Human Conflict
Ian McNeice (Winston Churchill), Neve McIntosh (Madame Vastra), Owen Aaronovitch (Luis Ortega), Nicholas Asbury (Visguard/Captain Morgan/Special Branch Officer), Iain Batchelor (Young Winston), Ken Bradshaw (Colonel Fischer), Simon Chandler (Corporal Arthur Dimes), Mark Elstob (John Logie Baird/Kaiser Wilhelm III), Melody Grove (Carmen/Housekeeper), James Joyce (Connolly), Hywel Morgan (Von Moltke), Leighton Pugh (Reggie/Jorge/Clerk), Gyuri Sarossy (Lt Fleming), Alisdair Simpson (Sidney Wheeler/Field Marshal Brooke), Roberta Taylor (Maid/The Grafin), Susan Tracy (Diane Wheeler/Miss Cunningham), Bethan Walker (Bragnar), Emily Woodward (Louisa)
1941. The Prime Minister has much on his mind as London reels from the Blitz. When a daring mission to discover Nazi secrets bears unexpected results, Churchill heads north to retrieve technology that could win the war. But an old ally is set against his intent. Weary from his own people’s conflict, The Doctor knows that some weapons should never enter the field of human conflict.
Human Conflict was the second story in The Churchill Years: Volume Two.
The title is a reference to the line “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few” from a wartime speech given by Churchill on 20 August 1940 regarding the ongoing Battle of Britain.
Churchill already recognises this incarnation of the Doctor. (The Oncoming Storm
10/10 “The fact that the main character was such a multifaceted man in real life gives the writers, producer David Richardson, director Ken Bentley, Ian McNeice and the whole cast so much to work with and none of them drop the ball in the delivery… You need this set in your life. It will make you feel proud to be British!” Indie Mac User
10/10 “Historical characters deserve to be treated with the utmost respect. Director Ken Bentley has crafted a fitting tribute not only to Churchill but the indomitable spirit of the British people during the most dreadful of historical events.” Blogtor Who
“This is fantastic and walks the line of inspired lunacy that the best historical Doctor Who stories should.” SciFi Bulletin
“There’s something about McNeice’s voice that really captures and holds your attention, and McIntosh’s narration added to that too, the variety of the two made it much more engaging, it was like listening to two friends recount a story” Gallifrey Archive
“McNeice is clearly in great form, and Churchill’s life was long and studded with real incidents which lend themselves to a Doctor Who treatment. On the strength of this box set and its predecessor, a third set would be no hardship at all, and with the dramatic returns showing no signs of diminishing yet, there’s no reason why Churchill himself shouldn’t KBO for years to come at Big Finish.” MassMovement
5/5″ Ian McNeice seems to have relished the dialogue and the whole piece sparkles.” Cultbox
