Debating Doctor Who

Classic Who neophyte Allison lobs every question she can think of at our resident expert on all things 1963 to 1989. How has the TARDIS changed over the years, both inside and out? What about the theme song and the logo, especially after the recent debut of the 13th Doctor's? Which are the best companions, and which are the least effective? Do you need to be a completist? What are 10 (though Alasdair totally cheats and picks 11) essential stories? All that and more as we dive into some weird corners of Classic Who lore!

Friend of the show and Talking Who to You cohost J.G. McQuarrie joins Alasdair to discuss the long history of Doctor Who in print. We start with the Target novelizations, which served as the effective rerun and home video release for stories before VHS, DVD, and streaming were even imagined. We look at the 7th Doctor's continued adventures in the Virgin New Adventures, which represent perhaps the darkest, most complex period in the franchise's entire history. We consider the 8th Doctor's run as incumbent Doctor in his own series of BBC Books, providing a kind of dry run for many of the creative decisions Russell T. Davies would make with the new series. And we touch on the New Series Adventures, the tie-in books for the revived show. If you've ever wondered what Doctor Who has to offer on the page, consider this your primer!

As our initial discussion of frozen tundras suggests, we recorded this one a while ago, which, yes, sorry about that. But hey, this is pretty timeless stuff! (We think. It's been a while.) All of our wonderful listeners have filled our inbox to the brim, so we take another hour and read through your missives. We ponder a thought experiment in which the 10th and 11th Doctors swap regeneration stories. We assess how much Gallifrey really played into the 12th Doctor's story. We consider a frankly brilliant idea for a regeneration where you don't know who the new Doctor is. And we close with a wonderfully bonkers plan to reveal the true identity of Bradley Walsh's new companion.

The companion episode to our previous look at Torchwood, this one takes a long, generally fonder look at the other Russell T. Davies-era spinoff, The Sarah Jane Adventures. Alasdair is joined by new friend of the show Anthony Strand to discuss the enduring appeal of this show and look at a few highlights from the show's 27 stories. We look at the subtly shifting cast and why Elisabeth Sladen was so brilliant as the (relatively speaking) unconventional lead for a children's show. We discuss what the various child actors brought to the show and spotlight some of our favorite guest stars, from classic Who companions to future new series ones. And we run through some of our favorite episodes, as Sarah Jane and her young friends take on Slitheen, Sontarans, the Trickster, and much more!

Our next stop in our exploration of all things Brigadier and UNIT is a pair of alien invasion stories with good parts and... well, yeah, both have more than their fair share of bad parts. Allison very much continues to have Luke Rattigan thoughts. But "Terror Of The Autons" might be the more disappointing entry here, especially when something that is both sequel to "Spearhead From Space" and introduction for the Master should have plenty of awesomeness to spare. We dive into why the story doesn't work as well as it ought to, plus Alasdair busts out another classic Who history lesson.

The Brigadier Chronicles begin with a look at the 3rd Doctor's debut adventure. Alasdair sets the scene for what was essentially a reboot of the entire show, one that has hugely influenced subsequent relaunches for the show including "Rose", "The Eleventh Hour", and even the 1996 TV movie! But beyond that, it's just a fantastic story, with the Autons and the Nestene never better (at least without Rory around, that one is close actually) than they are here. We also check in on "The Power Of Three," the official restart of a Lethbridge-Stewart running UNIT. Allison still has her issues with the ending, but Kate Stewart really is delightful, and she only gets better from here.

It's once again a combination of classic and new series as we look at another pair of Sarah Jane Smith stories. First up, Allison meets Tom Baker's 4th Doctor in "Pyramids Of Mars," which feels shockingly modern at points. Both she and Alasdair are amazed by just how good Baker is here, which maybe we shouldn't be given how iconic his Doctor is, but hey, we're here now. We break down just how Baker's performance gives such a sense of urgency to the proceedings, and why 96 minutes of 1970s-era Who is surprisingly brisk. Then we take a look at "School Reunion," which has its faults but is still a delightful showcase for the Doctor and all his companions. Yes, Mickey very much included.

We celebrate our landmark 100th episode by looking at two largely forgotten curios in new Who: David Tennant's and Matt Smith's guest appearances on The Sarah Jane Adventures! For Allison, it's a pair of all-new performances she's never seen before from the 10th and 11th Doctors, while Alasdair gets to have some fun with all the classic Who lore on display. What's it like when the Doctor is explicitly a guest star in somebody else's story? What does it sound like for the 11th Doctor to deliver Russell T. Davies-written lines? And just how charming is this this delightful little spin-off? All that and more as we complete our first 100 episodes and look forward to 100 more!

After messing around with the TV movie, we officially break the seal on the classic series... by watching the very last story from its original run. That's right, it's time for the 7th Doctor and Ace to make their proper debuts on the podcast as we look at their de facto finale, "Survival." We also take another look at "The Eaters Of Light," as both stories are by Rona Munro. How will Allison respond to her first classic experience? Will our opinions of "The Eaters Of Light" change with a rewatch? Listen and find out!

Caroline is back once more to help us work through our favorite guest stars of the Steven Moffat era. It turns out to be a slightly trickier proposition, especially in later years where so much of the amazing acting is focused on the main characters. But we throw out a bunch of names both expected and perhaps unexpected, as we look to highlight guest performances both large and small. Sometimes in the same episode!