The Doctor Who Show

Rob and Dave Unplugged (The DW Show Presents: Fandom in the 80s, 90s and Beyond)

January 27, 2018 saw a lot of firsts... it was the first time Rob met Dave in person; the first time the guys recorded an episode of their show in person; the first time Rob had ever recorded a podcast with ANYONE else in the room; the first time they recorded with the guys from the New to Who podcast (see our February 25 episode); the first time Rob had met any of the Flight Through Entirety podcast team... and so on. You get the idea.

Anyway, at some stage on that very busy day, amid recording an episode of the Doctor Who Show and an episode of New to Who, Rob and Dave found time to crack out a single microphone, mount it on a table, and have a conversation about Doctor Who fandom in Australia. Basically how they came into it; what it was like; conventions, and more. They end up moving through the topic and even onto talking about the modern era of fandom that they now no longer feel a major part of, but are extremely supportive of.

Very personal... a little indulgent... and the sound quality isn't quite where the Doctor Who Show normally pitches, but if you're at all interested in our back stories, or Doctor Who fandom in Australia in the 80s and 90s in particular, this could be a very interesting episode for you to hear.

Contact us anytime, hello@theDWshow.net

Doctor Who A-Z – Part 15: O

Iain Martin returns with a new instalment of the irreverent Doctor Who A-Z. This time it’s “O” and Iain covers:

Omega

Ood, The

Osgood

Outtakes

Oxygen

The Doctor Who Show S03 E02 – Fantasy Doctor Who (feat. New to Who)

The third series of The Doctor Who Show continues with Rob and Dave tackling a fun topic after the epic slugfest of last month ('RTD versus The Moff' if you missed it).

This month they're talking 'Fantasy Doctor Who' and to help out on this topic, Steven and Daniel from the lovely New To Who podcast join Rob and Dave for most of the ep.

Not only that, but the normally Perth-based lads recorded IN PERSON. Which also means, yes, for the first time in the show's history, Rob and Dave were also in the same room with each other, with Dave travelling up to Sydney from Melbourne. So do tune in to find out what happened when the podcasts got together. Hint: They had a TON of fun.

Before that, of course, Rob and Dave do a quick whip around some recent Doctor Who news. Notably, however, they don't discuss the new Doctor Who logo, as that was announced less than 12hrs after they recorded the introduction to the episode. Curse you, BBC marketing. Dave also tells us about his new Blake's 7 podcast, sans-Rob, Space Fall.

A splendid time awaits and be sure to let us know YOUR fantasy Doctor Who, too...!

Contact us anytime, hello@theDWshow.net
Learn more about Space Fall, twitter.com/spacefallpc

Doctor Who A-Z – Part 14: N

Iain Martin returns with a new instalment of the irreverent Doctor Who A-Z. This time it’s “N” and Iain covers:

Nestene Consciousness

New Adventures, The

Nimon

Nightshade

Night of the Doctor

Nightmare in Silver

The Doctor Who Show S03 E01 – RTD versus The Moff

Welcome to the third series of The Doctor Who Show!

Rob and Dave are back and, to ease themselves into 2018, decide to take on a small and non-controversial topic...

RTD versus The Moff

Yes folks, now that the last helicopter out of Cardiff has departed (and related to that, bonus points if you get our pre-credits teaser), we feel the time has arrived where we can compare and contrast the complete output of both Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat.

That means we consider (and even comment on a great many of), the stories below. To keep it interesting, we tic-tac back and forth between Russell's first series and Steven's. Russell's second series and Steven's. And so on, and so forth.

We hope you enjoy it and although there's a ton of listener comment on the topic at the end of this episode, we look forward to any additional commentary on the topic, once you've heard what we have to say.

Next month we have something completely different, with a couple of very special guests, recorded under very special circumstances. Stay tuned.

Contact us anytime, hello@theDWshow.net

Rose
The End of the World
The Unquiet Dead
Aliens of London
World War Three
Dalek
The Long Game
Father's Day
The Empty Child
The Doctor Dances
Boom Town
Bad Wolf
The Parting of the Ways

The Christmas Invasion

New Earth
Tooth and Claw
School Reunion
The Girl in the Fireplace
Rise of the Cybermen
The Age of Steel
The Idiot's Lantern
The Impossible Planet
The Satan Pit
Love & Monsters
Fear Her
Army of Ghosts
Doomsday

The Runaway Bride

Smith and Jones
The Shakespeare Code
Gridlock
Daleks in Manhattan
Evolution of the Daleks
The Lazarus Experiment
42
Human Nature
The Family of Blood
Blink
Utopia
The Sound of Drums
Last of the Time Lords

Voyage of the Damned

Partners in Crime
The Fires of Pompeii
Planet of the Ood
The Sontaran Stratagem
The Poison Sky
The Doctor's Daughter
The Unicorn and the Wasp
Silence in the Library
Forest of the Dead
Midnight
Turn Left
The Stolen Earth
Journey's End

The Next Doctor

Planet of the Dead
The Waters of Mars
The End of Time

The Eleventh Hour
The Beast Below
Victory of the Daleks
The Time of Angels
Flesh and Stone
The Vampires of Venice
Amy's Choice
The Hungry Earth
Cold Blood
Vincent and the Doctor
The Lodger
The Pandorica Opens
The Big Bang

A Christmas Carol

The Impossible Astronaut
Day of the Moon
The Curse of the Black Spot
The Doctor's Wife
The Rebel Flesh
The Almost People
A Good Man Goes to War
Let's Kill Hitler
Night Terrors
The Girl Who Waited
The God Complex
Closing Time
The Wedding of River Song

The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe

Asylum of the Daleks
Dinosaurs on a Spaceship
A Town Called Mercy
The Power of Three
The Angels Take Manhattan

The Snowmen

The Bells of Saint John
The Rings of Akhaten
Cold War
Hide
Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS
The Crimson Horror
Nightmare in Silver
The Name of the Doctor

The Day of the Doctor

The Time of the Doctor

Deep Breath
Into the Dalek
Robot of Sherwood
Listen
Time Heist
The Caretaker
Kill the Moon
Mummy on the Orient Express
Flatline
In the Forest of the Night
Dark Water
Death in Heaven

Last Christmas

The Magician's Apprentice
The Witch's Familiar
Under the Lake
Before the Flood
The Girl Who Died
The Woman Who Lived
The Zygon Invasion
The Zygon Inversion
Sleep No More
Face the Raven
Heaven Sent
Hell Bent

The Husbands of River Song

The Return of Doctor Mysterio

The Pilot
Smile
Thin Ice
Knock Knock
Oxygen
Extremis
The Pyramid at the End of the World
The Lie of the Land
Empress of Mars
The Eaters of Light
World Enough and Time
The Doctor Falls

Twice Upon a Time

Alternate Galaxies: Blake's 7

Rob and Dave occasionally take a look at great TV series and movies they enjoy, broadly from the genres of sci-fi and fantasy.

They call these episodes, Alternate Galaxies.

In this episode, Rob cedes his seat to Richard, who has a far greater knowledge of today's topic... Blake's 7.

Today, January 2, 2018, marks 40 years since the transmission of the first Blake's 7 episode - The Way Back - in the UK.

--

Blake's 7 is a British science fiction television series produced by the BBC. Four 13-episode series were broadcast on BBC1 between 1978 and 1981. It was created by Terry Nation, who also created the Daleks for the television series Doctor Who. The script editor was Chris Boucher. The main character, at least initially, was Roj Blake, played by Gareth Thomas. The series was inspired by various fictional media, including Robin Hood, Star Trek, Passage to Marseille, The Dirty Dozen, Brave New World and classic Western stories, as well as real-world political conflicts in South America and Israel.

Blake's 7 was popular from its first broadcast, watched by approximately 10 million in the UK and shown in 25 other countries. Although many tropes of space opera are present, such as spaceships, robots, galactic empires and aliens, its budget was inadequate for its interstellar theme. Critical responses have been varied; some reviewers praised the series for its dystopian themes, strong characterisation, ambiguous morality and pessimistic tone, as well as displaying an "enormous sense of fun", but others have criticised its production values, dialogue and perceived lack of originality, with broadcaster and critic Clive James describing it as "classically awful".

A limited range of Blake's 7 merchandise was issued, and books, magazines and annuals published. The BBC released music and sound effects from the series, and several companies made Blake's 7 toys and models. Four video compilations were released between 1985 and 1990, and the entire series was released in videocassette format starting 1991 and re-released during 1997, and as four DVD boxed sets between 2003 and 2006. The BBC produced two audio dramas during 1998 and 1999 that feature original cast members and broadcast by Radio 4. Although proposals for live-action and animated remakes have not been realised, Blake's 7 has been revived with two series of audio dramas, a comedic short film, and a series of fan-made audio plays.

The Doctor Who Show S02 E012 – Goodbye Peter, Hello Jodie

Hello! Well, it's happened. Twice Upon A Time has screened around the globe and Rob and Dave return to tell you what they think about it all.

Reviewing the farewell episode for Capaldi and the debut episode for Whittaker takes up most of today's episode but, wait, there's more!

You'll also hear us talking:

- Shada cinema screenings in Australia, including numbers
- New merchandise, including the 2018 annual and audio annual
- And an interview with Candy Jar books author, Robert Mammone

Let them know your thoughts on the show at hello@theDWshow.net

This is not going to go the way you think! (The DW Show Presents: Star Wars: The Last Jedi)

Like at the end of 2016 where Rob and Dave turned their gaze towards the (then) new Star Wars film, Rogue One, they return in late 2017 to look at Star Wars Episode VIII, also known as The Last Jedi.

What did these two Doctor Who fans make of it? Join them for this quick hour-long podcast where they reveal their thoughts to each other, live, without having discussed it before the record button was pressed.

Write to us anytime: hello@theDWshow.net

--

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a 2017 American epic space opera film written and directed by Rian Johnson. It is the second film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, following Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). The film is produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong'o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, and Gwendoline Christie in returning roles, with Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, and Benicio del Toro joining the cast. It also marks the final performance of Fisher, who died in December 2016, with the film being dedicated in her memory.

The film was announced after Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm in October 2012. It is produced by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman, with Force Awakens director J. J. Abrams as an executive producer. John Williams, composer for the previous seven films, returns to compose the score. Scenes that required shooting at Skellig Michael in Ireland were filmed during pre-production in September 2015, with principal photography beginning at Pinewood Studios in England in February 2016 and ending in July 2016. Post-production wrapped up in September 2017.

The Last Jedi had its world premiere in Los Angeles on December 9, 2017, and was released in the United States on December 15, 2017. The film received highly positive reviews, with praise for its plot, ensemble cast, action scenes, visual effects, musical score and emotional weight. Some critics considered it the best film of the franchise since The Empire Strikes Back.

A sequel, provisionally titled Star Wars: Episode IX, is scheduled for December 20, 2019.

The Doctor Who Show S02 E11 – Talking about regeneration

Hello! With a regeneration looming in December, Rob and Dave return here in our November 2017 episode to discuss each and every regeneration in Classic and Nu Who.

But before they do, there's a ton of news to work through. Some relating to Series 11 (potential spoilers) and some relating to Classic Who - like the new Five Doctors CD.

Dave's also watched The Dominators and gives some thoughts, while Rob responds to his Frontios challenge and, for bonus points, also watched The Green Death this month.

Feedback arrives for our Babylon 5 episode of 'Alternate Galaxies' (have you listened to that one yet?) and the guys skip through what else they're currently watching on TV.

Let them know your thoughts on the show at hello@theDWshow.net

Alternate Galaxies: Babylon 5

Rob and Dave have decided to occasionally take a look at great TV series and movies they enjoy, broadly from the genres of sci-fi and fantasy.

Not only will they look at them from all the usual angles you’d expect, but also what the broad appeal to a Doctor Who fan might be.

In this second episode, Babylon 5.

Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created by writer and producer J. Michael Straczynski. After the successful airing of a test pilot movie on February 22, 1993, Babylon 5: The Gathering, in May 1993 Warner Brothers commissioned the series for production as part of its Prime Time Entertainment Network (PTEN).

The first season premiered in the US on January 26, 1994, and the series ultimately ran for the intended five seasons. Describing it as having "always been conceived as, fundamentally, a five year story, a novel for television", Straczynski wrote 92 of the 110 episodes, and served as executive producer, along with Douglas Netter.

Set between the years 2257 and 2262, it depicts a future where Earth has sovereign states, and a unifying Earth government. Colonies within the solar system, and beyond, make up the Earth Alliance, and contact has been made with other spacefaring species.

The ensemble cast portray alien ambassadorial staff and humans assigned to the five mile-long Babylon 5 space station, a center for trade and diplomacy. Described as "one of the most complex programs on television", the various story arcs drew upon the prophesies, religious zealotry, racial tensions, social pressures, and political rivalries which existed within each of their cultures, to create a contextual framework for the motivations and consequences of the protagonists' actions.

With a strong emphasis on character development set against a backdrop of conflicting ideologies on multiple levels, Straczynski wanted "to take an adult approach to SF, and attempt to do for television SF what Hill Street Blues did for cop shows."

The Doctor Who Show S02 E10 – Davo Davo Davo Oi Oi Oi

10 episodes into our second series and 35 years after he took on the role, we discuss the Peter Davison era of Doctor Who.

As you can see from the run-time, we've really gone to town. We discuss everything from Davo's pre- and post-Doctor Who roles, in addition to everything Doctor Who... the costume, the companions, the production team and, of course, the episodes. We give our thoughts on each and every one:

Castrovalva
Four To Doomsday
Kinda
The Visitation
Black Orchid
Earthshock
Time-Flight
Arc of Infinity
Snakedance
Mawdryn Undead
Terminus
Enlightenment
The King's Demons
The Five Doctors
Warriors of the Deep
The Awakening
Frontios
Resurrection of the Daleks
Planet of Fire
The Caves of Androzani

Let us know your thoughts on Davo at hello@theDWshow.net

Child Out of Time (The Doctor Who Show Presents: Hayden Gribble)

It brings me great delight to say that friend of the show (and podcaster in his own right), Hayden Gribble, has penned a book, which is coming out on the 16th of this month. Pretty much around the time you'll hear this episode.

That book is called Child Out Of Time, a memoir of sorts, about a Doctor Who fan growing up in the Wilderness years of the series.

With a cover by Doctor Who author Paul Magrs and a foreword by Andrew 'Full Circle' Smith, this really is a neat thing.

So, to do my part in letting everyone know the book's out - find it at Amazon, folks - I've gone back to the Doctor Who Show episode #2 (from February, 2016).

Why? Because I had Hayden on that episode. You see, Hayden's always fascinated me from the point of view that in Who fandom we have a bunch of people who watched the classic era and most of us have continued to enjoy Nu-Who. Or they're people who started with Nu-Who and some might have gone back to the classics, but I'd wager most haven't, even if they appreciate the history and gravitas it gives the new material.

But Hayden's different. He didn't see the Classic Era on its first run, but then became a fan in the wilderness years, thanks initially to the TV Movie, so was primed and ready to be a major fan when Nu Who started, just like a Classic era fan... but was still this young guy at the time with a different story to most.

That sort of thing's really interesting to me, so I wanted to chat with him on the show about being a younger who fan who likes the classic era, as a bit of a conversation piece.

Now, towards the end of the chat back in 2016, Hayden mentions some projects coming up and one of them was Child out of Time... so it seemed highly appropriate to dust off this tape, and give you a taste of Hayden and I chatting about his years growing up with the show which he's now expanded upon - in quite a major way - in Child out of Time.

I thought I was a bit too young for the Doctor (The Doctor Who Show Presents: Sylvester McCoy)

September 30 2017 saw Bridlington Comic Con held at The Spa, a dance hall, theatre and conference centre in Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, England.

The star attraction at the con was Sylvester McCoy, who will need no introduction to our listeners.

Regular Who Wars contributor and some time Doctor Who Show contributor, The Rev (aka Andy) was MC for Sylvester's interview, and provides the audio we can listen to today.

You may find the sound quality varies at times; the perils of live recording, folks. We hope having the chance to "be in the room" (in a virtual sense), overrides any niggles with the sound.

Take it away, Andy & Sylv!

The Doctor Who Show S02 E09 - Who is Nu-Who's Beryl Reid?

Hello! We know some of you have been itching to hear the episode where we discuss Nu-Who's Beryl Reid... and here it is! In addition to that we discuss all the big Doctor Who news stories for the month of September and, of course, read your emails & have some fun along the way.

Today’s episode covers:

CLASSIC WHO: Big Finish is creating a series of First Doctor adventures where David Bradley will take the lead. How does this sit with Dave, who rates the First Doctor as 'his' Doctor? What do Adam Lambert and Queen have to do with it and how do the guys feel about Big Finish in general at the present time and where its all going?

NU-WHO: After they left Doctor Who, Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman both took on roles in Royal dramas, specifically, The Crown on Netflix and Victoria on ITV. Victoria's ratings have recently plunged. What's behind it all?

NU-WHO: Bradley Walsh. A month on from last episode, the guys still don't know if he'll be Jodie Whittaker's companion, or at least have a part in the new series.

NU-WHO: The 2017 Christmas Special synopsis has leaked in a peculiar manner... but nothing fans didn't already know, so the way it was yanked offline again was amusing.

NU-WHO: According to 'Now We Are 600', Harriet Jones didn't die. Rob has a bit of a rant on this revelation pulling the rug on what everyone believed was an on-screen death. Dave ponders why people can't leave things alone.

CLASSIC WHO: Dave's been on a personal mission this past month to watch a collection of 'lowly-regarded six parters' from the Classic Era. These include: The Seeds of Death, The Mutants, The Sensorites and The Time Monster. How did they hold up during this Classic Era bender?

CLASSIC WHO: Rob, meanwhile, zipped through The Android Invasion recently, for the first time in 20 years or more. He gives a few thoughts on watching this less remembered story from an otherwise absolutely classic Season 13.

CLASSIC WHO: Dave ponders what would have happened in Classic Era stories if the Doctor hadn't turned up. He comments on Masque of Mandragora, The Seeds of Doom, and City of Death, but can you think of more? Write in today!

NU-WHO: Who is Nu-Who's Beryl Reid? More specifically, what are examples of stunt casting (bad) or celebrity casting (good), since the series returned in 2005? Dave and Rob bring examples of each, as well as thoughts from our listeners. Do you agree? Let us know what you think of what's covered in this feature for next ep's mailbag.

FINALLY: Emails from Christopher Bryant and Mike Solko relating to our recent Buffy episode. Did they enjoy it? And Ezra Penny chimes in on the topic of episodes that are generally slated by fans but which he really enjoys.

Dave also comments on it being launch season for US television, with particular comments on The Orville.

Thanks everyone, as always, for listening. We greatly appreciate your ears, your emails and your tweets and, if you really want to make our day, why not leave us an iTunes review sometime? It really helps us get noticed.

See you in October for both our monthly show where we'll be looking at the Peter Davison era of Doctor Who.

EMAIL US – hello@theDWshow.net

Alternate Galaxies: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Rob and Dave have decided to occasionally take a look at great TV series and movies they enjoy, broadly from the genres of sci-fi and fantasy.

Not only will they look at them from all the usual angles you'd expect, but also what the broad appeal to a Doctor Who fan might be.

In this first episode, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an American supernatural drama television series created by Joss Whedon under his production tag, Mutant Enemy Productions with later co-executive producers being Jane Espenson, David Fury, David Greenwalt, Doug Petrie, Marti Noxon, and David Solomon.

The series premiered on March 10, 1997, on The WB and concluded on May 20, 2003, on UPN. The series narrative follows Buffy Summers (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar), the latest in a line of young women known as "Vampire Slayers", or simply "Slayers".

In the story, Slayers are "called" (chosen by fate) to battle against vampires, demons, and other forces of darkness. Being a young woman, Buffy wants to live a normal life, but as the series progresses, she learns to embrace her destiny.

Like previous Slayers, Buffy is aided by a Watcher, who guides, teaches, and trains her. Unlike her predecessors, Buffy surrounds herself with a circle of loyal friends who become known as the "Scooby Gang".