Folgen

  • Culinary Carnage in Seville - "The Two Doctors"

    Culinary Carnage in Seville - "The Two Doctors"
    Feb 14 2026

    Join hosts John Drew and Jim Beard, along with special guest JB Anderton (Doctor Who Gives a F*ck/The Bat 77 podcast), as they tackle one of the most controversial multi-Doctor stories in classic Who history.

    Production Overview: The hosts discuss the behind-the-scenes details of this 1985 three-part adventure, including how the location shifted from the originally planned New Orleans to Seville, Spain. They explore the challenging filming conditions, including extreme heat that made the production difficult, and discuss how this became Colin Baker's favorite story due to his friendship with Patrick Troughton.

    Creative Conflicts: The episode examines the tension between writer Robert Holmes and director Peter Moffatt, who had very different visions for the story's tone. The hosts also discuss script editor Eric Saward's influence and his preference for darker, more violent content.

    The Season 6B Theory: The hosts dive deep into fan theories explaining why the Second Doctor and Jamie appear older and why the Doctor seems to be working for the Time Lords, introducing listeners to the concept of "Season 6B" - the idea that the Second Doctor had adventures between his trial and regeneration.

    Performance Praise: All three hosts agree that Patrick Troughton delivers an excellent performance, giving the role his full commitment despite the script's issues. Colin Baker also receives praise for his dedication, though the hosts feel the material doesn't serve either Doctor well enough.

    Major Criticisms:

    • The character of Shockeye and the extended focus on food/cannibalism themes

    • Gratuitous violence including the rat-eating scene

    • Poor pacing that stretches the story beyond its natural length

    • Wasted potential for Jamie's character

    • The controversial ending where the Sixth Doctor kills Shockeye

    • Questionable makeup choices for Troughton's Androgum transformation

    • Tall Sontarans that contradict established lore

    Historical Context: The hosts note that during the airing of part two, the BBC announced Doctor Who would be "rested" for 18 months, creating controversy among fans.

    The hosts conclude that while the story began with promise in part one, it devolved significantly by part three, with the violence and Shockeye subplot overwhelming what could have been an engaging multi-Doctor adventure.

    Coming Up Next:

    Patreon Exclusive: John and Jim wrap up their look at Colin Baker's Voyager comic story, spin the Memory TARDIS, and dive into the infamous "A Fix with Sontarans" special from Jim'll Fix It. Plus, Jim finally shares his thoughts on the legendary (and infamous) charity single "Doctor in Distress" by Ian Levine and company.

    Next Main Episode: The hosts continue their Colin Baker journey with "Timelash," joined by special guest Alan J. Porter.

    Hashtags:

    #DoctorWho #ClassicWho #TheTwoDoctors #SixthDoctor #SecondDoctor #ColinBaker #PatrickTroughton #FraserHines #DoctorWhoPodcast #Whovian #TimeLord #Sontarans #RobertHolmes #1985 #MultiDoctor #TARDIS #JamieJamie #Peri #DoctorWhoReview #ClassicDoctorWho
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    2 Std. und 15 Min.
  • What Do You Do In There? - Argue, Mainly - "The Mark of the Rani"

    What Do You Do In There? - Argue, Mainly - "The Mark of the Rani"
    Feb 7 2026
    OPENING: THE RANI INTRODUCTION: John: "So here we are again talking The Mark of the Rani, which now for you, Timey Wimey, you've already met the Rani, but this is the Rani 1.0, played by Kate O'Mara, who American audiences might remember appeared on the television show Dynasty." JIM'S INITIAL REACTION: "It is really interesting. I'm glad you brought that up, because it had occurred to me that I had already met the character and was somewhat familiar with her. At least I knew the basic setup because we had talked when we watched her in the Ncuti story." THE OVERALL VERDICT: "Otherwise, in general, I enjoyed this story. And Kate O'Mara - good. And yet in a different way than the actress in current days." PRODUCTION DETAILS: Production Code: 6X Air Dates: February 2-9, 1985 Writers: Pip and Jane Baker (first outing for Doctor Who - they'll be back next season and Sylvester McCoy's first season with another Rani story) Director: Sarah Hellings (the last female director for Classic Doctor Who) THE MUSIC John: "One of the things - I've said this, this is one of my favorite episodes - but one thing that I love about it, the music stands out in this one compared to a lot of other productions." Jim: "Interesting that you say that, because I've said it many times before, I don't always notice music, it doesn't always hit me on a conscious level. I noticed it and made a note. It did stand out to me in this story." ANTHONY AINLEY'S DISCONTENT: John: "I mentioned the appearance of the Master. And Anthony Ainley, Colin Baker, and Nicola Bryant all say on the Blu-ray set that Ainley was not happy about sharing the limelight. RATINGS: Episode 1: 6.3 million Episode 2: 7.3 million JIM'S FORMAT REVELATION: "I'm gonna say it right now. While watching this, I finally, finally decided fully - I don't care for this setup. I don't care for the two parts at 45 minutes each." PART ONE SYNOPSIS: Doctor and Peri arrive in the early 19th-century mining village of Killingworth to investigate time distortion. They witness local miners attack a deliveryman and smash the machinery he was carrying, appearing as Luddites to locals. The Doctor notices one rampaging miner has a strange red mark on his neck. He meets Lord Ravensworth, a local landowner who saves the Doctor when attacked by three Luddites. He's deeply concerned about violent outbreaks among normally passive men. Culprit is the Rani, a Time Lord chemist posing as old woman running local bathhouse. She's been extracting neurochemicals from miners that enable sleep, which causes red marks on their necks. She needs these chemicals for her planet, Miasimia Goria, where her experiments have left inhabitants unable to rest and have now rebelled. Master arrives having visited her planet and forces an uneasy partnership by stealing some of her precious brain fluid to ensure cooperation. Doctor disguises himself as a miner and enters the bathhouse. Rani traps him, but Master convinces her to let him handle the Time Lord. He convinces Luddites to push Doctor's TARDIS down the mine shaft with the Doctor to follow. JIM'S LIGHTNING ROUND: "I want to try something different here. Bear with me. Lightning round of comments. You ready? Let's see this." THE LIST: Almost artistic opening shots plus nice music She is wearing - the Doctor says the Daleks have time machines Master Lots of handheld camera work Peri's more capable The Master changed time by eliminating a man Vulgarly colored coat The Master and Rani have a history Rani's jabs at the Master - smiley face Doctor's imitations of Peri - smiley face No birds Doctor recognizes the Rani but she didn't recognize him American War of Independence The Rani's a vegan Brains as good as anyone's - No comment, Doctor Shades of Bruce Wayne THE OPENING SEQUENCE: Jim: "Let's go right back to the beginning - that opening series of shots to set up the village, the music lining, and then into the bathhouse. Almost artistic. It was filmed so nicely, with nothing weird going on. And then they go into the bathhouse, and it gets weird at that point. But accompanied by very nice music." The Impact: "Beautiful work. I was never so taken by opening shots. They were almost poetic in a way. And she did all that - that was a small area, and she made it look so much bigger." PART TWO SYNOPSIS: Doctor is saved by inventor George Stephenson and returns with Peri to Lord Ravensworth's estate, where Stephenson has planned a meeting of scientific and engineering geniuses. The Doctor worries about gathering under the current circumstances, but the Master is desperate for it to proceed. He wants to enlist the finest minds of the Industrial Revolution to accelerate Earth's development and use the planet as a power base. Master uses mind control on Stephenson's assistant Luke Ward, ordering him to kill anyone who tries to prevent meeting. Master strikes a deal with Rani - she can return to Earth at any time to harvest brain fluid if she helps ...
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    1 Std. und 51 Min.
  • I'm in the Minority - "Vengeance on Varos"

    I'm in the Minority - "Vengeance on Varos"
    Jan 31 2026
    Episode Title: "I'm In The Minority" - Vengeance on Varos Review THE EMPTY TARDIS: The Missing Guest: Felicity Cousins from The Flop Cast was supposed to join but had to bow out about an hour before recording - her voice has been acting up again. "I don't think she ever really fully recovered from the last time she was sick when she was with us." THE SEXY DOCTOR ANNOUNCEMENT: John: "She was going to miss the announcement that we are now dealing with the sexiest Doctor to date!" Jim: "According to People Magazine? According to the newspapers?" The Daily Mirror: "In addition to having the sexiest Doctor, we also have a companion with great assets." Jim's Pun: "You're really keeping abreast of this stuff." John: "Yes, I am." THE SEXINESS DEBATE: Jim: "Honestly, sexier than Jon Pertwee? Come on." THE BIG QUESTION: John: "I told you this was one of my two favorite Colin Baker stories, and I would actually rank this up there as some of the best Doctor Who in Classic Who. What are your initial thoughts about Vengeance on Varos?" PRODUCTION DETAILS: Production Code: 6V (V for Varos!) Air Dates: January 19-26, 1985 Writer: Philip Martin (first story - will have sequel with Sil next season) Director: Ron Jones Original Titles: "Domain" and "Planet of Fear" THE PUBLIC RECEPTION: The Controversy: Episode didn't get very well received by the public. Scenes like: Acid bath deaths Attempted hangings Genetic experiments on women The Complaints: Widely criticized in Radio Times Letters page and in TV program Points of View. Unlike Before: "Unlike previous criticisms of the show's violence, this time it was raised by members of the general public. Some of the show's fans were even against this, besides people like Mary Whitehouse." PART ONE SYNOPSIS: Desolate planet Varos - citizen workers make up strange society of viewers who watch public torture and executions and vote on whether or not their Governor will be punished on camera for his actions. Official currently negotiating over price of Varos's precious Zeiton (Zeiton or Zyton?) with Sil, contentious representative of Galatron Mining Concern. Dealings going poorly for Varos. Sil has inside man - Governor's Chief Officer on his payroll advising him to oust current leader. Doctor and Peri arrive seeking Zeiton to repair ailing TARDIS, find themselves freeing rebel named Jondar from televised execution. As Governor, Sil, and everyone on planet watch, Doctor and Peri escape with Jondar and his wife Areta, only to wander into Purple Zone - tunnels haunted by fantastic illusions. Getting through them, Doctor discovers TARDIS has been captured, then loses Peri and others to guards chasing them. He himself walks into arid desert illusion. While citizenry watch, he seemingly succumbs to great heat and perishes. THE META COMMENTARY: Jim: "It's very meta what we would call meta today. It strikes you immediately that he's commenting about violence on television." The American Target: "I personally felt a little targeted because I feel like in extension they - or he was - pointing that a lot at us here in the United States." John: "I'd say that's fair." THE PENAL COLONY: Jim: "Weirdly enough, we're also going back to the old Australia thing. But as in good Doctor Who form, we get something like that dropped and then it's not picked up on again." The Discovery: "The whole thing about 'I discovered that this is a penal colony' - or it grew out of a penal colony. I said 'Oh, all right, we've kind of had that a lot recently.' But then I remembered that it wasn't brought up again." THE TIME CRAFT MYSTERY - AGAIN: Jim: "Another thing that's used here - I'm sure you noticed it, and I don't get it unless it's something we're going to be rewarded with at some point - there's another mention of another space-time craft. So why do we get two of these mentions now? Or is that just coincidence?" John's Explanation: "This particular season, without I don't know if they realize it, if it was done on purpose - we deal a lot with other alien cultures trying their hand in time travel. Including we're going to have, if I'm not mistaken, humans soon." JIM'S OPINION: "Piss or get off the pot. That's an interesting aspect, although as Homer Simpson's father said, 'I ain't for it, I'm agin it' because I think it does take the Mickey out of the Time Lords. But if you're going to go down that road, then tell us that story - what will the Time Lords do about making sure they're the only ones that get to do that?" WHAT JOHN LOVES: JOHN'S LIST: The Music: "I love the music. I think the music is very inspired for this." The Twin Dilemma Doctor: "This is more of the Doctor from Twin Dilemma - as he so callously says to Peri 'Oh well, you'll just live out the few years you got left, you'll die and that's it. But I'm stuck here forever in the...' That was actually an interesting moment. There was a little thread of Tom Baker's 'I am the walker in eternity' or whatever the hell he said in Pyramids of Mars....
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    1 Std. und 21 Min.
  • Colin Baker Fans Unite! - "Attack of the Cybermen"

    Colin Baker Fans Unite! - "Attack of the Cybermen"
    Jan 24 2026
    Episode Title: "Colin Baker Fans Unite!" - Attack of the Cybermen Review THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! Recorded on January 14th, the anniversary was January 13th! Three years of The Doctor's Beard Podcast! The Early Days: "I wonder how many people were listening back then?" Only a couple dozen, mostly friends. "How many of those people are still with us?" Patreon Originals: Shout-out to Dawn, Jameson, and Jamie Girl who've been there from the beginning! THE OPENING QUESTION: John: "What did you think of the season opener for Season 22?" JIM'S RESPONSE: "I'M A HAPPY CAMPER." "This is a world of difference. A universe of difference. I'm even rolling with the stuff that's not that great." THE BIG DECLARATION: "I think this is my second favorite Cyberman story." Why Jim Loves It: Colin Baker has settled into his Doctor "He's smoothed over some of the rougher edges already" The Cybermen's scheme isn't dumb - it's BIG and makes sense Foundation is reasonable: self-preservation Connects with Tomb of the Cybermen John's Agreement: "I give you all that. Colin, his performance, and even Peri." PRODUCTION DETAILS: Production Code: 6T Air Dates: January 5-12, 1985 (not 1986 as John mistakenly said last episode!) Writer: Paula Moore (Paula Woolsey, Eric Saward's girlfriend) Director: Matthew Robinson (last directed Resurrection of the Daleks) THE WRITING CONTROVERSY: Three Claims: Paula Woolsey: Got the credit Eric Saward: Most say he wrote it; this was a workaround to BBC rules Ian Levine: Claims HE wrote the story, Saward just wrote the script Saward's Version: Levine contributed to continuity help, didn't write anything Jim's Reaction to Levine News: "You shouldn't have told me that. I'm down on it." John's Defense: "You appreciate these continuity things. That's what Levine brings to the table." Why the Strong Opening? "Hey, the Cybermen are back! It's the new season!" BBC did 4-5 different promos (unprecedented). Possibly Nicola Bryant cheesecake photos helped. NOSTALGIA CENTRAL: THE COMPANION NAME-DROPS: Peri's Line: The Doctor's called her Tegan, Zoe, Susan... and strangely, Jamie. Jim's Point: "Really dumb thing to say - as we in particular know on this podcast, Jamie can be used for both male and female. It's like Peri's never met a female named Jamie?" The List: Tegan, Zoe, Susan, and Jamie THE TERRIBLE ZODIN: Jim: "How do you remember that?" The Running Joke: Started in The Five Doctors - Patrick Troughton listing enemies fought, mentions "the terrible Zodin." Brigadier: "Who?" Peri's Confusion: She seemed to act like it was a companion or ally. "Although the 'terrible' part should have tipped her off." TOTTERS LANE: The Landing: No specific reason other than for us, the audience John's Theory: "There seems to be more of a nod to the 20th anniversary with these references. Companions, Totters Lane, we're getting The Two Doctors with Patrick Troughton, another story where Jon Pertwee's Doctor is referenced. This felt more like walking down memory lane." The Set vs. Location: Originally a set, now actual location shot. "Doesn't exactly match up, but probably thinking 'It was 20 years ago, who the heck would remember what it looked like?'" The Availability Problem: At that time, you couldn't watch An Unearthly Child if you wanted to - not available on VHS or anything. Only if you caught The Five Faces of Doctor Who a couple years earlier. Jim's Sadness: "It's sad they would have had to rely upon an outside source to help with historical things of the show. Doctor Who is still a pretty big, important part of the BBC. Odd there wouldn't be anybody around who would be the keeper of the flame." PERI'S FIRST OUTFIT: Jim's Complaint: "Horrible. Dumb. Peri, you're obviously having a lot of problems running when the Doctor starts running. Is this really the best choices you're making here? And the color!" Why It's There: "But I know why it's all there. I get it." (For the male viewers) GUEST STARS: Brian Glover (Griffiths): Former wrestler and English teacher turned actor. No relation to Julian Glover. David Banks: Cyber Leader (same as Earthshock) Michael Kilgarriff: Cyber Controller (same as Tomb of the Cybermen THE CYBER HIERARCHY: Jim's Confusion: "Is this the first time we've actually seen this Cyber Controller?" The Difference: Cyber Leader: Always in the field directing Cybermen in action Cyber Controller: The big boss they check in with PART ONE PRAISE: John: "I always love anytime we've got the Doctor in contemporary setting - going back to Pertwee, but definitely Troughton and Hartnell with War Machines. Here we have Peri and Doctor just roaming the streets tracking the signal. Loved it. I'm looking at the houses." The Date: Aired January 5-12, 1985. Set in 1985 to jive with The Tenth Planet (1986). The Realization: "Whoever came up with this idea realized 'We're coming up on the year the Cybermen first arrived. We should do something with that.'" THE TIME CRAFT MYSTERY: The Questions: Where did ...
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    1 Std. und 44 Min.
  • Disco Who - A 70s Retrospective

    Disco Who - A 70s Retrospective
    Jan 15 2026
    Episode Title: "Disco Who" - A 70s Retrospective SPECIAL HIATUS EPISODE - PATREON BONUS NOW AVAILABLE TO ALL! This episode was originally produced for Patreon sponsors in July 2025 and is now being shared with main feed listeners to showcase the bonus content available through Patreon membership ($3/month gets early access, exclusive episodes, and more!). THE DECADE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING: From Jon Pertwee's January 3, 1970 debut to Tom Baker's dominance through 1979, John and Jim reflect on ten years of color, UNIT, Masters, companions, and the evolution of the Doctor. THE BIG QUESTION: WAS PERTWEE'S TIME PROPER DOCTOR WHO? John's Challenge: "When you consider what we had in the 60s, what is proper Doctor Who?" The Batman Comparison: Like Batman needing parents killed, what are the essential Doctor Who elements? The Core Elements They Identify: Rebel/Iconoclast: Always up against authorityItinerant: No fixed location (even when exiled, Pertwee chafed at it)Time and Space: Non-negotiableCompanion: Someone to talk to, bounce ideas offScientific Curiosity: Every Doctor has thisEccentric/Off-Kilter: From Hartnell to modern DoctorsBritish: "Has to be British. I know that sounds weird - he's an alien - but yeah, has to be British." PERTWEE AS THE SUPERHERO DOCTOR: Breaking From Troughton: Far more action-oriented. Troughton actively distanced himself from violence. Pertwee waded right in - Venusian Aikido and all! The James Bond Comparison: Show runners wanted "James Bond," but Jim saw more superhero than spy. Ushering In The 70s: "Nobody could have ushered in the 70s but Jon Pertwee. Troughton just could not have done it. Hartnell, absolutely not... New decade, new everything." Adam Adamant Connection: John's been watching Verity Lambert's follow-up series with Sydney Newman - Victorian man in suspended animation recovers in 1960s. "Pertwee's Doctor was Adam Adamant - man out of time, fish out of water." THE UNIT ERA - ADDITION OR SUBTRACTION? Jim's Take: "It added to it. It's a whole new layer that very much appeals to me. A paramilitary organization led by dynamic characters you want to root for." The Brigadier Factor: "You look forward to every interaction he'd have with the Doctor because you knew it was going to come close to a throat. His frustration with the Doctor and the Doctor with him." Continuity Innovation: First time Doctor Who had ongoing character plots! Mike Yates' betrayal and redemption across seasons. Bessie > Romance: "We were more impressed with Bessie back then." TOM BAKER - THE YOUNG DOCTOR: The Big Change: First time the Doctor wasn't an older gentleman - "this young man. But still not handsome!" The Beatles Analogy: Hartnell = John Lennon (fits like a glove!)Pertwee = Paul McCartney (leader of the pack, the charming one, ladies' man)Troughton = George Harrison (the spiritual one)Tom Baker = Ringo (John: "Tom Baker and Ringo, pretty much cut from the same cloth") Product of His Time: Baker represents late 70s - the hair, floppy clothing, the scarf as his version of ladies' knitted shawls, the big coat. The 80s Problem: "More and more as we're getting into the 80s, he's not really working as an 80s Doctor... Peter Davison seems like the 80s Doctor that should be there." Following Trends: The show followed trends more than ever - Star Wars influence obvious, but also Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers. Saturday night scheduling against Buck Rogers killed ratings (lost half the audience). BAKER FATIGUE: The Unique Problem: "You never hear Hartnell, Troughton, or Pertwee fatigue, but you hear Baker fatigue." Jim's Confession: "I had a little Troughton fatigue." The Blame Game: "I blame the producers of Doctor Who. They should have moved Baker along sooner instead of leaving it to him. There was precedent - they fired Hartnell!" Jim's Prediction: "I can't imagine Davison, Baker, or McCoy topping Jon Pertwee." John's Counter: "Davison will topple Pertwee. Pertwee will stay number two for me. He's a formative Doctor." Jim's Concession: "I'm going to give Davison the benefit of the doubt that he may push Tom Baker down." THE BAKER RECKONING: Jim's Frustration: "All this time I've heard almost nothing but Tom Baker, Tom Baker, Tom Baker - as if there's nothing else, no one else in this show since 1963. It's really interesting now to have gotten almost to the end and seeing that, for me, he ain't all that." The Diagnosis: "He's not bad. It's just not my cup of tea. He's been more annoying to me than anything. That's just that kind of character I don't care for." Only Three Stories Left: Moving into the 80s in full! THE TOM BAKER CHALLENGE: Jim's Dare: "Come on, bring on the hate emails. I'm waiting for it. Bring it on. I know how special he is to a lot of people." NEXT TIME: Patreon Exclusive #126: Music, Big Finish's "Doctor Who and the Pirates," Memory TARDIS spin, catching up on emailMain Feed: Warrior's Gate - The end of the E-Space Trilogy! Jim ...
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    59 Min.
  • I am the Doctor, Whether You Like it or Not - "The Twin Dilemma"

    I am the Doctor, Whether You Like it or Not - "The Twin Dilemma"
    Jan 8 2026
    Episode Title: "I Am The Doctor, Whether You Like It Or Not" - The Twin Dilemma Review THE GREAT REVERSAL: After three seasons of John defending Peter Davison against Jim's criticisms, the tables turn completely. Jim embraces Colin Baker. JIM'S SHOCKING TAKE: "I don't usually line up with Doctor Who fans because I did not like Caves of Androzani and I liked this. I liked Baker. If it's not what the show needed at this moment in time, it's definitely what I needed. I needed a Doctor who was more awake and doing things... larger." THE TWIN DILEMMA (March 22-30, 1984) Writer: Anthony Steven (first and only Doctor Who story - oldest writer at 67!) Director: Peter Moffatt (returning) The Legend: Doctor Who Magazine 2009 poll - Caves of Androzani came in #1. The Twin Dilemma came in #200... DEAD LAST. The Rift Begins: Saward wasn't happy with Baker's casting (thought he was miscast), didn't like JNT's stunt casting focus, and objected to JNT comparing Doctor Who to comedy show "Morecambe and Wise." THE DAVISON SLAM: The Shocking Lines: "I never really liked him anyway" "He had a sort of feckless charm" Definition of feckless: "Lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible" The Culprits: Either JNT (getting back at Davison for leaving?), Saward (who did the heavy rewrite), or Steven - but those lines don't get through without approval. Jim's Theory: "I can't see JNT being happy with Davison leaving after three years. This could be him being petty." STORY BREAKDOWN: Mathematical geniuses Romulus and Remus are abducted by mysterious Edgeworth and taken to Mestor on asteroid Titan Three. The newly regenerated, unstable Doctor picks a new outfit, declares himself "unregenerate," and plans to become a hermit with Peri. The twins' father alerts authorities. Police commander scrambles fighters to investigate the freighter - only survivor is pilot Hugo Lang who accuses the Doctor of the attack. The twins are forced to do calculations for Edgeworth (revealed as Azmael, a Time Lord and the Doctor's old teacher). Mestor plans to move two planets into Jaconda's orbit as "larders" to replenish the wasting planet. The Doctor realizes the calculations are off - the worlds will crash into the sun, destroying everything but scattering Mestor's gastropod eggs throughout the universe. Mestor demonstrates mind-possession on Azmael, threatening to take the Doctor's body. The Doctor destroys Mestor's slug body. Azmael dies exorcising Mestor's mind. Jacondans are freed. Lang stays to help with mop-up. The Doctor returns the twins to Earth. CHARACTER ANALYSIS: The Sixth Doctor - Every Previous Doctor Combined: Hartnell's there (not the lead initially, Peri has more agency) Troughton: "We must find this evil and destroy it!" Pertwee: Says "Eureka!" Tom Baker: The ego is BACK and turned up to 11 Davison: The violence continues, referenced regeneration fears New Affectation: Repeating words three times when incredulous or angry ("Sweet, sweet, sweet") Hugo Lang - The Space Dirty Harry: Jim's Justice League addition! "You might reach that gun before I can kill you" - classic action hero dialogue. Stays on Jaconda at the end despite having "no one to go back to." Kevin McNally plays Hugo (later Pirates of the Caribbean's Gibbs!) Azmael: Time Lord, the Doctor's favorite teacher (sorry, Borusa!). Controls Jaconda, calls them "my people" (why does a Time Lord want to rule a planet?). The Death Scene: John loved it - touched and warm between Azmael and the Doctor. "The finest teacher I ever had." Mestor: Giant slug with mind-control powers and embolism ray ("little bubbles, not good"). Finds Peri "pleasing" so doesn't kill her immediately (second ugly being attracted to Peri after Sharaz Jek). PRODUCTION DETAILS: New Title Sequence: Sparkly! Logo curved! Colin's face transitions from serious to smiling! The TARDIS: Has a chair! The Doctor calls the outside "hideous" - setup for attempting to fix chameleon circuit next story Trans-Mat Love: Jim adores that this technology persists throughout Who history. The Doctor turns it into a time travel device ("just a few little adjustments") Old Who Connections Everywhere: Braveheart Tegan reference Azmael knew Fourth Doctor Wine at the fountain (Big Finish goldmine!) Space police headquarters "straight out of Troughton's time" The Video Games: The twins face each other with what look like handheld gaming consoles - repurposed 1970s electronic games! John searched everywhere to identify them. Actor Notes: Maurice Denham returns in Pertwee BBC audio "The Paradise of Death" and appeared with Roger Delgado in "The Slide" Edwin Richfield (Mestor) was Captain Hart in "The Sea Devils" The twins' real father played a gunrunner in "Caves of Androzani"! THE ENDING - "WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT": The Lines: "Wait a bit before criticizing my new persona" "I am the Doctor, whether you like it or not" The Delivery: Spoken directly to camera, directly to the audience. Then both ...
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    1 Std. und 52 Min.
  • I Need My Pain - "The Caves of Androzani"

    I Need My Pain - "The Caves of Androzani"
    Jan 1 2026
    Episode Title: "I Need My Pain" - The Caves of Androzani Review & The Fifth Doctor's Regeneration THE CAVES OF ANDROZANI (March 8-16, 1984) Writer: Robert Holmes (returning!) Director: Graeme Harper (debut - directing from studio floor, not control room) PRODUCTION NOTES: The Fake Title: JNT put "The Doctor's Wife" on the production board deliberately to catch office leaks (ironic foreshadowing of Matt Smith's episode!) Graeme Harper's Innovation: Highly innovative direction with unrestricted camera movement - energetic, personal style directing from the floor instead of control room. Peter Davison said if there had been more directors like Harper and writers like Holmes, he'd have stayed for a fourth season. The Strike: Recording interrupted, cutting two sequences including the Doctor explaining his blown glass bottle collection from different planets (why they're visiting Androzani Minor for sand) Nicola Bryant's Frostbite: Developed mild frostbite on first day filming because her lower legs were bare in actually cold conditions The Dream Casting That Never Was: Sharaz Jek was offered to Tim Curry, David Bowie, and Mick Jagger! Christopher Gable was Harper's first choice, Bowie his second. Only Bowie had a reason for declining (Serious Moonlight tour). STORY BREAKDOWN: The TARDIS lands on Androzani Minor where the Doctor and Peri investigate caves and step in raw Spectrox - the most valuable substance in the universe. They're caught between multiple factions fighting over Spectrox: business magnate Morgus, General Chellak's forces, gun-runner Stotz, and the mysterious masked Sharaz Jek controlling an android army. Both contract Spectrox toxemia - the only cure is bat's milk from the lower caves where a magma beast hunts. THE FACTIONS DEBATE: Jim struggles with the convoluted plot involving approximately four factions. John helps clarify: Morgus controls everything from Androzani Major, supplying guns to Jek through Stotz while also backing the military against Jek. Nobody to root for - they're all "nasty, nasty people." STANDOUT MOMENTS: Peri & The Doctor's Chemistry: Their banter is finally warm and funny! John notes Peri complains differently than Tegan - more innocent, not sharp-edged or world-weary. The Star Trek Connection: The military forces sport Star Trek colors (blue, red, gold) matching departments, and uniform design echoes later TNG/DS9 style! First "Droid" Usage: Doctor Who uses the term "droid" for the first time (George Lucas trademarked it, but the term originated with Mary Wolfe in 1952's "Robots of the World, Arise!") Direction Showing Off: The vid-screen conversations where Morgus walks behind the hologram and creative camera angles - "Someone's really showing off here, but in a good way" Morgus's Aside: John Normington misunderstood stage directions and spoke his inner thoughts directly to camera. Everyone loved it, so they kept it! Could've been the Deadpool of Doctor Who if used throughout. CHARACTER ANALYSIS: Sharaz Jek - A Cut Above: The most twisted, dark villain in Doctor Who history. Could give Davros a run for his money in maniacal madness. Shakespearean dialogue, obsessed with Peri's beauty in deeply cringy ways. The mask reveal? A letdown - "not worthy of the build-up at all." Morgus - Standard Bureaucrat Behaving Badly: Rat bastard who murders the President by pushing him down an empty lift shaft. His defeat is Jim's "moment of joy" - well-deserved! The Magma Beast: As awful as the Myrka from Warriors of the Deep, maybe worse. THE VIOLENCE: Brutal for Doctor Who - no comic book foundation anymore. The gun-runner scuffle was "nasty, nasty, nasty stuff." THE REGENERATION: Most Extensive Ever: The Doctor says "feels different this time" (David Tennant would echo this line in his bi-regeneration). All companion cameos newly filmed: Matthew Waterhouse (Adric) - the Doctor reacts most strongly Sarah Sutton (Nyssa) - had chicken pox! Janet Fielding (Tegan) - "Brave heart, Tegan" Mark Strickson (Turlough) Anthony Ainley (The Master) - "Die, Doctor!" The Psychology: John theorizes the hallucinations represent the Doctor's psyche - companions urging him to live vs. the Master (part of himself) wanting to die. Colin Baker's Entrance: Nervous during setup, but in command once cameras rolled. Dressed in Davison's outfit (as it should be!). Two takes - said "egotistical" in final cut, "egocentric" in first. End credits gave Colin Baker top billing immediately. JIM'S CONFLICTED FEELINGS: HOPE FOR THE FUTURE: Jim admits Colin Baker's brief scene gave him hope: "He's very different from Davison... the polar opposite. He immediately insults Peri and he's large and in charge. I can almost put up with a real jerk if there's just some real agency going on in the character." The Agency Theory: Jim yearns for the days of Enemy of the World when the Doctor had real agency, was right in the middle of everything. He identifies with Pertwee's sarcasm and hopes Baker will deliver. ROBERT ...
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    1 Std. und 50 Min.
  • From Carnage to Cleavage - "Planet of Fire"

    From Carnage to Cleavage - "Planet of Fire"
    Dec 25 2025

    Episode Title: "From Carnage to Cleavage" - Planet of Fire Review

    PLANET OF FIRE (February-March 1984)
    Writer: Peter Grimwade (his final Doctor Who work)
    Director: Fiona Cumming (her last story, dating back to The Highlanders)
    Location: Lanzarote, Canary Islands - chosen after Cumming promoted it with holiday photos!

    THE SHOPPING LIST EPISODE: Peter Grimwade faces an enormous writing burden with his final Doctor Who script - a literal checklist: Introduce Perry, reintroduce Kamelion (and write him out), fill in Turlough's background, bring back the Master and kill him off, and oh yes, set it all in Lanzarote because we want a holiday!

    PERI: The accent is terrible, the acting is broad, the costumes are... strategic. But she's a complete 180 from Tegan, which makes her "a refreshing change" in Jim's words. Also: Why does Fiona Cumming, a female director, go along with the obvious cheesecake shots?

    THE QUESTION: Why was Turlough sent to Earth instead of being on the ship with the others?

    THE DEATH: The Doctor hesitates as the Master burns in the flames. Both hosts question whether he could've saved him (echoing the Davros dilemma from Resurrection).

    KAMELION'S END: The prop finally works by having Kamelion transform into Howard (Perry's stepfather) and then the Master. Jim asks the obvious: "Why didn't they just do that all along?"

    THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WOUND THEORY: Jim theorizes that while previous Doctors showed physical deterioration before regeneration, Davison is being psychologically and mentally wounded - all the ethical dilemmas (Davros, the Master, Kameleon) are wearing him down, setting up the regeneration.

    LOCATION WORK: Both hosts praise the Lanzarote filming and volcanic landscapes doubling for Sarn. Jim wanted more of the shipwreck dive sequences. The café scene where the Doctor leaves alien money behind stands out as atypical behavior.

    THE SOPHIE ALDRED ACE PODCAST UPDATE: John reports the interviews barely discuss Doctor Who - Sylvester McCoy talks about pissing off Richard Burton and friendship with Ian McKellen; Katy Manning discusses life philosophy ("Every day is a blessing"). The hosts approve: "We've heard all the Doctor Who stuff for years!"

    NEXT TIME: The Caves of Androzani - "Once daily Androzani! Major and minor!" The end of Peter Davison, the introduction of Colin Baker, and the return of Robert Holmes!

    Subscribe on all platforms. Email thedoctorsbeardpodcast@gmail.com. Support at patreon.com/thedoctorsbeardpodcast for $3/month.

    Hashtags: #DoctorWho #PlanetOfFire #FifthDoctor #PeterDavison #Turlough #PerryBrown #NicolaBryant #MarkStrickson #TheMaster #AnthonyAinley #Kamelion #PeterGrimwade #FionaCumming #Lanzarote #CanaryIslands #TurloughOrigins #Trion #MiniMaster #TissueCompressionEliminator #CrispyMaster #1984 #ClassicWho #Season21 #Sarn #DoctorWhoPodcast #TheDoctorsBeardPodcast #FromCarnageToCleavage #Cheesecake #PinkBikini #Speedo #80sTV #Whovian #CompanionDebut #CompanionExit #PodcastCommunity
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    1 Std. und 37 Min.