The Omega Factor: Series 1 (Big Finish)

Written By: Matt Fitton, Phil Mulryne, Cavan Scott, Ken BentleyDirected By: Ken Bentley

Cast

Louise Jameson (Anne Reynolds / Demon), John Dorney (Adam Dean / James / Volunteer 2), Alan Cox (James Doyle / Beast / Ian Raskin / New Orderly), Sandra Voe (Mary McConnell), Natasha Gerson (Morag), Tracy Wiles (Reverend Lucy Douglas / Angie), Terry Molloy (Edmund Fennick / Malcolm McConnell / Chief Superintendent Malcolm Wade), Camilla Power (Dr Jane Wyatt / Presenter), Kate Bracken (Elinor Gordon / Volunteer 1), Georgie Glen (Wanda Maccrum / Demon), Hilary Maclean (Dr Jacqueline Everson/Samntha Matheson / Demon / Clerk), Derek Hutchinson (Fraser Kirkland / Peter / Orderly 2), Laura Dos Santos (Lorraine Armstong/Jill)

Producer David RichardsonScript Editor Matt Fitton

Executive Producers Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs

Lasting for only a single ten-episode series broadcast in 1979 The Omega Factor, is the very definition of a cult TV show. The series told the story of Tom Crane, a journalist who discovers he has psychic powers and becomes involved with Department 7, an organisation that investigated the paranormal and the strange. Attracting negative criticism from Mary Whitehouse, the show was axed before it really had a chance to get going and disappeared into obscurity. Thirty years later, enter Big Finish, who were apparently on the lookout for a more overt ‘Horror’ styled series, picked up the rights and produced the first in a series of box sets continuing the adventures of Department 7. Except they didn’t continue those adventures, well at least not the same Department 7. The genius of Big Finish’s version is that it’s more reboot than continuation. With the majority of their productions they usually continue right where the series left off, with the covers featuring the cast as they were on the screen. However, there was one somewhat major issue; original star James Hazeldine had passed away some years prior. It would have been easy to introduce a copy of his Tom Crane character in all but name, but Big Finish are far more intelligent than that.

Instead, we pick up in the present day with Louise Jameson’s Ann Reynolds now in charge of the department. We experience this through the eyes of Adam Dean (John Dorney), the original Tom Crane characters son. In many ways, this recalls the first series of the rebooted Doctor Who and many of the techniques used there are replicated here. Things are kept simple. The Omega organisation who represented the ‘Big Bad’ are kept absent from this series bar a brief mention and other returning elements are drip fed. The series is then left to concentrate on what it excels at, creating terrifying stories.

From Beyond- Matt Fitton

Matt Fittons series opener presents a simple supernatural tale of an old psychic woman believing her long-dead brother to be haunting her. Original it may not be but effective it is and for the first half this element is kept mostly in the background, allowing Fitton to instead concentrate on character development. From the off, John Dorney’s Adam Dean comes across as an entirely likeable and fully rounded character. Having had some experience in this area myself, I particularly liked that the decision was made to have him working in a care home. The real genius is that this isn’t simple character signposting (‘look he’s a caring guy!’) but comes up later in the plot, with him noticing warning signs that have gone unseen by Jameson’s Dr Reynolds. Speaking of Jameson, she slips back into her character effortlessly but this older, stronger Reynolds provides a great foil for Dorney’s Dean and creates some wonderful character moments.

The Old Gods- Phil Mulryne

Easily one of the strongest in the entire set, The Old Gods, presents a wonderfully creepy tale of a spiritual centre attempting to help people who suffer from electrosensitivity hiding a dark secret. Terry Molloy provides a wonderfully chilling turn as Edmund Fennick, somewhat reminiscent of Cyril Luckham’s Edward Drexil in the original series. One particular scene in which he confronts Lousie Jameson stands out for it’s sly menace and he’s helped in the creep factor by Camilla Power as the cold Dr Jane Wyatt. Whilst the ending perhaps could have benefitted from a little more subtlety, rather than the overt supernatural manifestation we are instead given, it doesn’t affect what is a brilliant story.

Legion- Cavan Scott

Notable for featuring the return of Morag (Natasha Gerson), Legion is sadly the weakest in this particular series. That doesn’t of course mean it’s a bad tale, far from it, particularly when the quality here is so high. However the multitude of voices used to depict the titular ‘legion’ of Demons is somewhat overpowering and makes for an uncomfortable listening experience, I wasn’t always sure which character was speaking. There’s also not many twists are turns to be had, Department 7 go looking for Morag, find her, end the supernatural happenings surrounding her and then leave. An entertaining listen but one which pales compared to the other excellence on display.

The Hollow Earth- Ken Bentley

Truly terrifying are the only words that can be used to describe Ken Bentley’s superb finale. Taking place within a church and featuring something trying to break through to our world, The Hollow Earth is a claustrophobic masterpiece and certainly one to be listened to with the lights on. One particular scene (in which a Vicar goes somewhere she defiantly shouldn’t go!) caused me to actually press pause just so I could recover and calm down. The supporting cast are as always wonderful with Tracey Wiles giving a wonderful performance as the aforementioned Vicar. As an odd aside it features a number of similarities to the 2013 film The Borderlands, a superb little horror film that any fan of the genre should check out.

I was going to open with this but I thought I’d build up to it rather than open with what is a pretty bold statement. The Omega Factor is my favourite Big Finish production. Period. A wonderfully evocative set of stories that manages to be brave, terrifying and four hours of well-developed and well-acted characters. A must have for horror fans.