Human Resources (audio story): Difference between revisions

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{{real world}}
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{{Infobox Story SMW
{{Infobox Story
|image           = <gallery>
|image = Mcg07 humanresources1 big.jpg
Mcg07 humanresources1 big.jpg|Part One
|image2 = Mcg08 humanresources2 big.jpg
Mcg08 humanresources2 big.jpg|Part Two
|name = Human Resources
</gallery>
|series = [[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories#The New Eighth Doctor Adventures|The New Eighth Doctor Adventures]]
|range          = Eighth Doctor Adventures (audio series)
|number = 1.7/1.8
|series in range = Series 1 (8DA)
|doctor = Eighth Doctor
|series number in range = 1
|companions = [[Lucie Miller]]
|number in series = 7/8
|enemy = [[Cyberman (Mondas)|The Cybermen]]<br />the [[Headhunter]]
|series         = ''[[Eighth Doctor Adventures (audio series)|Eighth Doctor Adventures]]''
|setting = [[Lonsis]], [[2006]]
|number         = 1.7/1.8
|writer = [[Eddie Robson]]
|doctor         = Eighth Doctor
|director = [[Nicholas Briggs]]
|companions     = [[Lucie Miller|Lucie]]
|post production = [[Andy Hardwick]] and [[Gareth Jenkins]]
|featuring      = [[Straxus (Human Resources)|Straxus]]
|cover=[[Alex Mallinson]]
|enemy           = [[Todd Hulbert|Hulbert]], [[Cyber-Leader (Human Resources)|Cyber-Leader]], [[Headhunter]]
|publisher = [[Big Finish Productions]]
|setting         = [[Lonsis]], [[2006]]
|release date = [[July]] [[2007]] (Part 1)<br /> [[August]] [[2007]] (Part 2)
|writer         = Eddie Robson
|format = 2 episodes on 2 discs
|director       = [[Nicholas Briggs]]
|production code = BFPDWCDMG007 (Part 1) <br /> BFPDWCDMG008 (Part 2)
|producer        = Nicholas Briggs, [[Sharon Gosling]]
|isbn = ISBN 978-1-84435-261-6<br /> ISBN 978-1-84435-262-3
|music          = [[Andy Hardwick]]
|prev = No More Lies (audio story)
|sound          = [[Gareth Jenkins (sound designer)|Gareth Jenkins]]
|next = Dead London (audio story)
|cover           = [[Alex Mallinson]]
}}{{audio stub}}
|publisher       = Big Finish Productions
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the eighth story, though like the first story of this series ''[[Blood of the Daleks (audio story)|Blood of the Daleks]]'' it was a two part release; this story occupied the seventh and eighth releases that formed the final parts to [[Big Finish Productions]]' first series of ''[[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories#The New Eighth Doctor Adventures|The New Eighth Doctor Adventures]]'' audio stories that were co-produced with [[BBC 7]]. This was the first encounter with the Cybermen for the [[Eighth Doctor]] since [[Charlotte Pollard]]'s departure story ''[[The Girl Who Never Was (audio story)|The Girl Who Never Was]]''.
|epcount        = 2
|broadcast date  = 11 - 18 February 2007
|release date   = July 2007 (Part 1)
|release date2  = August 2007 (Part 2)
|format         = 2 CDs<br/>Download
|production code = {{il|BFPDWCDMG007 (Part 1)|BFPDWCDMG008 (Part 2)}}
|isbn           = ISBN 978-1-84435-261-6 (part one physical)<br/>ISBN 978-1-78178-482-2 (part one digital)<br/>ISBN 978-1-84435-262-3 (part two physical)<br/>ISBN 978-1-78178-483-9 (part two digital)
|prev           = No More Lies (audio story)
|next           = Dead London (audio story)
|made prev      = Horror of Glam Rock (audio story)
|made next      = Max Warp (audio story)
}}{{spotify|album=4V5ZnSJaoJE9eoJvLPVONU}}{{spotify|album=3frRVtM3aYipDu5N6TW0qb}}
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the sixth and final story in the [[Series 1 (8DA)|first series]] of the ''[[The Eighth Doctor Adventures (audio series)|Eighth Doctor Adventures]]'', produced by [[Big Finish Productions]] and [[BBC Radio 4 Extra|BBC 7]]. It was written by [[Eddie Robson]] and featured [[Paul McGann]] as the [[Eighth Doctor]] and [[Sheridan Smith]] as [[Lucie Miller]], as well as introduced [[Nickolas Grace]] as a [[Straxus (Human Resources)|new incarnation]] of [[Straxus]], a [[Time Lord]] working for the [[Celestial Intervention Agency]], previously introduced in ''[[The Adventure of the Diogenes Damsel (audio story)|The Adventure of the Diogenes Damsel]]''.
 
This story, like [[Blood of the Daleks|the first story in the series]], was released in two parts, and thus comprised both the seventh and eighth releases of the series. It was therefore given two different cover artworks, which allowed Big Finish to market it without initially spoiling which foes would appear in the story. This was the first encounter with the [[Cyberman|Cybermen]] for the [[Eighth Doctor]] since [[Charlotte Pollard]]'s departure story ''[[The Girl Who Never Was (audio story)|The Girl Who Never Was]]'', though that story would not release until later in 2007.
 
The story was released along with the other stories in Series 1 in the collection ''[[The Eighth Doctor and Lucie Miller (audio series)|The Eighth Doctor and Lucie Miller]]'' on [[3 October (releases)|3 October]] [[2023 (releases)|2023]].


== Publisher's summary ==
== Publisher's summary ==
=== Part 1 ===
Lucie Miller's been headhunted to join the staff of [[Hulbert Logistics]], a respectable blue-chip firm in Telford. Great prospects, competitive salary — you don't have to be mad to work here! But wasn't she made for better things, like travelling by TARDIS through time and space? The Doctor, meanwhile, has been fired — into a confrontation with the most terrifying of enemies...
Lucie Miller's been headhunted to join the staff of [[Hulbert Logistics]], a respectable blue-chip firm in Telford. Great prospects, competitive salary — you don't have to be mad to work here! But wasn't she made for better things, like travelling by TARDIS through time and space? The Doctor, meanwhile, has been fired — into a confrontation with the most terrifying of enemies...
=== Part 2 ===
Business as usual? Not at Hulbert Logistics, where staff are facing a menace far worse than the prospect of the office Christmas Party. Lucie's made some friends and the Doctor's met some old enemies. But just who will become the Headhunter's new apprentice? Welcome to the job interview from hell.


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
''to be added''
=== Part 1 ===
In the TARDIS, the Doctor is furiously trying to get the console to work when a Time Lord named [[Straxus (Human Resources)|Straxus]] suddenly appears. The Doctor reminds Straxus that the Time Lords rigged the TARDIS so it would only function when Lucie was aboard and now she's gone missing he's trapped and unable to help her. Straxus explains that Lucie has been pulled back to her natural point in space and time, although they're not sure how nor what is actually going on. He promises to restore the TARDIS to normal only if he retrieves Lucie, and gives the Doctor a [[Eighth Doctor's Time Ring|Time Ring]] to find her.
 
Meanwhile, Lucie starts her new job at Hulbert Logistics, an office in Telford, believing that her travels with the Doctor were all a dream. The Doctor arrives at the office and restores Lucie's memories. She realises that this is the job she was meant to start before she was taken by the Time Lords. He decides to investigate and finds the staff working on military tactics. Lucie is fired from the job and is ejected from the office with another member of staff, Karen. The office is revealed to be the interior of a giant war machine on an alien planet, where they find a small group of other ex-employees.
 
Meanwhile the Doctor finds a dimensional corridor in the human resources department, which leads to an office on Earth run by a man called [[Todd Hulbert]], who explains that he helps aliens fight wars by brainwashing humans to run the war machines. Believing the Doctor to be his latest 'client', he takes him to a conference on the alien planet to demonstrate his company's effectiveness as the current targets of his corporations have been hunted to near extinction. Believing Hulbert's plans to be unjustified, the Doctor sabotages the conference's defensive systems, only to discover that the war is being fought against [[Cyberman|Cybermen]], who storm the conference room.
 
=== Part 2 ===
Hubert agrees to work with the Cybermen, against the Doctor's advice. The Doctor learns that these Cybermen are an earlier version of the Cybermen he will encounter on Telos, having not recognised the name of the planet. Lucie and the ex-employees meet the Headhunter, who explains she was hired by Hubert to track Lucie down in case a rival company was trying to reverse-engineer his brainwashing techniques. As she has no desire to see the Cybermen win, she agrees to help them. Lucie returns to the office with the other ex-employees and regains control.
 
Meanwhile, the Cybermen have summoned the office as it has a 100% success record, and they also intend to use the dimensional corridor to invade Earth. The office attacks the Cybermen whilst Lucie sneaks out and rescues the Doctor. They re-enter the office where Lucie shows the Doctor a device which she found in the office, which he recognises as a Quantum Crystalliser, a device which alters possible future timelines to ensure the best possible outcome for the user. They both return to the TARDIS and talk to Straxus who explains that the war had been engineered by the [[Celestial Intervention Agency]] to try to eliminate the Cybermen. The Time Lord also explains that the CIA predicted that Lucie would become a dictator who would interfere with mankind's progress, so they also used a Crystalliser to alter her past to prevent this, but eventually they had to pull her out of time into the TARDIS, as contact with another Crystalliser would lead to her timeline becoming dangerously unstable.
 
Realising that the Time Lords have manipulated her life Lucie takes the Quantum Crystalliser and runs back to the office. The Doctor realises that the Time Lords mistook Lucie for Karen when they pulled her out of time due to them both having job interviews on the same day, and Karen is the one destined to become a dictator. The Headhunter tries to talk Lucie into using the Quantum Crystalliser to get revenge on the Time Lords. The Doctor arrives and explains the situation to her. She gives him the Crystalliser, but is shocked when he gives it to the Cybermen. However, the Cyberman who uses it instantly suffers total systems failure and is killed. The Doctor explains that the Quantum Crystalliser has been programmed to ensure that the Cybermen are defeated, so he increases the range on it, causing all of the Cybermen to be killed, and rendering the device itself useless. Whilst Straxus (who was injured and may regenerate) returns the office workers home, Karen decides to become the Headhunter's new assistant. The Doctor offers to return Lucie home now the TARDIS has been restored to normal, however Lucie chooses to stay with him. With that, the two set off for new adventures.


== Cast ==
== Cast ==
Line 35: Line 68:
* [[Lucie Miller]] - [[Sheridan Smith]]
* [[Lucie Miller]] - [[Sheridan Smith]]
* [[Headhunter]] - [[Katarina Olsson]]
* [[Headhunter]] - [[Katarina Olsson]]
* [[Hulbert]] - [[Roy Marsden]]
* [[Todd Hulbert|Hulbert]] - [[Roy Marsden]]
* [[Straxus]] - [[Nickolas Grace]]
* [[Straxus (Human Resources)|Straxus]] - [[Nickolas Grace]]
* [[Jerry Cooper]] - [[Owen Brenman]]
* [[Jerry Cooper]] - [[Owen Brenman]]
* [[Karen Coltraine]] - [[Louise Fullerton]]
* [[Karen Coltraine]] - [[Louise Fullerton]]
* [[Malcolm (Human Resources)|Malcolm]] - [[Andy Wisher]]
* [[Malcolm (Human Resources)|Malcolm Glass]] - [[Andrew Wisher|Andy Wisher]]
* The [[Cyberman (Mondas)|Cybermen]] - [[Nicholas Briggs]]
* The [[Cyberman|Cybermen]] / [[Cyber-Leader (Human Resources)|Cyber-Leader]] - [[Nicholas Briggs]]


== Crew ==


== References ==
* Cover Art - [[Alex Mallinson]]
* Director - [[Nicholas Briggs]]
* Executive Producers - [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]] and Nicholas Briggs
* Music - [[Andy Hardwick]]
* Producers - Nicholas Briggs and [[Sharon Gosling]]
* Script Editor - [[Alan Barnes]]
* Sound Design - [[Gareth Jenkins (sound designer)|Gareth Jenkins]]
* Writer - [[Eddie Robson]]
* Associate Producer - [[Barnaby Edwards]]
* Cybermen created by [[Kit Pedler]] and [[Gerry Davis]]
 
== Worldbuilding ==
=== Species ===
=== Species ===
* The Cybermen from this story have migrated from [[Mondas]] to [[Lonsis]]. The Cyberleader has not even heard of [[Telos]], which means that these Cyberman migrated to another planet before the other Cybermen came across Telos.
* The [[Cyberman|Cybermen]] have migrated from [[Mondas]] to [[Lonsis]]. The [[Cyber-Leader (Human Resources)|Cyber-Leader]] has not even heard of [[Telos]], consistent with the claims made by the [[Second Doctor|Second]] and [[Twelfth Doctor]]s that the Telosian Cybermen were native to Telos, a result of parallel evolution.
* The [[Shinx]] are a race of traders from [[Shinus]].
* The [[Shinx]] are a race of traders from [[Shinnus (Human Resources)|Shinnus]].


=== Time Lords ===
=== Time Lords ===
* [[Time Lord]] agents use [[Time Ring]]s on missions.
* [[Time Lord]] agents use [[Time Ring]]s on missions.
* Lucie finds a [[Quantum crystalliser]].
=== Television ===
* [[Del Boy]] and [[Rodney Trotter|Rodney]] from the television series ''[[Only Fools and Horses]]'' are mentioned as characters that are frequently quoted by clients who have picked up Earth's television signals in deep space. The Doctor responds to this by saying "[[Lovely jubbly]]," a quote often said by Del Boy.
=== Cultural references from the real world ===
* Malcolm mentions about [[Red Nose Day]] when he is being locked in the cupboard.
* The Doctor's business cards reference American Psycho, "Bone colouring with raised Silian Rail type."


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
* [[Roy Marsden]] (Hulbert) previously played [[B. Stoker|Mr Stoker]] in [[TV]]: ''[[Smith and Jones]]''.
[[File:Dwm human resources.jpg|thumb|Review artwork by [[Ben Willsher]] from [[DWM 384]].]]
* This audio drama was recorded on [[26 August (production)|26]] and [[30 August (production)|30 August]] [[2006]] at [[The Moat Studios]].
[[File:Human Resources.jpeg|thumb|Promotional poster by [[Alex Mallinson]] from [[DWM 385]].]]
* This is the only New Eighth Doctor Adventure story to feature the [[Cybermen]].
* This audio drama was recorded on [[26 August (production)|26]] and [[30 August (production)|30 August]] [[2006 (production)|2006]] at [[the Moat Studios]].
* This two-part finale marked the beginning of a few traditions in the New Eighth Doctor Adventures series finale range. Firstly, the preceding 3 series finales would all feature one of the Doctor's most deadliest enemies. Secondly, all 4 series end with a 2-part story, and thirdly, they are all significent to the character of [[Lucie Miller]] and her relationship with [[the Doctor]].
* This story featured the last regular use of [[David Arnold]]'s theme arrangement until [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Great War (audio story)|The Great War]]'' in [[2012 (releases)|2012]]. It would be replaced by a revised variant of Delia Derbyshire's arrangement for the remainder of the 8DAs.
* It also saw the final use of narrated opening and closing credits in the range.
* This was the only story from [[The Eighth Doctor Adventures (audio series)|The Eighth Doctor Adventures]] range to feature the [[Cyberman|Cybermen]] until [[2023 (releases)|2023]]'s ''[[The Great Cyber-War (audio story)|The Great Cyber-War]]''.
* This two-part finale marked the beginning of a few traditions in Eighth Doctor Adventures series finales. Firstly, the first three series finales would each feature one of the Doctor's deadliest enemies. Secondly, all four series end with a 2-part story, and thirdly, they are all significant to the character of [[Lucie Miller]] and her relationship with [[the Doctor]].
* On the Cover for Part 1 Nickolas Grace is incorrectly credited as Nic'''h'''olas Grace.
* This story was released on two separate CDs and downloads.


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* The [[Time Lords]] send the Doctor on the mission of hunting down Lucie, and they give him a Time Ring. The [[Fourth Doctor]] was given the same on his mission to avert the Daleks creation. ([[TV]]: ''[[Genesis of the Daleks]]'')
* The [[Headhunter]] kidnapped [[Lucie Miller]] in [[AUDIO]]: {{cs|No More Lies (audio story)}}.
* Lucie mentions the Tomorrow Twins. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Horror of Glam Rock]]'')
* The [[Time Lord]]s send the Doctor on the mission of hunting down Lucie and give him [[Eighth Doctor's Time Ring|a Time Ring]]. The [[Fourth Doctor]] was also given a Time Ring on his mission to avert the [[creation of the Daleks]] in [[TV]]: {{cs|Genesis of the Daleks (TV story)}}.
* The [[Sixth Doctor]] previously encountered the [[Shinx]] in [[Manchester]] in [[February]] [[2008]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Condemned]]'')
* Lucie mentions the [[Dalek]]s, whom she encountered in [[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Blood of the Daleks (audio story)}}; the [[Tomorrow Twins]], who appeared in [[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Horror of Glam Rock (audio story)}}; and [[Phobos]], the moon which she and the Doctor visited in [[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Phobos (audio story)}}.
* The [[Sixth Doctor]] previously encountered the [[Shinx]] in [[Manchester (city)|Manchester]] in [[February]] [[2008]] in [[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Condemned (audio story)}}.
* These Cybermen escaped to [[Lonsis]] following the destruction of [[Mondas]] and reference the Doctor's part in its destruction, as seen in [[TV]]: {{cs|The Tenth Planet (TV story)}}.
* The Cybermen are aware of the incident on [[Planet 14]], first referred to in [[TV]]: {{cs|The Invasion (TV story)}}.
* The Cybermen are unaware of [[Telos]], the Cyberman world seen in [[TV]]: {{cs|The Tomb of the Cybermen (TV story)}} and [[TV]]: {{cs|Attack of the Cybermen (TV story)}}.
* When lying about his details to [[Todd Hulbert|Hulbert]], the Doctor mentions that he is "without friends or protection". He previously said this about himself and his granddaughter [[Susan]] in [[TV]]: {{cs|An Unearthly Child (TV story)}}.


== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{bigfinish|17-Doctor-Who-Human-Resources-Part-1|Human Resources (Part 1)}}
{{bigfinish|releases/v/human-resources---part-1-521|Human Resources (Part 1)}}
* {{bigfinish|18-Doctor-Who-Human-Resources-Part-2|Human Resources (Part 2)}}
{{bigfinish|releases/v/human-resources---part-2-522|Human Resources (Part 2)}}
* {{dwrefguide|bbc7_06.htm|Human Resources}}


* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150309054731/http://www.chakoteya.net/8Doctor/107.html Human Resources (Part 1) Transcript]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150309054736/http://www.chakoteya.net/8Doctor/108.html Human Resources (Part 2) Transcript]
{{dwrefguide|bbc7_06.htm|Human Resources}}
* {{whoniverse|bf8d01_06|Human Resources}}
* {{tetrap|8/humanresources.html|Human Resources}}
{{BF EDA}}
{{Cyberman stories}}
{{TitleSort}}
[[fr:Human Resources]]
[[fr:Human Resources]]
{{TitleSort}}
{{BF EDA}}


[[Category:Series 1 (8DA) audio stories]]
[[Category:Audio stories in which the Doctor is on a mission for the Time Lords]]
[[Category:Time Lord audio stories]]
[[Category:Cyberman audio stories]]
[[Category:Two part audio stories]]
[[Category:Eighth Doctor audio stories]]
[[Category:2007 audio stories]]
[[Category:2007 audio stories]]
[[Category:Eighth Doctor Adventures audio stories]]
[[Category:Stories in which the Doctor is on a mission for the Time Lords]]

Latest revision as of 20:54, 3 November 2024

RealWorld.png

Human Resources was the sixth and final story in the first series of the Eighth Doctor Adventures, produced by Big Finish Productions and BBC 7. It was written by Eddie Robson and featured Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor and Sheridan Smith as Lucie Miller, as well as introduced Nickolas Grace as a new incarnation of Straxus, a Time Lord working for the Celestial Intervention Agency, previously introduced in The Adventure of the Diogenes Damsel.

This story, like the first story in the series, was released in two parts, and thus comprised both the seventh and eighth releases of the series. It was therefore given two different cover artworks, which allowed Big Finish to market it without initially spoiling which foes would appear in the story. This was the first encounter with the Cybermen for the Eighth Doctor since Charlotte Pollard's departure story The Girl Who Never Was, though that story would not release until later in 2007.

The story was released along with the other stories in Series 1 in the collection The Eighth Doctor and Lucie Miller on 3 October 2023.

Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part 1[[edit] | [edit source]]

Lucie Miller's been headhunted to join the staff of Hulbert Logistics, a respectable blue-chip firm in Telford. Great prospects, competitive salary — you don't have to be mad to work here! But wasn't she made for better things, like travelling by TARDIS through time and space? The Doctor, meanwhile, has been fired — into a confrontation with the most terrifying of enemies...

Part 2[[edit] | [edit source]]

Business as usual? Not at Hulbert Logistics, where staff are facing a menace far worse than the prospect of the office Christmas Party. Lucie's made some friends and the Doctor's met some old enemies. But just who will become the Headhunter's new apprentice? Welcome to the job interview from hell.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part 1[[edit] | [edit source]]

In the TARDIS, the Doctor is furiously trying to get the console to work when a Time Lord named Straxus suddenly appears. The Doctor reminds Straxus that the Time Lords rigged the TARDIS so it would only function when Lucie was aboard and now she's gone missing he's trapped and unable to help her. Straxus explains that Lucie has been pulled back to her natural point in space and time, although they're not sure how nor what is actually going on. He promises to restore the TARDIS to normal only if he retrieves Lucie, and gives the Doctor a Time Ring to find her.

Meanwhile, Lucie starts her new job at Hulbert Logistics, an office in Telford, believing that her travels with the Doctor were all a dream. The Doctor arrives at the office and restores Lucie's memories. She realises that this is the job she was meant to start before she was taken by the Time Lords. He decides to investigate and finds the staff working on military tactics. Lucie is fired from the job and is ejected from the office with another member of staff, Karen. The office is revealed to be the interior of a giant war machine on an alien planet, where they find a small group of other ex-employees.

Meanwhile the Doctor finds a dimensional corridor in the human resources department, which leads to an office on Earth run by a man called Todd Hulbert, who explains that he helps aliens fight wars by brainwashing humans to run the war machines. Believing the Doctor to be his latest 'client', he takes him to a conference on the alien planet to demonstrate his company's effectiveness as the current targets of his corporations have been hunted to near extinction. Believing Hulbert's plans to be unjustified, the Doctor sabotages the conference's defensive systems, only to discover that the war is being fought against Cybermen, who storm the conference room.

Part 2[[edit] | [edit source]]

Hubert agrees to work with the Cybermen, against the Doctor's advice. The Doctor learns that these Cybermen are an earlier version of the Cybermen he will encounter on Telos, having not recognised the name of the planet. Lucie and the ex-employees meet the Headhunter, who explains she was hired by Hubert to track Lucie down in case a rival company was trying to reverse-engineer his brainwashing techniques. As she has no desire to see the Cybermen win, she agrees to help them. Lucie returns to the office with the other ex-employees and regains control.

Meanwhile, the Cybermen have summoned the office as it has a 100% success record, and they also intend to use the dimensional corridor to invade Earth. The office attacks the Cybermen whilst Lucie sneaks out and rescues the Doctor. They re-enter the office where Lucie shows the Doctor a device which she found in the office, which he recognises as a Quantum Crystalliser, a device which alters possible future timelines to ensure the best possible outcome for the user. They both return to the TARDIS and talk to Straxus who explains that the war had been engineered by the Celestial Intervention Agency to try to eliminate the Cybermen. The Time Lord also explains that the CIA predicted that Lucie would become a dictator who would interfere with mankind's progress, so they also used a Crystalliser to alter her past to prevent this, but eventually they had to pull her out of time into the TARDIS, as contact with another Crystalliser would lead to her timeline becoming dangerously unstable.

Realising that the Time Lords have manipulated her life Lucie takes the Quantum Crystalliser and runs back to the office. The Doctor realises that the Time Lords mistook Lucie for Karen when they pulled her out of time due to them both having job interviews on the same day, and Karen is the one destined to become a dictator. The Headhunter tries to talk Lucie into using the Quantum Crystalliser to get revenge on the Time Lords. The Doctor arrives and explains the situation to her. She gives him the Crystalliser, but is shocked when he gives it to the Cybermen. However, the Cyberman who uses it instantly suffers total systems failure and is killed. The Doctor explains that the Quantum Crystalliser has been programmed to ensure that the Cybermen are defeated, so he increases the range on it, causing all of the Cybermen to be killed, and rendering the device itself useless. Whilst Straxus (who was injured and may regenerate) returns the office workers home, Karen decides to become the Headhunter's new assistant. The Doctor offers to return Lucie home now the TARDIS has been restored to normal, however Lucie chooses to stay with him. With that, the two set off for new adventures.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Species[[edit] | [edit source]]

Time Lords[[edit] | [edit source]]

Television[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Del Boy and Rodney from the television series Only Fools and Horses are mentioned as characters that are frequently quoted by clients who have picked up Earth's television signals in deep space. The Doctor responds to this by saying "Lovely jubbly," a quote often said by Del Boy.

Cultural references from the real world[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Malcolm mentions about Red Nose Day when he is being locked in the cupboard.
  • The Doctor's business cards reference American Psycho, "Bone colouring with raised Silian Rail type."

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Review artwork by Ben Willsher from DWM 384.
Promotional poster by Alex Mallinson from DWM 385.
  • This audio drama was recorded on 26 and 30 August 2006 at the Moat Studios.
  • This story featured the last regular use of David Arnold's theme arrangement until AUDIO: The Great War in 2012. It would be replaced by a revised variant of Delia Derbyshire's arrangement for the remainder of the 8DAs.
  • It also saw the final use of narrated opening and closing credits in the range.
  • This was the only story from The Eighth Doctor Adventures range to feature the Cybermen until 2023's The Great Cyber-War.
  • This two-part finale marked the beginning of a few traditions in Eighth Doctor Adventures series finales. Firstly, the first three series finales would each feature one of the Doctor's deadliest enemies. Secondly, all four series end with a 2-part story, and thirdly, they are all significant to the character of Lucie Miller and her relationship with the Doctor.
  • On the Cover for Part 1 Nickolas Grace is incorrectly credited as Nicholas Grace.
  • This story was released on two separate CDs and downloads.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]