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Counter-Measures #3
Counter-Measures: Series 3 Box Set
The British government has created the Counter-Measures group, a specialist team that investigates strange phenomena and dangerous technology. This box set contains four of their adventures plus a behind-the-scenes documentary.
Changing of the Guard by Matt Fitton
Sir Toby fights for his career, while Counter-Measures leads a very different fight...
The Concrete Cage by Justin Richards
Counter-Measures investigates strange events at a tower block under construction.
The Forgotten Village by Ken Bentley
A personal crisis for Allison turns into one of Counter-Measures' most dangerous assignments.
Unto the Breach by John Dorney
When footage emerges of an alien creature held in the Eastern Bloc, the team goes undercover to find it.
Changing of the Guard by Matt Fitton
Sir Toby fights for his career, while Counter-Measures leads a very different fight...
The Concrete Cage by Justin Richards
Counter-Measures investigates strange events at a tower block under construction.
The Forgotten Village by Ken Bentley
A personal crisis for Allison turns into one of Counter-Measures' most dangerous assignments.
Unto the Breach by John Dorney
When footage emerges of an alien creature held in the Eastern Bloc, the team goes undercover to find it.
Audio CD
First published July 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 28, 2018
The third season has more ongoing plot elements than the previous two, with only the second episode being really stand-alone. It also features a harsher and more discordant version of the theme tune, which I, personally, didn't think was an improvement, but perhaps reflects the somewhat darker tone of the stories this time round.
* Changing of the Guard - Following on more or less directly from the end of the previous season, this story consists of two parallel plotlines. In one, Sir Toby faces a parliamentary enquiry into his admittedly dodgy machinations in the previous season finale, while the rest of the team struggles with his even less sympathetic replacement. There is not quite as much tension here as is likely intended, given that we know one of the main characters isn’t going to be written out in the first episode. Fortunately, this is more than made up for by a more traditional plot involving East End gangsters and some alien goo. Everyone has a key role to play in the resolution, in a story with clear parallels to a certain real-world crime story of the time. 4.5 stars.
* The Concrete Cage – This is essentially a ghost story that takes, as its setting, the construction of one of those ghastly brutalist tower blocks that were so popular at the time (among architects, that is, not residents). There is some mystery as to whether the ghosts are genuinely supernatural or have some mundane explanation, but the strength of the story is its weaving together of ‘modern’ urban development, with hints of Ronan Point a few years later, and the legacy of the Blitz, 20 years prior. As a ghost story, it’s quite effective, and something of a change of pace for the series, and a glimpse into the grimmer side of ‘60s ambience. 4 stars.
* The Forgotten Village - Allison returns to her home in Wales to care for her ailing father, and, naturally enough, runs into an alien mystery in the process. The story is a good character piece for Allison, revealing a lot about her past, in addition to trying to deal with the main threat on her own until the true scale of it becomes apparent. The episode leaves some issues intentionally unresolved, as well as highlighting the different approaches used by the members of the Counter-Measures team. 4 stars.
* Unto the Breach - With the unresolved tensions and fall-out of the previous episode still raw, the team heads to Berlin to investigate reports of an alien spaceship having crashed in East Germany. This, of course, leads into a Cold War spy story, and, perhaps partly because of the East Berlin setting, one that reminds me more of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold than it does of, say, Danger Man or '60s James Bond films. Granted, George Smiley never had to deal with possible alien technology, but what we get here is a complex plot with double-crossing agents and an ever-present fear of the Volkspolizei. The fact that the Germans do, in fact, speak German (you can't do subtitles in audio...) adds to the verisimilitude. The whole thing ends on a huge cliffhanger with multiple questions left unanswered. 5 stars.
* Changing of the Guard - Following on more or less directly from the end of the previous season, this story consists of two parallel plotlines. In one, Sir Toby faces a parliamentary enquiry into his admittedly dodgy machinations in the previous season finale, while the rest of the team struggles with his even less sympathetic replacement. There is not quite as much tension here as is likely intended, given that we know one of the main characters isn’t going to be written out in the first episode. Fortunately, this is more than made up for by a more traditional plot involving East End gangsters and some alien goo. Everyone has a key role to play in the resolution, in a story with clear parallels to a certain real-world crime story of the time. 4.5 stars.
* The Concrete Cage – This is essentially a ghost story that takes, as its setting, the construction of one of those ghastly brutalist tower blocks that were so popular at the time (among architects, that is, not residents). There is some mystery as to whether the ghosts are genuinely supernatural or have some mundane explanation, but the strength of the story is its weaving together of ‘modern’ urban development, with hints of Ronan Point a few years later, and the legacy of the Blitz, 20 years prior. As a ghost story, it’s quite effective, and something of a change of pace for the series, and a glimpse into the grimmer side of ‘60s ambience. 4 stars.
* The Forgotten Village - Allison returns to her home in Wales to care for her ailing father, and, naturally enough, runs into an alien mystery in the process. The story is a good character piece for Allison, revealing a lot about her past, in addition to trying to deal with the main threat on her own until the true scale of it becomes apparent. The episode leaves some issues intentionally unresolved, as well as highlighting the different approaches used by the members of the Counter-Measures team. 4 stars.
* Unto the Breach - With the unresolved tensions and fall-out of the previous episode still raw, the team heads to Berlin to investigate reports of an alien spaceship having crashed in East Germany. This, of course, leads into a Cold War spy story, and, perhaps partly because of the East Berlin setting, one that reminds me more of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold than it does of, say, Danger Man or '60s James Bond films. Granted, George Smiley never had to deal with possible alien technology, but what we get here is a complex plot with double-crossing agents and an ever-present fear of the Volkspolizei. The fact that the Germans do, in fact, speak German (you can't do subtitles in audio...) adds to the verisimilitude. The whole thing ends on a huge cliffhanger with multiple questions left unanswered. 5 stars.
June 16, 2021
They changed the music! Nooooo!
Okay, to be fair, a *lot* changes in this series of Counter-Measures. Not just the theme tune. With the characters all set up and working properly, and Sir Toby Kinsella back at the helm of ICMG, the writers proceed to deconstruct the team completely. The plots still owe as much to Quatermass and Wyndham as to the pulp TV of the mid 60s, but there's a greater edge of Cold War terror creeping in here too: Unto the Breach takes the team into East Germany and ends on a wild cliff-hanger that works perfectly on audio.
Concentrating an an emerging undercurrent of espionage does make some parts less comprehensible than others. Unto the Breach isn't entirely satisfactory, and The Forgotten Village loses a little cohesion towards the end when it becomes a free-for-all battle rather than a taut and claustrophobic return to Allison's family roots. But who knows what on earth they're going to do from here...
Okay, to be fair, a *lot* changes in this series of Counter-Measures. Not just the theme tune. With the characters all set up and working properly, and Sir Toby Kinsella back at the helm of ICMG, the writers proceed to deconstruct the team completely. The plots still owe as much to Quatermass and Wyndham as to the pulp TV of the mid 60s, but there's a greater edge of Cold War terror creeping in here too: Unto the Breach takes the team into East Germany and ends on a wild cliff-hanger that works perfectly on audio.
Concentrating an an emerging undercurrent of espionage does make some parts less comprehensible than others. Unto the Breach isn't entirely satisfactory, and The Forgotten Village loses a little cohesion towards the end when it becomes a free-for-all battle rather than a taut and claustrophobic return to Allison's family roots. But who knows what on earth they're going to do from here...
August 24, 2017
Well then.
That's all I can say after the cliff-hanger at the end of the series.
The stakes have sure been upped this series. Great character developments all around, some v. good stories (even if the actual denouements don't tend to quite match up to the build-up), and we even got even more spy work. All very shady.
And even though I've seen the narrative devices used in the last episode in other sci-fy-spy franchises, I can't say I'm mad about them either. Intrigued, and on tenterhooks!
That's all I can say after the cliff-hanger at the end of the series.
The stakes have sure been upped this series. Great character developments all around, some v. good stories (even if the actual denouements don't tend to quite match up to the build-up), and we even got even more spy work. All very shady.
And even though I've seen the narrative devices used in the last episode in other sci-fy-spy franchises, I can't say I'm mad about them either. Intrigued, and on tenterhooks!
May 4, 2020
A very well presented Audible. This is the third series I have listened to while at work. I particularly liked the last story. Some splendid ideas for uncanny mystery and scientific manipulation in dangerous areas. All set in Britain of 1965. Everything seems to work well within the confined limits of that time and place. Very entertaining and well worth listening to. It is also very atmospheric too. I will listen to all the other Counter Measures on Big Finish. I'm a fan all the way.
November 12, 2024
Okay, I’m not that into the Counter-Measures series.
July 21, 2023
Changing of the Guard ****
The Concrete Cage *****
The Forgotten Village ***** - one of my top three C-M stories
Unto the Breach *****
The Concrete Cage *****
The Forgotten Village ***** - one of my top three C-M stories
Unto the Breach *****
August 9, 2016
The 3rd series of Counter Measures is my favourite so far. The characters are just all developing wonderfully and it is adding so much to the stories.
In the first story Allison is brilliant! Going off investigating and making her own scientific concoctions to solve the problem with the bad guys. It seems like before she wasn't really getting enough opportunities to use her scientific knowledge, and just relied on flirting, so this was a great change. This was backed up with a trial for Sir Toby, where people had to admit they kinda didn't like or trust him, but you could understand why.
The 2nd story was really great, combining social housing, local history, and the blitz. It very much felt like a story based on my work. The spooky science of old British scifi was done very well. And the story was very atmospheric, and all the members got to shine.
The 3rd story focused on Allison and followed her back to her home where her father was ill. Perhaps not the most obvious set up for one of their stories but the added character dimensions were really great, and it wasn't long before everything went very odd and she had to call in Rachael for backup.
The 4th story had much less of Allison, as she was still suffering amnesia, but the other three went on a dangerous mission to East Berlin, where everything kept changing and the series ended with a great cliffhanger.
Fantastic series. Glad I don't have to wait a whole year for the next part.
In the first story Allison is brilliant! Going off investigating and making her own scientific concoctions to solve the problem with the bad guys. It seems like before she wasn't really getting enough opportunities to use her scientific knowledge, and just relied on flirting, so this was a great change. This was backed up with a trial for Sir Toby, where people had to admit they kinda didn't like or trust him, but you could understand why.
The 2nd story was really great, combining social housing, local history, and the blitz. It very much felt like a story based on my work. The spooky science of old British scifi was done very well. And the story was very atmospheric, and all the members got to shine.
The 3rd story focused on Allison and followed her back to her home where her father was ill. Perhaps not the most obvious set up for one of their stories but the added character dimensions were really great, and it wasn't long before everything went very odd and she had to call in Rachael for backup.
The 4th story had much less of Allison, as she was still suffering amnesia, but the other three went on a dangerous mission to East Berlin, where everything kept changing and the series ended with a great cliffhanger.
Fantastic series. Glad I don't have to wait a whole year for the next part.
May 29, 2020
Counter measures is investigating a lot of Alien issues.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews