The Doctor's Beard Podcast

Episode Title: "Colin Baker Fans Unite!" - Attack of the Cybermen Review

THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

Recorded on January 14th, the anniversary was January 13th! Three years of The Doctor's Beard Podcast!

The Early Days: "I wonder how many people were listening back then?" Only a couple dozen, mostly friends. "How many of those people are still with us?"

Patreon Originals: Shout-out to Dawn, Jameson, and Jamie Girl who've been there from the beginning!

THE OPENING QUESTION:

John: "What did you think of the season opener for Season 22?"

JIM'S RESPONSE: "I'M A HAPPY CAMPER."

"This is a world of difference. A universe of difference. I'm even rolling with the stuff that's not that great."

THE BIG DECLARATION:

"I think this is my second favorite Cyberman story."

Why Jim Loves It:

• Colin Baker has settled into his Doctor

• "He's smoothed over some of the rougher edges already"

• The Cybermen's scheme isn't dumb - it's BIG and makes sense

• Foundation is reasonable: self-preservation

• Connects with Tomb of the Cybermen

John's Agreement: "I give you all that. Colin, his performance, and even Peri."

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Production Code: 6T Air Dates: January 5-12, 1985 (not 1986 as John mistakenly said last episode!) Writer: Paula Moore (Paula Woolsey, Eric Saward's girlfriend) Director: Matthew Robinson (last directed Resurrection of the Daleks)

THE WRITING CONTROVERSY:

Three Claims:

1. Paula Woolsey: Got the credit

2. Eric Saward: Most say he wrote it; this was a workaround to BBC rules

3. Ian Levine: Claims HE wrote the story, Saward just wrote the script

Saward's Version: Levine contributed to continuity help, didn't write anything

Jim's Reaction to Levine News: "You shouldn't have told me that. I'm down on it."

John's Defense: "You appreciate these continuity things. That's what Levine brings to the table."

Why the Strong Opening? "Hey, the Cybermen are back! It's the new season!" BBC did 4-5 different promos (unprecedented). Possibly Nicola Bryant cheesecake photos helped.

NOSTALGIA CENTRAL:

THE COMPANION NAME-DROPS:

Peri's Line: The Doctor's called her Tegan, Zoe, Susan... and strangely, Jamie.

Jim's Point: "Really dumb thing to say - as we in particular know on this podcast, Jamie can be used for both male and female. It's like Peri's never met a female named Jamie?"

The List: Tegan, Zoe, Susan, and Jamie

THE TERRIBLE ZODIN:

Jim: "How do you remember that?"

The Running Joke: Started in The Five Doctors - Patrick Troughton listing enemies fought, mentions "the terrible Zodin." Brigadier: "Who?"

Peri's Confusion: She seemed to act like it was a companion or ally. "Although the 'terrible' part should have tipped her off."

TOTTERS LANE:

The Landing: No specific reason other than for us, the audience

John's Theory: "There seems to be more of a nod to the 20th anniversary with these references. Companions, Totters Lane, we're getting The Two Doctors with Patrick Troughton, another story where Jon Pertwee's Doctor is referenced. This felt more like walking down memory lane."

The Set vs. Location: Originally a set, now actual location shot. "Doesn't exactly match up, but probably thinking 'It was 20 years ago, who the heck would remember what it looked like?'"

The Availability Problem: At that time, you couldn't watch An Unearthly Child if you wanted to - not available on VHS or anything. Only if you caught The Five Faces of Doctor Who a couple years earlier.

Jim's Sadness: "It's sad they would have had to rely upon an outside source to help with historical things of the show. Doctor Who is still a pretty big, important part of the BBC. Odd there wouldn't be anybody around who would be the keeper of the flame."

PERI'S FIRST OUTFIT:

Jim's Complaint: "Horrible. Dumb. Peri, you're obviously having a lot of problems running when the Doctor starts running. Is this really the best choices you're making here? And the color!"

Why It's There: "But I know why it's all there. I get it." (For the male viewers)

GUEST STARS:

Brian Glover (Griffiths): Former wrestler and English teacher turned actor. No relation to Julian Glover.

David Banks: Cyber Leader (same as Earthshock)

Michael Kilgarriff: Cyber Controller (same as Tomb of the Cybermen

THE CYBER HIERARCHY:

Jim's Confusion: "Is this the first time we've actually seen this Cyber Controller?"

The Difference:

• Cyber Leader: Always in the field directing Cybermen in action

• Cyber Controller: The big boss they check in with

PART ONE PRAISE:

John: "I always love anytime we've got the Doctor in contemporary setting - going back to Pertwee, but definitely Troughton and Hartnell with War Machines. Here we have Peri and Doctor just roaming the streets tracking the signal. Loved it. I'm looking at the houses."

The Date: Aired January 5-12, 1985. Set in 1985 to jive with The Tenth Planet (1986).

The Realization: "Whoever came up with this idea realized 'We're coming up on the year the Cybermen first arrived. We should do something with that.'"

THE TIME CRAFT MYSTERY:

The Questions:

• Where did it come from?

• Whose planet is doing this?

• Was the Doctor sent off course to stop use of time ship?

• Is mission to stop Cybermen from changing history or to get time ship?

The Concern: "How many times over past 20 years has there been any other race with time craft other than Time Lords? The Daleks, for one..."

John's Point: "That should be of fairly great concern by Time Lords. They should know everybody everywhere in the whole universe who has time travel capability."

Jim: "Why did they want the TARDIS when they already had a time craft?"

THE WEB OF TIME:

Jim's Note: "I always love the conversation about history of Mondas, the whole 1986 thing. I circled this - mentioned more than once, I don't think the term has been used before. The web of time."

The Phrase: Used very formally as if that's what it's really called. The concept has been there, but not the phrase.

PERI'S SECOND OUTFIT:

Jim: "Much better outfit once Cybermen force her to change clothes."

The Question: "Did they stand there as she changed to make sure?"

John: "They'd do it passively. No passion. They'd just be like—"

Jim: "Oh right, yeah. I can just see 'You've got to turn your back.' 'There's no significance to us having to turn our back.'"

TOMB OF THE CYBERMEN LOVE:

Jim: "I love all the references to the tombs, Tomb of the Cybermen. That whole thing. I love that concept. That's one of the reasons I like Tomb of the Cybermen. Really glad that was pulled back into cyber mythology."

THE KRYONS:

Jim's Uncertainty: "I don't know what to think about the Kryons and their design. Interesting it's all women who play the roles. Don't know if we were supposed to think anything of that - is their race entirely female, or were there males but the males perished?"

John's Theory: "More my thinking - there's nothing suggesting 'we're the last women' or 'we were only women.'"

The Appreciation: "Makes them more exotic. I appreciated all the actresses - really got into the hand movements thing. Right out of the 60s!"

THE SENSORITES CONNECTION:

Jim: "Everything about the Kryons is right out of the Sensorites playbook. They are so early 60s. The translucent pieces of plastic film cut up and pasted on them."

The Head Pieces: "Weirdly, their eye holes are so big you can see the actresses' eyes. Then I saw there's an actual lens over that - some smooth, some segmented which really made it hard for actresses to see. I realized they weren't trying to say those were their organic heads but helmets they wear."

Ice Warriors Comparison: "Reminded me of Ice Warriors - those aren't necessarily their heads but helmets. Made me wonder what the Kryons actually looked like."

The Follow-Up: "There's no way nobody has not followed up - they've returned in a book, comic, or Big Finish and answered some questions."

John: "Do you know off the top of your head?" / Jim: "I don't. They don't return in the show."

SONIC LANCE VS. SONIC SCREWDRIVER:

Jim's Frustration: "Why have an ersatz sonic screwdriver? Just have a sonic screwdriver! They call it a sonic lance. Why does JNT not want his cake but he's going to eat it too? You want to get rid of sonic screwdriver, yet you have a device that is everything but a sonic screwdriver except for the name."

The Theory: "Possible Eric Saward himself was either testing waters or trying to put his mark on it."

The Problem: "We won't see it again. Because it had a lot of use - chameleon circuit, closeups, handed around."

Modern Context: "I get it - at this moment, sonic screwdriver's not anything like today where it's indispensable. Almost too much in modern Doctor Who - almost overboard, like he couldn't live without it."

LYTTON'S TORTURE:

Jim: "Wow, that was pretty extreme. But I have to say, I was glad for it. Not necessarily that somebody gets tortured, but I think it's a good moment. Makes the Cybermen seem like a threat."

THE DOCTOR'S HUMANITY:

Jim's Appreciation: "I really liked and appreciated how much the Doctor's humanity comes through. You might've gotten the idea with earliest moments of Colin Baker's Doctor we weren't going to see anything like that. But no - he's got one hell of a streak of humanity."

The Balance: "My goodness, did they balance that character in the span of one story! They somewhat softened his sarcasm and cutting remarks, but not completely. The ego is still there, but then they play up the humanity. It's a nice balance. I really like him."

COLIN BAKER'S VOICE:

Jim: "I haven't said this before - I like Colin Baker's accent. Every Doctor is from somewhere different in the UK. I don't know exactly where Colin Baker's from, but I liked the way he speaks. Something about his voice I like."

The Comparison:

• Tom Baker had the most distinctive voice

• Davison's kind of wasn't a pleasure to listen to

• Loved Hartnell's accent

• Troughton's just kind of bland

• "My God, I love the way Pertwee talked"

• "I'm finding I really like to listen to Baker, Colin Baker, give lines"

Born in London, moved to Lancaster - primarily uses posh accent. "It is high-brow. That's okay. Nice to have another Doctor like that."

THE WEAK SUBPLOT:

The Agreement: Bates and Stratton (semi-converted men trying to make their way through) - "Probably the weakest part of this whole thing."

Jim: "A little boring. I think the show intended them to be comedy relief with bickering back and forth and sarcasm. Didn't really take much notice of them until they run into Lytton and Griffiths."

The Fan Wank Accusation:

John: "Some people look at it as fan wank."

Jim: "No. Yeah. No. There are moments that go so quickly - maybe a little fan service. But overall, no way whatsoever. Just because Cybermen are in it? People who are against use of any classic bad guys? Assume they probably say that of every Dalek story."

The Defense: "There's no reason behind using Totters Lane and I.M. Foreman other than 'hey, look at this folks, remember this from 20 years ago?' But if it was all through the whole thing doing that over and over, no. As far as Tenth Planet references, brought in for significant reason - it's the plot! They want to go back and stop that story from happening. That's a valid story idea."

Jim's Challenge: "Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me I'm wrong for liking this story."

The One Person: "I know one person is probably sitting there screaming... He's probably wondering what the hell is wrong with me. That dude betrayed me."

THE NEXT TWO STORIES:

John: "Honest to God, the next two are two favorites of mine."

Story 1: "One from extremely nostalgic perspective - first one of Colin Baker's I ever saw and actually said 'You know, as ridiculous as this coat is, this has a lot of potential.'"

Story 2: "One other story speaks to my love of television in many respects."

JIM'S CURRENT PROJECTS:

Local Author Spotlight: Tomorrow night (unfortunately very cold - "people in my area cower in their homes if drop of rain, flake of snow falls or it drops below 55 degrees"). "Really hoping I have nice little audience. Really looking forward to it. Did some prep work today. Going to do readings from my books, selling my books hopefully. Should be pretty fun."

Doc Jones Novel: "14 chapters in, writing every day, averaging between 2,600-2,700 words a day. Completely insane for me, but I can't question it or think too hard about it. Got to keep going. Try to finish this. More than halfway through."

NEXT TIME:

Monday (Patreon #154): Part 2 of Voyager, Memory TARDIS spin (maybe another Peter Davison to annoy Jim!), and "probably one of the most unique Doctor Who-inspired songs - not a theme this time. I found this really unique song called 'I Am Chameleon' and we'll discuss the whole origin on Patreon show."

Friday (Patreon) then Saturday (Main Feed): Vengeance on Varos! Jim handles narration. Joined by Felicity Cousins from The Flop Cast!

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Episode Title: "Disco Who" - A 70s Retrospective

SPECIAL HIATUS EPISODE - PATREON BONUS NOW AVAILABLE TO ALL!

This episode was originally produced for Patreon sponsors in July 2025 and is now being shared with main feed listeners to showcase the bonus content available through Patreon membership ($3/month gets early access, exclusive episodes, and more!).

THE DECADE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING: From Jon Pertwee's January 3, 1970 debut to Tom Baker's dominance through 1979, John and Jim reflect on ten years of color, UNIT, Masters, companions, and the evolution of the Doctor.

THE BIG QUESTION: WAS PERTWEE'S TIME PROPER DOCTOR WHO?

John's Challenge: "When you consider what we had in the 60s, what is proper Doctor Who?"

The Batman Comparison: Like Batman needing parents killed, what are the essential Doctor Who elements?

The Core Elements They Identify:

• Rebel/Iconoclast: Always up against authority
• Itinerant: No fixed location (even when exiled, Pertwee chafed at it)
• Time and Space: Non-negotiable
• Companion: Someone to talk to, bounce ideas off
• Scientific Curiosity: Every Doctor has this
• Eccentric/Off-Kilter: From Hartnell to modern Doctors
• British: "Has to be British. I know that sounds weird - he's an alien - but yeah, has to be British."

PERTWEE AS THE SUPERHERO DOCTOR:

Breaking From Troughton: Far more action-oriented. Troughton actively distanced himself from violence. Pertwee waded right in - Venusian Aikido and all!

The James Bond Comparison: Show runners wanted "James Bond," but Jim saw more superhero than spy.

Ushering In The 70s: "Nobody could have ushered in the 70s but Jon Pertwee. Troughton just could not have done it. Hartnell, absolutely not... New decade, new everything."

Adam Adamant Connection: John's been watching Verity Lambert's follow-up series with Sydney Newman - Victorian man in suspended animation recovers in 1960s. "Pertwee's Doctor was Adam Adamant - man out of time, fish out of water."

THE UNIT ERA - ADDITION OR SUBTRACTION?

Jim's Take: "It added to it. It's a whole new layer that very much appeals to me. A paramilitary organization led by dynamic characters you want to root for."

The Brigadier Factor: "You look forward to every interaction he'd have with the Doctor because you knew it was going to come close to a throat. His frustration with the Doctor and the Doctor with him."

Continuity Innovation: First time Doctor Who had ongoing character plots! Mike Yates' betrayal and redemption across seasons.

Bessie > Romance: "We were more impressed with Bessie back then."

TOM BAKER - THE YOUNG DOCTOR:

The Big Change: First time the Doctor wasn't an older gentleman - "this young man. But still not handsome!"

The Beatles Analogy:

• Hartnell = John Lennon (fits like a glove!)
• Pertwee = Paul McCartney (leader of the pack, the charming one, ladies' man)
• Troughton = George Harrison (the spiritual one)
• Tom Baker = Ringo (John: "Tom Baker and Ringo, pretty much cut from the same cloth")

Product of His Time: Baker represents late 70s - the hair, floppy clothing, the scarf as his version of ladies' knitted shawls, the big coat.

The 80s Problem: "More and more as we're getting into the 80s, he's not really working as an 80s Doctor... Peter Davison seems like the 80s Doctor that should be there."

Following Trends: The show followed trends more than ever - Star Wars influence obvious, but also Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers. Saturday night scheduling against Buck Rogers killed ratings (lost half the audience).

BAKER FATIGUE:

The Unique Problem: "You never hear Hartnell, Troughton, or Pertwee fatigue, but you hear Baker fatigue."

Jim's Confession: "I had a little Troughton fatigue."

The Blame Game: "I blame the producers of Doctor Who. They should have moved Baker along sooner instead of leaving it to him. There was precedent - they fired Hartnell!"

Jim's Prediction: "I can't imagine Davison, Baker, or McCoy topping Jon Pertwee."

John's Counter: "Davison will topple Pertwee. Pertwee will stay number two for me. He's a formative Doctor."

Jim's Concession: "I'm going to give Davison the benefit of the doubt that he may push Tom Baker down."

THE BAKER RECKONING:

Jim's Frustration: "All this time I've heard almost nothing but Tom Baker, Tom Baker, Tom Baker - as if there's nothing else, no one else in this show since 1963. It's really interesting now to have gotten almost to the end and seeing that, for me, he ain't all that."

The Diagnosis: "He's not bad. It's just not my cup of tea. He's been more annoying to me than anything. That's just that kind of character I don't care for."

Only Three Stories Left: Moving into the 80s in full!

THE TOM BAKER CHALLENGE:

Jim's Dare: "Come on, bring on the hate emails. I'm waiting for it. Bring it on. I know how special he is to a lot of people."

NEXT TIME:

• Patreon Exclusive #126: Music, Big Finish's "Doctor Who and the Pirates," Memory TARDIS spin, catching up on email
• Main Feed: Warrior's Gate - The end of the E-Space Trilogy! Jim handles narration for the four-parter. "The beginning of the end... preparing for the moment."

From the swinging 70s to the itchy 80s!

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Episode Title: "I Am The Doctor, Whether You Like It Or Not" - The Twin Dilemma Review

THE GREAT REVERSAL: After three seasons of John defending Peter Davison against Jim's criticisms, the tables turn completely. Jim embraces Colin Baker.

JIM'S SHOCKING TAKE: "I don't usually line up with Doctor Who fans because I did not like Caves of Androzani and I liked this. I liked Baker. If it's not what the show needed at this moment in time, it's definitely what I needed. I needed a Doctor who was more awake and doing things... larger."

THE TWIN DILEMMA (March 22-30, 1984) Writer: Anthony Steven (first and only Doctor Who story - oldest writer at 67!) Director: Peter Moffatt (returning)

The Legend: Doctor Who Magazine 2009 poll - Caves of Androzani came in #1. The Twin Dilemma came in #200... DEAD LAST.

The Rift Begins: Saward wasn't happy with Baker's casting (thought he was miscast), didn't like JNT's stunt casting focus, and objected to JNT comparing Doctor Who to comedy show "Morecambe and Wise."

THE DAVISON SLAM:

The Shocking Lines:

• "I never really liked him anyway"

• "He had a sort of feckless charm"

• Definition of feckless: "Lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible"

The Culprits: Either JNT (getting back at Davison for leaving?), Saward (who did the heavy rewrite), or Steven - but those lines don't get through without approval.

Jim's Theory: "I can't see JNT being happy with Davison leaving after three years. This could be him being petty."

STORY BREAKDOWN:

Mathematical geniuses Romulus and Remus are abducted by mysterious Edgeworth and taken to Mestor on asteroid Titan Three. The newly regenerated, unstable Doctor picks a new outfit, declares himself "unregenerate," and plans to become a hermit with Peri. The twins' father alerts authorities. Police commander scrambles fighters to investigate the freighter - only survivor is pilot Hugo Lang who accuses the Doctor of the attack.

The twins are forced to do calculations for Edgeworth (revealed as Azmael, a Time Lord and the Doctor's old teacher). Mestor plans to move two planets into Jaconda's orbit as "larders" to replenish the wasting planet. The Doctor realizes the calculations are off - the worlds will crash into the sun, destroying everything but scattering Mestor's gastropod eggs throughout the universe.

Mestor demonstrates mind-possession on Azmael, threatening to take the Doctor's body. The Doctor destroys Mestor's slug body. Azmael dies exorcising Mestor's mind. Jacondans are freed. Lang stays to help with mop-up. The Doctor returns the twins to Earth.

CHARACTER ANALYSIS:

The Sixth Doctor - Every Previous Doctor Combined:

• Hartnell's there (not the lead initially, Peri has more agency)

• Troughton: "We must find this evil and destroy it!"

• Pertwee: Says "Eureka!"

• Tom Baker: The ego is BACK and turned up to 11

• Davison: The violence continues, referenced regeneration fears

New Affectation: Repeating words three times when incredulous or angry ("Sweet, sweet, sweet")

Hugo Lang - The Space Dirty Harry: Jim's Justice League addition! "You might reach that gun before I can kill you" - classic action hero dialogue. Stays on Jaconda at the end despite having "no one to go back to."

Kevin McNally plays Hugo (later Pirates of the Caribbean's Gibbs!)

Azmael: Time Lord, the Doctor's favorite teacher (sorry, Borusa!). Controls Jaconda, calls them "my people" (why does a Time Lord want to rule a planet?).

The Death Scene: John loved it - touched and warm between Azmael and the Doctor. "The finest teacher I ever had."

Mestor: Giant slug with mind-control powers and embolism ray ("little bubbles, not good"). Finds Peri "pleasing" so doesn't kill her immediately (second ugly being attracted to Peri after Sharaz Jek).

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

New Title Sequence: Sparkly! Logo curved! Colin's face transitions from serious to smiling!

The TARDIS: Has a chair! The Doctor calls the outside "hideous" - setup for attempting to fix chameleon circuit next story

Trans-Mat Love: Jim adores that this technology persists throughout Who history. The Doctor turns it into a time travel device ("just a few little adjustments")

Old Who Connections Everywhere:

• Braveheart Tegan reference

• Azmael knew Fourth Doctor

• Wine at the fountain (Big Finish goldmine!)

• Space police headquarters "straight out of Troughton's time"

The Video Games: The twins face each other with what look like handheld gaming consoles - repurposed 1970s electronic games! John searched everywhere to identify them.

Actor Notes:

• Maurice Denham returns in Pertwee BBC audio "The Paradise of Death" and appeared with Roger Delgado in "The Slide"

• Edwin Richfield (Mestor) was Captain Hart in "The Sea Devils"

• The twins' real father played a gunrunner in "Caves of Androzani"!

THE ENDING - "WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT":

The Lines:

• "Wait a bit before criticizing my new persona"

• "I am the Doctor, whether you like it or not"

The Delivery: Spoken directly to camera, directly to the audience. Then both smile - a wink? Softening the harshness?

Jim's Question: "Why put that in there? You don't just have something like that unless you already felt you were getting pushback."

The Speculation: Was it in original script or added during filming? Did it start as Doctor-to-Peri dialogue that got strengthened and shifted to Doctor-to-audience?

The Challenge: "People will be like 'All right, let me give it another try.' This has been the thing about doing review shows - stuff I thought was garbage as a kid is really good now, and vice versa.

The Meta Moment: Lots of meta at beginning and end - the story knows it's a transition.

NEXT TIME: Patreon Exclusive #152 - Music, Colin Baker's comic debut, Season 21 Retrospective (the good, bad, and ugly), spoiler card revealing something about Season 22, Memory TARDIS spin, and a longer-than-usual episode!

Then: Peter Davison Retrospective (Patreon) and 1970s Doctor Who retrospective (main feed hiatus episode)!

Colin Baker fans - write in! "We need to hear from more people who like Colin Baker's Doctor. Drop us a line or leave a voicemail!"

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Episode Title: "I Need My Pain" - The Caves of Androzani Review & The Fifth Doctor's Regeneration

THE CAVES OF ANDROZANI (March 8-16, 1984) Writer: Robert Holmes (returning!) Director: Graeme Harper (debut - directing from studio floor, not control room)

PRODUCTION NOTES:

The Fake Title: JNT put "The Doctor's Wife" on the production board deliberately to catch office leaks (ironic foreshadowing of Matt Smith's episode!)

Graeme Harper's Innovation: Highly innovative direction with unrestricted camera movement - energetic, personal style directing from the floor instead of control room. Peter Davison said if there had been more directors like Harper and writers like Holmes, he'd have stayed for a fourth season.

The Strike: Recording interrupted, cutting two sequences including the Doctor explaining his blown glass bottle collection from different planets (why they're visiting Androzani Minor for sand)

Nicola Bryant's Frostbite: Developed mild frostbite on first day filming because her lower legs were bare in actually cold conditions

The Dream Casting That Never Was: Sharaz Jek was offered to Tim Curry, David Bowie, and Mick Jagger! Christopher Gable was Harper's first choice, Bowie his second. Only Bowie had a reason for declining (Serious Moonlight tour).

STORY BREAKDOWN: The TARDIS lands on Androzani Minor where the Doctor and Peri investigate caves and step in raw Spectrox - the most valuable substance in the universe. They're caught between multiple factions fighting over Spectrox: business magnate Morgus, General Chellak's forces, gun-runner Stotz, and the mysterious masked Sharaz Jek controlling an android army. Both contract Spectrox toxemia - the only cure is bat's milk from the lower caves where a magma beast hunts.

THE FACTIONS DEBATE: Jim struggles with the convoluted plot involving approximately four factions. John helps clarify: Morgus controls everything from Androzani Major, supplying guns to Jek through Stotz while also backing the military against Jek. Nobody to root for - they're all "nasty, nasty people."

STANDOUT MOMENTS:

Peri & The Doctor's Chemistry: Their banter is finally warm and funny! John notes Peri complains differently than Tegan - more innocent, not sharp-edged or world-weary.

The Star Trek Connection: The military forces sport Star Trek colors (blue, red, gold) matching departments, and uniform design echoes later TNG/DS9 style!

First "Droid" Usage: Doctor Who uses the term "droid" for the first time (George Lucas trademarked it, but the term originated with Mary Wolfe in 1952's "Robots of the World, Arise!")

Direction Showing Off: The vid-screen conversations where Morgus walks behind the hologram and creative camera angles - "Someone's really showing off here, but in a good way"

Morgus's Aside: John Normington misunderstood stage directions and spoke his inner thoughts directly to camera. Everyone loved it, so they kept it! Could've been the Deadpool of Doctor Who if used throughout.

CHARACTER ANALYSIS:

Sharaz Jek - A Cut Above: The most twisted, dark villain in Doctor Who history. Could give Davros a run for his money in maniacal madness. Shakespearean dialogue, obsessed with Peri's beauty in deeply cringy ways. The mask reveal? A letdown - "not worthy of the build-up at all."

Morgus - Standard Bureaucrat Behaving Badly: Rat bastard who murders the President by pushing him down an empty lift shaft. His defeat is Jim's "moment of joy" - well-deserved!

The Magma Beast: As awful as the Myrka from Warriors of the Deep, maybe worse.

THE VIOLENCE: Brutal for Doctor Who - no comic book foundation anymore. The gun-runner scuffle was "nasty, nasty, nasty stuff."

THE REGENERATION:

Most Extensive Ever: The Doctor says "feels different this time" (David Tennant would echo this line in his bi-regeneration). All companion cameos newly filmed:

• Matthew Waterhouse (Adric) - the Doctor reacts most strongly

• Sarah Sutton (Nyssa) - had chicken pox!

• Janet Fielding (Tegan) - "Brave heart, Tegan"

• Mark Strickson (Turlough)

• Anthony Ainley (The Master) - "Die, Doctor!"

The Psychology: John theorizes the hallucinations represent the Doctor's psyche - companions urging him to live vs. the Master (part of himself) wanting to die.

Colin Baker's Entrance: Nervous during setup, but in command once cameras rolled. Dressed in Davison's outfit (as it should be!). Two takes - said "egotistical" in final cut, "egocentric" in first. End credits gave Colin Baker top billing immediately.

JIM'S CONFLICTED FEELINGS:

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE: Jim admits Colin Baker's brief scene gave him hope: "He's very different from Davison... the polar opposite. He immediately insults Peri and he's large and in charge. I can almost put up with a real jerk if there's just some real agency going on in the character."

The Agency Theory: Jim yearns for the days of Enemy of the World when the Doctor had real agency, was right in the middle of everything. He identifies with Pertwee's sarcasm and hopes Baker will deliver.

ROBERT HOLMES APPRECIATION: Both hosts wish Holmes had been brought in sooner to establish Davison's character. His dialogue elevates everything - Jek's "I have to live among androids because they do not see like we see."

FINAL THOUGHTS: Jim: "I'm somewhat encouraged by that tiny little scene with Colin Baker. It gave me some hope... I can almost put up with a real jerk if there's just some real agency."

John: "I think that's fair to say there will be agency."

The marshmallow Doctor era ends. The loud, arrogant era begins. One more story to round out Season 21...

NEXT TIME: The Twin Dilemma - Colin Baker's full premiere! Jim handles narration for the four-parter. What could possibly go wrong with starting a new Doctor's era?

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Episode Title: "From Carnage to Cleavage" - Planet of Fire Review

PLANET OF FIRE (February-March 1984) Writer: Peter Grimwade (his final Doctor Who work) Director: Fiona Cumming (her last story, dating back to The Highlanders) Location: Lanzarote, Canary Islands - chosen after Cumming promoted it with holiday photos!

THE SHOPPING LIST EPISODE: Peter Grimwade faces an enormous writing burden with his final Doctor Who script - a literal checklist: Introduce Perry, reintroduce Kamelion (and write him out), fill in Turlough's background, bring back the Master and kill him off, and oh yes, set it all in Lanzarote because we want a holiday!

PERI: The accent is terrible, the acting is broad, the costumes are... strategic. But she's a complete 180 from Tegan, which makes her "a refreshing change" in Jim's words. Also: Why does Fiona Cumming, a female director, go along with the obvious cheesecake shots?

THE QUESTION: Why was Turlough sent to Earth instead of being on the ship with the others?

THE DEATH: The Doctor hesitates as the Master burns in the flames. Both hosts question whether he could've saved him (echoing the Davros dilemma from Resurrection).

KAMELION'S END: The prop finally works by having Kamelion transform into Howard (Perry's stepfather) and then the Master. Jim asks the obvious: "Why didn't they just do that all along?"

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WOUND THEORY: Jim theorizes that while previous Doctors showed physical deterioration before regeneration, Davison is being psychologically and mentally wounded - all the ethical dilemmas (Davros, the Master, Kameleon) are wearing him down, setting up the regeneration.

LOCATION WORK: Both hosts praise the Lanzarote filming and volcanic landscapes doubling for Sarn. Jim wanted more of the shipwreck dive sequences. The café scene where the Doctor leaves alien money behind stands out as atypical behavior.

THE SOPHIE ALDRED ACE PODCAST UPDATE: John reports the interviews barely discuss Doctor Who - Sylvester McCoy talks about pissing off Richard Burton and friendship with Ian McKellen; Katy Manning discusses life philosophy ("Every day is a blessing"). The hosts approve: "We've heard all the Doctor Who stuff for years!"

NEXT TIME: The Caves of Androzani - "Once daily Androzani! Major and minor!" The end of Peter Davison, the introduction of Colin Baker, and the return of Robert Holmes!

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Episode Title: "Santa's 3D Printer & The Killer Snowman" - Fantasy Takes Over & The Mechanoids Attack! - Patreon Exclusive Sample

CHRISTMAS EVE GIFT TO OUR LISTENERS: The Doctor's Beard Podcast delivers a festive Patreon Exclusive perfect for the holiday! Join John (as Santa Claus) and Jim (as the Evil/Demon Magician) as they unwrap a mixed Santa's bag - three Doctor Who strips from the 12-week Dalek Master Plan era, plus an emotionally satisfying Dalek comic featuring the Mechanoids' first appearance!

THE SEA CHANGE: Jim identifies a major shift in the Doctor Who strip: "The stories have really become little fantasies than science fiction." What began as simplistic but genuine sci-fi has transformed into Oz-esque fantasy adventures with frog people, ancient mariners, and yes - Santa Claus himself.

DOCTOR WHO STRIPS:

"SHARK BAIT" (November 22 - December 13, 1965) Writer/Artist: Bill Mevin The Doctor helps frog people with their shark problem before the story pivots to an ancient mariner trying to claim the TARDIS as his home. Meandering plot reminiscent of Dalek Master Plan's mid-story shifts.

"A CHRISTMAS STORY" (December 20, 1965 - January 10, 1966) Writer/Artist: Bill Mevin

John's bold claim: "Actually better than the TV episode [Feast of Steven]!"

Santa Claus appears as a character (Jim loves this trope from comics), falling behind on toy TARDIS production due to overwhelming demand. The Doctor saves Christmas by providing Santa with... a 3D printer! "Maybe the Doctor gave us 3D printing. Whoever thinks they invented it needs to read this story."

The B-Plot: A creepy demon magician hampers Santa's efforts. But the REAL terror? The Killer Snowman who literally tries to choke John to death!

John recognizes similarities to Matt Smith's "The Snowman" Christmas special, theorizing Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat were subconsciously influenced by childhood comic memories. "Bill Mevin's family needs a few ducats... or grubsits."

"THE DYTUS EXPEDITION" (January 22 - February 12, 1966) Writer/Artist: Bill Mevin

The long-extinct Dytus bird escapes a space zoo. The Doctor offers to recapture it, leading to jungle adventures with unfortunate native stereotypes (echoing the recent Monstrons issue).

Jim gets "a real Doctor Dolittle vibe" from the giant creature quest on an island. Both hosts confess: "I like stories about space zoos" (with John teasing an upcoming episode will satisfy this).

THE DALEKS: "EVE OF WAR" (December 11, 1965 - January 8, 1966) Writer: David Whitaker (from Terry Nation's concepts) Artists: Richard Jennings (Parts 1-5), Ron Turner (Parts 6-7)

Artist Change Alert: Ron Turner takes over for the final two installments, redesigning Daleks to resemble the movie versions. He continues as the strip's artist going forward.

The Story: After rebuilding Skaro in "just a few months" (!) with intricate surveillance to prevent future invasions, the Daleks plan to mine nearby planet Auric. That's when the Mechanoids attack.

This is the "first meeting" between Daleks and Mechanoids in strip continuity - different from TV universe. The Mechanoids are presented as equally conquering, totally machine entities (unlike the Daleks with organic components inside).

Key moment: The strip explicitly clarifies Mechanoids are "totally machine" while Daleks are not - important distinction!

True Cliffhanger: The story literally ends mid-narrative with "TO BE CONTINUED" - not just teasing the next adventure but stopping in the middle of this one!

THE BIG QUESTION: John asks Jim: "Do you find yourself enjoying reading these more than watching some of the Dalek stories on TV?"

Only one Dalek strip disappointed them across the entire run - and the end approaches! Time to buy the collection.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE DOCTOR'S BEARD PODCAST!

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Episode Title: "Help Me! - Oh No, Don't Hurt My Daleks!" - The Monstrons Defeat & Problematic Depictions - Patreon Exclusive Sample

HOLIDAY GIFT TO OUR LISTENERS: The Doctor's Beard Podcast delivers another Patreon Exclusive featuring comics discussion! Join John (as Kenix of the Monstrons) and Jim (as the Golden Emperor Dalek) as they tackle Bill Mevin's Doctor Who strip and confront a troubling but emotionally powerful Dalek comic.

DOCTOR WHO STRIP: "ENTER THE GO RAY" (October 25 - November 15, 1965) Writer/Artist: Bill Mevin

Jim's opening assessment: "I like the art. All right, next."

The TARDIS crew lands on a world straight out of Oz novels - inhabitants roll on single wheels instead of feet! Accused of stealing pile-cardium that powers the city, the Doctor races against time in radiation suits to provide mercury as an alternative power source while the Go Rays pound on the door.

John's highlight: "They look like gingerbread cookies on wheels in the end."

THE DALEKS: "MENACE OF THE MONSTRONS" (October 23 - December 4, 1965) Writer: David Whitaker (from Terry Nation's concepts) Artist: Richard Jennings

⚠️ Content Warning: The hosts must address the strip's deeply problematic visual depiction of the Monstrons as offensive African stereotypes. Jim expresses discomfort and surprise at such imagery appearing in 1965, creating "a weird dichotomy" - the characters are portrayed as highly intelligent and capable (defeating the Daleks), yet drawn in extremely unflattering stereotypical ways.

The Story Itself: An alien race with "Engibrain" android soldiers kicks the Daleks' "shiny metal asses" (to quote another robot from pop culture). The Monstrons arrive using the same conquest playbook as the Daleks, setting up base in a volcano, and capturing Daleks as souvenirs after believing they've destroyed the race.

Both hosts admit they were rooting for the Daleks throughout, celebrating when they finally turn the tide.

UPCOMING TEASE: The 12-part Dalek Master Plan begins next! John warns about the infamous Part Six (which "does not hold up" and could be removed without affecting the story), but promises excitement after Mission to the Unknown. Only three episodes exist: Parts 2, 5, and 10 - everything else remains missing with no BBC animation.

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Episode Title: "Midichlorians Before Midichlorians!" - The Sorcerer's Apprentice Novel Review - Patreon Exclusive Sample

HOLIDAY GIFT TO OUR LISTENERS: The Doctor's Beard Podcast presents another special Patreon Exclusive - this time venturing beyond comics into the world of Doctor Who prose! Join John (the Apprentice) and Jim (the Sorcerer Supreme) as they discuss Christopher Bulis's The Sorcerer's Apprentice from the Virgin Missing Adventures line.

JIM'S BACKYARD: "I don't know from podcasting... but a good old fashioned book is my bailiwick." Jim reveals his Doctor Who origin story: reading Target novelizations in the late 70s/early 80s (American publisher reprints with Harlan Ellison introductions stating "My Hero, Doctor Who"), then driving to Windsor, Canada with his father to find British Target editions. He sold those collections years ago and now kicks himself regularly.

CHOOSING THE BOOK: Jim turned to Facebook Doctor Who groups for recommendations on First Doctor original novels. Two titles dominated suggestions:

• The Venusian Lullaby by Paul Leonard (First Doctor, Ian, Barbara - takes place between The Dalek Invasion of Earth and The Rescue)
• The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Christopher Bulis (First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara - takes place between Marco Polo and The Keys of Marinus)

Jim chose The Sorcerer's Apprentice because it comes chronologically first and includes Susan. The cover features the Doctor, Susan, and the TARDIS being breathed upon by a fire-breathing dragon - an actual scene from the book!

THE MISSING ADVENTURES SERIES: Virgin Books received the Doctor Who license after the 1989 "rest" (not cancellation). They launched:

• New Adventures: Continuing Sylvester McCoy/Ace stories with ongoing character development
• Missing Adventures: Original novels set during the first six Doctors' eras

DOCTOR WHO THE MISSING ADVENTURES: THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE (1995) Writer: Christopher Bulis

The Setup: The TARDIS lands on an Earth-like world with a stereotypical medieval setting - knights, dragons, castles, a king and queen, princess and her fiancé. But there's also real magic. The core conflict: Science versus Magic - the Doctor representing science, the world representing magic.

The Twist: Outside this medieval world exists a solar system-spanning empire with spaceships and lasers. Legends and names derive from Arthurian mythology - the planet is called Elbyon (spelled differently from Albion, an old name for England).

CHARACTERIZATION - NAILED IT: Jim praises Bulis for capturing the actors' voices perfectly: "I'm reading this and I'm hearing William Hartnell, William Russell, Carol Ann Ford, and Jacqueline Hill. That's what really makes this come alive."

Character Rankings:

1. The Doctor - Spot on throughout
2. Ian - "Really strong... there's a particular way you have to have Ian talk"
3. Susan - Well-captured, gets meaty material
4. Barbara - Sadly underused, separated from the group early and relegated to a tangent storyline

CLEVER CONTINUITY TOUCHES:

Language Mystery: The Doctor and Susan speak to each other in an unidentifiable language Barbara has never heard before - a subtle nod to their alien origins without spelling it out.

The Ring Returns: The Doctor's ring (featured prominently in "The Web Planet") plays a significant part in the action. Jim appreciates the callback to their ongoing discussions about when the ring matters versus when it's forgotten.

Ian Learns Swordfighting: Ian explicitly states he doesn't know how to sword fight - perfectly placed between "Marco Polo" (where he wouldn't know) and "The Romans" (where he suddenly does). This novel explains where Ian learned!

Susan's Difference: Brief references to Susan being "different" from the humans, reinforcing her alien nature without heavy-handedness.

NO SMIRKING OR WINKING: Unlike some novelizations that project future Doctor knowledge backward, Bulis respects the 1964 timeline. Jim: "If you really want to be accurate, you have to write it from 'it's 1964 and that stuff hasn't happened yet.'"

LISTENER COMPLAINTS ADDRESSED: Jim found limited online reviews, mostly negative:

1. Splitting Up the Crew - Complaint: Early series constantly separated characters. John's defense: You couldn't fit this anywhere in the Susan timeline without that happening
2. Stereotypical Setting - Complaint: Bulis uses standard tropes. John's defense: "We say things like that, but when somebody does something different and out of the ordinary, we criticize them for that too"

Jim on fan expectations: "Obviously writers can't kill characters, have them get pregnant, lose limbs, or murder somebody... especially when they tell us exactly where these stories take place in canon timeline."

AVAILABILITY: Out of print for nearly 30 years but readily available on eBay and used bookstores for around $10. Jim found both Sorcerer's Apprentice and Venusian Lullaby from American sellers at reasonable prices.

JIM'S READING PLAN: Will eventually read The Venusian Lullaby, then plans to read one original novel per Doctor as the podcast progresses, soliciting recommendations from fan communities for each era.

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Episode Title: "18 Word Balloons and Doctor Genocide!" - New Artist Bill Mevin Debuts & The Daleks Fight the Rust Plague - Patreon Exclusive Sample

HOLIDAY GIFT TO OUR LISTENERS: The Doctor's Beard Podcast unwraps another special Patreon Exclusive episode for the holiday season! Join John (as Demeter Thor) and Jim (as Emperor Dalek) as they celebrate a double feast - new creative talent on the Doctor Who strip AND the return to form for their beloved Dalek comics!

OUT WITH THE OLD: Both hosts agree they're not upset to see Neville Main depart after his uninspired run. "You can tell he wasn't inspired by what he was doing. It was just a job, and we needed new blood."

DOCTOR WHO STRIP: "THE ORDEALS OF DEMETER" (September 27 - October 18, 1965) Writer/Artist: Bill Mevin (NEW!)

New Format Alert: The strip now crosses over two pages with noticeably improved art and coloring. Mevin captures Hartnell's likeness better than Main, seemingly working from publicity stills more effectively.

The Story: The TARDIS crew lands on planet Demeter during an alien attack. The Doctor pulls out a symbol of peace and they're welcomed to a feast - until bombardment interrupts. Racing to help, the Doctor and John forget Jillian entirely.

THE DALEKS: "PLAGUE OF DEATH" (September 4 - October 16, 1965) Writer: David Whitaker (from Terry Nation's concepts) Artist: Richard Jennings

The Story: A radiation leak merges with rust from a hole in the roof, creating a deadly plague that infiltrates Skaro's atmosphere. The Daleks - our protagonists - must fight for survival as the rust plague spreads. Patient Zero: the Black Dalek.

Historic First: This story begins the next adventure at its conclusion - the first time the Dalek strip has done continued storytelling rather than standalone tales. "Very Doctor Who-ish."

WHY THE DALEK STRIP WORKS BETTER: David Whitaker's involvement means they're taking cues from what works on TV. The strip feels closer to televised Daleks despite lacking the Doctor and TARDIS. The Doctor Who strip, meanwhile, struggles with basic characterization.

UPCOMING CONTENT TEASED:

• Next Patreon Exclusive: Discussion of Missing Adventures novel The Sorcerer's Apprentice featuring Susan, Ian, and Barbara

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Visit patreon.com/thedoctorsbeardpodcast - "Lips will sail this ship!"

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Episode Title: "Throwing Daleks Out the Window" - Resurrection of the Daleks Review with The Irredeemable Shag

SPECIAL GUEST ALERT: The Irredeemable Shag joins from the Fire & Water Podcast Network for what he calls "The Tegan Jovanka Appreciation Podcast!" A lifelong Davison-era fan who started watching in 1982 at age 10, Shag brings 500+ Doctor Who books worth of knowledge and passionate defense of the Fifth Doctor era.

THE STORY: "Resurrection of the Daleks" (February 1984) Writer: Eric Saward (script editor writing his own script) Director: Matthew Robinson Originally filmed as 4-parter, edited to two 45-minute episodes due to Winter Olympics scheduling

London 1984 meets space station carnage as the Daleks attack a prison holding Davros in cryogenic suspension. With duplicates, time corridors, Commander Lytton's creepy constables, and the Movellan virus, this becomes the most violent Doctor Who story yet - estimated 70+ deaths!

THE BIG QUESTIONS:

Should the Doctor Have Killed Davros? The hosts debate the story's central moral dilemma when the Doctor picks up a gun to execute Davros. Jim declares it completely out of character ("That's not the Doctor"). Shag argues Eric Saward wrote declarative statements without explanation. John appreciates the Genesis of the Daleks callback but questions the execution. The Batman/Joker parallels emerge - can heroes cross that line?

Terry Nation's Absence: Nation is in America (possibly producing MacGyver) but still approving everything. JNT reveals Nation insisted Davros appear in every Dalek story after Genesis. This is the fourth non-Nation Dalek script (after Whitaker's two, Lewis Marks, and now Saward).

The Dalek Civil War Begins: First time Daleks mention Gallifrey! Is this the Time War's origin? The Supreme Dalek versus Davros's renegade faction sets up ongoing Classic Who Dalek continuity.

SHAG'S BREAKTHROUGH THEORY: "This is not a Doctor Who story at all. This is the Daleks - which just happens to guest star the Doctor this episode. If you think of this as an ongoing series of Dalek stories where the Doctor guest stars, this whole thing makes perfect sense."

The theory revolutionizes the hosts' perspective, raising ratings across the board!

ICONIC MOMENTS:

• Daleks thrown out second-story windows (exploding unnecessarily but fantastically)

• "My vision is impaired! I cannot see!"

• Davros going "full spitting Hitler"

• The Doctor bloodthirstily shooting the Kaled mutant

• Creepy constables casually slaughtering then chitchatting

• Stein's stutter disappearing when programming activates

• That unfortunate foam party when Davros releases the Movellan virus

TEGAN'S DEPARTURE - UNIVERSAL AGREEMENT: All three hosts agree: Tegan is completely justified leaving after this massacre. "It's stopped being fun, Doctor."

The emotional farewell works despite Jim's overall Tegan fatigue. Janet Fielding's performance is universally praised. The "Braveheart Tegan" callback and the Doctor's "I must mend my ways" provide powerful closure.

Shag's observation: JNT specifically chose an emotional departure for Janet after knowing two companions were leaving, wanting each exit to feel different.

FIND THE IRREDEEMABLE SHAG: Fire & Water Podcast Network shows:

• JSA Presents (Justice Society 1990s-2000s)

• Who's Who: The Definitive Podcast of the DC Universe

• Marvel Star Wars: From Empire to Jedi

• Once Upon a Geek

NEXT TIME: Planet of Fire - the penultimate Fifth Doctor story! Plus Patreon Exclusive #149 with Four Dimensional Vistas Part 5, music discussion, Memory TARDIS, and John finally reviews Sympathy for the Devil Unbound audio!

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