Debating Doctor Who

Episode 171: A Classic Series Fan’s Take On “The Power Of The Doctor” Oct 25, 2022

It's just Alasdair on this one, offering an hour-plus worth of solo thoughts on something he's particularly qualified to discuss: how "The Power Of The Doctor" incorporates the classic series. As Allison and Alasdair won't both be available to record together until next month, the latter jumps on the mic for what turns out to be much longer than planned (but probably not longer than he honestly should have expected) to talk about Ace, Tegan, and, well, a few other aspects of the 13th Doctor's final story. While the full discussion of the story will wait until we can get both hosts on, it turned out that Alasdair had PLENTY of (spoiler-y) things to say on this particular topic that he felt honor-bound to share with you all...

Episode 170: New Doctor announced, Tennant and Tate returning, and more! May 22, 2022

We're back from one of our customary unexpected hiatuses because, well, frankly Russell T. Davies simply demanded it. But first, we talk about what we've been up to in 2022 (some lovely stuff, some distinctly less than lovely stuff) to explain just why the podcast was on hold for a bit, as well as our plans to talk about the 13th Doctor specials in the near future. But then we get into all the recent news, including Ncuti Gatwa's casting as the new Doctor, the announcement that David Tennant and Catherine Tate are returning, and the casting of Yasmin Finney as a character called Rose. To help manage people's varying degrees of spoiler aversion, we initially stick to just what has been officially announced, then discuss what's been spotted on the set, and finally talk about some of the rumors going around as to what it all means, so feel free to listen to all or only some of it if you want to avoid potential spoilers. We're just so happy to be back with you all, and so excited to be excited about Doctor Who!

Episode 169: “The Vanquishers”…Part Two! Dec 18, 2021

We had plenty more to say about the finale, as it turns out there was A LOT going on in this one. Allison has some more praise for Jodie Whittaker's performance, while Alasdair reports on their rewatch of "The Wedding Of River Song" for what we're sure were good and useful reasons. Then we look closer at Diane, the Great Serpent, the Sontarans, the fate of Professor Jericho, and a bunch more!

Episode 168: “The Vanquishers”…Part One! Dec 10, 2021

After five weeks of being more or less on the same page about Flux, Alasdair and Allison are split on the finale. Alasdair dug it! Allison very much did not! We discuss how the episode really does seem to ignore the whole destruction of the universe thing, but then Alasdair submits... what if that's fine actually? We talk quite a bit about poor Karvanista and the offscreen genocide of his people, and then look at the episode's central conceit with the Doctor(s). We also look at the final scene between Yaz and the Doctor and wonder just what the show was playing at there. There's still plenty to discuss, so we'll be back soon with part two!

Episode 167: “Survivors Of The Flux”…Part Two! Dec 04, 2021

We're back and possibly even sillier than we were in our last discussion of this episode. We discuss what works -- the performances, mainly -- and what really doesn't about all the business with the Doctor and Tecteun. We look at this in comparison with "The Timeless Children", and we're not exactly thrilled to say that the earlier episode comes off looking better. We also generally examine past episodes that served to set up big finales, and see how this stacks up next to the likes of "The Stolen Earth" and "The End Of Time: Part One." We took a look at the costuming, and Allison made a reference to something on Fleabag that lost Alasdair completely. All in all, a fun use of an hour and change!

Episode 166: “Survivors Of The Flux”…Part One! Dec 03, 2021

We keep not planning to make these two-part conversations, and then we hit the hour mark and realize we haven't even started talking about all the Barbara Flynn stuff (for the second time in two weeks!). In the meantime, we discuss a bunch of other parts of an episode we both enjoyed but also think is probably the least effective of the season. We spend a lot of time on just what exactly was going on with Yaz, Dan, and Jericho. We look at the Grand Serpent's path through UNIT history, and Alasdair does a quick lore check. We randomly talk about "Dinosaurs On A Spaceship" just as we're theoretically trying to wrap the episode up, and also discuss to what degree "Spyfall" is like early Legends Of Tomorrow. Can't lie, folks, we got a bit weird in this one.

Episode 165: “Village Of The Angels”…Part Two! Nov 27, 2021

We're back for more Angel chat! Topics this time around include how this episode stands up on a rewatch, Jamie Magnus Stone's generally excellent direction, Annabel Scholey and her wonderfully unselfish performance, just how awesome Segun Akinola's score is for this episode (even if we're not *really* the right people to be discussing music in-depth), Bel's side-story with guest star Blake Harrison, and what to make of the great-uncle of it all.

Episode 164: “Village Of The Angels”…Part One! Nov 24, 2021

Yep, once again, we're making this a two-parter. We weren't sure heading in, as you can hear from Alasdair's uncertain intro, but by the hour mark it was pretty clear that, yeah, we have just about as much to say on this episode as we did "Once, Upon Time." So, in this first part of our discussion, we talk about Kevin McNally's beautiful performance as Professor Jericho, why this is such a good outing for the Weeping Angels as monsters, and a few issues that Alasdair has with the underlying story structure. That said, we're very much agreed this is a damn good episode, and we're very excited to talk more about it on the other side of the holiday...

Episode 163: “Once, Upon Time”…Part Two! Nov 21, 2021

We're back as promised to continue our discussion of our an episode we dug the first time around and dug even harder on the rewatch. We discuss some more about just why this episode is such a breath of fresh air, then start discussing specific things we love about it, starting with Barbara Flynn's mysterious woman. We also discuss the Weeping Angels and their role here ahead of their big return tomorrow, plus look even more closely at the Doctor and Yaz's relationship and just how mean the Doctor is to Yaz in this episode. We finish up with a brief look toward the future with some 14th Doctor casting rumors, and we catch up on some news about next year's specials that are at least a month old but we totally missed back in October. (And honestly, pretty sure I speculated on whether the two sides of the regeneration scene would be filmed separately, like they did with Eccleston and Tennant, and it turns out that Jodie Whittaker confirmed that as such on The Graham Norton Show. Oh and apparently that's how she did it when she regenerated from Capaldi anyway. So, uh, yeah, no points for research this week, but hey, the episode discussion is fun...)

Episode 162: “Once, Upon Time”…Part One! Nov 18, 2021

We had so much to say about this one that we couldn't fit it into a single episode! So here's what turned out to be the first part of our discussion of this frankly stunning episode. We talk about how this feels ambitious in a way even this era's best stories generally haven't. We look at how Flux is progressing Yaz and the Doctor's relationship at long last. We marvel at all the several great performances, and we talk about the big surprise guest star. (No, not Barbara Flynn. To Alasdair's great chagrin, we ran out of time to talk about her. But hey, part two incoming Saturday!)

Episode 161: “War Of The Sontarans” with Kate Kulzick Nov 15, 2021

Friend of the show Kate Kulzick stops by to help Alasdair offer our long-awaited (hopefully, otherwise they're just late) thoughts on the second chapter of Flux. We discuss how well the episode dusts off the Sontarans for their first significant non-Strax appearance since 2008. We consider what the Crimean War setting lends to the episode. Kate shares her worries about Yaz's eventual fate, and we remain charmed by Dan, with or without his implausibly young parents...

Episode 160.5: A short solo promise that “War of the Sontarans” is coming soon Nov 14, 2021

Hi friends! Sorry we haven't had a chance to get you an episode on "War of the Sontarans", even though it's a week later and, uh, slightly after the next episode aired in the UK. As Alasdair hops on briefly to explain, we had some scheduling issues this week, but a full episode on "War of the Sontarans" with guest cohost Kate Kulzick will be here soon, and then we'll endeavor to get back on schedule. Thanks for your understanding!

Episode 160: “Chapter One: The Halloween Apocalypse” [Reuploaded with right episode] Nov 04, 2021

We give our thoughts on the first episode of "Flux" -- sorry, sorry, the first *chapter* -- and, honestly? We kinda dug it. Allison opens with discussion of a character Alasdair wasn't entirely expecting. We go surprisingly long on the internal logic of the episode's goofy sci-fi thing. Alasdair pledges their allegiance to the walking embodiment of Liverpool (also known as Dan) and uses the word "vibes" a lot. We struggle to remember the name of that one series 12 episode. But mostly, we're liking how this is going... even if we're still nervous.

Episode 159: Getting ready for Series 13 Oct 28, 2021

We talk about the upcoming premiere of series 13, which Allison is very upset to hear is starting with an episode called "The Halloween Apocalypse." We get into what we're hoping for from this six-episode season, which honestly turns into a therapy session for our frustrations with the Chris Chibnall era. Also, unexpectedly, a defense of the relative merits of "Fear Her." Join us next week for our reactions to the premiere -- whatever our issues with the past two seasons, we still find ourselves cautiously excited...

Episode 158: What? What? WHAT!? Russell T. Davies is back! Sep 28, 2021

Fire up the emergency podcast klaxons, because we've got some absolutely wild news to talk about! Russell T. Davies is coming back as showrunner on Doctor Who, and we give our thoughts on just what that means. Like... what, if anything, might he bring back from previous eras, including his own? Should we read into the BBC emphasizing that he's back for the show's 60th anniversary year? Do we have to go watch "Years & Years" now? And just how ridiculous can we get by deep-diving the latest (and earliest) betting odds on who RTD might cast as the Doctor? Also... with not a hint of irony, just how exciting is it going to be when the first *bad* Davies episode airs? Friends, we're pumped.

Episode 157: Series 13! Whittaker and Chibnall leaving! Also, hi! Aug 03, 2021

We're back from yet another of our trademark hiatuses to discuss the recent news about the show's future. Series 13 is set to be the last for both Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall -- though, as we discuss, nobody has said anything yet about Mandip Gill, who we can only assume is going to take over Doctor and showrunner duties going forward. We look at what the news that the upcoming series is a single, six-part story might mean, and why we're alternately very worried and maybe just the slightest bit optimistic? Lot of reading the Broadchurch tea leaves here, folks. We then look ahead in general terms to who the 14th Doctor might be, by which we mean Allison is looking at the betting odds again. Kris Marshall's publicist, if you're listening, we're doing our bit to keep his name in the running.

Episode 156: “Revolution Of The Daleks” Jan 04, 2021

Alasdair and Allison take a look at a very eventful New Year's special, as we see big returns, big departures, and a tease of a big new addition. All that and, oh, right, the Daleks! We both enjoyed this one a lot, especially for various character moments that made us think maybe, just maybe, Chris Chibnall has figured out what he wants to do with these characters. We revel in Captain Jack's big return, and wonder whether maybe a little bit of Torchwood was exactly what this incarnation of Doctor Who needed. All that plus Alasdair reads one of the most wonderfully ridiculous TARDIS Wiki pages, for reasons that honestly escape us.

Episode 155: Live Discussion of Timeless Child Continuity Snarls, Our Very Own Story Pitches, and More! Dec 17, 2020

We're back for our third live show of 2020! Here's the recording of our Crowdcast hangout with a couple dozen of our lovely listeners, in which we field all manner of intriguing questions, including: What is the best episode of series 8, and why is it "Mummy On The Orient Express"? (Taken verbatim, that one.) *Did* Clara meet the Doctor's pre-Hartnell selves in "The Name Of The Doctor", what with the whole Timeless Child thing and whatnot. Would we want to see an animated version of Doctor Who? And what would we pitch as the Doctor Who story we would most like to see? Come along for the ride with Allison, Alasdair, and a whole bunch of friends in the chat!

Episode 154: RTD and David Tennant’s “Casanova” with Kev Koeser Dec 11, 2020

Reminder: We have a live show this Saturday, December 12, at 6:30 p.m. Eastern! Go to https://www.crowdcast.io/e/ddw-live to sign up or just join us on the day. As for today, here's the first installment of a new occasional series in which Alasdair and a rotating team of cohosts look at works that Doctor Who luminaries (Whominaries?) worked on before the new series. Kev Koeser of the great podcast Talking Who To You joins Alasdair to discuss the Russell T. Davies-written, David Tennant-starring 2005 miniseries "Casanova", which very much feels like a dress rehearsal for what they would create with the 10th Doctor. Alasdair and Kev run through the highs and lows of the miniseries, which is generally a wonderfully enjoyable romp -- with a *great* performance from the legend Peter O'Toole -- but does have some really bad elements. Speaking of: There's some discussion of potentially transphobic content in the miniseries at around the 56:30 mark, so audience members sensitive to that topic should scrub ahead to around 1:04:00.

Episode 153: The News You Can Use Episode Dec 02, 2020

There's just so much news to talk about! Enough to lure Allison back on for another episode during what is increasingly inaccurately being called a "hiatus", even! We break down the newly released trailer for the upcoming special, "Revolution Of The Daleks", and for some reason the newly revealed guest cast launches Alasdair on tangents about Law & Order: UK and the Mystery Science Theater 3000 entry Time Chasers. (Surprising amount of Law & Order: UK talk in this episode, honestly.) Then we get into some casting news about the upcoming series, followed by a general meditation on Jodie Whittaker's future on the show and what she might do after Doctor Who. And remember, we have a live show on December 12 at 6:30 Eastern/5:30 Central -- go to www.crowdcast.io/e/ddw-live to register!

Episode 152: Captain Jack Harkness Returns Emergency Pod Nov 25, 2020

Fire up the news klaxons, we've got a big return to discuss! Doctor Who turned 57 on Monday, and it was kind enough to get us a birthday present: a tiny teaser for the upcoming festive special, "Revolution Of The Daleks", revealing that Captain Jack will once again be back. We somehow manage to spin forty minutes of discussion out of this, including what kind of continuity we expect, just how rare it is for someone to come back in such a featured role after so much time away (counting this as a continuation of his "Fugitive Of The Judoon" appearance, that is), and what this might hint at about the overall story.

Episode 151: Series 13 begins filming, plus show updates! Nov 20, 2020

The world got busy around us once again, but Doctor Who is coming back, which means Debating Doctor Who must as well. Except, in both cases, we're improvising through the circumstances around us. For us, that means Allison is taking a little break through the holidays, meaning Rorypalooza must wait until the new year. But! We'll still both be doing a live show on Saturday, December 12 at 6:30 Eastern/5:30 Central. And Alasdair is going to enlist friends old and new to start exploring some potentially foundational works by new Doctor Who's most important creative voices, starting with Russell T. Davies and David Tennant's miniseries Casanova. Oh, right, and we talk about how series 13 has begun filming, how COVID-19 has affected production, and just who exactly is going to star in it alongside Jodie Whittaker...

Episode 150: Clarastravaganza and/or Clarathon Part III Oct 31, 2020

We wrap up our trilogy of Clara episodes with a look at some stories from her final season aboard the TARDIS. We examine what "Under The Lake"/"Before The Flood" has to say about her willingness to do what needs to be done to save the day, and then how "Face The Raven" reveals just how dangerous acting like the Doctor can be. Also, we briefly reconsider "Sleep No More", and even Alasdair admits they've met their match on this one. We also talk generally about why this is probably our favorite season of new Doctor Who, and how essential Clara's character arc is to that. Next time, join us for Rory... well, just listen to the end for what silly name we give to our Rory special.

Episode 149: Clarastravaganza and/or Clarathon Part II Oct 22, 2020

Our deep dive into all things Clara Oswald somehow gets even deeper in the second edition, as we look at no less than four of the episodes from series eight. That's a third of the entire season! We look at her re-beginnings in "Deep Breath", then Alasdair mounts a spirited defense of "In The Forest Of The Night", much to Allison's patient bemusement, and then we wrap up by taking another looking at the finale, "Dark Water"/"Death In Heaven." Honestly this whole season just seems to get better and better the more we look back on it... and we do A LOT of looking back on it this time around.

Episode 148: Clarastravaganza and/or Clarathon Part I Oct 08, 2020

Our long-awaited (by us, anyway) deep dive into Clara Oswald begins! We take a look at a pair of stories from Series 7B, when Clara was more a mystery than a character and the 11th Doctor was kind of... is awful too strong a word? In "Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS," at least, 'awful' doesn't feel unjustified, as he's on his very worst behavior there. But anyway, we take a look at that and "The Rings Of Akhaten" to see what we can find in Clara's early days. There's a leaf, we can say that much. Also an all-time great costume. We're sure there are other things as well. Nah, we kid, there's some good stuff in these episodes... kinda. Credit for the bit at the very end of the episode goes to OdinNorse7 on YouTube.

Episode 147: The Best Of… Danny Pink Sep 29, 2020

We get back (after an unexpected but at this point probably not surprising delay) to our regularly scheduled programming with a look at a pair of Danny Pink stories, "Listen" and "The Caretaker." The former still stands as one hell of an episode, with plenty to say about all sorts of things, Danny very much included. The latter... well, it's not very good. And honestly, that's probably the most charitable way we can put it, considering we have way worse to say in the episode proper. Plus toward the end we get into a debate about the morality of the military and being a soldier that neither of us had prepared for at all, and so has more than its fair share of hedging and stammering, yet still we'd say is considerably better thought through than the Doctor's hatred of soldiers in that episode. Anyway, the real point is that Samuel Anderson is nothing short of incredible, and we're lucky to have had him on the show. Next time, join us for the long-awaited beginning of our Clarastravaganza/Clarathon with "The Rings Of Akhaten" and "Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS."

Episode 146: Remembering Diana Rigg With “The Crimson Horror” Sep 16, 2020

We'll be back soon with our regularly scheduled look at companion showcase episodes -- Danny Pink is next! -- but first, we wanted to take an episode to remember a legend of film and television. Diana Rigg died last week at 82, so we revisit her absolute delight of a performance as Mrs. Gillyflower in "The Crimson Horror." Sure, the rest of the episode isn't all that great, but! It's Diana Rigg having a complete blast as the villain, acting alongside her daughter Rachel Stirling, who is the other great part of this episode. A worthy showcase for them both, we'd say.

Episode 145: Mailbag Time! Sep 04, 2020

First thing's first: Allison has a book out! It's called "How TV Can Make You Smarter", available now at Bookshop.org and elsewhere! Plus she has a special offer for our listeners who get the book! As for the episode, well, before we return to the Capaldi era with our Danny Pink episode next week -- a prelude of sorts to the much-anticipated Clarastravaganza/Clarathon -- we take a wee break to open the mailbag. We talk some more about the specifics of Jodie Whittaker's performance, kick around a brilliant listener idea for the Jo Martin Doctor, and go on a merry digression about Steven Moffat's Jekyll, which Alasdair loves arguably a bit too much. (Nah, it's the correct amount.)

Episode 144: The Best Of… Nardole Aug 27, 2020

Going to be honest with you, friends: We really didn't expect being able to fill an entire hour with nothing but Nardole discussion. We... we apparently aren't familiar with our own show as we should be, because yeah, we talked at length about how Nardole grew from his initial performance, and how "Extremis" is, leaving aside all its other virtues, a tremendous showcase for all that Matt Lucas brings to the role. Also, some upcoming episode announcements at the start for what we're doing next week, and then just how much time we'll be devoting to one Clara Oswald. (Spoiler: Quite a bit!)

Episode 143: The Best Of… Bill Potts Aug 20, 2020

We're back, and after a perfectly normal intro that is completely like all the others we've done, we get into discussing Bill Potts in a pair of episodes the proved very Bill-centric indeed. So, well done us. First up is "Thin Ice", one of our favorite entries from series 10. Will it still stand up? Oh hell yes, give or take one moment we have mixed feelings about. Which, somewhat shockingly, ends up being our updated take on "The Lie Of The Land", which we didn't care much for first time around but found a lot to like on this rewatch. And, my goodness, is it good to spend time with Bill again...

Episode 142: Christopher Eccleston Returns Emergency Pod Aug 10, 2020

We're a simple podcast, folks: If Big Finish announces that Christopher Eccleston is coming back to record a bunch of new audios as the Ninth Doctor, we're dropping everything several hours later to record an emergency podcast. We talk about our general, off-the-charts levels of excitement, wonder a little bit about what the stories might be like, and just generally praise Christopher Eccleston both as an actor and as a person.

Episode 141: The Best Of… Graham O’Brien Aug 06, 2020

We finish our look at the companions of the Chibnall era with a look at a pair of episodes that show some unexpected sides to our friend Graham. The use of "our friend" there lets you know we're not hiding our biases that as Graham fans, but we see him tested in consecutive episodes to finish off series 11: "It Takes You Away" and "The Battle Of Ranskoor Av Kolos." We loved the former and had little use for the latter the first time we talked about them, but how have things changed? And is there an actual, honest-to-goodness character arc to pull out of all this? Listen to find out, then join us next time for a look at also our friend -- seriously, Pearl Mackie sent Alasdair a birthday message and everything -- Bill Potts, with "Thin Ice" and "The Lie Of The Land." (Yep, Alasdair chose the second one. Yep, still trolling.)

Episode 140: The Best Of… Ryan Sinclair Jul 24, 2020

We're going to level with you, friends: "Resolution" is the best Ryan episode. If you want to hear about what an episode that does right by Ryan looks like, go back and give that one a listen. But do check this out too, as we take a look at two series 11 episodes that feature Ryan prominently: "The Woman Who Fell To Earth" and "Rosa." For the first, we reflect on just how galling it is that the show sacrificed Grace for the sake of other characters' development, and then for "Rosa" we wrestle with the fact that a lot of this episode doesn't stand up that well to a repeat viewing, especially in light of recent events. We also spend some time on why it's important to own it when we're wrong, drop some quick thoughts on "The Tsuranga Conundrum" and "Orphan 55" -- those two episodes we all love to remember -- and struggle through a mountain of technical difficulties, none of which should make this less fun to listen to, thankfully, just more time-consuming to edit.

Episode 139: The Best of… Yasmin Khan Jul 14, 2020

We kick off a new recurring feature in which we devote an episode to a particular companion and what stories are their best. After some preliminary discussion of what, technically, even is a companion, we get to the main topic of discussion this week, namely Yaz. That's right, we started with about as tricky a companion as we could, given how unevenly she's been developed. Also given the fact that she's, well, a cop, which is a creative decision that wasn't great at the time it was first made and looks even worse in the context of the past couple months. We address all that, and we also look at stories that put a spotlight on her, including the still baffling "Can You Hear Me?" and the low-key really good "Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror." But the main attraction here is "Demons of the Punjab," which at least one co-host is prepared to declare the best of the Chibnall era.

Episode 138: We’re back! (Once again) Jul 01, 2020

We kinda felt like the world didn't especially need two nerds rambling about Doctor Who the past few weeks, but now, well, the world still probably doesn't need it, but we missed doing this too much to stay away forever. Alasdair tells Allison about the latest Big Finish New Series stuff, which eventually segues into us discussing various British public figures -- J.K. Rowling chief among them -- revealing themselves as transphobes. We tried to keep it light, but 2020 isn't doing us any favors. Also, fair warning: We swear a decent amount in discussing said transphobes. Nothing too bad, but if you or any younger listeners you know would rather not hear people being called pieces of [redacted] several times, or just generally stick with lighter topics, might want to skip ahead from about 38:00 to 53:00.

Episode 137: “Resolution” May 22, 2020

We finally did it! We've talked about every new series Doctor Who episode! After a couple cameos (or maybe that's Cameos) to open the episode, Alasdair and Allison discuss the 13th Doctor's New Year's Day clash with a lone Dalek. We felt deeply meh about this episode when it first aired back in 2019, but coming back to it now? Dang, we actually kind of love it. We discuss how this might be the best story Chris Chibnall has written during his tenure as showrunner, and how it feels different from really anything in either series 11 or series 12. We were so pleasantly surprised by this one, folks. Better late than never, we guess.

Episode 136: Live Discussion of Companions, the Master, and More! May 10, 2020

We're back for another live show, and we might even have a surprise visit from the podcast's best friend. Which is to say, we totally do! The Captain Jack of the podcast is on hand, in the form of the great Kate Kulzick. She pops by for a spell to help discuss how the different showrunners approach the lives of the companions, and why one thing the Chibnall era has going for it is how real the companions' situations feel relative to, well, definitely the Moffat era companions. But what of the RTD companions? Then Allison and Alasdair discuss whether the Master could, in fact, be the Timeless Child, which leads to one hell of a lore dump about the Master. Then Alasdair cracks a listener riddle, and we offer a whole bunch of recommendations of other shows and movies featuring Doctors, companions, and more!

Episode 135: Live show this Saturday! Plus Doctors’ other performances… May 08, 2020

That's right, we're doing another live show! It's 1 p.m. Eastern this Saturday, May 9, and it will be at https://www.crowdcast.io/e/ddw-liveshow. We hope you'll come join us for it! After sharing those details, Alasdair does some more solo riffing about something that's been on their mind recently, which is performances by actors who played the Doctor that show hints of the Time Lord to come. There are some general thoughts about David Tennant's work on Blackpool and Casanova, the time Rufus Hound kinda sorta spoiled Peter Capaldi's casting as the Doctor, and where one might look for hints of the War Doctor in John Hurt's legendary filmography. More to come on this, probably!

Episode 134: “The Return Of Doctor Mysterio” May 05, 2020

Announcement! We have a live show this Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern! We hope you'll come join us! As for what we have this week, yep, we *finally* got round to this episode. Only took us three and a half years! But first, we read a little excerpt from Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat interviewing each other in Doctor Who Magazine, and pay a little tribute to Davies's brilliance in reimagining the show back in 2005. Then, we launch into our discussion of the 12th Doctor's penultimate Christmas special. We generally like this one a lot, though we do look at some pretty basic ways the story doesn't do right by its sole female character, which, yeah, that sounds familiar. Beyond that, we find a lot to praise, especially in the plotting and the performances and the general warm feelings it elicits. You'll be shocked--shocked!--to hear we say a lot of really nice things about Peter Capaldi. Some things never change...

Episode 133: Impromptu David Tennant Appreciation Week! Apr 30, 2020

No two ways about it: This is one of our loosest, silliest episodes in a while. We start out with some vaguely structured discussion of some Doctor Who current events, but pretty soon we go into an extended discussion of David Tennant's work on DuckTales, and more specifically his work with the rest of the cast in singing the DuckTales theme song. (Look it up on YouTube if you haven't seen it, it's a real delight.) We talk about David Tennant for long enough in this one I'm declaring this an impromptu appreciation week for him, even if we don't actually have much to say about the 10th Doctor in all this! We also take an old but excellent email about watching the show with a child, which leads to us sharing the very specific nightmare fuel of our youth, among other things. Also! Next week, it's finally happening: We're talking "The Return Of Doctor Mysterio"!

Episode 132: “Farewell, Sarah Jane” and Mailbag Questions Apr 19, 2020

We start by discussing the latest Doctor Who: Lockdown production, a moving epilogue to The Sarah Jane Adventures and tribute to Elisabeth Sladen, who died nine years ago today. Then we tackle a pair of emails from listeners. First up, do the Cybermen work as monsters without a mouthpiece, and why does it always seem to be the Master these days? Then, we take another look at that infamous bit from "Spyfall: Part Two".

Episode 131: Live Discussion of Doctor Who: Lockdown!, the 11th Doctor, and more Apr 13, 2020

We went live on Crowdcast for this one, with 30 of our listeners there live to chat and ask questions. We start by looking at the various little goodies that have come out as part of the Doctor Who: Lockdown! series, including the just-released video message with Arthur Darvill as Rory. We then take some questions from the audience, including which Doctor Who stories are the most comforting and then a big discussion about something we've been kind of sidelong alluding to for a while: The 11th Doctor became increasingly problematic (yeah, yeah, kind of an empty word, but bear with us) over the course of his run. We try to define what we actually mean by that and dig into what we think went wrong with the character. All our friends in the audience helped a lot with a bunch of trenchant insights! This was just generally a total blast to do, and we look forward to seeing you all again for another one of these soon...

Episode 130: Live episode this Saturday! Plus a 10th Anniversary tribute to “The Beast Below” Apr 10, 2020

Yes, we're going to attempt a live episode this Saturday! It's at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time and will be hosted at https://www.crowdcast.io/e/debating-doctor-who-live -- checkout the link for some early signup information. We'll be discussing whatever we want, honestly, but our theoretical topic is all the little goodies showrunners past and present have been putting out for Doctor Who: Lockdown! And then, even though it's just Alasdair, we have somehow have a full 30 minutes of episode devoted to that most auspicious of occasions: The 10th anniversary of "The Beast Below." Alasdair dives into a bunch of thoughts as to why the second adventures for new series Doctors always visit the future, and what is meaningful and applicable about the 11th Doctor and Amy's adventure to our present moment.

Episode 129: “The Timeless Children” Redux Apr 06, 2020

Last time, we never really got into a proper discussion of a pretty key aspect of "The Timeless Children": Namely, the whole timeless child thing. Well, this episode is nothing but a big discussion of just what that revelation means, what it says, and what it ought to say. We didn't expect to have as much to say about this as we ended up saying! Plus we have some quick thoughts about all the little goodies showrunners past and present are making as part of Doctor Who: Lockdown! Also, next week we're going to do a live episode for folks to join us as we record -- look out for a mini episode sometime in the coming days to announce when and (virtually) where it's happening.

Episode 128: “The Timeless Children” Mar 27, 2020

So, yeah... it's been a few weeks, huh? Better late than never, we hope, as Alasdair and Allison finally get round to discussing the most recent season finale. We didn't love this one, and we try to get into some detail about why... so much so that after an hour and 45 minutes of discussion we still hadn't really gotten into the, you know, Timeless Child stuff. Lore will just have to wait for next time, but for now we've got an episode to discuss, darn it! Also, Sacha Dhawan, if you're listening: First of all, hello. Second of all, you're going to like what we have to say here. Let's get into it.

Episode 127: “Ascension Of The Cybermen” Feb 27, 2020

You know, it's kinda funny: We liked this episode quite a bit overall, but also we had a lot to say about what didn't work. The middle bit, mostly. Also, the guest characters were pretty thin. And hey, what do you think is going on with Brendan? Or the Cybermen, for that matter? We honestly have no idea, and *that* is the main reason that, for all its faults, we come away pretty satisfied with this one.

Episode 126: “The Haunting Of Villa Diodati” Feb 20, 2020

It's a big historical episode with Romantics galore and Cybermen aplenty... well, one Cyberman, but trust us, he's a lot. This episode was frequently all Allison could ever possibly want, and Alasdair generally liked it a lot too. Well, except one bit. There's a very low-key kinda rant coming about one key moment. So yes, there's some debating in this episode, in our annual reminder of what, you know, the podcast is actually called, but mostly we're here to admire Jodie Whittaker's terrific work and marvel at just how much Lord Byron is Lord Byron in this.

Standalone Minisode: Some Thoughts on Gender Identity Feb 12, 2020

The final 20 or so minutes of today's episode are devoted to an introspective, still somehow Doctor Who-related commentary on gender identity from Alasdair, who recently updated their pronouns to publicly acknowledge that either "he" or "they" are correct. While this segment is also available on the full episode, if anyone wants to hear Alasdair's thoughts in a more standalone sort of way, we wanted to share this part separately. So here's one person offering their perspective on gender, how it exists in society, and how Doctor Who helped them think about it more personally. (Sidebar: I, Alasdair, write all these show notes, and this is the first time I've used "they" to refer to myself. It's a trip, not going to lie!)

Episode 125: “Can You Hear Me?” Feb 12, 2020

Content Warning: This episode discusses topics around self-harm and suicidal ideation in the context of this week's story. For those sensitive to those topics, we recommend skipping the section from 1:04:45 to 1:19:45. In today's epic-length episode, we look at "Can You Hear Me?" in all its strange, often wonderful glory. We look at how the story explores the inner lives of all the companions, and just how much fun this is for anyone keeping track of Doctor Who's myriad immortals. (Alasdair waves hello.) We also devote the final portion of the show to something more personal, as Alasdair discusses his--or, as of last week, also their--gender identity and how Doctor Who was so meaningful to the questions they are starting to ask. (Note: For those just interested in that discussion, we're also putting it out as a separate minisode.)

Episode 124: “Praxeus” Feb 08, 2020

We meet back up to discuss "Praxeus"... by first talking some more about "Fugitive Of The Judoon", and how it reminds us of "Utopia." You know, the way one does. Anyway, we do spend a lot of time discussing how "Praxeus" is a solid episode with some significant shortcomings. We look at how the show is still figuring out how to divide its attentions between lots of different characters. We explain why this is a stronger environmental message than similar material in "Orphan 55", and just generally how Doctor Who can't help but reference itself. Also, what *is* going on with Yaz?

Episode 123: “Fugitive Of The Judoon” Jan 27, 2020

You know it's a big episode when we post a new episode mere hours after the premiere. And, yeah, this was a big one. A really big one. One so big that the return of a beloved character after nearly a decade barely rates a mention. That big. Look, no time to waste on preamble. Let's just get to it.

Episode 122: “Nicola Tesla’s Night of Terror” Jan 26, 2020

Just in time for this week’s episode, we check in with a look at last week’s episode. We generally liked this one a lot as a fun romp with some lovely performances, particularly from Goran Vsijnic as the titular guest star. That said, we spent a decent amount of time looking at how a very good episode like this could have made that last push into greatness. Generally, it’s all about sharpening ideas and thinking through its politics more deeply.

Episode 121: “Orphan 55” Jan 17, 2020

Allison is busy being a cool person in California, so who should join Alasdair to discuss "Orphan 55" but the great Caroline Siede? Yup, the original duo are back to talk about why this episode had some definite potential but just really didn't work. We dig into how the episode has more ideas and more characters than what it knows what to do with, and how oddly empty the big twist--of about three big twists--ends up feeling. We make a bunch of comparisons to Davies-era episodes, including a very rude comparison to "Midnight" that Alasdair recognizes is going to be deeply unfair to pretty much any episode. We cover a lot of ground here as to why this episode typifies things the Chibnall era is still trying to figure out about itself, and what it already is making good progress on... starting with the Doctor herself.

Episode 120: “Spyfall: Part Two” Jan 09, 2020

We take a look at the second half of the series-opening two-parter. There's a lot we love about this episode, which builds on the promise of the preceding hour. There's also one really, really awful moment in the show's treatment of the Master and his race that we spend a lot of time discussing, because it deserves a long look at just how jarringly bad it is. We're still pretty sure we like this one, overall, but wow does the cognitive dissonance get tricky at points. Is this selling the episode well? Maybe just give a listen and see what you think...

Episode 119: “Spyfall, Part One” Jan 03, 2020

At long last, Doctor Who is really, properly back! We both had a blast watching this episode, even before all that went down in the final few minutes. (We're trying to be vague out of some mild respect for the especially spoiler-averse.) We talk about how this represents a much-needed step in the right direction for the show, if only because it injects some much-needed fun into the proceedings. We look at how this story handles the Doctor, among other characters, and how we're hoping the show can build on this very promising premiere. Look, we can't say much more without talking about... well, you probably know. Let's get into it.

Episode 118: Decade in Review, Part Two Dec 31, 2019

For the second half of our decade's end retrospective, we throw around ever more ridiculous lists, none of which either of us told the other cohost about. We look at the best and worst season-defining mysteries, the best guest cast ensembles, the stories that could have been something good but just weren't, and those little moments that linger all these years later. Plus, Alasdair uncorks one of the most furiously on-brand things you'll ever hear to wrap things up. Like you even have to ask if it's about Peter Capaldi. See you in the 2020s!

Episode 117: Decade in Review, Part One Dec 31, 2019

On the final day of the 2010s, we check in with just so, so much decade in review. And since we're just doing the past 10 years in Doctor Who, that means we're looking at the whole Moffat era, the past season of the 13th Doctor, plus, rather hilariously, "The End Of Time: Part Two" as the solitary morsel of RTD Who. In this first half of what spiraled entirely out of control into an impromptu two-parter, Alasdair and Allison each give their list of top 10 stories, top regular characters, top recurring characters, top guest stars, and top historical figures, which is absolutely just a subset of top guest stars but Alasdair felt like cheating to get more names involved. Honestly, this is mostly just an exercise in remembering a whole bunch of Doctor Who stories and characters we really liked.

Episode 116: More trailers, plus hopes for series 12 Dec 08, 2019

Just as soon as we released our first episode in well it's been a while, the BBC had to go ahead and released another trailer. So, a week later and with a sneak peek at the first episode also now released, Allison and Alasdair to return to look at what more we can glean of what's to come in the now officially imminent series 12. But mostly we just spend a while discussing our lingering memories of and frustrations with series 11, and how we hope Chris Chibnall can improve in his second season as showrunner. We still feel like there's a ton of potential in this version of the show, and we discuss what we think it might take to bring that out. Plus we definitely lose it at the end and just start doing unabashed fan fiction. You're welcome.

Episode 115: We’re Back! Let’s Talk Trailer! Dec 02, 2019

You miss us? Allison and Alasdair are back after the podcast's latest lengthy hiatus, which, you gotta say, is at least a pretty faithful homage to Doctor Who itself. But we've missed all you lovely people, and we've missed talking about the show, and Allison in particular has missed this so much she literally squeals with delight in the opening second. It's... it's amazing. Speaking of which, there's a series 12 trailer! There's lots of exciting bits in it! Returning monsters! Big-name guest stars! Intriguing locations! And yet, both of us start in the exact same place: the Doctor's tuxedo is back. Hello, old friend. Oh yeah, we're definitely back.

Episode 114.5: “Avengers: Endgame” May 07, 2019

We're back, and it's to discuss what Alasdair declares the most expensive Doctor Who regeneration story ever filmed. (Stay with us...) Yes, Alasdair and Caroline are on hand to talk the massive conclusion to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first 22 films. We have thoughts about climactic battles, unexpected beginnings, and a lengthy breakdown of which of the original six Avengers' character arcs work and which don't. It's good to be talking to you all again, even if we couldn't match the running time for Endgame like our Civil War podcast somehow managed to.

Episode 114: “The Battle Of Ranskoor Av Kolos” Dec 18, 2018

Sorry this one is a bit late. The last few days have been a (wonderful) whirlwind, but hopefully that's the last time I need to make such an excuse. Anyway, we work our way through an odd, underwhelming, but not awful finale. What parts work? (Hi, Graham!) What parts don't? (Ugh, it's you, Tim Shaw.) Why doesn't this work, and we can't just say "Tim Shaw" and be done with it? We'll be back sometime -- probably after the holidays -- to talk series 11 generally, and look out for our take on the New Year's special after it airs!

Episode 113: “It Takes You Away” Dec 06, 2018

Yeah, this one is incredible. Not our podcast, necessarily, at least not Alasdair's way over-clocked audio. (Sorry about that one.) But "It Takes You Away" is something really beautiful and special, and Allison especially has a ton to say about it. We look at how this episode explores the nature of grief, but also how that's only such a tiny fraction of everything that's going on here. Honestly, I'm not even sure how to summarize this one. Just give a listen if you're feeling so kind.

Episode 112: “The Witchfinders” Dec 03, 2018

It's the landmark 112th episode of The Alan Cumming Discussion Hour! Allison and Alasdair dive into the gloriousness that is Alan Cumming as King James I, and also we talk a bit about the Doctor Who episode he happens to be spending time in. Actually, we have a lot to say about this one beyond just Cumming's admittedly brilliant performance, and Allison especially looks closely at what works and what doesn't about its handling of the Doctor's gender and how it affects her role in the story. Also, Alasdair transcends the very notion of self-parody with a fantasy casting suggestion that has to be heard to be believed.

Episode 111: “Kerblam!” Nov 24, 2018

We celebrate Doctor Who's 55th birthday by discussing the show's big look at automation and corporate culture. Alasdair really loved this one, so much so he starts breaking out the "Robots Of Death" comparisons, which is high praise from a classic Who fan. Allison wasn't feeling this one as much, but she finds herself warming to "Kerblam!" over the course of the discussion. All that plus general discussion of how this episode handles robots and the future, how this feels like a low-key turning point for Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor, and how Alasdair's girlfriend has some points to make via text about some stuff he said during our "The Woman Who Fell To Earth" discussion!

Episode 110: “Demons Of The Punjab” Nov 17, 2018

The latest episode joins "Rosa" as a heartbreaking, intimate look at one of the 20th century's grimmest chapters. But does it succeed in at last deepening Yaz? We dive deep into this mostly brilliant, beautiful episode, one that feels a long, long time coming for a British cultural institution like Doctor Who. As for the question of the show's least defined companion, well, we don't exactly have good news there, but at least we have a lot to say about just where Yaz stands six episodes in. Plus Allison reveals why she loves this episode's aliens so damn much, and Alasdair takes us all on a long-winded journey through the new series's historical episodes. Oh, and we also digress quite a bit to talk about dream guest stars. We both definitely have types.

Episode 109: “The Tsuranga Conundrum” Nov 11, 2018

We get in some proper debating in this episode, albeit in the most happy and agreeable of ways! Allison really enjoyed this episode, Alasdair had some reservations, and we end up meeting somewhere in the middle. Topics include: What sets apart Chris Chibnall's sci-fi world-building? How does the Doctor's gender inform the scene where she's called out for being selfish? Is it possible to do a successful male pregnancy subplot? Just how many characters can this show pay time and attention to before poor Yaz gets a look-in? All that and more, so come listen!

Episode 108: “Arachnids In The UK” Nov 04, 2018

We're coming late and through a raft of pre-recording technical difficulties, but we're here! We're not huge fans of this past week's episode, but we don't exactly dislike it either. It's just sort of there, really, and we try to figure out why this one feels so insubstantial. Maybe this would work better if either of us were arachnophobes. As it is, we find some stuff to like here, especially in what the story says about Graham and grief, but we also wonder if the show has quite zeroed in yet on what sets the new Doctor and Yaz apart. The show very much feels like a work in progress, and we're still pretty sure that's a good thing? Have a listen and see what you think.

Episode 107: “Rosa” Oct 26, 2018

We take a long, sometimes faltering look at one of the most powerful Doctor Who episodes we’ve seen in a long time. “Rosa” is a stunningly accurate, always respectful telling of the civil rights pioneer’s story. Does it also work as an episode of Doctor Who? Does that even matter? Two extremely white people try their best to capture the nuances of an episode that entirely deserves nuanced discussion. Plus we go on some odd tangents about one-shot villains and big American guest stars. Oh, and we don’t forget to roast “The Shakespeare Code” and Andrew Garfield’s incredible American accent in “Daleks In Manhattan”, so fear not.

Episode 106: “The Ghost Monument” Oct 19, 2018

It took a second, we know, but we're here to talk about the new Doctor's first trip to an alien world. We have a few small but concrete issues with this episode, more than balanced by a lot of big but kind of elusive things we really liked. We discuss which characters are connecting and which really should but haven't had the material to do so yet. We talk about how the world-building here feels different from what we've grown used to over the past 10 seasons. We wonder about the apparent arcs of this season and whether we'd be okay if the show just kind of got on and had some straightforward adventures, but oh well. All that and more, so come listen!

Episode 105: “The Woman Who Fell To Earth” Oct 11, 2018

We're back... and it's about time! (Again.) Yes, we've been on hiatus, but we couldn't let a whole new era, whole new season, and whole new Doctor pass us by, now could we? So Alasdair and Allison are here to discuss their thoughts on the 13th Doctor's first adventure. We talk about Jodie Whittaker's arrival in the role, what it's like to see such a different approach to companions, and even a little about the episode's monster, even if we do totally forget to discuss that bit until right before the end. We're excited for the new season, and we're excited to be back to talk about it. Let's do this!

Bonus Episode: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Classic Who But Were Afraid to Ask Apr 07, 2018

Classic Who neophyte Allison lobs every question she can think of at our resident expert on all things 1963 to 1989. How has the TARDIS changed over the years, both inside and out? What about the theme song and the logo, especially after the recent debut of the 13th Doctor's? Which are the best companions, and which are the least effective? Do you need to be a completist? What are 10 (though Alasdair totally cheats and picks 11) essential stories? All that and more as we dive into some weird corners of Classic Who lore!

Bonus Episode: Doctor Who Novels with J.G. McQuarrie Apr 07, 2018

Friend of the show and Talking Who to You cohost J.G. McQuarrie joins Alasdair to discuss the long history of Doctor Who in print. We start with the Target novelizations, which served as the effective rerun and home video release for stories before VHS, DVD, and streaming were even imagined. We look at the 7th Doctor's continued adventures in the Virgin New Adventures, which represent perhaps the darkest, most complex period in the franchise's entire history. We consider the 8th Doctor's run as incumbent Doctor in his own series of BBC Books, providing a kind of dry run for many of the creative decisions Russell T. Davies would make with the new series. And we touch on the New Series Adventures, the tie-in books for the revived show. If you've ever wondered what Doctor Who has to offer on the page, consider this your primer!

Bonus Episode: Patron Mailbag #3 Apr 07, 2018

As our initial discussion of frozen tundras suggests, we recorded this one a while ago, which, yes, sorry about that. But hey, this is pretty timeless stuff! (We think. It's been a while.) All of our wonderful listeners have filled our inbox to the brim, so we take another hour and read through your missives. We ponder a thought experiment in which the 10th and 11th Doctors swap regeneration stories. We assess how much Gallifrey really played into the 12th Doctor's story. We consider a frankly brilliant idea for a regeneration where you don't know who the new Doctor is. And we close with a wonderfully bonkers plan to reveal the true identity of Bradley Walsh's new companion.

Bonus Episode: Saluting Sarah Jane with Anthony Strand Apr 07, 2018

The companion episode to our previous look at Torchwood, this one takes a long, generally fonder look at the other Russell T. Davies-era spinoff, The Sarah Jane Adventures. Alasdair is joined by new friend of the show Anthony Strand to discuss the enduring appeal of this show and look at a few highlights from the show's 27 stories. We look at the subtly shifting cast and why Elisabeth Sladen was so brilliant as the (relatively speaking) unconventional lead for a children's show. We discuss what the various child actors brought to the show and spotlight some of our favorite guest stars, from classic Who companions to future new series ones. And we run through some of our favorite episodes, as Sarah Jane and her young friends take on Slitheen, Sontarans, the Trickster, and much more!

Episode 103: “Terror Of The Autons” and “The Sontaran Stratagem”/”The Poison Sky” Apr 07, 2018

Our next stop in our exploration of all things Brigadier and UNIT is a pair of alien invasion stories with good parts and... well, yeah, both have more than their fair share of bad parts. Allison very much continues to have Luke Rattigan thoughts. But "Terror Of The Autons" might be the more disappointing entry here, especially when something that is both sequel to "Spearhead From Space" and introduction for the Master should have plenty of awesomeness to spare. We dive into why the story doesn't work as well as it ought to, plus Alasdair busts out another classic Who history lesson.

Episode 102: “Spearhead From Space” and “The Power Of Three” Apr 07, 2018

The Brigadier Chronicles begin with a look at the 3rd Doctor's debut adventure. Alasdair sets the scene for what was essentially a reboot of the entire show, one that has hugely influenced subsequent relaunches for the show including "Rose", "The Eleventh Hour", and even the 1996 TV movie! But beyond that, it's just a fantastic story, with the Autons and the Nestene never better (at least without Rory around, that one is close actually) than they are here. We also check in on "The Power Of Three," the official restart of a Lethbridge-Stewart running UNIT. Allison still has her issues with the ending, but Kate Stewart really is delightful, and she only gets better from here.

Episode 101: “Pyramids Of Mars” and “School Reunion” Mar 16, 2018

It's once again a combination of classic and new series as we look at another pair of Sarah Jane Smith stories. First up, Allison meets Tom Baker's 4th Doctor in "Pyramids Of Mars," which feels shockingly modern at points. Both she and Alasdair are amazed by just how good Baker is here, which maybe we shouldn't be given how iconic his Doctor is, but hey, we're here now. We break down just how Baker's performance gives such a sense of urgency to the proceedings, and why 96 minutes of 1970s-era Who is surprisingly brisk. Then we take a look at "School Reunion," which has its faults but is still a delightful showcase for the Doctor and all his companions. Yes, Mickey very much included.

Episode 100: “The Wedding Of Sarah Jane Smith” and “Death Of The Doctor” Mar 16, 2018

We celebrate our landmark 100th episode by looking at two largely forgotten curios in new Who: David Tennant's and Matt Smith's guest appearances on The Sarah Jane Adventures! For Allison, it's a pair of all-new performances she's never seen before from the 10th and 11th Doctors, while Alasdair gets to have some fun with all the classic Who lore on display. What's it like when the Doctor is explicitly a guest star in somebody else's story? What does it sound like for the 11th Doctor to deliver Russell T. Davies-written lines? And just how charming is this this delightful little spin-off? All that and more as we complete our first 100 episodes and look forward to 100 more!

Episode 99: “Survival” and “The Eaters Of Light” Feb 19, 2018

After messing around with the TV movie, we officially break the seal on the classic series... by watching the very last story from its original run. That's right, it's time for the 7th Doctor and Ace to make their proper debuts on the podcast as we look at their de facto finale, "Survival." We also take another look at "The Eaters Of Light," as both stories are by Rona Munro. How will Allison respond to her first classic experience? Will our opinions of "The Eaters Of Light" change with a rewatch? Listen and find out!

Episode 98: Favorite Guest Stars Part 2 with Caroline Siede Feb 19, 2018

Caroline is back once more to help us work through our favorite guest stars of the Steven Moffat era. It turns out to be a slightly trickier proposition, especially in later years where so much of the amazing acting is focused on the main characters. But we throw out a bunch of names both expected and perhaps unexpected, as we look to highlight guest performances both large and small. Sometimes in the same episode!

Episode 97: Our Latest Mailbag Feb 09, 2018

With Caroline firmly established as the River Song of the podcast -- meaning don't expect her on every week! -- Allison and Alasdair take a break from picking guest stars to go through our inbox. We consider some more of the finer points of "Heaven Sent," including the question of whether it and "Hell Bent" ought to switch titles. And what is the deeper significance of the chalkboard and the hybrid? One listener suggests the 12th Doctor has the best arc of any new series incarnation, which is probably true but Allison has a go at arguing for the 10th Doctor's journey. And then we go deep on a very thoughtful, very vulnerable email about what it means to not like Bill Potts.

Episode 96: Caroline Siede returns to choose our favorite guest stars! Jan 27, 2018

For the first time ever, all three debaters are on the same episode, as Caroline Siede joins Alasdair and Allison. After some brief discussion of Caroline's rewatch of the most recent few seasons, we dive back into the Russell T. Davies era to pick our favorite guest performances from each season. We have to have a little debate first about just what constitutes a guest performance, and then we dive in on picking each of our favorites for the show's first four seasons, along with plenty of runners-up!

Episode 95: “Doctor Who: The Movie” and “Rose” Jan 21, 2018

We kick off with some discussion of the latest 13th Doctor promo photo. Sure, it just shows Jodie Whittaker from the same shoot at a slightly different angle, but we still have several minutes' worth of thoughts. Then we officially talk about something other than the new series with a look at the 1996 TV movie, which has its heart(s) in the right place but is so, so misguided at all times. Both longtime admirer Alasdair and new viewer Allison agree Paul McGann shows a ton of potential as the 8th Doctor, but that's close to the only unqualified success of those 90 bonkers minutes. At least it's instructive in showing what "Rose" gets right in introducing the 9th Doctor and Doctor Who in general to viewers, even if the first adventure of the new series has its own bits of silliness. We also pepper in some thoughts on "The Night Of The Doctor," since this is Paul McGann week. Join us next time for the first part of our look at our favorite guest performances from the new series!

Episode 94: “Heaven Sent” Jan 14, 2018

We close out our Peter Capaldi retrospective by talking about the most Peter Capaldi episode to ever Peter Capaldi: The one-hander "Heaven Sent." Well, it's technically a two- or three-hander, but who's keeping count? We break down just what about his performance helps make this episode work as beautifully as it does, while also examining how Steven Moffat's script and Rachel Talalay's direction put their star in the best possible position to succeed. We also get into some more general thoughts about where this episode and the 12th Doctor's era as a whole fit in the larger story of the new series. Then join us next week as we do something new, or possibly classic, as we look at two efforts to revive Doctor Who, one failed and one successful: The 1996 TV movie with Paul McGann and the 9th's Doctor's debut adventure "Rose"!

Episode 93: “Listen” and “Thin Ice” Jan 06, 2018

We embark on our two-part celebration of Peter Capaldi's time as the 12th Doctor with two all-time classics, Series 8's "Listen" and Series 10's "Thin Ice." At first glance these are very different stories, one a dreamlike tone piece and the other maybe the best-executed romp in Doctor Who history. Throw in the fact that these catch the Doctor at very different points in his history and you might think the contrasts will overwhelm the parallels, but that's not what Alasdair and Allison find as they dig into this story. Also, we throw in some more thoughts about "Twice Upon A Time," and Alasdair randomly pays tribute to the only two regeneration stories that are clearly better, Peter Davison's "The Caves Of Androzani" and Patrick Troughton's "The War Games." Just the sort of thing you've come to expect from us! Anyway, join us next week for a big look at the best 12th Doctor story of them all, "Heaven Sent."

Episode 92: “Twice Upon A Time” Dec 31, 2017

Alasdair and Allison give their first (and we're already pretty much certain not the last) thoughts on the 12th Doctor's surprisingly reflective regeneration story. We start by mostly discussing the last 10 or 15 minutes of the story, because we're extremely bad at structuring our conversations and also because that's when the episode becomes basically perfect. We reflect on how David Bradley works as the 1st Doctor, touch on returns both expected and unexpected, and generally praise Pearl Mackie and Peter Capaldi once more. What a way to go out, but we've rarely been quite so excited about seeing what the show has in store for us next. And join us this weekend for the first half of our Peter Capaldi retrospective, as we look at two of our favorite episodes: "Listen" from series eight and "Thin Ice" from series 10, with series nine's entry (no points for guessing, but yes it's "Heaven Sent") coming along the week after!

Episode 91: “Deep Breath” and “The Doctor Falls” Dec 25, 2017

As a Christmas gift to all our listeners, we're releasing this past Saturday's episode to our non-patrons earlier than normal! After all, it's to get ready for "Twice Upon a Time" - which we will podcast about as soon as possible, but the lack of screener means things are a bit up in the air - that we look at the beginning and the end of Peter Capaldi's three series as the 12th Doctor. How much has he changed from "Deep Breath" to "The Doctor Falls"? The answer is basically "oh my goodness what even was he when he started out, where is the Doctor I know." Well, it's not quite that bad, as there are definitely hints of what Capaldi would grow into in his debut outing, but "Deep Breath" very much feels like the follow-up to "The Time Of The Doctor," with all that implies. Plus we check in on "The Doctor Falls" for the third time in the past few months, if only to revel in how beautiful that speech to the two Masters is. We're not yet ready for the Doctor to go, but at least the moment has been prepared for.

Episode 90: “The Time Of The Doctor” Dec 24, 2017

With "Twice Upon A Time" little more than a week away, let's look at Steven Moffat's previous attempt to write a regeneration epic. It's... oh goodness, where to even start. Alasdair and Allison try to look at every bonkers element of this story, some of which are misguided, some of which are legitimately gross and offensive, and some of which are just deeply dumb and inexplicable. Also, seriously, whatever happened to Clara's hot dad? And don't worry: Alasdair addresses why he is extremely on record as having loved this story, even as he joins Allison in ripping much of it apart. Just spare a thought for Jenna Coleman and Orla Brady, who do their absolute best to make their parts work. Note: As a Christmas gift to all our listeners, we will be unlocking this Saturday's look at "Deep Breath" and "The Doctor Falls" on December 25, in time to get everyone ready for "Twice Upon A Time." As for the special, we will get a podcast up as soon as possible, but the lack of a screener makes things tricky.

Episode 89: “Voyage Of The Damned” and “Last Christmas” Dec 17, 2017

We open with some thoughts on the upcoming Christmas special and how we’re feeling a couple weeks out. Then we discuss a pair of earlier yuletide episodes, one of which is just so deeply silly and the other is one of the best things the show has ever done. Try to guess which! We won’t keep you in suspense very long, to be fair. “Voyage Of The Damned” has a hugely overqualified cast, if nothing else, and yes that includes the charisma factory that is Kylie Minogue. And “Last Christmas” is just generally excellent in all directions, giving us another opportunity to give Jenna Coleman some appreciation, among many other things to praise. Then join us next week as we go all-in on regeneration stories and focus our entire attention solely on one of the most divisive episodes in new series history: “Time Of The Doctor.”

Episode 88: “The Unquiet Dead” and “A Christmas Carol” Dec 10, 2017

We start by just sort of basking in the general glow of getting to talk about Christopher Eccleston and the 9th Doctor again. It feels like it's been awhile and we've missed him. We then set to work talking about "The Unquiet Dead," the 9th Doctor's unofficial Christmas episode, and we're generally fans in part because this feels like Doctor Who before it's quite worked out what Doctor Who even is. Plus Simon Callow is seriously brilliant as Charles Dickens. Then we take a look at "A Christmas Carol," and we've got to level with you: There's a lot to like about this episode, but the character of Abigail and how this story thinks about women and romance is... yeah, it's really not great, and we take a good long while digging into why. We do have some nice things to say in the end, especially about Michael Gambon, but "A Christmas Carol" is tricky: When it's great, it's among the greatest, and when it's bad, it's among the worst. We focus a bit more on the latter this time around, but we think this is a seriously worthwhile discussion to have. Then join us next week for more yuletide offerings with "Voyage Of The Damned" and "Last Christmas"!

Bonus Episode: Talking Torchwood with Kevin Koeser Dec 05, 2017

Alasdair has had a hankering to talk about the two Russell T. Davies-era spinoffs, so here's the first of a pair of bonus episodes looking at two very different shows. First up, "Talking Who to You" cohost and friend of the show Kevin Koeser joins Alasdair to talk about Torchwood, which can only be described as the horniest show ever made. But what do you expect when you build a show around Captain Jack Harkness, even if he does occasionally try to be all moody and angst-ridden? Alasdair and Kevin have both plenty of praise and plenty of condemnation for the series. The first two seasons: Some good, some staggering awful! The "Children Of Earth" miniseries: Unbelievably excellent! The "Miracle Day" fourth season: A thing that allegedly exists, but you didn't hear that from us! Anyway, we have some general discussion of the show, then run through some specific episodes from the first two seasons to get a more specific sense of what works and what doesn't.

Episode 87: “Flatline” and “Face The Raven” Dec 05, 2017

We open with reading an email from David about Rachel Talalay's direction and with acknowledging that David Tennant and Billie Piper have returned as the 10th Doctor and Rose. Then we turn our attention to a pair of stories linked by the rather wonderful guest character Rigsy. Allison remembered "Flatline" as just the tiny TARDIS episode, but it's so much weirder and scarier and better than all that. Then we look at "Face The Raven," which keeps seeming like it's going to be whimsical, yet steadfastly refuses to do anything but keep the audience off-kilter. Mostly, we realize these are two of the very best Clara episodes ever, and it forms part of our unplanned Jenna Coleman tribute tour with a lot of the other recent series eight and nine episodes we've discussed. Then join us next week for the start of some yuletide festivities as we look at a pair of Christmas-set, Charles Dickens-centric stories, "The Unquiet Dead" and "A Christmas Carol"!

Episode 86: “The Sontaran Stratagem”/”The Poison Sky” and “The Zygon Invasion”/”The Zygon Inversion” Nov 25, 2017

We take a look at a pair of two-parters that are all about war, but first we consider all we can from the recently released preview clip for the upcoming Christmas special, "Twice Upon A Time." Overall, we really like what we see from Mark Gatiss and David Bradley, and it goes without saying we're going to be good with pretty much anything Peter Capaldi does at this point. Then, to business! The Sontaran two-parter has some good things going for it, but it has maybe the worst, most obnoxious guest character in the entire new series, and it's all so dumbfoundingly superficial in its ideas about war. That's not a problem the Zygon two-parter has, which maybe isn't quite as clever as it seems to think it is but does do a bunch of legitimately incredible things... including that speech. Yes, Alasdair has thoughts on that speech. And then join us next week for a look at Clara and Rigsy in "Flatline" and "Face The Raven"!

Episode 85: The 13th Doctor’s Costume and Listener Mail Nov 20, 2017

The BBC unveiled Jodie Whittaker's outfit as the 13th Doctor, so we decided to table our discussion of the Sontaran and Zygon two-parters for next time so we could really dig into her look. We had about an hour's worth of thoughts! Short version: We're big fans, and we're excited to see it all in action. (Also we mention some set photos of Jodie Whittaker in the 12th Doctor's clothes, but they may have since disappeared for copyright reasons, we'll keep monitoring.) Then we take on some great reader mail! Dan asks us who we would cast as an American Doctor if we absolutely have to, friend of the show J.G. offers some classic series thoughts, and Delphine has so much to say about the Master that we only get through half of her email, with a promise to continue.

Episode 84: “The Runaway Bride” and “The Bells Of Saint John” Nov 12, 2017

We look at a pair of action-heavy companion introductions, neither of which quite ends with the companion joining the Doctor at the story's end. (Though admittedly Clara needed rather less time to come round.) First up, we consider Donna very much at the rough draft stage for her character, and how she works alongside a 10th Doctor still grieving Rose. There's some good and serious stuff here, but there's also a bunch of deeply silly business with the Racnoss and the Santas and what have you. Then we look at "The Bells Of Saint John," which has some good ideas here and there but has so little sense of character, and what there is just tends to make the 11th Doctor look like a creep. We wrap up with a discussion of Time Lord footwear and how this helps explain which Doctors do and do not work in action movie contexts, because of course we do.

Bonus Episode: Patron Mailbag #2 Nov 06, 2017

We're overdue to work through our inbox, so Alasdair and Allison get cracking through your amazing emails. We have a bunch of brilliant listener responses to recent episodes, plus some seriously tricky questions to consider. Such as: Has there *ever* been a good companion exit? Like, not just in the new series, but in all 54 years? Maybe not? Plus we consider an outlandish but amazing proposal to spring a legitimate surprise regeneration on fans, and much more!

Episode 83: “The Fires Of Pompeii” and “The Girl Who Died” Nov 06, 2017

After weeks of Master-related, extended-length two-parters, we're not complaining about finally getting to keep things simple this week with a pair of standalone stories. Well, tightly linked standalone stories, if we're being technical, as we look at either side of the great mystery of the 12th Doctor's face. Before all that, we read an email from listener Chris following on from our discussion of the expanded TARDIS team promised for series 11. Then we dive into just why both these stories represent historical Doctor Who at its absolute best, with Alasdair vaguely restraining himself from gratuitous Peter Capaldi praise. This... this is not the week for him to try to promise to do that! Anyway, we try to tease out the connections both structural and thematic between these two excellent stories, while also marveling at how different epiodes made seven years apart can feel. Then join us next week for a pair of previously undiscussed companion introductions with "The Runaway Bride" and "The Bells Of Saint John"!

Episode 82: “The End Of Time, Part One”/”The End Of Time, Part Two,” “Extremis,” and “World Enough And Time”/”The Doctor Falls” Oct 28, 2017

We reach the end of three-part, in-depth look at the Master with watching just such a ludicrous amount of Doctor Who. Alasdair turns the mike over to Allison for a solid five minutes for her to talk some more about how much she loves "Extremis" (he's also still a fan), but then we mostly focus on what all these episodes have to say about the Master and Missy. Alasdair offers about as impassioned a case for the John Simm Master as you're likely to hear, as we try to dig into how both his incarnation and Michelle Gomez's have arcs that culminate in the Series 10 finale. Then we just generally discuss both parts of "The End Of Time," one of which is flawed but brilliant and the other is just sort of silly and largely unnecessary. Try to guess which! Then join us next week for a much more manageable look at just two episodes that are all about Peter Capaldi's face, "The Fires Of Pompeii" and "The Girl Who Died."

Bonus Episode: Series 11 Cast Announced! Oct 23, 2017

The BBC just revealed the cast members joining Jodie Whittaker's 13th Doctor for series 11, so Alasdair and Allison did a late-night emergency podcast to talk all about it. Are we really headed for a four-person TARDIS team? Alasdair engages his "absurd encyclopedic facts and figures" mode to talk about past instances of this, though he totally blanks on the name of the companion who replaced Susan. (Vicki, Alasdair! It's Vicki!) Anyway, we look at the actors' filmographies, what this will mean for a presumably very busy series 11 premiere, and much more!

Bonus Episode: Costumes and Cosplay with Kate Kulzick Oct 21, 2017

As part of Alasdair's Chicago visit, we take an hour to talk all about dressing up like Doctor Who characters, and who better to bring in for such a chat than cosplay maestro Kate Kulzick? Alasdair reveals he's doing a Halloween costume for the first time in about 15 years, and he's mostly doing it because it's super easy to justify the 9th Doctor's clothes as stuff he'll just add to his regular wardrobe. We then break down the pros and cons of dressing up like other Doctors, the gendered differences in cosplay, and how it's damn near impossible to dress up like most of the companions in a way that anyone will be able to tell who you're supposed to be.

Episode 81: “The Sounds Of Drums”/”Last Of The Time Lords” and “The Magician’s Apprentice”/”The Witch’s Familiar” Oct 21, 2017

Alasdair is visiting Chicago, so he drops by Allison's place to record an in-person episode. Friend of the show Kate Kulzick joins us for the opening of this, the second edition of our big look at the Master, to discuss the character's origins in the classic series and what has and hasn't carried over to the new series. Then it's just Alasdair and Allison discussing this pair of two-parters, one of which is generally very good with a couple faults here and there, and the other is... ooh boy, where even to begin with the other one? There's a ton of Michelle Gomez praise, as is customary, but we also have more than a few positive things to say about John Simm's incarnation. But then that's just the tip of an especially bonkers iceberg.

Bonus Episode: Series 11 News Brief with Kate Kulzick Oct 16, 2017

Alasdair is in Chicago, so he stopped by Allison's apartment to record a bunch of episodes. First up, here's a half-hour's worth of series 11 discussion with friend of the show Kate Kulzick, in which we break down the recent news that incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall is considering a switch to 10 hour-long episodes instead of the traditional 45-minute format. While this sounds like a simple bit of arithmetic, we use this as an excuse to take a deep look at Chibnall's Who resume, the difference in pacing stories at those various lengths, and what two-parters actually work as 90-minute stories in the first place.

Episode 80: “Utopia” and “Dark Water”/”Death In Heaven” Oct 14, 2017

It's the first part of our big look at the Master, so basically we're just going to be praising Derek Jacobi and Michelle Gomez for most of the episode. They are just so, so good at what they do, while "Utopia" and "Dark Water"/"Death In Heaven" are a fascinating mix of obvious flaws and sneaky greatness. The series three episode has fun just letting all its continuity collide and discovering character moments amid all the mess, while the series eight two-parter is a little too keen to tell you the point of all this, but it's frequently brilliant all the same. We'll be back next week with a look at the next round of Master stories, "The Sound Of Drums"/"Last Of The Time Lords" and "The Magician's Apprentice"/"The Witch's Familiar"!

Episode 79: “Planet Of The Dead” and “Time Heist” Oct 06, 2017

First up, Pearl Mackie said some stuff about the Christmas special, so our podcast charter requires we drop everything and listen to what the woman behind Bill Potts has to say. Then we take a look at two often overlooked episodes, one of which might be the single most forgettable story in all new Doctor Who. If nothing else, it's got the most ridiculously generic title, which leads to Alasdair listing off equally generic Tom Baker era titles, much to Allison's amusement. We do talk some about the 10th Doctor and Lady Christina de Souza having adventures together, and Allison admits she's actually a bit of a fan of UNIT scientist Dr. Malcolm Taylor. Then, we talk about "Time Heist." Short version: Holy crap, this episode isn't a classic or anything, but we kind of seriously love "Time Heist." It's so fun and cool! And then join us next week as we look at two eras' very different takes on the Master with a look at "Utopia" and "Dark Water"/"Death In Heaven"!

Bonus Episode: Big Finish with Kevin Koeser and J.G. McQuarrie Sep 30, 2017

The cohosts of the great new podcast "Talking Who To You" join Alasdair to discuss the Big Finish audios. We offer a beginner-friendly yet still in-depth to the vast world of Doctor Who audios. Which stories should you start with? What should you avoid? We pick some favorite stories and arcs, and we dig into what Big Finish does well and areas where it struggles. If you're at all curious about the audio adventures but aren't sure where to start, this ought to be the podcast for you! And also check out Alasdair's appearance on a recent "Talking Who To You" episode, where he joins Kevin and J.G. to discuss "The Holy Terror."

Episode 78: “The Hungry Earth”/”Cold Blood” and “The Power Of Three” Sep 28, 2017

We take a look at two of Chris Chibnall's more notable contributions to the show before he starts running it next year, even if we do have to negotiate some serious technical difficulties to get through it all. We offer a moderately positive appraisal of the Silurian two-parter, as it's a story that has a lot of neat ideas that it just never quite develops as much as it probably ought to. Still, not bad! And "The Power Of Three" remains a lovely character piece, with one's opinion of it pretty much turning on how much you find the rather unconvincing monster element a problem. And join us next week for a look at the show getting its sleek (or silly, often silly) thriller on with "Planet Of The Dead," featuring a real-live jewel thief as the guest companion, and the early 12th Doctor adventure "Time Heist"!

Episode 77: “Silence In The Library”/”Forest Of The Dead,” “The Wedding Of River Song,” and “The Husbands Of River Song” Sep 21, 2017

It's a River Song-stravaganza! We go deep on all things River Song with a look at adventures she had with three different Doctors: her first and final adventure with the 10th Doctor in the library, her wedding with the 11th Doctor, and her heartbreaking swanswong with the 12th Doctor. There's a lot to love about all these stories, even if "The Wedding Of River Song" does leave Allison feeling deeply grumpy. But mostly we're here to praise these stories and all Alex Kingston brought to the role of River across her seven years of appearances on the show. We just try to offer an appropriately raucous and saucy episode to do River proud. And join us next week for a Chris Chibnall preview as we look at two of his efforts and see what they might hint at for series 11 with "The Hungry Earth"/"Cold Blood" and "The Power Of Three"!

Episode 76: “Daleks In Manhattan”/”Evolution Of The Daleks” and “Victory Of The Daleks” Sep 13, 2017

First up, are you in the Chicago area and interested in going to a potential live episode on Saturday, October 14? Let us know if you are! Now, to business: We look at a pair of maligned historical Dalek stories, and we mostly conclude that, yeah, these stories deserve some maligning. "Daleks In Manhattan"/"Evolution Of The Daleks" so obviously wants to be a dumb sci-fi B-movie, but it can't quite find the right way to combine its theoretically weighty subject matter with that sense of fun. Also, it's time to roast Andrew Garfield's Tennessee accent, because my goodness. "Victory Of The Daleks," on the other hand, does at least have some really lovely work from Karen Gillan, and Alasdair has a theory to help you find something interesting in this one. Look, neither of these is good, but we had a lot of fun discussing them regardless, so this is well worth the listen. And join us next week for a big three-story River Songstravaganza with "Silence In The Library"/"The Forest Of The Dead," "The Wedding Of River Song," and "The Husbands Of River Song"!

Episode 75: “The Next Doctor” and “The Crimson Horror” Sep 07, 2017

No, we didn't think "The Crimson Horror" would be our first repeat episode either, but we're kind of happy about it! After all, it's Allison's first time discussing this 11th Doctor and Clara adventure, and she has plenty to say about Diana Rigg and Rachel Stirling's supporting turns. There's a ton in both episodes about trauma and abuse in the context of stultifying Victorian society, and we dig into some of that. "The Next Doctor" features not one but two lovely Doctor performances by people named David, while we're still trying to figure out why the 11th Doctor has totally forgotten about the concept of personal space. It's... it's not great! But there's still a lot to like in both these episodes, as we consider a pair of stories that manage to be rather more than the sum of their occasionally underwhelming parts. Next week: We go for a double feature of early 20th century Dalek silliness with "Daleks In Manhattan"/"Evolution of the Daleks" and "Victory of the Daleks"!

Episode 74: “Turn Left” and “Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS” Sep 01, 2017

We open with a lengthy consideration of the rumor that Bradley Walsh could be the new companion, and what a 57-year-old man would be like as part of the TARDIS team. Also, we take a moment to recognize how seriously great the cast of Law and Order: UK was. Then it's debate time, and for the second straight week the series four entry crushes the series 7B contender, as we both admit we have no idea what's going on in "Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS," and not in a cool, "Warriors' Gate" kind of way. At least it often looks pretty. But "Turn Left" has plenty to recommend it, including four great performances. Also, Rose is in it! (We kid Billie Piper, but she's totally right when she's said she forgot how to do Rose's voice.) Anyway, this episode is great. And join us next week for a pair of Victorian romps, as we look at "The Next Doctor" and our first (entirely accidental) repeat pick, "The Crimson Horror"!

Bonus Episode: Talking Classic Doctor Who with Kate Kulzick Aug 28, 2017

Kate Kulzick, the officially recognized Captain Jack Harkness of this podcast, returns to help Alasdair answer a listener's question about how to get into classic Doctor Who! While she admits her advice of "Just watch everything!" might not be the most helpful, we work to break down some of the different strengths and weaknesses of the show's various eras, as well as how to approach watching something that's so completely a product of a different era. We offer some specific story recommendations to get you started, even if there's fierce (if brief) disagreement over the quality of "Carnival Of Monsters." Plus we discuss our favorite classic Doctors, discuss how much showrunners made a difference on the old show, and what stories might be improved by swapping Doctors.

Episode 73: “Midnight” and “Nightmare In Silver” Aug 24, 2017

We finish up our picks for the best episode of every season by picking one for each year of the Capaldi era, as well as our favorite from all the specials, Christmas or otherwise. Then we do a deep, deep dive into why "Midnight" is so ludicrously good. We've got a lot of thoughts on this! We have somewhat less to say about "Nightmare In Silver," beyond a begrudging, "Eh, this is fine, basically, but it could have been so, so, so much better." Which, as Allison points out, is somehow worse than it just being outright terrible. And next week the debating continues with a look at "Turn Left" and "Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS"!

Episode 72: Picking Each Season’s Best Stories Aug 18, 2017

As promised last week, Allison and Alasdair offer our picks for the best episode of each season... well, we get through the first seven seasons, at any rate. Better than we expected, honestly! Alasdair manages to pull off the seemingly impossible (especially for him) by picking pretty much entirely non-Moffat stories as his favorites from the 9th, 10th, and 11th Doctors' eras. Will he and Allison agree on their various picks? What do we look for in series-best episodes? All will be revealed!

Episode 71: (Re)introducing a Debater Aug 09, 2017

Allison has her computer back, so she takes control of this episode! And after she and Alasdair discuss just how the Doctor remembered Clara at the end of "The Doctor Falls," she turns the tables on her co-host by asking Alasdair the same questions he asked her when she first came aboard. It's a reintroduction for those who don't want to dive all the way back into the show's earliest archives, and an opportunity for longtime listeners to see how Alasdair's thoughts have changed. And then, just to keep the theme alive, our final would-be discussion topic gets curtailed when Alasdair runs into his own technical difficulties.

Episode 70: “The Shakespeare Code” and “Vincent And The Doctor” Aug 02, 2017

We take a quick moment to discuss our ever more ridiculous raft of technical difficulties, then consider the trailer for the 12th Doctor's swansong, "Twice Upon A Time." After that, we're onto our very first debate of this new era with a pair of celebrity historicals. Spoiler alert: One of these absolutely trounces the other. Allison nerds out over how "The Shakespeare Code" could be so much more Shakespearean than it actually is, and we discuss the episode's glib handling of being a person of color in Elizabethan England. "Vincent And The Doctor," by contrast, is one that speaks to us on a deep level, as we praise its empathy and nuance while opening up a little bit about how personally this episode affects us.

Episode 69: The 13th Doctor and Representation, Revisited Jul 28, 2017

We table our story debate for a week as Allison continues to deal with two (2!) broken computers, but there's still plenty to talk about as we foolishly record a couple hours before Doctor Who's Comic Con panel. We talk about how the endless Kris Marshall casting rumors may just be coming from Kris Marshall himself at this point. We wonder who Mark Gatiss might be playing in the Christmas special. And then we devote most of the episode to reading an amazing email from listener Sam, who discusses her reactions as a woman of color to the casting of the 13th Doctor and people's reaction to it. As ever, these are complicated issues that are okay to have complicated feelings about, and we try our best to sift through it all. Thanks to Sam and all our amazing listeners for continuing to make our show so much more awesome than it has any right to be!

Episode 68: Jodie Whittaker Is The 13th Doctor! Jul 17, 2017

We just couldn't wait to give our thoughts on today's big announcement. Allison recounts exactly how she found out Jodie Whittaker is the first female Doctor, then she and Alasdair discuss why this is exciting and what this could mean for the future of the show. We got a whole bunch of emails from listeners with their overwhelmingly positive takes, and it guides us through a discussion of what we might expect from the 13th Doctor's stories, costume, companion(s), and more!

Episode 67: Series 10 Postmortem with Caroline Siede Jul 17, 2017

Original cohost Caroline Siede joins Alasdair to offer her takes on series 10! She didn't connect with this series as strongly as we did, and we try to tease out why. This is a broad, wide-ranging conversation that looks at what exactly is the current Doctor's arc, how he compares with his new series predecessors, how to think about representation in terms of the 13th Doctor's casting (which we didn't know was imminent when we recorded this episode), and a whole bunch of other things!

Bonus Episode 2: Caroline Siede returns to talk Class! Jul 13, 2017

That’s right everyone, Caroline is back, as we unlock another premium bonus episode! Alasdair exploited a loophole when she said she was done debating Doctor Who by bringing her in to debate Class instead. We’re mostly agreed on the big takeaways: The cast is great! The show’s approach to diversity and representation is a major strength! My goodness are the Shadow Kin the worst monsters in the entire history of all Doctor Who shows, no seriously they’re bad! While we do spoil some kinda major stuff, this is worth listening to even if you haven’t seen Class yet. After all, just this once, Caroline is back!

Episode 66: Series 10 Mailbag Jul 12, 2017

We built up a big backlog in our inbox, so it’s high time to sort through them. We wonder whether the first Doctor will want to regenerate any more than the incumbent does in the Christmas special. What could the future hold for Peter Capaldi, assuming he really truly is leaving and this isn’t all a big fakeout? (It isn’t, but it’s quite a thought.) We read an email with some sharp critiques of Steven Moffat’s treatment of women characters, especially companions. All that and more as Alasdair and Allison made a doomed effort to get back to inbox zero.

Episode 65: “The Doctor Falls” Jul 07, 2017

Sorry for the delay on posting this. We'd say we spaced because of the Independence Day holiday, but doesn't really seem like us. Anyway, Alasdair and Allison try to get their energy up for an early Saturday recording. It's a more manageable task, admittedly, with an episode as good as this one, which mostly addresses Allison's concerns about Bill from "World Enough And Time." We talk about the joys of multi-Master storytelling, take a look at how Bill and Nardole's stories ended up, and consider what's ahead for the Doctor(s) at Christmas.

Episode 64: “World Enough And Time” Jun 28, 2017

We do what we probably should have been doing from the start and jump straight into discussing the episode, as Allison has some potentially serious issues with "World Enough And Time." Does this episode make the same mistake in its handling of Bill that Sherlock did with one of its female characters? We'll have to wait for "The Doctor Falls" to find out, but Allison is worried. Alasdair is generally feeling better about the episode (which means we got our second straight debate, hooray!), especially since this is a long overdue opportunity to do some unapologetic John Simm stanning. All that plus an in-depth discussion of just what the point of TV criticism is that may or may not get ridiculously insular and self-indulgent!

Bonus Episode 1: Patron Mailbag Jun 23, 2017

We’re unlocking our first exclusive episode, in which we answer all your questions. We do some fantasy casting of a new TARDIS team from previous guest stars. We discuss whether Steven Moffat or Russell T. Davies might ever pen a story for Chris Chibnall. We offer our picks for the best performances from each of the four new series Doctors. We read out some seriously brilliant takes on Doctor Who as cyberpunk and fantasy author Brandon Sanderson’s approach to character development. All that plus Alasdair gets seriously heartfelt when asked if the Doctor is a good role model.

Episode 63: “The Eaters Of Light” Jun 20, 2017

Hallelujah, we have a debate on our hands! Alasdair goes to bat for this week's episode as a weird, thoughtful episode bristling with ideas, while Allison finds the whole thing to be a bit less than the sum of its parts. (Honestly, even now we're not exactly vociferously disagreeing, but baby steps!) Plus we have three terrific emails, including thoughts on "Empress Of Mars," where the season is headed, and what it would be like for a companion to come back as an antagonist.

Episode 62: “Empress Of Mars” Jun 13, 2017

We kick off with the news that Alan Cumming says he was twice asked about playing the Doctor, but just wasn’t up for living in Cardiff. (We’re sure Cardiff is lovely, even if only Allison has actually been there.) Steven Moffat dropped some hints about a distinctive regeneration in the Christmas special. Listener Adam mentions another issue with “The Lie Of The Land.” And then we get into “Empress Of Mars,” which was… it was okay. Not bad or anything, and maybe not flawed in the way “The Lie Of The Land” was, but mostly just a bit dull. Which is a shame really, because the potential was there for this to be something fun and weird and special. Ah well, at least Alasdair does a terrible impression of a stereotypical Victorian soldier at one point, that’s something to listen for.

Episode 61: “The Lie Of The Land” Jun 06, 2017

There's not much Doctor Who news this week, give or take word that Rachel Talalay is directing Peter Capaldi's Christmas swansong, so we get straight into this week's episode. Which... well. Hmm. This one was disappointing! We're both big fans of the first third of the episode or so, but then "The Lie Of The Land" just seems to keep abandoning its own most intriguing ideas. Are Peter Capaldi, Pearl Mackie, and Michelle Gomez actually too good for this episode? Can someone shoot the Doctor and then just kind of brush it off like it never happened? Shouldn't the Doctor or Bill actually, you know, talk to the Monks at some point? This wasn't a truly bad episode, but yeah, this was a misstep.

Episode 60: “The Pyramid At The End Of The World” May 30, 2017

We open by discussing the big announcement about BBC Worldwide reaching an agreement with a Chinese production company, complete with an apparent announcement of seasons 12 to 15. We explain why the announcement probably shouldn’t be understood in quite that way, but also there’s pretty much zero chance the show doesn’t reach a 15th season. Then we get into this week’s story, which is… you know what, it’s okay. It’s not bad at all. But after the dizzying heights of “Extremis,” this one is just sort of there, at least until an utterly amazing ending. But hey, if anything that gives us even more to discuss!

Episode 59: “Extremis” May 23, 2017

Allison and Alasdair field a question from our patron Delia, who totally blows up our spot by pointing out we never actually debate anything. This is... a known problem with the title of our podcast. We'll get there eventually, probably, maybe, but first we agree on how great Michelle Gomez is and discuss her future on the series. Then it's time for "Extremis," which Allison found just staggeringly good and thought-provoking... and yeah, Alasdair was pretty much right there with her. This was a real good one, everybody, and quite unlike any other Doctor Who story we can think of.

Episode 58: “Oxygen” May 15, 2017

We’re here to discuss tonight’s episode, a pretty good 45 minutes of television that sure feels like it could have been a fantastic two-parter. We run down the couple dozen or so fascinating ideas on display in Jamie Mathieson’s latest efforts, even if many of them don’t get developed much beyond the thumbnail sketch. Also, those spacesuit zombies are maybe on the wrong side of ridiculous? Seriously though, we liked this episode quite a bit. Also, we have a reader email on how the Doctor’s later incarnations could echo previous ones, and we wonder what that might all mean for the 13th Doctor. Enjoy!

Episode 57: “Knock Knock” May 08, 2017

This week, we offer our takes on “Knock Knock,” which we generally agree is a pretty good episode with a wonky genre shift and amazing work from Pearl Mackie, Peter Capaldi and David Suchet. All in all, another good one! But first, we respond to Steven Moffat’s new quote from Doctor Who Magazine on the mystery of the vault, run down all the possibilities (it’s a Master, surely it’s got to be), and then branch into a largeAr discussion about the various season-spanning mysteries.

Episode 56: “Thin Ice” May 04, 2017

We open with some big announcements, as the podcast has now got its own Patreon page at www.patreon.com/debatingdoctorwho! We’ve got some cool rewards and goodies if you’re interested in giving a little of your hard-earned money to support the show, so do check that out. Then we keep talking 13th Doctor, with Alasdair busting out some seriously pointless data journalism to let us know how this wait for a new Doctor stacks up with previous ones. Allison reveals her favorite episode and favorite companion, and then we get into a good, long discussion about how much we loved “Thin Ice.” Which was a lot. Seriously, we’re all in on this one.

Episode 55: “The Pilot” and “Smile” Apr 28, 2017

The bold new era of Debating Doctor Who officially begins! Alasdair and new cohost Allison fight through some crazy technical difficulties to give you the first episode in months. Allison introduces herself, her work, and her credentials as a Doctor Who fan. We tackle the 13th Doctor casting rumors and run down some of the current betting favorites. Then we dive into the first two episodes of series 10, praising both “The Pilot” and “Smile” for how they spotlight Bill and the Doctor, albeit with some criticism for how inconsequential the stories feel. Plus we hand out our Danielle Fan Email of the Week to someone who wrote us (in December) a great mini-review of the spin-off show Class. Also, seriously everyone, it’s so nice to be back. You can tell by how excited we are in that prologue sequence we left in.

We’re coming back! Apr 24, 2017

It’s been awhile, but Debating Doctor Who returns this week! Admittedly, much like Doctor Who after a long hiatus, things won’t look exactly the same. Alasdair is still here, but Caroline is stepping away from the podcast. In her places comes fellow AV Clubber and generally awesome personal Allison Shoemaker. You’ll hear from Allison on her first episode later this week, but Alasdair records this quickie solo outing to catch you up on the state of the podcast. See you real soon!

Episode 54.5: Summer Movies 2016 Aug 31, 2016

We’re back with some discussion of two of this summer’s most talked-about blockbusters. But first, Alasdair and Caroline discuss the reasons behind their latest podcast right now, which gives Alasdair yet another opportunity to mention he’s moved to Brooklyn and likes wrestling now. (Don’t worry, he’s got another podcast now where he’s free to discuss those things.) Then we break down which Who actors should play which royals before seguing into some extended discussion of the new Ghostbusters and Star Trek Beyond. We tackle head-on the toxic reception of the former and then have rather more fun marveling at how much of Star Trek Beyond is kind of a love letter to Enterprise. Enterprise!

Episode 54: “Love And Monsters” and “Night Terrors” Jul 01, 2016

We’ve got a whole lot of ground to cover this week. We open with a brief remembrance of Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin. We discuss Steven Moffat’s recent comments on diversity, and Alasdair wonders whether the world is finally ready for a #WokeMoff hashtag, because this is some good stuff. We also sort through general updates on series 10 filming and the 10th Doctor and Donna’s return at Big Finish, before finally getting into our most anticipated discussion ever, as we look at the generally terrible episodes “Love And Monsters” and “Night Terrors.” We each mount at least a quarter-hearted defense of one of the episodes, and we both agree that Camille Coduri as Jackie Tyler is the damn MVP of this week’s selections. She’s great. Everything else? Eh…

Episode 53.5: “Captain America: Civil War” and the Marvel Cinematic Universe May 25, 2016

What started as a fun digression into the world of superhero movies turns into our longest episode ever - no joke, you could watch the entirety of Captain America: Civil War and still have a couple minutes left over on this one - as we dive deep into all things Marvel (with a little bit on Supergirl’s move to The CW thrown in for good measure). Caroline considers an open challenge to a fellowDaredevil reviewer, we give our very positive takes on the new Captain America movie, we discuss Marvel’s not great (being charitable there) record of representation and why a whole lot of other big blockbuster franchises are actually doing way better there (including DC and Warner Bros!), Alasdair disputes the idea that casting certain roles is a “no-win situation,” and we close things out with a ranking of our respective top five Marvel movies, because dammit, even if we have a whole bunch of issues with the MCU, they do know how to make some wonderfully entertaining movies.

Episode 53: The Mailbag Episode May 10, 2016

Alasdair’s still in Chicago (well, at least when we recorded this, which was immediately after the last episode) for a special mailbag episode! We run through all your emails and missives that have accumulated while we’ve been taking all our hiatuses. What’s our favorite music? What’s the best pairing of Doctor and companion? And, given how long it took us to reply, is one listener with a newborn already looking into colleges? Listen on and find out!

Episode 52: “The Impossible Astronaut” / “Day Of The Moon” May 03, 2016

We’re together in Chicago to record this episode, as Alasdair decided it was easier to drive 12 hours than to edit together a couple different Skype recordings. (We’re kidding. Kind of.) Anyway, today’s episode looks at the most series six story to ever series six, as Alasdair and Caroline consider the bold, ludicrous, frustrating, yet exhilirating season-opening two-parter that is “The Impossible Astronaut” / “Day Of The Moon.” We agree the Silence are terrifying, Richard Nixon is surprisingly great, and Mark Sheppard is all kinds of awesome as Canton Everett Delaware III, but beyond that? Honestly, just figuring out half the things that happen in this story is a bit of a challenge, so we’ve got our work cut out for us in this epic two-hour podcast.

Episode 51: New Companions and Diversity in TV Apr 25, 2016

We return with an episode so bold and powerful it received an impromtu, mid-episode promotion from podlet to podcast! Pearl Mackie has officially stepped into the TARDIS as the Doctor’s newest companion, and Alasdair and Caroline are here to tackle this story from every feasible angle, including: Accents! Clothing choices! Fine-level parsing of lines in a promo video! So yeah, pretty much business as usual for your intrepid Debating Doctor Who team. And, just to really get back in the swing of things, we return to a topic we explored way back in our very first podcast, as we look at Caroline’s recent article for Quartz on diversity and Game Of Thrones and use it as a springboard to discuss diversity in genre television more generally. Our takes may or may not be fiery. We’re back and we mean business!

Episode L: “Army Of Ghosts” / “Doomsday” and “The Angels Take Manhattan” Mar 05, 2016

Caroline and Alasdair look at a pair of devastating farewells, as they tackle Rose’s swansong in “Army of Ghosts” / “Doomsday” and Amy’s (and Rory’s, don’t forget Rory’s) departure in “The Angels Take Manhattan.” Which one makes Caroline cry harder? What’s the only part of either of these episodes that truly melts Alasdair’s stone heart? (Hint: It involves Jackie.) And how weird is it that Freema Agyeman is in one of these as not-Martha?

DDW Podlet: Oscars 2016 Feb 28, 2016

We’re back, and our long-awaited Episode L featuring “Army Of Ghosts”/“Doomsday” and “The Angels Take Manhattan” will be here very soon! (Probably Tuesday. No promises though.) In the meantime, enjoy this short podlet in which we run through most of this year’s Oscar nominees. Neither of us saw The Revenant (kind of on principle, though Episode 4.1 of the Shutdown Fullcast has some very on-point analysis), Caroline saves her discussion of The Martian for her guest spot on the National Ave podcast, and we both just kind of take it as read that Mad Max: Fury Road is the greatest thing ever and should win all the awards, dammit, so we mostly turn our attention to the other five nominees: The Big Short, Bridge Of Spies, Brooklyn, Room, and Spotlight. Which one is our fave? Which ones did we find a little underwhelming? Why does Alasdair take unprovoked shot at The Imitation Game a full year after everyone’s probably forgotten it, which is kind of his point anyway? Listen in to find out!

Episode 49: Season Nine In Review Jan 28, 2016

We offer our long-awaited review of season nine, which turns into an increasingly byzantine series of comparisons between the various new Who seasons. Is season nine like half of season five? Like season two but with season four’s Doctor? Or maybe season six divided by season three? Who even knows! (Certainly not us.) We also offer a fond farewell to all the different Claras we’ve met – and we’re not even talking about the actual multiple incarnations of Clara on the show – mourn Doctor Who’s exit from Netflix, and have a fun round of Who Alumni Theater that ranges from CW superheroes to Shakespearean history. Oh, and there’s also a digression about the numbering system of the Super Bowl for just zero reason whatsoever.

DDW Podlet: “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Jan 24, 2016

With a decent chunk of our listenership snowed in by the big blizzard, we figure now – only a month or so after the movie’s release! – is the perfect time to put out our thoughts about the new Star Wars movie. Caroline and Alasdair both admit that Star Wars has never meant as much to them as Doctor Who. (This podcast isn’t Debating Star Wars, after all.) But they both have largely positive things to say about the movie as a fun action movie, even if both are a little more skeptical of the film’s reputation as a feminist blockbuster. As podlets go, this one is as long as some of our actual episodes, but don’t worry: We’ve got a good feeling about this.

Episode 48: Steven Moffat To Leave Doctor Who Jan 23, 2016

Alasdair and Caroline jump on Skype to bring you their immediate reaction to the news that Steven Moffat will be departing Doctor Who after season 10. Broadchurch and Doctor Who writer Chris Chibnall has been announced as his replacement, so the hosts look back on Chibnall’s creative output, make some predictions for the future, and help you cope with the fact that there will be no newDoctor Who episodes for almost a year!

Episode 47: “The Husbands Of River Song” Jan 16, 2016

Alasdair and Caroline break down this year’s Doctor Who Christmas special, “The Husbands Of River Song.” River is back, but is she the same River we’ve come to know and love? Caroline has a lot of thoughts on the return of one of her favorite Doctor Who characters while Alasdair expands upon his A.V. Club review to point out this episode’s strengths and weaknesses.

Episode 46: “Hell Bent” Dec 25, 2015

We're back! Alasdair reports in from the United Kingdom, where he has finally found internet access for long enough to record a podcast. Also, he's got a crazy cold and spent most of this podcast coughing up a lung! (With the microphone strategically muted, so *hopefully* that's all edited out. But, uh, no absolute promises.) Anyway, Alasdair and Caroline finally have the season-ending discussion we've all been waiting (and waiting, and waiting) for, as they get into what works and what doesn't about "Hell Bent." They are agreed it's a fine finale, but maybe not quite up to the standard set by some of this season's episodes. All that plus the greatest spin-off pitch we've ever read and not one, not two, but three David Tennant Takes! It's all just in time for the holidays (and that Christmas special that's airing, you know, tomorrow night)!

Episode 45: “Heaven Sent” Dec 05, 2015

This week, we give the Danielle Fan Email of the Week Award to the most eloquent, involved, and just generally downright locquacious missive we’ve yet received as one intrepid Scottish fan shares his feelings on “Heaven Sent.” We then get into some deep discussion about “Next Time” trailers, as Alasdair dredges up half-remembred fan controversies from 2005. Then we positively rave about “Heaven Sent,” but not before we sort out to our satisfaction precisely what happened in this remarkable episode. And yes: As far as we can work out, the Doctor ran the maze in his underwear at least once.

Episode 44: “Face The Raven” Nov 29, 2015

Your emails guide us through this week’s discussion, as we kick things off by considering what a male companion might mean for the show and the very real possibility that Steven Moffat is basing his creative decisions off what we say on this podcast. Also, Caroline offers some Who Alum Theater thoughts on the David Tennant-starring, Marvel-produced Netflix show Jessica Jones. Then we get into some serious discussion of the heartbreaking “Face The Raven,” reading emails both positive and … well, maybe not negative, exactly, but less than positive about this game-changing episode. But how do Caroline and Alasdair feel about this pivotal story? You know you’re going to need to listen to find out!

Episode 43: “Sleep No More” Nov 19, 2015

We kick things off by giving the Danielle Fan Email of the Week award to a listener whose email made Caroline cry (and Alasdair quite liked it too!), then read a pair of ridiculously insightful emails about how Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat are different without either necessarily being better. (Seriously: Great emails, everyone. Keep it up, please.) Then Caroline and Alasdair get into “Sleep No More,” an episode both feel is mostly just okay but sparks a lot of critical discussion about why it’s just so “meh.” Plus some more discussion about what Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman are bringing to the show this season, how the Davies and Moffat Doctors are fundamentally different, and an impromptu discussing of Mark Gatiss episodes just in general.

Episode 42: “The Zygon Invasion” / “The Zygon Inversion” Nov 14, 2015

We kick off the podcast this week with an epic mail roundup of listener responses to our “Day Of The Doctor” podcast, as Caroline continues to try her darnedest to keep the discussion focused on the 10th Doctor’s hair. We then take a deep dive on the morality of “The Zygon Invasion” and “The Zygon Inversion,” with Alasdair admitted he both wants Peter Harness to be the new showrunner and wants him to never write another episode, because it’s just too much trouble. We agree this is a great, ambitious story that’s messy in the way Doctor Who probably ought to be, but what precisely is this two-parter trying to say? All that and some more general praise for how great Peter Capaldi has been this year.

Episode 41: “The Day Of The Doctor” Nov 08, 2015

An epic 50th anniversary special demands an epic podcast, as Caroline and Alasdair obliterate the two-hour barrier (without even taking a break!) debating “The Day Of The Doctor.” But first, we read a couple emails, give some quick thoughts on the first half of the current Zygon two-parter, and discuss how the 12th Doctor has really come into his own this year, and it’s probably all down to Peter Capaldi growing his hair out. As for “The Day Of The Doctor,” Caroline has some contrarian takes on this largely beloved special, and she and Alasdair discuss how 75 minutes as masterfully executed and endlessly entertaining as this can still have some really misconceived elements. We agree everything with Queen Elizabeth I is … not great, but what about John Hurt’s War Doctor and the return of Gallifrey? And will anyone remember that, hey, Billie Piper is in this thing?

Episode 40: “The Woman Who Lived” Oct 30, 2015

Our attempt to keep these podcasts shorter and more manageable totally fails as we come so, so close to the two-hour mark. But fear not, for it’s all in a good cause! We’ve got our latest Danielle Fan Email of the Week Award winner dropping some serious rare books knowledge, a very special round of Who Alum theater looking at David Tennant’s latest projects, and some general Big Finish talk. We then go long on “The Woman Who Lived,” which is really great, but maybe not the greatest of all time? Oh, you better believe we’re doing some nitpicking this week! Plus, a random digression into some of the show’s more notable directors, as Alasdair punches up his five favorite directors more or less on the fly. Yeah, this week is a journey.

Episode 39: “The Girl Who Died” Oct 24, 2015

Caroline is back! And she regales us with stories of her recent trip to New York, while Alasdair details his recent stay with a Who-loving family in San Francisco. Then we read maybe our favorite fan email ever (and when you hear the last line, you’ll instantly agree), kick around the question of what would happen if a Doctor or companion just didn’t work at all, and talk the latest Star Wars trailer. Then: “The Girl Who Died,” guest starring Game Of Thrones’s own Maisie Williams! Alasdair is on record as almost aggressively loving this episode, but how does Caroline feel? As the 12th (and 7th) Doctor so eloquently put it: Time will tell. It always does.

Episode 38: “Under The Lake” / “Before The Flood” Oct 14, 2015

Friend of the show Kate Kulzick fills in as cohost this week as she and Alasdair break down the latest two-parter, "Under The Lake" / "Before The Flood." But first, we award the Danielle Fan Email of the Week award to listener Caroline S. (no, wait, that’s too obvious, let’s say a Ms. Siede), whose question is so good that (a) we’ll probably invite her on the show next week and (b) Kate and Alasdair take like 25 minutes to answer it, despite it just being, "What’s your favorite and least favorite 12th Doctor story?" Also, the team discusses the newly announced Doctor Who spinoff and the news of John Hurt-starring War Doctor audios, which Alasdair feels people aren’t sufficiently irrationally exuberant about.

DDW Podlet: The Live Episode Oct 11, 2015

It’s Caroline’s birthday … and she’s not here! But here’s a little present for you all, as Alasdair shares a recent live episode of the podcast at the DSI Comedy Theater in Chapel Hill, N.C. It’s a deeply silly bit of fun as Alasdair and two Who-loving improvisers discuss the show, including a worrying amount of discussion of the 1996 TV movie. We’ll be back soon as a special guest co-host joins Alasdair to chat about “Under The Lake” and “Before The Flood.”

Episode 37: “The Magician’s Apprentice” / “The Witch’s Familiar” Oct 03, 2015

We’re back (again)! Busy schedules and crashing computers kept us away, but here we are to give our thoughts on the opening two-parter of the new season. (Spoiler alert: We liked it!) (Double spoiler alert: We *really* liked Michelle Gomez and Julian Bleach!) Also our thoughts on the comings and goings of the Doctor’s friends, as Jenna Coleman announces her departure and River Song returns at Christmas.

Episode 36: Comic Con & Season 9 Jul 25, 2015

We get back into the swing of things with a news wrap up: We discuss all the Doctor Who-related happenings at San Diego Comic Con, share our thoughts on the new trailer, look ahead to season nine, and chat about some major developments in the world of Big Finish Audiobooks.

DDW Podlet: How We Spent Our Podcast Vacation Jul 17, 2015

We’re sorry, we’re so, so sorry that we’ve been away for so long. But we’re finally back, chatting about what we did on our podcast vacation.

Episode 35: “The Stolen Earth” / “Journey’s End” Mar 22, 2015

We’re back with a very special episode we recorded IN THE SAME ROOM when Alasdair came to visit Chicago. Even better, friend of the show Kate Kulzick makes her triumphant return to Debating Doctor Who! We chat about Clara’s arc in season 8, the possibility of River Song’s return, and our favorite one-off characters and concepts. Then in our second half, we make a last minute adjustment to our plans (we’ll discuss “The Bells Of St. John” and the Sontaran two-parter next week) to take a look at the RTD bonanza that is “Stolen Earth” / "Journey’s End." Kate, Alasdair, and Caroline examine the good, the bad, and the very bad of this epic two-parter.

Episode 34: “The Lazarus Experiment” and “The Rebel Flesh” / “The Almost People” Mar 04, 2015

We read one of our all-time favorite listener emails, chat about some Doctor Who news (Missy is back!), and reintroduce Who Alumni Theater to discuss a terrible rom-com and a ridiculous sci-fi space opera. Then in our second half, we discuss two episodes that ostensibly want to explore science, "The Lazarus Experiment" and "The Rebel Flesh" / "The Almost People." We quite liked one and rather disliked the other.

Episode 33: “The Idiot’s Lantern” and “The Vampires Of Venice” Feb 26, 2015

Alasdair and Caroline hop in our TARDIS to give you an episode we actually recorded back in January! That means we’ve got slightly out-of-date breaking news about new Doctor Who creative forces, Selfie, and an adorable David Tennant moment. Plus we read a bunch of emails from our listeners, discuss New Who’s upcoming 10 year anniversary, and share our favorite multi-episode arcs. Then in our second half we find quite a lot to like in two fun historical romps, “The Idiot’s Lantern” and “The Vampires Of Venice.”

DDW Podlet: Oscar Special! Feb 22, 2015

Alasdair and Caroline are back! We take a break from Doctor Who (don’t worry, we’ve got more regular episodes coming soon) for an Oscar Special Podlet. We weigh in with our thoughts on some of this year’s biggest movies and discuss our predictions for tonight’s ceremony. Feel free to listen to this spoiler-free podcast whether you’re a Doctor Who fan or not!

Episode 32: “The Long Game” and “The Rings Of Akhaten” Jan 18, 2015

In our first half, Alasdair and Caroline share their thoughts on what they’ve seen in the cinema recently, discuss the mystery of Orson Pink, chat about potential future companions, and give recommendations on how to introduce your friends to Doctor Who. Then in part two, we take a look at two episodes set on brand new worlds. First up, the hosts try to remember what actually happens in “The Long Game" (hint: it’s not much), then they discuss the sacrifices and songs of “The Rings Of Akhaten.”

Episode 31: “Last Christmas” Jan 01, 2015

In our last episode of 2014 we discuss the movies we’ve seen over the holidays, list our favorite Doctor Who supporting characters, and discuss whether or not this season deserves to be called “Clara Who.” Then we dedicate the entire second half of our show to this year’s Christmas special, “Last Christmas.” We weigh in on Shona, Santa, and the episode’s Inception-like structure.

Episode 30: “A Christmas Carol” and “The Snowmen” Dec 24, 2014

It’s a special Christmas Bonus Episode! Alasdair and Caroline count down their favorite Doctor Who Christmas specials, answer your emails, and discuss two beloved episodes: “A Christmas Carol” and “The Snowmen.” All that plus our last minute predictions for this year’s Christmas special. Happy Holidays!

Episode 29: “The Unquiet Dead” and “The Unicorn And The Wasp” Dec 23, 2014

After a brief hiatus, Alasdair and Caroline are back with an extra long episode! We analyze a recent Moffat interview, count down the authors we’d love to see travel with the Doctor, discuss a 6th Doctor adventure, and check out a Big Finish audio. Then we take a look at two episodes featuring British literary icons. Charles Dickens deals with ghosts at Christmas in “The Unquiet Dead” and Agatha Christie solves a mystery in “The Unicorn And The Wasp.”

Episode 28: Top Five From Season 8 Dec 02, 2014

Alasdair and Caroline veer off topic to discuss The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, the new Star Wars trailer, and musical theater. We also give thanks for both American Thanksgiving and for some exciting news: Doctor Who has added a female writer for season nine! Then Alasdair and Caroline take one last look back at season eight as they count down their Top Five Favorite Characters and Top Five Favorite Moments from this strong season.

Episode 27: “Listener Thoughts” Nov 24, 2014

This week is all about YOU! Alasdair and Caroline take a break from our usual debates to read a whole bunch of emails from our listeners. Did this season pack an emotional punch? How did Peter Capaldi do? How does Clara know so much about the Doctor? And what does the future of the show look like? All that and more plus a ton of discussion (and yes, debate) about the strengths and weaknesses of this season.

Episode 26: “Death In Heaven”; “The Pandorica Opens” / “The Big Bang” Nov 11, 2014

Season 8 may be over, but Alasdair and Caroline have no plans of slowing down anytime soon! They take a look at the highs and lows of "Death In Heaven." Did this episode live up to the potential of "Dark Water"? And, more importantly, did it live up to the potential of Season 8? While the hosts have differing opinions on that last question, they both agree "The Pandorica Opens"/"The Big Bang" is the best season finale in New Who history. But just what makes that two-parter so strong?

Episode 25: “Dark Water”; “The Name Of The Doctor” Nov 09, 2014

Alasdair and Caroline sort through part one of a two part finale. Can "Dark Water" stand on its own? What are our hopes for next week's conclusion? And what do we think of that huge Missy reveal? Then in part two, we take a look at a rather unsuccessful season finale from the Moffat era, "The Name Of The Doctor." Does this episode work on any level? Alasdair and Caroline think it does (kind of).

Episode 24: “In The Forest Of The Night”; “The End Of The World” and “The Doctor, The Widow, And The Wardrobe” Nov 02, 2014

A forest sprouts up over night in “In The Forest Of The Night” so Alasdair and Caroline discuss two other episodes that involve trees: “The End Of The World” and “The Doctor, The Widow, And The Wardrobe.” Are these episodes as exciting as they could be? And, more importantly, what is “The Doctor, The Widow, And The Wardrobe” trying to say about motherhood?

Episode 23: “Flatline”; “Fear Her” and “42” Oct 26, 2014

Caroline has a lot of contrarian opinions! But first, we share some fantastic Halloween costumes from our listeners, announce our partnership with Following The Nerd, and unveil the brand new Debating Doctor Who logo created by the talented Tyler Feder. Then Caroline and Alasdair discuss the highs and lows of “Flatline.”How does Clara fare as a stand-in Doctor? In part two, things take a turn for the unexpected as Caroline tries to defend one of the most maligned episodes in Doctor Who history, “Fear Her,” and Alasdair tries to defend “42” from Caroline’s irrational hatred.

Episode 22: “Mummy On The Orient Express”; “Voyage Of The Damned” and “Dinosaurs On A Spaceship” Oct 18, 2014

Division in the ranks! Alasdair and Caroline have very different opinions on “Mummy On The Orient Express.” They hash it all out plus answer a fun hypothetical question from a listener, award a new Danielle Fan Email of the Week, and chat about how hard it is to be a female character on TV. Then in part two, the hosts examine two more dangerous (and very strange) space adventures, “Voyage Of The Damned” and “Dinosaurs On A Spaceship.”

Episode 21: “Kill The Moon”; “Boom Town” and “The Girl Who Waited” Oct 13, 2014

David Tennant is once again on American TV screens! Caroline shares some brief thoughts on Tennant’s new series “Gracepoint.” Then the hosts jump into this week’s controversial new episode “Kill The Moon.” Does the central moral dilemma work? What’s up with Clara and the Doctor’s relationship? And is there a social metaphor going on here? Then in part two Caroline and Alasdair look at two episodes in which the Doctor must make a tough choice: “Boom Town” and “The Girl Who Waited.”

Episode 20: “The Caretaker”; “School Reunion” and “Closing Time” Oct 04, 2014

Another week, another round of actual debating! Alasdair and Caroline have plenty of praise for Gareth Roberts’s new episode “The Caretaker” and his season six episode “Closing Time,” but they’re not quite on the same page when it comes to the 10th Doctor adventure “School Reunion.” At least they can agree that Elisabeth Sladen was terrific as Sarah Jane Smith, and that the outfit she wore in her departure scene way back in “The Hand of Fear” was the most ludicrously 70s thing ever!

Episode 19: “Time Heist”; “New Earth” and “Partners In Crime” Sep 25, 2014

There’s actually some debating on this week’s episode! Alasdair and Caroline first share some news stories from the Doctor Who world then take a look at the brand new episode “Time Heist.” Is this episode fun or filler? The hosts next examine two more episodes about corrupt institutions with female antagonists: “New Earth” and “Partners In Crime.” The Doctor and Rose’s first proper adventure proves surprisingly divisive.

Episode 18: “Listen”; “Blink” and “Hide” Sep 20, 2014

Everything is terrifying! Alasdair and Caroline discuss the groundbreaking new episode "Listen," then move on to chat about two more spooky entries in the Doctor Who franchise: "Blink" and "Hide."

Episode 17: “Robot Of Sherwood”; “Tooth And Claw” and “The Curse Of The Black Spot” Sep 11, 2014

This week Alasdair and Caroline rob from the rich and give to the poor as they discuss Doctor Who's recent Robin Hood romp “Robot Of Sherwood.” How does this story compare to other pop culture depictions of the Prince of Thieves? Then in part two it's an actual debate! Alasdair and Caroline have very different thoughts on the Victorian werewolf tale “Tooth And Claw,” then come together to point out the flaws of the pirate adventure “The Curse Of The Black Spot.”

Episode 16: “Into The Dalek”; “The Doctor’s Daughter” and “The Time Of Angels” / “Flesh And Stone” Sep 02, 2014

We have a super-sized episode centered around war-torn futures (oh boy!). Is the Doctor a soldier, and why does he seem to hate soldiers so much? When is violence justified? We tackle those questions and more as we discuss the brand new episode "Into The Dalek." Then in Part Two we put that episode in conversation with the 10th Doctor tearjerker "The Doctor’s Daughter" and the 11th Doctor adventure "The Time Of Angels" / "Flesh And Stone."

Episode 15: “Deep Breath”; “Rose” and “Smith And Jones” Aug 30, 2014

Caroline spent the weekend at Chicago Comic and got the chance to attend the Matt Smith and Karen Gillan reunion panel! She recaps the weekend and shares some highlights from the Matt and Karen event. Then Caroline and Alasdair share their thoughts on Doctor Who's eighth season premiere, “Deep Breath.” Does Peter Capaldi live up to our expectations? We also check in on the pilot episode of Karen Gillan's new show, Selfie. Then in Part Two we look at other episodes that center around introductions: “Rose” and “Smith And Jones.” Do these early episodes still hold up?

Episode 14: “The Christmas Invasion” and “The Eleventh Hour” Aug 23, 2014

"Deep Breath" premieres on Saturday, so Caroline and Alasdair offer up a last-minute Season 8 preview! We collect the best quotes from the show’s cast and creators about the upcoming season and discuss the episode titles (spoiler free!). Then in part two, we look at the past two regeneration stories, “The Christmas Invasion” and “The Eleventh Hour.” They take very different approaches to introducing new Doctors and we weigh the pros and cons of each.

Episode 13: “The Fires Of Pompeii” and “The Waters Of Mars” Aug 19, 2014

We return from a brief hiatus with some listener emails! Then in our brand new “Who Alumni Theater” segment we take a look at David Tennant and Catherine Tate’s stage production of Much Ado About Nothing, Christopher Eccleston in the HBO show The Leftovers, and Karen Gillan in Guardians Of The Galaxy. In the second half we finally get around to discussing time travel. Just what is a fixed point in time and what episode best explores it? Caroline looks at “The Fires Of Pompeii” and Alasdair examines “The Waters Of Mars.”

Episode 12: “Bad Wolf” / “The Parting Of The Ways” and “The Best Of Both Worlds” Aug 05, 2014

Debating Doctor Who boldly goes where no podcast has gone before with a Star Trek crossover episode! Alasdair and Caroline discuss their history with the sci-fi franchise and discuss how Who and Trek have both evolved over the years. In the second half, we compare the Doctor Who season one finale,“Bad Wolf”/”The Parting Of The Ways” to Star Trek: The Next Generation’s “The Best Of Both Worlds (Parts 1 & 2).”

Episode 11: “Cold War” and “Rise Of The Cybermen” / “The Age Of Steel” Jul 23, 2014

There's a new winner of the Danielle Email Of The Week award, and we take a look at the official season eight trailer. In the second half, we examine the various ways the new series has reintroduced classic monsters. Alasdair looks at the Ice Warriors in "Cold War" and Caroline revisits the Cybermen in "Rise Of The Cybermen"/"The Age Of Steel."

Episode 10: “A Good Man Goes To War” and “Let’s Kill Hitler” Jul 17, 2014

Alasdair and Caroline welcome a special guest: Kate Kulzick of The A.V. Club and Sound on Sight! With her help we tackle a huge topic: Women, Feminism, and Doctor Who. In part one we talk about the strengths and weaknesses of each companion, look at the troubling tropes of Who mothers, explain just what’s so aggravating about Clara, and discuss whether or not the Doctor should be played by a woman. In the second half, we take a more in-depth look at Amy and River in "A Good Man Goes To War" and "Let’s Kill Hitler." Does Steven Moffat have a problem writing women?

Episode 9: “The Empty Child” / “The Doctor Dances” and “Human Nature” / “The Family Of Blood” Jul 14, 2014

We present a very special World War-themed discussion as we take a look at two of Doctor Who's very best two-parters. Alasdair celebrates "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances" and Caroline praises "Human Nature"/"The Family Of Blood." In part one we look at the aspects that make these stories so iconic. In the second half, we look at how these stories function as metaphors for the wars they are set in. What do these stories capture about the ethos of WWI and WWII? What historical parallels can be drawn?

Episode 8: “The Power Of Three” and “The God Complex” Jul 03, 2014

We got an email! Caroline has never been more excited. Then we chat about some big news in the Doctor Who fandom: a new teaser, a premiere date, and rumors about Steven Moffat sticking around for season nine. Who should take over as showrunner when he eventually leaves? We take a look at the four main candidates! In the second half, we take a more detailed look at our two favorite potential showrunners based on their best contributions to Who.Alasdair highlights Chris Chibnall’s "The Power Of Three" and Caroline celebrates Toby Whithouse’s "The God Complex."

Episode 7: “Gridlock” and “A Town Called Mercy” Jun 27, 2014

Doctor Who just announced a worldwide publicity tour. Is this because Peter Capaldi is a former rock star? Then we introduce a brand new segment called “What If?” What if David Tenannt had stuck around for season five? Would the show have been different? Would 10 have flirted with Amy? How would River fit in? And what does Steven Moffat have to say about all this? In the second half, we check in on two episodes that celebrate the best of humanity—in roundabout ways. Caroline defends the oft-maligned “Gridlock” while Alasdair celebrates the guest cast of “A Town Called Mercy.”

Episode 6: “Planet Of The Ood” and “The Beast Below” Jun 18, 2014

Doctor Who is coming to a movie theater near you! Alasdair and Caroline are confused. Then we finally get around to discussing Martha Jones! Does she work as a character? Is she unfairly hated by the fandom? What are her best and worst moments? In the second half, we check in on two episodes that argue that humanity can be pretty awful sometimes. Alasdair examines the corporate villians of “The Planet Of The Ood” and Caroline dissects the political complacency of “The Beast Below.”

Episode 5: “The Lodger” and “The Crimson Horror” Jun 09, 2014

Caroline gives her review of the 5th Doctor story “The Caves Of Androzani,” and Alasdair’s hearts break. Then, we examine the character arcs that define each of the three new Who Doctors so far. In the second half, we examine two 11th Doctor episodes that make us laugh: “The Lodger” and “The Crimson Horror.” Just what does it mean for Doctor Who to do comedy?

Episode 4: “Asylum Of The Daleks” and “Dalek” May 29, 2014

We share our thoughts on the brand new teaser trailer! Then we discuss the long-running history of Doctor Who. Are Classic Who and New Who actually the same show? How many eras have there been in Who history? Also Alasdair tricks Caroline into watching some Classic Who. In the second half, we debate Daleks! Alasdair argues for the expansive world of “Asylum Of The Daleks” and Caroline celebrates the simplicity of “Dalek.”

Episode 3: “The End Of Time: Part Two” and “Father’s Day” May 23, 2014

Alasdair and Caroline play “Better Know A Host!” Find out our favorite Doctor, scariest monster, which alien planet we’d take a vacation on, and much, much more. In the second half, we debate the question: What is Doctor Who's biggest tearjerker? Alasdair gets misty over “Father's Day,” and Caroline sobs through the 10th Doctor's regeneration in “The End of Time: Part Two.”

Episode 2: “Amy’s Choice” and “The Impossible Planet” / “The Satan Pit” May 16, 2014

We discuss what a couple Doctor Who alums are up to, talk about the strengths and weaknesses of season seven, and share our hopes and dreams for season eight. Then, in the second half, we debate the question: What is Doctor Who's best companion showcase? Alasdair celebrates Amy Pond in "Amy's Choice," and Caroline fights for Rose Tyler in "The Impossible Planet"/"Satan Pit."

Episode 1: “Girl In The Fireplace” and “The Doctor’s Wife” May 08, 2014

We introduce ourselves, discuss the Bechdel test, and look at Doctor Who's frustrating lack of women writers. Then, in the second half, we debate the question: What is Doctor Who's most adventurous episode? Caroline goes to the mat for “The Girl In The Fireplace,” while Alasdair champions “The Doctor’s Wife.”

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected