Doctor Who review: Jago & Litefoot: Series 2 dives deeper into its macabre world

We continue our look back at Doctor Who spin-off Jago & Litefoot with its second series – one that’s perhaps even more macabre and confident than the first.

The first series of Jago & Litefoot – together with The Mahogany Murderers – established this Doctor Who spin-off to a really strong start. We were given a world of horror and the macabre, but we were also given plenty of humor, strong characters, and fantastic dialogue, too. How well did the second series follow on from this?

As it turned out, extremely well. Jago & Litefoot: Series 2 is a box set that’s at least every bit as strong as the previous volume. It features an excellent new villain; a fantastic mix of stories and has plenty of fun with its two leads, too.

If there’s one key difference – and it’s a rather subtle one – it’s that it’s even more macabre than the previous volume. Not that Series 1 was completely light-hearted, but there’s an even stronger horror influence in this set. It presents us with a world of vampires, zombies, and beasts. Stories that explore our characters’ darkest nightmares and perhaps their greatest loss. All four stories revel in the horrific and the grotesque – and this horror fan absolutely loves it.

Gabriel Sanders

What also stands out about this series is its primary antagonist, Gabriel Sanders. While initially, he’s presented as a fellow investigator – in fact, it looks like he might be replacing Jago – it becomes extremely clear that he’s an extremely powerful and dangerous threat.

David Collings clearly had a lot of fun playing this role. His performance is delightfully sinister, and he portrays the character’s mix of class and malevolence brilliantly. He’s a perfect fit for the world of Jago & Litefoot, and comes across as a perfect antagonist for our heroes to face.

Horrific and macabre stories

Needless to say, all four stories in this box set are greatly enjoyable. Litefoot & Sanders by Justin Richards kicks the series off to a strong start, establishing Sanders as the main villain while also exploring what happens when Jago and Litefoot are separated.

The Necropolis Express by Mark Morris makes up for this by focusing on the two heavily, giving us some excellent dialogue between these two great characters. At the same time, we also get a suitably dark and grotesque story of mad scientists and the living dead.

More from Winter is Coming

• For All Mankind finally gives us information in Episode 405, “Goldilocks”
• Watch a stunning VFX breakdown of The Wheel of Time season 2
• Of course Steve Toussaint (Corlys Velaryon) thinks Eve Best (Rhaenys Targaryen) should rule Westeros
• Confirmed: The Last of Us season 2 will air in 2025
• Final season of Star Trek: Discovery will have “a lot of action, a lot of adventure, a lot of fun”

The highlight of the box set just might be The Theatre of Dreams by Jonathan Morris. Personally, it’s everything I look for in a Jago & Litefoot story. It’s dark and horrific, but it also features an extremely imaginative idea. The second half is particularly brilliant, as we discover just how dangerous the Theatre of Dreams really is.

It’s also neatly tied up in the final episode, The Ruthven Inheritance. Andy Lane’s story features a strong personal element for our leading characters, as both Jago and Litefoot lose something incredibly precious to them. At the same time, they face Sanders one last time, as his grand scheme finally unfolds.

Jago & Litefoot: Series 2 is an excellent box set, one perhaps even stronger than the first volume. All four stories are strong, featuring an even more confident tone than before, and it explores our leading characters extremely well. It also features one of the most exciting and dangerous villains of the series. An excellent set of stories for these two great characters.

Have you listened to Jago & Litefoot: Series 2? Do you think it was a strong box set? Which story was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.