War Against the Laan (audio story)
War Against the Laan was the third story in the second series of The Fourth Doctor Adventures, produced by Big Finish Productions. It was written by Nicholas Briggs and featured Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor, Mary Tamm as Romana I, John Leeson as K9 Mark II, David Warner as Cuthbert and Toby Hadoke as Mr Dorrick.
It was the conclusion of a two-part story, which began in The Sands of Life.
Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]
"Just a taste of Armageddon, Romana. It's what happens when acquisitive minds are left unencumbered by conscience."
The Doctor, Romana and newly elected President Sheridan Moorkurk take on the all-consuming powers of business tycoon Cuthbert and his vast Conglomerate. But the situation goes beyond a struggle for political power. Cuthbert is intent on revenge on creatures he feels have attacked his interests. But when his revenge looks like leading to inter-species war, the Doctor knows the stakes couldn't be higher.
The Laan are on the move. Is it too late to prevent the destruction of all life on Earth?
Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]
to be added
Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]
- The Doctor - Tom Baker
- Romana - Mary Tamm
- K9 Mark II - John Leeson
- Cuthbert - David Warner
- President Moorkurk - Hayley Atwell
- The Laan - Jane Slavin
- Mr Dorrick - Toby Hadoke
- Tallister - Hugh Fraser
- Bob Caveer - Nicholas Briggs
- Security Man / Spaceship Captain - John Dorney
- Earth Tower - Beth Chalmers
Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Cover Art - Alex Mallinson
- Writer, Director and Music - Nicholas Briggs
- Executive Producer - Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs
- Producer - David Richardson
- Script Editor - John Dorney
- Sound Design - Martin Montague
Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]
- EP One is the President of Earth's personal jet.
- Sheridan Moorkurk was elected due to an unexpected surge in the protest vote against the Conglomerate.
- The Doctor uses his customary alias of "Dr John Smith".
- Romana believes that the Doctor's TARDIS is "not the most elegant method of travel."
Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- This audio drama was recorded on 10 June 2011 at Audio Sorcery and the Moat Studios.
- Nicholas Briggs stated in a podcast that he originally wrote this story for Sarah Jane Smith, but adapted it to feature Romana instead following Elisabeth Sladen's death. (REF: The Big Finish Podcast)
- Picking up the three-parter The Sands of Life, this two-parter forms part of a single, five-part story, a rarity for a Big Finish release. To date, it is also the only five-part Fourth Doctor story in performed Doctor Who.
- This story was originally released on CD and download.
Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]
- The Doctor tells President Moorkurk that the Conglomerate attacked the Laan and kidnapped one of them. (AUDIO: The Sands of Life)
- The Doctor tells President Moorkurk that he is an expert on "practically everything." (TV: Spearhead from Space, Utopia)
- The Doctor says, "Just touch these two wires together and that's it. The Daleks are finished." (TV: Genesis of the Daleks)
- Romana refers to the parrot in the TARDIS. (AUDIO: The Sands of Life) It remained in the TARDIS until at least his eighth incarnation. (AUDIO: The Light at the End)
- President Moorkurk ensured that Cuthbert's role in these events was made public, severely damaging his popularity. (AUDIO: The Dalek Contract) This led Cuthbert to refer to her as a "sanctimonious bitch." (AUDIO: The Final Phase)
- The Laans' ability to navigate through time and space was damaged by Cuthbert's experiments with the Quantum Gateway in the Proxima System. (AUDIO: The Final Phase)
- While President Moorkuk says that she is aware that previous Presidents of Earth have encountered aliens, she is not aware that the Doctor was the first President of Earth in his twelfth incarnation. (TV: Death in Heaven)
External links[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Official War Against the Laan page at bigfinish.com
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