Doctor Who: Toby Hadoke’s Time Travels

It's international Podcast like a Pirate day, because Captain Trask is making his presence known as episode 2 of The Highlanders demands your attention, thanks to DWM Deputy Editor Peter Ware. He has chosen this for many reasons, but can host Toby Hadoke guess what his favourite thing about this instalment is? He'd better not think too hard though, it might give him a headache. 

One of the loveliest, cheeriest people from the Doctor Who universe has chosen the latest story to be scrutinised for Happy Times and Places. But behind that smile is a machiavellian mischief maker, as instead of choosing something straightforward he has picked one of the least talked about Doctor Who stories of all time. So join host Toby Hadoke and his guest, Deputy Editor of Doctor Who Magazine...

Well, if you enjoyed the trip to Ice World in which Toby and guest Andrew Cartmel discussed the 150th Doctor Who story Dragonfire (Happy Times and Places episodes 17.1 - 17.3), then you'll love this bit of bonus content. That fine actor Edward Peel chats about playing the story's villain Kane, and describes the highlights of his 55 year career as a busy actor in everything from RSC stage productio...

Something to listen to while you browse the freezer section immediately after a deadly massacre - and it's informed commentary as special guest Andrew Cartmel was there at the time. He has recently visited Svartos again in preparation for the Season 24 Blu-ray set, released this week, and he enjoyed it very much. Will he and your host Toby Hadoke agree on the best things about the 150th Doctor Who...

The first of these podcasts to feature a guest who worked on the episodes in question, set sail for Svartos as your host Toby Hadoke and Doctor Who script editor discuss the semiotic thickness of Dragonfire's text, and see if they can agree about the best things in the story. Hopefully this will whet your appetite for the Blu-ray release of Dragonfire, which is scheduled for today. So pop this on...

A special occasion for a story that is itself a special occasion. The 150th Doctor Who story, also out on Blu-Ray this month, is the occasion of our first ever guest who actually worked on the episodes being eulogised. Does being in the thick of the action on Ice World give our illustrious contributor a different perspective from our host, Toby Hadoke, or do their Happy Times and Places share the...

Former Doctor Who script editor, former editor of Doctor Who Magazine, and ever present writer, director, actor, and novelist Gary Russell chooses his final two favourite aspects of The Robots of Death this time, bringing him to a Famous Five of Favourite Things. It's Murder on the Sandminer Express as this series high point comes to an end: there's no way this one will give you Robots-phobia.

You heard a cry... of delight. Well, sorry if you're not a fan of The Robots of Deaths because this is a bit of a love in. From Toos' hand injury to Taren Capel's inability to disguise himself from the viewer, there is much to talk about here, but guest Gary Russell (former Doctor Who script editor amongst much else) and host Toby Hadoke are Super Voc-al about the extent to which they enjoy pretty...

Some of the wittiest banter ever - no, not between host Toby Hadoke and special guest, Renaissance man  Gary Russell (who has written, acted, scripted edited, novelised ... in fact there is nothing he hasn't done for Doctor Who). No, writer Chris Boucher makes the dialogue and characters sing but everyone is on form this week so it's a case of what, or who to choose... script, direction, acting, d...

There's nothing Gary Russell hasn't done - he's acted (not in Doctor Who, bar Big Finish, but he was Dick in The Famous Five), written, directed, edited, script edited, novelised ... the lot. And now, lucky for us, he is a guest on Happy Times and Places, and he has chosen one of the most celebrated Doctor Who stories of all time. There's an embarrassment of riches, but can your host Toby Hadoke s...

All fans of a certain age will identify with this one, though of course, there are many fans these days who aren't of a certain age. Which is great. Unless you're a fan of a certain age, in which case it is terrifying. As the years fly by then, your host Toby Hadoke throws in a joke or two. But it's a personal and selective history of discovering Doctor Who through the written word - and the writt...

This story is a strange old thing - and it's all about mental health in a funny short of way. So watching it is an odd experience as we are all locked away in our own boxes, prey to those pesky serpents that manifest themselves in the dark places of our insides. Or maybe it's just the one with the bad snake. Who knows? It's an odd old ramble this podcast, but then it's an odd story. Brilliant, but...

Well, it's not the most straightforward of Doctor Who episodes, this. There's not really anything like much of this in the rest of Doctor Who's canon. So which part of it will be selected by special guest - and creator of The Bay, writer on Being Human - Daragh Carville. He is frankly spoilt for choice, but he had better choose quickly, because time is running out.... Wheel turns...

You're watching a man in a box watching people in a box giving a man a box. The man on the box who gets the box has his mind wiped of all nonsense, but what about the man in the box that you are watching? Will he - your host, Toby Hadoke - give you wisdom and clarity*? Anyway, this is not the most straightforward of stories but it has been nominated by a very clever and very successful writer so h...

Well now, The Bay on ITV has been quite the hit, a ratings busting success that has ensured itself a commission for a third run. And guess what? Its writer and creator Daragh Carville is one of us - he is not one of the Not We. So appropriately he has chosen this beguiling tale of Apples (not the computers), Snakes (not the game), and actors from The Bill (yes, the police series). It's a very spec...

The Moffat era episode and indeed the first Matt Smith episode to be featured in happy Times and Places, and it is right back to the beginning. So let's see what we can find out about Patrick Moore, Pingu, and Ponds as the TARDIS lands us in Leadworth where there is alien activity afoot and more than that, a completely new cast and production team. Oh, and Cully from the Dominators.

Well, not so much Series Two as The Next Bunch. There's no hiatus, but as you've had a big release already this week this one is just a snippet, with some previews of what's coming up (including a selection of the amazing special guests on Happy Times and Places) and a bit of insight into what exclusive material is available to Patrons. Normal service will resume on Monday. 

Another instalment of this painstaking attempt to dissect each episode of Doctor Who, sometimes on a day-to-day basis. The TARDIS crew probably get as grubby as any TARDIS crew ever does in the series, the Doctor takes centre stage, and Ian gets the episode title as the series' first ever adventure comes to a close. Along the way there is ridiculous BBC demarcation about fire (it's not fire that w...

There is less whimsy and more research in this instalment of Indefinable Magic - the series which promises to probe some random aspect of Doctor Who-dom for all it is worth. This edition focusses on the military service of the first three doctors and a few of their acting colleagues - and finds some surprising, sad, inspiring and shocking stories of actors at war. 

Former Doctor Who Magazine writer and long time Blue Peter editor Richard Marson (who has also written books on Doctor Who producers John Nathan-Turner and Verity Lambert) decided he'd rather chat to your host, Toby Hadoke, about his favourite things from Terror of the Autons. And it makes for a most illuminating chat that reveals much about the early days of fandom from someone at the coalface. R...

This six week odyssey through some very odd bits of time and space comes to an end in London 1965 and boy does special guest Darrell Maclaine have a treat for you, going way above and beyond the a call of duty. There won't be an eye left dry or a rib left untickled by the time this is all over. Toby Hadoke is your host, and there's something in his eye. And as it's the 50th episode, it's appropria...

The Daleks cunningly create a robot that is the double of Doctor Who provided you don't look too hard, and the TARDIS crew land on the planet of the Gubbage Cones which, if the soundtrack is to be believed, also has a jazz bar. And yet despite it's poor reputation host Toby Hadoke and guest Darrell Maclaine have great fun celebrating The Death of Doctor Who (which, by the way, is a big fat lie).

The Daleks chase the time travellers to a House of Horror - but don't worry, it's all good fun as this much maligned Doctor Who story receives cheerful advocacy from special guest, actor and musician Darrell Maclaine, who has plenty of good things to say. But will his good things be the same as host Toby Hadoke's good things? 

The only Doctor Who episode in which the probable death of a baby is part of a semi-comedic sequence, but that's not the only thing to write home about. There's a Menoptra doing a Columbo impression, Peter Purves on the Empire State Building, and the only 360 degree classic series Dalek headspin.  Comedian, musician and actor Darrell Maclaine is in high spirits celebrating this story he loves, and...

On the planet Aridius the only water on display is the tears wept by its lachrymose inhabitants, who include fur star Hywel Bennett and an extra with a Doctor shaped claim to fame. But this won't be a dry affair as actor and musician Darrell Maclaine is on hand to celebrate the positive aspects of this often maligned adventure. Can Toby Hadoke discern Darrell's favourite thing about this instalmen...