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“THE EXTINCTION EVENT – A MURDER MYSTERY AMONGST THE ANTIQUES”

A low-stakes whodunnit with lovely character work but little tension to carry it through.

The Extinction Event, written by Lance Parkin, finds Bernice Summerfield teaming up with Irving Braxiatel in a classic murder mystery set during the auction of the last surviving relic from the destroyed planet Halstad: the Halstad Harp. What sounds on paper like a gripping tale of deadly ambition, cultural legacy, and academic rivalry unfortunately unfolds into something much less dynamic.

The story starts with a brisk mission briefing: Halstad is gone, the harp is all that’s left, and Braxiatel wants it—naturally. Benny is along for the ride, both as archaeologist and sleuth. The twist? The current owner of the harp may be killing anyone who gets in their way of claiming or protecting it.

FLAT ATMOSPHERE, LACKING TENSION

While the setup hints at a Christie-style chamber mystery with intergalactic stakes, the execution is a little too sedate. What should be a taut tale of secrets, murder, and hidden motivations ends up feeling more like a slow meander through polite conversations and exposition dumps. Benny goes from character to character, teasing out backstories and motives, but there’s no real sense of threat or urgency.

Part of the problem lies in the production itself. The music and sound design do little to elevate the atmosphere; the audio mix lacks clarity and weight, meaning key moments don’t land with the impact they should. The result is an oddly bloodless murder mystery—technically sound but emotionally uninvolving.

BENNY MEETS BRAX – A STAR DUO IS BORN

What does shine here, and what ultimately rescues the story from complete forgettability, is the dynamic between Bernice and Braxiatel. Lisa Bowerman is in excellent form, giving Benny the snark, intelligence, and weariness we love her for. Meanwhile, Miles Richardson makes an instantly strong debut as Brax—cool, commanding, with a deep voice that instantly evokes the image of an eccentric academic used to getting what he wants.

The scenes between the two are the real highlight of the piece. There's a sharpness to their dialogue, especially as the situation becomes more desperate and their personalities begin to clash. We see the beginnings of what will become one of Big Finish’s most enduring double acts: Benny and Brax, two scholars with secrets and sarcasm to spare.

THEME TUNE STRIPPED BACK… A BIT TOO MUCH

The story features the familiar Benny theme tune, this time mercifully without the infamously cheesy lyrics—but as odd as it is to say, their absence is felt. As corny as they were, those lyrics gave the series a sort of identity and charm. Without them, the instrumental feels rather anonymous—another element that contributes to the story's somewhat indistinct flavour.

AUDIO ISSUES CONTINUE TO PLAGUE THE RANGE

Sadly, ongoing issues with audio mixing continue here. Dialogue occasionally drowns in ambient noise, and scene transitions aren’t as smooth as they could be. These technical stumbles, though minor on paper, stack up to diminish immersion and enjoyment—especially in a story that so badly needs a stronger atmosphere to support its slower, more cerebral pacing.

📝VERDICT: 52/100

The Extinction Event is a functional mystery with a promising central duo but not much else to get excited about. It’s pleasant rather than gripping, polite rather than thrilling. The lack of tension, pedestrian direction, and weak atmosphere make it one of the more forgettable entries in early Benny audio adventures—though the burgeoning relationship between Bernice and Braxiatel adds just enough spark to keep it from falling completely flat.

honestly i was kinda hoping for a twist more in line with the curse of peladon, but this was played almost too straight which was pretty disappointing. decent enough though

Bernice Summerfield

#2.03. The Extinction Event ~ 9/10

◆ An Introduction

Series Two feels like it exists for one reason, and that is introducing us to some of the major players in the ‘Bernice Summerfield’ range.

We got to meet the amazing Adrian Wall in the last adventure, and now we get to encounter Benny’s enigmatic, cunning employer.

Are you ready to meet Irving Braxiatel?

◆ Publisher’s Summary

An exclusive auction house is offering the only known object to have survived the destruction of the planet Halstad.

Professor Bernice Summerfield goes with Irving Braxiatel to secure this unique object for the Braxiatel Collection. But this is not a straightforward sale. There is a murderer on the loose, on the trail of whoever owns the Halstad Harp.

◆ Prof. Bernice Summerfield

Lisa Bowerman gave her best performance since ‘Just War’ in this adventure, which isn’t surprising: both stories were penned by Lance Parkin.

Benny is meant to be supervising a dig on some mud-ball… but has instead decided to stay in her prefabricated hut, in her pyjamas! I love that she walks into the auction house and just starts critiquing all the artefacts, including the fact some of the Martian memorabilia has been labelled with the wrong region! She never forgets a face. Benny knows that there are super weapons all over the universe, if you know where to look. She’s been in the middle of wars, seen friends killed, and her own mother died in the Galactic Wars when she was only eight years old.

◆ Irving Braxiatel (Brax of Dellah)

This has been a long time coming. A cunning business man, and rumoured to be the Doctor’s older brother, Braxiatel has been shrouded in mystery. I’m so happy to finally be discussing him. Miles Richardson was perfect casting for the role, and he delivers a faultless performance in this episode.

Braxiatel doesn’t do social visits, but he does like to know how his money is being spent. His reputation as a collector precedes him, so he needs to keep his head down… or the price of the Harp will likely sky-rocket. His official title is that of Lord Cardinal, but it’s clear he just goes by Brax these days.

◆ Story Recap

The planet Halstad – also known as the planet of ash – was destroyed by cosmic rays seven years ago, relative to the year 2600. The human civilisation was wiped out, the seas evaporated, and even the first few layers of bedrock were atomised. The whole world became a sterile desert.

20,000 years of recorded history was wiped out… except for a single artefact, and Irving Braxiatel believes it’s the right time to add the Halstads to the Collection’s inventory.

At a very special auction known as the Extinction Event, a Halstad harp is about to go on sale… but matters are soon complicated when an attempt is made on the seller’s life, and complicated even more when the reason for that attempt is made clear.

◆ Antiques Roadshow

It’s revealed that the Gulfrarg Ambassador is actually responsible for the destruction of Halstad, and that it was a Gulfrarg battle ship that bombarded the planet with cosmic rays. That then begs the question of why?

It all revolves around the titular Extinction Event – this special auction where people come to buy and sell items that originate from civilisations that have long ceased to be, those that have been wiped out and made extinct.

Before destroying Halstad, the Ambassador made sure to acquire one of their famed harps… and its value completely skyrocketed when the planet was decimated. In other words, genocide in the pursuit of profit. It’s a sickening plot, and definitely not one I’ve encountered before.

◆ Sound Design

I bring good news! This is the last episode where the poor quality, glitch ridden work of Toby Richards and Emily Baker will be polluting this range. Hallelujah for that! I know I’ve been really rather harsh with my criticism of their sound work, but it’s been consistently awful for three releases now. Shockingly, they did an alright job with ‘The Extinction Event’.

Flowing water and tweeting birds in Halstad’s distant past, interrupted by the beautiful sound of an ancient harp. A devastating burst of cosmic rays wipes out all life on the planet, causing a great gust of wind… before it subsides, leaving behind only a deathly silence. Drizzling rain on the mud planet. Irving Braxiatel’s private shuttle coming in to land. A band playing classical music in the Extinction Event auction house. The horrific gurgling of the Gulfrarg Ambassador is honestly similar to the growls of the Jagrafess. A stun gun discharges on Hulver.

◆ Conclusion

“This sale is exclusively of items from lost civilisations.”

Come to the Extinction Event and see some of the rarest artefacts in the multiverse go under the hammer. Next up, the Halstad Harp (comes with all its original strings, and a murderer who just so happens to be the last of the Halstadian race).

Lance Parkin has absolutely nailed it with ‘The Extinction Event’. A brilliantly interesting plot, and the introduction of Miles Richardson as Braxiatel… and everybody loves Irving Braxiatel!