Gallifrey Public Radio - A Doctor Who Podcast
- Description:
- We are a weekly Doctor Who podcast dedicated to examining the show and sharing our love for it with other Whovians around the globe. We balance between new and classic material ad strive to be accessible to fans regardless of depth of devotion.
Homepage: http://www.gallifreypublicradio.com
RSS Feed: http://www.gallifreypublicradio.com/feed/podcast/
- Episodes:
- 355
- Average Episode Duration:
- 0:0:55:10
- Longest Episode Duration:
- 0:2:01:13
- Total Duration of all Episodes:
- 13 days, 14 hours, 23 minutes and 50 seconds
- Earliest Episode:
- 5 March 2013 (7:26am GMT)
- Latest Episode:
- 16 May 2019 (6:00pm GMT)
- Average Time Between Episodes:
- 6 days, 9 hours, 1 minutes and 16 seconds
Gallifrey Public Radio - A Doctor Who Podcast Episodes
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Extremis
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 53 minutes and 30 secondsWhen we learned just before the start of Series 10 that Steven Moffat opted to begin and end the season with his own penned episodes, it came as no surprise. After all, it was becoming the expected fashion for the ... Continue reading -
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Oxygen
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 44 minutes and 16 secondsWhen you've run from all the bogey-men, the ghosts and ghouls, the shadows within the shadows, the killer robots, and the bug-eyed aliens bent on your demise, it's a reasonable assumption that the next threat to terrify and terrorize us is...rampant ... Continue reading -
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Knock Knock
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 35 minutes and 54 secondsThe iconic ghost story: possibly one of the most popular forms of storytelling for centuries, from elaborate Dickensian novels, to childhood campfire tales. Our beloved Doctor Who program is no stranger to the paranormal yarn, yet we viewers never tire of ... Continue reading -
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Thin Ice
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 53 minutes and 17 secondsWhen you walk the world for a while, you gather a collection of life experiences, each of which may teach you something: about yourself; about those around you; about existence itself. Those experiences give you a perspective on things, your ... Continue reading -
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Smile
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 43 minutes and 14 secondsLanguage, like a living species, is an dynamic construct, ever evolving and subject to the influences of time. Certain rules and applications are introduced or are rendered obsolete as the populace drifts in or out of favor with them, either as a result of ... Continue reading -
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The Pilot
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 20 minutes and 27 secondsThere are many different strategies Whovians take when trying to convince a new viewer to delve into the program that they love so dearly. From carefully selected and sequenced primer sets, to take-it-from-the-top viewing marathons, the unique and often fickle ... Continue reading -
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Series 10 Wishes
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 49 minutes and 21 secondsIt's nearly here...that wonderful, horrible moment where we realize that we are FINALLY getting new Doctor Who content...but at such a price. Steven Moffat has us teased and tempted for what could be an exceptional final series in his hands, ... Continue reading -
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Classic Rewatch: The Claws of Axos
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 55 minutes and 27 secondsThe most interesting fictional adversaries have more in common than they do in conflict: Holmes and Moriarty. Gandalf and Saruman. Kenobi and Vader. Burger King and Ronald McDonald. What may make their 'familiar contempt' even more intriguing, perhaps, are the ... Continue reading -
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Series 10 Preview
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 43 minutes and 8 secondsEvery break between seasons feels like an eternity...some more so than others. When we are given the news that this will be the final season with the glorious Peter Capaldi as our Doctor, and moreover, the final season with Steven ... Continue reading -
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The Doctor Who Movie (Drinking Game Commentary)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 39 minutes and 56 secondsWhen you have the perfect storm of bad ideas: a large group of opinionated Whovians; a desire to watch the Eighth Doctor's 1996 debut; a plethora of assorted drinks; a readily available set of drinking game rules; and it happening ... Continue reading -
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Classic Rewatch: The Mind of Evil
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 39 minutes and 54 secondsIt doesn't take much to rattle some people. For those poor souls, their fears and concerns weigh so heavily upon them, the slightest provocation send them reeling into fits of worry and despair. Others are made of sterner stuff -- ... Continue reading -
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Recasting On a Budget
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 53 minutes and 28 secondsYou may choose to point a finger in any number of directions to pin blame for the "Wilderness Years" when Doctor Who left the air. The 1996 tele-film was in many ways an attempt to bring the program to a new ... Continue reading -
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Classic Rewatch: Terror of the Autons
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 45 minutes and 36 secondsThe deus ex machina trope has been explored and adapted more times in science fiction media that we could count. When Doctor Who writer Robert Holmes developed the Nestene Consciousness for "Spearhead from Space", he paired the concept of a ... Continue reading -
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Battle of the Spin-Offs
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 51 minutes and 33 secondsIt is a foregone conclusion, from a television programming and development standpoint, that a series so popular and successful as to run a span of over fifty years is sure to take a swing at tangential or "spin-off" series at ... Continue reading -
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Classic Rewatch: Inferno
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 52 minutes and 7 secondsThere are elements of "classic" Doctor Who that make even the most die-hard fans a little uneasy. Low-budget limitations on effects, rushed plot devices, possibly a poorly-cast extra who can't seem to keep from pulling focus, even as a dead ... Continue reading -
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The Lost
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 59 minutes and 25 secondsThe adage states that the strongest metals are tested through fire. While we may not fully grasp the accuracy of a blacksmithing reference, we've seen (and perhaps experienced) instances where an individual's resolve strengthens under adverse conditions, or bonds between two ... Continue reading -
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Doctor Exit Stage Left
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 20 minutes and 2 secondsAs we eagerly await the premier of series 10, news came from the BBC that hit us like a ton of bricks. Peter Capaldi will be leaving at the end of this series. We spend time discussing this and other ... Continue reading -
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Classic Rewatch: The Ambassadors of Death
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 28 minutes and 44 secondsJust sit right back, and you'll hear a tale A tale of a trip to Mars You'd better clear some time, we warn It's told in seven parts. Some astronauts went missing, and When UNIT gets involved They call ... Continue reading -
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The Metaphysical Engine, or What Quill Did
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 22 minutes and 50 seconds"Sometimes, you want to know how the other half lives." This may be the case when you're daydreaming about life in a higher income bracket, but if you're an indentured alien warrior going to otherworldly and other-reality extremes to free ... Continue reading -
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Classic Rewatch: The Silurians
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 44 minutes and 31 secondsAs an evolved, scientifically curious species, we Terrans are woefully ignorant on a relative interplanetary scale. Honestly, it's a wonder our brutish, barbarian tendencies haven't caused us to be eradicated by a greater galactic power a dozen times over by ... Continue reading -
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Detained
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 50 minutes and 14 secondsIt doesn't matter what you did to get here, or didn't do, or what the "real story" is. The fact is, you're in detention, that fact isn't going to change, so you might as well take your lumps, and get ... Continue reading -
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The Return of Doctor Mysterio
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 45 minutes and 5 secondsIt's the most wonderful time of the year...and with a year like we've had, the lyric could not be more apropos. We've been (figuratively) starved for new Doctor Who since this time last year, and so with reckless aplomb, and ... Continue reading -
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Brave-ish Heart
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 40 minutes and 51 secondsAh, young love. It has the power to inspire, to uplift the soul, to make one feel superhuman, to give one the courage to take on a physical incarnation of malicious darkness and pure evil that threatens to tear through the ... Continue reading -
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Classic Rewatch: Spearhead From Space
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 43 minutes and 44 secondsSo begins another era in the wildly unpredictable history of Doctor Who. The departure of Patrick Troughton and his co-stars at the close of the sixth season added additional uncertainty to the direction (or entire future) of the show. Producers, writers, and script editors ... Continue reading -
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Co-Owner of a Lonely Heart
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 54 minutes and 22 secondsEmotions are complex and most often unpredictable catalysts for change. Our minds process and choose to react to events with a series of chemical releases and electrical charges, and just as we are individual in our personalities and identities, so are our responses ... Continue reading -
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Classic Rewatch: The War Games
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 44 minutes and 10 secondsSometimes, the best thing you can do when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds, once you've tried reasoning, confronting, and even running, is to align yourself with the most unlikely (if undesirable) cohorts. The safety of the many, in this case, outweighs the ... Continue reading -
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Nightvisiting
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 7 minutes and 28 seconds[ SPOILERS! This episode discusses the new Doctor Who spin-off series, Class. ] We all deal with grief in very different, very personal ways. Whether or not we ever truly come to terms with the loss of a loved one ... Continue reading -
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Live from L.I. Who 4
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 55 minutes and 57 secondsWe've had returns to alien worlds last seen when humans only perceived the world in black and white, scaly monsters thawed from the icy depths, and accoutrements on the TARDIS console that haven't had hands jammed into them in over ... Continue reading -
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The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 32 minutes and 2 secondsNo one has ever said that the successful balance of academics and athletics was easy. Even those who seem to accomplish this effortlessly are only demonstrating the perceived end result of discipline, training, and a fair helping of raw talent. But ... Continue reading -
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Classic Rewatch: The Seeds of Death
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 33 minutes and 35 secondsIt is a time of peril for the inhabitants of Earth. A time when technology has left us complacent, and the worst of all evils can prey upon us, with complete disregard for the billions of lives at stake. No, ... Continue reading -
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For Tonight We Might Die
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 46 minutes and 7 secondsThere are difficulties and challenges dealt with by any teenager, all part of their transition from the carefree days of youth, to the rigors and responsibilities of adulthood. We all encounter them; we all know their faces. Few if any, however, have ... Continue reading -
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Classic Rewatch: The Krotons
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 47 minutes and 39 seconds"All right, there's no need to shout! Now go away, and don't fuss me. No, come back. What's this? It's all right, I know. Right, fire away. I'm ready." In a set of episodes that rewards viewers with timeless dialogue ("Oh, my giddy aunt!"), delightfully cold and heartless robotic killing machines, dramatic tension between a partisan populace, and more than a fair share of punches thrown, lasers fired, and chemistry lessons learned, this multifaceted sci-fi story is yet another in the long list of thoroughly enjoyable Second Doctor adventures with Jamie and Zoe. Jay and Haley put on their best pointy-shouldered armor, gather a sack full of interesting rocks, and queue up the DVD for a rewatch of the 1969 Doctor Who classic, 'The Krotons'. News Links: Missy Returns for Series 10 Class Premiere Is Just Days Away
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L.I. Who 4 Preview
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 37 minutes and 5 secondsWe've never backed off our immense love and preference for the intimate, fan-run conventions, be they based on the Doctor Who fandom, or any other. There's nothing like finding yourself in line for a morning cup of tea next to a celebrity or writer you admire, instead of rubbing far more than elbows with every living soul packed like so many sardines into an overcrowded convention hall. Long Island Doctor Who, or L.I. Who for short, has figured you the balance between intimacy of scale and quality of offerings, and with the fourth annual event coming up the weekend of 11 November, excitement and expectations are high -- particularly here in the GPR studios. Joined this week by the L.I. Who showrunner and quintessential DW fan, Ken Deep, we get to chat about the motivation to start the convention, the events to look forward to (both returning to the schedule, and new to this year), and what having the right staff of incredible people can do to make the experience one that both veteran con attendees and first-time guests something truly extraordinary. L.I. Who Tickets and Information: http://longislanddoctorwho.com/ News Links: The BBC America "Takeover"Brings the the Extended Whoniverse to NYCC Trailer For the Next Christmas Special Unveiled at NYCC
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Audio Killed the Video Script
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 19 minutes and 36 secondsWe all have a fascination with spoken word, to some extent. It's the reason why we listen to (and create) podcasts, after all. The tale as told by another is a fascination as old as human civilization and possibly older, and the more skillful the bard, scrivener or storyteller, the more enthralled we become, as their words create mental images richer and more complex than any painting or tapestry. Is it any wonder, then, that within the fictional universe created specifically for a visual medium, we find ourselves fascinated by the stories shared only with our ears? For over fifteen years, the production team at Big Finish Studios have gathered the talent, directors, writers, and editors necessary to create a working team responsible for some of the most compelling, emotional, and altogether entertaining stories the Doctor Who franchise has known. "We love stories", as their tagline clearly indicates, and the evidence is clear. Through their craft, we know the Eighth Doctor better than we could have imagined, much to all our benefit. We learned the softer side of "Old Sixie". We learned to fear Zagreus, the Viyrans, and the Dalek Time Controller. We met some of the best friends imaginable, in Evelyn, C'rizz, Molly, Lucie, Erimem, Liv...even Frobisher, the giant talking penguin. This week, Jay and Keir discuss just a small segment of the many characters, plot arcs, villains, and other story elements that Big Finish has brought to Whovians that could not only adapt easily to the televised series, but would arguably be extremely well received by viewing audiences. We say "arguably", because why else would we hypothesize such things, if not to get a lively discussion going, right? That's "discussion", not "flame war". (Start that discussion in the comments below!) News Links: Correction: Canada Will Get to Class On Time Nardole Is an "Anti-Companion" In the Christmas Special? Open Position for Doctor Who Script Editor BBC America Poised to Invade New York City ... And Then Some Fan Panel Announcements for LI Who 4
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Classic Rewatch: The Mind Robber
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 45 minutes and 12 secondsLet us tell you a story. Once, in a far-off land, many, many years apart from the time we live now, three dear friends went on an adventure. This was not your usual storybook adventure, where brave souls battled fearsome monsters, rescuing...oh, wait, it sort of is that sort of adventure. Well, it definitely didn't have traps and snares, puzzles of wit designed to test our heroes' intellect as well as physical...hmm. It has that, too. Okay, it certainly wasn't a journey within the mind, testing the boundaries of what was real, and what was illusion...huh? That, too? Darn. I guess it has just about everything except a bedazzled catsuit, two men in one kilt, and a fake German bodybuilder. Oh, for crying out loud... This week, Keir and Haley revel in the fun of the Second Doctor literary adventure, "The Mind Robber". As writer Peter Ling's first attempt at science fiction, it is a mad, labyrinthine sort of 'Doctor Through the Looking Glass', with every sort of fictional component thrown in to trip up our Time Lord and his exceptional companions, Jamie and Zoe. Wind up your toy soldiers and step into the white mist, because things are about to be taken...literally. News Links: Two Minotaurs, Two Vaders: A Doctor Who-to-Star Wars Legacy? Yale Survey Proves the TARDIS is Britain's Favourite Home It's Official, We Have a Premiere Date for 'Class'! Sorry, North America...
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Our 200 Episode Diary
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 50 minutes and 57 secondsFrom the early recordings of two American fans of Doctor Who ecstatic over the just-aired episode, to the live recordings at Whovian conventions joined by listeners from far and wide, the GPR studio has grown from an extracurricular activity to a critical part of our lives. (I'm speaking personally at the moment, here, but as you'll hear in the cast, the sentiment is shared.) Five years and 200 installments later, we have made more friends than we can count within this vast, complex, and impressive fan community. We'd say we owe it all to the Doctor, but in truth: we owe it all to you. Join the GPR trio as we reflect on 200 episodes of our modest Doctor Who podcast, the impact that creating and producing the cast has had on each of our lives, and the profound respect and thanks we have for all those who have contributed, supported, and listened to us for the past half decade. Cheers, mates. News Links: BFI to Screen "Power of the Daleks" Animations on the Story's 50th Anniversary A Fascinating Fan-Proposed Explanation to a Timelord Chronology Conundrum A New "Class" Promo Photo, and Questionable Chalkboard Maths
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Classic Rewatch: The Dominators
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 29 minutes and 4 secondsAll we wanted was a nice, peaceful island vacation; but then this drilling team shows up and ruins everything. Honestly, though, perhaps we should have expected it. After all, when a world goes to great lengths to establish themselves as completely non-violent, isn't that just begging for an overtly violent race to come and, well...dominate them? This week, Haley and Jay continue our classic rewatch series and discuss the Second Doctor story, "The Dominators." From obnoxious robot voices, to explosions, to extensive outerwear that could make any linebacker jealous, this story has it all. News Links: First Look And Character Names From 'Class' P-Cap Becomes The Guest Of Honor At Fan's Wedding
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A Wise Person Once Said...
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 55 minutes and 33 secondsThere once was a campaign in the United States for an investment broker, where the tagline read, "When talks, everyone listens." You may not have an iota of interest in the stock market, of course, but when the Doctor steps forward, takes a strengthening breath, and begins an oration, the viewing audience joins the supporting cast in rapt attention to what is about to be said. It may even be argued that within the past 3 series, the opportunities for and occurrences of these monologues are steadily increasing -- much to our fascination. This week, Keir and Haley tour a series of the Doctor's most impactful speeches, from short but sweet consolations to a distraught listener, to the arms-wide, sermon-on-the-mount powerhouses that hold armies at bay, and give would-be gods reason to take heed. We discuss the apparent rise in the breadth and content of these speeches, and the adept way that Doctor Who writers have historically written to the strengths of each actor portraying the titular role. Some referenced moments for your research: First Doctor to Susan, in "Dalek Invasion of Earth" Second Doctor to Victoria, in "Tomb of the Cybermen" Third Doctor to Jo Grant, in "The Time Monster" (thanks to Ian for the suggestion!) Fourth Doctor to Sarah Jane, in "Genesis of the Daleks" Sixth Doctor to the Valeyard and Inquisitor, in "Trial of a Timelord" Ninth Doctor to Rose, in "Parting of the Ways" Tenth Doctor soliloquy, in "The Waters of Mars" Eleventh Doctor to the assembled armada, in "The Pandorica Opens" Twelfth Doctor to Bonnie, in "The Zygon Inversion" News Links: Moffat "Explains" the Return of Nardole in Series 10 "Power of the Daleks" Animation Reported...But Only By "The Mirror" Spin-off Series "Class" to Air in October
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Classic Rewatch: The Web of Fear
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 1 minutes and 49 secondsThere's so much to love about the Troughton era in total, but as a result of the travesty that is the bemoaned "lost episodes", we have limits to the amount of televised footage that we can truly enjoy in its full form, as it aired. At this point in our trip through the (nearly) complete classic Doctor Who stories, the episodes we spin up are like little 22-minute gifts. And I (Keir, hullo!) may be speaking for myself here, but this is one of the greatest gifts we can unwrap. The TARDIS Team is in great form, the supporting characters are diverse and wonderful, the challenge of getting to and confronting the "big bad" is circuitous and complicated because of a genuinely challenging game of finding the traitor amongst the troop, and the Yeti are...well, let's face it. They're adorable killing machines, aren't they? Almost like Sweetums, from the Muppets... This week, we square off once again with the Great Intelligence, but with the newly arrived Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart, as we face "The Web of Fear". With twists and turns (both figuratively and literally), deaths and danger, scientific development under pressure, and a Welsh comic relief that deserves Shakespearean praise, this is one you can enjoy time and again. And we do. Often. News Links: Could We See a "Power of the Daleks" Animation in the Near Future? Doctor Who Ranks as Amazon Prime's Most Streamed TV Series New York Comic Con Gets a Whovian Line-Up of Epic Proportions CRIKEY! Our 200th Episode is almost here! Leave us a voicemail, or post a Comment to be included in the celebratory recording session.
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The Elevator Pitch of Doom
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 36 minutes and 57 secondsAll you wanted was a simple trip down to the ground floor, to grab a fresh cuppa from the fairly trustworthy cafe before dashing back up to your hotel room. Little did you know that when the doors closed, you'd find yourself next to none other than the head of programming for [insert really hip television network here]! Brain reeling, you see this as your big chance to lay out your ideas for that program that you've always wanted -- but you only have until the lobby light illuminates to make your plea. How are they going to know how desperately you want to see that obscure but compelling character cross over into a new viewing experience? Think fast, O Ye Representative of All Fandom, think so very fast! This week, we're playing a little innocuous game dubbed 'The Elevator Pitch of Doom', in which we are given a smattering of supporting Doctor Who characters, and have to find ways to utilize them in new program genres and script applications, thus ensuring that the televised world never goes a moment without Whovian influences throughout. It's for the greater good, after all. THE GREATER GOOD. News Links: The Doctor Who Movie to Release on Blu-Ray with Extras And the 1996 Movie Drinking Game to Go Along With It (to Our Demise) Congrats to Radio Free Skaro on their Tenth Circumnavigation of the Star Sol David Suchet Cast in Upcoming Series 10 Episode Fans Head to Cardiff Bay to Catch Sight of...Pokemon?
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Classic Rewatch: Tomb of the Cybermen
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 59 minutes and 59 secondsThere are Doctor Who stories that you keep on a short list of those to recommend to the uninitiated or under-exposed, in hopes of winning them over to the fandom. Often these stories have a solid amount of explanation for newcomers, a solid plot and conflict to hold interest, and a degree of plausibility that will keep skeptics and critics at bay. There are also those installments of DW that are one's personal favourites, for a myriad of reasons, that may not be sound candidates for the aforementioned 'introductory' list, because they either rely too heavily on existing knowledge of the characters and relationships, are not approachable enough for the uninitiated, or are not ideal representatives of the series as a whole. Sometimes, however, the paths converge, and you have an adventure that is nothing short of wonderful for any viewer. This week, we revel in the simple perfection that is the fifth season classic, 'Tomb of the Cybermen'. Enjoying peak performances from Patrick Troughton and Frazer Hines, a thorough but not overly complex script from Pedler and Davis, great supporting cast, and a thoroughly enjoyable 'upgrade' to our titular villains, it is a staple of our new viewer recommendations, and simultaneously one of our most treasured classic Doctor Who adventures. News Links: Doctor Hooey (don't say we didn't warn you -- k.) Janet Fielding Reports: The Doctor Who Experience Adds New Console Moffat's Son Attempts to Prank the Master
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Let It Be Written
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 27 minutes and 20 secondsWe are appreciators, enthusiasts, and fanatics of certain television programs due in no small part to the captivating nature of the stories they tell. They are the creators and builders of worlds, the artists that add color, detail, and depth to an audio-visual experience that captures our imaginations, stimulates our minds, and often touches our hearts. With over 250 televised stories within Doctor Who, how does each writer put their individual and unique mark upon the tale being told? Can a producer or showrunner look to a repertoire of wordsmiths, knowing which ones can fulfil certain wishes or needs for the program's trajectory in a given season? What aspects of fledgling writers stand out to make them ideal candidates to be given a first opportunity to write for the program? This week, we look at the contributions of a series of beloved Doctor Who writers, classic and new, veteran and freshman. We discuss the nature of their individual craft, what impact their stories had upon the DWU both within their respective seasons and beyond, and what adept skills many of them demonstrate when penning a script for the Doctor. From the prolific Robert Holmes, to the acclaimed Paul Cornell, to brilliant newcomer Sarah Dollard, the pen so often proves mightier than the sonic screwdriver. News Links: Patrick Ness Turned Down Writing For Who Michelle Gomez Is Open To Appear In Class First Two Series 10 Episodes Wrap Up Filming Deep Roy Returns To Doctor Who Moffat Alludes to Capaldi Staying On For Series 11... ...But Talks About the "Upheaval" of His Final Episode
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Classic Rewatch: The Ice Warriors
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 46 minutes and 25 secondsSo it seems that Scooby, Shaggy, and the gang have found a mysterious shape embedded deep within a block of glacial ice. Velma's and Fred's insatiable curiosities are piqued, and simply have to know what...or who...is trapped within. Nothing to fear, though, of course. Whatever is in there, if it ever was a living thing, has to be long dead by now. Right? The plot may begin with a rather recognizable trope by modern standards, but with the Second Doctor adventure, 'The Ice Warriors', the premise was far more original and, dare we say, fresh. (We're not sorry. We never apologize for puns.) This week, GPR East and West (Keir and Haley) enjoy the four surviving episodes and two animated recreations of 'The Ice Warriors', and discuss the thematic statements about nuclear winter, modern dependence upon technology, and what hundreds or thousands of years trapped in a glacier apparently does to one's vocal chords. (Hint: Varga won't be touring with an a capella group any time soon.) News Links: Weeping Angels in the Upcoming Class Spin-Off? Tennant to Bring the Tenth Doctor to 'Family Guy' Barrowman Winds up the Torchwood Rumour Mill Again Series 10 Filming Sends Capaldi, Mackie & Company to Spain
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Continuity Concerns
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 53 minutes and 20 secondsIf you were to take on a writing prompt asking you to compose a five-line scene where two well-known literary characters address a mundane event like a car that won't start, and then asked another writer to do the same, the odds are extremely high that very little of those brief compositions would bear any resemblance other than the components that adhered to the original guideline. Even within such a microcosmic scope, the number of variables that define a fictional story is so large, the possible results are virtually infinite. Scale that variance to the n-th degree, now, and consider the 52-year, multiple-media realm of Doctor Who lore (and dare we say, canon). The breadth of established content is massive, growing larger by the day, and any writer saddled with creating an engaging and entertaining story that remains true to the characters and respectful of that canon is in for a Herculean effort. Add a dash of critical and prolific curative fans on forums and social media, and the analogy of the writer 'under the microscope' (dare we say, miniscope?) intensifies. This week, the GPR staff looks at efforts by Doctor Who writers and producers to adhere to continuity in a program based on time travel, pseudo-science, and identity change. We look at the walls between canon and creative freedom, the perils of paradoxes, and whether or not it's worth worrying about writing your successors into a corner. News Links: Tom Baker Loops Doctor Who Further Into Star Wars Canon (In a Sense) Chibnall Gains Matt Strevens as Co-Executive Producer in Series 11 Bill Anderson Confirmed As Director For Series 10
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Classic Rewatch: Enemy of the World
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 32 minutes and 24 secondsActors playing dual roles in a single production is nothing new to film or television, but sometimes there are performances that are so exemplary, we almost forget that the two identities stem from a single actor. This week, Jay and Haley ponder why Keir's doppelganger would kidnap him to Vermont, leaving them to witness Patrick Troughton pulling double duty in the recently rediscovered "Enemy of the World". We talk about Troughton's portrayal of Ramon Salamander and the incredibly convoluted story that brings us betrayal, double and triple crosses, impersonations, and a fight against tyrannical rule (just to cap things off). NEWS LINKS: Rumors About Matt Smith Returning To Doctor Who
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An Alien In America
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 46 minutes and 56 secondsThe Doctor has the means and the desire to see the countless wonders of the Universe, from the epicenter of the Big Bang, to the outermost edges. With virtually infinite possible destinations, he certainly spends a lot of time on Earth, doesn't he? Perhaps that's just because we're only privy to those adventures that brush upon our short, planetary-bound lives. Focus the lens a little further, and many of those Terran travels are right within the United Kingdom -- again, for obvious "eye of the beholder" reasons. So is there something to be said for the rising frequency of instances where the Galavanting Gallifreyan steps across the pond to the land of baseball, cheeseburger doughnuts, and ten-gallon hats? This week, on the heels of Independence Day in the United States, we look at the scenes, episodes, and complete stories where the Doctor has visited America in person. We discuss the rationale behind the infrequency of these occurrences in "classic" Doctor Who, the relative increase since the 2005 series revival, the choices of those locations and times used in both, and what this may imply regarding the producers' intent to capture audience. (Oh, and we crack wise a bit about Southern accents, because it's easy to pick on Jay.) News Links: No Introductions for "Bill" in 2016 Christmas Special Moffat Admits That Series 7 Was "Miserable" Doctor Who Comics Day! / The Supremacy Of The Cybermen Tennant Earns Honorary Doctorate in Drama from Royal Conservatoire of Scotland ...And Moffat Earns the Same Distinction from the University of West Scotland
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Classic Rewatch: The Tenth Planet
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 58 minutes and 15 secondsThere are quality science fiction stories, and there are iconic ones. When you have a story that not only provides the origin of a terrifying adversary that persists for over forty years to follow, but simultaneously presents the viewers with the departure of their principal actor, to be replaced in a most unprecedented fashion by another individual in the same role -- but somehow yet to be explained within the script -- you're on to something legendary. Closing the Hartnell chapter on our classic Doctor Who rewatch, we end on "The Tenth Planet", the Cyberman origin story, and a wholly entertaining story from the legendary Kit Pedler. We bid an emotional farewell to our First Doctor, discuss the merits of "Mondas Cybermen" versus "modern Cybermen", praise the virtues of the quintessential 'angry military leader' and 'exasperated scientific advisor', and demand that Polly get to do more than fetch coffee, damnit. #teampolly News Items: Pearl Mackie Gives Us a Set Tour P-Cap Offers a Six-Year Old (and All of Us) Some Sage Advice Series 10 Filming Photos Abound! How Does Nardol Have His Body Back?
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Donna, We're On!
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 12 minutes and 28 secondsWe've spent numerous conversations both on and off GPR discussing the relationships and balance of persona between the Doctor and any given companion in the past, and undoubtedly will continue to do so in years to come, as storyline and casting changes occur. Within the many permutations we've witnessed as Doctor Who fans, there may be none that compares to the TARDIS Team that was at once both the greatest friendship, and the most delightful discord, as the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble. We still put a clenched hand to our hearts as we reflect on the closure of Donna's travels with her "Spaceman", but with thanks to the exceptional writing of Matt Fitton, Jenny Colgan, and James Goss, and the triumphant return of David Tennant and Catherine Tate to the studios of Big Finish, we can turn the clocks back and enjoy more adventures (and misadventures) had during their time together. This week, we take a listener request to review the first series of The Tenth Doctor Adventures from Big Finish. From hyperintelligent alien adversaries, to the weaponization of time, to the living embodiment of death, Tennant and Tate are so adept at their craft that we might never have seen them leave the BBC Wales set. The Doctor and Donna crash headlong into these stories with every ounce of energy we could wish for, and it's all we can do to hang on for the ride. We discuss the strength of their symbiotic relationship, the writers' skills at capturing their dynamic as well as pitting them against foes that bring out the best in both, and in the end, our overwhelming desire -- nay, need -- to continue these stories for many seasons to come. News Links: Jenna Coleman Hands the Baton (and Bouquet) to Pearl Mackie Gallifrey One Makes Their First Round of Guest Announcements
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Donna, We're On!
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 12 minutes and 28 secondsWe've spent numerous conversations both on and off GPR discussing the relationships and balance of persona between the Doctor and any given companion in the past, and undoubtedly will continue to do so in years to come, as storyline and casting changes occur. Within the many permutations we've witnessed as Doctor Who fans, there may be none that compares to the TARDIS Team that was at once both the greatest friendship, and the most delightful discord, as the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble. We still put a clenched hand to our hearts as we reflect on the closure of Donna's travels with her "Spaceman", but with thanks to the exceptional writing of Matt Fitton, Jenny Colgan, and James Goss, and the triumphant return of David Tennant and Catherine Tate to the studios of Big Finish, we can turn the clocks back and enjoy more adventures (and misadventures) had during their time together. This week, we take a listener request to review the first series of The Tenth Doctor Adventures from Big Finish. From hyperintelligent alien adversaries, to the weaponization of time, to the living embodiment of death, Tennant and Tate are so adept at their craft that we might never have seen them leave the BBC Wales set. The Doctor and Donna crash headlong into these stories with every ounce of energy we could wish for, and it's all we can do to hang on for the ride. We discuss the strength of their symbiotic relationship, the writers' skills at capturing their dynamic as well as pitting them against foes that bring out the best in both, and in the end, our overwhelming desire -- nay, need -- to continue these stories for many seasons to come. News Links: Jenna Coleman Hands the Baton (and Bouquet) to Pearl Mackie Gallifrey One Makes Their First Round of Guest Announcements
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Classic Rewatch: The War Machines
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 52 minutes and 33 secondsTechnology is an amazing thing. To think that over the span of little more than 60 years, we've gone from "supercomputers" the size of an office building, to one that can fit in your skinny jeans' pocket, is really incredible when you stop to think about it. Decades ago, the only really powerful processing machines were in the hands of either universities, or the military, and the first thing they thought to do was to harness their collective power by finding some way to link them together, to allow a fuller scope of their reach, and ability, and control, and domain... (Wait. Are we talking about Doctor Who here, or the first Terminator movie? This week, our GPR team foolishly boots up WOTAN to rewatch the Hartnell serial, "The War Machines". With last moments spent with a brainwashed Dodo, and incoming (unexpected) companions Polly and Ben, there's literally terror on the streets of London, as the metal fist-wielding, death-steam belching war machines play havoc with the British populace, at least until an electromagnetic wrestling ring can be constructed around one. Our esteemed First Doctor feels right at home as an impromptu field general, and shows sides of his complex persona we may not witness again until his Third visage is put in play. Seem a little unusual? It certainly is, and we're right in the thick of it to enjoy the highs and the lows of this rather unorthodox classic story.