REVIEW: COLD FURY – BLAKE’S 7 / AUTHOR: MARK WRIGHT, CAVAN SCOTT / PUBLISHER: BIG FINISH / STARRING: GARETH THOMAS, PAUL DARROW, MICHAEL KEATING, JAN CHAPPELL, SALLY KNYVETTE, BRIAN CROUCHER, ALASTAIR LOCK, HUGH FRASER, CAROLINE LANGRISHE / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Cold Fury is the fifth of six episodes in Big Finish’s first full cast Blake’s 7 series. It starts where last month’s Mirror left off and the Liberator crew has an urgent task on hand – one of its crew is missing.

The ship makes its way to an ice world called Horst Minor which is being used by a eugenics specialist Dr Tirus (Langrishe) who has her own problems, not least of which is a surprise visit from the President (Fraser). And just what is Space Commander Travis (Croucher) up to and whose side is he on?

The ice world is well portrayed and the plot just about gives every crew member something to do whilst playing to various themes that have been woven throughout the series’ arc. Horst Minor also holds a dark secret which uses ideas from the TV series in a way that leaves more questions than answers and we hope that all will be revealed in the final episode. If we have one gripe about this episode it is that it clearly is only part of a larger story and once again a two-part ending has been sneaked upon us.

That said, this story raises the stakes nicely and puts several pieces into play for the end of the season. It also boasts an excellent performance from Hugh Fraser as the President.