Doctor Who: Radio Free Skaro

It’s official! Doctor Who, starring one Jodie Whittaker as Dr. Who, will air on October 7 worldwide (well, the UK, USA, and Canada, so far, and October 8 in Australia), and we’re pleased as punch about it. To build up and celebrate the impending arrival of Thirteen, BBC America is doing a timey-wimey marathon, Australia is doing cinema screenings the next day, and Canada’s own Space is…showing the episode. Plus we have Edmonton Expo news, some gushing over the upcoming (circa 1981) Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Blu-ray, and an interview with man-about-town and TV Years editor Graham Kibble-White! Links:  – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – “The Woman Who Fell To Earth” debuts October 7 – Series 11 Teaser – Doctor Who Magazine will have spoiler-free previews of Series 11 Episodes 1 & 2 – BBC America will simulcast the Series 11 premiere – BBC America “13 Days of Doctor Who” marathon – SPACE will debut Series 11 day & date – ABC debuts Series 11 October 8 – Australia cinema screenings will be Oc

Sad news this week as legendary production designer Michael Pickwoad passed away at age 73, leaving behind a legion of fans and a body of work that included iconic Doctor Who sets over 71 episodes but spanned a decades-long career in film and television. He will be missed. We also speculate about a likely Sunday start date in October for Series 11, we have news of a Doctor Who fan experience coming to Johannesburg, Matt Smith being cast in Star Wars: Episode IX, and most excitingly, part two of our Miniscope featuring 1970s writing duo Bob Baker and Dave Martin! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Michael Pickwoad died – Radio Free Skaro interview with Michael Pickwoad – African Doctor Who Experience – Sheridan Smith returns to Big Finish – Preview of Thirteenth Doctor Issue #2 – Matt Smith cast in Star Wars Episode IX Miniscope: – Bob Baker – Dave Martin – The Invisible Enemy – Underworld – The Armageddon Factor – The Nightmare of Eden

A rather staggering pile of Doctor Who news this week, including the announcement of all the new writers and directors for Series 11, a Bill action dolly becomes a little more real, Doctor #5’s first season gets the Blu-ray treatment, and more Doctor Who convention news than you can shake a stick at! And just for you, dear listeners, the first of a two-part Miniscope featuring the dynamic duo of writers Bob Baker and Dave Martin, AKA the Bristol Boys! A Miniscope? Now this is outrageous! Links: – Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon! – Series 11 writers and directors – Profile on Jennifer Perrott; Australia to get Series 11 Premiere cinema screening – Profile on Malorie Blackman – Bill action figure preorder – Season 19 Blu-Ray due Nov 19 in the UK – Season 19 Blu-Ray due Dec 4 in the US – Season 19 trailer – Season 12 Blu-Ray replacement disc update – Big Finish 20th anniversary box set, The Legacy of Time – Doctor Who & Torchwood audios Humble Bundle – Dalek Audio Annual due in December 2018 – Doctor Who

Cast your minds back to the early days of Radio Free Skaro when there just hosts, Steven and Warren, and they would press record and then plan what they were going to talk about? Well, this episode is a throwback to those pre-smartphone days of the podcast, with Steven and Warren convening in a hotel room in San Jose, CA (home of WorldCon 76), along with guests Jason Snell, Helene Wecker, and Erika Ensign, to talk about how Doctor Who became a part of our lives, and where the show is going from here. What better way to celebrate our twelfth anniversary! Guests: – Helene Wecker – Jason Snell – Erika Ensign

It’s a lazy August weekend as Radio Free Skaro approaches its twelfth(!) aniversary, but soon one Mr. David Tennant will grace the home planet of the Three Who Rule as he will be joining fellow Doctor Matt Smith at Edmonton Expo in September! Plus we have news of new E-Space adventures with the Season 18 time team (in Big Finish form), big-scale Thirteenth Doctor action dolly fun (in Big Chief form), and the main event, a Classic Series commentary for Peter Davison’s debut story, “Castrovalva”! Links: – David Tennant announced as guest at Edmonton Expo – The Fourth Doctor returns to E-Space in Big Finish in 2020 – Synopsis for “Destination: Bandril” by Jonathon Morris and Lance Parkin – Big Chief Thirteenth Doctor figure coming soon – “Doctor Who: Battle in Time” collectible card game – Classic Series Commentary: “Castrovalva”

This week on Radio Free Skaro, we’re looking to the future as the first wave of Gallifrey One guests get announced for 2019, Series 11 of Doctor Who wraps up filming, a new Thirteenth Doctor publicity photo emerges, and many a soundtrack (well, two) for Classic Who drops from the sky into your ears. And if that isn’t enough sensory overload, we have an interview with notable game merchants Susan and Lee Cummings as they discuss their upcoming Steam and mobile game, Doctor Who Infinity! Links:  – Gallifrey One 2019 first guest block announced – Series 11 wraps filming – Thirteenth Doctor Titan Comics Issue 1 variant covers – Thirteenth Doctor promo image, “On Top of the World” – Doctor Who Fan Show Steven Moffat interview part 3 – William Hartnell blue plaque at Ealing Studios – The Invasion soundtrack – The Five Doctors soundtrack – Eccleston & Tennant DVD collection – Smith DVD collection – Capaldi DVD collection – Silver Nemesis 30th anniversary DVD announced then unannounced – Alan Bennion died Intervi

Insanity levels are slightly lower in this, the week after San Diego Comic-Con, but there’s still plenty to discuss including Jodie Whittaker being a proper cinephile (at a now sold out appearance at Somerset House), a new book about the women of Doctor Who, upcoming Doctor Who merchandise discovered live on Amazon during the podcast, John Levene chronicling the saga of his life and times, Doctor Who: Infinity and Big Finish news, and the main event – the return of Fluid Links, where you ask the tough questions and we meander with half-baked responses!

It's San Diego Comic-Con! There is an absurd amount of news from the world's largest media convention this week, including a new and mysterious Doctor Who trailer, a panel featuring Jodie Whittaker, Mandop Gill, Tosin Cole, showrunner Chris Chibnall and executive producer Matt Strevens, new Series 11 artwork, Jodie wowing everyone with a surprise appearance at the Her Universe fashion show, a press conference or two and (takes breath) reports from on the ground at SDCC with the Nerdist’s Kyle Anderson and Doctor Who on the Couch’s Heather Berberet! Sit down and get yourself a snack because this is the annual SDCC edition of Radio Free Skaro and it's going to be a whopper!

Trailer! Teaser? Either way, a rather brief look at Series 11 of Doctor Who that shows the new friends Ryan, Yasmin, and Graham, a brief shot of Jodie Whittaker as Doctor Who #13, and several unhealthy food options was released to the world just before this podcast recording! Yes, the PR onslaught has begun, with Jodie on the cover of EW, dolly news, San Diego Comic-Con news, Amazon listings, and and AND a miniscope featuring Daniel Nettheim, director of “The Zygon Invasion” and “The Zygon Inversion”, “Extremis”, and “The Pyramid at the End of the World”! Links: – Doctor Who on Twitch – Series 11 trailer – Jodie Whittaker on the cover of Entertainment Weekly; BBC America to simulcast Series 11 Premiere – Thirteenth Doctor figurine range – Titan Comics San Diego Comic-Con panel – David Tennant and The Muppets – More of David Tennant and the Muppets – Peter Davison and The Muppets – 2019 Doctor Who mini calendar features Thirteenth Doctor era exclusively – BBC America showing Shada – Torchwood on Twitch – Twice

The news elves are busily working their magic as we edge closer to San Diego Comic-Con, which will sport the likes of Jodie Whittaker, Tosin Cole, Mandip Gill, Chris Chibnall, Matt Strevens at the BBC America Doctor Who panel occurring at the spacetime vector of Thursday, July 19, 11:45 am PT! The BBC is also going all legal to track down the nefarious leakers of The Clip, and friend of the show Wayne Yip is directing the Series 11 episode to air at (or around) Christmas! Also Season 12 DVD news, Big Finish wandering into territories Trek and what you’ve all been waiting for…part two of our gripping commentary on “The Green Death”! Links: – Doctor Who on Twitch – Doctor Who San Diego Comic-Con panel details announced – BBC tries to find the Series 11 clip leak source – Wayne Yip directing Series 11 episode airing at Christmas – Season 12 Blu-Ray popular, says a UK sales chart – Season 12 trailer – Season 12 disc replacement – Big Finish getting into Star Trek Commentary: – The Green Death, episodes 4-6

Last week’s vast wasteland of not-news has been replaced by a verdant jungle of news-news, most notably the announcement of Segun Akinola as the new composer for Doctor Who! Plus Matt Smith comes to Edmonton, and comics and calendars that sort of feature Jodie Whittaker or flat-out don’t. There’s other news of course, but this is a mere tease to part one of our commentary for the Jon Pertwee story “The Green Death”, so dive back with us to June 1973 and hippies, environmentalism, and giant maggots! Links: – Doctor Who on Twitch – Segun Akinola announced as new Doctor Who composer – Segun Akinola BAFTA profile – Segun Akinola Soundcloud – Jodie Whittaker comic issue 0 – Jodie Whittaker calendar snub – Matt Smith announced for Edmonton Expo – Philip Hinchcliffe’s unused Season 15 plans – New Target novelization audiobooks – BBC Sounds app announced for iPlayer Radio and Podcasts – Big Finish celebrates 20 years of recording – Torchwood Series 6 begins in October from Big Finish – Third Doctor Who Infinity story

This week on Radio Free Skaro, it’s time for the nation’s favourite game show* (*not an actual game show) as we dive headlong into another edition of the Miniscope. This week, it’s director Ed Bazalgette, who guided the recent episodes “The Girl Who Died”, “The Woman Who Lived”, and “The Return of Doctor Mysterio” into port. What did the Three Who Rule think of the former guitarist from the 1980s band The Vapors and his work in Doctor Who? Listen and find out! Also, with Doctor Who being produced under a cone of silence as of late, early discussion veers from Doctor Who on Twitch to Amazon reviews to Star Wars to Star Trek and so on. Be warned. Links: – Doctor Who on Twitch Miniscope: – Ed Bazalgette – The Doctor’s Meditation – The Girl Who Died – The Woman Who Lived – The Return of Doctor Mysterio

It’s a jam-packed extravaganza from 1975 this week as we dive deep into the impending release of the Doctor Who Season 12 Blu-Ray starring one Tom Baker as Dr. Who, with interviews from executive producer Russell Minton and director/producer Paul Vanezis what worked on that there shiny set of discs! Plus banter from two of the Three Who Rule who ventured to their local cinemas to view all 625 glorious lines of resolution of “Genesis of the Daleks”. Also San Diego Comic-Con news, the odd tale of Doctor Who on Crackle in Latin America, and more! Links: – Genesis of the Daleks – UK Season 12 Blu-Ray release delayed – Doctor Who at San Diego Comic-Con – Chloe Dysktra Medium post – Original Doctor Who Comic-Con panel moderator is no longer – Doctor Who Series 10 long-listed for Emmy – Crackle to distribute Doctor Who in Latin America – Jodie Whittaker promoting Cystic Fibrosis UK Interview: – Genesis of the Daleks – Russell Minton – Paul Vanezis

The Quest is the Quest, if by quest you mean watching the 1978 classic series story “Underworld” and getting through it without great suffering. We kid – two thirds of the Three Who Rule are devout fans of this Tom Baker gem. Will the final third turn his frown upside down? Also, the classic series continues to delight on Twitch, the modern series is on BBC iPlayer, and the TV broadcast home of Doctor Who in Canada is regenerating… Links: – All of NuWho on iPlayer – BBC to close Maida Vale studio by 2022 – SPACE rebrands as CTV Sci-Fi Commentary: – Underworld

The topic of Doctor Who missing episodes has been dormant relatively recently, but a tangent in an interview with producer/director Paul Vanezis, who has aided in the recovery of other previously missing Doctor Who episodes, may raise the profile once again. (Listen to the interview with Steven starting at 30:36; JR Southall joins Steven later to discuss what Paul said). Elsewhere, Doctor Who on Twitch has been an unprecedented success, launching new memes and generating fresh enthusiasm amongst a whole new generation of Doctor Who fans! Links: – Doctor Who on twitch a hit! – London 1965 memes – Season 12 blu-ray revamped visual effects – Doctor Who Magazine 526 released – Big Finish returns to Class – Big Finish Infamy of the Zaross due on vinyl June 16 – Doctor Who series 10 and Class coming to UK Netflix in June – TARDIS Type 40 Instruction Manual – Doctor Who jobs Interview: – Paul Vanezis – JR Southall

Director James Strong faces the eagle eye of the Miniscope this week, with a look at classics like “The Impossible Planet” and “The Satan Pit”, not-so classics (but not his fault!) like “Daleks in Manhattan” and “Evolution of the Daleks”, and romps big and small like “Voyage of the Damned”, “Partners in Crime”, and “Planet of the Dead”. Plus news of “Genesis of the Daleks” cinema screenings (well, one) at the BFI, Twitch streaming Classic Who, Bell Media cancelling Innerspace like a bunch of jerks, and more! Links: – UK Genesis of the Daleks cinema screening with guest Philip Hinchcliffe – SOLD OUT! – 500+ Doctor Who episodes to stream on twitch – Radiophonic Workshop Albert Hall performance live streamed – Hiotchhiker’s on vinyl, for the first time – Innerspace canceled Miniscope: – James Strong – The Impossible Planet – The Satan Pit – Daleks in Manhattan – Evolution of the Daleks – Voyage of the Damned – Partners in Crime – Planet of the Dead

Dollies! Yes, to the delight of Warren and probably no-one else, Character Options is set to release new plastic Who friends, most of which are variants of current models but also the first action dolly for Bill! Also, BBC Television Centre lives on in Google Street View form, and in exciting interview news, we have a chinwag with Andrew Smith, whose latest work for Big Finish is Hour of the Cybermen (1980s!), the First Doctor Volume 2 (1960s!) and Star Cops: Mother Earth (more 1980s!) Cue up your compu-cassettes and enjoy! Links: – UK Season 12 Blu-Ray delayed – The Enduring Magic of the Radiophonic Workshop – Google Street View scan of BBC TV Centre – Cushing TARDIS on the auction block – Character Third Doctor and TARDIS – Character Eleventh Doctor set – Character 1970s set – Character Twelfth Doctor set – Fairford Festival – Graham Strong died Interview: – Andrew Smith – Big Finish Hour of the Cybermen – Big Finish First Doctor, Volume 2 – Big Finish Star Cops Mother Earth, Part 1

Progress, in rumour form at any rate, as a tentative and maybe kinda sorta true list of directors for Series 11 makes its way onto the internet, along with scuttlebutt of a BBC, Channel 4 and ITV streaming service in the works. Not to leave Canada out fo the mix, “Genesis of the Daleks” tickets finally go on sale so those of us will finally be able to view 1970s PAL video on the big screen, as it was truly meant to be seen. And speaking of viewing things in a right and proper manner, we have the second half of our gripping and not at all ponderous commentary on “The Sensorites”! Grab your stimulant of choice and enjoy! Links: – Gallifrey One hotel block – Series 11 Director list… but maybe not final? – UK Broadcasters devising joint streaming service – Genesis of the Daleks Canadian screening tickets now on sale – Thirteenth Doctor books – Knock Knock script up for auction – Doctor Who Infinity teases “The Orphans of the Polyoptera” – Babelcolour First Doctor colourization teaser – Sylvester McCoy and Robert

There’s a new bunch on the block in the form of Doctor Who Magazine’s new Time Team, so we talked to DWM writer Benjamin Cook about how he put together this new crop of young Who fans to helm the magazine’s longstanding feature. Also, we bring you the first half of our commentary of the 1964 classic(?) “The Sensorites”! Plus: Big Finish news, Doctor Who cinema screenings in Canada, and the oncoming Gallifrey One hotel panic… Links: – Gallifrey One hotel block – Doctor Who Magazine 525 out – Canadian Genesis of the Daleks screening on June 14 – RTD & Moffat talk Target books with Tom Spilsbury – An Unearthly Child script sold for £6200 – River Song and four Masters in Big Finish – Hour of the Cybermen synopsis and artwork – Energy of the Daleks on vinyl – Devil’s End Free Comic Book Day issue, cover A – Devil’s End Free Comic Book Day issue, cover B Interview: – Benjamin Cook – Doctor Who Magazine Commentary: – The Sensorites, Episodes 1-3

The weather is warm, the flowers are blooming and the Doctor Who news is…sparse. Almost non-existent in fact, other than delicious morsels like the Series 9 soundtrack arriving in our eardrums, an official announcement on that US “Genesis of the Daleks” cinema screening on June 11, and of course what you’ve all been waiting for, the second part of our Christopher Barry miniscope, featuring his work on “The Mutants”, “Robot”, “The Brain of Morbius” and perennial favorite (to Chris, at any rate) “The Creature from the Pit”! Links: – 1988 UK response to Doctor Who season 24 – Series 9 soundtrack available, “The Shepherd’s Boy” sample track – Genesis of the Daleks cinema screenings press release Miniscope: – Christopher Barry – The Mutants – Robot – The Brain of Morbius – The Creature from the Pit