Rambling Through Eternity - Sarah and David's Doctor Who journey

Ice ice baby! The TARDIS lands at the Snowcap space tracking station in Antarctica in 1986 and shortly afterwards the Cybermen appear! A very serious Gerry Anderson-style space mission is interrupted by Earth’s twin planet Mondas showing up uninvited to the party. We’re excited by the global ambition and international cast, especially the cool spacemen and the important work of the (sort-of) UN, d...

The TARDIS arrives in 1966’s London and the Doctor investigates the new super computer housed in the ultra-modern Post Office Tower. The doctor slips past security and blags himself a scientific advisor role with WOTAN, a computer that can think and never makes mistakes. Uh-oh! They've only gone and invented a techbro AI bot with his army of boxy machines. But he's got to phone you to make...

The gang land on a nameless idyllic plant. So that’s all good then? No! Civilized Elders maintain their advanced society by draining and transferring to themselves the life-force of the defenceless Savages and the Doctor is outraged. The Doctor is flattered seduced by his lovely hosts who think he’s the GOAT.  He gets a fancy robe and the companions get whatever the Elders have in stock. Definitel...

Howdy Ramblers. In the lead-up to the famous fight at the OK Corral our Doc gets his tooth pulled by Doc Holliday in Tombstone while Dodo and Steven sing for their lives. Consider yourself warned; there’s more singing in this podcast than ever before but I’d argue less wearing than The Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon sung by Lynda Baron aka Nurse Gladys Emmanuel from Open All Hours - knowing this...

The TARDIS lands in the domain of the Toymaker, who forces the Doctor, Dodo and Steven to play a series of childish games, with deadly consequences if they lose. Do you want to play a game? No thanks! Please, pull up a chair! Absolutely no way buddy. Sarah gets excited about a classic camp baddie and wonders why The Toymaker, The Master and The Doctor can’t be pals. And apparently it’s ok to not t...

David briefly guides us through the gaps as we navigate missing episodes. Sarah is fine with missing The Massacre as it sounds terrifying. We catch up with the gang some ten million years into the future, on board a generation starship carrying the last of humanity away from an Earth that is about to fall into the Sun. Everything is fine other than Dodo’s caught a cold. Aichoo! Nothing to worry ab...

In this bonus episode David provides a map to the many missing episodes we hit at this part of our ramble. The story lines aren't even the most dramatic part of this tale - the behind-the-scenes tension and personnel changes are remarkable. So if you've not heard it before, get ready for David to spill the tea. And if you know how it goes, enjoy the retelling and let us know if you have an...

The crew arrive on an arid planet where they meet the beautiful Drahvins and the hideous Rills and we try to get animated for yet another dead planet.  David is confused by the title and learning to accept it’s ok to enjoy the colourised animations. He also delivers some Radio 4-worthy political satire.  Sarah is annoyed by the silly roombas but loves the Stepford soldiers and admits to mainly wat...

The gang arrive in Saxon Northumbria in 1066 on the eve of the Viking and Norman invasions. A mysterious monk is at work in the nearby monastery, intending that history takes a different course. Monk’s just want to have fun! Sarah is a bit confused as this baddie in a hoodie seems to be altruistic, wanting to make life easier for Europeans in the measly middle ages. The Doctor doesn’t want this -...

The Daleks are equipped with their own time machine, are on the trail of the Doctor with orders to exterminate him and the crew. They go planet-hopping in the TARDIS to escape them. It’s the Wacky Races in space!  Sarah was so excited for a Dalek story and is very disappointed. Ian and Barbara assume the role of parents again as the Doctor and Vicki run riot through a dead planet (classic), a jung...

The TARDIS jumps a time track and the crew arrive on the planet Xeros. There they discover their own future selves displayed as exhibits in a museum and go up against the warlike Morok invaders to save themselves and the native Xerons. We’ve jumped a time track and we’re locked in The Space Museum by mistake! Join us in our very own lost episode as we gaze at the strange exhibits and learn absolut...

 The Doctor and his companions ally themselves with the Menoptra, the former inhabitants of Vortis, as they struggle to win back the planet from the Animus and her Zarbi ant slaves. We try and make some sense of a very WTF episode where we think an ambitious production bit off more than they could chew.  On a very alien plant the Doctor loses the TARDIS and Ian loses his pen and his tie. Sarah los...

Landing in Rome, A.D. 64, the travellers take a rare holiday. While Ian and Barbara are happy to relax, the Doctor and Vicki set off to pursue adventure. Carry On with us into Ancient Rome on our little holiday as we dance around with groovy lyres and sneaky liars.   The gang bond over their all-inclusive hotel (aka decadent squatting) but get into trouble in the marketplace and find themselves au...

The Doctor, Ian and Barbara arrive on the planet Dido. They find a crashed spaceship, the only two survivors of which are terrorised by the monster Koquillion. It's Vicki versus the man with the bejeweled spanner in a story that shares a bit of DNA with Con Air. The Doctor, in a twinkly mood, despite missing Susan, is looking to adopt an orphan in desperate need. The planet Dido can provide. B...

First broadcast from 21 November to 26 December 1964  The best baddies are back! We're outside in the real world ready to welcome our pepper pot overlords.  The Doctor is in a chipper mood despite the destruction of humanity. He’s in stark contrast to all the slavery and death – hey keep it light, remember this is a kid’s teatime show!  Sarah is intimidated by a giant poster and is charmed by...

First broadcast from 31 October to 14 November 1964  Due to a malfunctioning TARDIS the crew return to Earth but all shrunk to one inch high. And they have to stop a murderous villain!  Ants and worms and cats, oh my! Can you withstand the space pressure?  The TARDIS gang goes environmental, but for real this time. Adventures in ecology, amongst the most incredible props which hands-down save a th...

First broadcast from 8 August to 12 September 1964 .  The TARDIS arrives in revolutionary France!  Allo allo Ramblers! Join us on our weekend away in Paris and get ready for some terrible accents. Le Docteur is embodying his mischievous trickster role and we love his peacock physicality and excellent headwear.  David explains the animated episodes and wonders why despite knowing exactly where we a...

First broadcast from 20 June to 1 August 1964. The gang meet humans on a spaceship who are plagued by a telepathic race of creatures, troubled by poisoned water.   Did you know the S in ASMR stands for Sensorites? That’s a super special science certainty. We stop with the annoying sibilance as Stockholm syndrome sets in. The Doctor gets to be a hero and Susan is his Head of Communications. Sarah i...

First broadcast from 23 May to 13 June 1964. Barbara becomes mistaken for the goddess Yetaxa, and accepts the identity in hope of persuading the Aztecs to give up human sacrifice, despite the Doctor's warnings about changing history. Barbara gets her time to shine as a powerful goddess in the South American sun with a cautionary tale about stealing from tombs. Indiana Jones could never be this...

First broadcast from 11 April to 16 May 1964 the gang are tasked with searching for four keys to restore the Conscience of Marinus, a computer which maintains law and order. Here come the Voord, the absolute fashionistas! We join the gang in their version of the Crystal Maze. Will you start the fans please!  David spots some of the classic Billy Fluffs, enjoys the lovely legs on show, and teaches...

First broadcast on 8 February and 15 February 1964. The TARDIS is in meltdown and very strange things happen aboard. Our patience is tested with two very long, extremely absurd episodes! We get excited by TARDIS wardrobe options. Sarah wishes this story was more like RTD’s claustrophobic  Midnight  but loves learning about Billy Fluffs. David finds fault with the fault locator. Mind those scissors...

First broadcast from 21 December 1963 to 1 February 1964.The TARDIS lands on the planet Skaro and we meet the two indigenous races - the peaceful Thals and the warlike Daleks! Barbara and Ian’s kidnapping continues on a new planet. The Doctor shows his cheeky side amongst the Ancient Greek gods.  We discuss the ultimate dalek kitchen, how they dislike fairground rides and how their projects are gi...

The first ever episode of Doctor Who broadcast from 23 November to 14 December 1963. A spooky girl in a scrapyard and a stone age Macbeth production. It’s quite an opener and a lot more than a couple of teachers doing a welfare check could have ever imagined. Grandfather has some sinister vibes and enjoys a spot of light kidnapping. We worry about how dangerous TARDIS furniture is in an (inevitabl...

Classic Doctor Who fan David Evans-Powell guides Sarah Kennedy, who only knows the show from the 2005 revival, through all the episodes. Join us in 1963 and get set to relive your favourite adventures in time and space. If you’re a curious fan of the new era, like Sarah, we’ll be your companions through all the classic adventures. Putting the stories in some cultural context, we discuss the artist...