Doctor Who: Radio Free Skaro

In what has to be the most overwhelming of all weeks for Doctor Who in all recorded history, the RFS crew slogged mightily through tales of Comic Con, rumours confirmed, others dashed, and in the midst of our recording the release of a new trailer for "The Waters of Mars." And that was BEFORE we got around commentating on "Planet of the Dead", making this if not the longest Radio Free Skaro ever than certainly the densest, and not just because of PotD's plodding, pedestrian poltroonery.

An exciting landmark in RFS history, as the Three Who Rule celebrate their Sasquatchicentennial, otherwise known as the 150th episode of their half-crazed (yet still consistently jaunty) blatherings. And what better way to mark the occasion than "The Parting of the Ways," Eccleston's final episode as the good Doctor and one of the many highlights of the 2005 return of the series. News, digressions and a visit from one of the Internet's most pervasive memes round out this most 150-th of episodes. Play him off, Keyboard Cat! Check out the show notes at www.radiofreeskaro.com

In a noteworthy Wednesday cutaway, Radio Free Skaro enlisted the help of some of our LGBT listeners to hold a discussion on the recent uproar about Torchwood: Children of Earth (about which there will be spoilers!) and the perceived homophobia many in the fandom community say it presented. Many thanks go to our own Katrina who leads the panel with listeners Erik and Nat in delivering an hour of informed discussion about this fandom reaction. Check out the show notes at www.radiofreeskaro.com.

In a stunning, nay flabbergasting turn of events, the Torchwood: Children of Earth miniseries turned out to be not only a fantastic five days of entertainment but possibly one of the best things on television thus far this year. A special 4 person quorum of the RFS council was called to deal with this turn of events, with special Torchwood representative Katrina joining the fun. But that's not all! The Three Who Rule Plus One also threw in a Bad Wolf commentary...but of course such good fortune meant the beast Cracklor also paid a visit. Still, an epic-length RFS for an epic entry in the Doctor Who canon. Check out the shownotes at www.radiofreeskaro.com.

Things took a turn for both the obscene and obsequious and Pedantor proved he could crawl even lower into the gutter he calls home and Warren was bested by Cracklor, a skypeovore that feasts on distorted, craptacular VOIP. Oh, and somewhere in this menagerie of madness the sometimes forgotten but certainly notable Boom Town was commented on by the Three Who Rule. Check out the show notes at www.radiofreeskaro.com

(Warren and Steven version)With only Torchwood news to bandy about, the second part of Steven Moffat's epic two-parter from Season 1 took center stage for this episode for a shorthanded RFS staff as they discussed the intricacies of one of the first series' masterpieces while simultaneously avoiding any actual discussion of the episode at hand, as per usual. Check out the show notes at www.radiofreeskaro.com.

(Chris, Katrina and Other Chris version) With only Torchwood news to bandy about, the second part of Steven Moffat's epic two-parter from Season 1 took center stage for this episode for a shorthanded RFS staff as they discussed the intricacies of one of the first series' masterpieces while simultaneously avoiding any actual discussion of the episode at hand, as per usual. Check out the show notes at www.radiofreeskaro.com.

It's not often that the Three Who Rule spend more than a minute dismissing Torchwood out of hand, much less being interested in a new series of everyone's tolerated younger, ganglier cousin to Doctor Who. But that strange event is precisely what happened (explained away with string theory and many a complicated equation, most likely), along with some pre Comic Con banter and oh yes, a commentary on The Empty Child. Check out the show notes at www.radiofreeskaro.com.

Steven, one mighty pillar of the tripod that is the Three Who Rule, doesn't often succumb to the base emotions. Indeed, compared to the gutter-dwelling antics of Pedantor and the frankly borderline illegal conduct of Warren, Steven's unflappable facade is nigh-invulnerable. But when the fate of Pete Tyler in "Father's Day" comes into play, all propriety goes out the window. Tune in and hear his descent into madness...if you dare.

Katrina was back in the fold again this week (replacing Warren, who’s busy blogging in Banff this week), with the main focus of the Three Who Rule being to provide comments on Series 1 episode The Long Game. The trio never once went more than ten minutes without discussing the episode at hand – a new record? Along the way, various bits of news were covered, including the explosion of fandom (aka the closing of Doctor Who Forum at Outpost Gallifrey), the shrapnel of which, it was determined, landed well short of affecting your intrepid hosts. Check out the show notes at www.radiofreeskaro.com

More news than you can shake a stick at and a highlight of the Eccleston era (Rob Shearman's "Dalek") being commented upon, the Three Who Rule blather on for an hour and a half about the happenings in the Who world for the past week (including a discussion on new companion Karen Gillan), and touch on the introduction of a Classic Series icon to NuWho. All this and the latest on Ian Levine and Lizo Mzimba at your fingertips on Radio Free Skaro!Check out the show notes on www.radiofreeskaro.com.

In a desperate bid to find someone who could give an unequivocal thumbs up to Series 1 tome World War Three, the RFS gang numbered four (Warren, Steven, Chris, and Katrina) for one of the few times in history to record a commentary for the episode. The result? No thumbs up were given, but neither were there definite thumbs down, mostly because the hosts were more encumbered in dealing with various innuendos, intended or otherwise.

With the regular hosts of Radio Free Skaro jumping ship left and right in order to avoid commentating on perceived Series One low point Aliens of London, it was left to Steven, Katrina, and, at the last minute, Chris to try and find something worthy to talk about for the Slitheen's debut appearance in Doctor Who lore. They succeeded in not going too terribly off topic, although the intrusion of the subtitle track from the 1964 classic series story Marco Polo didn't help. Have a listen for yourselves!

"The Unquiet Dead" was the episode next in line for commentary, but the intrepid investigations of the Three Who Rule have discovered a hidden message within this tale of Dickens, aliens, and reanimated corpses. Yes, it seems Russel T. Davies sees fit to force his sick preferences for matter in neither solid or liquid but gaseous(!) form down the throats of the public. Well, not on our watch, dear listener. What's next, marriage between a glass of water and a pineapple? The mind boggles.

HiSciFi, a weekly science fiction radio show that broadcasts out of Vancouver's Simon Fraser University on CJSF Radio, recently sat down to interview Radio Free Skaro's own Warren Frey about all things Doctor Who, as well as chat a little bit about this very podcast. Listen as Warren defends Peter Davison, exhumes William Hartnell (only to bury him again), and generally nerds it up with the radio hosts for nigh on 45 minutes.

There was no, repeat no news this week, save a couple of tidbit that were quite spoilery and best left to rot unless confirmed correct. Added to that was RFS dilettante "The Third Guy" was off at an event in Manchester called "Who at the Fab Cafe" (sounds made up). But while Chris had an imaginary good time, it was up to Steven, Warren and Katrina to pick up the slack and give their thoughts and opinions on "The End of the World".

As Radio Free Skaro celebrates the all important milestone of their 138th episode, they take some time out for this Wednesday Cutaway to sit around the fireplace, dig into their mailbag, and, for the first time ever,  answer about half of the 22 comments and emails that the Three Who Rule have received since starting up this podcast nigh on three years ago. Will your comment from two years ago now finally be answered? Listen and find out!

With a gulf of unrealistic (and unwelcome) lack of Doctor Who stretching far over the (event) horizon, The Three Who Rule took it upon themselves to deploy their deadliest weapon: the commentary. Specifically, a look at the first series of New Who, starting with Rose. Fantastic!

The Three Who Rule deal with a dearth of real news the best way they know how,: with inane chatter involving the likes of superfan Ian Levine and his escapades on Twitter, Warren's continuing animosity toward the McCoy era and coming to grips with our loving hatred of other Doctor Who podcasts all while dealing with technical issues that forced actual editing. Come join the fun!

This week's Radio Free Skaro Wednesday Cutaway special is so special that it's been elevated to a new category altogether - a Wednesday Episode! With an official number and everything! It's elevated status is on account of the return of Neil Perryman, of the TachyonTV Perrymans, as an extra special guest. We speak with him about his impending climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro, as well as the recent returns of Doctor Who and Red Dwarf. And if you listen really carefully you might even hear when the next TachyonTV podcast is due...