Torchwood review: Tropical Beach Sounds and Other Seascapes #4 is both strange and brilliant

With a single narrator and an exceptionally long title, Tropical Beach Sounds and Other Seascapes #4 is definitely one of the most unusual Torchwood stories yet. But could it also be one of its best?

I’ve got a confession to make: I’m not too keen on audiobooks. Considering how much I write about Big Finish and their many audio releases for Doctor Who, Torchwood and many other series, that might seem like a contradiction. However, Big Finish has a focus on audio dramas with a full cast and strong post-production. With actors bouncing off each other and decent sound design, it’s always easy to be immersed in one of their stories.

On the other hand, a story with just a single narrator is personally more difficult to get into. The description is often given not through a soundscape, but through direct description. Compared to straightforward reading, it’s often a lot more difficult for me to concentrate when a story is being told directly to me, rather than reading it at my own pace.

So when I heard that this month’s Torchwood audio – Tropical Beach Sounds and Other Seascapes #4 – would feature a single narrator, a part of me was a little apprehensive. A small part of me, admittedly. Considering it was written by Tim Foley – who’s given us a number of great Torchwood stories already – and narrated by none other than Sir Michael Palin himself, I was reasonably confident that I’d enjoy this one. Still, I couldn’t help but ask myself when listening to it: would this appeal to me as much as other Torchwood stories?

This audio is weird. Seriously weird.

The first thing that leaps out about Tropical Beach Sounds and Other Seascapes #4 is this:

"You will get your biscuits."

The second thing that leaps out is, as you’ve probably guessed: it is seriously weird. Honestly, I’ve never heard an audio like this before. Yes, it has a single narrator. But it’s certainly nothing approaching an audiobook, not in the usual sense.

The story takes the form of a self-help tape. That alone is a bizarre concept for Torchwood, and yet paradoxically, Torchwood is exactly the kind of series weird enough to try such an idea. When it begins, Palin’s voice paints a calm, clear picture. Something that will really draw the listener in and make them feel comfortable. Of course, it’s not long before the listener is made to feel uncomfortable, before eventually being completely creeped out…

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An immersive experience

Tim Foley’s story is as strange as it is brilliant. It takes a while to see where it’s going and how it works as a Torchwood story. But it’s easily worth the buildup. Once you reach a certain point, Tropical Beach Sounds and Other Seascapes #4 is as easy to listen to as a regular Torchwood audio.

Sir Michael Palin’s narration definitely helps with this. No, not narration – performance. What exactly he plays in this audio provides us with a very clear and distinctive character. One that’s dark and terrifying. The more he performs, the creepier the story gets. Especially when you reach the ending…

Tropical Beach Sounds and Other Seascapes #4 is unlike any other Torchwood audio out there. It also might be one of the very best. Deliciously dark, creepy and highly immersive, it’s a fantastic story, one that will stick in the mind long after you finish listening to it.

Do you enjoy Torchwood‘s more experimental stories? Are you hoping for more such stories in the future? Let us know in the comments below.