On the Time Lash

By Ben Verth and Mark DonaldsonComedy TV & Film TV Reviews

On the Time Lash episodes

July 16, 2021 118. Whittaker's World
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Ben and Mark return to cast their bloodshot, drunken eyes over the Jodie Whittaker/Chris Chibnall era as they pair ‘The Woman Who Fell to Earth’ and ‘Time and the Rani’ – two series openers that will eventually lead to the Doctor being revealed to be “more than just a Timelord’.
Hoping to avoid being dragged into the never-ending culture war, Ben and Mark discuss the many positives of Jodie Whittaker’s opening episode, from a more naturalistic, real world setting to a more stripped back form of storytelling. But is it a pilot for a series we never get?
And for possibly the last time in the current format, Ben and Mark talk about the McCoy era, not that you get much of a sense of it here – great looking monsters that move terribly, the most 1980s Doctor Who weapon ever and Josef Mengele in tinsel and shoulder pads.
Also: Who is the UK’s answer to Mr. T? ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ fan fiction, a new game from the Degsestial Funmaker and much more!
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1 hr 41 min
May 02, 2021 117. Live, Laugh, Logopolis
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Ben and Mark are joined by artist, model maker and friend of the show Millie McKenzie to bid a fond, melancholic farewell to Peter Capaldi, Steven Moffat and Tom Baker.Is ‘Twice Upon a Time’s meta look at the show’s history from 1963 to 2017 perfect Christmas viewing or one last self-indlugent flourish from a departing writer? And is ‘do the exact opposite of Douglas Adams’ a wise choice for anyone when the result is ‘Logopolis’? We discuss all of this along with mathematics, mortality and getting rid of Tom Baker without pomp or occasion.Also: Can you have too much David Tennant? A very special May Day edition of Degsey’s Impression Challenge Segment and don’t you think Ben and Mark look tired?
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2 hr 11 min
April 18, 2021 116. Body Horror with Ben and Mark
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Two fine examples of body horror, Ben and Mark discuss Cyber origins by way of 'World Enough and Time'/'The Doctor Falls' and the Big Finish audio 'Spare Parts'. As well as discussing the inevitability of the Cybermen, they also discuss the relatable aspects of the Master's self-destructive downfall.With 'Spare Parts', they ponder how much Big Finish has changed since the show returned in 2005 and how you avoid the pitfalls of "just doing Genesis of the Daleks again".Also: Has Steven Moffat actually written the last ever episode of Doctor Who? What does the Doctor's failure say about the political climate of 2017? And what's it like to cook a lasagne in the company of four different versions of Nick Briggs?
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2 hr
April 04, 2021 115. Romans in the Gloamin'
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Ben and Mark discuss two TARDIS trips to bonnie Scotland by way of 'The Eaters of Light' and 'The Highlanders'. As they're roman in the gloaming, they chat about Peter Capaldi's old-school charm, the National Theatre of Scotland, the Falkirk Wheel and Ben's crystal waving fascination with standing stones. After that they top up their glasses and visit another blood soaked battlefield as they discuss balancing historical horror with swashbuckling adventure in 1967's 'The Highlanders'. Mark discusses another BBC production about the battle of Culloden and the lads discuss the historical importance of those dark days in 18th century Inverness. There's some laughs too!ALSO: Who pulls a reverse Marter? An appreciation of Nick Briggs' unique interview style and some gratuitous Proclaimers.
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1 hr 45 min
March 21, 2021 114. Briggsit
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Ben and Mark tackle two Doctor Who stories placed at Britain's exit and entrance into the Europe - The Empress of Mars and The Curse of Peladon. What do these two stories tell us about exceptionalism, federalism and the ideal of something larger than ourselves? Who are we kidding, it's mostly knob gags and digs at Big Finish.Also: How good are the Ice Warriors, really? An appreciation of Christopher Eccleston, a brief chat about the new Target novelisations, joining DWAS and quite a few references to Star Trek. If you enjoy the podcast, you can buy us a pint here.
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2 hr 2 min
March 07, 2021 113. Poppin' a Cap in P Cap
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Ben and Mark discuss two benevolent dictatorships as they tackle 'The Lie of the Land' and 'The Macra Terror'? Does the Monk trilogy reach a satisfying conclusion? Were British holiday camps all that bad?Under discussion: Would the Monk arc have worked better as a 12 part Netflix series? Is 'The Lie of the Land' the most overt bit of political commentary in all of Doctor Who? Is the first Troughton series one of the great under-appreciated moments in Doctor Who?Also, Ben and Mark ponder the thesis that humanity never learns from its mistakes, and discuss how 'The Macra Terror' may be more relevant than it's ever been.
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2 hr
February 21, 2021 112. Claws of Axos Meets It's a Knockout
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Ben and Mark discuss hangovers, wasted potential and climates of fear as they try to spin a few hours out of ‘The Pyramid at the End of the World’ and ‘Warriors of the Deep’.Ben and Mark try to criticise the failings of ‘Pyramid’ without being too insensitive, discussing how successfully Doctor Who tries to tackle Brexit and Trump through the Monk’s trilogy. Meanwhile, Margaret Thatcher throws a spanner in the works for Johnny Byrne’s Cold War allegory ‘Warriors of the Deep’.Is the Doctor’s blindness actually just a bit insulting? How did that chemical lab meet building regulations with such a dangerously access unfriendly lock? What exactly does Turlough offer young boys watching at home?ALSO: Ben and Mark audition for the Degsestial Funmaker’s Shakespeare Company, Mark’s girlfriend drunkenly tries to describe the Myrka and there’s a competition to win a copy of Sylvester McCoy’s new film ‘The Owners’ on DVD.
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2 hr 4 min
February 07, 2021 111. Shrugging Priest
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Ben and Mark compare holiday destinations, discuss Catholicism and their own audiences with the Pope as they discuss 2017's 'Extremis'- Just how difficult is it to get information from a book in 2017? Is this just a Greatest Hits collection with a killer new track? Shouldn't it be Donald Trump dead in that chair? And they pair that up with another tale of simulated alien invasion with 1975's 'The Android Invasion', featuring an appreciation of Terry Nation's episode 1s, the best roast dinner Ben's ever had and Kenneth Williams' damning critique of the story.If you like the show, and would like to buy us a pint, you can do so here.
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1 hr 55 min
January 25, 2021 110. Walnut Baby
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It's space, the final frontier as Ben and Mark traverse two less than utopian visions of mankind's future via 'Oxygen' and 'Colony in Space' from a less than utopian present. Is 'Oxygen' just 40 minutes of set-up for one gag? Is Bill the most human and real Doctor Who companion? Is that a chip and pin terminal on the airlock? And then 'Colony in Space' inspires Ben to give a potted history of both Doctor Who quarries and the East India Company.ALSO: Jimmy Savile, the strangeness of early 00s television and a moment of Zen courtesy of Glen McCoy.If you like the podcast you can buy us a pint here
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2 hr 5 min
January 17, 2021 109. Spooky Hoose 3: Soor Ploom
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In the first of another round of Lockdown Lashes, Ben and Mark tackle some creepy goings on in an old house and a murderous rampage in a spooky lighthouse as they discuss 'Knock Knock' and 'Horror of Fang Rock'.Just how accurate a representation of modern student life is 'Knock Knock'? What is it about lighthouses that have become so ingrained in popular culture and mythology? Is 'Horror of Fang Rock' a compelling weekly serial or a cracking film split into four parts? Also: Mark reminisces about living in a nunnery, we analyse the Doctor's property portfolio, There's some Accidental Glen McCoy courtesy of Noel Edmonds, unforeseen Brexit casualties and Ben has a full-on breakdown during another round of DICS. Brought to you by Wooden Mother IPAIf you enjoy the podcast, you can buy us a pint here.
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2 hr 4 min