The Metebelis Two - a Doctor Who podcast

Ahh the 1980s... Ben and David pick five cliffhangers each that are the best, or at least representative of the John Nathan-Turner era of Doctor Who. From continuity errors from being away at school to the pitiful telephone calls of a fanboy wondering when the Romana and K9 in E-Space series was going to start, the Metebelis Two lads explore j'tangers. Opening music is an excerpt from the "Earthsh...

The second Paul McGann Big Finish story, "Sword of Orion", is the focus of this week's podcast. Ben and David examine this early Nick Briggs story in both its presentations: the aforementioned 2001 Big Finish production and the earlier Audio Visuals production featuring Briggs, himself as the Doctor. What happens when "Aliens" is mixed with "The Long Good Friday" and seasoned with a liberal dose o...

Ben and David return to look at Tom Baker cliffhangers during the time of producers Hinchcilffe and Williams. What makes a stonkin' good cliffhanger of this era and do Ben and David's picks tell us more about them than the show itself? The lads also touch upon the idea of the Doctor Who multiverse, the purpose and difference between cliffhangers and wrapping up a story, and what would Moffat do di...

Once again Ben and David discuss cliffhangers and this time they delve into the wonderful Jon Pertwee era. How is it that Mac Hulke can reuse the same cliffhanger four times in a row? What is it about lava that is so scary? Are Silurians or Sea Devils more suspensful? Does David have a fear of Autons? Despite getting confused one or two times on where they were in their count, the lads had an thou...

Ben and David chat about their top cliffhangers from the Patrick Troughton era. Ben kept his choices to extant or animated episodes, but David ventured briefly into missing classics. What trout-hangers do the lads think are the best of Second Doctor's time in the TARDIS? Only one way to find out! Opening music is "Muzak" from "Time in Advance" by John Baker from "The Invasion". Closing music is th...

Ben and David talk about their top five cliffhangers from the William Hartnell era and why the cliffhanger is such an important part of Doctor Who. But, before they delve back in time the lads discuss the new Target book covers illustrated by Anthony Dry and the new programme logo and the design of its promo video that was released in the past week or so. Opening music is "The Missing TARDIS" by T...

This week we travel back in time 17 years to discuss the first Paul McGann story from Big Finish: "Storm Warning". With the TV movie being a one-off, McGann's audio work is the majority of his Doctor's adventures. Ben and David discuss Big Finish and the early days of Doctor Who audio adventures. What works in the story set aboard Great Britain's doomed airship and what misses the mark? Only one w...

Ben and David indulge in a hour-long conversation about collecting Doctor Who merchandise from the Target novelisations and Weetabix cards to VHS tapes and DVDs, and beyond. Does being a fan also make a person a collector? Are people still collecting as we move toward an on-demand, streaming fandom? What would Ben collect if money was no object? Are collections still a key part of Doctor Who fando...

They're booted and blue-suited! Davies and Moffat each had their own unique take on the potato-headed clone warriors in 21st century Who. Ben and David try to remember back to their return in 2008 in both Doctor Who and Sarah Jane Adventures, and then discuss Strax, the "comedy" Sontaran of the Paternoster Gang, of whose apperances tended to run together for the lads. Opening music is from Murray...

From the first appearance of the original spud warrior in Norman England through to the "freakishly tall" Sontaran duo in Seville, Spain, Ben and David talk about Sontarans in classic Doctor Who. What make them good monsters for children? When do they work and when do they fall, ahem, short? All this in more in this week's episode. Opening music is from "The Invasion of Time" score by Dudley Simps...

Back in 1981, then-Doctor Who producer John Nathan-Turner had a season of repeats called "The Five Faces of Doctor Who" that launched Peter Davison as fifth Doctor. So in this podcast, Ben and David suggest incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall have a summer season of the thirteen faces of Doctor Who to help launch Jodie Whittaker as the new Doctor, and being ever so helpful, they each have compiled...

With the broadcast of the 2017 Doctor Who Christmas special, the Capaldi era sadly has come to an end. Ben and David discuss the Moffat swan song and look forward to what may be coming as Jodie Whittaker takes over as the Doctor! Opening music is by OK Go, "Here It Goes Again". Closing music is by Murray Gold, "I am the Doctor". At the bitter end is a brief excerpt from "Toast of London". Don't sa...

Ben and David (me and not me) are making some contingency plans in case new showrunner Chris Chibnall is abducted by the time scoop. What dream team, or A-Team, would each Metebeli assemble together from the history of the programme to launch Jodi Whittaker as the new Doctor Who? Only one way to find out! Opening music is "Monster on the Moor" composed by Geoffrey Burgon from "The Terror of the Zy...

This is Costume Smackdown! The premise is simple both Ben and David each pick five costumes, one from the Moffat-era, RTD-era, JNT-era, 1970s, and 1960s and then challenge the other to defend the costume as it fits within Doctor Who. What fashion faux pas will each Metebeli foist off on the other? Only one way to find out... Listen! Closing music is an excerpt from Dudley Simpson's score from "The...

After nearly four months of mostly ignoring Doctor Who related news while the podcast spent time in the late 1970s, Ben and David are wrenched back to the here and now as they talk about the upcoming Christmas special, Whittaker's costume, the new Shada, BBC studios, shakedown at DWM, nostalgia, and more. Opening and closing music is from Paddy Kingsland's score for "Logopolis" with pieces featuri...

February 1978, and the season of Doctor Who is coming to a close. A media-savvy 12 year-old, Ben knows enough about his favourite show to have finally cracked the code. A season of Doctor Who always concludes with a six-part tale... but that six parter is always made up of 2 parts and then another 4 parts. Or is it the other way around? When would the other shoe drop? This is a flashback Metebelis...

It's May 1982 and David has just informed his mom that they're out of tinfoil since he used up an entire roll of it to clad his life-sized K9 model that he built from cardboard boxes. Would she understand why they needed to do a grocery store right now so he could complete his own tin dog to be just like Doctor Who? This is a flashback Metebelis Two podcast on Underworld. The opening song is Georg...

When Saturday comes, it's a new Doctor Who. But the trailers are worryingly monster-free. Even though the story seems to be set on Pluto (at that time young Ben's favourite planet), how could a story succeed with no monsters? And with that annoying robot dog too. It was with trepidation that, as the football scores faded away, that Ben turned to watch Doctor Who. This is a flashback Metebelis Two...

It's nearly 5 o'clock on Friday, April 23, 1982 and David has a decision to make. With the weekend fast approaching, homework for sixth grade could wait, but could he put off going over to his friend's house to play the new Pac-Man game on his neighbor's Atari 2600 before dinner? Or, should he stay home and watch the new adventure of Doctor Who starting in 10 minutes. Pac-Man or Doctor Who? Decisi...

From the clips shown on Tomorrow's World, 12-year-old Ben was already a firm fan of the soon-to-released movie Star Wars. So he was deeply apprehensive of the outer space scenes in first part of the new story. Doctor Who in space? Whatever next; how could his favourite TV show compete with his new favourite movie? This is a flashback Metebelis Two podcast on The Invisible Enemy. Opening music is T...

It’s the new series of Doctor Who! Is there any more joyous time for a young lad? 11 year-old Ben was already a firm fan of lighthouses, thanks to Blue Peter and The Goodies, so was excited to see what the Doctor and now new favourite companion Leela would find. This is a flashback Metebelis Two podcast on Horror of Fang Rock. Opening music is "As You Please" by Raymond LeFevre, which was the them...

The Robots of Death had been the greatest Doctor Who story ever. However, young Ben, age 11, was deeply suspicious about the educative appearance of Doctor Who set in Victorian times. Was this going to be Doctor Who goes "The Classic Serial"? If so, where would the monsters be? The best bit in Doctor Who. This is a flashback Metebelis Two podcast on The Talons of Weng-Chiang. Opening music is Juli...

It's Wednesday, March 24th, 1982 and 12-year-old David has just tried to explain to his skeptical mother, who the scantily clad "savage" was on his favorite after school tv show. This is a flashback Metebelis Two podcast on The Robots of Death. Intro music is from the J. Giels Band's 1982 number 1 single on the US charts, "Centerfold". Closing music is a brief except from Dudley Simpson's score fr...

It's New Year's Day 1977 and 11-year-old Ben is still missing Sarah Jane Smith. The Deadly Assassin disappointed by bringing back an unrecognizable Master. Perhaps Sarah would return in this new story. This is a flashback Metebelis Two Podcast on "The Face of Evil!" Intro music is from David Soul's 1977 number 1 single on the UK charts, "Don't Give Up on Us". Closing music is "The Interior of Xoan...

This week, Ben gives the lowdown on three San Diego ComicCon BritBox, Titan, and BBC Doctor Who panels. Plus other discussion of recent news in the Whoniverse including the recent death of Deborah Watling, who played Victoria, Peter Capaldi's salary, and a message on behalf of the BBC complaints department. Plus we may have speculated on the casting of the next James Bond. Opening music is from "S...