Debating Doctor Who

Caroline and Alasdair look at a pair of devastating farewells, as they tackle Rose’s swansong in “Army of Ghosts” / “Doomsday” and Amy’s (and Rory’s, don’t forget Rory’s) departure in “The Angels Take Manhattan.” Which one makes Caroline cry harder? What’s the only part of either of these episodes that truly melts Alasdair’s stone heart? (Hint: It involves Jackie.) And how weird is it that Freema Agyeman is in one of these as not-Martha?

We’re back, and our long-awaited Episode L featuring “Army Of Ghosts”/“Doomsday” and “The Angels Take Manhattan” will be here very soon! (Probably Tuesday. No promises though.) In the meantime, enjoy this short podlet in which we run through most of this year’s Oscar nominees. Neither of us saw The Revenant (kind of on principle, though Episode 4.1 of the Shutdown Fullcast has some very on-point analysis), Caroline saves her discussion of The Martian for her guest spot on the National Ave podcast, and we both just kind of take it as read that Mad Max: Fury Road is the greatest thing ever and should win all the awards, dammit, so we mostly turn our attention to the other five nominees: The Big Short, Bridge Of Spies, Brooklyn, Room, and Spotlight. Which one is our fave? Which ones did we find a little underwhelming? Why does Alasdair take unprovoked shot at The Imitation Game a full year after everyone’s probably forgotten it, which is kind of his point anyway? Listen in to find out!

We offer our long-awaited review of season nine, which turns into an increasingly byzantine series of comparisons between the various new Who seasons. Is season nine like half of season five? Like season two but with season four’s Doctor? Or maybe season six divided by season three? Who even knows! (Certainly not us.) We also offer a fond farewell to all the different Claras we’ve met – and we’re not even talking about the actual multiple incarnations of Clara on the show – mourn Doctor Who’s exit from Netflix, and have a fun round of Who Alumni Theater that ranges from CW superheroes to Shakespearean history. Oh, and there’s also a digression about the numbering system of the Super Bowl for just zero reason whatsoever.

With a decent chunk of our listenership snowed in by the big blizzard, we figure now – only a month or so after the movie’s release! – is the perfect time to put out our thoughts about the new Star Wars movie. Caroline and Alasdair both admit that Star Wars has never meant as much to them as Doctor Who. (This podcast isn’t Debating Star Wars, after all.) But they both have largely positive things to say about the movie as a fun action movie, even if both are a little more skeptical of the film’s reputation as a feminist blockbuster. As podlets go, this one is as long as some of our actual episodes, but don’t worry: We’ve got a good feeling about this.

Alasdair and Caroline jump on Skype to bring you their immediate reaction to the news that Steven Moffat will be departing Doctor Who after season 10. Broadchurch and Doctor Who writer Chris Chibnall has been announced as his replacement, so the hosts look back on Chibnall’s creative output, make some predictions for the future, and help you cope with the fact that there will be no newDoctor Who episodes for almost a year!

Alasdair and Caroline break down this year’s Doctor Who Christmas special, “The Husbands Of River Song.” River is back, but is she the same River we’ve come to know and love? Caroline has a lot of thoughts on the return of one of her favorite Doctor Who characters while Alasdair expands upon his A.V. Club review to point out this episode’s strengths and weaknesses.

We're back! Alasdair reports in from the United Kingdom, where he has finally found internet access for long enough to record a podcast. Also, he's got a crazy cold and spent most of this podcast coughing up a lung! (With the microphone strategically muted, so *hopefully* that's all edited out. But, uh, no absolute promises.) Anyway, Alasdair and Caroline finally have the season-ending discussion we've all been waiting (and waiting, and waiting) for, as they get into what works and what doesn't about "Hell Bent." They are agreed it's a fine finale, but maybe not quite up to the standard set by some of this season's episodes. All that plus the greatest spin-off pitch we've ever read and not one, not two, but three David Tennant Takes! It's all just in time for the holidays (and that Christmas special that's airing, you know, tomorrow night)!

This week, we give the Danielle Fan Email of the Week Award to the most eloquent, involved, and just generally downright locquacious missive we’ve yet received as one intrepid Scottish fan shares his feelings on “Heaven Sent.” We then get into some deep discussion about “Next Time” trailers, as Alasdair dredges up half-remembred fan controversies from 2005. Then we positively rave about “Heaven Sent,” but not before we sort out to our satisfaction precisely what happened in this remarkable episode. And yes: As far as we can work out, the Doctor ran the maze in his underwear at least once.

Your emails guide us through this week’s discussion, as we kick things off by considering what a male companion might mean for the show and the very real possibility that Steven Moffat is basing his creative decisions off what we say on this podcast. Also, Caroline offers some Who Alum Theater thoughts on the David Tennant-starring, Marvel-produced Netflix show Jessica Jones. Then we get into some serious discussion of the heartbreaking “Face The Raven,” reading emails both positive and … well, maybe not negative, exactly, but less than positive about this game-changing episode. But how do Caroline and Alasdair feel about this pivotal story? You know you’re going to need to listen to find out!

We kick things off by giving the Danielle Fan Email of the Week award to a listener whose email made Caroline cry (and Alasdair quite liked it too!), then read a pair of ridiculously insightful emails about how Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat are different without either necessarily being better. (Seriously: Great emails, everyone. Keep it up, please.) Then Caroline and Alasdair get into “Sleep No More,” an episode both feel is mostly just okay but sparks a lot of critical discussion about why it’s just so “meh.” Plus some more discussion about what Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman are bringing to the show this season, how the Davies and Moffat Doctors are fundamentally different, and an impromptu discussing of Mark Gatiss episodes just in general.