The Metebelis Two - a Doctor Who podcast

A special Christmas episode from the Metebelis Two: a Christmas Smackdown! Yes, that's right, Ben and David have to defend and explain some questionable choices in past Doctor Who Christmas specials. Much fun and merriment. Closing music is from Kylie Minogue, "Christmas Isn't Christmas Till You Get Here".

Well it's the 100th episode for the Metebelis Two and Ben and David are not in a celebratory mood. The lads are pretty disappointed by the series 11 finale and wonder what happens next? Opening music is "Barnacle Bill" composed by Ashworth Hope, which was the original theme to Blue Peter. Closing music is "Thirteen" by Segun Akinola.

This week, Ben and David discuss "It Takes You Away" and try to reconcile Hanne's abusive home with story of the Solitract universe. What was the point of the antizone? Could this have been better told without Norway? Is the show afraid of having a sexual woman Doctor? And is it a good idea to take 2019 off from producing new stories? The lads seem to struggle with the episode and the state of sho...

Alan Cumming was brilliant as King James and the Metebelis Two want, nay demand his return in in a Gunpowder plot drama to open series 12 and then a 3-part epic finale about the commissioning of the King James' English translation of the Bible. Beyond that, it was great seeing the Doctor have to address now being a woman, Ben kvetches about historical inaccurtaces, and David wonders if they could...

So what did the Metebelis Two think about a story about the biggest retailer in the galaxy? David asks does everyone pop bubble wrap? Ben wonders if the Doctor really believes that systems don't kill, people do. Discussion about if Chibnall's 'no new monsters promise' is hurting the storytelling and did McTighe's message get lost somewhere between script and production? Opening is excepts from The...

Conversation about witnessing history and how setting stories in a recent historical period shapes the narrative. Ben and David discuss witnessing history and the thematic elements of Vinay Patel's story. This was billed as Yaz story, but the Metebelis two think this was Graham's best showing of the season to date. David especially liked Bradley Walsh's reading of "all we can strive to be is: good...

Ben and Tsuranga, er David, meet the Pting. David thought the "Conundrum" episode was an improvement over last week, but Ben found it a bit dull. Was the Pting really Beep the Meep from DWM comics, Nibbler from Futurama, Stich without Lilo, or maybe just Gremlin? Maybe it should have been called the Chb'nall? Maybe this was Star Trek or some other generic sci-fi show. Character moments seemed to b...

From the get-go, the Metebelis two veer off on tangents in their discussion of Series 11, episode 4: The Spiders of Sheffield. Ben and David think that the great character moments needed a bit more of plot to support them. And, were the spiders good or evil in this story? They speculate on the story's loose ends: such as Kevin and Frankie, the wee beastie in Anna's flat, and Robertson? Is Chibnall...

The Metebelis Two discuss the first trip back in time for the Doctor Who in series 11. How would Chibnall and Blackman introduce Rosa Parks to the Doctor and her friends? Ben and David discuss 1955 Montgomery, Alabama and how the time team keeps history on track and delight in Ryan's fanboy reaction to civil rights heroes. Also speculation of suitcases, racists of the future, the return of Artron...

So the time team is on a death planet called Desolation populated with flesh-eating microbes, sniper-bots, and prophetic death scarves, but not much death… at least compared to last week. With Series 11 now underway, what do Ben and David make of the latest Dungeons & Dragons module from Chibnall? Also the lads weigh in on the new credits, the appearance of mysterious blue ghost monument, and wond...

Ben and David share their thoughts on Jodie Whittaker's debut story as Doctor Who and comment on her take as our favourite Time Lord and Lady. Then the Two discuss the Doctor's new friends, Sheffield landmarks, the new Chibnall era and wonder why kababs have salad. Opening music is from Segun Akinola's score for The Woman Who Fell to Earth (the bit where the Doctor first appears) and closing music...

Sneaking in right before the Series 11 debut, Ben and David have their preview for the new series featuring Jodie Whittaker and Sheffield. The lads talk about the new writers based on the little they know about their past works and then examine the two series 11 trailers... frame-by-frame. Lots of wild speculation and idle predictions about what the new series will have in store for Doctor Who fan...

In the countdown to Series 11, Ben and David discuss the Doctor's companions and how seeing them as friends, as new showrunner Chris Chibnall calls them works with earlier companions. This is a bonus double podcast this week. First half is a nice discussion on friendship. The second half is a reverse chronological look at the past companions and categorizing them as friend, companion, assistant, p...

The Metebelis Two are on location at Ben's Minnesota home where they are joined by Amanda for an exclusive look at a real Doctor Who pinball machine. Also visiting the lads this week is Eliot, who's there to chat about recentish Doctor Who related news and play some pinball. During the news, the lads pay tribute to the great Jacqueline Pearce. Plus a brief interview snippet with her talking about...

After a brief weather report, Ben and David concluded their survey of Silurians and Sea Devils from the original series featuring Sea Devil fashion, Silurian beaks, and praise for Ingrid Pitt. Ben shares with a skeptical David his unified Atlantis theory and how it could "improve" Warriors of the Deep. Not to be outdone, David wonders if the Silurians are doomed to always the same story? Opening a...

Podcasting this week from the smoky skies of the US Pacific Northwest, in this episode Ben and David chat about modern Silurians and their impact on them as original series fans. They love Jordu Schell's original Silurian redesign , but sadly for them it wasn't used. Then Ben tells David about RTD's "A Very British Scandal". They share a chuckle at Jovanka Airlines , and look forward to series 19...

The lads take a break from their summer holiday and busy work schedules to briefly chat about the lost opportunity of a Doctor Who / The Good Life cross-over some time in the mid 1970s and then David learns about the latest acquisition in Ben's Who collection. Opening music is the theme to "The Good Life" by Burt Rhodes. Closing music is from the soundtrack to "Robots of Death" composed by Dudley...

It has been terribly hot in the northern hemisphere, so Ben and David have their quick picks of Who stories to beat the heat. But, first how could they not comment on the new teaser for series 11 that dropped after the football final? Join the lads as they discuss recent Who news and then find out which stories to watch to leave you "cold". Opening music is "The Galactic Weed" by Geoffrey Burgon....

Ben and David are excited to hear the music of Segun Akinola, the new composer for Doctor Who! Akinola will be scoring the incidental music for Series 11 and putting his mark on the show's theme song. So, this week the Metebelis Two listen to song excerpts from Akinola's SoundClound page and speculate what type of music he will bring. Opening with " Mount Nyiragongo " from the BBC documentary seri...

Ben and David meet in person for the first time in Metebelis Two podcast recording history to celebrate their second anniversary of podcasting. Join the unlikely lads as they have a Who chat with random emergency questions supplied by their listener. Opening sting is from the score for Planet of the Spider, composed by Dudley Simpson. Closing music is Mysteries by Don Harper.

The Metebelis two review Genesis of the Daleks on the big silver screen. How did the cut down omnibus version not seen since 1975 fare on when projected to make Tom Baker appear 10 feet tall? What did the lads miss and what, if anything, was improved? And why did seeing Tom's interview make them a bit said. Also, in the battle of for the old man crown, who has the more antiquated television set-up...

In this episode, the Metebelis Two continue their examination of Big Finish's Paul McGann stories with a listen to Paul Magr's "The Stones of Venice". What will the lads think of their time in 23rd century Venice in the Magrsverse? How has this story held up since its release in 2001? Opening music is from the Rolling Stone's 1974 song, "Time Waits For No One". Closing music is from Russell Stone'...

The Metebelis Two wrap-up their exploration of Doctor Who cliffhangers through the various years with a look at those from the Moffat-era. What "Moffhangers" did each of the lads pick as their top five? Do Moffat cliffhangers herald back to earlier eras? Would the two rather talk about Monty Python than the Moffat years? Give a listen to find out. Opening is an excerpt of an interview with Graham...

This week, the Metebelis Two pay homage to Graham Strong, the man behind the "crystal clear" recordings of mid-1960s Doctor Who. As fans we owe a great debt to him and his hobby of recording and archiving our favourite television show. Despite neither of us ever meeting him, we wanted to pay our respects and talk about the legacy of his and others' off-the-air recordings from the sixties. We inclu...

We look back at the cliffhangers of the Russell Tiberius Davies era. With our favourite show returning to BBC1 in 2005, what would become of our beloved cliffhangers? Would RTD be able to keep cliffhangers intact with the change to a 45 minute, complete story format? Of course he did! Ben and David discuss the genius of RTD and how cliffhangers evolved to work in the revived era. What picks did th...