No… It’s Not Doctor Who! The podcast about other TV shows you should watch

Before the next episode of No... It's Not Doctor Who we'd like to say that in our opinion that it's not suitable for those of you of a nervous disposition! Because Ghostwatch scared a lot of children, including my guest Frazer Gregory. And in this episode we explore why that happened, was it sensible to let young children watch this on their own and did the programme makers push the envelope just a bit too much with this one? It's Halloween (or at least it was the day this was released) so expect some chills with one of the spookiest ghost stories of the 20th century.

It's another sci-fi classic and there's some very serious themes to work through. But my guest Richard Vine, making his podcast debut, is here to make sure we don't take it all too seriously! We cover topics such as faith, morality, how far we would go to survive, There's also a tale about a conversation on the No 31 bus to the Montague Estate. Might not have a plan, but we did have a great time recording this episode! And so say we all!

It's time for series 3... and Chris is back to open proceedings once again with a sitcom that is quite different from his last two choices. Bottom is quite anarchic and sometimes hard to really define. But Chris does his best and also takes a deep and philosophical look at whether he is an Eddie or a Richie sort of man. Also how many Bottom innuendos can we sneak into the episode? They're quite subtle and you might miss them (probably...)

It's time to find out more about Harriet the Donkey... because after hard hitting tales of bullying and racism, having to hide a donkey in the school corridors is part of the natural progresson! In this episode we look at series 9 and 10 of Grange Hill and one of the series most memorable storylines. We also talk about that single and Dan has listened to the whole Grange Hill album so you don't have to!

Before you think this is a repeat, it's not! After Dan and I recorded our episode on the first six series of Grange Hill we talked about having a follow up as Dan continued watching the series. And so for a special pair of episodes we are back looking at series 7 to 10 as well as the spin off Tucker's Luck which Dan, ever dilligent in his research, watched all three series just to give his thoughts on it here! Part 1 looks at series 7 and 8 and how the followed on from the hard hitting and ground breaking drama in series 5 and 6. The answer might surprise you and you'll find out why one of the most beloved characters randomly vanished before an ill fated trip to the pool...

Glad you're going to join my husband and I for the second part of our Mad Men special. In the other half of the podcast we're going to look at some of the amazing secondary characters, some of the bits we were less keen on and then diving in to look at the very best episodes. So shut the door, have a seat and listen to the rest of our Mad Men love in. You'll also find out which one of us used to play kiss chase with the boys at school!

It's time for something extra! We've just finished watching Mad Men and Chris and I love the series so much we wanted to tell you all about it. This is part 1 of 2 as we ended up recording for far longer than we intended but it's a series with so much depth that we still only scratch the surface. So join us for one of the more modern series covered in this podcast, but one that is set firmly in the past. We meet some of the most fascinating characters who have a lot more depth than you'd expect. And find out which one Chris considers to be truly awful. But in the best possible way

It's the last of the current series but don't worry we're going out with a bang. A bang with some funky 70s guitar as Joe Ford and I take a trip to the 1970s for The New Avengers. This is a enthusiastic discussion over a series that has had it's fair share of detractors over the years but it has found a champion with Joe. To such an extent he has some very interesting thoughts on the original series of The Avengers. So there are some strong opinions and some strong language as well as we find out what makes Steed, Gambit and Purdey work so well as a team!

It's time to join the zany antics of the four Young Ones... This week a sitcom that's quite hard to define. Part sitcom, part sketch show, part light entertainment (they have a lion tamer at one point!) but it's all funny. My guest Dan Pinn discusses his choice of The Young Ones and we delve into why it makes us laugh, the characters, the guest stars and the best random side jokes. Just don't expect it to be in any sort of a logical order. But if you've seen The Young Ones, it will make complete sense. And if you haven't seen it, I really hope this encourages you to give it a try.

And now for something completely different. This week it's not a programme that my guest has brought, it's an entire channel. Aimed at children. Surely we won't be able to find that much to say about children's television? If you thought that, you'd be wrong. Frazer Gregory returns to the show and we have a canter through some of the best that CBeebies has to offer as well as looking back at the TV we grew up with in the 80s and 90s. So if you’ve heard of Bluey or Hey Duggee and have no idea what they are, come and find out more. It’s well worth your time! And one thing is for sure... you'll have the Stick song in your head for all time!

How does one categorise Psychoville? The answer is... with difficulty. It's a comedy, but there's drama, there's mystery and there's a thriller in there too. There's also a fair amount of Black Lace. This week I'm joined by Pete Lambert as we try to unravel the enigma that is Pyschoville with a gallery of characters that almost defy explanation. We also navigate a minefield of spoilers because this is a series full of twists and turns and we don't want to give everything away. But let's put it this way, you'll never look at a Club biscuit in the same way again!

This week Toby Hadoke and I take a trip back to 1962 for an edition of the BBC Drama anthology series Studio 4 - Doctor Korczak and the Children. Doctor Who fans might be familiar opening moments of this TV play as we see Paddy Russell, later to direct The Massacre and more, greet the actors. And that should let you know that this play is something quite different. No sets, no costumes. Just the actors and a sad story from World War 2. This was a fascinating play to watch and discuss in depth with Toby as well as further thoughts on drama and the world we live in today. Lessons from history are tough and so are the lessons in this play.

This week sees another first time podcaster join the series and a very special guest as well as it's my husband Chris Gillespie-Pratt who's come to talk to me about all things Thunderbirds as well as the wider world created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. We look at what makes Thunderbirds so special, why the music is absolutely key to the series success and why the model work is absolutely incredible. We also mention Anthea Turner and the ill fated live action film but hopefully not in too much detail!

After a couple of weeks in the land of sitcoms it's time to return to the world of drama and this time it's one of the most critically acclaimed dramas of the 1980s. And it's one that doesn't get talked about anywhere near as much as it should. Tenko is phenomenal but also at the same time devastating. Mark Dodyk joins me this week as we explore all three series and the wealth of fantastic characters we are introduced to. Though no doubt there'll be someone we forgot to mention! Tenko is a powerful drama and one that Mark and I hope to persuade you to give a try.

"4291..." Often hailed as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, One Foot in the Grave is more than just your average sitcom. In this week's episode Si Hart joins me to tell me why this is one of his favourite TV shows of all time. We explore the light and dark themes of the series, the genius that is Mrs Warboys, what happens in that final episode and most importantly of all... Is Victor Meldrew actually in the right?

dinnerladies (the lack of a capital letter there is deliberate - listen to find out why) is one of Victoria Wood's finest pieces of television. And considering her long career, that really is something. This week I'm joined by Rod Brown as we explore his love for Wood's writing, what makes this series such a success and why if you've never given it a chance, then now is the right time. Also why is the name Urmston funny?

This week's pick offers something very different from the series discussed previously. And we're off to explore some very dark and mature themes. But Cracker isn't all heavy and serious as we discover and there is some light within the dark. I'm joined by Gareth Bowley to look at this classic 90s crime drama but can we crack the secret of its success in time? And will we explain the Scunthorpe reference? There's only one way to find out

It's fair to say that the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation does not have the best of reputations. But on this week's edition of No... It's Not Doctor Who my guest Dylan Rees and I decide to see if that reputation is deserved or not. And the answer might surprise you! So beam on board as we delve into the first 25 episodes of a science fiction classic as we look at the best of what the season has to offer. We also discuss Code of Honor (or should that be Code of Honour?)

The school bell is ringing which means that it's the start of a new term! Either that or we're about to start discussing Grange Hill. Or at least some of it. Dan Hollingsworth returns with another series with over 600 episodes though thankfully this time we're only cover the first part. So what is the appeal of this long running school drama? Who are the star pupils? Will we get sent to Mrs McClusky's office? And most importantly, is Roland Browning the best character ever written?

Welcome to the second series of No... It's Not Doctor Who! But unlike Blackadder this second series is going to be bigger and bolder! The first episode sees the return of my friend Chris and having shared our childhood stories of Red Dwarf last year, this time we turn to another classic sitcom and one that might be one of the best sitcoms of all time. It's certainly one of the most quotable. So join us as we work out our cunning plan to tackle this series and get under the skin about why it works so well. And also is Goodbyeee the best episode of anything ever?