This week on the M2P, David and Ben look at the women companions of the Doctor from Susan to Sarah. Do companions start out well, but lose definition as their time in the TARDIS goes on? What are the rare qualities that make a good assistant? Which companion is the rarest of all? Who's slightly eccentric, but everything you want in an assistant? And, is Sarah Jane the yardstick by which all companions are measured? These questions and more in our look at the first ladies of Doctor Who. Intro music is "Frantic Fracas" by Johnny Hawksworth and used as music in the Inferno nightclub in "The War Machines". Closing music is "Jo Frees the Doctor" by Malcolm Clarke from "The Sea Devils".

In anticipation of Nardole joining the time team, the Metebelis Two take a quick look at his predecessors in the TARDIS and ask which male companions worked for them and which didn't quite make the cut. The two also express their admiration of Ian Marter's time on the show. Intro music is from Murray Gold's score for "The Husbands of River Song". Exit music is "Futile Escape" composed by Dudley Simpson for "Genesis of the Daleks" and performed by Heathcliff Blair. Plus a bonus soundbite from Matt Lucas talking about Nardole, recorded December 2016 on the One Show on BBC.

Ben and David look at the Doctor Who stories by Chris Chibnall and talk about what he may bring to the show as the next showrunner. What are Chibnall's strengths? Where might the pitfalls be for him moving to the BBC? And is he really responsible for reptile women with breasts? Intro music is "Cubes" from "The Power of Three" and closing music is the theme for "Dinosaurs from a Spaceship", both pieces composed by the one and only Murray Gold.

Monster Smackdown! Ben and David challenge each other with picks of Doctor Who monsters that fall a bit short. Each armed with five so-called duds spanning from the 1960s to the 2010s, can they successfully rebut one another's selections? Intro music is an excerpt from "The Magma Beast" by Roger Limb from "The Caves of Androzani". Outro music is "I See You Silence" by Murray Gold from "Day of the Moon".

Ben and David chat about the recent animation of The Power of the Daleks and share their thoughts on its successes and shortcomings. Then speculate on their dream animations for the missing visuals of 1960s Doctor Who and wonder why BBC Worldwide doesn't hire them as animation commissioning editors. The intro is "Fluid Link" and outro is "Inside the City", music composed by Tristram Cary from "The Daleks" original score and reused as incidental music in Troughton's debut story.

The Cybermen stories from the 1980s are revisited by the Metebelis Two on this week's show. Find the answers to questions such as: Which cyber stories work and which fall short? Has Earthshock held up over time for David? Why do the cybermen fare so poorly in Gallifrey's Death Zone? What could go wrong with the most continuity heavy story ever? And, does Ben like jazz? Plus, the two chat about how eager they are anticipating the 'excellent' fanzine, Vworp Vworp volume 3. Intro and outro music are excerpts from the incidental music score by Malcolm Clarke from "Earthshock".

Ben, recovered from the Space Plague, joins David to reflect on the passing of John Hurt, the War Doctor. Discussion then moves on to Peter Capaldi's looming departure and then speculate on which actor could be and should be cast to replace him. Lastly, the two chat about "Revenge of the Cybermen", Tom Baker's only encounter with the men of cyber. Intro music: "No More" from Murray Gold's score from "The Day of the Doctor". Intermission and closing music is from Carey Blyton's score from "Revenge of the Cybermen".

Ben is out sick with the Lurgi this week, so David is joined by his son, Eliot, for a brief chat about Peter Capaldi's announcement that Series 10 is his last. Plus a bit of discussion about why Eliot likes multi-Doctor stories and why David would prefer Paul McGann specials. Intro music: a clip from Murray Gold's amazing score for "Heaven Sent". Outro music is "Two Doctors" by Murray Gold from "The Day of the Doctor".

Having recovered (barely) from the sexy-sexy 'Cyberlady' of last week, the Metebelis Two journey back to the early days of the Cybermen to discuss the 1960s cyber-stories. Along the way, they praise the incidental stock music, congratulate Who monsters and their graphic designing minions, and speculate if dentistry is compatible with cyber technology. Intro-music is from "Power Drill" by Douglas Gamley, which was heard in "The Tenth Planet". Outro-music is the classic 1960 Cyberman theme, "Space Adventures part 2" by Martin Slavin. Also heard along the way is "Muzak" from "Time in Advance" by John Baker from "The Invasion".

Going in reverse broadcast order, Ben and David chat about Cybermen in 21st century Doctor Who and how the Moffatt and RTD eras differ when depicting the Doctor's silver foes. Do Cybermen still work in 'new' Who? Are Daleks better? Finally Ben cannot escape before David brings up Torchwood's Cyberwoman episode written by future showrunner Chris Chibnall. Music is from "Cybermen" by Murray Gold from Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel.