Doctor Who: The Metebelis 2

Ben and Tsuranga, er David, meet the Pting. David thought the "Conundrum" episode was an improvement over last week, but Ben found it a bit dull. Was the Pting really Beep the Meep from DWM comics, Nibbler from Futurama, Stich without Lilo, or maybe just Gremlin? Maybe it should have been called the Chb'nall? Maybe this was Star Trek or some other generic sci-fi show. Character moments seemed to be bit of a miss this week too. The two wonder if Chibnall really did have much of a plan for series 11? Opening music is from the 1957 hit by the Edsels, "Rama Lama Ding Dong". Closing comedy is from the "Silly Vicar" Monty Python sketch and closing music is "Polepole" by Segun Akinola from "Expedition Volcano".

From the get-go, the Metebelis two veer off on tangents in their discussion of Series 11, episode 4: The Spiders of Sheffield. Ben and David think that the great character moments needed a bit more of plot to support them. And, were the spiders good or evil in this story? They speculate on the story's loose ends: such as Kevin and Frankie, the wee beastie in Anna's flat, and Robertson? Is Chibnall pulling his punches? The lads do their very best grumpy old men impressions throughout this podcast, so don't say you weren't warned. Opening music is from Segun Akinola's score and the closing is the last bit of the episode.

The Metebelis Two discuss the first trip back in time for the Doctor Who in series 11. How would Chibnall and Blackman introduce Rosa Parks to the Doctor and her friends? Ben and David discuss 1955 Montgomery, Alabama and how the time team keeps history on track and delight in Ryan's fanboy reaction to civil rights heroes. Also speculation of suitcases, racists of the future, the return of Artron energy, and next week's return to Sheffield. Opening and closing music is from Segun Akinola's score.

So the time team is on a death planet called Desolation populated with flesh-eating microbes, sniper-bots, and prophetic death scarves, but not much death… at least compared to last week. With Series 11 now underway, what do Ben and David make of the latest Dungeons & Dragons module from Chibnall? Also the lads weigh in on the new credits, the appearance of mysterious blue ghost monument, and wonder what is in store for the Doctor next week. Opening music is an isolated except of Segun Akinola's Doctor Who theme and the closing music is from "The Ghost Monument" soundtrack score.

Ben and David share their thoughts on Jodie Whittaker's debut story as Doctor Who and comment on her take as our favourite Time Lord and Lady. Then the Two discuss the Doctor's new friends, Sheffield landmarks, the new Chibnall era and wonder why kababs have salad. Opening music is from Segun Akinola's score for The Woman Who Fell to Earth (the bit where the Doctor first appears) and closing music is Akinola's take on the Who theme.

Sneaking in right before the Series 11 debut, Ben and David have their preview for the new series featuring Jodie Whittaker and Sheffield. The lads talk about the new writers based on the little they know about their past works and then examine the two series 11 trailers... frame-by-frame. Lots of wild speculation and idle predictions about what the new series will have in store for Doctor Who fandom. Opening music is a 1960s Radio Sheffield theme by David Cain of the BCC Radiophonic Workshop. Closing music is an excerpt from Matt Berry's just released Acid Jazz rendition of our favourite theme.

In the countdown to Series 11, Ben and David discuss the Doctor's companions and how seeing them as friends, as new showrunner Chris Chibnall calls them works with earlier companions. This is a bonus double podcast this week. First half is a nice discussion on friendship. The second half is a reverse chronological look at the past companions and categorizing them as friend, companion, assistant, pupil, or ward. In our own timey-wimey way, the second half was recorded before the first half. Opening music "K9 on a Mission" and closing music "Lost in the TARDIS" is by Paddy Kingsland. Intermission music is an excerpt from "Friends" by Flight of the Conchords and along the way we have an except from an Action Room parody skit, "Dr. What". Jam packed this week with Metebelis Two goodness. Enjoy.

The Metebelis Two are on location at Ben's Minnesota home where they are joined by Amanda for an exclusive look at a real Doctor Who pinball machine. Also visiting the lads this week is Eliot, who's there to chat about recentish Doctor Who related news and play some pinball. During the news, the lads pay tribute to the great Jacqueline Pearce. Plus a brief interview snippet with her talking about Steven Pacey, the actor who played Tarrant in Blake's 7. Opening music is excerpted from the 12 inch remix of "Pinball Cha Cha" by Yello and closing music is the 1954 hit "Pin Ball Boogie" sung by Red Foley.

After a brief weather report, Ben and David concluded their survey of Silurians and Sea Devils from the original series featuring Sea Devil fashion, Silurian beaks, and praise for Ingrid Pitt. Ben shares with a skeptical David his unified Atlantis theory and how it could "improve" Warriors of the Deep. Not to be outdone, David wonders if the Silurians are doomed to always the same story? Opening and closing music is from "The Sea Devils" soundtrack by Malcolm Clarke, plus a bit from Deep Purple in Oslo 1987.

Podcasting this week from the smoky skies of the US Pacific Northwest, in this episode Ben and David chat about modern Silurians and their impact on them as original series fans. They love Jordu Schell's original Silurian redesign, but sadly for them it wasn't used. Then Ben tells David about RTD's "A Very British Scandal". They share a chuckle at Jovanka Airlines, and look forward to series 19 coming out on Blu Ray this November. Opening and closing music is "The Silurians" by Murray Gold.

The lads take a break from their summer holiday and busy work schedules to briefly chat about the lost opportunity of a Doctor Who / The Good Life cross-over some time in the mid 1970s and then David learns about the latest acquisition in Ben's Who collection. Opening music is the theme to "The Good Life" by Burt Rhodes. Closing music is from the soundtrack to "Robots of Death" composed by Dudley Simpson.

It has been terribly hot in the northern hemisphere, so Ben and David have their quick picks of Who stories to beat the heat. But, first how could they not comment on the new teaser for series 11 that dropped after the football final? Join the lads as they discuss recent Who news and then find out which stories to watch to leave you "cold". Opening music is "The Galactic Weed" by Geoffrey Burgon. Closing music is the opening of "The Ice Warriors" by Dudley Simpson.

Ben and David are excited to hear the music of Segun Akinola, the new composer for Doctor Who! Akinola will be scoring the incidental music for Series 11 and putting his mark on the show's theme song. So, this week the Metebelis Two listen to song excerpts from Akinola's SoundClound page and speculate what type of music he will bring. Opening with "Mount Nyiragongo" from the BBC documentary series "Expedition Volcano", the lads also listen to excerpts entitled "Dakika", and "Ororo". They also listen to music from "The Human Body", including "DNA", "Microglia", "Amorph", and "Codon". Then sample a couple of tracks from the BBC's "Black and British" including "David's Theme" and "Dalu". Finally they delve deeper into Akinola's back catalog with excerpts from "Following the Trail", "Abandoned", "Evil Knight", and "Nothing Left". This week's pod is a musical feast! Closing music is "Keshokutwa" also from Akinola's score for "Expedition Volcano".

Ben and David meet in person for the first time in Metebelis 2 podcast recording history to celebrate their second anniversary of podcasting. Join the unlikely lads as they have a Who chat with random emergency questions supplied by their listener. Opening sting is from the score for Planet of the Spider, composed by Dudley Simpson. Closing music is Mysteries by Don Harper.

The Metebelis two review Genesis of the Daleks on the big silver screen. How did the cut down omnibus version not seen since 1975 fare on when projected to make Tom Baker appear 10 feet tall? What did the lads miss and what, if anything, was improved? And why did seeing Tom's interview make them a bit said. Also, in the battle of for the old man crown, who has the more antiquated television set-up. Opening music is from Dudley Simpson's score for Genesis of the Daleks and closing music is Heathcliff Blair's later rendition of the score.

In this episode, the Metebelis 2 continue their examination of Big Finish's Paul McGann stories with a listen to Paul Magr's "The Stones of Venice". What will the lads think of their time in 23rd century Venice in the Magrsverse? How has this story held up since its release in 2001? Opening music is from the Rolling Stone's 1974 song, "Time Waits For No One". Closing music is from Russell Stone's score of "The Stones of Venice".

The Metebelis 2 wrap-up their exploration of Doctor Who cliffhangers through the various years with a look at those from the Moffat-era. What "Moffhangers" did each of the lads pick as their top five? Do Moffat cliffhangers herald back to earlier eras? Would the two rather talk about Monty Python than the Moffat years? Give a listen to find out. Opening is an excerpt of an interview with Graham Chapman, followed by Murray Gold's music from "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship". Closing Music is from Gold's amazing score for "Heaven Sent".

This week, the Metebelis 2 pay homage to Graham Strong, the man behind the "crystal clear" recordings of mid-1960s Doctor Who. As fans we owe a great debt to him and his hobby of recording and archiving our favourite television show. Despite neither of us ever meeting him, we wanted to pay our respects and talk about the legacy of his and others' off-the-air recordings from the sixties. We included a few excerpts of interviews with Strong from the BBC and Fantom Films, so we could hear his perspective directly. Opening music is "Mr. Oak and Mr. Quill" composed by Dudley Simpson for Fury from the Deep and closing music is the "Propaganda Sleep Machine" by Brian Hodgson from The Macra Terror. Both stories were recorded by Strong on broadcast.

We look back at the cliffhangers of the Russell Tiberius Davies era. With our favourite show returning to BBC1 in 2005, what would become of our beloved cliffhangers? Would RTD be able to keep cliffhangers intact with the change to a 45 minute, complete story format? Of course he did! Ben and David discuss the genius of RTD and how cliffhangers evolved to work in the revived era. What picks did the lads make as their top 'hangers'? Please give a listen! Opening music is an excerpt "I'm Coming to Get You" and closing music is from "The Doctor Forever", both by the incomparable Murray Gold.

Ahh the 1980s... Ben and David pick five cliffhangers each that are the best, or at least representative of the John Nathan-Turner era of Doctor Who. From continuity errors from being away at school to the pitiful telephone calls of a fanboy wondering when the Romana and K9 in E-Space series was going to start, the Metebelis 2 lads explore j'tangers. Opening music is an excerpt from the "Earthshock" score by Malcom Clarke and closing music is an excerpt from the "Frontios" score by Paddy Kingsland.