The Doctor's Beard Podcast

Note: This is a hiatus episode, originally a Patreon Exclusive, airing on the main feed during the break between Classic and New Who. Love the podcast? Consider joining us on Patreon for early access to episodes, exclusive content, and the option to commission your own Doctor Who story. A Producer's Frustration Becomes the First Professional Spinoff In 1988, Keith Barnfather—a producer known for his decades-long "Myth Makers" interview series—had an idea. He wanted to film a third Doctor/Sarah Jane story with John Pertwee and Elizabeth Sladen to prove that high-quality, professional Doctor Who content could be produced independently. He pitched the concept to the BBC, but John Nathan Turner shot it down, claiming the budget would "tarnish the legacy of Doctor Who" and look "cheap and tatty." So Barnfather pivoted. He approached the creators of UNIT and the Brigadier for permission to use Benton and the military organization instead. With BBC blessing, Wartime became the first professionally produced, BBC-authorized independent Doctor Who spinoff—a distinction that makes it canon in a way fan productions cannot be. The Budget, The Cast, The Ambitious Story Shot for just £5,000 (roughly £14,000 in today's money) in Shropshire, Wartime is a 30-minute psychological thriller about Benton confronting ghosts from his past. The crew—including Michael Wisher (the original Davros), John Levine, and Nicholas Briggs—largely worked for expenses only. The production is wholly filmed on location with no studio interiors and proudly proclaims this fact in its credits. The music comes from Mark Ayers, who would soon become the incidental music composer for the McCoy era. But there's a mystery: the original 1988 release may not have included the opening voiceover from Nicholas Courtney. A later 1990s re-release added enhanced video and possibly added Courtney's introduction—or so goes one account. An Actor Stretched Beyond His Range John Levine hadn't played Benton since 1976's "The Android Invasion." Wartime reunites him with the character, but asks him to do something Benton was never asked to do in the televised series: carry a dramatic, psychologically complex story. Over his two decades away, Levine had worked primarily in stage productions. The acting here is uneven—there are moments where genuine effort is visible, but the dialogue often feels hamfisted, and some of Levine's delivery struggles under the weight of the emotional material. The hosts debate whether this was a mistake or whether it explains the story's structure: perhaps Levine himself worked with the writers to create something that would finally let him show dramatic range. Two Stories That Never Quite Merge The narrative splits between two distinct threads: nuclear material is being transported, and the vehicle breaks down in the exact area where Benton grew up. While waiting for repairs, he confronts manifestations of his past—his father, his brother, guilt from a childhood tragedy. But these two storylines remain largely separate. The hosts wonder: was this the intended story, or are we seeing a compromise between what should have been a straightforward political thriller and what became a psychological character piece? The ambient storytelling choices reinforce the surreal nature of the past sequences—including an eerie slow-motion effect applied to the driver's scenes, complete with an unsettling sound design that hints at alien interference without ever confirming it. The Foreboding English Countryside Both hosts find themselves returning to a running theme in British television and film: why is the English countryside always so ominous? There's something about location filming in rural England that transforms familiar landscapes into places of dread. Wartime's Shropshire location captures this perfectly, with genuinely beautiful cinematography serving scenes of mounting psychological unease. A Question of Canonicity and Intention The novelization by Stephen James Walker sets the story in 1990, which raises questions about whether Benton left his post-Doctor Who car lot business to return to UNIT, or whether the Brigadier emerged from retirement. The "unit dating controversy" gains an unwanted new entry with this one authorized production. Additionally, there's no indication the filmmakers intended this as a pilot for a series. It stands alone—a one-off experiment to prove that independent BBC-sanctioned Doctor Who content was possible. What This Inspired Wartime's success (however modest) helped establish the foundation for what would come later: Real Time (the production company) would go on to create "The Stranger" videos, while others in the film community would be emboldened to approach the BBC. The true legacy may be the confidence it gave to fan producers and independent creators, eventually contributing to the ecosystem that would allow Big Finish to eventually dominate Doctor Who audio production. The Mystery of Benton's Emotional Maturity One persistent question: are the apparitions real, supernatural manifestations, or purely psychological? Is this a story set in the Doctor Who universe where strange things genuinely happen, or is this pure character introspection? The ambiguity remains unresolved—which fits the story's intent, but also leaves the viewer uncertain about what universe they're actually in. In a show where the protagonist has fought Daleks and Cybermen, how much can we trust that anything he experiences is purely in his mind? Production Details: Release Date: January 20, 1988 (on VHS) Timing: Between Seasons 24 and 25 of Doctor Who Budget: £5,000 (~£14,000 today) Runtime: Approximately 30 minutes Producers/Writers: Keith Barnfather (producer/director), Andy Lane and Helen Sterling (writers) Notable Cast: John Levine (Benton), Michael Wisher (Benton's father), Nicholas Courtney (voiceover—possibly added later), Nicholas Briggs (soldier) Music: Mark Ayers (pre-McCoy era composition) Shooting Location: Shropshire, England (entirely on location) Status: First BBC-authorized independent professional Doctor Who spinoff Novelization: By Stephen James Walker, set in 1990 Key Discussion Points: Why John Nathan Turner rejected the original Petwee/Sladen concept The logistics of producing professional-grade content on a £5,000 budget Whether Levine was the right actor for this particular story The disconnect between the two narrative threads (thriller vs. psychological drama) Whether the supernatural elements are real or imagined The mystery of Nicholas Courtney's involvement and when it occurred How Wartime influenced future Doctor Who spinoff productions The visual language of the English countryside as a character itself Whether Benton's characterization here aligns with his televised persona What the novelization reveals that the video doesn't explain Coming Up Next: Monday (Patreon Feed): Patreon Exclusive number referenced in episode (music, Memory TARDIS, three comic stories from three different authors—including one from Grant Morrison). Friday (Patreon Early) / Wednesday (Main Feed): "Remembrance of the Daleks" (four-parter)—the 25th Anniversary story. Guest Alan J. Porter joins the discussion. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #Wartime #Benton #UNIT #ClassicWho #IndependentProduction #ProfessionalSpinoff #1988 #JohnLevine #DoctorWhoPodcast #WildernessYears

Guest: JB Anderton of the Doctor Who Gives a F#! podcast joins John and Jim, as he does for every multi-Doctor story, to make sense of the un-make-sense-able. Note: This is a hiatus episode from our Wilderness Years coverage, released early on the Patreon feed and arriving on the main feed August 9th to celebrate Doctor Who Podcast Day. A warm welcome to everyone joining us for the occasion! Love the podcast? Consider joining us on Patreon for early access, exclusive episodes, and the option to commission your own Doctor Who story. Show Notes: For the show's 30th anniversary in 1993, the BBC gave Doctor Who fans a two-part, 3D, charity crossover with EastEnders in which the Rani traps the Doctor's incarnations in a time loop and scrambles Doctors and companions together at random. It is, by common agreement among the hosts, the Doctor Who equivalent of the Star Wars Holiday Special—not to be taken remotely seriously, but a genuine curiosity worth seeing at least once, if only because it's one more chance to watch these beloved actors play these beloved characters. How We Even Got Here: The Ghost of The Dark Dimension Before there was Dimensions in Time , there was The Dark Dimension —an ambitious, Tom Baker-centered 30th-anniversary feature that collapsed months before it would have aired. The hosts (with JB drawing on John Pertwee's own memoir) untangle the competing accounts of what happened: budget mismanagement, pressure from the American rights holders, and a script that the other surviving Doctors felt reduced them to walk-on cameos. What emerged instead was a bargain-basement Children in Need special built on a standing EastEnders set, produced by John Nathan-Turner as if it were a real episode (production code and all), and shot around the soap's schedule for no fee. A Cast List That Astonishes—and the Gaps That Intrigue The hosts marvel at the sheer roll call of returning Doctors and companions, puzzle over who's conspicuously absent, and confront the parade of EastEnders faces that leaves them defaulting to "if I don't recognize them, they must be from the soap." There's the interactive phone-in twist that raised a small fortune for charity, the Noel Edmonds framing device, the rave-version theme, and Kate O'Mara gamely chewing the scenery as the third choice for the villain. Everybody's In Character (With Two Very Notable Exceptions) A running thread: nearly everyone slips back into their roles with real commitment—even in three seconds of screen time—which makes the two who don't stand out all the more. The hosts have plenty to say about a phoned-in performance from a certain fan-favorite Doctor reading off cue cards in a sound booth, and a beloved companion stranded in a costume and a barrage of technobabble that left one host cold (with a fair hearing of the very human, very practical reasons behind the wardrobe choice). Along the way: Susan's grandfather problem, the disembodied busts of two late Doctors, a monorail glimpsed in the background, and the eternal question of why the Seventh Doctor hauls all his equipment outside the TARDIS. A Menagerie Missing Its Most Famous Monster Why are there no Daleks among the Rani's captured specimens? The hosts dig into the rights tangle behind their absence—and what it might mean for the show's future as Doctor Who itself heads to tender in 2026. The Canonical Silver Linings Amid the chaos, the hosts find the moments worth preserving: the only on-screen meeting of the Sixth Doctor and the Brigadier, and Nicholas Courtney's Brigadier arriving by helicopter—giving the actor, if you squint, a claim to having worked with all seven classic Doctors. Production Details: Broadcast: November 26–27, 1993 (across Children in Need and the Noel Edmonds show) Production Code: 7R Format: Two parts, presented in 3D, with an interactive phone-in ending Villain: The Rani (Kate O'Mara, the third choice after two others) Setting/Crossover: EastEnders' Albert Square Predecessor Project: The Dark Dimension (cancelled 30th-anniversary feature) Charity: Raised over £100,000 for Children in Need on the phone-in alone 13.8M (part one), 13.6M (part two) — inflated by the EastEnders crossover Coming Up Next: Monday (Patreon Exclusive 183): A disco version of the theme, the Memory TARDIS, a look back at the first six Doctors, and the comics "The Grief" and "Ravens." Friday (Patreon): Whatever Happened to Susan Foreman? —A BBC Radio produced mockumentary, starring Jane Asher. Saturday (Main Feed): Wartime —the fan-produced, BBC-sanctioned Benton video, from the Patreon vault. End Music: This episode closes with a reworking of the Dimensions in Time theme by Darth Jedi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv2t41k2244 Hashtags: #DoctorWho #DimensionsInTime #ChildrenInNeed #ClassicWho #TheRani #EastEnders #WildernessYears #DoctorWhoPodcastDay #MultiDoctor #DoctorWhoPodcast

Note: This is a hiatus episode, originally a Patreon Exclusive, airing on the main feed during the break between Classic and New Who. Love the podcast? Consider joining us on Patreon for early access to episodes, exclusive content, and the option to commission your own Doctor Who story. A Strike Over a Clock Changes Doctor Who History The story of Shada begins not on screen, but in the chaos of 1970s British industrial action. A seemingly minor dispute over which union controlled the operation of an elaborate clock on the BBC Children's Program, Play School, escalated to the point where production of Doctor Who came to a standstill. Two-thirds of filming had been completed. Sets were built. Effects work had been shot. Actors had been cast. And then everything stopped. The cast wasn't aware of what was happening behind the scenes—some didn't even know production had ceased until much later. Meanwhile, writer Douglas Adams had already decided to step away from the show. He wouldn't be returning. The Lost Story That Became Many Stories Because Shada was never completed in 1980, it exists in five different forms today. A 1983 fan edit using rough footage and text inserts. A 1992 VHS release with Tom Baker providing narration for the unfinished scenes. A Big Finish Flash animation from 2013 that reimagined the story. An unofficial animation created before the official version. And finally, a 2021 Blu-ray restoration with enhanced animation presented in proper episode format. But none of these versions represent what Douglas Adams might have intended, because the original script—if it still exists—has never been published. The editing, the changes, the additions made over decades remain mysterious. What Was Filmed, What Wasn't, and Why Some Special Effects Exist for No Good Reason One of the most fascinating aspects of watching Shada is understanding what the production achieved before the strike. All the Cambridge location footage—the punting scenes, the exterior shots of the university, Tom Baker riding a bicycle—was shot first. The interior sets at the professor's rooms were next. But the spaceship interiors? Those were never filmed, because the production never got far enough. Yet special effects models of both spaceships were built and filmed specifically for a story that would never be completed. The Krog robots, partial shots of spacecraft, miniature effects work all survived despite the rest of production falling apart. It's a window into how Doctor Who production actually worked: film everything outdoor or on location first, then work studio interiors later. A Woman Transformed, A Doctor Leaving, and a Show About to Change Everything Tom Baker—at this point no longer interested in playing the Doctor again—was paired with Lala Ward (as Romana II). Their relationship during this period was becoming increasingly strained (they would eventually marry and divorce, an 18-month union that left permanent scars). Meanwhile, Graham Williams—the outgoing producer—was frustrated that the BBC wouldn't fund the show properly. He could only get two-thirds of the budget needed. He suggested his replacement: John Nathan Turner, a producer with big ideas and bigger ambitions. Turner would bring in Christopher Bidmead as script editor—someone determined to ground the show in actual science and move away from what he considered silliness. Bidmead would also cherry-pick which parts of established continuity "counted," declaring entire seasons from the past to be non-canonical. This era would define everything that came next. Cambridge, Tea, and a Story About Wanting to Create a Universal Mind The story itself involves a professor of Gallifrey, secret books, a man named Skagra with mysterious plans, and a prison planet that the Time Lords conveniently forgot about. But at its heart, it's a tale about someone trying to merge multiple consciousnesses into a single universal mind—a concept that resonates strangely in an era of AI debates decades later. The Doctor opposes this not through violence, but through philosophy, engaging in a debate about why controlling the universe isn't actually desirable. It's quintessentially Douglas Adams: ambitious ideas wrapped in humor and logic puzzles. Guest Stars Both Familiar and Forgotten Gerald Campion, who played the original Billy Bunter decades earlier, appears in a small role. Tom Baker was thrilled to work with him. Christopher Neame plays the villain Skagra in a distinctly disco-era outfit that suggests the production was made in a very specific time period. Most of the cast has been forgotten by history—which is what makes it tragic. These actors prepared for a major Doctor Who story that would have been seen by millions. Instead, they prepared for something that was erased. Romana in Costume, or Rather, in Multiple Costumes One thread that becomes increasingly frustrating as the story progresses: Romana keeps changing outfits, and none of them seem quite right. There's a hat situation that neither host is happy about. But the core problem goes deeper—Romana, one of the Doctor's most capable companions, spends large stretches of this story being dragged around, held hostage, or forced to watch as events happen around her. It's a companion written with less agency than the show had managed before. A Mystery at the End: What Was Douglas Adams Actually Trying to Say? The final revelation that Professor Cronotus is actually Salyavin—a famous criminal from Shada prison—raises questions that the story never adequately addresses. He's dead, sort of. He's a paradox, sort of. He creates a companion (Claire) who suddenly understands alien technology without explanation. And then the Doctor simply... leaves. Leaves a TARDIS on Earth with an unstable former criminal who's slowly fading from existence. No one discusses what will happen. No one seems concerned. By the final episodes, the story becomes increasingly muddled, introducing concepts that don't quite land and resolutions that feel incomplete. Which Version Did They Watch? And Does It Matter? The hosts watched the 2021 Blu-ray restoration, broken into six episodes with enhanced animation. But the question lingers: is this Douglas Adams's original story, or has it been altered beyond recognition by decades of reconstruction? The animation is competent but uneven. Tom Baker's and Lala Ward's aged voices are notably different from their younger selves. David Briarley, the original voice of K9's computer, recorded new material shortly before his death. A final scene was added showing Tom Baker as an older man—was this always planned, or a later addition? A Story in Cotton Candy Form One host describes Shada as "cotton candy science fiction"—tasty in the moment, completely gone the moment you consume it. The question becomes: how much of the fascination with Shada is about the story itself, and how much is about its impossible history? Had it been completed on schedule and aired as just another season finale, would anyone still talk about it? Or is the legend of Shada more interesting than Shada actually is? Production Details: Production Code: 5M Intended Air Date: January 19 – February 23, 1980 (never aired) Writer: Douglas Adams (final script for the show; also served as script editor) Director: Pennant Roberts Cause of Non-Completion: Industrial action/strike regarding union jurisdiction over BBC equipment (ultimately over a clock on a children's program) Percentage Shot: Approximately two-thirds Versions That Exist: Five distinct versions across different formats and decades Key Guest Cast: Gerald Campion (Billy Bunter himself), Christopher Neame (Skagra), Daniel Hill (Chris), Victoria Burgoyne (Claire) Key Discussion Points: The production history and why the strike occurred Why special effects were filmed for scenes that were never shot The decision to leave Tom Baker out of future multi-Doctor stories (and his later appearance here) What happened to Romana's agency as the story progresses The muddled explanation of Cronotus/Sally Avon and the paradox he represents Whether Shada would be remembered if it had simply aired as scheduled How different Doctor Who productions worked (exteriors first, interiors later) The implications of leaving an unstable TARDIS on Earth with no follow-up Douglas Adams's memos and his frustrations with the show's direction The romantic relationship between Tom Baker and Lala Ward during this period, and how it affected their performances Coming Up Next: Saturday (Main Feed) / Friday (Patreon Early): Season 18 premiere, "The Leisure Hive" (four-parter). The first story under the new regime begins. Monday (Patreon Exclusive 120): Season 17 retrospective and mainstream comics coverage for the hiatus period ("Dogs of War," "Time Witch," "The Star Beast"). Hashtags: #DoctorWho #Shada #TomBaker #LalaWard #DouglasAdams #ClassicWho #LostStory #ProductionHistory #UnfinishedBusiness #DoctorWhoPodcast #WildernessYears

Note: This is a hiatus episode, originally a Patreon Exclusive, airing on the main feed during the break between Classic and New Who. Join our Patreon to get early access to review episodes and weekly exclusive content like this. A Theme with Energy But No Clarity on Genre The episode opens with "Dancer Who," a drum and bass remix of the Doctor Who theme from an account called "Synth Theme Remixes." Despite nearly 13 years of existence and modest viewership, the track has undeniable energy and a strong beat. Whether it's actually pure drum and bass is debatable—there are keyboards and synthesizers involved—but it's undeniably danceable. The hosts hope their coverage might help this overlooked remix find a wider audience. https://youtu.be/Puve_A9EFwQ?si=Mw5zOUxgQS27JnFn A Season Where Companions Spend More Time Fighting Than Helping Season 20 presents an interesting problem: the TARDIS is crowded. Tegan is improving as an actress, but only incrementally. Turlough raises the fundamental question: why is this character here at all? Even more surprising—by the time we're done, Adric starts looking better in retrospect. When you find yourself comparing a companion favorably to someone much-maligned by fandom, you know the roster has an issue. A Creature Department with Nothing to Do The hosts confront an uncomfortable truth about Season 20: it's remarkably free of monsters and creatures. The Mara is a villain, not a creature. The Garm exists but barely registers. The Eternals are villains. Kings Demons has... nothing. This absence reflects a deliberate editorial choice to ground the show under Peter Davison's influence—away from the wacky alien designs, toward something more naturalistic. The creature department was apparently just sitting around with nothing to build. When Best Villain and Best Guest Star Diverge in Unexpected Ways One host makes a surprising villain choice. Another champions a campy, over-the-top performance that might seem like it belongs in a different era of Doctor Who entirely. The Brigadier's return gets unanimous agreement as best guest star, but his performance in a particular story involves playing not one, but two versions of himself—a challenge that pays dividends. Meanwhile, the Black Guardian lingers as a presence but never quite rises to the occasion, despite excellent work from the actor. Two Different Takes on the Same Brigadier Moment Both hosts select best moments from the same story, but they pick different scenes. One focuses on the emotional weight of two versions of the same character finally meeting and reaching out. The other selects a memory-based sequence—a storytelling device that works beautifully here but one the hosts caution against overusing. It will show up again and again in New Who, and there's apparently a real tearjerker in the Sarah Jane Adventures that hits hard. But how many times can you deploy the same emotional tool before it loses power? The Easiest and Hardest Superlatives Best and worst episodes sort themselves out quickly—there's immediate consensus on what works best and what's interminable. But best monster becomes genuinely difficult when you realize the season doesn't have traditional creatures to choose from. Best companion is solved "by default." And best moment splinters into two thoughtful but different answers. Comics: A Fishing Trip That Becomes a Moral Quandary "Lunar Lagoon" (DWM 76–77, April–May 1983) finds the Doctor landing on a Pacific island during World War II, not realizing what era he's actually in. A lone Japanese soldier still believes the war is ongoing. When an American pilot is shot down, the Doctor removes the bullets from the soldier's gun—but this act of mercy sets off a chain of events that results in the soldier's death and leaves the Doctor consumed with guilt. The hosts note that while this is a hoary old cliche (the Japanese soldier who doesn't know the war is over), the Doctor's presence should have reframed it. Instead, critical details remain unclear—what year did the Doctor think he was in? Why was there suddenly an American WWII plane? The story needs another line or two of dialogue to ground what's happening. Additionally, the complete absence of a companion (despite Nyssa, Tegan, and Turlough all being available) makes the story feel oddly hollow. The Doctor carries everything through thought balloons and internal monologue, which limits the interplay a good Doctor Who story thrives on. Memory TARDIS: A Landing That Nobody Expected "The Mind Robber" (Troughton, five-part story) sends the hosts into a discussion about a tale so weird, so far from grounded Doctor Who, that it might be impossible to imagine in Davison's era. The Land of Fiction, a rogue character masquerading as "the Master," Jamie's face literally rearranged due to actor illness, and a famous shot nobody will forget—this is 1968 Doctor Who at its most experimental. Production Details: Season 20 aired March–June 1983 (seven stories) The Five Doctors included with this season set (though technically separate) Best Companion : Nyssa (with significant caveats) Creature Department Status : Vastly underutilized Key Spoiler Cards for Season 21 : The hosts avoid "New Doctor" (too spoilery), pick "Elementary, My Dear Jim" instead of "Body Count" Upcoming Writer Return : Robert Holmes returns for Season 21 with what many consider both Peter Davison's best story and Holmes's finest work Hashtags: #DoctorWho #Season20 #TheFiveDoctors #PeterDavison #Superlatives #Brigadier #DoctorWhoPodcast #ClassicWho #WildernessYears #MindRobber

Guest: British author Paul Ebbs—Big Finish writer and lifelong Who fan who watched every episode on broadcast from 1970 to 1989—joins John and Jim to close out Classic Doctor Who. Three and a Half Years, One Weekly Show, and Finally the End of the Road This is it. The final story of Classic Doctor Who. After three and a half years of weekly episodes covering every televised adventure in order, John and Jim reach the end of the line with Survival —Sylvester McCoy's swan song, Ace's coming-of-age, and the Master's last classic-era stand. To mark the occasion, they welcome a guest who was there when it first aired: author Paul Ebbs, who calls this his joint-favorite story of all time and makes a passionate case for why it matters far more than its reputation might suggest. A Working Title You Won't Believe Before it became Survival , this story went by two working titles: "Blood Hunt" and—brace yourself—"Cat Flap." Yes, the final story of Classic Doctor Who was nearly called Cat Flap. The hosts have thoughts about this, and about what might have been if that title had stuck. The Show Looking Into a Mirror and Seeing Its Future Self Paul makes a bold argument that runs through the whole conversation: there is no post-2005 Doctor Who without this era. Everything RTD would later do is seeded right here. He points out that Rose is set "one estate across and three streets up" from Survival . Jim extends John's running metaphor—Cartmel walked so RTD could run—into something more specific: Ace walked so Rose, Amy, and every companion after could run. This is the story where the companion's inner life, backstory, and growth finally take center stage, setting the template for everything that followed. A Master Story, a Height Difference, and a Performance That Elevates This marks Anthony Ainley's final televised turn as the Master, and it's a memorable one. The hosts discuss how McCoy holds his own against Ainley despite a notable height difference, the chilling mirror scene, and whether this ranks among Ainley's best work. There's disagreement about where he sits relative to Delgado—and a surprising admission from one host about finally coming around on Ainley this time. The Hottest Shoot on the Coldest-Looking Planet Behind the scenes, this was a punishing production. Filmed in 100-degree heat in Dorset, the elaborate Cheetah People costumes (a departure from writer Rona Munro's more subtle original vision) made life miserable for the cast. An extra walked off. Sophie Aldred suffered dehydration despite not even wearing the costume. Ainley himself took the production team to task over how uncomfortable Lisa Bowerman was. And yet, all shot on location, the story achieves a cinematic quality the hosts and guest clearly relish. A Writer Who Paints a Whole Life in Two Lines Paul—himself a working Who writer—delivers what amounts to a masterclass appreciation of Rona Munro's screenwriting. He singles out a first episode with relentless narrative drive, exposition smuggled invisibly into dialogue, and minor characters who feel fully three-dimensional from just a line or two. There's a subtle detail involving what a street character is collecting money for that ties directly into the story's central theme—and it's the kind of thing you only notice when someone points it out. The Sabotaged Hum and the Only Pacifist in the Room At its heart, this is a story about not winning through violence. The Doctor is the lone voice of pacifism amid chaos, and Paul makes a spirited defense of a much-debated sequence in part two—arguing it's not a misfire but the thematic backbone of the entire story. Whether you agree depends on how you read the Doctor's role, and the hosts don't entirely line up on this one. Planet of the Apes on Horseback The first sight of a Cheetah Person mounted on horseback draws a direct comparison to the iconic gorilla-on-horseback image from Planet of the Apes —an incongruous, unforgettable visual. The hosts and guest also defend the animatronic cat, the Cheetah People makeup, and Doctor Who's whole relationship with special effects. There's a broader argument here about what actually matters in the show, and it's not the monsters. An Accidental Perfect Ending Only John Nathan Turner knew this might be the last episode for a long time. The cast and crew were largely in the dark. Cartmel wrote the melancholy closing monologue—"there are worlds out there where the sky is burning"—which McCoy recorded, fittingly, on the show's actual 30th anniversary. The hosts and guest reflect on how a story nobody knew was a finale became the perfect accidental send-off for Classic Who. Fruit Machines, Finger Tricks, and Pocket Watches Along the way: a discussion of the Doctor's mysterious forehead-finger business, McCoy's prop-driven approach to the role (including a pocket watch used as a scanner), the great sonic screwdriver debate, and a Doctor channeling Pertwee on a motorbike. Plus a small mystery about Ace's mother that the story raises and then quietly drops. Production Details: Production Code: 7P Aired: November 22 – December 6, 1989 Writer: Rona Munro (would later write New Who's "The Eaters of Light" for Capaldi) Director: Alan Wareing (previously The Greatest Show in the Galaxy , Ghost Light ) Working Titles: "Blood Hunt" and "Cat Flap" The Master: Anthony Ainley (added at JNT's insistence for a named villain; his final televised appearance in the role) Notable Cast: Lisa Bowerman as Karra (would go on to voice Bernice Summerfield and direct for Big Finish), Julian Holloway as Sergeant Patterson (Paul's favorite guest actor in Who history; passed away recently), comedians Gareth Hale & Norman Pace in the shop Filming Location: Perivale for the Earth scenes, Dorset for the planet of the Cheetah People Closing Monologue: Written by Andrew Cartmel; recorded by McCoy on November 23, 1989 Ratings: 5M / 4.8M / 5M Key Discussion Points: Why this story is the template for all of post-2005 Doctor Who Ace as the proto-New-Who companion and the culmination of Season 26's arc Anthony Ainley's final Master performance and how he compares to Delgado Rona Munro's writing craft and economy of characterization The pacifism theme: "If we fight like animals, we'll die like animals" The debate over part two and whether it drags or lands the story's themes The "Ace walked so Rose could run" thesis The Planet of the Apes visual influence Doctor Who's relationship with special effects and suspension of disbelief Whether holding the Master story for last was the right call The all-location cinematic shooting style The accidental perfect ending and Cartmel's closing monologue The Wilderness Years to come, and the role of the Virgin New Adventures novels Coming Up Next: Friday (Patreon Feed): A look back at McCoy, the 80s, and the Classic Era overall. Monday (Patreon Exclusive 180): Season 26 overview—the good, the bad, and whatever ugly there was. Plus the comics "Party Animals" and "The Chameleon Factor." Patreon subscribers also get the 80s retrospective. Wednesday (Main Feed): Season 20 retrospective (a previously Patreon-exclusive episode). And Then: Hiatus episodes that will look at aspects of the "Wilderness Years", The 1996 TV Movie, and eventually the leap into New Who and the Christopher Eccleston era. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #Survival #SylvesterMcCoy #SophieAldred #Ace #TheMaster #AnthonyAinley #RonaMunro #ClassicWho #EndOfAnEra #PaulEbbs #DoctorWhoPodcast

Guest: Shagg Matthews from the Fire & Water Podcast Network joins John and Jim to discuss the penultimate story of Classic Doctor Who. The Darkest Hour(s) Before the Dawn The hosts are unified in their assessment: this is the darkest, most adult, most dramatically mature story of the entire series. It's not dark in tone alone—it's dark in theme, dark in implications, dark in what it reveals about the Doctor's character. One joke exists in the entire episode; everything else operates in shades of genuine dread. The production team clearly knew they were operating on borrowed time and decided to swing for the fences: a World War II setting, a genuine first-evil antagonist, psychological manipulation, body horror, and questions about faith itself. A Writer and a Producer in a Battle Over Hemovores Ian Briggs returned to Doctor Who after nearly a full season away—Andrew Cartmel had to convince JNT to give him another chance. Once given that chance, JNT immediately began second-guessing and meddling. The hemovores were originally supposed to look different, more monstrous. JNT thought they looked "rather rude"—apparently resembling a sexual organ—and demanded they be toned down. The final design: vampiric-looking humanoids that started as two schoolgirls. It's a compromise that somehow works brilliantly despite the behind-the-scenes friction. A Location Shoot That Feels Real Rather than attempt the Blitz with pyrotechnics and sets, Nicholas Mallet (returning from Paradise Towers ) persuaded JNT to film entirely on location. They shot in Dorset and Northumberland, capturing genuine seaside cliffs and windswept locations. The weather cooperated and didn't cooperate simultaneously—freak conditions meant one day brought snow, the next sunshine, then rain. Rather than reshoot, they worked it into the story. McCoy kept his own heavy coat between takes; the production said it looked good, so he wore it throughout. Sophie Aldred handpicked her costume and refused to cover it with an overcoat, keeping her arms visible at all times. A Story That Was Never Meant to Be an Ending (But Knows It Is) Only John Nathan Turner knew the show was ending. Everyone else—including Sylvester McCoy, who'd signed a contract for Season 27—was operating under the assumption the show would continue. McCoy was all set to return; Sophie Aldred hadn't even been offered one yet. The BBC officially called it a "hiatus" while quietly beginning a competitive tender process to find a new production company. But among all the cast and crew, only JNT was preparing this as a potential final chapter. The others were simply making the next story. The Story: A mysterious entity called Fenric—described as one of the first evils of the universe—has been imprisoned for 17 centuries. In 1943, a small English coastal town becomes the battleground. Russian soldiers are hunting for a scientist named Judson, who's secretly developing a computer to decode German ciphers. The Doctor arrives to find ancient Viking ruins, encoded runes that must never be translated, and mysterious creatures rising from the water. When the runes are translated, Fenric's influence begins to spread. The true revelation: Fenric has been manipulating events for centuries, including the entire relationship between the Doctor and Ace. Production Details: Production Code: 7M Aired: October 15 – November 14, 1989 Writer: Ian Briggs | Director: Nicholas Mallet Guest Stars: Nicholas Parsons (Reverend Wainwright), Dinsdale Landen (Commander Millington) Filming Location: Lulworth Cove in Dorset; North Umberland or possibly Whitby (accounts vary) Notable Details: First Doctor Who story set in WWII (War Games covered WWI) All-location filming —rain, snow, and sunlight all captured genuinely Sophie Aldred dove into water three times to get the shot; divers had to follow her on the final take McCoy wore his personal coat between takes; production kept it in final cut Ratings: 4.3M, 4M, 4M, 4.2M (held above 4 million throughout) Music: Mark Ayers Novelization: Ian Briggs (same author), includes epilogue set in 1887 Paris Key Discussion Points: Why this story works as mature television drama The manipulation thread: Fenric manipulating the Doctor and Ace; the Doctor manipulating Ace for a greater good The distraction scene and whether it lands (or whether it makes viewers uncomfortable) Ace's fear of water: genuinely from the story, or character development invented for the finale? The Doctor's faith expressed through his companions' names (from novelization) Why the Ancient One/Great Serpent feels unnecessary when Madison and Fenric were compelling enough The Doctor being "on patrol"—Batman and Robin dynamics with Ace Ace's first genuine character arc across multiple seasons The seduction vs. the seduction scene: why one works and the other doesn't How this story informs RTD's approach to companion arcs in New Who Season 27 plans: Ace was meant to train for the Time Lord Academy The rain and weather: natural hazard or perfect cinematography? Coming Up Next: Monday (Patreon Exclusive 179): Music, Memory TARDIS, and "The Mark of Mandragora" comics. Friday (Patreon Early) / Wednesday (Main Feed): "Survival" (three-parter)—the actual final story of Classic Doctor Who. John handles narration; guest writer Paul Ebbs from England joins the discussion. Special Notes: This is the second-to-last classic Who story John mentions this is only the second time he's "mainlined" multiple episodes in a row (the first time being War Games ) The hosts plan to do a retrospective episode after Survival covering favorite doctors, companions, and villains across all 26 years Shag gives credit to the novelization for revealing that the Doctor whispers the names of the First Doctor's companions (Ian, Barbara, Susan, Vicki, Stephen) as his source of faith against the hemovores Hashtags: #DoctorWho #Season26 #TheCurseOfFenric #ClassicWho #SylvesterMcCoy #SophieAldred #Fenric #DoctorManipulates #DarkestStory #DoctorWhoPodcast #PenultimateStory

Guest: Felicity Kusinitz from the Flopcast joins John and Jim to discuss Season 26's most confusing story. A Script Too Big for Its Own Shoes Mark Platt submitted "Lungbarrow" to the show—a bold move for a writer with no professional credits beyond Doctor Who fan fiction. JNT immediately shut down his original concept (a full revelation of the Doctor's origins involving Gallifrey, Rassilon, and Omega) and asked him to rework it. Platt transplanted the thematic weight of that rejected story into a Victorian Gothic setting, creating Ghost Light. The result is a production that was heavily edited, with numerous explanatory scenes cut to fit three episodes. Even now, decades later, the story remains notoriously difficult to follow on first viewing—and according to many, even on subsequent viewings. Why This Story Rewards (and Frustrates) Repeat Viewing Felicity came in as a genuine enthusiast for this story, despite her general ambivalence toward the McCoy era. She's watched it multiple times and finds it improves with knowledge of what's coming. The New Adventures novels (particularly "Lungbarrow," which completed Andrew Cartmel's original Master Plan concept) have deepened her appreciation retroactively. Yet even she admits the first viewing is a puzzle box without instructions. Jim, meanwhile, found it nearly incomprehensible—he spent much of the episode laughing at the absurdity while also trying desperately to understand what was actually happening. Too Many Characters Syndrome Strikes Again The story suffers from the same overcrowding that plagued Battlefield. There's Josiah Samuel Smith, Control, Nimrod, the Reverend Matthews, the Constable, Mrs. Pritchard, Gwendolyn, the maids, Inspector McKenzie, and eventually Light itself. Each arrival adds another layer of confusion. Jerry Lange's earlier concerns about "too many characters" find their most vindicated expression here. Some characters could have been eliminated entirely, and others—particularly the Reverend and the Constable—feel like they exist only because they were written before the cuts. A Doctor Who's Getting Darker (And Meaner) A troubling thread emerges in this viewing: the Doctor is increasingly manipulative and even cruel with Ace. He brings her to a house without explanation, observes her distress as a kind of experiment, and generally treats her as a subject to be studied rather than a companion to be protected. This emotional manipulation—combined with McCoy's alien coldness rather than zany warmth—marks a shift in the character that will come to a head in the final story. Atmospheric But Muddy: The Audio Problem The story is visually and aurally striking—genuinely evoking Hammer Horror and the Hinchcliffe era with its Victorian setting and Gothic atmosphere. Yet the production suffers from audio mixing issues. The soundtrack is prominent enough to drown out dialogue, particularly Ace's lines, which are sometimes difficult to parse. This compounds the story's already confusing nature; listeners are struggling both to understand the plot and to hear what characters are saying. The Incomprehensible Becomes Character-Driven Once Light arrives—a being of pure energy obsessed with cataloguing life but appalled by its constant evolution—the story gains a genuinely interesting thematic core. Light's childlike wonder and petulant rage when confronted with change creates an intriguing antagonist, even if the costume (flowing cape, pale makeup, styled hair) reads more as "space fairy" than "cosmic entity." The Doctor defeats Light not through action but through argument—a Kirk-like tactic that works here because the concept itself is compelling enough to carry it. What Works, What Doesn't The setting works beautifully. The cast interactions (particularly Ace and Gwendolyn's constant wrestling matches) add levity. Sophie Aldred's increasing maturity as an actress and her character's evolution is noticeable. The costume design is excellent—though Ace keeping her boots on under the Victorian dress is a nice character touch. What doesn't work is the clarity; the rushed ending; the revelation that Control, Fenn Cooper, and Nimrod escape in the spaceship (leaving Ace's future burning of the house still unexplained); and the general sense that crucial scenes were left on the editing room floor. The Crown Jewel of Cartmel's Tenure? Cartmel considers Ghost Light the crown jewel of his script-editing era—a statement that says more about what went wrong in his tenure than it does about the quality of this particular story. It's bold, daring, and ambitious. It also fails to deliver on its promises due to time constraints and editorial decisions made by people who didn't care anymore. This is the final production of classic Doctor Who, even though it airs second in the season. The actual last scene filmed was the closing exchange between Ace and the Doctor—a conversation that feels almost tacked on but carries genuine weight: Ace wishes she'd blown up Gabriel Chase instead of burning it down, and the Doctor simply replies, "Wicked." Production Details: Production Code: 7Q Aired: October 4–18, 1989 (but produced AFTER both "Curse of Fenric" and "Survival") Writer: Mark Platt (first professional sale; no prior writing credits outside fan fiction) Director: Alan Waring Original Concept: "Lungbarrow" — a story meant to fully reveal the Doctor's origins on Gallifrey Ratings: Episode 1: 4.2 million | Episodes 2 & 3: 4.0 million (slight bump from previous week) Notable Cast: Michael Cochrane (Fenn Cooper, previously in "Black Orchid"), Carl Forgione (Nimrod, previously in "Planet of the Spiders") Key Detail: Last scene shot was Ace and the Doctor's closing exchange Key Discussion Points: The 75-minute script cut down to fit three short episodes and what was lost Too many characters introduced with insufficient explanation The Doctor's increasingly manipulative treatment of Ace and what it suggests about his character arc Whether the story rewards repeat viewing or if clarity is impossible The Victorian Gothic atmosphere as the story's greatest strength Light as a conceptual antagonist vs. Light as a costume problem Sophie Aldred's maturing performance throughout Season 26 Why Ace's 1983 burning of Gabriel Chase never connects fully to the events of this story Ace keeping her boots on under the Victorian dress as character work The jarring tonal shifts between scenes Patrick Mulkern's assessment that the incoherence lands at Cartmell's feet Coming Up Next: Monday (Patreon 178): Music (The Doubleclicks' version of the Doctor Who theme), comics "Darkness Falling" and "Distractions" (prequels to a larger storyline), Memory TARDIS, and a tribute to BBC Books editor Justin Richards, who passed away. Friday (Patreon Early) / Wednesday (Main Feed): "The Curse of Fenric" (four-parter). Jim handles narration; guest Shagg Matthews joins the discussion. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #Season26 #GhostLight #ClassicWho #SylvesterMcCoy #SophieAldred #AmbitionVsExecution #CartmelMasterPlan #MarkPlatt #VictorianGothic #DoctorWhoPodcast

Guest: Artist Jerry Lange joins John and Jim to discuss Season 26's explosive premiere. Six Years Later: A Familiar Face in Uniform The Doctor intercepts a distress call from Earth and arrives to find military forces mobilizing around a lake in rural England. But the soldiers he encounters aren't the ragtag UNIT troops from decades past—they answer to a new Brigadier, Winifred Bambara, sharp and decisive in ways that immediately challenge the Doctor's expectations. Before he can fully process this changing of the guard, a figure from his past arrives by helicopter. Nicholas Courtney returns as Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge Stewart, and the moment he steps onto screen represents the kind of callback that reminds longtime viewers why they fell in love with this show in the first place. The Return of a Beloved Character Done Right This is Courtney's first appearance since 1983—a full six years away. Yet the script wastes no time exploring what retirement has meant for the man who spent so many years at the Doctor's side. Unlike a simple cameo or a "let me check in and leave" scenario, the Brigadier finds himself back in harness, commanding troops, coordinating military responses, and rolling with alien invasions as if no time has passed at all. The character hasn't softened with age; if anything, he's evolved into someone who finally understands what he's really dealing with and accepts it without question. This is prime Brigadier material. Medieval Knights, Ancient Swords, and a Very Complicated Woman The story introduces knights in armor who've landed on Earth, along with ancient artifacts and a mysterious woman who speaks through a crystal ball—someone claiming to be Morgaine, reaching across dimensions to reclaim what's hers. The central mystery involves Excalibur, a comatose figure who might be King Arthur, and the question of whether the Doctor himself might be Merlin. How does one character bridge ancient legend and the Doctor's own timeline? And what does it mean when the Doctor suggests he might already be Merlin, but just doesn't know it yet? A Crowded Stage: When Too Many Characters Complicate the Story With Bambera, Ancelyn, Shou Yung, the helicopter pilot, the archaeologist Warmsley, and others, the screen fills quickly. Some find this ensemble approach refreshing; others feel it dilutes the focus that Morgaine and the central conflict deserve. The new Brigadier especially becomes a point of discussion—is she a necessary counterpoint to Alistair's established authority, or does her anger and youth undercut the gravitas the role traditionally carries? And then there's the question of whether every character served the Arthurian elements or whether some existed primarily because the production wanted to demonstrate diversity of casting. Jean Marsh as Morgaine: A Villain for the Ages Yet if there's one element that commands universal appreciation, it's Jean Marsh's performance as Morgaine. She commands every scene she inhabits, wielding hand gestures, vocal inflection, and costume to create a presence that feels genuinely menacing. This is her return to Doctor Who after playing Sarah Kingdom decades earlier, and she uses the opportunity to sketch out one of classic Who's most memorable antagonists. Comparisons to Helen Mirren's Morgaine in Excalibur are inevitable—and some viewers find Marsh's interpretation equally compelling, if not superior. The Mystery of Merlin and the Doctor's Unexplained Powers Part of what makes this story intriguing is its central enigma: Is the Doctor Merlin? The story suggests he might be, but offers no clear answer. Instead, it proposes something stranger—that the Doctor might become Merlin at some point in his past, or that he already was without knowing it yet. This plays directly into the Cartmell Master Plan's fascination with the Doctor's origins and timeline. Yet the story also introduces psychic powers the Doctor exercises—mind tricks that feel Force-like in execution but are never explained or integrated into established Time Lord abilities. Where do these abilities come from, and why does the Doctor never use them again? Bessie Makes an Unexpected Entrance In one of the story's most delightful moments, the Doctor's old car Bessie emerges to save the day. It's a callback that lands harder than the story initially suggests it might, proof that even in a tale of knights and swords and alternate dimensions, there's room for the kind of continuity nods that make longtime fans smile. A Production That Nearly Caused a Tragedy Behind the scenes, Sophie Aldred found herself in genuine danger during the water tank sequence. The glass chamber—not built to withstand pressure—began to crack and bulge as water filled it. Loose electrical wiring posed an immediate electrocution risk. It took McCoy's quick thinking and frantic shouting to get her out before disaster struck. It's the kind of production hazard that modern safety standards would never permit, and it remains a sobering reminder of how close the show came to losing an actress. A Story Ben Aaronovitch Wasn't Happy With Remarkably, despite writing one of the strongest stories of Season 25 ( Remembrance of the Daleks ), writer Ben Aaronovitch objected to several elements of this one. The Brigadier's return, he felt, was a mistake—a sentiment that J&T, Cartmell, and Courtney himself overruled. He disliked the music, the nuclear weapons speech that Cartmell added for the Doctor, and believed the knights should have looked more futuristic rather than traditionally medieval. The Merlin Question and Time Travel Paradox The intriguing aspect of the Doctor-as-Merlin possibility is that it plays with time in ways the show doesn't always explore. If the Doctor becomes Merlin in his past, but that past hasn't happened yet, what does that mean for causality? The story leaves this deliberately unresolved, suggesting that some mysteries are more interesting unanswered—a bold choice for a four-part story with finite screen time. Production Details: Production Code: 7N Aired: September 6–27, 1989 Writer: Ben Aaronovitch | Director: Michael Kerrigan Originally pitched as: "Storm of Avalon" (Season 25, rejected due to Silver Nemesis covering similar ground) Key Return: Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge Stewart (first appearance since 1983) Guest Cast: Jean Marsh (Morgaine), Angela Bruce (Brigadier Bambera), Marcus Gilbert (Ancelyn) Notable: Last TARDIS interior appearance in classic Who; Courtney voted best actor of this season by Doctor Who Magazine Ratings: 3.1, 3.9, 3.6, 4.0 (opening episode 3.1 is lowest in classic history) Key Discussion Points: The Brigadier's evolution from skeptic to fully-operational military commander Jean Marsh's transformation from Sarah Kingdom to Morgaine The Cartmell Master Plan's continued exploration of the Doctor's past Morgaine's arrival from an alternate dimension and her connection to Arthur The Doctor's unexplained psychic abilities and their absence from later stories Whether the cast is too large and whether certain characters serve the narrative Ancelyn's connection to Lancelot (possible anagram?) The Bessie callback and its emotional resonance Bambera as counterpoint to Alistair: innovation vs. tradition The balance between Arthurian legend and Doctor Who mythology Coming Up Next: Monday (Patreon 177): Music, Memory TARDIS, comics "Time Flight," "Doctor Conqueror," and "Fellow Travelers" (Sarah Jane returns to comics; Ace introduced) Friday (Patreon Early) / Wednesday (Main Feed): "Ghostlight" (three-parter with guest Felicity Kusinitz from Flop Cast)—a story many fans have strong opinions about Hashtags: #DoctorWho #Season26 #Battlefield #ClassicWho #NicholasCourtney #JeanMarsh #SylvesterMcCoy #BrigadierLethbridgeStewart #ArthurinaLegend #Merlin #DoctorWhoPodcast

John and Jim bid farewell to the Sixth Doctor with surprising revelations about changed opinions, why fandom got it wrong, companion dynamics, and Colin's enduring legacy as ambassador for a show that screwed him over. John's Shocking Confession: After going into the Colin Baker era expecting disaster based on fan reputation, John emerges with a stunning announcement about where Colin now ranks in his Doctor hierarchy. Discussion covers what changed his mind and why the arrogance that defined Sixth Doctor was actually a feature, not a bug. The Great Reassessment: Where does Colin Baker hate really come from? The hosts dig into the Davison devotion factor, the "hurt/comfort" fiction phenomenon, visual pushback, and story selection bias. Parallels drawn to another controversial modern Doctor currently experiencing reassessment. The question: does Colin deserve a renaissance? Season Showdown: Jim and John compare Season 22's classic monster lineup against Trial of a Time Lord's experimental structure, with numerical ratings revealing surprising sympathies and contradictions. Twin Dilemma gets revisited with fresh perspective. Peri vs. Mel: Deep dive into why the Doctor/Peri dynamic never quite worked (flashback to guests on John's old public access show The Chronic Rift bashing their chemistry), why Mel clicked better with Sixth than she will with Seventh, and what might have been with that brief Tegan/Colin pairing. The BBC Institutional Problem: Doctor Who as "begrudging institution" Britain was done with by 1987, contemporary articles calling for the show to rest, and the uncomfortable parallel to where we are today. Saward vs. JNT: Who really sabotaged Colin's era? The case against Eric Saward for wanting the Doctor "off to the side," the case for JNT staying despite wanting to leave, and how Andrew Cartmel represents the moment fans took over the asylum. The Chris Chibnall irony explored. Colin the Ambassador: Why Colin immediately embraced fandom despite BBC treatment while Tom Baker grudgingly came around decades later. Discussion covers charity work, fan productions, regrets about the regeneration he refused, and the motivation difference between appreciation and adulation. McCoy Preview: John drops a gauntlet: three stories from the Seventh Doctor era will score 15/15 as among the best of the entire classic run. Setup for the Troughton-inspired "don't underestimate me" Doctor and predictions about acting range debates. Final Doctor Rankings Revealed: Jim and John count down their top six Doctors with Colin landing in surprising positions on both lists. The Tom Baker controversy unpacked - why both hosts rank him lower than conventional wisdom despite his institutional status. Coming Up Next: Patreon Exclusive (Monday): Comic "Prophets of Doom," more Doctor Who music, Memory TARDIS wheel spin, and reactions to recovered Dalek Master Plan episodes 1 & 3 (BBC YouTube Easter miracle). Main Feed (Monday - Schedule Change!): "Time and the Rani" - Sylvester McCoy's debut with Kate O'Mara as the Rani. Jim's first narration of the McCoy era. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #ColinBaker #SixthDoctor #Retrospective #11Stories #WeHardlyKnewYou #DoctorRankings #Season22 #Season23 #TrialOfATimeLord #ClassicWho #DoctorWhoPodcast #SylvesterMcCoyPreview #FandomReassessment

The Story That Beats Coronation Street (But Divides the Hosts) Stephen Wyatt returns after Paradise Towers to deliver a circus-themed finale to Season 25. Expanded from three parts to four at John Nathan Turner's request, this story follows the Doctor and Ace arriving at the psychic circus on the planet Seganax—except Ace hates circuses, and the Doctor seems unusually fascinated by performance, danger, and magic. It wins over behind-the-sofa panelists and pulls the highest ratings of McCoy's entire run (beating Coronation Street for the first time), yet one host finds it compelling while the other considers it nearly unwatchable. What makes the difference? Production Under Impossible Circumstances The asbestos discovery that plagued Silver Nemesis forced this finale into a makeshift tent rigged in the parking lot. The budget is visibly exhausted by this point, yet the production team managed to secure Jeffrey Durham (The Great Soprendo) as the first magic consultant since 1977 to coach McCoy in juggling. The explosion sequence near McCoy was supposed to be blown air with added effects—until last-minute testing showed it looked unconvincing, so they switched to live pyrotechnics without telling the lead actor. He didn't blink on set because he believed there wouldn't be a retake. The Doctor's Behavior: A Fundamental Divide One host sees a character temporarily set aside his usual competence for story purposes. The other sees the Doctor acting like a completely different person—gullible, clumsy, silly, and uncharacteristically unable to read situations. The proactive crime-fighter from Remembrance and The Happiness Patrol has vanished, replaced by someone who falls into obvious traps and does pratfalls. McCoy's physical comedy training makes the juggling work, but does the writing serve the character he's been becoming over the last three stories? The Satire Cuts Both Ways Whiz Kid represents fandom—earnest, excited, devoted to the circus's history. His reward is a cruel, unnecessary death played as harsh comedy. What's the point of making fun of fans, especially when the message seems to be that fans should be punished for their devotion? Meanwhile, the real family in the audience—who turn out to be the Gods of Ragnarok—are abstract divine beings demanding entertainment. Who is the story really criticizing? A Pantheon Problem The Gods of Ragnarok are named after Norse mythology's apocalypse, yet they look almost Egyptian with their eye-based design. They get referenced later in New Who (specifically with the Fifteenth Doctor), which raises the question: did this story earn that future callback, or does the massive concept introduced in Part Four feel tacked on? What does naming them after Ragnarok actually accomplish? Character Choices Captain Cook is largely despised—a manipulative bore whose presence never makes sense. Mags is the victim of a rushed werewolf transformation that doesn't commit to either wolf or cat form. Kingpin is confusingly established as the former circus leader, but the revelation lands without impact. Bellboy's name suggests something, but what? The food cart lady exists to expose hippies. Meanwhile, the Chief Clown—sinister, physically controlled, genuinely threatening—stands out as the most interesting antagonist, but even he doesn't quite fit the larger story. Does a Four-Part Circus Need to Be This Long? The production feels stretched, relying on repetitive moments (running through quarries, hiding in tents, escaping robots) that feel interchangeable by Part Three. Could this have been told in three parts? Would removing redundant sequences have tightened the narrative? Does the extended runtime serve the story, or does it expose the thinness of the plot? Production Highlights: Music: First original song for Doctor Who since The Gunfighters (1966). Performed by Rico Ross, who played Private Frost in Aliens . Magic Consultant: Jeffrey Durham (The Great Soprendo)—first since Talons of Weng Chiang (1977) Guest Star: Jessica Martin (Mags) returns to the role in Big Finish and will later play Queen Elizabeth in Voyage of the Damned Ratings: 5.0–5.3–4.8–6.6 (the finale pulls the highest numbers of McCoy's entire run) Coming Up Next: Friday (Patreon): Doctor Who: The Ultimate Adventure (1989 stage production with John Pertwee—the clearest footage available on YouTube). Following Wednesday (Main Feed): Colin Baker retrospective (hiatus episode). Jim's Links: Big Top Tales Anthology - https://www.amazon.com/Big-Top-Tales-Nicholas-Ahlhelm/dp/1522700226 Pulp Fest Convention - http://www.pulpfest.com/ Hashtags: #DoctorWho #GreatestShowInTheGalaxy #Season25Finale #SylvesterMcCoy #SophieAldred #CircusStory #GodsOfRagnarok #StephenWyatt #ClassicWho #HostDisagreement #DoctorWhoPodcast

[Special Release: This episode is being released simultaneously on the main feed and Patreon for immediacy.] BREAKING NEWS: The Future of Doctor Who Takes a Dramatic Turn Just hours before recording, the BBC made a major announcement that affects Doctor Who's direction for years to come. RTD and Bad Wolf are parting ways with the BBC. The Christmas special is canceled. New production arrangements are being sought. John and Jim process what this means for fandom, for the show's creative identity, and for the possibility of a true fresh start. One host sees this as inevitable reckoning; the other worries about what gets lost in transition. Both discuss how long the darkness might last—and whether that's actually a bad thing. Season 25: Taking Stock of Four Stories After racing through Remembrance of the Daleks, Silver Nemesis, Happiness Patrol, and The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, Jim and John pause to rank what they've just watched. Best episode? That's clear. Worst episode? They disagree—and don't let ratings alone settle it. Best villain, best companion, best guest star, best monster, funniest moment, best overall moment—each category sparks different reactions. What makes a story work, even when individual elements fail? When does spectacle overwhelm character? Why does one host adore a story the other found painful? Nemesis of the Daleks: The First Dalek Comic in Ages A four-part comic strip featuring the Doctor's oldest enemies—and a character that may or may not have survived. The art improves significantly from recent strips. The scope feels genuinely cinematic with the Dalek Death Wheel. But here's the question: did the ending rush a story that deserved more room to breathe? John appreciates the scale; Jim wishes the narrative had time to match it. Both wonder if this Dalek adversary will return. Music & Memory TARDIS "The Psychic Circus" by Christopher Guard (who played Bellboy) is a curiosity—an actual song written specifically about an episode, not the show itself. Peter Davison's final story, "The Caves of Androzani," offers stunning supporting characters and a presidency subplot that overshadows the main narrative. One host loves it unreservedly; the other would only revisit select scenes. What Doctor Who Needs Now With RTD out and the show facing a complete reset, Jim and John discuss what a new showrunner should do. Forget continuity complications? Embrace them? How long should the silence last? Should the next Doctor arrive on screen with no explanation, like Eccleston did? Can a complete reboot work? Should there even be a TARDIS anymore? These aren't answered so much as explored—and the conversation suggests the wilderness years ahead might be exactly what the franchise needs. Support the Podcast: Join us on Patreon for early access to episodes like this, exclusive comics, Memory TARDIS selections, and bonus content! The Doctor's Beard Podcast on Patreon As little as $3/month gets you: Early access to all episodes Exclusive Patreon-only content Full comic strips we discuss Bonus Memory TARDIS segments $5/month adds access to our special Gatwa and Tennant reviews from the Disney era. Coming Up Next: Friday (Patreon): Doctor Who: The Ultimate Adventure (1980s stage production from 1989, featuring 70-year-old John Pertwee). Following Wednesday (Main Feed): Colin Baker retrospective (previously recorded Patreon exclusive from our hiatus). Following Monday (Patreon): Music, Memory TARDIS, and comics "Stairway to Heaven" and "Hunger from the Ends of Time." Hashtags: #DoctorWho #PatreonExclusive #Episode175 #RTD #BadWolf #ChristmasSpecialCanceled #Season25Retrospective #NemesisOfTheDaleks #SylvesterMcCoy #PeterDavison #CavesOfAndrozani #FutureOfDoctorWho #ClassicWho #NewWho #DoctorWhoPodcast #BrokenNews

It's the 25th anniversary of Doctor Who, and for the occasion the BBC has assembled Nazis, Cybermen, time-traveling aristocrats, and a mysterious statue made of something that shouldn't exist. Add a comet, multiple centuries, and the Doctor's increasingly cryptic hints about his own past, and you've got an episode that John and Jim can't quite agree on. Production Under Pressure John Nathan Turner wanted this as the season opener for maximum impact, but the Summer Olympics threw everything into chaos. More trouble: they found asbestos in the studio. No interior TARDIS scenes meant everything had to go on location—Windsor Castle (well, a substitute), 17th-century England, and actual museums. The budget request for a proper 25th-anniversary celebration? Denied by BBC One's controller, who wasn't even a fan of the show. Tensions on set ran high, mirroring Colin Baker's era. The Idea That Started It All Kevin Clark walked into pitch meetings with no idea what to pitch. Sat down with JNT and Andrew Cartmell, and when asked what he had, he said: "Doctor Who is God." (They asked him to leave God out of it.) His concept became a story about a cosmic object, living space metal, and something called Validium. The Cybermen? Added last-minute by JNT as a twist to make it the anniversary story. Guest Stars and Hidden Layers Fiona Walker returns nearly 25 years after "The Keys of Marinus." Leslie French, who once auditioned to play the First Doctor, appears as a mathematician. Anton Differing took the Nazi role mainly to catch Wimbledon on London television. A celebrated jazz musician leads the band and gets screen time. The behind-the-sofa consensus: this beats Happiness Patrol. The Cybermen get one final classic appearance before the costumes literally fall apart (they were taped together and spray-painted silver). Where the Story Divides One host sees excellent location work, great chemistry between the leads, well-choreographed action, and "good bonkers" energy. The other finds forced humor, a clumsy attempt to deepen the Doctor's mystery, misogynistic moments, and stereotypical American characters that undermine the tone. The final scene—with Ace asking a question and the Doctor refusing to answer—creates genuine friction neither host expected. An Anniversary That Isn't Quite One For a 25th-anniversary episode, it's surprisingly light on callbacks. The real tribute to Doctor Who's past is the Cybermen themselves—silver, returning, and defeated in ways that feel... almost accidental? Multiple plot threads intersect (the Nazis, the magical artifact, the time-jumping aristocrat, the alien invaders), and whether they mesh or clash depends entirely on your tolerance for chaotic storytelling. Coming Up Next: Monday (Patreon Early): Patreon Exclusive 174 with music, Memory TARDIS, and three-part comic "Invaders from Gantac" by Alan Grant. Following Wednesday (Main Feed): Season 25 finale with "The Greatest Show in the Galaxy" (four parts). John promises it's "right up his alley." Hashtags: #DoctorWho #SilverNemesis #25thAnniversary #SylvesterMcCoy #SophieAldred #Cybermen #ClassicWho #BehindTheSofa #ProductionTrouble #HostDisagreement #Validium #McCoyEra #TimeLord #Mystery #DoctorWhoPodcast

The whiplash is immediate and brutal. After the triumph of "Remembrance of the Daleks," this three-part story lands like a thud. Jim gives another harsh —an unprecedented score that suggests something fundamentally broken beneath the surface. Despite strong performances from McCoy and Aldred, the story struggles with disconnected thematic elements, confused production design, and a narrative that never quite coheres. The Setup That Doesn't Work Terra Alpha: an Earth colony where mandatory happiness enforced through surveillance and a cheerful Happiness Patrol keeps citizens compliant. The story also includes a candy-obsessed killer, underground dwellers (indigenous inhabitants driving plot devices), a visiting blues musician, and a complex political hierarchy. None of these elements integrate coherently. Jim's assessment: This is Paradise Towers revisited, but worse. Same drab corridors masquerading as streets, same societal oppression, same everything-we've-seen-before feeling, but without even Paradise Towers' redeeming visual moments. The Candyman Disaster Originally planned as a human villain—just a bored, pale killer. JNT and director Chris Clough wanted a robot instead. The result: an uncomfortable costume that restricted the actor's movement and visibility, made the character nonsensical, and looked rushed and disconnected from every other design element on set. The production nearly got sued by a candy company for the character's visual design. , Tonal Chaos The story can't decide what it wants to be. Satirical critique of authoritarian happiness? Straight thriller? Comedic romp? It tries all three and masters none. The mime-like makeup on the Happiness Patrol's faces goes unexplained. The slot machine execution method appears once, then switches to fondant surprise. These aren't deepening themes—they're random design choices. McCoy and Aldred Carry the Load Both hosts agree the leads transcend the material. McCoy's ad-libbed singing of "As Time Goes By" shows theatrical training and improvisational instinct. Aldred proves her action credentials and moral agency—the Doctor actively investigating rather than stumbling into danger. Yet even their chemistry can't save disconnected storytelling. John's specific note: the Doctor telling Ace "You're no good to me like this" when she's about to attack—character development that deserves better context. Production Quirks The TARDIS gets painted pink by the Happiness Patrol, requiring repainting back to blue. The sets feel claustrophobic despite supposedly being outside on streets. The behind-the-sofa guests (except McCoy, Aldred, and Sheila Hancock) admitted the story didn't work. Ratings dropped after Episode One (5.3M to 4.6M to bounce back to 5.3M). The Political Subtext Nobody Asked For Sheila Hancock (Helen A) read the script as Margaret Thatcher allegory and deliberately amplified her performance toward that direction. Andrew Cartmel apparently got nervous about the comparison; Hancock pushed harder into it. John appreciates the subtext; Jim dismisses it as irrelevant to the story itself. The political commentary doesn't enhance the narrative—it distracts from already-muddled plotting. What Could Have Worked Discussion of road-not-taken choices: What if they'd fully integrated Ace into the Happiness Patrol with brainwashing elements? What if the candy theme permeated every design choice instead of being isolated to the Candyman? What if this story had followed something other than the series' strongest episode? The Colin Baker Question Jim wonders aloud how Colin Baker might have handled this material—would his more theatrical approach have elevated the chaos or made it worse? Speculation on whether "Happiness Patrol" appears in any of the audio continuations (especially with alternate Doctors). Coming Up Next: Monday Patreon Exclusive 173: Music, Memory TARDIS, Doctor Who Unbound audio "Full Fathom Five," and comics—"Time and Tide" and "Follow That TARDIS!" Wednesday Main Feed (Friday Patreon Early): "Silver Nemesis" - the ACTUAL 25th Anniversary story (three parts). Jim handles narration. Will it recover from Happiness Patrol? Hashtags: #DoctorWho #TheHappinessPatrol #Season25 #SylvesterMcCoy #SophieAldred #McCoyEra #SheiliaHancock #Candyman #TerrAlpha #ParadiseTowersPart2 #ClassicWho #DoctorWhoPodcast #WorstMcCoyStory #FromRembranceToRegression

Jim experiences a breakthrough moment that surprises everyone—after struggling through Season 24, "Remembrance of the Daleks" finally answers the question: who is the Seventh Doctor? Special guest Alan J. Porter joins to celebrate this landmark story as the 25th Anniversary season begins with what may be one of the finest Dalek stories ever produced. What Changed? Everything came together—writing, acting, production values, and most critically, McCoy's characterization. The switch has been thrown. Jim identifies the Seventh Doctor as something unexpected: the anti-human Doctor, more realistic and pointed about humanity's flaws than previous incarnations. The umbrella becomes his signature prop. The chemistry with Ace finally clicks. Ace Equals Ripley Sophie Aldred's companion proves to be exactly what this TARDIS team needed. The hosts discuss how the show has shifted from Star Wars obsession to Alien inspiration, and why Ace works when so many companions before her didn't. Alan reveals this is his favorite Doctor/companion pairing across all of Who. Behind the Scenes Revelations Ben Aaronovitch was 24 years old when he wrote this—his first TV script ever. The dinner between McCoy, Aldred, Cartmel and the writers that changed the creative dynamic. The full-size Dalek shuttle that required a crane. McCoy's script page system in his coat pockets. Mark Ayers' rejected score that would have ruined everything. The IRA bomb scare during filming. Production Details & Cast Connections The only time Keff McCullough's music works. Michael Sheard's final Doctor Who appearance. George Sewell from UFO. Pamela Salem's James Bond connection. Dursley McLinden's tragic story. How Sophie Aldred still has Ace's jacket. The misspelled junkyard sign. John Leeson's voice work. 1963 Setting Perfection Alan praises the period-accurate set dressing that transported him back to his childhood. The TV detector van reference. Why Ace was confused by pre-decimal money. Elvis and Beatles music dating the story. Returning to Coal Hill School and Totter's Lane without requiring viewers to remember "An Unearthly Child." The Special Weapons Dalek Instant fan-favorite design that demonstrates Dalek civil war escalation. Why it works as a one-story deployment. Its weathered appearance compared to pristine white Imperial Daleks. Confirmation it returns in the Matt Smith era. Davros and Mythology The Emperor Dalek reveal subverts expectations. Imperial versus Renegade factions fighting for supremacy. The Hand of Omega as stellar manipulator. Century 21 comic design influence. Terry Molloy's final televised appearance as Davros (though Big Finish continues). Terry Nation's reluctant approval. The Skaro Problem Jim identifies the massive continuity issue everyone must discuss: the Doctor destroyed Skaro—but what about the Thals? How does this work with the Eighth Doctor movie? Why does Skaro appear in New Who? The paradox of destroying Skaro before first encountering Daleks. Alan's response: fandom generally brushes it under the carpet, but it doesn't stop this being a great story. Social Commentary The "no colours" sign that McCoy and Aldred fought to keep. How the story addresses 1960s racial tension without being heavy-handed. Ratcliffe's fascist group mirroring Dalek ideology. Whether this approach works better than New Who's handling of similar themes. Defining Moments The ripples speech in the café. The uncertainty around the Doctor's actions. Ace asking if they did good and the Doctor's ambiguous response. Why this exchange defines the entire season for Alan. The somber ending at Mike's funeral. Big Finish Spinoffs Group Captain Gilmore, Professor Rachel Jensen, and Dr. Allison Williams become the core of the "Countermeasures" series—following proto-UNIT adventures in spy/mystery format. The Anniversary Balance Why this feels more like a 25th anniversary story than "Silver Nemesis" (the designated anniversary episode). Callbacks and nods that reward longtime fans without requiring homework. How the story works as both standalone adventure and mythology expansion. Jim's Transformation The moment Jim admits he almost quit the podcast because he couldn't imagine McCoy getting better than this. His enthusiasm is genuine—this justifies the journey through rough patches. The question: can the show maintain this quality through the remaining seasons? This is the Final Dalek Story Confirmation that classic Who never returns to the Daleks after this. What a way to go out—not as chumps, but with one of their finest stories. Alan J. Porter Updates Casino Royale book complete and off to publishers (spring 2027 target). Second expanded Star Trek comics history in progress. "Saloons, Jungles and City Streets" Victorian adventure collection available now. Pulp Fest appearance coming in Pittsburgh where Jim and Alan will finally meet in person after years of online collaboration. Coming Up Next: Monday Patreon Exclusive 172: Music, Memory TARDIS, and comics—"Planet of the Dead" and "Echoes of the Mogor," plus the looming "Emperor of the Daleks" epic. Wednesday Main Feed: "The Happiness Patrol" - Jim handles narration for what he calls "the weirdest Doctor Who story title ever." Hashtags: #DoctorWho #RemembranceOfTheDaleks #Season25 #SylvesterMcCoy #SophieAldred #Daleks #Davros #SpecialWeaponsDalek #AlanJPorter #ClassicWho #25thAnniversary #CoalHillSchool #BenAaronovitch #DalekCivilWar #WhatAboutTheThals

John and Jim tackle the first official Doctor Who radio drama - a six-part Eric Saward production that aired during the 18-month hiatus between Seasons 22 and 23. This marks a rare occasion where John experiences a Doctor Who story for the very first time alongside the review. Production Background: John shares fascinating details about how "Slipback" came to exist - written and produced in just four months as the BBC scrambled to placate fans during the controversial hiatus. The story aired as part of a children's summer show called "Pirate Radio 4," buried within hours of other programming. Discussion covers whether this was originally meant to be a different format, Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant's participation, and the mysterious uncredited director. The Infamous Computer Voice: The hosts immediately address the elephant in the room - Jane Carr's polarizing performance as the ship's computer. Jim shares his visceral reaction while John explores the apparent Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy influences and whether the voice was intentionally annoying or a misguided creative choice. Too Much of Everything: John and Jim examine Eric Saward's tendency to cram multiple Doctor Who tropes into one story - wandering corridors, separated companions, time travel experiments, the Big Bang, creepy aliens pursuing Peri, and more. Discussion explores whether Saward was given too little time or simply couldn't resist throwing in every idea he had. Technical Curiosities: The hosts discuss the slightly sped-up audio on YouTube versions, the quality of the production values, and how the performances hold up. They debate whether this was specifically written for children despite some mature content. Historical Significance: As the first official BBC radio drama and a true product of Colin Baker's era (alongside "A Fix with Sontarans"), the hosts examine what this means for completists and whether it deserves modern appreciation. Ratings: The hosts land on the lower end of their scale, with discussion about whether it's worth an hour of listeners' time and comparisons to the Star Wars Holiday Special as "another appearance by these actors during the original run." Listener Perspective: Jameson shares his 2022 review calling it a "historical curiosity" that doesn't stand up to Big Finish productions, sparking discussion about whether Big Finish should revisit and revise the concept. Coming Up Next: Patreon Exclusive (Monday - Episode 160): More theme music, Memory TARDIS, and the beginning of the Alan McKenzie era of Doctor Who comics with "War Game" and "Fun House." Patreon Exclusive (Friday): John and Jim's deep dive into the missing/planned Season 23 - examining the six stories that were scrapped when the hiatus was announced, discussing what could have worked, and where to find them in expanded media. Main Feed: Classic Patreon episodes released for non-subscribers during Jim's vacation. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #Slipback #EricSaward #ColinBaker #NicolaBryant #RadioDrama #SixthDoctor #Peri #BBCRadio4 #DoctorWhoAudio #Hiatus #1985 #ClassicWho #HistoricalCuriosity #DoctorWhoPodcast #BigBang #TimeTravel #DoctorWhoHistory

Jim and John tackle the Season 24 finale and the show's 150th story, featuring Bonnie Langford's abrupt departure, Sophie Aldred's introduction as Ace, the return of Sabalom Glitz, and one of the most infamous cliffhangers in Doctor Who history. Jim struggles to find redeeming qualities in a season he considers possibly the worst in Classic Who, while production issues and budget constraints become increasingly evident. The 150th Story Milestone: Written by Ian Briggs (who will later write fan-favorite "The Curse of Fenric"), directed by Chris Clough (completing his second "last two stories of a season" after Trial of a Time Lord). Originally pitched as story about an intergalactic shopping center owner wanting the TARDIS for the ultimate shopping experience. The BBC counted Trial of a Time Lord as one story arc, so technically this should be story 153. Andrew Cartmell brought writers into his office for collaborative discussion—closest thing to a "writer's room" Doctor Who ever had. Cartmell considered this the best story of Season 24, which Jim finds bewildering given his own assessment of the season. The Infamous Umbrella Cliffhanger: Everybody fixates on McCoy lowering himself over a parapet by his umbrella, stopping mid-descent and hanging there looking confused. The scene has become legendary for all the wrong reasons—why did he do it in the first place when he wasn't trapped? According to Briggs, the script called for the Doctor to lower himself because he was trapped with nowhere to go, and the actual cliffhanger was supposed to be the dragon appearing. The awkward execution wasn't the writer's fault. Director and production team share blame for one of the series' most criticized moments. Sophie Aldred as Ace: Cast at age 26 to play 16-year-old Ace (10 years younger than her actual age—more than Burt Ward's 6-year gap playing Robin). Actually two years older than Bonnie Langford despite playing significantly younger. Sophie auditioned for Ray in "Delta and the Bannermen" but didn't get it—worked in her favor as Ace became iconic. Character is human from late 20th century Earth who arrived on Iceworld when chemistry experiment triggered time storm in her bedroom. Uses homemade explosive "Nitro-9" and shouts "Ace!" frequently (which doesn't work for Jim). Calls the Doctor "Professor" which he tries to discourage. John admits he initially hated Ace in this story—found her annoying and grumpy, a "miserable brat." But promises a "Richter scale" shift in appreciation with the next story, suggesting maturation between seasons and genuine chemistry developing with McCoy that was absent with Mel. Bonnie Langford's Awkward Exit: Mel's departure makes no narrative sense—no setup, no telegraphing, completely out of nowhere. She suddenly decides to stay with Glitz to "keep him out of trouble" with zero romantic hints or friendship development to justify it. The farewell scene wasn't written by Briggs—it was McCoy's audition piece that he loved so much he convinced Cartmell to insert it into the script. Both later regretted this decision. Briggs washes his hands of it: "I didn't write that." Bonnie had to act opposite her replacement throughout, standing back while production sells Sophie/Ace hard, often getting relegated to the background. Classic Who pattern of treating departing companions poorly. Jim notes tiny bit of charm finally emerging between McCoy and Bonnie right at the very end—too little, too late. Bonnie's Post-Who Career: Didn't get the serious acting career she hoped Doctor Who would provide. Continued successful musical theater and light entertainment work but remained the butt of jokes for years—including a 1990s condom commercial depicting her parents with slogan "if only they'd used a condom." Public perception shifted when she appeared on "Strictly Come Dancing" (British dance competition) alongside John Barrowman. Fans hoped for Doctor Who face-off but she was injured during rehearsal and had to withdraw; Barrowman voted out shortly after. Her bravery with the injury softened public opinion—now considered a "national treasure" in Britain. This is why she was brought back for New Who, not just fan service. The Glitz Problem: Tony Selby returns as Sabalom Glitz—JNT read the script, liked having Tony Selby (who was "hot" at the time appearing on other British TV), and suggested using Glitz instead of similar character. Glitz owns the Nosferatu (referenced in Trial of a Time Lord). Jim couldn't stand Glitz's hair. Compares him to Star Trek's Cyrano Jones/Harry Mudd. Softened for this story, lost whatever bite he had before. No chemistry with anyone—not Ace, not the Doctor. Tony Selby passed away in 2021 at age 83. In New Who, Mel references traveling with "Sabalom Glitz" until he was 107, slipped on a bottle, cracked his head and died. She returned to Earth by "hopping on a Zingo" (running joke—no one knows what a Zingo is). Kane and the Ice World Setting: Edward Peel plays Kane, the villain who controls Iceworld trading colony on dark side of planet Svartos. His touch is so cold it can kill. Marks employees with his symbol iced into their flesh. Basically "Mr. Freeze redux" per Jim. Kane is half of Kane-Xana criminal gang from planet Proamon. Xana killed herself to avoid arrest; Kane was exiled to cold dark side of Svartos. Iceworld is actually a spacecraft—the "treasure" is a crystal that activates the ship to end his exile. Kane's head-melting death scene well-executed (reminds Jim of Star Trek TNG's "Conspiracy" but actually inspired by Toht/Belloq melting in Raiders of the Lost Ark). Jim wishes they'd lingered on the effect a second or two longer—it was actually done well. Patricia Quinn as Belazs: The only character Jim cared about in Part One. Reminded him strongly of Glynis Johns. Plays officer who realizes Kane won't release her, tries to escape, attempts to overthrow Kane by raising temperature in his chambers. Patricia Quinn interviewed on Blu-ray—now a British Duchess with purple hair, incredibly eccentric despite aristocratic status. Behind the Sofa caught her looking off-camera for cue cards "like a Saturday Night Live skit." Belazs killed by Kane, goes out "like a chump" when Jim thought she deserved to be the one to dispatch Kane. New lackeys introduced in Part 3 waste screen time that could have developed her character better. The Derivative Dragon: Jim catalogs extensive borrowing from other sci-fi properties: Dragon is blatant Alien/Aliens ripoff—H.R. Giger's xenomorph design copied almost exactly (long thin arms, fingers, back protrusions, head shape like Alien Queen) Described as "biomechanoid" (Giger's biomechanical design philosophy) Superman Fortress of Solitude hologram crystal stolen wholesale—hologram woman appears to conveniently explain backstory exactly like Lex Luthor scene in Superman II Alien tracker guns copied from Aliens (complete with "it should be right on us" suspense) Zombies added to cliché pile Jim notes the show stopped ripping off Star Wars and moved on to Alien franchise and Superman movies. This is "perhaps never more" derivative than in this story. Production and Budget Collapse: "Batman Season 3 worthy sets"—budget clearly ran out by season's end. Station sets not impressive, doesn't sell the Ice World concept. Model of planet surface done well, but interior sets very lacking. Shot brightest possible lights, no atmosphere or mystery. Dragon walks around "like a costume character at Disney World." Almost entirely studio-bound with minimal location work. Cliffhanger at end of Part 2 "one of the most horribly dull ever"—Kane just declares "the dragonfire shall be mine" with no tension whatsoever. The McCoy Problem Continues: Jim still doesn't know who McCoy's Doctor is. An engaging Doctor can carry even poor stories (citing Colin Baker), but McCoy isn't doing that. Not a force within the show, just reacting. Both McCoy and Mel "treading water" all season. This is McCoy's "freshman year" but with a producer trying to rebuild without reaching out to anything—soft reboot that plays it safe with half the budget. Jim sees all the tropes and clichés but not innovation. Brief moment of crankiness when McCoy yells "SILENCE!" at the girls—is this the temperamental side promised? Tiny bit of charm emerges at very end with Mel but too late. No chemistry with Bonnie throughout until final seconds. John's thesis: "These three seasons walked so New Who could run." Season 24 feels like desperate attempt to make it a kids' show again but dumbing it down ("Uncle Miltie's Carnival of Fun"). Philosophy discussion scene interesting but "puts everyone in the audience asleep." Cast Notes: Tony Osoba (Kracauer) played Lan in "Destiny of the Daleks," returns in New Who episode "Kill the Moon" Sharon Duce (customer with milkshake dumped on her) was the camper killed by Ogri in "Stones of Blood" (the scene that scandalized Jim and John for depicting unmarried relations) Little girl Stellar played by Miranda Borman—wearing a dress Bonnie Langford wore at that age for a role. Hosts wonder if this was a stage mother situation Large cast overall—perhaps one of the largest in Doctor Who history The Cartmell Philosophy: Andrew Cartmell doesn't like interior TARDIS scenes, so "we're not gonna see the console room much moving forward." Jim outraged: "That's inane... good writing doesn't drag a scene down." Lost opportunities for insightful TARDIS interactions between Doctor and companions. Fandom Division: By end of Season 24, fandom most divided over show's direction. Fanzine DWB went on crusade to get JNT sacked—he considered suing but BBC told him to leave it. BBC willing to let him go after 25th season (which he wanted to see through) but he stayed on longer than that. Jim's Season Assessment: Can't think of another time the show has felt this low overall. Rough, a slog. Still not sure who McCoy is as a Doctor. Compares unfavorably to Colin Baker era—at least Colin was consistent and worth watching even in poor stories. Sees Season 24 as show desperately wanting spunky girl companion (keeps trying over and over) but not knowing what to do with them when they get one (Mel being prime example). Both agree it's not a good way to end the season. Coming Up Next: Patreon Exclusive 170: Music selection, Season 24 retrospective, at least one Season 25 spoiler for Jim, comic strip reviews of "Redemption" and "The Crossroads of Time" (both one-parters), and Memory TARDIS wheel spin. Hiatus Special (Patreon early): "Wartime" shorts featuring the return of Sergeant Benton with the interesting behind-the-scenes story of how this fan production came to be (approximately 30-35 minutes). (Main feed) BBC audio drama "Slipback" with Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #Dragonfire #150thStory #SylvesterMcCoy #SeventhDoctor #BonnieLangford #Mel #SophieAldred #Ace #SabalomGlitz #TonySelby #Season24Finale #KaneTheVillain #UmbrellaCliffhanger #PatriciaQuinn #IanBriggs #ChrisClough #ClassicWho #CompanionDeparture #NewCompanion #ProductionProblems #BudgetIssues #DoctorWhoPodcast

Jim and John find common ground after their Paradise Towers divide, both celebrating the three-part structure as potentially perfect for Doctor Who storytelling. The story features 1950s nostalgia, holiday camp hijinks, and Stubby Kaye from Guys and Dolls . The Relief Factor: After Paradise Towers' evisceration, John feared the worst. Jim's verdict: "It's no Paradise Towers" (thankfully). Discussion of whether you can go lower than a 1 rating and what "having a nice time" means for Doctor Who evaluation. Three Parts: The Perfect Length?: Extended discussion of whether three episodes might be the ideal Doctor Who story format. They've said it before but only really had one three-parter to judge by (Planet of Giants). Jim credits the economy of three parts for helping this story—nothing wasted, though some backstory needed filling in. Question raised: why not make the entire 14-episode season consistent lengths instead of mixing two four-parters with two three-parters? Production Context: Written by Malcolm Kohll (first Doctor Who story). Directed by Chris Clough (Terror of the Vervoids, Ultimate Foe, upcoming Dragonfire, Happiness Patrol, Silver Nemesis). Original title: "The Flight of the Chimeron." Shot almost entirely on location at Butlin's Barry Island holiday camp in Wales (rats forced crew to abandon staying there after two nights). Interior shots done first for once because next story (Dragonfire) is entirely in studio. Ken Dodd (intergalactic tollmaster) took role to dig at tax revenue service investigating him—they discovered over £300,000 unclaimed in his home but he was acquitted. The Stubby Kaye Question: Jim's jaw-dropping moment: recognizing Stubby Kaye from Guys and Dolls (Nicely Nicely Johnson, "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat"). He was 69 in 1987, 32 when the Broadway show opened in 1950, 37 in the 1955 film. Extended discussion of how an American actor wound up in Doctor Who—was he living in England? Did he do multiple British productions? Also appeared in Who Framed Roger Rabbit the following year as voice of editor. Paired with Morgan Deare (American actor) whose "terrible" accent made Jim think he was British doing bad American Southern/Western accent. Both actors somewhat superfluous to story. Weissmuller and Hawk characters had larger role in uncut version involving the satellite subplot. The Ray Factor: Sarah Griffiths as Ray was being tested as potential new companion because Bonnie Langford was thinking of leaving. Sophie Aldred auditioned for this role but didn't get it—instead cast as Ace for next story, which worked in her favor. Jim didn't identify Ray as potential companion (first time in long time he missed that cue). Malcolm Kohll created character but signed waiver making her BBC property since JNT/Cartmel came up with basic idea of girl who could fix anything with right tool. Lynn Gardner was original actress but injured herself practicing motorcycle riding, so Sarah Griffiths got role. McCoy Development Moments: John identifies key character growth: McCoy showing appreciation for simple things like Burton the camp director's life. Monologue to Gavrok about life defeating those who deal in death—Jim thought this might be quotable Doctor speech. Jim still waiting for something to quantify McCoy as distinct from previous six Doctors: The Interspecies Romance: Billy drinks Chimeron nutrient solution to become one of Delta's people so he can leave with her and the princess to restart the race.\ The Villain Problem: Gavrok (Don Henderson, who was General Tagge in original Star Wars) and Bannermen lack clear motivation. Backstory existed but cut for time: Bannermen invaded Chimeron homeworld because they'd made ecological mess of their own worlds. Mel Forgotten: By final action sequence, Mel almost completely absent. Stands holding Bannerman weapon in macho pose at end "as if she had a big part in rounding up those guys" but didn't. Bonnie's decision to leave not story-based but timing: "never intended to be long-term player, felt it was right time to go." Only 20 episodes across six stories makes her one of briefest companions. Didn't do convention circuit until last 15-20 years; now enthusiastic about return in New Who. Production Details: Chimeron baby played by 3-4 different children (teenage princess not interviewed for Blu-ray despite being old enough) Green makeup question: females outgrow green skin? Delta has "very slight greenish cast" only visible at end Baby in green onesie looks ridiculous Effects with bus and TARDIS "pretty bad" but Bannermen ship landing "nicely done" Loved the vintage bus itself (appropriate for 1959) Beekeeper character adds to already massive cast Final shot: beekeeper's impish grin as TARDIS disappears (Chris Clough will repeat this in Dragonfire) Cast and Crew Favorite: Despite acknowledging it's not a great story, cast and crew enjoyed nostalgia of 50s holiday camps and had fun making it. Ratings consistent: 5.3, 5.1, 5.4. The Cartmel Philosophy: Andrew Cartmel doesn't like interior TARDIS scenes so "we're not gonna see the console room much moving forward." Jim outraged: "inane... good writing doesn't drag a scene down." Discussion of lost opportunities for insightful TARDIS interactions. The New Who Question: Public call-out asking if listeners want them to continue past TV Movie into New Who (Eccleston era). Multiple positive responses received. Shag's thoughtful response: only continue if you find joy in it, not worth 20 years of episodes without happiness. John notes RTD1 was "glorious time for Doctor Who" with fandom mostly united (unlike RTD2 era). Discussion of callbacks, slow beginning like Star Trek TNG's moratorium on mentioning Vulcans. Both agree putting themselves in companion's shoes helps—did they feel sad leaving this world? Yes for Delta, unlike Paradise Towers. Coming Up Next: Monday on Patreon Feed - Music, Memory TARDIS and a look at the first Sylvester McCoy appearance in the comics with "A Cold Day in Hell". Friday on Patreon Feed (Monday for the main feed) - Season 24 finale, "Dragonfire" - the introduction of Ace, which John will narrate. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #DeltaAndTheBannermen #SylvesterMcCoy #SeventhDoctor #Mel #BonnieLangford #StubblyKaye #GuysAndDolls #1950sNostalgia #HolidayCamp #ThreePartStory #KenDodd #ChrisClaw #Season24 #Chimeron #Bannermen #RayNotAce #SophieAldred #InterspeciesRomance #WagnerianOpera #ChuckJones #ClassicWho #NewWhoQuestion #DoctorWhoPodcast

Jim and John experience their most polarizing disagreement since the Colin Baker era as Paradise Towers splits them into opposing camps—Jim delivering a devastating 1 out of 15 ("a Billy") while John counters with an enthusiastic 14 out of 15, declaring it his favorite story of Season 24 and a formative influence on his understanding of world building as a young writer. The Ratings Chasm: Final scores: Jim 1, John 14, averaging to 7.5—perfectly appropriate for a story that divides straight down the middle. Jim places Paradise Towers at "Romans level bad," his first 1 rating in years, possibly ever. John acknowledges flaws but insists "I adore this. It's the best [of the season] to me. The next two aren't as good." Jim's Bewilderment: "It just had no idea what it wanted to be." Jim struggles through four parts feeling lost, bewildered, and unable to take anything seriously. The story veers wildly between dark humor and slapstick, feels like Monty Python meets children's television, and presents concepts (cannibal grannies, color-coded gangs, killer cleaning robots) that never cohere into a satisfying whole. He literally took no notes during Part 2 because he was too disconnected. The Kangs' rapid-fire accents and gang-speak were incomprehensible. The music sounds stolen from Donkey Kong or Pac-Man. Richard Briers' performance left Jim feeling "embarrassed for him." John's Passionate Defense: "This is my favorite of the season... This story as a young 17, 18, 19-year-old person trying his hand at writing finally started to click and say, 'That's what world building is all about.'" John goes against fandom consensus by loving Richard Briers' portrayal, appreciating the rule book escape scene as "absolutely brilliant," and embracing the tone as intentionally campy satire of bureaucracy, hierarchies, and dystopian societies. The Batman Season Revelation: John drops the word he's been holding back all season: "campy." He dubs Season 24 "the Batman season"—meaning Batman's infamous campy third season with Nora Clavicle, flat painted backdrops, and wind-up mice. Jim initially resists but eventually concedes: "Yeah, this is clavicle level." Discussion of JNT's continued obsession with stunt-casting notable British TV stars (Richard Briers was a huge get; Ken Dodd is coming next story). Production Context: Stephen Wyatt wrote episode one in a week without knowing the ending or who would play the Doctor (McCoy not yet cast). Inspired by J.G. Ballard's dystopian novel High-Rise . First story Andrew Cartmel commissioned as script editor. Director Nicholas Mallett loved McCoy's malleability and openness to improv versus Baker's by-the-script approach. BBC Head of Drama Jonathan Powell (not a Who fan) praised the script. Ratings: 4.5, 5.2, 5.0, 5.0—about even with McCoy's other stories. Jim's Specific Complaints: Cannot understand what the Kangs are saying half the time due to rapid delivery and thick accents. Doctor and Mel spend more time apart than any previous story. Sets look like existing ones dirtied up with garbage and wall scrawl. Killer cleaning robots are laughably unthreatening with cartoon buzzsaws—"I could outrun those things any day of the week even if I wasn't feeling well." Video game music drowns out dialogue. Cannibalism appears and disappears without explanation. Why are Tilda and Tabby's cozy apartment untouched by dystopia? Why does Kroagnon need to eat people when he's a machine? Where are all the boys? Why is it all women (Kangs, Rezzies) versus all men (Caretakers)? John's Counterpoints: The rule book escape scene demonstrates the Doctor using the Caretakers' rigid bureaucracy against them—"absolutely brilliant." Richard Briers is proud of ignoring direction and doing what he wanted; interviews on Blu-ray show he has no regrets. The jerky movements after Kroagnon takes his body represent rigor mortis setting in. Clive Merrison (Deputy Caretaker) played the pilot Jim in "Tomb of the Cybermen." The tone is intentionally satirical—mocking rule books, procedures, hierarchies in very British Monty Python style. Behind the Sofa Revelations: Three different commentary teams watched: Sylvester McCoy/Bonnie Langford/Sophie Aldred; Peter Davison/Sarah Sutton/Janet Fielding; Colin Baker/Michael Jayston. Colin and Peter both declared it one of their favorites so far—disappointing Jim but validating John. Bonnie had little to say either way. Pool filmed at private house with freezing water—Bonnie's stunt double did most shots because Bonnie can't swim (redheads apparently don't know how to swim, Jim claims) and the water was unbearably cold. Camera crew in wetsuits couldn't last more than 45 minutes. The McCoy Question: Jim still doesn't know what to think of McCoy. Not engaged, not seeing the cantankerous fellow promised. The R-rolling is Scottish, not an affectation. The left-handed handshakes are unexplained. Still no clear sense of the Doctor-Mel relationship since they're separated the entire story. John insists McCoy's performance improves with better scripts in Season 25 once Ace arrives. The New Who Question: Jim and John publicly ask listeners: should The Doctor's Beard continue into New Who after finishing Classic Who and the TV Movie? They've brought on new listeners recently and want to know if the audience wants Eccleston era coverage or if it's "too new" for Classic Who purists. Email your yes/no vote to thedoctorsbeardpodcast@gmail.com . Mel Scream Count: Screams #10, #11, #12. Less than Time and the Rani but still plenty. Coming Up Next: Patreon Exclusive (Monday - Episode 168): Colin Baker's final Doctor Who Magazine comic story "The World Shapers" written by Grant Morrison (three parts), Memory TARDIS spin, more music discussion. Main Feed (Friday) & Patreon (Monday): "Delta and the Bannermen" - Jim handling narration for the three-part story. Already started watching because he's driving to Ithaca College convention and losing three days of viewing time. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #ParadiseTowers #SylvesterMcCoy #SeventhDoctor #Mel #TheGreatDivide #PolarOpinions #JimHatesIt #JohnLovesIt #1Versus14 #BatmanSeason #RichardBriers #Kangs #Caretakers #Rezzies #Kroagnon #CampyWho #StephenWyatt #AndrewCartmel #Season24 #BuildHighForHappiness #FaultyTowers #NewWhoQuestion #ClassicWho #DoctorWhoPodcast

John and Jim witness Sylvester McCoy's entrance as the Seventh Doctor with sharply divided first impressions, a regeneration Jim wasn't expecting to see, Kate O'Mara's scene-stealing Mel impression, and listener mail exploding with passionate defenses, dire warnings, and Shag's triumphant return. The Regeneration Confusion: The opening delivers McCoy in a wig tumbling around the TARDIS console, but does blunt force trauma from turbulence really count as a dignified send-off for the most maligned Doctor? The Rani's pre-credits kidnapping analyzed as "probably the campiest scene in Doctor Who ever." Jim's Verdict: Not Impressed Opening confession sets the tone for controversy: Jim dubs McCoy "the Tumbler Doctor" and struggles to see anything beyond "Uncle Morty's Carnival of Fun" children's show host energy. Discussion covers whether this is purposeful Troughton homage or just broad physical comedy, whether McCoy's acting reads as awkward versus committed, and Jim's struggle between respecting the evolution promise versus judging what's actually on screen in Part 1. The "Children's Show" Debate: Does Season 24 represent a deliberate pivot back to Doctor Who as kids' programming? Jim raises the uncomfortable question after recognizing McCoy primarily as BBC children's performer. John pushes back on the script but concedes the Doctor's characterization in this story absolutely plays as juvenile. Kate O'Mara's Double Duty: Extended appreciation for Kate's Bonnie Langford impression complete with chirpiness, voice work, and gradually losing it as the Doctor frustrates her. Jim admits the initial visual shock of "seeing Kate O'Mara as Bonnie Langford" but acknowledges she won him over. The hosts debate whether the Rani gets enough screen time and whether this story serves the character as well as "Mark of the Rani." What Happened to Mel?: Jim calls out the regression: "They took the Mickey Mouse out of Mel." From confident agency in Trial to suggesting they just leave and go back to the TARDIS, plus scream count reaching numbers 5-7 in just two episodes. Is this the Mel we admired or has she become Peri 2.0? John defends specific moments (the flip, proving identity, computer knowledge) while acknowledging some scenes don't look good. The Icona chemistry tease explored. Production Highlights: The bubble traps earn universal praise as maybe the best effect in Classic Who history—the spinning, bouncing, exploding sequence perfectly executed. Tetraps debut Doctor Who's first animatronics with six full heads for the leisure center scene. The Citadel exterior combined with effects impresses. Jim notes "effects are better—they made another jump." Malapropisms and Outfits: McCoy's word-mangling wears out its welcome fast for both hosts. The trying-on-previous-Doctors'-outfits sequence judged as "too winky winky" and unnecessary fanservice. Discovery that "Mrs. Malaprop" comes from 1775 play The Rivals . The question mark vest that McCoy hated. The Bowery Boys comparison for hat and coat. The Leisure Center Problem: Why introduce this massive 80s-heavy concept (complete with Dugadoos music) in Part 3 only to abandon it? Discussion of wasted opportunities and typical Doctor Who late-story concept bloat. The anklet bracelets vs. original "ball of bees" control method questioned. Production Context: JNT wanted out, BBC couldn't find replacement, Sidney Newman brought in as consultant with idea to bring back Troughton traveling with old-fashioned 12-year-old Beatles fan. The "impish person" concept stuck. McCoy cast from Twelfth Night production same night Cubby Broccoli saw Timothy Dalton for Bond. Andrew Cartmel signs as new story editor influenced by Judge Dredd and Dr. Manhattan from Watchmen . Ratings: 5.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.9—not good. Coming Up Next: Patreon Exclusive (Monday - Episode 167): Comic "The Gift" (four parts, not one or three!), more music, Memory TARDIS with Colin now added to the wheel, and Big Finish audio Flip Flop featuring Seventh Doctor and Mel. Main Feed (Friday) & Patreon (Monday): "Paradise Towers" - John handling narration for the four-part story. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #TimeAndTheRani #SylvesterMcCoy #SeventhDoctor #Regeneration #TheRani #KateOMara #Mel #BonnieLangford #Season24 #PipAndJaneBaker #AndrewCartmell #Tetraps #ChildrensShow #McCoyDebate #ShagReturns #ListenerMail #WorstThemeEver #WorstLogoEver #ClassicWho #DoctorWhoPodcast #1987

SPECIAL PATREON EXCLUSIVE THE OPENING: "Peter, Peter, please forgive me..." A countdown begins the most diplomatic disagreement in podcast history. BELATED BIRTHDAY & TIMING: John's birthday just passed! Next story is Attack of the Cybermen (aired January 5, 1986) - "the year I turned 18!" THE DREAD: John: "I'm filled with a little dread to talk about this with you, Jim, because I know where you stand." Jim: "Listen, we've made too much of it. Every fan has doctors they like and doctors they don't like." THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION: "Do you know anybody who likes every single Doctor?" JOHN'S CONFESSION: "I do to certain degrees. There are ones I'm not as fond of - Colin, Tom Baker. In fact, I might turn around and be like Colin Baker is better than Tom Baker if I keep feeling as excited as I did with Twin Dilemma!" The Tom Baker Problem: "Tom Baker was one who outstayed his welcome. He has the David Tennant complex. They're both fabulous but they overstayed their welcome where it diminished their appeal to me." JIM'S CORE PROBLEM: THE DOCTOR WHO DIDN'T WANT COMPANIONS The Comparison: Fourth Doctor with Leela: Great mentor/teacher relationship Fourth Doctor with Romana: Lots of warmth Fourth Doctor with Sarah Jane: Clear affection Fifth Doctor: "So few moments putting across that he really wanted people traveling with him. He seemed like he'd be so much happier if he was just by himself." Jim's Labels: "The grouchy doctor. The invisible doctor. He never seemed like a larger than life character, which the Doctor needs to be." JAMESON'S FRAMING LETTER: The Fifth Doctor Summary: "Nice, sweet, the more human Doctor. Almost purely reactive. Quiet, kind of bland, often seems to have hollow victories. An anti-Fourth Doctor. The Fourth Doctor breezed in and took control - the Fifth Doctor is one who no one seems to listen to." Jameson's Position: "I don't hate his Doctor, but he's not entirely a favorite. On audio he has mixed results, though lately really good with the Season 19 crew." The Missing Element: "One thing this era is missing is more humorous or lighthearted moments. It's always gritty and dark - nobody's allowed to crack a joke." THE COMPANIONS - A COMPREHENSIVE BREAKDOWN: ADRIC - "THE BOY GENIUS" Jameson's Take: Not a big fan. Works better with Fourth Doctor in master-apprentice role. Butts heads with Fifth Doctor. First Companion killed off since Sara Kingdom and Katarina (Season 3). Hope he works better in audios with hindsight, foreshadowing his departure and fears of not being good enough. NYSSA - "THE SCIENTIST" Jameson's Summary: Orphan from Traken who lost everything. Master stole her father's body. Sweet, quiet mediator between Adric/Tegan/Doctor. Most prolific audio Companion for Fifth Doctor. TEGAN - "THE AIR STEWARDESS" Jameson's Description: "Sarcastic, sassy, acts like she doesn't want to be there but kind of loves traveling. Australian air stewardess is fun, gives older high school sister vibes to Adric/Nyssa's middle schooler vibes. Janet Fielding is so fun to watch in modern special features." TURLOUGH - "HOLD MY BEER" Jim: "Hold my beer. We ain't seen nothing yet." Jameson's Take: "Interesting character - alien exile stuck as English schoolboy. Sneaky, untrustworthy, cowardly, yet underneath wants to do right. Gets rough arc, wish they hadn't waited until last story to flesh out backstory." KAMELION - "THE CURSED ROBOT" Jameson's Frustration: "I get JNT wanted the next K-9, but why introduce a shapeshifting robot if you're not going to capitalize on shapeshifting abilities? This is a character MADE for stunt casting! Instead, the inventor/controller passed away before it could be fully utilized. Introduction story, departure story, nothing else. Wasted opportunity. Why bother?" PERI - "THE AMERICAN STUDENT" Jameson: "Perpugilliam Brown, American botany student the Doctor rescues on vacation. With Fifth Doctor she's odd beast - introduced in one story, Davison leaves in next. Sassy but more upbeat and peppy than Tegan. Really comes into her own with Sixth Doctor. On audio, several adventures with Fifth Doctor, sometimes with new Companion Erimem (father/uncle with two daughters dynamic)." SEASON BREAKDOWNS: SEASON 19 - "THE SOAP OPERA SEASON" "Crowded TARDIS, JNT wants regulars always arguing and not getting along. Still good stories - Kinda and Earthshock standouts. Death of Adric, return of Cybermen shake things up." SEASON 20 - "THE ANNIVERSARY SEASON" "Two new Companions, Companion departure, tons of returning elements celebrating 20 years. Returning: Omega, the Brig, Mara, Black/White Guardians, Borusa, the Master." THE FIVE DOCTORS DEBATE: The Classification: More people saying it's its own thing between seasons (like Christmas specials). John always looked at it as Season 20: "Caps off Season 20 - after whetting appetite with Master and others, throw it all at you." Jim's Verdict: "Best Fifth Doctor story. He pretty much holds his own." SEASON 21: Jameson: "I don't really know what to say. Possibly Davison's strongest, but I don't really have anything else. I like Resurrection of the Daleks, Frontios, Caves of Androzani." THREE YEARS OF THE DOCTOR'S BEARD: "Three years of fun with the Doctor's Beard, somewhere in time and space." NEXT TIME: Monday (Patreon #153): Voyager (five-part Colin Baker epic), Ian Levine's Doctor Who theme (Eastway/Freeway?), Memory TARDIS spin Friday (Patreon) then Saturday (Main Feed): Attack of the Cybermen - first two-parter with 45-minute episodes for Season 22! John handles narration, oddly looking forward to it after Twin Dilemma optimism This retrospective showcases exclusive Patreon content! Join for $3/month at patreon.com/thedoctorsbeardpodcast for early access, bonus episodes, and comprehensive retrospectives! Subscribe on all platforms. Email thedoctorsbeardpodcast@gmail.com or join our Facebook community. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #PeterDavison #FifthDoctor #Retrospective #PatreonExclusive #ItsJustThere #FailedExperiment #InvisibleDoctor #GrouchyDoctor #SoapOperaSeason #AnniversarySeason #Companions #Adric #Nyssa #Tegan #Turlough #Kamelion #Peri #TheBachelorUncle #JNT #EricSaward #SeasonRatings #TheFiveDoctors #CavesOfAndrozani #MawdrynUndead #Enlightenment #ResurrectionOfTheDaleks #ColinBaker #SixthDoctor #TwinDilemma #CautiousOptimism #BlakesSeven #GroundedWho #DoctorWhoDidntWantCompanions #NyssaDeservedBetter #JanetFielding #RoseColoredGlasses #DrSmith #WillRobinson #WesleyCrusher #ThreeDoctors #GallifreyStories #AudioWho #BigFinish #ClassicWho #80sWho #DoctorWhoPodcast #TheDoctorsBeardPodcast #Whovian #PodcastCommunity #ComprehensiveReview #ThreeYearsStrong #DocJonesNovels #WritingLife