listen to.
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But, more than all of those, it is the characters of Jago & Litefoot themselves that always makes them an essential listen. 40 years on, they remain one of the greatest pairs in Doctor Who’s history. Long may their adventures continue.