K9: Hound Of The Korven

(doesn't feature any actual hounds, or Korven)

K9 definitely doesn't have the sharpest teeth in the pack.

In this episode, despite all the trouble that Thorne has caused in recent weeks by exploiting alien tech for his own ends, the metal mutt still goes and gives up his regeneration unit to the corrupt inspector in return for a copy of his memories that Thorne cannot possibly possess.

Thorne: "Deal or no deal?"

The result? Oh no, Thorne has unexpectedly double-crossed K9 (again!), and instead supplied a disc containing instructions that turn him into a living bomb!

Well, that does not compute.

Especially given everyone's ongoing amnesia of the Black Hunger.

Elsewhere, Starkey gets captured by one of the Jixen that he encountered in episodes one and two. Having been in hiding for the rest of this series, said Jixen has spent its time learning spoken English (from a list of Official Scrabble Words) and cowering in those sewers that these crazy kids spend so much of their lives chasing around. It even seems to have upgraded the mobile phone that it's been shot on, although admittedly the frame rate was looking pretty good in its chronologically earliest appearance in episode 4 too.

Starkey and the Jixen have a bit of a chat, during which the allegation comes out that the Department is subverting Korven tech for its own ends. To prove its honesty, the Jixen even frees Starkey, resulting in a bit of a showdown when K9 the suicide bomb-dog tries to blow the alien up. Yes, it's yet another bomb in the sewers. I guess those places really aren't safe.

Back in the Department bus (ding-ding!), the silhouetted driver has switched seats again with the equally silhouetted Lomax who, it must be said, sounds suspiciously just like the Jixen, and has lost his English accent. There's all the usual office and family politics, and by the end of this instalment, our heroes have survived as usual, but at a cost. Thorne still has K9's regeneration unit, meaning two things:

1. K9 now cannot regenerate.

2. Thorne's up to something.

Did I mention that this is yet another episode to use pretty well only pre-existing sets? I suppose there was the Jixen's lair, but that was still in those tunnels that they keep on using, apparently to avoid expensive location work getting from A to B.

And Darius' dad from last week appears in a scene in the whited-out VR prison. Once more: no set.

Tomorrow we're watching the final episode - this had better follow on.

I certainly don't expect everything to get tied up though - this team have proved again and again that they just don't care enough.