The Doctor and Liz Shaw investigate a disturbing incident in the quiet Norfolk village of Huncleath, involving a vanishing Nazi soldier. Is time travel technology to blame? And what is the link between the disappearance of the village’s wealthiest resident, Francis Teeling, and anti-war campaigners in Cambridge?
As the Brigadier mobilises UNIT, a secret branch of the British military has serious concerns about UNIT’s scientific advisor Dr Elizabeth Shaw.
In the ensuing struggle, Liz must make connections with her past, consider her future and fight against both incarceration and an unusual alien weapon. And try as he might, the Doctor may not be able to help her!
Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart © Haisman & Lincoln and used under licence. With thanks to Hannah Haisman and Candy Jar
Recorded on: 13-15 March 2023
Recorded at: Audio Sorcery
Actor Daisy Ashford said: “I always love coming back to Liz Shaw. This story is particularly great because she has a very biting humour and dry wit to her this time. And she’s been a little bit naughty! Believe it or not, she’s been accused of something terrible and finds herself locked up.”
Director and script editor Nicholas Briggs added: “I was very keen to have Liz at the centre of this story, in a way that would never have been done back in 1970. That was my brief to Big Finish stalwart writer Eddie Robson: ‘Make it all about Liz’. And that’s our modern twist in a tale of intrigue, treachery and, of course, alien threat."
Writer Eddie Robson said: “It’s always nice to be invited to do something you haven’t tackled before, and I’ve done very little writing for the Third Doctor in any medium. I’m extremely fond of the Pertwee era – several stories were among my earliest VHS purchases and I’ve watched them a lot. Inferno, Terror of the Autons, The Claws of Axos, The Three Doctors and The Pertwee Years tapes are all deeply embedded in my brain.
“Intelligence for War is a very Earthbound TV episode thriller which begins with the Doctor and Liz investigating apparent time-slips in a Norfolk village. But Liz has fallen under suspicion of security breaches, and very soon no one is sure who they can trust.”
Nicholas Briggs added: “It was a real highlight for me to work with Eddie again. I’ve never forgotten how he really fired my enthusiasm back in 2006 with his brilliant Eighth Doctor Cyberman script, Human Resources (recently re-released as part of The Eighth Doctor and Lucie Miller Series 01 download compilation). And frankly, he’s never disappointed me since. He’s been off doing all sorts of other exciting things and I was worried he’d be too busy to come on board.
“It’s also brilliant to be working with Luke Pietnik again on the sound design. I’ve composed the incidental music, and Luke and I always have a good time working together. He’s one of the kindest, most polite people I’ve ever encountered. His work is almost always perfect on the first draft.”
Jon Culshaw, James Howard, Daisy Ashford, Nicholas Briggs, Tim Treloar
Tim Treloar, Daisy Ashford, Tom Bell, Jon Culshaw, Nicholas Briggs, Issey Walton, Yasmin Mwanza, Jason Forbes
