Who Cares? - Dr. Who Fans Talk TV

How does Russell T Davies' suburban thriller Tip Toe miniseries reflect the 2020s? We discuss hierarchies of humanity, porous worlds, clashes of masculinity, technological frivolity, & much more as we dive into the first two episodes. (00:00:00) Appreciating the show (00:06:41) Leo: hamartia, hyperbole, rhetoric, glibness, banter (00:23:26) Clive: coldness, masculinity, homoeroticism, bravery...

Released in 2018, novelised in 2021 — what is the legacy of The Witchfinders? Where does it belong, both in an assessment of the era, and in series 11's structure? Where does it differ from the rest of the series? What does 'no more witch hunts' really mean? (00:00:00) Intro & initial thoughts (00:02:20) Series 11 ordering + leak (00:05:27) Story's engagement with gender (00:09:54) Music, visu...

Extreme close ups of character faces. Entirely invisible threats; 'we don't see'. What's the story behind this very odd piece of television? Why does it stand out so much in terms of style and aesthetics? What standards did it set for the era? What does it say about the companions? (00:00:00) Intro + episode's significance (00:04:40) Uncomfortable closeups (00:07:47) Directorial style of long take...

How did the Chibnall Era's premiere position itself amidst other TV? Rules, tone, arcs, spectacle, grief, change...the Thirteenth Doctor's first episode is nothing if not worthy of discussion. We dive in, looking back on how it all began. (00:00:00) Revisiting + what we like now (00:06:28) Losing our attention (00:09:19) The new companions + their arcs (00:19:52) Incomplete premiere (00:23:46) Chi...

Science and magic, cultism and archaeology, digital Gothic, illusions of fidelity, horror, Holmes, and Hinchcliffe...what makes Pyramids of Mars persist, over fifty years later? We dive into this Tom Baker classic, along with its many revisitations. (00:00:00) First experiences with the story (00:05:42) Season 13 (00:08:30) Nice moments (00:10:59) Design of the mummies (00:14:34) Daytime shoots an...

How does Steven Moffat’s ‘interview’ with an ‘AI’ play into technological themes explored across his work? We dive into humanity, tailored expectations, retreats into fictionalisation, emotional validity, recursion, as more, as we discuss ‘AI’ and digital ghosts. (00:00:00) Attitudes to ‘AI’ (00:12:18) Origins of the podcast, role of faith (00:23:58) Moffat's AI themes, digital ghosts vs. faulty t...

It all comes tumbling down. Finality. Normativity. Literalism. How did Ncuti Gatwa’s last episode reconfigure the past and future of the show? (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:03) What we liked (00:24:25) Two-series arc (00:28:48) Thirteen looming over Fifteen (00:35:08) Susan and three-series arcs (00:37:04) Regeneration timing (00:43:14) Omega, twists, the past (00:50:33) Ranis, bigeneration, Classic Who...

Character-lite episodes. Penultimate suspense. Companion characterisation. Gods and science. Was this episode worthy of a wish? (00:00:00) What we liked (00:12:49) Doubts, plot, storytelling, villainy (00:19:50) Omega, gods, science, mythic register (00:25:42) Belinda companionship, garbling, drama confusion, Nursedoc (00:33:50) Ruby in 2025 S2, S1-S2 links (00:42:30) Conrad, wish baby, Flood hugs...

'The kind of episode you should never do a sequel to'. Continuing mining, drama avoidance, gun storytelling, script development…was The Well a diamond in the rough, or a worthy sequel? (00:00:00) The episode's identity (00:04:15) Contrasts with Midnight (00:13:56) The entity's physical form and methods (00:21:48) Aliss and the entity's escape (00:27:33) Misremembered throwback to RTD1 (00:34:53) A...

New storytelling, ghostwriter mythos, dialogue density, clipshow climaxes, different approaches to gods...how does The Story & the Engine do Doctor Who differently? (00:00:00) New writer, Dot and Bubble comparisons, Doctor outside Doctoring (00:08:42) Hose, tie-in short story, Omo, commercialised storytelling (00:11:17) Haircuts, barbershop, African setting, density of ideas (00:18:13) Dialogu...

UNIT politics, grifting, didactic Doctor, conspiracy confusion, youth movements, valuing the ordinary, conventional heroism...who is Lucky Day's audience, and what is it saying to them? (00:00:00) Refreshing episode (00:06:23) Overdosing on doccy who, UNIT critiques to come (00:14:11) Episode structure, conspiracy confusion (00:23:13) Grifting, psychoanalysis vs ideology (00:30:05) UNIT politics (...

Torture, honey, morality, physicality, camp, regression, edginess… there’s lots to discuss in Juno Dawson’s Eurovision episode of the 2025 season of Doctor Who. (00:00:00) Thoughts, plot, Die Hard (00:06:19) Belinda, character interiority (00:11:34) ‘Wonderful’ cool Doctor, sidelining morality drama, gendered characterisation (00:21:21) Eurovision context & politics (00:35:27) Honey, Hellia, s...

Pantheon rules, companion dynamics, rhymes with the past, fandom commentary, liminal nights, aesthetic choices, dodgy lyrics — we discuss all that, & more, in covering Lux, Russell T Davies' second episode of the 2025 season of Doctor Who. (00:00:00) Similarities to Devil's Chord (00:07:30) Rules of the Pantheon genre (00:14:12) Belinda and 15's changed dynamic (00:22:03) Choices of music (00:...

The #GetBelindaHome arc, companion dynamics, new aesthetics, mechanical pathos, and the looming future of the show — we discuss that, and much more, in covering The Robot Revolution, Russell T Davies' 2025 Doctor Who Season 2 premiere. (00:00:00) Intro & initial thoughts (00:02:29) Belinda & her dynamic with 15 (00:12:47) #GetBelindaHome ‘arc’ (00:22:37) Belinda's character arc in the epis...

How did characters develop in the 2024 season? Promises of novelty, universe expansions and contractions, character conflict, audience relationships, storytelling worlds, & much more is discussed in this look at the second year of Russell T Davies' return. (00:00:00) Overall feelings on S1 (00:05:12) Expectations & reality of RTD’s return (00:11:20) Promises of newness vs. the outcome (00:...

Digital ghosts, emotional logic, character regression, James Bond, four-point stars — how does Steven Moffat's fiftieth episode of Doctor Who hold up? (00:00:00) Moffat's fiftieth episode (00:03:28) Vignette structure + recalling past eras (00:09:37) Joy's hotel room (00:12:51) COVID confrontation + Joy's characterisation (00:19:38) Repeating themes & development across the show (00:28:37) Reg...

Moral misdirection, cancel culture, perspective shifts, ‘male feminism’, weaponised incompetence, theatrical pacing, generational differences, interlocked bullying, & much more are explored in this discussion of Steven Moffat’s 2024 TV series. (00:00:00) Expectations (00:06:20) Genesis of the story (00:22:04) Padding & elongation (00:30:37) Cliffhangers & perspective shifts (00:32:35)...

Investing significance. RTD finales. Whistles. Ropes. Spoons. Dogs. What story did the finale tell? (00:00:00) Preserving 73 Yards’ mysteries (00:05:10) Ruby rejecting the Doctor's advice (00:10:19) Designs and vibes we liked; praise for Bonnie Langford (00:14:30) VFX & concept of the climax (00:17:51) Linking Timeless Child with Susan (00:20:08) The 'distracted Davies' thesis (00:26:24) Alter...

Content generation. Penultimate pacing. Spoiler culture. Characters arcs & mystery boxes. Villain visuals. Time Window meanings. What story does this episode tell? (00:00:00) Moments, music, & cast members we liked (00:08:34) Time as a VHS memory (00:13:16) Tales of the TARDIS link (00:16:52) Handling of UNIT favourites (00:19:50) Susan Twist "generates content" (00:30:20) RTD character ar...

New writers! What's that like? Evoking past eras, generational nostalgia, romance pacing, valorising tradition, iconic characters, 'real Doctor Who', & much more gets discussed. (00:00:00) New writers, cold open, ‘real Doctor Who’ (00:06:28) Captain Jack Harkness + the kiss (00:14:23) Genesis of new writers + Loki controversy (00:20:32) Rogue (the character) (00:26:25) Romance speed (Gig depar...

Is this an unprecedented kind of story? What does the ending say, & what does it avoid saying? How well does the Doctor-lite majority of the episode work? What meanings does the aesthetic & music suggest? (00:00:00) General impressions (00:01:59) Premise disguising the real point (00:09:28) Misdirection & hints (00:15:30) Ricky the surrogate Doctor (00:18:50) Who is "the audience"? (00...

Does 73 Yards present a new RTD approach, uncluttered from the old? Does nightmare logic suit the show? What do we project onto the episode’s mysteries? Is the episode, as RTD says, one of the best things he’s ever written? (00:00:00) Nightmare Who (00:09:28) Audience projection (00:11:14) Mad Jack (00:13:23) Wales & politics (00:18:39) Spinoffs & UNIT (00:21:52) Carla & season pacing...

How does Boom measure up to past Moffat episodes? What’s confronted, and what’s evaded, in the story? What does the episode say about faith, AI, fatherhood, Doctor mystery, companion casting, and war profiteering? Do the aesthetics work with, or against, the story? What does it mean for an episode to be a 'sinister farce'? (00:00:00) Return to the Moffat era (00:03:27) Echoes of previous Moff char...

What's new and different about the RTD2 approach? What does a post-Giggle Doctor Who look like? When is a chord not a chord? What does a 'twist at the end' really mean? How is 15's first run taking shape as a season? (00:00:00) Cartoon episode + Maestro + opening theme (00:05:03) Direction + sustained sequences (00:09:14) The lost chord (00:12:34) Wonky premise + music battle (00:22:14) Maestro vi...

How is this era being differentiated from those prior? How is music telling the story? What’s new about this Doctor’s characterisation? What’s familiar, and what’s novel, about this new Disney Who? (00:00:00) General impressions (00:03:45) Self-conscious overexplaining (00:08:13) Clever rejigging of the Timeless Child (00:10:49) Lack of breathing room (00:15:39) Doctor not needing a purpose (00:18...