Class returns on audio! How are the first three episodes of the series?
(Image credit: Class/Big Finish Productions.
Image obtained from: Big Finish Productions.)
Class has returned on audio! Are these new episodes as good as the original TV series? Or do they even improve upon it?
You may have noticed that for the past couple of months, I’ve finally decided to watch Class. As much as I’m a huge fan of Doctor Who, not only watching the TV series but checking out many other spin-offs on audio, this particular TV spin-off didn’t seem to initially appeal to me.
However, the moment Big Finish announced that they were making audios based on Class, I knew I had to check these out, and therefore, actually watch the TV series beforehand. Especially with Ace featuring in one of the episodes.
This first volume of episodes, released on CD and download last week, doesn’t include that story. But will this still appeal to Class fans?
Gifted
Gifted is an intriguing episode. Focusing on April and Ram, this is a story that’s openly inspired by fairy tales. Particularly the dark, horrifying ones that teach you to beware of witches bearing gifts.
There’s a strong sense of atmosphere to Gifted, which I quite liked. I also enjoyed how well it was able to use April’s booksmart intelligence, too. While she was introduced as intelligent in the first episode, Class seemed to move away from this particularly character strength in the TV series.
It’s a shame, too, as this audio episode highlights how April could’ve been more interesting if she had been fleshed out better. She’s very intelligent, loves her stories, songs and ballads, and she knows how to use that knowledge well.
April and Ram’s relationship is also handled more naturally here. While it was for me personally a weaker aspect of the series, Gifted shows them growing quite close naturally and believably.
With a great fairy tale-esque story and an interesting exploration of two of the regulars, Gifted is a decent episode to begin the audio series.
Life Experience
Stuck deep in a highly secretive laboratory with a dangerous monster on the loose, Tanya and Ram very quickly discover that they should have signed up for work experience elsewhere in the second episode.
Compared to the other stories in this set, Life Experience feels the least character focused. That’s not a criticism, simply an observation. Instead, Jenny T Colgan goes for a very straightforward horror story.
She uses a lot of clear genre elements, too. A group of people trapped in a claustrophobic setting. A monster on the rampage. And of course, an extremely high body count.
Colgan isn’t afraid of using violence in this story, which is unsurprising. Especially as Class was a very violent series. But the violence is used well here. There’s a high body count, but it’s not quite on the implied huge scale of, say, Brave-ish Heart.
Colgan’s also clever enough to subvert a couple of classic tropes in Life Experience, too. Particularly with what the monster does and when it can be seen. It’s a small but neat little twist that not only works well for the story, but also suits the kind of series that Class was.
We also get some really great characters. The Mayor is wonderfully pompous and entitled, so listening to her having a bad day is great. And Marta Vanderburgh, the director of Sevelin Laboratories, is a wonderfully ruthless character. From the very start, you’re given a very clear idea of just how nasty she can be.
Life Experience is a very strong episode. It pays tribute to classic horror movies, but it also has its own fresh take. It also features some great characters, as well as plenty of fantastic banter between Tanya and Ram. Another great listen.
Tell Me You Love Me
I need to make this clear right now: I love Tell Me You Love Me. How could I not? The story is essentially a three-hander between Charlie, Matteusz and Quill, set over a very small period of time. And it works beautifully.
Charlie and Matteusz’s relationship was easily one of my favorite things about Class. The relationship was handled very well in the TV series, and always felt natural and believable. They had their ups and downs, but they were also two people who loved each other very much.
That continues to be the case with Tell Me You Love Me. Through a relatively small but still dangerous problem, the episode explores exactly what Charlie and Matteusz really think of each other and their relationship.
Scott Handcock’s excellent script deals with a lot of interesting themes, including how different people in a relationship can express their love differently, and how difficult that can be. It’s not something you see in most drama series, so it’s fantastic that something like that gets explored here.
Quill
We also have Quill trying to help them find out what’s going on and what the alien threat is this week. Along with getting plenty of her usual brilliantly snarky dialogue, we also get some exploration of her relationship with Charlie, too.
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Again, their rather complex and unique, practically antagonistic relationship was great to watch in the TV series. And that continues to be fleshed out wonderfully well in this episode.
It also highlights just how ruthless and pragmatic Quill can be. She’s not the Doctor. She’s not planning on sacrificing herself for the greater good, and she will do whatever it takes to resolve the situation, while ensuring her own survival. Across this whole episode, she continues to be an absolutely brilliant character.
Tell Me You Love Me is an amazing story, and quite possibly my favorite from this first volume.
Summary
Based on the first three episodes, Class: The Audio Adventures isn’t as strong as the TV series. It’s in fact far stronger. There’s a strong team of brilliant writers for the series, giving us three very different and very distinct stories.
But all three episodes also suit the world of Class perfectly. If there’s one reason I’m glad I checked out the TV series, it’s the fact that it helped to set up the audio series for me. A highly recommended box set.
Will you be listening to Class: The Audio Adventures? Were you a fan of the TV series? Are you glad Class is now back in a new format? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to check out our review for the second volume in the series very soon.