Doctor Who: The Metebelis 2

The second Paul McGann Big Finish story, "Sword of Orion", is the focus of this week's podcast. Ben and David examine this early Nick Briggs story in both its presentations: the aforementioned 2001 Big Finish production and the earlier Audio Visuals production featuring Briggs, himself as the Doctor. What happens when "Aliens" is mixed with "The Long Good Friday" and seasoned with a liberal dose of Cyber history and callbacks? How does the introduction of a companion, Charley Pollard, impact the original script? Thoughts on these questions and more in this week's episode. Opening and closing music from the "Sword of Orion" Big Finish soundtrack, composed by Nick Briggs.

Ben and David return to look at Tom Baker cliffhangers during the time of producers Hinchcilffe and Williams. What makes a stonkin' good cliffhanger of this era and do Ben and David's picks tell us more about them than the show itself? The lads also touch upon the idea of the Doctor Who multiverse, the purpose and difference between cliffhangers and wrapping up a story, and what would Moffat do differently. Opening music is an excerpt from "Escape and Recapture" by Geoffrey Burgon from "The Seeds of Doom" score and closing music is the 1970s Doctor Who theme realized by Delia Derbyshire and composed by Ron Grainer.

Once again Ben and David discuss cliffhangers and this time they delve into the wonderful Jon Pertwee era. How is it that Mac Hulke can reuse the same cliffhanger four times in a row? What is it about lava that is so scary? Are Silurians or Sea Devils more suspensful? Does David have a fear of Autons? Despite getting confused one or two times on where they were in their count, the lads had an thoughly enjoyable talk about the show in the early 1970s. Opening music is by Cary Blyton from "Doctor Who and the Silurians" soundtrack and closing music is by Malcom Clarke from "The Sea Devils" soundtrack.

Ben and David chat about their top cliffhangers from the Patrick Troughton era. Ben kept his choices to extant or animated episodes, but David ventured briefly into missing classics. What trout-hangers do the lads think are the best of Second Doctor's time in the TARDIS? Only one way to find out! Opening music is "Muzak" from "Time in Advance" by John Baker from "The Invasion". Closing music is the famous "Space Adventure, Part 2" by Martin Slavin and used in many 1960s stories.

Ben and David talk about their top five cliffhangers from the William Hartnell era and why the cliffhanger is such an important part of Doctor Who. But, before they delve back in time the lads discuss the new Target book covers illustrated by Anthony Dry and the new programme logo and the design of its promo video that was released in the past week or so. Opening music is "The Missing TARDIS" by Tristram Cary. Closing music is "Machinery in Tardis Goes Wild" by Brian Hodgson.

This week we travel back in time 17 years to discuss the first Paul McGann story from Big Finish: "Storm Warning". With the TV movie being a one-off, McGann's audio work is the majority of his Doctor's adventures. Ben and David discuss Big Finish and the early days of Doctor Who audio adventures. What works in the story set aboard Great Britain's doomed airship and what misses the mark? Only one way to find out... Opening music is "Aboard the R101" and closing music is "Charley Joins the Doctor". Both pieces are from Alistair Lock's score for "Storm Warning".

Ben and David indulge in a hour-long conversation about collecting Doctor Who merchandise from the Target novelisations and Weetabix cards to VHS tapes and DVDs, and beyond. Does being a fan also make a person a collector? Are people still collecting as we move toward an on-demand, streaming fandom? What would Ben collect if money was no object? Are collections still a key part of Doctor Who fandom or is it only something tired old fanboys find interesting? Opening and closing music is from Dudley Simpson's score to "The Sun Makers".

They're booted and blue-suited! Davies and Moffat each had their own unique take on the potato-headed clone warriors in 21st century Who. Ben and David try to remember back to their return in 2008 in both Doctor Who and Sarah Jane Adventures, and then discuss Strax, the "comedy" Sontaran of the Paternoster Gang, of whose apperances tended to run together for the lads. Opening music is from Murray Gold's score of "The Sontaran Strategem". Closing music is "Thomas, Thomas" from "The Crimson Horror", which is also by Gold.

From the first appearance of the original spud warrior in Norman England through to the "freakishly tall" Sontaran duo in Seville, Spain, Ben and David talk about Sontarans in classic Doctor Who. What make them good monsters for children? When do they work and when do they fall, ahem, short? All this in more in this week's episode. Opening music is from "The Invasion of Time" score by Dudley Simpson. Closing music is from "The Two Doctors" score by Peter Howell.

Back in 1981, then-Doctor Who producer John Nathan-Turner had a season of repeats called "The Five Faces of Doctor Who" that launched Peter Davison as fifth Doctor. So in this podcast, Ben and David suggest incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall have a summer season of the thirteen faces of Doctor Who to help launch Jodie Whittaker as the new Doctor, and being ever so helpful, they each have compiled a list of which thirteen stories to rebroadcast. Opening music is "The Axons Approach" by Brian Hodgson. Closing music is "The Mad Man in a Box" by Murray Gold.

With the broadcast of the 2017 Doctor Who Christmas special, the Capaldi era sadly has come to an end. Ben and David discuss the Moffat swan song and look forward to what may be coming as Jodie Whittaker takes over as the Doctor! Opening music is by OK Go, "Here It Goes Again". Closing music is by Murray Gold, "I am the Doctor". At the bitter end is a brief excerpt from "Toast of London". Don't say you were not warned!

Ben and David (me and not me) are making some contingency plans in case new showrunner Chris Chibnall is abducted by the time scoop. What dream team, or A-Team, would each Metebeli assemble together from the history of the programme to launch Jodi Whittaker as the new Doctor Who? Only one way to find out! Opening music is "Monster on the Moor" composed by Geoffrey Burgon from "The Terror of the Zygon" score and closing music is from Cary Blyton's score for "Death to the Daleks". (Does anyone know why Exxilons chant in Latin?)

This is Costume Smackdown! The premise is simple both Ben and David each pick five costumes, one from the Moffat-era, RTD-era, JNT-era, 1970s, and 1960s and then challenge the other to defend the costume as it fits within Doctor Who. What fashion faux pas will each Metebeli foist off on the other? Only one way to find out... Listen! Closing music is an excerpt from Dudley Simpson's score from "The Frontier in Space".

After nearly four months of mostly ignoring Doctor Who related news while the podcast spent time in the late 1970s, Ben and David are wrenched back to the here and now as they talk about the upcoming Christmas special, Whittaker's costume, the new Shada, BBC studios, shakedown at DWM, nostalgia, and more. Opening and closing music is from Paddy Kingsland's score for "Logopolis" with pieces featuring scenes with the Watcher.

February 1978, and the season of Doctor Who is coming to a close. A media-savvy 12 year-old, Ben knows enough about his favourite show to have finally cracked the code. A season of Doctor Who always concludes with a six-part tale... but that six parter is always made up of 2 parts and then another 4 parts. Or is it the other way around? When would the other shoe drop? This is a flashback Metebelis 2 podcast on The Invasion of Time. The opening song is Althea & Donna 1978 UK hit from "Uptown Top Ranking" and closing music is excerpts from Dudley Simpson's score for The Invasion of Time.

It's May 1982 and David has just informed his mom that they're out of tinfoil since he used up an entire roll of it to clad his life-sized K9 model that he built from cardboard boxes. Would she understand why they needed to do a grocery store right now so he could complete his own tin dog to be just like Doctor Who? This is a flashback Metebelis 2 podcast on Underworld. The opening song is George Clinton's solo R&B hit from 1982 "Atomic Dog" and closing music is excerpts from Dudley Simpson's score for Underworld.

When Saturday comes, it's a new Doctor Who. But the trailers are worryingly monster-free. Even though the story seems to be set on Pluto (at that time young Ben's favourite planet), how could a story succeed with no monsters? And with that annoying robot dog too. It was with trepidation that, as the football scores faded away, that Ben turned to watch Doctor Who. This is a flashback Metebelis 2 podcast on The Sun Makers. The opening song is Status Quo’s 1977 hit "Rockin' All Over The World" and closing music is from Dudley Simpson's score for The Sun Makers.

It's nearly 5 o'clock on Friday, April 23, 1982 and David has a decision to make. With the weekend fast approaching, homework for sixth grade could wait, but could he put off going over to his friend's house to play the new Pac-Man game on his neighbor's Atari 2600 before dinner? Or, should he stay home and watch the new adventure of Doctor Who starting in 10 minutes. Pac-Man or Doctor Who? Decisions, decisions, decisions... This is a flashback Metebelis 2 podcast on Image of the Fendahl. Opening music is The Cars 1982 single "Think it Over". Closing music is an excerpt from the Image of the Fendahl score composed by Dudley Simpson.

From the clips shown on Tomorrow's World, 12-year-old Ben was already a firm fan of the soon-to-released movie Star Wars. So he was deeply apprehensive of the outer space scenes in first part of the new story. Doctor Who in space? Whatever next; how could his favourite TV show compete with his new favourite movie? This is a flashback Metebelis 2 podcast on The Invisible Enemy. Opening music is The Stranglers' 1977 hit "No More Heroes". Closing music is an excerpt from the score from Part 2 of The Invisible Enemy composed by Dudley Simpson.

It’s the new series of Doctor Who! Is there any more joyous time for a young lad? 11 year-old Ben was already a firm fan of lighthouses, thanks to Blue Peter and The Goodies, so was excited to see what the Doctor and now new favourite companion Leela would find. This is a flashback Metebelis 2 podcast on Horror of Fang Rock. Opening music is "As You Please" by Raymond LeFevre, which was the theme for Pebble Mill at One. Closing music is excerpts from the Fang Rock score composed by Dudley Simpson.