Torchwood - 21 We Always Get Out Alive

Big Finish Torchwood #21

by Guy Adams, Eve Myles (Performer), Kai Owen (Performer)

Gwen Cooper and Rhys Williams are on the run from a cataclysm. They're the only survivors - But there's something in the car with them.

Torchwood contains adult material and may not be suitable for younger listeners

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Audiobook

Audio CD

First published May 1, 2018

Reviews

[The Post Monument · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Nicolas Lontel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un huis clos dans lequel Gwen et Owen retourne chez eux en voiture après avoir réglé un problème dans un lieu gallois assez éloigné de la prochaine ville. Ce qui s'annonce comme une discussion de couple par moment tendu se transforme peu à peu en scène d'horreur au fur et à mesure que la discussion se poursuit et que les deux semblent se souvenir de leur mission.

Alors que le dernier huis clos de Guy Adams (Torchwood: Made You Look) ne m'avait pas vraiment convaincu, celui-ci est vraiment beaucoup mieux maîtrisé, probablement par la présence des acteurs qui arrivent bien à rebondir l'une par rapport à l'autre et passer d'une scène de ménage à la confession à la scène d'horreur avec brio. Plutôt que d'être mis en pair avec un nouveau personnage comme dans Made You Look, on a plutôt deux figures familières et on peut donc déjà explorer plus rapidement les possibles au lieu de présenter les personnages. La narration aide aussi beaucoup, alors qu'on s'interroge sur les causes des éléments qui créent la confusion au début, on ne perd pas de temps à explorer de nouveaux aspects des personnages à nouveau et remettre la table pour de nouvelles perturbations inattendues. On finit même par douter des personnages et c'est probablement ça qui arrive à rendre la narration convaincante et à nous faire douter de tout ce qui se passe.

Un audio vraiment réussit avec un couple iconique de la série qui fait ce qu'il arrive à faire de mieux: mélanger le banal, le domestique et le quotidien avec l'horreur.

[Jamie Revell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following the previous two comedic pieces (one of which worked for me, and the other of which was too over-the-top to gel), we're back with horror again - and it's another superb piece. One of the limitations of this series is that there are rarely more than two actors in it, and that's the case here, too... but in this case, it's very much a strength, not a weakness.

The entire story takes place inside Gwen and Rhys's car as they drive home after a successful mission out in the Welsh countryside. The dialogue is beautifully written, contrasting the mundanity of everyday life with what they do for Torchwood (the story is set at a point when they're the only surviving members). The question implicit in the title is key - will they always be lucky enough to survive, and what toll does their double life take on their relationship?

From there, the horror and mystery build as it's clear that something isn't quite right, and what we're hearing on the soundtrack doesn't quite match with what the characters are aware of. It's worth noting that everything we hear is from a perspective inside the car - they get out at a few points, leading to either stretches of silence or faint sounds in the distance. So this may not be one to listen to somewhere that isn't quiet (while mowing the lawn, say). But it adds to the creepiness, as does the isolation. Taken together with the top-notch characterisation, this is another great edition to the audio series.

[Taksya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gwen e Rhys, chiusi in una macchina, di ritorno dal solito evento catastrofico, con il solo apparente problema di non fare tardi per la baby sitter.
Ma è Torchwood e le cose non possono essere così semplici.
Presi in una sorta di loop, entrambi si sfogano riguardo quello che non funziona nella loro vita, rinfacciandosi atteggiamenti e mancanze, finché non riescono finalmente a capire cosa sta accadendo.
Storia più intimistica che di azione, retta bene dai due protagonisti.

[Danny Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very haunting listen, was very creeped out throughout this listen which I was hoping! The characterization of the two only characters is brilliant and utterly well played out by Eve Myles and Kai Owen! 10/10

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

It scared me so much!

[Seb Hasi · Rating 3 out of 5]

We always get out alive really is what you’d expect from a story of these limitations. Effectively, there is only so much you can do with two characters sat in a car for fifty minutes. From the offset my general dislike for Gwen as a character was limiting my expectations, but I was surprised how this story managed to make her a sympathetic character. Both Rhys and Gwen field opinions and arguments from the opposite sides of the fence and that did make the build up very interesting. The climax was just a generic alien baddie and I could have lived without that, but it did work as a story device to get some great acting from Eve Myles & Kai Owen. There isn’t much of a plot, which is hardly surprising from something quite clearly a character piece like this; but that fact did admittedly distract me at times with thoughts of ‘is this alien going to actually do anything?’.

I was quite invested in the drama of Gwen/Rhys being manipulated by the alien, as their ‘out of character’ behaviour was really human irrational feelings and fears. There is some fantastic acting, and even the weirdly casual ending of ‘oh well that’s that then’ was enjoyable as it balanced the tone out. The story just has such excellent human dialogue, something TV Torchwood tried and failed more often than not to do; the conversations about babysitters, takeaways, and bills feeling so real and relatable. I think for people who are fans of Rhys and/or Gwen, this will be the perfect story; those who expect comedy like ‘The Death Of Captain Jack’, or beauty like ‘Broken’, may not find too much to engage with.

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love the dynamic between Eve Myles and Kai Owen! I could picture their facial expressions throughout the entire thing and loved and still love how they bounce off of each other.To be honest, Rhys and Gwen centric episodes were some of my favorites. This was a wonderful episode that brings back memories of pitch-black Texas cornfields and Irish roads taken at hairpin turns which in turn definitely reminds me that I do not want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere. Thankfully, I never had an alien in the backseat that wanted to control me like a puppet; but I am sure that I will pop into my mind the next time I'm on a dark country road. Maybe I should listen to "Fall to Earth" while on a plane and then find a Big Finish audiobook that takes place in a secluded cabin, although "The Office of Never Was" probably meets that criteria, to complete the hat trick.

[Finlay O'Riordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told from the dashboard of Gwen and Rhys' car, this is a phenomenal Torchwood story. Very immersive and eerie, and delves deeper into the effect of Torchwood on their relationship which we only got a taste of in the show. It's definitely more character driven than plot driven, but for the nature of this release, that works well. The sound mixing is fantastic too, ensuring that we are fixed to the car at all times while all surrounding sounds are measured appropriately.

I think the conclusion was slightly confusing between the flashback and I'm not too sure exactly what happened towards the end, but other than that, this is very good and unique.

I also appreciate the little touch of doing away with the title sequence and sprinkling the credits through the car's radio just to help build the immersion a little further. Another successful experiment from BF.

[Mesh'la Cyar'ika · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We always get out alive" by Guy Adams captures the characters of Gwen and Rhys so well. There isn't a moment in this audioplay where I was bored or felt lost about the plot. The mystery that carries on throughout the audioplay is so captivating to the point where I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Kai Owen and Eve Myles' voice acting as Rhys and Gwen deserves it's own round of applause because, even after all this time, these characters are able to be seamlessly brought back to life through them. It's very rare that we get to see/hear the duo of Gwen and Rhys so it was nice to have them back together in new Torchwood content after all this time.

[Drew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gwen and Rhys, returning home from blowing up . . . something . . . and thereby saving Earth from aliens or . . . something . . . find themselves driving in circles, having memory lapses, and hearing voices . . . and maybe there's something in the car with them? Something in the back seat that they can't quite see?

It's an odd little horror play with just the two characters, and I can see how the set-up could be really, really creepy. Perhaps if one is listening under the right conditions, it might work. It didn't exactly work for me, but I'll give it some credit for trying.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eve Myles and Kai Owen are excellent at reprising their roles as Gwen and Rhys. Author Guy Adams clearly understands these two characters and the dynamic between the two. And he really had to for this story which simply features Gwen and Rhys having a conversation as they are driving in a car. There is a mystery, character dynamics, and a satisfying conclusion. It really makes me miss the television show.

[Marcel Driel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just put two great actors playing two amazing characters in a car with a great script and you get an episode that’s better than most of the tv episodes. Scary, very funny, haunting. One of the very best.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved. This. Story. Ending was a bit anticlimactic tho? but the story was good

[Debra Cook · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rhys and Gwen keep coming back to a campground and have no memory.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to have a character bottle piece with Rhys and Kai!

[Charmedbean · Rating 3 out of 5]

How was this Torchwood episode? It was okay. I mean there was nothing bad about it. It was just...okay.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty strange.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible very mind meddling