Doctor Who: Radio Free Skaro

Christopher Eccleston Alert! That’s right, the iconic actor who brought Doctor Who back from obscurity will be at Gallifrey One in 2020. Fantastic! The Three Who Rule also briefly review Eccleston’s new book “I Love The Bones Of You”, plus determine whether the new David Tennant Blu-ray collection is worth your money. And join us for our Series 11 Commentary for “The Tsuranga Conundrum”, with Verity!, Lazy Doctor Who and Earp Chirp’s own Erika Ensign! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still available – Christopher Eccleston announced for Gally – Complete David Tennant Years Blu-Ray remarks – Upcoming Big Finish Short Trips due in 2020 – Build-A-Bear Doctor Who collection due 2020 Commentary: – The Tsuranga Conundrum – Erika Ensign

A long-delayed promise of one Mr. Stephen Fry being in or around Doctor Who may come to fruition, as rumours abound he’ll star in the first episode of the upcoming Series 12 (which the BBC currently seems uninterested in promoting…). Otherwise it’s all spinoffs and tat, with Big Finish putting out a multi-Master and Daleks adventure, a Bernice Summerfield colouring book and new, non-Character Options dollies! Mere preamble to this week’s commentary for “Arachnids in the UK” with Den of Geek entertainment journalist and Legitimate Salvage co-host Kayti Burt! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still available – Edmonton Expo – Christopher Eccleston cancelled for Edmonton Expo – Christopher Eccleston Rose City Comic Con panel – Stephen Fry reportedly in Series 12 premiere – The Master vs The War Master in Big Finish – Bernice Summerfield colouring book – Doctor Who Magazine 543 – Andrew Skilleter 2020 Target Calendar Collection – Alternate 5.5″ Thirteenth Doctor action fig

Our Series 11 Commentary series rolls along this week with the much lauded, Hugo Award Finalist “Rosa”, and to watch this hard hitting episode, we welcome our guest commentator Ly Cao from Pixel Who! But before that, Steven and Chris discuss the first Gallifrey One guest announcement for 2020, muse about Doctor Who being at New York Comic-Con next month, and wonder what the name of Doctor Who’s Canadian home will be… Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still available – Gally 2020 first batch of guests – Macra Terror North American DVD details – Freema Agyeman returns to Big Finish and Torchwood – Edmonton Expo Christopher Eccleston panel Sep 21, 11am – SPACE rebrands as CTV Sci-Fi Commentary: – Rosa – Ly Cao

The world of Doctor Who was thrown aback this week with news that beloved television writer and novelist Terrance Dicks passed away at the age of 84. Dicks’ contribution to the show and indeed many of our childhoods can’t be overestimated, from his time working with Barry Letts during the 1970s to his prodigious run on the Target novelizations, “The Five Doctors”, the New Adventures…the mind reels. We also continue our Series 11 commentary series with a look at “The Ghost Monument”, featuring Deeper Cuts host and Head Over Feels Tony Stark consulting expert Shannon Dohar! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still available – Terrance Dicks died – Robert Shearman writes about Terrance Dicks – Season 26 announced for Blu-Ray release – Season 26 Blu-Ray trailer, by Pete McTighe – Season 26 Blu-Ray clean artwork – BFI Curse of Fenric screening – Season 23 Blu-Ray UK release pushed back 2 weeks – Series 11 nominated for 4 Welsh BAFTAs – NYCC exclusive Tzim Sha Funko Pop – Qui

The news may be thing on the ground here at Radio Free Skaro headquarters, with Christopher Eccleston convention news, amusing fanvids, and other such fripp and indeed frapp, but we’re very happy to debut our Series 11 Commentaries with our first guest, Bustle movie editor and Head Over Feels co-founder Sage Young, who joins us for the commentary of “The Woman Who Fell To Earth!” Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still available – Eccleston to talk about I Love The Bones Of You – Christopher Eccleston New York Comic Con panel Thursday October 3, 11am – Harry Sullivan from The Ministry – Gallifrey Stands fan edit – Vengeance on Varos novelization audiobook – Vworp Con action dollies panel Commentary: – The Woman Who Fell To Earth – Sage Young

It’s nearing the end of the summer for us in the northern hemisphere, and thus our summer podcast time filling comes to an end with the second half of our Miniscope on modern series writer Toby Whithouse! But first, listen to Steven become cynical about streaming services, become more excited as the first Gallifrey One guest announcement looms, and enjoy the surfeit of Doctor Who audio releases soon to be playing in your ears (after you listen to us, hopefully). Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 Late Summer Update – All About Doctor Who in Bath, October 5 – Doctor Who Magazine 542 – Closer look at B&M Exclusive action figures – Complete David Tennant on North American Blu-Ray – BBC Audio recent releases – BBC Audio upcoming releases – Louise Jameson reads Image of the Fendahl – Dragonfire as read by Bonnioe Langford – Big Finish Sixth Doctor and Peri box set – Big Finish Twelfth Doctor Chronicles due February 2020 – Big Finish New Countermeasures Dalek/Movellan two-parter

Doctor Who writer Toby Whithouse is the Miniscope’s last victim for the year, and this week we’re looking at his work on “School Reunion”, “The Vampires of Venice”, and “The God Complex”. And it’s a good thing he has so much material, because the news this week was a study in minimalism. But if you want hot takes on the newest Black Archive release, the “Ghost Monuments” photo project and most importantly, a sneak peek at the LAX Marriott’a new carpet, then this podcast is for you! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still on sale – Black Archive does Battlefield – “Ghost Monuments” photo project – Jess Jurkovic’s Dudley Simpson IS Doctor Who, episode 4 – Preview of the new LAX Marriott carpet Miniscope: – Toby Whithouse – School Reunion – Vampires of Venice – The God Complex

Rumors, nonsense and mumblesuch ruled the world of Doctor Who this past week, with the internet once again eating its own tail with claims Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall and star performer Jodie Whittaker are leaving the programme. The Three Who Rule dig into the potential falsities (of which there are many) and truths(?) of the situation. But on to finer fare, such as Russell T Davies talking at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, a Pat Gorman tribute from Toby Hadoke, Big Finish, the Game of Rassilon podcast live in Burbank, and a commentary about Zygon terror that isn’t from the 21st century! Titivate those fronds! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still on sale – Chibnall fired rumour – In Conversation with RTD – Pat Gorman tribute by Toby Hadoke – Doctor Who Magazine Target Books special – 3 new Big Finish Short Trips announced – The Game of Rassilon Live – This episode sponsored by BBC Audio Commentary: – Terror of the Zygons

DOLLYGEDDON! There is no other way to describe the oncoming wave of plastic pals headed our way thanks to Character Options, spanning from Big Finish adventures to an Androgum-ized Second Doctor to the Imbecile himself, Harry Sullivan. There’s also a new batch of on-demand DVDs, the modern series of Doctor Who moving to HBO Max in 2020, A Christopher Eccleston memoir, and more! Plus we have an interview with TV Years impresario Graham Kibble-White about that very publication’s upcoming look at nostalgic sci-fi! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still on sale – HBO Max to be home of US Doctor Who streaming – Edge of Time gameplay – UK Blu-Ray Steelbook release of the Tennant Specials – Upcoming BBC Shop Region 1 DVD on demand releases – Colourized Tomb of the Cybermen Episode 1 – B&M Two Doctors action figure set – B&M 7th Doctor & Cybermen action figure set – B&M Sontaran Experiment action figure set – B&M 7th Doctor & Dalek action figure set –

Let’s get down to brass tacks here: the current Doctor Who Time Team are going to be action dollies according to teasings from the Character Options folks. All other news pales in comparison, but we do have updates on new Big Finish Productions, “The Power of the Daleks” photos going for a whole lot of cash at an auction, and an (unofficial) 13th Doctor LEGO TARDIS console room. But the true highlight is of course your questions and comments to us about that show we all like in the form of…Fluid Links! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still on sale – BritBox coming to the UK in 2019 – Character Options action figures of the current Time Team – LEGO Thirteenth Doctor TARDIS Console – Doctor Who Magazine 541 released – Two more Fourth Doctor Big Finish series due 2022 & 2023 – Big Finish follows up The Greatest Show in the Galaxy – More Big Finish Short Trips due 2020 – Intrusion Countermeasures Group novels – Power of the Daleks photos sell for almost £7000 – This

Who would have thought we’d see the day Christopher Eccleston would grace the hallowed ground of Edmonton, Alberta, the sacred land of two-thirds of Radio Free Skaro? And yet here we are, as Mr. Eccleston will be a guest of Edmonton Expo (not affiliated with RFS) in September! Alas, North America isn’t so lucky when it comes to DVD and Blu-rayss, as we’ll have to wait until Christmas for the Colin Baker Blu-Ray set, but you can get Big Finish’s 20th anniversary extravaganza The Legacy of Time right now! And speaking of things you can do right now, why not listen to our interview with visual effects wizard, compositor and animator Rob Ritchie, veteran of Doctor Who animated reconstructions and special editions! Do so! At once! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still on sale – Christopher Eccleston announced for Edmonton Expo – Colin Baker Season 2 North American Blu-ray release coming December 3 – Complete David Tennant Blu-Ray due in North America September 17 – “The M

Recorded live from Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport after his flight home was canceled! Steven staves off travel exhaustion to bring you happenings regarding Jon Pertwee, The Macra Terror animation, San Diego Comic-Con Doctor Who merchandise (but not any actual Doctor Who Series 12 panels…), and more, before Chris and Warren swoop in to save him, like The Garm did for a weakened Nyssa, in the Season 20 story “Terminus”, the Classic Series Commentary for which is your reward. Stock up on hydromel and join us! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still on sale – Matthew Sweet talks to Sean Pertwee about Jon Pertwee – Richard Bignell talks to Charles Norton about Macra Terror animation – Terry Nation Army YouTube series – BF Torchwood Serenity released early to coincide with 10th anniversary of Ianto’s death – BF Gallifrey Time War 3 due February 2020 – DW Edge of Time VR game will have a demo at SDCC, BBCA SDCC booth details – SDCC exclusive Titan Thirteenth Doctor issue 9 –

Braving dodgy hotel wifi, swarms of non-Doctor Who nerds, and Fourth of July fireworks displays, The Three Who Rule have a different look this week with Erika Ensign of Verity! and Bill Evenson of Frankenstein Minute joining Steven for a brief recap of CONvergence in Minneapolis! But rest assured, Warren and Chris are back in time for the second half of our Miniscope on workmanlike 1980s Doctor Who director Ron Jones! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still on sale – Reminder: Jon Pertwee Radio 4 programme – David Tennant Specials Blu-Ray Steelbook – Cushing Dalek films on Britbox – New Doctor Who Funko Pops due October – Children In Need cover album featuring David Tennant and Jodie Whittaker – Tenth Doctor and Donna Big Finish Story “Death and the Queen” coming to vinyl – Black Archive book wins Sir Jules Vogel award – DW shortlisted for Best Family Drama at TV Choice awards – Noel Clarke to receive honour at British Urban Film Festival – Katy Manning announced for A

There is a cavalcade of Doctor Who news this week, most of it treats for your ears as Big Finish has gone MAD WITH POWER in celebrating their 20th anniversary with live streams, vinyl, new series and most importantly action dollies from some of its more notable adventures. But that’s just a teaser as we have the first part of our analysis of journeyman 1980s director Ron Jones in…the Miniscope! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still on sale – Series 12 to cover issues about plastic waste, more talk of a holiday episode before the series – Doctor Who Magazine 540 released, with a Jon Pertwee focus – Radio 4 Extra Jon Pertwee celebration goes out July 6 – First look at Big Finish-inspired action dollies – Big Finish celebrates 20 years with 20 hours of live streaming – Big Finish Wave of Destruction on vinyl a Sainsbury’s exclusive – Big Finish Torchwood Latter Days due September 2019 – Big Finish Torchwood Soho due June 2020 – Big Finish announces The Robots series – T

A veritable avalanche of Doctor Who news hit us right in the probic vent this week with new Season 23 Blu-Ray news, annuals, books of fiction, audio plays, Fluxx (whatever that is) and so much more! In fact you could say all this news is doing double duty as we delay the inevitable, AKA the second part of the Gareth Roberts miniscope! Links:  – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still on sale – Happy 37th birthday, Jodie Whittaker – Season 23 Blu-Ray debuts Sep 23 in the UK – Season 23 Blu-Ray trailer, written by Pete McTighe – Season 23 Blu-Ray clean artwork – 50th anniversary of The War Games finishing transmission – The End of Time cinema screening details – Doctor Who Annual 2020 due September 19 – Star Tales collection announced for release December 5 – Star Tales clean artwork – SDCC-exclusive Pting Funko Pop – Fluxx 13th Doctor expansion due August 7 – Big Finish day was June 22 – Big Finish Fourth Doctor series 9 to feature Adric, one story by Andrew Smith – WhoTalk comm

As we creep ever closer to the Time of New Doctor Who (aka Series 12), there is rumour and mumblesuch about actors and directors involved in Series 12. Also, scrappy upstart Pluto TV is showing some Classic Who in North America, VR things are happening, new(ish) dollies ad Big Finish and our latest Miniscope, featuring writer Gareth Roberts. We concentrated on Roberts writing contributions for both parts of the Miniscope, but we would be remiss to ignore the controversy surrounding Roberts' views on trans people. As such, if you feel you shouldn’t listen, we completely understand. Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still on sale – Series 12 director and actors revealed? – PlutoTV begins broadcasting Classic Doctor Who – Edge of Time VR shown at E3 – New Character Options range announced for B&M – Thirteenth Doctor enamel pin – Big Finish The Time War 3 features The Valeyard – Doctor Who Magazine Doctor Who Companion – The Twelfth Doctor Part One – Doctor Who won a R

Good news, everyone! “Time-Flight” is being animat….no wait, we mean “The Faceless Ones! Yes, one of the few airport-focused Doctor Who stories is getting the pen-and-ink treatment, and not only that, a number of Classic Who DVDs are being released on demand through the North American BBC Shop! And for those of you who enjoy single-POV non-VR versions of VR content (and also acronyms), the playthrough of “The Runaway” is out in the wild! But all this newfangled technology aside, let’s do a deep dive into fake monsters and post-Susan adventures with a commentary for…”The Rescue”! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still on sale – The Faceless Ones to be animated for 2020 release – 10 Classic Doctor Who DVDs to be produced on demand – The Runaway VR Playthrough – “The Jon Pertwee Files” to go out on Radio 4 Extra July 6 – Christopher Eccleston set to appear at New York Comic-Con – Paul Darrow died Classic Series Commentary: – The Rescue

Dinosaurs! Yes, the CSO sock puppets are back in part two of our Classic Series Commentary of the 1974 story “Invasion of the Dinosaurs”, so join us for Malcolm Hulke’s cutting social commentary, UNIT shooting at things that aren’t there, time being scooped, and more! Plus news from Big Finish, Target-adjacent shenanigans, and the return to theatres of…”The End of Time”?! You do you, Doctor Who. Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still on sale – Doctor Who Magazine 539 released – More “lost” Classic Who stories produced by Big Finish – Peter Howell-era Jodie Whittaker opening titles – Dominic Glynn-era Jodie Whittaker opening titles – Target Trawl book due in July – The End of Time 10th Anniversary cinema screening – Steven Thorne died – Royce Mills died Classic Series Commentary: – Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Parts 4-6

Well, it looks like the “all new monsters or bust” rule is out the window for Doctor Who Series 12, as fan favourites(?) the Judoon are returning to do battle, help out, or merely observe the Doctor and her friends! Plus more VR shenanigans as “The Edge of Time” premieres at MCM London, and dialling back the Timescoop to more analog charms, we have the first half of our “Invasion of the Dinosaurs” Classic Series Commentary! KKLAK! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still on sale – The Judoon return for Series 12 – The Judoon and Jodie Whittaker on location in Gloucestershire – Doctor Who Series 11 coming to Crave in Canada on June 14 – Doctor Who: The Edge of Time VR game to launch in September – The Edge of Time premiering at MCM London Comic Con – Doctor Who: The Edge of Time teaser – Radio Times celebrates Jon Pertwee with rare photos – Dudley Simpson tribute from Jess Jurkovic Classic Series Commentary: – Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Parts 1-3

If you missed the Tribeca Film Festival, and chances are you did, never fear because “Doctor Who: The Runaway” is now ready for your VR-addled eyeballs, at least if you live in the UK. If you’re into more traditional media, we have “The Evil of the Daleks” vinyl news and a storybook devoted to the ends, beginnings, almost-weres and never-was of the beloved Target novelisations. Our Miniscope this week features gentleman author and TV veteran Louis Marks, as we look at his work on “Planet of Giants”, “Day of the Daleks”, “Planet of Evil”, and “The Masque of Mandragora”! Make yourself a salami sandwich and enjoy! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Gallifrey One 2020 tickets still on sale – The Runaway launched May 16 – The Runaway will be on demo at UK public libraries – Evil of the Daleks due on vinyl July 12 – The Target Storybook due October 24 – Support Red Nose Day USA, enter to win breakfast with Jodie Whittaker on the Doctor Who set – Red Nose Day USA Whittaker contest promo video – Who memo