Grand Theft Cosmos

Eighth Doctor Adventures #2.5

Released: May 2008

Listened: 9/30/21

After a bunch of standalone adventures, we now step lightly into some continuity, with the return of Karen and the Headhunter from “Human Resources.” Karen is working for the Headhunter now, and although they claim to be acting for the greater good, their plans seem somewhat profit-oriented. Karen’s also miffed at Lucie for leaving her for dead in “Human Resources,” and at loose ends in general because she believes her life to this point was a lie. It’s a heist story, revolving around stealing some artwork in 1905 in Stockholm. In this case, though, the Doctor knows that the art was created by an alien, and therefore dangerous, so he wants it destroyed, which means he’ll have to steal it first. Lucie gets a big kick out of the idea that the Doctor will knowingly commit a crime, and also leans into the heist-movie tropes. It would be a bit ridiculous except that Karen is doing the same thing. You’ll also find Christopher Benjamin in this one, playing his only non-Jago role for Big Finish, but you’ll be hard-pressed to spot him with his accent. Ultimately, Karen and the Headhunter get away to appear again later, so the story is sort of unresolved, again.