Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time! 

“THE HUMAN FACTOR: A MORAL DILEMMA IN THE SHADOW OF THE DALEKS”

The Human Factor places Susan in an agonising moral predicament—cooperating with the Daleks to instil hope among enslaved humans, ensuring their survival but simultaneously strengthening the Daleks' workforce. It’s a deeply uncomfortable situation that forces Susan to walk a razor-thin line between aiding those in need and inadvertently reinforcing the Daleks' grip on the galaxy. Meanwhile, the Dalek Emperor watches her closely, ensuring her compliance and tightening the noose around her freedom.

THE DARK SIDE OF REBELLION

Amidst Susan’s internal conflict, the human resistance continues its fight against their oppressors, but their actions are far from heroic. Their brutal treatment of captured Daleks and the slaughter of Robomen paint them as desperate and ruthless, blurring the lines between freedom fighters and monsters. This moral complexity adds layers to the narrative, forcing the listener to question whether victory at any cost is truly justifiable.

PURSUE AND SURVIVE

While Susan navigates her impossible situation, Pellan and Alby remain in pursuit, dodging Dalek patrols and struggling for survival. Their most compelling moment comes when they are stranded on a desolate planet, left with nothing but their thoughts as they await rescue—or death. This introspective interlude allows for strong character development, offering a rare moment of quiet amidst the relentless march of war.

A FRAGMENTED BUT INCREASINGLY TENSE STORY

Despite these compelling elements, The Human Factor still feels like a collection of disparate plot threads, each progressing at its own pace without much immediate connection. The sense of a slowly unfolding space opera is there, but the pacing can feel sluggish, stretching the story longer than necessary.

However, the tension escalates significantly towards the climax, as Susan’s uneasy position with the Daleks reaches its breaking point. Her apparent success in quelling rebellions turns against her in a dramatic and brutal finale, serving as yet another reminder of the Daleks’ sheer cruelty—and of Susan’s unfortunate tendency to trust too much.

📝VERDICT: 6/10

Strong performances and growing moral complexity keep The Human Factor engaging, but its scattered narrative structure and slow pacing can make it feel overly drawn out. While the groundwork for a grander conflict is laid effectively, this chapter could have been tighter. The stakes are undeniably high, but the journey to the next major turning point takes longer than it should.