Doctor Who: Toby Hadoke’s Time Travels

Right, come on Hadoke, do some new series stuff were you don't have the comfort blanket of 50 years of acquired trivia. Fortunately this edition's special guest - columnist and writer Jonn Elledge - is smart and interesting so will make up for any of you host's many deficiencies as they look at John Simm in disguise, Mondassian Cybermen, and a big bloody hole in Bill. In a bit of exciting timey-wi...

After a hiatus you get two episodes on top of each other. So it seems only appropraite to do the same... Indefinable Magic Bite Size are immediate reactions to the latest Doctor Who episodes, but instead of being straightforward reviews they consider an aspect of the fresh adventure and use it to examine life, fandom and Doctor Who in general. Tonight, with the Fab Four (well, two of them) svaing...

Welcome back. Toby Hadoke's Time Travels has been on holiday. Thanks for bearing with its much needed rest and recuperation. But now... it has returned with something brand new. Indefinable Magic, whimsical essays based on some aspect of the show, has decided to turn its attention to the new Doctor Who episodes as they are broadcast. There will be so many podcasts doing brillinat work reviewing an...

In its attempts to entertain you or die this edition of Happy Times and Places does go on a bit. And interestingly, despite this being a much loved story in Hadoke Towers, your host struggles with this finale - and in this broadcast, does so at length - whilst trying to remain upbeat about its intent. Will guest Connor Adkins have similar reservations or will he pull a rabbit out of the hat in an...

Here we are then, lots of festive fun for Doctor Who in this episode broadcast just after Christmas 1988: suicide, strangulation, the murder of a teenage boy, lycanthropy! Blimey. So, lots to enjoy if you're minded to splatter your tinsel with blood. But which particular aspect of this exciting epsiode will particularly impress guest Connor J Adkins, and will your host choose the same thing?   Ple...

Artist Connor Adkins has chosen this partcular story to celebrate, but he doesn't need to do too much to make host Toby Hadoke eulogise this one - it's long been a favourite. All the fun of the fair (or all the curse of the circus) is to be had in this spooky and surreal slice of Sylvester. Script editor Andrew Cartmel (whose latest Vinyl Detectove novel is out now!) joins them - throws his hat in...

To tie in with the release of Andrew Cartmel's latest novel - released on March 19th in the UK and April 9th in the US (by Titan Books) - he's gusting on this edition to respond to host Toby Hadoke and guest Connor J Adkins' reactions to The Greatest Show in the Galaxy.  This one has always been something of a favourite of Toby's so it's a bit of a love-in. In fact, there is too much to choose fro...

The Celestial Toymaker puts guest Kieran Highman and host Toby Hadoke to the Final Test: which is episode four of this story which - and the podcast has been very honest with you about this - Toby has tended to find a bit of a struggle. But with Kieran as a plaything, will he realise that the toybox is actually full of joy?   Please support these podcasts on Patreon, where you will get advance rel...

This was recorded very much in between all sorts of other things but everyone seems to quite enjoy it when it's all a bit shambolic so nopthing has been done to hide that. Let's be honest, The Celestial Toymaker itself is a bit shambolic - and host Toby Hadoke has gone on record before to say that this episode might be the worst instalment of Classic Who in the 60s, if not of all time. So the whol...

And we're on to the second instalment of The Celestial Toymaker, with doughty advocate Kieran Highman doing his best to eprsuade host Toby hadoke that this is an underappreciated story. It is also, it has to be said, a controversial instalment, and this idsm picked ovr in some (and some qould say excruciating) detail. Ah well - we mean well. We're just playing, after all - and unlike on screen, th...

Well, as all tongues are a-wagging about the new animation of The Celestial Toymaker, here is a podcast recorded just before the news of its resurrection was announced, which takes us back to the source material. Now then - and here's the catch - this is a happy-clappy podcast about how wondeful Doctor who is, and the last time you host Toby Hadoke watched this story (or at least a recon of it) he...

Steve O'Brien, cool sci-fi columnist of many years standing, offers his somewhat uncool opinion that Black Orchid has more to offer than a screwdriver and Peter Davison taking a wicket. And so here, in one tidy package (with new opening and closing credits, natch: why would Toby make it easy for himself?), is a ripping adventure in topping time and space. Please support these podcasts on Patreon,...

Host Toby Hadoke keep putting off the more recent stories becasue they intimidate him: he hasn;t watched then several dozen times like he has the Classic Series. However - he has bitten the bullet and stayed awake through the whole of this Capaldi standalone instalment... one that has a number of unique features. It's generally considered a bit of a snoozefest though, so can writer and magazine ed...

Dalek and Cyber expert Gavin Rymill advocates for one of Doctor Who's less celebrated adventures : but one which comes with a lot of expectation due to it being an anniversary story. This one has it all - Nazis, Cybermen, Time Lord secrets, and Skinheads who don't like social workers. So, with this being a positive podcast, will gavin and host Toby Hadoke manage to find the gold amongst the Silver...

And so the epic that is Marco Polo comes to a close. There's a pre-filmed fight, a new cast member who has worked with the director before, and a few attempts at a closing scene that don't make it into the finshed episode (which is the first instalment of Doctor Who not to end with a cliffhanger). It is also Waris Hussein's last contact with the programme, so he gets a well deserved profile here:...

Here we go, the end of an era. Special guest Reuben gives his favourite thing about episode six and then - two years later (such is the nature of these podcasts!) - his bonus thing. So charge your glasses and toast a departing companion, a single tear, and a ride off into the sunset.  Please note that this episode was recorded before the death of actor Richard Franklin.  Please support these podca...

So, in this edition we have a scene that your host Toby Hadoke always forgets; a mixture of prodcution styles (often within the same scene); and a replacement actor. Oh many and varied are the joys of being a Doctor Who fan and watching something over and over again. But what could possibly be isloated as the best thing about this instalment?  It definitely won't be the CSO hill the Brigadier and...

Well now, this is comfort blanket Who of the highest order. The maggots are on the rampage, the dialogue is getting colourful and Mike Yates gets a special assignment. Oh there's no such thing as a guilty pleasure, and there's a lot here that host Toby Hadoke and guest Rueben herfindahl are fiunding pleasurable. Please note that this podcast was recorded before the death of actor Richard Franklin....

It's part three of this cosy yet terrifying (how can you be both? Clever Doctor Who!) story about ecology, mad computers and the destruction of industry for profit. And mushrooms. And love. And Wales. Goodness - it's about everything. But which of the everythings will guest Reuben Herfindahl think is the best of the everythings this week? And will host Toby Hadoke agree?    Please support these po...

Let's all go down the mine! Things aren't looking too good for Jo and Bert, and Dai is about to live up to his name. And we meet Fell, who will live up to his name in the next instalment. Lots of environmentally flavoured gorgoeuness here - but will guest Reuben be in accord with your host when it comes to choosing the best thing on show here?   Please support these podcasts on Patreon, where you...

A welcome perspective from across the Pond, this time from long term supporter and patron Reuben Herfindahl who has chosen well loved story The Green Death. It's an envioronmental story - Save The Wales! - with a Green agenda... but it also has a long build up to Jo's departure, some clever intercutting exposition, and the Doctor's silly trip to Metebilis III. What's not to love? Thing is, there's...

Oh, it's lovely rediscovering a story one has always thought was OK but nothing special. It's Doctor who, of course it's special! And it's got Roger Delgado watching The Clangers, Jon Pertwee eating a sandwich during a swordfight, some cracking cliffhangers, and THAT shot of the Sea Devils emerging from the waves. But will some or any of these make it into the list of the story's best bits accordi...

The Ancient One Rises from the depths... in other words, host Toby Hadoke has just got out of bed. It means something more in this edition of Happy Times and Places though and the love-in continues and concludes. It's a shame that Allan Lear and Toby can't choose TEN favourite things! And script editor Andrew Cartmel is back for more insight and illumination. Let the chains of Fenric shatter!!! Pl...

Host Toby Hadoke missed this episode when it first went out - parents' evening at school. So a friend taped it and missed the first seconds of the opening titles. And THIS time around, it failed to load up on Britbox, then someone knocked on the door, then... oh, it's cursed I tell you, curse- oh.  Please support these podcasts on Patreon - patreon.com/tobyhadoke  - where you will get advance rele...

It's not just Allan Lear and host Toby Hadoke scrutinising The Curse of Fenric for its best bits but Andrew Cartmel, the story's script editor, pops in to react to what they pick, and to give his own insights into the story's assets. An Enigma no more Please support these podcasts on Patreon - patreon.com/tobyhadoke  - where you will get advance releases, exclusive content (including a patron-only...