Listen in as one friend introduces another to Doctor Who with the help of our old pal, alcohol.
We watch the concluding episodes of classic serial “Spearhead From Space” where the third Doctor and soon-to-be-companion-Liz-Shaw (no relation to Tim Shaw) battle space tentacles (?) attempting to take over the earth. Whilst said Plan 9 From Outer Space is occurring, the Doctor continues wearing another man’s dirty clothes, Liz continues proving she’s the Doctor’s intellectual equal (oh the horror), and the Brigadier is just damn cool.
We end up watching the first two episodes of the classic serial “Spearhead From Space” where John ends up eating crow because Steve and I committed to watching “The Three Doctors” but I misremembered and thought that we were watching this story and did all the research for this story and then whilst live in the recording of the podcast Steve rightfully says that I was wrong but unofficial third co-host Denise decides to cast the tie breaking vote that we continue to watch and discuss “Spearhead” anyway. (Inhales deeply after writing that run on sentence.) So meanwhile back in “Doctor Who” there’s a new Doctor, a totally-not-the-new-companion Liz, and Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart was promoted (offscreen) to Brigadier AND series regular. Apologies to the cohost and listener(s?) expecting to hear a thoughtful (?) discussion about another story. Keep in mind that I am very old.
We watch the concluding episodes of “The Tomb of the Cybermen” where our retro-Whoby Crew attempt to lull the crankily woken up Cybermen back to their semi-eternal slumber. Whilst said cradle rocking is occurring, Doctor Mop-Top low key continues enabling murder, Jamie runs around... a lot..., and Victoria shows she smarter than the men by getting help.
We watch the first two episodes of the classic serial “The Tomb of the Cybermen” where Doctor Two takes Jamie and Victoria to a futuristic planet (that is most certainly not a quarry outside of London in 1967) where they encounter morons attempting to resurrect slumbering Cybermen. Whilst said rude awakening is occurring, Jamie gets ‘handsy’ with the Doctor, Victoria shoots a cyber-mousey, and the Doctor gleefully allows randos to be killed.
We watch the final two episodes of the “Time Meddler” saga ('A Battle of Wits' and 'Checkmate') where our retro Whoby crew discover the Meddling Monk is another time traveler with a plan to jump start human development. Whilst said Western Pro-Civilization is occurring, Vikings continue to slo-mo battle the Saxons, the Doctor sabotages the Monk’s Tardis (wait…what?!), and the American viewers (re: John and Steve) scratch their heads in confusion cuz histry is confuzing.
We watch the first two episodes of “The Time Meddler” four part saga (‘The Watcher’ and ‘The Meddling Monk’) where the 1st (or, at the time, only) Doctor takes established companion Vicki and accidental stowaway companion Steven to 11th century Northumbria. Whilst our listeners Googling of Northumbria is occurring, Vicki allows Steven to think he’s in charge after the Doctor takes a Viking holiday, and the mysteriously monikered Monk makes mischief manifest.
We watch “The Church on Ruby Road” (Series 14, Episode 0) where the newly bi-generated Doctor dances like no one is watching and apparent clumsy foundling Ruby Sunday is set up as a likely addition to the Doctor’s ‘fam’. Whilst said auditioning is occurring, Ruby reads for the role of ‘Marty McFly’, the Doctor channels ‘Doc Brown’, and the Goblins I guess are ‘Biff’? Come for the Christmas Special (yay!) and stay for the return of the Christmas Specials (yay!).
We watch “The Giggle” (60 Anniversary, Ep3) where the Doctor and Donna return to London and realize that yes, everyone on Earth is now the A—hole. Plus, for once the Doctor encounters an old foe who is not the Daleks nor the Cybermen nor the Sontarans nor the Weeping Angels nor the Master nor... sorry... it’s the Toymaker! So... yeah? Whilst said encountering is occurring, Donna negotiates a sweet pay raise, the Toymaker performs a puppet show to die for, and the Doctor bigenerates. Don’t ask questions. Just enjoy the Doctors kicking Toymaker arse!
We watch “Wild Blue Yonder” (60th Anniversary, Ep 2) where a sickly Tardis crash lands on an alien ship, vomits out the Doctor and Donna, then quickly buggers off to recuperate away from our traveling duo. Whilst exploring their new home, said duo quickly becomes a quartet after meeting their decidedly disturbing doppelgängers. One Doctor uses far too much salt whilst the other Doctor tries to put his head up his own ass. One Donna tries to get the Doctor to explore his feelings whilst the other Donna calls the Doctor an idiot. Who’s the original? Spoilers sweeties.
We watch “The Star Beast” (60th Anniversary, Ep 1) where the newly regenerated Doctor has a re-re-re-meet cute with past companion Donna Noble. Whilst said reconnecting is reoccurring, the Doctor attempts to puzzle out why this familiar face has returned, Donna attempts to remember why this skinny man is just so familiar, Donna’s daughter Rose regrets trusting the titular beast Beep The Meep who resorts to trickery to resume their evil ways. Plus friend-of-the-show Denise returns to rehash this repisode.
Gather ‘round childrens whilst the adults discuss series 13 of our beloved Doctor Who. Plus this being show-runner Chris Chibnall’s and Doctor portrayer Jodie Whittaker’s final (for now...) series, we also discuss what they contributed to the Whoniverse. All that and friend-of-the-show-Tim asks us to weigh in on which classic sitcom characters could be Time Lords (we’re looking at you Mister Ed...Doctor Ed...?), Steve queries John on whether a title is from Buffy or Big Finish (spoilers... he’s usually wrong), and John asks Steve about many things that may or may not end up in this podcast episode. Unlike this description, topics that don’t land may get cut for time.
We watch "The Power of the Doctor" (Series 13, Episode 9) where the Whoby Crew descend upon a space train to foil a Cyberheist. No! Wait! Where the Whoby Crew travels to early 20th century Russia to foil the Master. No! Wait! Where the Whoby Crew recruit past companions and compatriots to foil the Daleks. No! Wait... sigh... Whilst all said plots are plotting, friend-of-the-show-Denise returns to the podcast! Last time Denise was on, she welcomed Jodie Whitaker to Doctor Who, and in her next podcast appearance, Denise bids adieu to Jodie Whitaker. At least we know for sure Denise will return. Or will she? Spoilers... she will.
We watch "Legend of the Sea Devils" (Series 13, Episode 8) where the Doctor takes Yaz and Dan to meet the Pirates of the Caribbean... er... of the China Sea! Whilst said cross-cultural debauchery is occurring, the Doctor skips stones, Dan skips out on his ship mates, and Yaz skips merrily towards heart break. Plus, Sea Devils. Don’t forget to mark it off on the ‘obligatory homage to past foes’ square on your ‘Doctor Who Bingo Card™’.
We watch “Eve of the Daleks” (Series 13, Episode 7) where the Whoby Crew land themselves in a ‘Happy Death Day’ situation at a Manchester storage facility. Whilst said ‘Edge of Tomorrow’ing is occurring, the Doctor tries to solve the mystery without her ‘Time Machine’ and Yaz ‘Run Lola Run’s away from her feelings because Dan wants to help Yaz become ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’. All this plus the Daleks attempt to cause the rise of the machines by going ‘Back to the Future’. Silly Daleks…your salvation won’t happen if you just exterminate her too.
We watch “Flux: Chapter Six - The Vanquishers” (Series 13, Episode 6) where the Doctor gets split up into a non-holy trinity. Whilst said blasphemizing is occurring, the Doctor crashes the Sontarans' psychic stratagem, the Doctor explores Liverpool’s tumultuous tunnels of terror, and conversely the Doctor defeats Swarm, Azure, and the personification of Time by doing diddly dudes. This alliterative description is still less confusing than what went down in this mostly sequential moribund story-line mini series. Ouch! Does your brain hurt as much as mine?
We watch “Flux: Chapter Five - Survivors of the Flux” (Series 13, Episode 5) where the Weeping Doctor discovers their adoptive parent is totally a manipulative jerk. Whilst said family reunion is reunion-ing, Vinder hitches a Passenger to Diane-town, Bel learns the consequences of stowing away on a Lupari ship, Karvasista is still a good-good-boy and his human Dan is still an idiot-idiot, Jericho discovers time travel involves a lot of boring terrestrial travel, and Yaz keeps a holo-Doctor handy for... reasons? Whew! That about covers all the known Survivors of the Flux. Wait just a tic... Kate Stewart was in this? Mother fluxer...
We watch “Flux: Chapter Four - Village of the Angels” (Series 13, Episode 4) where the Doctor and Fam discover a Weeping Angel is a shite co-pilot. When said Weeping Angel takes the wheel of the Tardis, the Whoby Crew end up in rural England circa November 1967 (known in the history books as the ‘Autumn of Post Coital Bliss’ which followed the ‘Summer of Love’), where Yaz and Dan get ‘booped’ back to 1901 whilst the Doctor gets to meet the biblically named Professor Jericho. Not sure if that name implies anything but glad to know my 13 years of christian schooling made me recognize that fact.
We watch "Flux: Chapter Three - Once, Upon Time" (Series 13, Chapter 3), an episode so confusing that one of your hosts repeatedly named it incorrectly. (John will throw himself to the mercies of Steve and the listeners on the following episode.) Whilst said perplexion is perplexioning, Dan misplaces his date, Yaz is a bad loser at video games, Vinder gets screwed over for being honest, and the Doctor gets all fluxxed up. As one does.
We watch "Flux: Chapter Two - War of the Sontarans" (Series 13, Episode 2) where the Doctor and the Newby Crew are all transported to the Crimean War in the 19th century... until some of them get honorably discharged to parts elsewhere. Whilst the Doctor remains on the front to battle the historically inaccurate Sontarans, Dan returns to present day Liverpool to whack said Sontarans with a wok, and Yaz has a meet-cute with new companion (?) Vinder… until those two are captured by the season’s big bad. Worst. First. Date. Ever.
We welcome best selling author and humongous Doctor Who fan Andy Weir to the podcast where we discuss “City of Death”. This Fourth Doctor’s 1979 story was Andy’s choice not just because it’s a great story but for the sizzling chemistry between the Doctor and Romana... since the actors were frakking at the time apparently. Whilst speaking about Who with the man responsible for “The Martian” occurs, we all enjoy the story’s unusually witty dialog, get winded at the excessive Parisian running, and Andy becomes amused at our constant tangents. What? Are you new here? Oh... yeah... right...