Doctor Who: Watchers in the Fourth Dimension

This episode, we discuss the script debut of the legendary writer Robert Holmes, in a story where a group of students use the power of acid to overthrow their educational overlords! Surprisingly, it’s not footage of student riots from the 1960s – it’s actually The Krotons!   Over the course of the episode, Don gets passionate about canon, Reilly contemplates the hours of fun that would be a Kroton...

This episode, the Watchers in the Fourth Dimension pick up where they left off last time, with the TARDIS crew still trying to figure out what’s really happening, and an Invasion still on the horizon, as we discuss the second half of the Troughton-era epic that is The Invasion!   Over the course of our discussion, Don casts doubt on Isobel’s photography skills, Reilly talks Cyber branding, Julie h...

This episode, the Watchers in the Fourth Dimension head back to contemporary(ish) Earth, where trouble is brewing with suave businessmen, thuggish paramilitary troops, and a silver menace lurking in the background, as they tackle the first half of The Invasion!   Over the course of our discussion, Julie talks about the Doctor’s obnoxious door-bell etiquette, Reilly once again contrasts Lethbridge-...

This episode, the Watchers in the Fourth Dimension find that reality is getting too hot anyway, and move outside of the confines of our reality and into a world where they could well become works of fiction. It can only be The Mind Robber!   Over the course of our discussion, Julie (of course) has strong feelings about the temporary re-casting of Jamie, Anthony learns some things about Scottish cu...

This episode, the Watchers in the Fourth Dimension kick off Season 6 of Doctor Who with a more of a whimper than a bang, as they tackle a story that involves two hostile turtles as they seek to dominate an entire planet of hippies and turn it into a radioactive ball of lava. It’s that rather misjudged attempt at satire, known only as The Dominators…   Over the course of our discussion, Don questio...

This episode, the Watchers in the Fourth Dimension look back at seven stories of monsters, bases under siege, bad bosses, and evil doppelgangers, as they recap their journey through Season 5, picking out the best and worsts of the season!   Over the course of our discussion, Julie surprises everyone with her choice of best lead actor, Don questions the greatness of “The Great Intelligence,” Reilly...

This episode, the Watchers in the Fourth Dimension enter battle against the tropes that have come to be persistent through all of Season 5, as the TARDIS crew take on the Cybermen in their most bizarre plan yet. As you may have guessed, we spend this episode discussing the season finale of Season 5 – The Wheel in Space!   Over the course of our discussion, Anthony wonders whether the plotline for...

This episode, the Watchers in the Fourth Dimension struggle to hide their sniggers as the Doctor, Jamie, and Victoria face off against some evil weed and its calming effect on people as it tries to take over Earth! It may sound like Reefer Madness, but it’s actually the (sadly) missing story Fury from the Deep!   Over the course of our discussion, Anthony relentlessly makes weed jokes, Julie ponde...

This episode, the Watchers in the Fourth Dimension face off against the villainy of the Great Intelligence, the Yeti, and the powers-that-be at the London Underground! It can only be the return of everyone’s favourite chonkers and the introduction of a Doctor Who legend in the once-lost-now-(mostly)-found story that is The Web of Fear!   Over the course of our discussion, Don underestimates the th...

In this bonus episode, “The War on Happy,” the entire Watchers crew convene for a Holiday special, in which they discuss two musical “classics” related to Doctor Who. Guided by our very own Don, we begin with the timeless Christmas classic “I’m Gonna Spend My Christmas with a Dalek” by the Go-Go’s. Not content with the pain that they put themselves through with that, next up is “Who’s Dr. Who?” by...

This episode, the Watchers in the Fourth Dimension are travelling back to 2018 – where an egotistical and nefarious world leader is trying to stockpile power through increasingly subversive acts of tyranny. No, it’s not real life – it’s the Doctor Who serial The Enemy of the World, and the world leader in question is Salamander, the doppelganger of our own hero, The Doctor!   Over the course of th...

This episode, the Watchers in the Fourth Dimension ask themselves “oven mitt or lego hand?” as something is stirring in the ice… in the latest of these seemingly never ending “base under siege” stories, it’s The Ice Warriors!   Over the course of our discussion, Reilly discusses the size of the Ice Warriors’ hips and the cold-blooded nature of reptiles, Anthony criticizes the animation style for e...

Moving further into the show’s famous “base under siege” season, we discuss The Abominable Snowmen – a story in which a Lovecraftian disembodied intelligence utilizes some #THICC robot Yeti to carry out its nefarious plan for World domination!    Over the course of our discussion, Reilly praises the proactive role of Victoria in this story, Anthony expresses a desire for a TARDIS band, Julie decla...

After a brief diversion in the shape of our Dragon Con panel, we are BACK to continue our journey through all of Doctor Who as we get started with Season 5 of the show. This episode, we discuss a story where our heroes get drawn into a remake of The Mummy starring a rag-tag group of archaeologists, some logicians, and the Cybermen… it’s The Tomb of the Cybermen!   Over the course of the episode, J...

With many conventions forced to go virtual in 2020, we were invited to participated in a panel for DragonCon, in which we discussed Doctor Who’s Missing Episodes. The result is this special bonus episode, in which we are joined by our old friend R. Alan Siler, and the Director of Dragon Con’s British Media Track (aka the “Brittrack”), Caro McCully Tidwell. If you would prefer to watch the panel, r...

It’s that time again! We’ve reached the end of another season, and so we spend an episode looking back on Season 4, which was a time of enormous change for the show. What were our favourite things from the season, and how does this season stack up against what we’ve seen so far? Does the fact that the majority of this season is missing materially impact our feelings towards it?   Along the way, Ju...

Antiques! Alchemy! Time travel! Daleks! David Whitaker! What could possibly go wrong for The Evil of the Daleks! It’s another missing story – but is it a lost classic, or just a needlessly padded 7-parter? Listen along to hear what we decide.   Over the course of the episode, Reilly volunteers to voice Kemel in Big Finish, Julie finds herself delighted by the conflict between Jamie and the Doctor,...

It’s a farewell to a couple of series regulars as we discuss a mostly-lost-but-recently-animated story in the shape of The Faceless Ones! What will the judgement be – missing classic, or are we not missing much with this one?   Over the course of the episode, Don develops a small obsession with the “airport creeper,” Reilly casually insults an entire city, Anthony ponders whether the Chameleons ha...

There is no such thing as the Watchers in the Fourth Dimension! The Watchers in the Fourth Dimension do not exist! Huh? Well, it must be time for us to take an anti-authoritarian stance and discuss The Macra Terror!   Over the course of the episode, Don calls out the incompetence of middle management, Reilly discusses the usage of media indoctrination in this story (and how prescient it is), Antho...

Everyone’s second favourite Doctor Who monsters are back, as the Watchers in the Fourth Dimension once again encounter the Cybermen, along with weather control, poisoned sugar, and a rag-tag group of Europeans. It can only be The Moonbase!   Over the course of the episode, Don talks about Cybermen design, Reilly is disappointed by the absence of the Doctor wearing a hat in this story, Anthony rave...

The Watchers in the Fourth Dimension discuss mad scientists, fish people, and everyone's new favourite companion (or is that favourite new companion?), as they tackle one of the most-maligned stories of the black and white era - The Underwater Menace!   Over the course of the episode, Don talks about the horror elements of the story, Reilly discusses Professor Zaroff’s worst work day ever, Anthony...

Moving full steam ahead with the Patrick Troughton era, the intrepid Watchers in the Fourth Dimension head to what could seems like the set of Outlander, as they discuss what is the last “pure” historical adventure for quite a long time – it’s The Highlanders!   During the discussion, Don finds himself concerned over Ben’s lack of safe firearm handling, Reilly makes what is probably the first (and...

After 35 episodes, The Watchers in the Fourth Dimension move onto the next chapter of Doctor Who, as they head off to the planet Vulcan (no, not that one!) to kick-off the Patrick Troughton era, as the discuss The Power of the Daleks!   During the discussion, Reilly talks about the physicality of Patrick Troughton’s acting, Don compares the Daleks to high school girls, Anthony gets metaphysical, a...

Having made their way through the entirety of the William Hartnell era of Doctor Who, the Watchers in the Fourth Dimension are joined by a guest host for the very first time, as R Alan Siler moderates a retrospective discussion of the entirety of the era.   Over the course of the discussion, the crew touch on a wide range of topics, including which missing story would benefit the most from animati...

In this episode, “Yeeted by Cutlery” the Watchers say “hello!” to a new favourite monster, meet an overly aggressive American military commander, and bid farewell to the First Doctor - all in the setting of the South Pole. It’s time for us to discuss The Tenth Planet!   This episode, Reilly talks about the true threat of the story, Julie discusses the imbalance among the TARDIS crew, Anthony is su...