Doctor Who: The Metebelis 2

What do the Metebelis Two make of the last classic Who story ever to be recorded? Is Ghost Light the complex, bewildering puzzle that received fan wisdom would have it, or is it just a rewrite and an episode short of brilliance? The Two speculate on why Nimrod, the Neanderthal butler, could have been a great companion for the Doctor and how dramatising some flashbacks for Ace could strengthen the story's narrative. While David questions how scientifically accurate Marc Platt's explanation of evolution is, Ben suggests the story is more about the misinterpretation of evolutionary theory, or as he calls it the 'fun' type of evolution, than real science. Plus he is quick and ready with plenty of interesting infotext factoids. Toward the end, the Two suggest a visit to Hans Geiger around 1908 would make for a nifty historical episode. Music this episode was composed by Mark Ayres for Ghost Light.

There will be no podcast today! Heh, hardly! This week the Metebelis Two review Battlefield, the season opener in the last season of classic Who. Once again Ben Aaronovitch does as pastiche of the Pertwee era inspired by Camelot 3000. He introduces as mysterious scabbard that, unlike Chekhov's gun, never returns after the first part. This is the story where the Brig was supposed to die. Instead, director Michael Kerrigan nearly kills Sophie Aldred (and the production crew) instead! Somehow everyone manages to survive, including the Brig, who by doing so undoes much of the point of having Nick Courtney return to the role. Unless, of course, that was to flit about in a helicopter. So instead we discuss speaking Czechoslovakian to how scenes with padded out with extended sequences of maniacal laughter and quoting Tennyson. Excalibur! Opening and closing music is by Keff McCulloch from his score to Battlefield with a little help from Dead or Alive.

The Metebelis Two find themselves on the planet Segonax to visit the Psychic Circus. A wide ranging discussion this week on interstellar junk mail, clowns in hearsts, lucking out with a big tent, Lovejoy, werefoxes, fandom, the Doctor's character, and more! Opening and closing music is by Mark Ayers from his score for The Greatest Show in the Galaxy.

It's a Metebelis Twofer this week! First up, Ben and David review the new animation of The Macra Terror and discuss what it means now that Macra exist. The Two the release suitable for ming-mongs of all tastes. The second half is a podcast that was going to be the ol' Metebelis look at The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, which would have been part of our Ace retrospective, but David derailed Ben from the get-go and instead they spent their time talking about Brexit and the future of Doctor Who. So, instead of putting out the podcast with not much Doctor Who talk on it, we're adding it as a bonus. Listen to it or give it a skip -- totally up to you! Opening and closing/intermission music is by Brian Hodgson from the Macra soundtrack. Brexit music is from the 1986 single from Genesis, "Land of Confusion."

In this episode, Ben and David try to sort out the mess that is Silver Nemesis. In what seemingly has become a Metebelis Two tradition, the two try to pitch story alternatives to improve upon this 25th anniversary story. This is story is a grab bag of a bit of everything from straight-blowing Jazz to black magic to the boys of Brazil to mysterious chess games to Cybermen to aging starlets, but what it is not is coherent. Ace is great though! Opening music is the tail end of "No Greater Love" and closing music is the beginning of "Just You, Just Me" from Courtney Pine's excellent 1989 LP "The Vision's Tale."

Ben and David talk about Scratchman! It has been over forty years since Tom Baker and Ian Marter had lunch in the pub and came up with the idea for a Doctor Who movie in which our hero would battle the Devil. Does the novel based on these boozy mid-1970s ideas that Tom wrote with James Goss hold up? How does it compare to what has been previously published about the script? Listen in as David discusses listening to Tom read his story and compare notes with Ben who read it himself off the printed page. Opening music is from Simon Power's sound design for the Scratchman audio book. Closing music is from the Grateful Dead's "Friend of the Devil."

Ben and David are glad to visit Terra Alpha to see the Candyman. Will happiness prevail? Ben is reminded of the many student plays he saw during the 1980s with minimalist sets, elaborate costumes, and hints of Kafka mixed with a rather subtly riff on Thatcher in this 1988 story. David, for his part, can barely remember watching this in 1990 and finds in this rewatch the story is better than the little he could recall and could potentially is due for a remake. Opening and closing music is from Dominic Glynn's score for The Happiness Patrol.

In this flashback podcast, the Metebelis Two discuss Ace's second story, Remembrance of the Daleks. From a strong B-movie opening to crane lowering Dalek shuttle crafts into the courtyard of Coal Hill School to the wobbly Dalek battle in the streets of London, Ben and David share their thoughts on this classic McCoy story from 1988 set in London, 1963. Spoiler though, Ben is firmly in the Renegade Dalek camp and shares is disgust with the trashy white and gold Imperial Daleks. David shares his thought about the Cartmel Master Plan and how this story works within the history of the show in this 25th anniversary season. Opening and closing music is from Keff McCulloch's score to this story.

A tired Ben and David recount and reflect on their first GallifreyOne experience. Recorded Sunday night in a room at the convention hotel a few hours after the closing ceremony. Opening music is "Kerblam" and closing music is "Made a New Friend", both composed by Segun Akinola for Series 11 of Doctor Who.

This week the Metebelis Two are a bit distracted by our upcoming trip to Los Angeles for Gallifrey One 30, so Ben and David discuss the convention, the panels they're on, and what they hope to see. Plus, they talk about their exclusive, collectable blue "Metebelis Two" ribbons. Opening music from "Escape and Recapture" by Geoffrey Burgon from the "Seeds of Doom" soundtrack. Closing music is "This Time Tomorrow" a song released in 1970 by the Kinks.

So Dragonfire: Ace's debut story with more Glitz action then you thought possible. Ben and David share their thoughts about Ian Brigg's first Doctor Who story and explain what worked for them and what didn't. Poor Mel. We hardly knew you. Is Doctor Who: The Unfolding Text the best book to give a new writer for the show? And why would an ice vampire open a frozen food store on a moon he was exiled upon? Why are the crystals in the ice world set better than those in the series 11 console room? And does Syl's ice acting work if everyone else in the cast has traction boots on? All-in-all a rather inauspicious start to one of the programme's most popular companions... Ace! Opening music from T'Pau's 1987 single, "China In Your Hand". Closing music is from Dominic Glynn's score for Dragonfire.

If you can remember the 1980s, you weren’t really there... and this week Ben and David try to prove they really were part of the 1980s. Ben and David try to recall memories of Doctor Who through the JN-T era when they were busy with their young adult lives and not so interested in their favourite show. Is there a connection between tele-fantasy and sci-fi? Is playing Dungeons & Dragons a prerequisite for being in 1980s Doctor Who fandom? Was BBC Controller Michael Grade's decision to cancel, then put the show on hiatus a good thing? Did he fire the right man? And, do the Two even remember the hiatus happening or the casting of McCoy and Aldred as the last Doctor-companion duo of the programme's original run? Opening is from The Trial of the Time Lord: The Mysterious Planet score and closing music is from Dragonfire score, both composed by Dominic Glynn.

A bit introspective this week as Ben and David talk about watching Doctor Who during times when the show is not much to their liking. Prompted by Ben finally purchasing the DVD for Time and the Rani and a listener asking why do we still watch if Series 11 wasn't much to our liking? Ben takes a paternalistic view of Who and David reflects on what first got him hooked on Who during Tom Baker's run on PBS, such as cliffhangers and the location filming. What looked exotic and otherworldly for David growing up in the Midwest United States was the comforting and familiar for Ben growing up in Britain. We talk about the new Scratchman book and how it might be a bit of a car crash, if articles in DWM are any indication, but then we are the target demographic for such a book and its nice that something other than senior housing is being prepared for men of a certain age. Plus discussion on what's to come in upcoming weeks on M2P. Opening and closing music is by Keff McCulloch from his score for Time and the Rani.

Ben and David conclude that Resolution was the true finale to series 11. Great to watch on News Year Day, but the wheels begin to fall off the bus upon subsequent viewings. Great one-off design on a Dalek. Dalek-controlled Lin also gets high marks from the lads. Discussion on moving from a crowded TARDIS to the overflowing TARDIS. Is Chibnall writing the Doctor as a 'scold'? More horror about the console room set and the moving crystals, but praise for the funny looking Victorian sewers. David explains that he's been "trainspotting" Sheffield architecture. And why have random troops at the expense of Brexiting UNIT? What are the magical powers of Chekhov's microwave? Plus the Metebelis Two's usual what-ifs and could'ves story notes on how to expand the story and fill the plot holes. Opening is from Resolution soundtrack. Closing music is "Sonic Screwdriver" by Segun Akinola from series 11.

A special Christmas episode from the Metebelis Two: a Christmas Smackdown! Yes, that's right, Ben and David have to defend and explain some questionable choices in past Doctor Who Christmas specials. Much fun and merriment. Closing music is from Kylie Minogue, "Christmas Isn't Christmas Till You Get Here".

Well it's the 100th episode for the Metebelis Two and Ben and David are not in a celebratory mood. The lads are pretty disappointed by the series 11 finale and wonder what happens next? Opening music is "Barnacle Bill" composed by Ashworth Hope, which was the original theme to Blue Peter. Closing music is "Thirteen" by Segun Akinola.

This week, Ben and David discuss "It Takes You Away" and try to reconcile Hanne's abusive home with story of the Solitract universe. What was the point of the antizone? Could this have been better told without Norway? Is the show afraid of having a sexual woman Doctor? And is it a good idea to take 2019 off from producing new stories? The lads seem to struggle with the episode and the state of show nearing the end of 2018. All this plus Ben shares news that he finally has completed his classic Who DVD collection and throws the podcast open to doing requests, much to David's surprise. Opening music is from Hanne's favorite band, Arctic Monkeys' hit "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High" and closing music is a deep cut from the Blue Öyster Cult, "Take Me Away" for hopefully obvious reasons.

Alan Cumming was brilliant as King James and the Metebelis Two want, nay demand his return in in a Gunpowder plot drama to open series 12 and then a 3-part epic finale about the commissioning of the King James' English translation of the Bible. Beyond that, it was great seeing the Doctor have to address now being a woman, Ben kvetches about historical inaccurtaces, and David wonders if they could not afford to hire horses, should they have used coconuts instead? Opening music is from Segun Akinola's score from The Witchfinders as arranged by Paul Crispino, Jr. Closing music is Alan Cumming singing a Sondheim parody song, "No One Is Alive When I'm Around."

So what did the Metebelis Two think about a story about the biggest retailer in the galaxy? David asks does everyone pop bubble wrap? Ben wonders if the Doctor really believes that systems don't kill, people do. Discussion about if Chibnall's 'no new monsters promise' is hurting the storytelling and did McTighe's message get lost somewhere between script and production? Opening is excepts from The Big Bang and Kerblam! Closing music is from HyunA's 2011 hit, "Bubble Pop!"

Conversation about witnessing history and how setting stories in a recent historical period shapes the narrative.Ben and David discuss witnessing history and the thematic elements of Vinay Patel's story. This was billed as Yaz story, but the Metebelis two think this was Graham's best showing of the season to date. David especially liked Bradley Walsh's reading of "all we can strive to be is: good men". Ben explains that what we're asked as an audience to think about has changed quite a bit from the Moffat years. Opening and closing music this week is from Segun Akinola's score for "The Demons of Punjab".