Doctor Who: Toby Hadoke’s Time Travels

Now come on, surely everyone likes this one. It's a classic! Allan Lear was one of the very first people to submit a contribution to Happy Times and Places, and we have finally got around to him. Well - we couldn't do all the classics first could we? And as an added bonus, a key conributor to the story joins at the end for some personal insights. But will all three contributors agree about what is...

What an interesting and odd story - let's see what David J Howe, fan historian and publisher extraordinaire, likes about it so much. The shortest episode of Classic Doctor Who has - because of your chatty host Toby Hadoke - provoked one of the longest episodes of this podcast. But that's what happens when you weave the facts of fiction..   Please support these podcasts on Patreon, where you will g...

Zoe has a fight, we meet The Master (not that one), and there's some gorgeous imagery ... it's Episode 4 of The Mind Robber, the choice of writer, collector and Whostorian David J Howe. But what does he like best about this particular chunk of Doctor Who? Host Toby Hadoke has to guess.    Please support these podcasts on Patreon, where you will get advance releases, exclusive content (including a...

Back in the Land of Fiction for the replacement of the replacement Jamie, some stop motion snakery, and another excellent contribution from historian and fandom legend David J Howe. He has to choose a favoutite thing from this instalment of Doctor Who - but will your host Toby Hadoke be able to anticipate what that might be and choose the same?   Please support these podcasts on Patreon, where you...

So, Jamie's off his face, Zoe's out the door, and the Doctor's in a pickle as they find themselves inside a peculiar forest inhabited by strangely recognisable figures. Like much of the best Doctor Who, a lot of this episode's contents were the product of necessity - and who better than Doctor Who historian David J Howe to be our guide through this inventive and imaginative instalment? Your host h...

One of the earliest fans to research and write-up the history of the show, publisher and writer (and collector!) David J Howe has chosen this atypical tale from the back end of the Troughton era. There's not much to this episode - the regulars, a white void, and some stock costumes ... and so in true Doctor Who fashion, it turns out to be quite a remarkable instalment. But what to choose as its be...

This is one of those episodes that rewards the eagle-eyed viewer, but it works on a purely entertainment level as well, as Toby Hadoke and guest Joe Lewallen discover (friends who've yet to meet, such is the manner of modern relationships). But will they choose the same favourite things about this gripping instalment : or do their different backgrounds mean they will approach it from opposing pers...

OK, out of host Toby Hadoke's comfort zone again - here we are with some of the first ever Matt Smith stuff to be recorded. Oh yes, Toby remembers when Mr Smith was new - seems like yesterday! Joe Lewallen, a friend from across the Pond (not Amy), is a fabulous and fascinating guest, and instead of plugging something for you to purchase, he has asked to link to a very good cause, which we are more...

Oh well this had been a joy. Who cares about a CSO'd puppet chewing a thing? It's got John Woodnutt talking about organic crystallography, it's got Maggie Thatcher at the end of the phone (yes, alright, it might be Barbara Castle of Shirley Williams), and it's got some gorgeous lighting too. What's not to love? Thanks to Daisy Connolly for being such a fabulous guest as well.   Please support thes...

Aw, how can you not LOVE guest Daisy Connolly's choice for this one - but let's not spoiler you here. Host Toby plays Spot The Extra (in this case, James Muir again), celebrates the Zygon design (of course), and adores this short lived TARDIS team. Oh it's so good this, and it takes a certain generation back to their childhood - and in Toby's case into a long, stuttering monologue with uncompleted...

What a story! There are some very odd things in it though - but none of them matter when everything is executed this well. Host Toby Hadoke and writer and reformed comic Daisy Connolly have a lot to digest - but is it really them? How can you be sure? And if you don't agree with them - well, don't get the pitchforks out...(they may end up being cut!). 

"It may be calm, but it's never empty." Host Toby Hadoke must have been in a good mood when he recorded this as he had a whale (is it a whale, though, or something more deadly?) of a time watching Terror of the Zygons. Of course he spins off into tangents of petty geekery and self-loathing but that's his MO isn't it? Or is it his evil alien double doing it? Erotic fiction writer and retired stand-...

Here it is - all 6 and a half hours of it in one go. It's possible that the accumulatuion of this much of host Toby Hasdoke's droning-on in one place at one time might just constitute a criminal offence, but there we go. To sweeten the pill there is an embarrassment of special guests, including birthday wishes from a comapanion from each era of the Classic show, as well as various Who fans, writer...

This is very Christmassey. It was recorded at Christmas time. But - shockingly, it was recorded at Last Christmas time. Not the episode Last Christmas - but yer actual Last Christmas. But this year, to save you from tears, it is being released at the correct time of year (even though, as you'll hear, host Toby had no idea when it would be released when he recorded it). So this was recoreded during...

Wow - host Toby Hadoke manages to stretch this out to an hour and twenty minutes! Martin Jameson, a wonderful guest - and a relation of one of the story's guest stars - provides a personal and professional insight into this much maligned entry into Doctor Who's canon. This isntalment also has the lowest Audience Appreciation figure the show has ever achieved - that's quite a milestone! Let's see i...

So there's a new player in town - leather trousered ruffian from a difficult-to-specify geographical location Johnny Ringo. But he was very nearly another actor which might have had different consequences for the show. Anyway, will Martin Jameson, son of Doc Holliday, and I agree on what is best about this signalment of Doctor Who, in a story many people would like to shoot dead in the street but...

Well, because this one was being recorded so close to the wire it features some listener feedback about Episode One. There are more observations from Doc Holiday Junior, aka Holby City writer Martin Jameson, and he and host Toby Hadoke be looking at comedy dynamics, Rex Tucker's angles, and the brilliance of Peter Purves.  Please support these podcasts on Patreon, where you will get advance releas...

With rings on their fingers, and bells on their toes, Toby and Martin watch to see how The Gunfighters goes, So come all you listeners, it can't be too late, To celebrate a story that the fans seem to hate! Host Toby Hadoke has always had a thing about the underdog, so The Gunfighters was always going to be a story that gave him plenty to talk about. He never dreamed, however, that it would be the...

Just before the 60th celebrations wear off, it is time for a trio of actors from Doctor Who to tell us what they love about An Unearthly Chld, before we conclude with a very special guest. What started off as a quick look at the episode before a cheerful coda of positivity has become a five hour EPIC. Still, such a special episode deserves that kind of treatemnt - even if only by mistakle. But as...

This was meant to be an hour-long chunk but... well, let's just say it went on a bit (surprise). We have some more birthday greetings plus five special guests each giving their five favourite things about An Unearthly Child - two extended universe writers,  a classic series composer and two new series writers all counteract the stuttering nonsense of host Toby Hadoke by provding thoughtful and ins...

More Who-Celeb birthday wishes, and the continued post-commentary analysis with a brand new set of special guests, all of whom have contributed to the Doctor Who universe but who have also excelled outside of it. Toby Hadoke is on hand to embellish and muse upon their observations in the third (but not final) part of this epic consideration of the virtues of Doctor Who's very first episode. Please...

You're certainly not going to be short of An Unearthly Child flavoured content this year. What started off as a little podcast in a junkyard (Toby's office) has ended up as an adventure in podcast-space that has lasted far longer than anyone imagined (it's going to be a mnulit parter with a huge number of contributors). This is only part two - the commentary is done, but Toby has plenty of guests...

This was being edited literally seconds before release in order to get it out in time to match the anniversary of the episode - it’s the first of a multi-part Happy Times and Places celebrating An Unearthly Child. Special Guests, multiple contributors giving their five favourite things about that first episode and no time to write a detailed blurb... and go! Please support these podcasts on Patreo...

Well, let's celebrate the 60th Anniversary month with Jodie Whittaker's first ever episode of Doctor Who. it seems like only yesterday to your ancient host, Toby hadoke, but as we know: time flies. Thomas Guerrier is the special guest, intrducing his five favourite things about the start of a whole new era. Will Toby agree, or will it all come crashing down? Please support these podcasts on Patreo...

As usual for these omnibuses there is a brand new intro and exit - in between though, it's the five Happy Times and Places episodes covering The Dominators, with special guest, Full Circle writer Andrew Smith, all presented in a UK Gold style omnibus. Brian Cant, Troughton Can and Felicity Gibson has a Kando attitude as the Dominators bicker, the council ... umm... bicker and the Quarks snicker (w...