Who Cares? - Dr. Who Fans Talk TV

Who gets to count as fully human, and who decides? We discuss the hate economy, performed masculinity, debt as dominance, the social Internet, & whether television can change anything, across the final three episodes of Russell T Davies’ suburban thriller Tip Toe

Neo
Ingiga
Oliver

https://archive.org/download/2026-08-tip-toe-3-5/2026%20%2308%20Tip%20Toe%203-5.mp3

TIMECODES:

00:00:00 Intro & ranking the final three episodes
00:04:48 Straight-lad culture & George in between worlds
00:11:50 What straight culture can absorb
00:19:50 George’s make-up photo
00:23:28 Marginalising women, transness as the breaking point
00:25:38 Could George have played it off?
00:29:04 Dehumanising Z
00:32:42 Fatherhood anxiety & smears
00:37:05 Episode 3’s flashbacks & ‘the insolence on your face’
00:39:45 Clive owed a better life; the Buzzcocks song
00:43:54 Sex and violence crossed wires; the taxi scene
00:47:01 ‘A straight man could have written this’
00:50:14 Violence as performed fatherhood
00:53:45 Natalism & the trap of parenthood
00:57:00 The gay horizon vs Clive’s repression
01:00:40 Denormalising the family; pulling up the ladder
01:03:38 Hierarchy, & queerness beyond sexuality
01:07:47 Canal Street as heaven; Clive’s glimpse of the horizon
01:14:01 The purpose Clive could have found
01:17:50 The end title cards
01:22:40 The title cards’ genesis
01:27:44 Episode 4’s false ending
01:30:06 Saul as the only healthy one
01:36:30 Who gets a happy ending?
01:43:04 Two closeted lads & a twist about society
01:48:07 Clive’s conspiracies
01:58:00 Steph, and the muddle on trans rights
02:07:00 Z and Steph on the same side?
02:12:10 Z, Flo, Sarah
02:17:25 From anti-phone to the hate economy
02:22:00 Porn & age verification
02:25:00 The hate economy dramatised
02:32:41 Melba’s croissants & what they represent
02:40:15 Graeber’s Debt, the £20, & the bow
02:47:00 Payment as dominance
02:50:01 The empty shoes, queer tragedy, ‘no happy dramas’
02:53:12 Can TV change anything?
02:58:00 Books; ‘what’s being written is bollocks’
03:02:45 Physicality; online logic vs real life
03:07:07 The thrill of making someone afraid
03:11:05 Leo’s fatal flaw
03:15:08 The lynching as a game that never stops
03:18:21 Could Mikey have defused it?
03:23:20 Clive as discourse: folk hero or villain?
03:27:16 Why Clive lied about the affair
03:30:08 The bathroom scene
03:35:08 Realism, & RTD leaving Doctor Who
03:41:00 Violence; appetite for a public execution
03:44:46 Direction & Peter Hoar
03:49:00 The music
03:58:10 How Clive was created
04:00:36 RTD in the future
04:08:05 Sign-off

SOURCES:

~46m26s, ~2h40m18s

Oliver’s book recommendation: debt as the basis of relationships

Graeber, David. ‘Chapter 5: A Brief Treatise on the Moral Grounds of Economic Relations.’ Debt: The First 5,000 Years. Melville House, 12 July 2011.

~47m47s, ~3h41m9s

RTD’s ‘a straight man could have written this’

‘This is an emergency. There’s a crisis happening day after day. Everyone is being weaponised against. This is a story about the gay community but it could easily be about disabled people, women, straight white men who are feeling marginalised against. The temperature and dialogue is all driven by our phones, so I wrote this.’

Davies, Russell T. ‘Q&A/PREVIEW: Tip Toe starring Russell T Davies, Alan Cumming & David Morrissey at BFI Southbank.’ Article by Neil Durham. Monsta Gigz, 23 May 2026, https://monstagigz.com/2026/05/22/qa-preview-tip-toe-starring-russell-t-davies-alan-cumming-david-morrissey-at-bfi-southbank/.

~50m36s

The Matt Walsh ‘ape’ tweet and K. Thor Jensen’s reply

Walsh, Matt [@MattWalshBlog]. ‘I would kill every ape in the world to save one human, because humans are more important. This is a very simple concept, folks.’ Twitter, 30 May 2016, https://x.com/MattWalshBlog/status/736989514892075008.

Jensen, K. Thor [@kthorjensen]. ‘would you suck every ape’s dick to save one human.’ Twitter, 4 June 2019. (Reply since deleted; reproduced in [Particular-Mission-5]. ‘Will he do it?’ Reddit, r/DramaticText, 17 June 2022, https://www.reddit.com/r/DramaticText/comments/ve2ri0/will_he_do_it/.)

~1h2m55s

Australia’s 20% student-loan debt reduction, and the I-had-to-pay-mine / pulling-up-the-ladder backlash to it

Kane, Annie. ‘$16bn in student debt will be wiped this month.’ The Adviser, 2 Dec. 2025, https://www.theadviser.com.au/borrower/47870-16-billion-in-student-debt-will-be-wiped-by-friday.

Yong, Maxwell. ‘Australia’s proposed 20 per cent student debt wipe is unfair.’ Times Higher Education, 22 Nov. 2024, https://www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/australias-proposed-20-cent-student-debt-wipe-unfair.

Brown, Andrew. ‘Mixed response to Labor pledge of student debt relief.’ AAP, 4 Nov. 2024, https://aapnews.aap.com.au/news/hecs-scheme-never-intended-for-large-debts-pm.

~1h22m45s

RTD on the ending title cards and their genesis

Davies, Russell T, Alan Cumming, and David Morrissey. ‘Tip Toe’s Russell T Davies and cast talk It’s a Sin comparison, and how the end was almost different.’ Interview by David Opie. Digital Spy, 8 June 2026, https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a71398928/tip-toe-russell-t-davies-alan-cumming-interview/.

~1h26m1s

The Giggle script (‘catch, catch, catch, catch’)

Davies, Russell T. ‘The Giggle.’ Accessed through BBC Writersroom, released 14 Feb. 2024, p. 62, https://www.bbc.co.uk/writers/documents/doctor-who-2023-special-3-the-giggle-goldenrod-revisions-240722.pdf.

~1h26m8s

Moffat’s Coupling series-four ‘conclusions’ post on Outpost Gallifrey

Moffat, Steven. ‘Coupling, PBS and the Pledge Drive of Doom.’ The Doctor Who Forum at Outpost Gallifrey, 1 Mar. 2006, http://www.gallifreyone.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70744. Text reproduced at ‘Coupling: how it all ends.’ Fat Pigeons, 18 May 2006, archived https://web.archive.org/web/20161002143242/http://fatpigeons.com/2006/05/18/coupling-how-it-all-ends/.

~1h59m40s, ~2h7m54s

RTD’s ‘gender critical friends’; Z and Steph ending up on the same side

Davies, Russell T. ‘”How often I’m called a paedophile online is shocking”: inside Russell T Davies’s horrifying drama about rising hatred.’ Article by Scott Bryan. The Guardian, 29 May 2026, https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/may/29/inside-russell-t-davies-tip-top-drama-alan-cumming-david-morrissey.

~1h59m50s, ~2h0m36s

RTD on getting trans voices into the industry; the trans debate as catalyst

Davies, Russell T. ‘Russell T Davies: “I campaigned for gay visibility my whole life – now I feel like an idiot”.’ Article by Emily Baker. The i Paper, 5 June 2026, https://archive.vn/p9jBn.

~2h2m52s

RTD’s ‘you can’t cut out the T’ Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards speech

Davies, Russell T. ‘It’s A Sin creator Russell T Davies blasts LGB Alliance: “To cut out the T is to kill”.’ YouTube, uploaded by Attitude Magazine, 13 Oct. 2021, https://youtu.be/X889OuWqLao.

~2h15m48s

The press-tour refrain ‘what if they see us and they don’t like us’ / visibility might have been wrong

Davies, Russell T. ‘Russell T Davies: “I campaigned for gay visibility my whole life – now I feel like an idiot”.’ Article by Emily Baker. The i Paper, 5 June 2026, https://archive.vn/p9jBn.

Davies, Russell T. ‘Russell T Davies Interview | Tip Toe | Gay Village.’ YouTube, uploaded by Josh Smith’s Great Chat Show, 11 June 2026, https://youtu.be/YtssI7jdbDc, ~29m34s.

~2h17m25s

RTD writing character-first, not theme-first

Davies, Russell T. ‘Alan Cumming, David Morrissey and the creators of Tip Toe | BFI Q&A.’ YouTube, uploaded by BFI, 2 June 2026, https://youtu.be/YIN-8rx_UFw, ~18m52s.

~2h17m41s, ~2h19m10s

RTD being negative about phones in the press; inspired by Reform and ‘the online world’

Davies, Russell T. ‘Russell T Davies: “I campaigned for gay visibility my whole life – now I feel like an idiot”.’ Article by Emily Baker. The i Paper, 5 June 2026, https://archive.vn/p9jBn.

Davies, Russell T. ‘INTERVIEW WITH RUSSELL T DAVIES, WRITER, CREATOR AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER.’ Channel 4, 27 May 2026, https://www.channel4.com/press/news/interview-russell-t-davies-writer-creator-and-executive-producer.

~2h19m47s

RTD on hatred being monetised and rewarded (‘If you’re a YouTube channel now, expressing this hate, you can attract adverts, and you get paid … This is the revolution that’s happening’)

Davies, Russell T. ‘Russell T Davies: “The World Is Out Of Control In A Way We Won’t Even Contemplate”.’ Article by Daniel Welsh. The Huffington Post UK, 30 May 2026, https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/russell-t-davies-interview-tip-toe_uk_6a181ee8e4b0ddcc846866f9.

~2h20m14s

RTD on the ‘whiplash world’ and the LGBTQIA+ community positioned as the ones to blame

Davies, Russell T. ‘INTERVIEW WITH RUSSELL T DAVIES, WRITER, CREATOR AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER.’ Channel 4, 27 May 2026, https://www.channel4.com/press/news/interview-russell-t-davies-writer-creator-and-executive-producer.

~2h20m55s

David Morrissey: Clive and Leo could have been friends if not for the phone hatred

Morrissey, David. ‘INTERVIEW WITH DAVID MORRISSEY, WHO PLAYS CLIVE GOSS.’ Channel 4, 27 May 2026, https://www.channel4.com/press/news/interview-david-morrissey-who-plays-clive-goss.

~2h21m35s

RTD on the playground / ‘two girls one cup’ argument

Davies, Russell T. ‘Russell T Davies Interview | Tip Toe | Gay Village.’ YouTube, uploaded by Josh Smith’s Great Chat Show, 11 June 2026, https://youtu.be/YtssI7jdbDc, ~11m27s.

~2h22m22s

Australia’s porn age-verification rules

Williams, Tom. ‘Australians to face age checks on porn sites from March.’ Information Age, 9 Sept. 2025, https://ia.acs.org.au/article/2025/australians-to-face-age-checks-on-porn-sites-from-march.html.

~2h25m52s

Moffat on AI’s potential (‘all the potential’, we should be marvelling)

Moffat, Steven. ‘Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.’ YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 Mar. 2025, ~7m59s, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY.

~2h51m11s

RTD rejecting the miserable-queer-lives trope (‘I’ve never seen a happy drama’)

Davies, Russell T. ‘Russell T Davies: “I campaigned for gay visibility my whole life – now I feel like an idiot”.’ Article by Emily Baker. The i Paper, 5 June 2026, https://archive.vn/p9jBn.

~2h53m12s

Orson Welles on Woody Allen (‘arrogance of insecurity’)

Welles, Orson, and Henry Jaglom. My Lunches with Orson: Conversations between Henry Jaglom and Orson Welles. Edited by Peter Biskind. Metropolitan Books, 16 July 2013.

(‘He is arrogant. Like all people with timid personalities, his arrogance is unlimited.’)

~2h53m29s

Moffat’s self-effacing ‘don’t listen to writers’ attitude

‘I have no idea why anybody would want to listen to anything I’ve got to say when I am being me. I’m not an expert on anything at all, except possibly the Daleks … I do not think that you write to tell people things.’

Moffat, Steven. ‘Steven Moffat on Douglas Is Cancelled: “People’s lives have been destroyed”.’ Interview by Ben Dowell. The Times, 16 June 2024, https://archive.vn/2ZWEV.

‘Why does it have to be a bloody sermon? … I get insulted when a TV show tries to tell me what I should think about something.’

Moffat, Steven. ‘Press Gang: Steven Moffat and Julia Sawalha on the groundbreaking children’s series and the revival that never was.’ Interview by Morgan Jeffery. Radio Times, 7 May 2020, https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/press-gang-brit-box-steven-moffat-julia-sawalha/.

~2h57m25s

RTD on visibility (‘coming out every day’)

Davies, Russell T. ‘Russell T Davies Interview | Tip Toe | Gay Village.’ YouTube, uploaded by Josh Smith’s Great Chat Show, 11 June 2026, https://youtu.be/YtssI7jdbDc, ~7m41s.

~2h57m40s

Queer as Folk as seminal / ‘the first’ of its kind on TV

Davies, Russell T. ‘Russell T. Davies on World “Sliding Back” on Queer Rights, Showing Conservatives’ “Hearts and Humanity” in “Tip Toe”.’ Interview by Georg Szalai. The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Mar. 2026, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/russell-t-davies-queer-rights-heated-rivalry-tip-toe-1236544220/.

~2h58m27s

Books as RTD’s cross-generational support; the written word and ‘what’s being written is bollocks’

Davies, Russell T. ‘Russell T Davies Interview | Tip Toe | Gay Village.’ YouTube, uploaded by Josh Smith’s Great Chat Show, 11 June 2026, https://youtu.be/YtssI7jdbDc, ~15m (books as cross-generational support), ~10m58s (‘what’s being written is bollocks’).

~3h30m18s

RTD hating the word ‘beat’ in scripts (‘Will everyone stop using the word beat. It’s a load of rubbish. No director follows it. No script needs it. Ever.’)

Davies, Russell T. ‘Russell T Davies Interviewed By BBC Writers (2026).’ YouTube, uploaded by BBC Writers, 16 Apr. 2026, https://youtu.be/Os8ov4Hr7jk, ~5m8s.

~3h37m13s

RTD leaving Doctor Who; the cancelled 2026 Christmas special

‘Official: BBC Confirms Doctor Who “Out to Tender” as Christmas Special Is Axed.’ Doctor Who TV, 10 June 2026, https://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/doctor-who-christmas-axed-107069.htm.

‘Update on plans for the future of Doctor Who.’ BBC Media Centre, 10 June 2026, https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2026/update-doctor-who-future.

McIntosh, Steven. ‘BBC cancels Doctor Who Christmas special and Russell T Davies announces exit.’ BBC News, 10 June 2026, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c621ln7vx7qo.

~3h41m26s

Violence in the UK around the time of Tip Toe’s transmission

‘CCTV shows moment masked suspect firebombs imam’s house.’ ITV News Granada, 11 June 2026, https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2026-06-11/cctv-shows-moment-masked-suspect-firebombs-imams-house.

‘Why has Belfast erupted in anti-immigrant violence after a knife attack?’ Al Jazeera, 10 June 2026, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/10/why-has-belfast-erupted-in-anti-immigrant-violence-after-a-knife-attack.

‘Anti-Muslim hate in the UK reaches alarming levels as calls grow for stronger action.’ Islam Channel, 5 July 2026, https://islamchannel.tv/news/anti-muslim-hate-in-the-uk-reaches-alarming-levels-as-calls-grow-for-stronger-action.

~4h3m11s

RTD wanting to write a sextortion drama

Denham, Jess. ‘Russell T Davies to follow Cucumber with dramas about Aids and “sextortion” gangs.’ The Independent, 27 Jan. 2015, https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/russell-t-davies-follow-cucumber-dramas-about-aids-and-sextortion-gangs-10005378.html.

~4h3m22s

RTD wanting to do a Dickens adaptation

Davies, Russell T. ‘Russell T Davies on A Very English Scandal: “I didn’t want it to be an attack on Jeremy Thorpe”.’ Interview by Ben Lawrence. The Telegraph, 16 May 2018, https://archive.vn/XXNUm.

~4h3m58s

Steven Knight’s planned Dickens adaptations (actually five adaptations, not three)

Long, Christian. ‘Steven Knight Talks His Ambitious Plans for Charles Dickens Adaptations.’ ComingSoon.net, 22 Jan. 2019, https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/1029855-steven-knight-talks-his-ambitious-plans-for-charles-dickens-adaptations.

Who Cares? - Dr. Who Fans Talk TV is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://whocaresdw.wordpress.com/

How does Russell T Davies’ suburban thriller Tip Toe miniseries reflect the 2020s? We discuss hierarchies of humanity, porous worlds, clashes of masculinity, technological frivolity, & much more as we dive into the first two episodes.

Neo
Ingiga
Oliver

https://archive.org/download/2026-07-tip-toe-1-2/2026%20%2307%20Tip%20Toe%201-2.mp3

TIMECODES:

00:00:00 Appreciating the show

00:06:41 Leo: hamartia, hyperbole, rhetoric, glibness, banter

00:23:26 Clive: coldness, masculinity, homoeroticism, bravery

00:45:25 Saul & his audience; George & projection

00:53:01 The Leo & George texting sequence

01:09:26 Clive & Leo: cruelty, class, pity

01:22:33 Phones, masturbation montage

01:29:05 Music

01:34:16 Ex Curtis dinner party scene

01:41:19 Steph & ‘gender critical friends’

01:52:59 In the middle, Palestine, frivolity, conspiracy

02:04:42 Phones, youth, culture, doomscrolling

02:23:01 Phones, cognition, insanity, form

02:36:30 Can TV help the world?

02:46:18 Violence & porousness between worlds

02:54:46 America, RTD2, inspirations, titles

SOURCES:

1.

~6s

Alan Cumming on RTD ‘state of the nation’ shows

Cumming, Alan. Alan Cumming & David Morrissey Team Up for Dark Suburban Thriller | This Morning”. YouTube, uploaded by This Morning, 18 May 2026, https://youtu.be/rTbI8Us3NME, 28s

2.

~21s

RTD ‘suburban thriller’ phrasing for Tip Toe

Davies, Russell T. “Russell T Davies interview at Tip Toe at UK premiere.” Interview by Ezelle Alblas. YouTube, uploaded by The Upcoming, 20 May 2026, https://youtu.be/95bMlh-pLAI, ~18s

3.

~34s, ~6m10s

RTD writing his stories ‘character first’, not starting from plot or theme

Davies, Russell T. “Alan Cumming, David Morrissey and the creators of Tip Toe | BFI Q&A”. YouTube, uploaded by BFI, 2 June 2026, https://youtu.be/YIN-8rx_UFw, 18m52s

Davies, Russell T. “Russell T Davies on Queer as Folk, Doctor Who and his new series, Tip Toe | BFI Flare Screen Talk”. Interview by Amrou Al-Kadhi. YouTube, uploaded by BFI, 9 April 2026, https://youtu.be/odOR9AEmwjM

4.

~44s

Alan Cumming and David Morrissey once being real neighbours

Cumming, Alan, and David Morissey. “Alan Cumming & David Morrissey Team Up for Dark Suburban Thriller | This Morning”. YouTube, uploaded by This Morning, 18 May 2026, https://youtu.be/rTbI8Us3NME, 3m

5.

~1m8s

RTD wanting Tip Toe to be active TV, TV provoking the audience

Davies, Russell T. “Russell T Davies on Winning a BAFTA Cymru, Battling Transphobia & His New Drama ‘Tip Toe’”. YouTube, uploaded by Gaydio, 10 Oct. 2025, https://youtu.be/Cko9rxP_EI0, 21m22s

6.

~14m49s

Woke 1.0

Davies, Russell T. “Russell T Davies The Interview”. Interview with Belinda Scandal. YouTube, uploaded by Your Manchester, 30 June 2025, https://youtu.be/hB4UO3Ywmko, ~31m40s-34m19s

[@McDonalds]. ““Black trans women have a very simple message: stop killing us” – @imarajones

https://translash.org” Twitter, 29 June 2020, https://x.com/McDonalds/status/1277433235111202816

7.

~17m9s, ~1h14m8s

RTD on hamartia and Leo

Davies, Russell T. “Russel T Davies (showrunner of Doctor Who) | Masterclass – Series Mania Festival 2026”. Interview by Renan Cros. YouTube, uploaded by Series Mania, 26 March 2026, https://youtu.be/RPuGGP3mG-0, ~39m

8.

~20m27s

RTD on Leo and oversexualisation

Davies, Russell T. “Alan Cumming, David Morrissey and the creators of Tip Toe | BFI Q&A”. YouTube, uploaded by BFI, 2 June 2026, ~19m50s-~20m16s

“One of them is in an empty house, the other in a full house, but they’re as lonely as each other. Leo is going to survive in this world. He’s got his faults. He has his arrogances. He doesn’t take some things seriously enough. He does that older man’s thing of sexualising things too much in a time when you do have to be careful with your words. And he’s coasting a little bit. There is an arrogance to him.”

Davies, Russell T. “INTERVIEW WITH RUSSELL T DAVIES, WRITER, CREATOR AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER”. Channel 4, 27 May 2026, https://www.channel4.com/press/news/interview-russell-t-davies-writer-creator-and-executive-producer

9.

~31m58s, ~1h22m47s, ~1h28m26s, ~2h21m6s

David Morrissey on masculinity and technology

Morrissey, David. “INTERVIEW WITH DAVID MORRISSEY, WHO PLAYS CLIVE GOSS”. Channel 4, 27 May 2026, https://www.channel4.com/press/news/interview-david-morrissey-who-plays-clive-goss

10.

~1h41m48s, ~1h45m1s

RTD’s ‘friends who are gender critical’

Davies, Russell T. “‘How often I’m called a paedophile online is shocking’: inside Russell T Davies’s horrifying drama about rising hatred”. Article by Scott Bryan. The Guardian, 29 May 2026, https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/may/29/inside-russell-t-davies-tip-top-drama-alan-cumming-david-morrissey

11.
~1h46m2s

Elizabeth Berrington (Steph actor) interview

Berrington, Elizabeth. “INTERVIEW WITH ELIZABETH BERRINGTON WHO PLAYS STEPHANIE”. Channel 4, 27 May 2026, https://www.channel4.com/press/news/interview-elizabeth-berrington-who-plays-stephanie

12.

~1h57m3s, ~1h59m3s

‘A Jew could have written this’

Davies, Russell T. [@bbcradio4]. “Online rage in the real world.” Instagram, 18 May 2026, https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYexzoPohAv

“Russell T Davies says his “emergency” drama Tip Toe is relevant to all communities: “It’s a crisis””. Article by David Craig. Radio Times, 26 May 2026, https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/russell-t-davies-tip-toe-emergency-relevance-newsupdate/

“Russell T Davies: ‘The World Is Out Of Control In A Way We Won’t Even Contemplate'”. Article by Daniel Welsh. The Huffington Post UK, 30 May 2026, https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/russell-t-davies-interview-tip-toe_uk_6a181ee8e4b0ddcc846866f9

13.

~2h4m57s

Straight white man version of Tip Toe

 ‘This is an emergency. There’s a crisis happening day after day. Everyone is being weaponised against. This is a story about the gay community but it could easily be about disabled people, women, straight white men who are feeling marginalised against. The temperature and dialogue is all driven by our phones – so I wrote this.’

Davies, Russell T. “Q&A/PREVIEW: Tip Toe starring Russell T Davies, Alan Cumming & David Morrissey at BFI Southbank.” Article by Neil Durham. Monsta Gigz, 23 May 2026, https://monstagigz.com/2026/05/22/qa-preview-tip-toe-starring-russell-t-davies-alan-cumming-david-morrissey-at-bfi-southbank/

Davies, Russell T. “Alan Cumming, David Morrissey and the creators of Tip Toe | BFI Q&A”. YouTube, uploaded by BFI, 2 June 2026, https://youtu.be/YIN-8rx_UFw, ~44s

14.

~2h6m18s

RTD on phones

Davies, Russell T. “Russell T Davies interview at Tip Toe at UK premiere.” Interview by Ezelle Alblas. YouTube, uploaded by The Upcoming, 20 May 2026, https://youtu.be/95bMlh-pLAI, ~3m

15.

~2h6m55s

RTD on Twitter

Davies, Russell T. “Russel T Davies (showrunner of Doctor Who) | Masterclass – Series Mania Festival 2026”. Interview by Renan Cros. YouTube, uploaded by Series Mania, 26 March 2026, https://youtu.be/RPuGGP3mG-0, ~57m-~1h2m

Davies, Russell T. “Russell T Davies: ‘I campaigned for gay visibility my whole life – now I feel like an idiot’.” Article by Emily Baker. The i Paper, 5 June 2026, https://archive.vn/p9jBn

“Russell T Davies: ‘The World Is Out Of Control In A Way We Won’t Even Contemplate'”. Article by Daniel Welsh. The Huffington Post UK, 30 May 2026, https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/russell-t-davies-interview-tip-toe_uk_6a181ee8e4b0ddcc846866f9

16.

~2h10m5s

Reddit adverts for Tip Toe

[Channel4_UK]. “New drama from Russell T Davies. Tip Toe. Starts Sunday 31st May at 9pm.” Reddit, 28 May 2026, https://archive.vn/6k6ZT

17.

~2h10m28s

RTD on the youth

Davies, Russell T. “Russel T Davies (showrunner of Doctor Who) | Masterclass – Series Mania Festival 2026”. Interview by Renan Cros. YouTube, uploaded by Series Mania, 26 March 2026, https://youtu.be/RPuGGP3mG-0, ~1h6m20s

18.

~2h23m1s

RTD on ‘the moment we all went online’; technology affecting cognition

“Russell T Davies: ‘The World Is Out Of Control In A Way We Won’t Even Contemplate'”. Article by Daniel Welsh. The Huffington Post UK, 30 May 2026, https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/russell-t-davies-interview-tip-toe_uk_6a181ee8e4b0ddcc846866f9

19.

~2h24m30s

RTD on algorithms

“We’ve got every standard wrong, and we’re trapped. And we’re monetised to stay in this position – and you cannot vote against an algorithm and I think actually there’s no hope. That’s what I think. There is no hope.”

Davies, Russell T. “INTERVIEW WITH RUSSELL T DAVIES, WRITER, CREATOR AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER”. Channel 4, 27 May 2026, https://www.channel4.com/press/news/interview-russell-t-davies-writer-creator-and-executive-producer

Davies, Russell T. “Russell T Davies interview at Tip Toe at UK premiere.” Interview by Ezelle Alblas. YouTube, uploaded by The Upcoming, 20 May 2026, https://youtu.be/95bMlh-pLAI, ~3m

20.

~2h37m14s

RTD on whether TV can help the world

“Behind the scenes of Russell T Davies’ twisty new thriller, Tip Toe”. Article by Josh Parry. BBC, 31 May 2026, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c392erkm3d2o

“Russell T Davies: ‘The World Is Out Of Control In A Way We Won’t Even Contemplate'”. Article by Daniel Welsh. The Huffington Post UK, 30 May 2026, https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/russell-t-davies-interview-tip-toe_uk_6a181ee8e4b0ddcc846866f9

21.

~2h55m19s

RTD on funding Tip Toe without Americans

“Russell T. Davies Reveals Dream Lead For An American Version Of His Upcoming Queer Drama ‘Tip Toe’”. Article by Max Goldbart. Deadline, 26 May 2026, https://deadline.com/2026/05/russell-t-davies-tip-toe-dream-hollywood-lead-matt-bomer-1236914546/

22.

~2h59m29s

RTD’s inspirations for Tip Toe

Davies, Russell T. “‘How often I’m called a paedophile online is shocking’: inside Russell T Davies’s horrifying drama about rising hatred”. Article by Scott Bryan. The Guardian, 29 May 2026, https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/may/29/inside-russell-t-davies-tip-top-drama-alan-cumming-david-morrissey

Davies, Russell T. “INTERVIEW WITH RUSSELL T DAVIES, WRITER, CREATOR AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER”. Channel 4, 27 May 2026, https://www.channel4.com/press/news/interview-russell-t-davies-writer-creator-and-executive-producer

“Russell T Davies: ‘The World Is Out Of Control In A Way We Won’t Even Contemplate'”. Article by Daniel Welsh. The Huffington Post UK, 30 May 2026, https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/russell-t-davies-interview-tip-toe_uk_6a181ee8e4b0ddcc846866f9

Who Cares? - Dr. Who Fans Talk TV is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://whocaresdw.wordpress.com/

Released in 2018, novelised in 2021 — what is the legacy of The Witchfinders? Where does it belong, both in an assessment of the era, and in series 11’s structure? Where does it differ from the rest of the series? What does ‘no more witch hunts’ really mean?

Neo
Oliver
Einarr

https://archive.org/download/2026-06-doctor-who-s-11-witchfinders/2026%20%2306%20Doctor%20Who%20S11%20Witchfinders.mp3

Audio edited by Ingiga

TIMECODES:

00:00:00 Intro & initial thoughts

00:02:20 Series 11 ordering + leak

00:05:27 Story’s engagement with gender

00:09:54 Music, visuals

00:14:19 Implants &  penetration

00:16:34 Alan Cumming

00:17:34 Theme park history

00:21:12 Reclaiming witchiness

00:24:29 Is it a romp?

00:27:35 Bullying & Yaz parallels

00:31:04 ‘Flat team structure’

00:32:32 Cut to black

00:34:19 Morax & sending baddies to prison

00:37:19 ‘No more witch hunts’ & changing history

00:40:25 James confrontation

00:43:47 The novelisation subtractions & additions

00:52:54 Novel opening & epilogue

00:57:06 Opinions on the novel ending + The Norns

01:09:20 What could have been + structural thoughts

01:15:56 Outro

SOURCES:

1.

~2m28s
Witchfinders leaking early on Amazon

“Doctor Who series 11, episode 8 was leaked early by Amazon”. Article by Rianne Houghton. Digital Spy, 23 Nov. 2018, https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a871217/doctor-who-series-11-episode-8-leaked-amazon

2.

~3m13s

When ‘episode 6’ of Series 11 was actually shot; ordering of Series 11 episodes changing

“The Making of Series 11: Demons of the Punjab.” Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 539 (deluxe edition), 30 May 2019, p. 16.

“The Making of Series 11: Kerblam!” Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 539 (deluxe edition), 30 May 2019, p. 18.

“The Making of Series 11: The Witchfinders.” Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 539 (deluxe edition), 30 May 2019, p. 20.

Original plan: 1-5 as we got, Witchfinders ep6, ITYA ep7, Kerblam ep8, Demons ep9

3.

~12m21s
Behind the scenes from the blu-ray; had to keep reshooting the last scene due to weather

Whittaker, Jodie, Tosin Cole, Mandip Gill, and Chris Chibnall. “Closer Look: The Witchfinders”. Doctor Who: The Complete Eleventh Series, ~2m18s. BBC, 14 Jan. 2019. Blu-ray.

4.

~15m1s
Opening of the novelisation

Wilkinson, Joy. “Doctor Who: The Witchfinders.” BBC Books, 11 March 2021, ch. 1.

5.

~24m46s
Chib talking about wanting to do the Partition and Rosa Parks going into the job

Chibnall, Chris. “Episode Preview: Demons of the Punjab.” Interview with Marcus Hearn. Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 531, 18 Oct. 2018, p. 27.

6.

~25m7s
Chibnall & Jodie talking about the show having to be relevant/part of ‘the conversation’, with Whittaker phrasing it that way, and Chibnall wanting to tell stories like The Partition and Rosa Parks right off the bat

Whittaker, Jodie. “Jodie Whittaker: “I want to bring inclusivity and hope to Doctor Who””. Interview by Adrian Lobb. Big Issue, 28 Sep. 2018, https://www.bigissue.com/culture/tv/jodie-whittaker-is-the-most-iconic-time-lord-in-doctor-whos-55-year-history/

Chibnall, Chris. “Episode Preview: Demons of the Punjab.” Interview with Marcus Hearn. Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 531, 18 Oct. 2018, p. 27.

7.

~25m21s
Matt Strevens describing the episode like a historical romp with a dark undertone, but then going into it’s actually serious

Strevens, Matt. “Closer Look: The Witchfinders”. Doctor Who: The Complete Eleventh Series, ~1m. BBC, 14 Jan. 2019. Blu-ray.

8.

~45m45s

Wilkinson addresses changing things in general for the novel, but not specifically the Bible line

“Joy Wilkinson talks about new ‘The Witchfinders’ novel”. Doctor Who TV [official website], 11 March 2021, https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/joy-wilkinson-talks-about-new-the-witchfinders-novel

9.

~46m19s

Chapter 21 of the novel

Wilkinson, Joy. “Doctor Who: The Witchfinders.” BBC Books, 11 March 2021, ch. 21.

10.

~53m
Chapter 1 of the novel

Wilkinson, Joy. “Doctor Who: The Witchfinders.” BBC Books, 11 March 2021, ch. 1.

11.

~54m22s
Chapter 23 of the novel

Wilkinson, Joy. “Doctor Who: The Witchfinders.” BBC Books, 11 March 2021, ch. 23.

12.

~1h7m26s
Mention of Clara Oswald: The Untold Adventures gestating

About Page. Clara Oswald: The Untold Adventures. https://www.theuntoldadventures.com/about, accessed 8 June 2023

13.

~1h9m20s
Jamie Mathieson witchfinder-general S10 pitch

Mathieson, Jamie. “Express Delivery”. Interview by Jason Arnopp. Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 591, p. 43, 25 May 2023.

14.

~1m12m20s

S1 Game of Thrones episodes kept underrunning

Benioff, David, and D. B. Weiss. “Emmy Q&A With ‘Game Of Thrones’ David Benioff And D.B. Weiss”. Article by Mike Fleming Jr. Deadline, 28 June 2013, https://deadline.com/2013/06/emmy-q-a-with-game-of-thrones-david-benioff-and-d-b-weiss-532200/

15.

~1h13m16s
Typewriter scene in Empty Child/Doctor Dances being filler

Moffat, Steven, John Barrowman, and Dave Houghton. Audio commentary. Doctor Who, series 1, episode 10: The Doctor Dances, ~7m52s. BBC, 2005. DVD.

Who Cares? - Dr. Who Fans Talk TV is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://whocaresdw.wordpress.com/

Extreme close ups of character faces. Entirely invisible threats; ‘we don’t see’. What’s the story behind this very odd piece of television? Why does it stand out so much in terms of style and aesthetics? What standards did it set for the era? What does it say about the companions?

Neo
Oliver
Einarr

https://ia600907.us.archive.org/34/items/2026-05-dotor-who-s-11-ghost/2026%20%2305%20Dotor%20Who%20S11%20Ghost.mp3

Audio edited by Ingiga

TIMECODES:

00:00:00 Intro + episode’s significance

00:04:40 Uncomfortable closeups

00:07:47 Directorial style of long takes

00:09:48 Impressive locations + strange edits

00:14:03 Answering questions nobody asked

00:15:48 We can’t see; intangible dangers

00:22:06 Avoidant storytelling, baffling stakes

00:27:21 Didactic premise

00:32:21 Focus on Ryan

00:36:34 Balancing companions with guest cast

00:42:15 Maturity of Yaz and Ryan

00:46:07 Aesthetics of violence

00:50:14 Timeless rags, TARDIS theme, set reveal

00:56:18 Pining for the early days of the era

00:59:40 Self-defeating thesis

01:01:37 Stray thoughts + outro

SOURCES:

1.

~7m17s
Filming of the opening sequence

Whittaker, Jodie, Matt Strevens, and Mandip Gill. “Closer Look: The Ghost Monument.”

Doctor Who: The Complete Eleventh Series, ~1m. BBC, 14 Jan. 2019. Blu-ray.

2.

~11m14s
The real abandoned amusement park they filmed at

Laford, Andrea. “Doctor Who, The Ghost Monument SPOILERS: Do they find the TARDIS?”. Cultbox, 10 Oct. 2018, https://cultbox.co.uk/news/doctor-who-the-ghost-monument-spoilers-do-they-find-the-tardis

3.

~14m8s
Andrew Ellard Tweetnotes about the translation devices

Ellard, Andrew [@ellardent]. “DW-TGM: One quick example – the implanted translators. That’s twice everyone’s been mass implanted in two episodes. Noting that repetition in dialogue doesn’t change how that feels like a bit soon to run out of ideas. #tweetnotes”. Twitter, 15 Oct. 2018, https://archive.vn/L76wO

Ellard, Andrew [@ellardent]. “DW-TGM: But what problem is the implant solving? This is a world where kidnapped scientists worked. They’d have needed to communicate. “Planet has an active translation field, that’s odd”, say, would feed into the mystery rather than being irrelevant to it. #tweetnotes”. Twitter, 15 Oct. 2018, https://archive.vn/OlUlP

Ellard, Andrew [@ellardent]. “DW-TGM: (Could also have gone with ‘influence of the TARDIS’. Or not even mentioning it – since only a dedicated minority will care. Genre lets you shrug it off!) Instead we graft on a thing that doesn’t really relate.

#tweetnotes”. Twitter, 15 Oct. 2018, https://archive.vn/Zwso6

Ellard, Andrew [@ellardent]. “DW-TGM: And *that’s* why I’m starting with an odd little nitpick. That implant jars for no useful reason. It’s the opposite of Whittaker’s regeneration – it’s bizarrely inefficient. Which speaks to a lot of the episode’s other events. #tweetnotes”. Twitter, 15 Oct. 2018, https://archive.vn/0oR84

4.

~52m6s
Leaked photos of the S11 TARDIS set

“New Series 11 Leak Reveals Glimpse of 13th Doctor’s TARDIS Interior”. Doctor Who TV [fan website], 26 July 2018, https://archive.vn/mzIYT

5.

~56m2s
Series 11 TARDIS set being manually re-coloured

Wilson, Nikki. “Doctor Who’s TARDIS: an exclusive guide to the new changes”. Article by Huw Fullerton. Radio Times, 15 Dec. 2019, https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-tardis-changes/

6.

~56m56s
Moffat took on Series 10 because Chibnall was still doing Broadchurch

Moffat, Steven, and Christel Dee “The Steven Moffat Interview: Part 3 | Doctor Who: The Fan Show | Doctor Who.” Interview by Christel Dee. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 3 Aug. 2018, ~18m, https://youtu.be/styqnGNTffM

Who Cares? - Dr. Who Fans Talk TV is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://whocaresdw.wordpress.com/

How did the Chibnall Era’s premiere position itself amidst other TV? Rules, tone, arcs, spectacle, grief, change…the Thirteenth Doctor’s first episode is nothing if not worthy of discussion. We dive in, looking back on how it all began.

Neo
Ingiga
Tyler

Audio edited by Ingiga

TIMECODES:

00:00:00 Revisiting + what we like now

00:06:28 Losing our attention

00:09:19 The new companions + their arcs

00:19:52 Incomplete premiere

00:23:46 Chibnall confusion + tonal cynicism

00:29:50 Handling an ensemble

00:34:29 Idolising the Doctor

00:37:04 13 as enforcer of rules

00:47:46 Darker vs family-friendly heroes

00:53:34 Kids’ TV and curiosity

00:57:10 Aspiring to be like other shows

01:03:50 Spectacle vs substance

01:07:39 Budget & fighting what you are

01:11:44 The crimes of Tim + a major death

01:15:21 Fridging

01:17:30 Other ideas for how to handle grief

01:23:14 The music + 13’s theme

01:31:00 Elements of previous Doctor premieres

01:37:33 Theme of change

01:40:03 Favourite lines

01:42:36 Retrospective thoughts + vindication

SOURCES:

1.

Chibnall’s ‘fresh take’ quote

Chibnall, Chris. “FULL Comic-Con Panel | Doctor Who.” YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 24 July 2018, ~41m, https://youtu.be/GGpi2Jmbr4M

2.

~12m33s
Chibnall and Strevens talking up big emotions and stories for all leads

Strevens, Matt. “5 Things You Need to Know About Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor Who”. Article by Maya Phillips. Vulture, 7 Oct. 2018, https://web.archive.org/web/20181011020551/https://www.vulture.com/2018/10/jodie-whittakers-doctor-who-5-things-you-need-to-know.html

Chibnall, Chris. “FULL Comic-Con Panel | Doctor Who.” YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 24 July 2018, ~11m50s, https://youtu.be/GGpi2Jmbr4M

3.

~14m52s
Piers Wenger says of the Thirteenth Doctor: ‘Gone is the daffiness and idiosyncrasy of her predecessors in favour of a Doctor with energy, spark and relatability’

“Doctor Who: Everything we know about Jodie Whittaker’s new Doctor”. Radio Times, 7 Jan. 2019, https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/doctor-who-jodie-whittaker/

4.

~14m57s
Chibnall wanted the show to be as relatable as possible

Chibnall, Chris. “There’s a very clever reason why Doctor Who series 11 will have three companions”. Article by Morgan Jeffery. Digital Spy, 25 July 2018, https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/cult/a862370/doctor-who-series-11-companions-friends-chris-chibnall

5.

~17m2s
Ryan/Yaz pick-up shoot close-ups in forest

Childs, Jamie, and Jodie Whittaker. Audio commentary. Doctor Who, series 11, episode 1: “The Woman Who Fell to Earth,” 7 Oct. 2018, ~5m39s. BBC, 14 Jan. 2019. Blu-ray.

6.

~17m42s
Chib/Strev mentioning access and representation with regards to the show

Chibnall, Chris, and Matt Strevens. “Chris Chibnall & Matt Strevens (‘Doctor Who’ producers) tried not to ‘break it’ (Podcast).” YouTube, uploaded by GoldDerby / Gold Derby, 20 Oct. 2018, ~1m1s, https://youtu.be/4wbA0Z4sBjs

Strevens, Matt, and Chris Chibnall. “Doctor Who series 11 will feature LGBTQ+ representation and characters ‘from across the spectrum’.” Digital Spy, 17 Sep. 2018, https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/cult/a866258/doctor-who-series-11-lgbtq-gender-fluid/

7.

~21m16s
The episode getting 10.9 million viewers

“Doctor Who: Biggest first episode for new Doctor”. BBC News, 17 Oct. 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-45874733

8.

~25m27s
Whittaker and Chibnall describing the Thirteenth Doctor as a ‘pillar of hope’

Whittaker, Jodie, and Chris Chibnall. “FULL Comic-Con Panel | Doctor Who.” YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 23 July 2018, 40:10-41:32, https://youtu.be/GGpi2Jmbr4M

9.

~44m17s
Jodie talking about what interested her in the role; physicality, fizzing with energy

Whittaker, Jodie. “Jodie Whittaker, Chris Chibnall and Matt Strevens talk all things Doctor Who live at NYCC18!”. YouTube, uploaded by Marvel Entertainment, 8 Oct. 2018, ~1m56s, https://youtu.be/FOiBTNpXTn4

Whittaker, Jodie. “Jodie Whittaker Talks Her Role As The Thirteenth Doctor In BBC’s “Doctor Who”.” YouTube, uploaded by BUILD Series, 5 Oct. 2018, ~1m52s, https://youtu.be/eQ8WMXFgMU8

10.

~45m50s
Moff describes the Doctor in general as an ‘adrenaline junkie’

Moffat, Steven. “What are Steven Moffat’s Desert Island Doctor Whos – and why did Matt Smith “punch his pillow in frustration”?”. Interview by Patrick Mulkern. Radio Times, 10 Dec. 2017, https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-steven-moffat-interview-matt-smith/

11.

~57m26s
Chibnall and Strevens drawing Black Mirror/Game of Thrones/The CW comparisons

Chibnall, Chris, and Matt Strevens. “Chris Chibnall & Matt Strevens (‘Doctor Who’ producers) tried not to ‘break it’ (Podcast).” YouTube, uploaded by GoldDerby / Gold Derby, 20 Oct. 2018, ~1m46s, ~2m34s, https://youtu.be/4wbA0Z4sBjs

12.

~1h7m47s
Who budget likely frozen by Matt’s first series due to recession

Moffat, Steven. “Doctor Who boss not worried by budget squeeze”. Article by Tim Masters. BBC News, 23 March 2010, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8580299.stm

“Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat defies the critics”. The Guardian, 12 July 2010, https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/jul/12/doctor-who-steven-moffat

13.

~1h15m
Woman script; Grace’s death scene as written

Chibnall, Chris. “The Woman Who Fell to Earth.” Accessed through BBC Writersroom, released 10 Jan. 2019, p. 67, http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scripts/DW11-EP1-The-Woman-Who-Fell-to-Earth.pdf

14.

~1h16m42s
Chibnall and Strevens on being the ones to include representation and diversity and so on

Garrett, Maude, Chris Chibnall, and Matt Strevens. “New York Comic-Con 2018 | Full Doctor Who Panel | New Episodes Premiere Sundays at 8pm”. YouTube, uploaded by BBC America, 8 Oct. 2018, ~11m, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VnEdqRpjnc

Who Cares? - Dr. Who Fans Talk TV is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://whocaresdw.wordpress.com/

Science and magic, cultism and archaeology, digital Gothic, illusions of fidelity, horror, Holmes, and Hinchcliffe…what makes Pyramids of Mars persist, over fifty years later? We dive into this Tom Baker classic, along with its many revisitations.

Neo
Ingiga
Tyler

TIMECODES

00:00:00 First experiences with the story

00:05:42 Season 13

00:08:30 Nice moments

00:10:59 Design of the mummies

00:14:34 Daytime shoots and tone

00:16:44 Reinventing the historical format

00:21:20 Egyptology and Orientalism in the story

00:27:15 Ibrahim

00:30:45 Episode Four’s tonal shift

00:40:03 Resonance of the ending + emotional moments

00:47:30 Laurence’s rationality

00:53:00 Terrance Dicks’ characterisation of the Fourth Doctor

01:02:46 Alternate future scene

01:09:32 Holistic storytelling of the Holmes and Hinchcliffe era

01:18:05 Portrayal of Sarah Jane

01:23:38 Gabriel Woolf’s performance as Sutekh

01:29:38 Visuals of Sutekh

01:33:16 Greifer’s grain: the unusual writing situation

01:45:16 Holmes’ writing

01:51:35 Novelisation differences: ancient aliens

01:57:25 Novelisation differences: prologue and epilogue

02:09:33 2024 Tales of the TARDIS: editing and music changes

02:21:50 2024 Tales of the TARDIS: VFX and story changes

02:26:13 2024 Tales of the TARDIS: Fifteenth Doctor wraparound scenes

02:33:31 Dudley Simpson’s score

02:38:43 Rationalism and anti-imperialism

02:44:08 2025 AI Pyramids blu-ray release

02:52:32 Archaeology and AI restoration

02:56:45 Inverting science vs magic

03:03:16 Digital Gothic

03:07:23 Break points of restoration and editorialisation

SOURCES

1.

~7m25s

Terror of the Zygons being a leftover from Season 12

Doctor Who: The Complete History #24. Stories 81-84: Planet of Evil, Pyramids of Mars, The Android Invasion and The Brain of Morbius. Panini UK, 10 Aug. 2016, p. 42, 49.

2.

~13m35s

Hinchcliffe on mummies being like the Cybermen

Hinchcliffe, Philip. Audio commentary. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars [episode 3]. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~20m7s. DVD.

3.

~16m48s

Hinchcliffe not having seen Hammer Horror films

Hinchcliffe, Philip. Audio commentary [for Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars, episode 2]. Who Talk: Pyramids of Mars. Fantom Publishing, 2 Nov. 2020, ~12m12s. Audio download.

4.

~17m33s

~26m15s

Pyramids of Mars originally being planned for the British Museum

Doctor Who: The Complete History #24. Stories 81-84: Planet of Evil, Pyramids of Mars, The Android Invasion and The Brain of Morbius. Panini UK, 10 Aug. 2016, p. 24, 43.

5.

~18m3s

Hinchliffe synthesising the historical formula

Hinchcliffe, Philip. Audio commentary [for Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars, episode 2]. Who Talk: Pyramids of Mars. Fantom Publishing, 2 Nov. 2020, ~7m. Audio download.

6.

~18m58s

Robert Holmes being bored of historicals

Hinchcliffe, Philip. “Serial Thrillers” [Hinchcliffe era documentary/special feature]. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~0m-4m6s. DVD.

Hinchcliffe, Philip. Audio commentary [for Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars, episode 2]. Who Talk: Pyramids of Mars. Fantom Publishing, 2 Nov. 2020, ~7m. Audio download.

7.

~19m40s

Hinchcliffe triumph of rationalism focus

Hinchcliffe, Philip. “Serial Thrillers” [Hinchcliffe era documentary/special feature]. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~12m9s-14m45s. DVD.

8.

~24m45s

Boris Johnson’s (21st century) position on the Parthenon marbles

“Boris Johnson rules out return of Parthenon marbles to Greece”. The Guardian, 13 March 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/mar/12/boris-johnson-rules-out-return-of-parthenon-marbles-to-greece

9.

~27m31s

~1h0m34s

~1h23m44s

Director Paddy Russell and Tom Baker friction

Russell, Paddy. Audio commentary. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars [episode 4]. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~1m40s-1m58s. DVD.

Russell, Paddy. “Directing Who — Paddy Russell — A Life in Television” [director retrospective/special feature]. Doctor Who: Horror of Fang Rock. BBC, 17 Jan. 2005, ~5m28s-6m25s. DVD.

10.

~27m41s

Director Paddy Russell considering Ibrahim actors; considered other ethnicities

DVD infotext [episode 1]. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~6m36s. DVD.

11.

~31m8s

Issues with Episode Four; pulling from Kafka for the puzzles

Hinchcliffe, Philip. Audio commentary [for Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars, episode 4]. Who Talk: Pyramids of Mars. Fantom Publishing, 2 Nov. 2020, ~1m46s-5m8s. Audio download.

12.

~32m49s

~2h9m39s

Rebroadcasts of this story having huge ratings, and being trimmed down

Doctor Who: The Complete History #24. Stories 81-84: Planet of Evil, Pyramids of Mars, The Android Invasion and The Brain of Morbius. Panini UK, 10 Aug. 2016, p. 63.

13.

~53m39s

Novelisation: emotional flippancy; Sarah empathising with the Fourth Doctor

Dicks, Terrance. “Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars” [audiobook]. BBC Audio. Read by Tom Baker. ~2h16m. 14 Aug. 2008.

Dicks, Terrance. “Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars”. Target Books, 16 Dec. 1976.

14.

~1h3m20s

Planned establishing shot of the TARDIS in the ruined future

Russell, Paddy. Audio commentary. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars [episode 2]. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~15m55s-16m53s. DVD.

15.

~1h3m35s

Hinchcliffe on the alternate future idea’s origin

Hinchcliffe, Philip. Audio commentary [for Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars, episode 2]. Who Talk: Pyramids of Mars. Fantom Publishing, 2 Nov. 2020, ~17m39s-19m34s. Audio download.

16.

~1h3m58s

The Unquiet Dead having planned a Pyramids of Mars-esque alternate future scene

Doctor Who: The Complete History #48. Stories 157-159: Rose, The End of the World and The Unquiet Dead. Panini UK, 10 Feb. 2016, p. 125, 128.

17.

~1h11m7s

Hinchcliffe on why they did possession storytelling so much

Hinchcliffe, Philip. Audio commentary. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars [episode 2]. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~1m33s-2m19s. DVD.

Hinchcliffe, Philip. Audio commentary [for Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars, episode 2]. Who Talk: Pyramids of Mars. Fantom Publishing, 2 Nov. 2020, ~2m6s-3m26s. Audio download.

18.

~1h14m32s

Hinchliffe wanting to expand the show to older audiences; Holmes bringing in black humour

Hinchcliffe, Philip. “Serial Thrillers” [Hinchcliffe era documentary/special feature]. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~4m6s-5m32s. DVD.

19.

~1h15m8s

Hinchliffe bemoaning the sonic wand

Hinchcliffe, Philip. Audio commentary [for Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars, episode 2]. Cutaway Comics: Omega & Sutekh — Gods & Monsters bonus material. Cutaway Comics, Sep. 2023, ~58s-4m16s. Audio download.

20.

~1h16m12s

Hinchcliffe and Holmes wanting a distinct storytelling era

Hinchcliffe, Philip. “Serial Thrillers” [Hinchcliffe era documentary/special feature]. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~9m27s-10m45s. DVD.

21.

~1h18m9s

Paddy Russell’s influence on Sarah Jane being experienced with the gun

Hinchcliffe, Philip, and Elisabeth Sladen. Audio commentary. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars [episode 1]. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~9m6s-9m16s. DVD.

Sladen, Elisabeth. “Osirian Gothic” [making of/special feature]. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~8m53s-9m30s. DVD.

22.

~1h22m2s

Rewrites to make Sarah more active in the story; Tom Baker not liking weak companions, thinking it reflects badly on the Doctor

DVD infotext [episode 1]. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~20m28s. DVD.

23.

~1h23m56s

Phillip Hinchcliffe initial issues with Gabriel Woolf

Hinchcliffe, Philip. Audio commentary. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars [episode 3]. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~7m55s-8m26s. DVD.

Russell, Paddy, Gabriel Woolf, and Peter Hinchcliffe. “Osirian Gothic” [making of/special feature]. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~13m28s-15m16s. DVD.

24.

~1h29m38s

Hinchcliffe issues with Sutekh imagery (dog collar, mask)

Hinchcliffe, Philip. Audio commentary. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars [episode 4]. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~19m12s-19m41s. DVD.

Hinchcliffe, Philip. “Osirian Gothic” [making of/special feature]. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~16m-16m55s. DVD.

25.

~1h33m25s

Unusual writing situation: Griefer, rewrites

Hinchcliffe, Philip. “Serial Thrillers” [Hinchcliffe era documentary/special feature]. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~9m36s. DVD.

Hinchcliffe, Philip. Audio commentary [for Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars, episode 4]. Who Talk: Pyramids of Mars. Fantom Publishing, 2 Nov. 2020, ~1m46s-5m8s. Audio download.

Doctor Who: The Complete History #24. Stories 81-84: Planet of Evil, Pyramids of Mars, The Android Invasion and The Brain of Morbius. Panini UK, 10 Aug. 2016, pp. 42-51, p. 55

26.

~1h48m10s

Director Paddy Russell’s strong influence

Sladen, Elisabeth. “Osirian Gothic” [making of/special feature]. Doctor Who: Pyramids of Mars. BBC, 1 March 2004, ~3m5s-3m48s. DVD.

27.

~1h48m34s

Hinchliffe developing and sending the script

Doctor Who: The Complete History #24. Stories 81-84: Planet of Evil, Pyramids of Mars, The Android Invasion and The Brain of Morbius. Panini UK, 10 Aug. 2016, pp. 42-51.

28.

~1h49m26s

Midnight being written by Russell T Davies at the eleventh hour

Doctor Who: The Complete History #59. Stories 195-197: Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead, Midnight and Turn Left. Panini UK, 8 March 2017, pp. 59-62.

29.

~1h52m16s

Novelisation; ‘ancient aliens’

Dicks, Terrance. “Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars” [audiobook]. BBC Audio. Read by Tom Baker. ~1h34m. 14 Aug. 2008.

Dicks, Terrance. “Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars”. Target Books, 16 Dec. 1976.

30.

~1h57m39s

Novelisation prologue

Dicks, Terrance. “Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars” [audiobook]. BBC Audio. Read by Tom Baker. ~49s. 14 Aug. 2008.

Dicks, Terrance. “Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars”. Target Books, 16 Dec. 1976.

31.

~2h3m32s

Novelisation epilogue

Dicks, Terrance. “Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars” [audiobook]. BBC Audio. Read by Tom Baker. ~3h12m. 14 Aug. 2008.

Dicks, Terrance. “Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars”. Target Books, 16 Dec. 1976.

32.

~2h11m28s

Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat interviewing each other; RTD wanting to do a sequel to a Classic Who story and re-air the Classic Who story

Moffat, Steven, and Russell T Davies. “Showrunner Showdown.” Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 551, 30 April 2020, p. 24.

33.

~2h19m8s

Sam Watts composing new music for the Tales of the TARDIS new scenes

Cook, Benjamin [@benjamin_cook]. “TONIGHT! 8PM. BBC Four. PYRAMIDS OF MARS. A new, 75-minute blockbuster edit (by me – sorry!) of one of the greatest DOCTOR WHO stories ever. Starring Tom Baker & Elisabeth Sladen! Brand-new scenes with Ncuti Gatwa & Millie Gibson!! Updated music and VFX! SUTEKH RISES!!!     ” Twitter, 20 June 2024, https://archive.vn/4Lpxz

Cook, Benjamin [@benjamin_cook]. “Don’t worry. I think (hope!) you’ll like it.   We’ve Tales of the TARDIS music by the brilliant Sam Watts, then “Pyramids” itself is almost all Dudley Simpson – just a bit more Dudley before.” Twitter, 20 June 2024, https://archive.vn/zB20o

^in response to

[@DazBear1969]. “Noooo. Leave the music alone.” Twitter, 21 June 2024, https://archive.vn/onX0V

And also a quote tweet of:

Watts, Sam [@i_is_sam]. “didn’t write new music for Pyramids of Mars. Just for Ncuti and Mille in the little bookends. But Lis was very much in my thoughts.” Twitter, 18 June 2024, https://archive.vn/9bfIv

34.

~2h19m45s

Music in the Tales of the TARDIS (1975 scenes) including the 1990s score album

Cook, Benjamin [@benjamin_cook]. “Thank you! And yes, we added about eight minutes of Heathcliff Blair’s 1993 re-recording of Dudley Simpson’s original “Pyramids” score.” Twitter, 20 June 2024, https://archive.vn/fb1Ev

^in response to:

[@_hiero]. “Excellent edit, I have to say…I’ve watched Pyramids countless times and I don’t think you cut anything I’d have missed. Can you confirm if you added some Dudley-Simpson-alike incidental music in a few places, particularly where it was edited more heavily?” Twitter, 21 June 2024, https://archive.vn/ledvK

35.

~2h20m35s

Musical gag of Logopolis music playing

Cook, Benjamin [@benjamin_cook]. “It’s a radio telescope gag.  ” Twitter, 21 June 2024, https://archive.vn/vroXC

^in response to:

[@CobraEagle42]. “You did a great job :) I did miss the puzzles but I seem to be the only one. Lol. May I ask why you put the logopolis music in?” Twitter, 21 June 2024, https://archive.vn/BeoGH

Cook, Benjamin [@benjamin_cook]. “Thank you.   And I’m sorry you didn’t vibe with the “Logopolis” cue. It’s only a few seconds – a little musical gag, which mostly seems to have gone down well.” Twitter, 20 June 2024, https://archive.vn/yznZH

^in response to:

[@Rob_Watkins]. “Hi Ben, nice edit and great effects, one minor criticism is that the logopolis music didn’t fit with Dudley’s original music” Twitter, 21 June 2024, https://archive.vn/ucJc6

36.

~2h22m43s

~2h45m23s

RTD’s youthful misconception of the time corridor in Pyramids of Mars

Davies, Russell T, Bonnie Langford, and Vicki Delow. In-vision commentary. Doctor Who, Empire of Death with commentary, 22 June 2024, ~7m14s-7m31s, https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0020m9n/doctor-who-video-commentaries-empire-of-death-with-commentary

“Doctor Who Unleashed: Empire of Death” Doctor Who Unleashed, BBC iPlayer, 22 June 2024, ~8m40s-9m28s, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0020krr

37.

~2h56m51s

Richard Dawkins loving Claude AI

Dawkins, Richard. “When Dawkins met Claude: Could this AI be conscious?”. UnHerd, 30 April 2026, https://archive.vn/wZtts

Dawkins, Richard [@RichardDawkins]. “I spent three days trying to persuade myself that Claudia is not conscious. I failed.”. Twitter, 30 April 2026, https://archive.vn/Y8Fqi

38.

~2h59m2s

‘Husk’ satire of AI

Husk IRL. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@HuskIRL

39.

~3h8m51s

‘This is the future’ for the Fourteenth Doctor

Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 584, 10 Nov. 2022, [cover page].

The quote itself comes from David Tennant:

Tennant, David. “Reach Up For the Sunrise.” Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 584, 10 Nov. 2022, p. 22.

40.

~3h10m40s

Dissatisfaction with AI in The Collection: Season 13

[@TheCyberdevil]. “I do think the AI upscaling on S13 to my eyes is overdone, particularly on the film sequences. It’s all a matter of personal taste, but I think some areas of the picture are oversharp, particularity during movement. It’s nowhere near as bad as the YouTube screening of Zygons.” Twitter, 18 Oct. 2025, https://archive.vn/dfkRK

“AI on Classic Doctor Who. Why it’s bad.” Cyberdevil’s – Doctor Who DVD & Blu-Ray Blog, 18 March 2026, https://archive.vn/mF63

“Is A.I. worth it?” YouTube, uploaded by Pip Madeley, 22 Oct. 2025, https://youtu.be/24hwN1NyMs4

“Doctor Who: The Collection – Season 13 blu-ray is full of the laziest AI upscaling I’ve ever seen.” Reddit, 19 Oct. 2025, https://archive.vn/CSFg6

“Buyer beware – Season 13 Collection features lazy, bad AI upscaling “. Reddit, 23 Oct. 2025, https://archive.vn/AVJwN

“Doctor Who Season 13 Blu Ray Review – Part 2 (Unboxing, Technical and Special Features)”. Reverbrium, 3 Nov. 2025, https://archive.vn/00gN8

Burden, Colin. “Did the BBC Apply AI Too Early on the Doctor Who: The Collection Blu-ray Box Sets?”. The Doctor Who Companion, 26 April 2026, https://archive.vn/S6bAz

Who Cares? - Dr. Who Fans Talk TV is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://whocaresdw.wordpress.com/

How does Steven Moffat’s ‘interview’ with an ‘AI’ play into technological themes explored across his work? We dive into humanity, tailored expectations, retreats into fictionalisation, emotional validity, recursion, as more, as we discuss ‘AI’ and digital ghosts.

Neo
Ingiga
Oliver

TIMECODES:

00:00:00 Attitudes to ‘AI’

00:12:18 Origins of the podcast, role of faith

00:23:58 Moffat’s AI themes, digital ghosts vs. faulty tech

00:30:43 The indifference of autocomplete

00:39:50 Why Moffat was so impressed

00:46:50 Biases towards the ‘interviewer’

00:51:46 The dream protecting itself

00:59:20 Aren’t we all chatbots in the end?

01:09:57 LLMs vs. human (and dog) conversations

01:14:50 The habituation cycle

01:21:05 The low bar for ‘AI’ creations

01:30:05 Endless franchise content, worsening quality

01:39:57 Closing thoughts

SOURCES

1.

~0m

The YouTube video this discussion addresses

Moffat, Steven, Mike Parkinson, Benjamin Field, and Jamie Anderson. “Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.” YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 March 2025, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY

2.

~11m32s

Paper on bullshit vs hallucinations

Hicks, M.T., Humphries, J. and Slater, J. (2024) ‘Chatgpt is bullshit’, Ethics and Information Technology, 26(2). doi:10.1007/s10676-024-09775-5.

Click to access s10676-024-09775-5.pdf

3.

~13m22s

Press release on Virtually Parkinson

“AI-powered Michael Parkinson podcast to launch, working with family estate.” PodNews, 28 Oct. 2024, https://podnews.net/press-release/virtually-parkinson

4.

~15m6s

Guardian reporting on Virtually Parkinson

“Michael Parkinson is back, with an AI voice that can fool even his own family.” The Guardian, 26 Oct. 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/oct/26/michael-parkinson-virtually-ai-replica-chatshow

5.

~18m11s

Negative consequences with LLMs

Klee, Miles. “People Are Losing Loved Ones to AI-Fueled Spiritual Fantasies.” Rolling Stone, 4 May 2025, https://archive.md/eawhz

Dupré, Maggie Harrison. “People Are Becoming Obsessed with ChatGPT and Spiraling Into Severe Delusions.” Futurism, 10 June 2025, https://futurism.com/chatgpt-mental-health-crises

Hill, Kashmir. “They Asked an A.I. Chatbot Questions. The Answers Sent Them Spiraling.” The New York Times, 13 June 2025, https://archive.ph/Qh8M1

6.

~28m8s

AI interviewer getting confused about whether it’s the interviewer or interviewee

Moffat, Steven. “Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.” YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 March 2025, ~20m36s, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY

7.

~32m54s

AI interviewer asking Moffat about mental health

Moffat, Steven. “Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.” YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 March 2025, ~18m46s, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY

8.

~36m7s

AI interviewer yammering about Yorkshire pudding

Moffat, Steven. “Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.” YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 March 2025, ~10m12s, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY

9.

~39m57s

RTD and Moffat on AI during a Christmas photoshoot

“Doctor Who’s Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat preview “emotional” Christmas special.” Radio Times, 5 Dec. 2024, https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-christmas-russell-t-davies-steven-moffat/

10.

~43m31s

Moffat gently responding to the AI ‘interviewer’ confusion about who was getting interviewed

Moffat, Steven. “Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.” YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 March 2025, ~21m17s, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY

11.

~47m23s

AI guys discussing the ‘atmosphere’ the AI interviewer cultivated that may or may not have made Moffat comfortable

Parkinson, Mike, Benjamin Field, and Jamie Anderson. “Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.” YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 March 2025, ~40m47s, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY

12.

~49m17s

Moffat and the AI guys wowing and getting sentimental over the AI interviewer asking about mental health

Moffat, Steven, Mike Parkinson, Benjamin Field, and Jamie Anderson. “Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.” YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 March 2025, ~30m34s, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY

13.

~49m46s

AI guys’ investment in the idea of AI enabling people to open up

Parkinson, Mike, Benjamin Field, and Jamie Anderson. “Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.” YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 March 2025, ~41m37s, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY

13.

~50m40s

ChatGPT not being so private; publicising conversations to Facebook

Robison, Kylie. “The Meta AI App Lets You ‘Discover’ People’s Bizarrely Personal Chats.” Wired, 12 June 2025, https://www.wired.com/story/meta-artificial-intelligence-chatbot-conversations/

14.

~58m30s

Chatbot fake idioms

Tangermann, Victor. ““You Can’t Lick a Badger Twice”: Google’s AI Is Making Up Explanations for Nonexistent Folksy Sayings.” Futurism, 23 April 2025, https://futurism.com/google-ai-overviews-fake-idioms

15.

~59m25s

Moffat and the AI guys equivocating between LLMs and humans

Moffat, Steven, Mike Parkinson, Benjamin Field, and Jamie Anderson. “Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.” YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 March 2025, ~31m5s, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY

16.

~1h0m6s

Moffat and the AI guys excited over LLM progress

Moffat, Steven, Mike Parkinson, Benjamin Field, and Jamie Anderson. “Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.” YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 March 2025, ~33m30s, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY

17.

~1h10m

Moffat on talking to LLMs and pets

Moffat, Steven. “Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.” YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 March 2025, ~7m18s, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY

18.

~1h12m

~1h24m8s

Moffat on the wonder of conversations with AI; how people should be ‘marvelling’ at AI

Moffat, Steven. “Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.” YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 March 2025, ~7m59s, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY

17.

~1h14m12s

Grok and Grok’s relationship with ‘white genocide’ in South Africa

Gerard, David. “Even Elon Musk can’t make Grok claim a ‘white genocide’ in South Africa.” Pivot to AI, 15 May 2025, https://pivot-to-ai.com/2025/05/15/even-elon-musk-cant-make-grok-claim-a-white-genocide-in-south-africa/

18.

~1h18m32s

Oliver’s book recommendation; the ‘habituation cycle’

Zuboff, Shoshana. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism. Profile Books, 2019.

19.

~1h27m21s

Will Smith AI spaghetti AI video progression over time

Di Placido, Dani. “Google’s AI Passed The ‘Will Smith Eating Spaghetti’ Test.” Forbes, 22 May 2025, https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2025/05/22/google-passed-the-will-smith-eating-spaghetti-test/

20.

~1h35m4s

AI ‘interviewer’ ‘library of stories’ quote

“Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.” YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 March 2025, ~17m6s, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY

21.

~1h35m58s

AI problems suggested in the interview

Parkinson, Mike, Benjamin Field, and Jamie Anderson. “Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.” YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 March 2025, ~46m2s, 51m40s, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY

22.

~1h39m57s

Moffat ‘art heist’ script

Moffat, Steven. “Steven Moffat on Writing Legends & How AI Will Change TV Forever | Virtually Parkinson.” YouTube, uploaded by The Michael Parkinson Channel, 4 March 2025, ~14m54s, https://youtu.be/ztbQKuFprdY

*

~50m52s
Jamie Anderson’s role — called “the CEO” in the episode; he is the co-founder and CCO, not the CEO (that’s Benjamin Field)
“John Gore Studios Acquires AI Production Specialist Deep Fusion.” IBC, 12 Feb. 2026, https://ibc.org/people-purpose/news/john-gore-studios-acquires-ai-production-specialist-deep-fusion/23019

Who Cares? - Dr. Who Fans Talk TV is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://whocaresdw.wordpress.com/

It all comes tumbling down. Finality. Normativity. Literalism. How did Ncuti Gatwa’s last episode reconfigure the past and future of the show?

Neo
Ingiga
Oliver
Nate Bumber
Missy

TIMECODES

00:00:00 Intro

00:02:03 What we liked

00:24:25 Two-series arc

00:28:48 Thirteen looming over Fifteen

00:35:08 Susan and three-series arcs

00:37:04 Regeneration timing

00:43:14 Omega, twists, the past

00:50:33 Ranis, bigeneration, Classic Who, sterility

00:59:13 Belinda and Poppy

01:16:11 Anita and doors

01:22:39 May the 24th; finale density

01:28:43 Curious musical moments

01:33:50 Petrol, Pantheon, future possibilities

01:39:56 Promise of the 60th; cluttering and decluttering

01:49:31 Paternity and Poppy

01:53:08 Billie Piper’s Doctor, ‘RTD3’, Marvel

02:05:36 Vindicator big gun moment; Ncuti leaving

02:14:42 Default Belinda; child’s version of Doctor Who

02:21:40 Addendum: Disney deal dead, finale reshoots

02:30:03 Why a three-series arc; Susan in RTD2

02:37:51 Reality War script, emotional truth, children

02:44:06 Renewal, finality, fairness

02:59:18 Reality War ponderings; The War Between musings

03:04:01 Addendum addendum: finale aftereffects

03:10:50 Vestiges of RTD2

03:13:47 Our reactions to the finale

03:27:07 Where to from here

SOURCES

Sources

1.

2m19s

RTD talking up two-series arcs on the behind-the-scenes featurette on YouTube

Davies, Russell T. “Season 2: Epilogue | Doctor Who” YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 1 June 2025, ~0m0s, https://youtu.be/KC5up-0tcNg

2.

8m3s

Murray Gold not always tying music directly to the most related character or concept

Gold, Murray. “Interview with Murray Gold: Composer of Doctor Who Soundtracks.” YouTube, uploaded by Silva Screen Records, 23 Jan. 2015, 02:01-02:48, https://youtu.be/pYJTxNQJCY0

3.

16m12s

25m29s

Ending changes

“Doctor Who’s Bonnie Langford and Carole Ann Ford recall season 15 finale changes after “quite different” original ending.” Radio Times, 1 Nov. 2025, https://web.archive.org/web/20251101173251/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-bonnie-langford-carole-ann-ford-exclusive-newsupdate/

“BBC Cuts Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor Who Comment “Confirming” a Third Series for the 15th Doctor.” Doctor Who TV, 12 Oct. 2024, https://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/ncuti-gatwa-series-16-comments-cut-103087.htm

“Doctor Who favourite Billie Piper speaks out on “last-minute” regeneration scene and how it was “very emotional to film”.” Radio Times, 28 July 2025, https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-billie-piper-regeneration-emotional-newsupdate/

4.

24m25s

Two weeks turnaround on a new companion

“Doctor Who’s Varada Sethu: ‘Belinda is main character of her own story – not in awe of the Doctor’”. Radio Times, 1 April 2025, https://archive.vn/4546f

5.

27m44s

RTD commentary on The Timeless Children

Davies, Russell T. “Doctor Who’s Russell T Davies explains how Timeless Child reveal impacts the show’s future.” YouTube, uploaded by Radio Times, 29 April 2024, https://youtu.be/1jGolDyDRAc

6.

35m34s

Susan return scene shot

“Carole Ann Ford describes unused Doctor Who finale scene.” Cultbox, 24 Oct. 2025, https://cultbox.co.uk/general/carole-ann-ford-describes-unused-doctor-who-finale-scene

7.

36m38s

Top secret Susan shooting for her footage in The Interstellar Song Contest

Davies, Russell T. “The Making of The Interstellar Song Contest | FULL EPISODE | Season 2 | Doctor Who Unleashed.” YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, ~22m6s-22m26s, https://youtu.be/icTSPqMA9yI

8.

40m47s

Alternative nightclub ending thumbnail

“New Photo from The Reality War (courtesy of Disney+ Germany).” Reddit, 29 May 2025, https://archive.vn/2wmX8

9.

57m13s

RTD not rewatching the Classic Who Celestial Toymaker serial before writing The Giggle; Phil Collinson on details about it

Davies, Russell T, Phil Collinson, and David Tennant. In-vision commentary. Doctor Who, 60th anniversary, special 3: The Giggle, 9 Dec. 2023, 23:06-24:20, https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0gsdjvn/doctor-who-video-commentaries-the-giggle-with-commentary

10.

1h15m38s

1h2125ms

Anita’s actor in principal photography for the episode

[@stephdewhalley]. ” BTS with bump! Amazing to carry our second child up to 7 1/2 months during filming of @bbcdoctorwho finale. You can tell I was actually preggers by the amount of cake I ate!

1. 6-month-bump

2. Feet up! Oh that chocolate sauce though!

3. 7 1/2-month-bump

4. The famous banoffee pie!

5. Speaks for itself!

6. Bump now (our youngest child). The next Doctor? Thanks to our wonderful director Alex Pillai for the gorgeous baby grow.

7. Our two little Ronnies!

#doctorwho #doctorwhofinale #bbc #disneyplus #TheRealityWar #AnitaBenn @bbcdoctorwho @disneydoctorwho #parentactors #pregnantperformers.” Instagram, 4 June 2025, https://archive.vn/Joa1h

11.

1h27m22s

BBC continuity announcer odd moment regarding May the 24th

“BBC One Continuity – Saturday 31st May 2025.” YouTube, uploaded by MetalFox’s Media Archive, 5 June 2025, ~2m14s, https://youtu.be/6wi7skCRGe0

12.

1h35m19s

RTD quote about generating content

“Doctor Who Unleashed: The Legend of Ruby Sunday.” Doctor Who Unleashed, BBC iPlayer, 15 June 2024, ~13m58s, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0020ccv

13.

1h36m9s

3h11m6s

S3 (Disney era, Ncuti era) scripts already being written

“Russell T Davis: ‘Anti-queer thinking is on the rise’.” The Times, 8 May 2024, https://archive.md/hiBvb

“Doctor Who showrunner shares production status on a third series.” Cultbox, 11 June 2024, https://web.archive.org/web/20240612022354/https://cultbox.co.uk/news/doctor-who-showrunner-shares-production-status-on-a-third-series

14.

1h36m24s

Episodes sometimes written for other Doctors initially

The Idiot’s Lantern was written for the Ninth Doctor initially

Gatiss, Mark. “The Empire of Mark Gatiss.” Interview by Jason Arnopp. Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 515, 27 July 2017, p. 46.

Kill the Moon was written for the Eleventh Doctor initially

Doctor Who: The Complete History #78. Stories 247-249: The Caretaker, Kill the Moon and Mummy on the Orient Express. Panini UK, 4 Oct. 2017, pp. 59-60.

Tooth and Claw was commissioned ‘early in 2005’, from ‘a writer who was new to Doctor Who’

Doctor Who: The Complete History #51. Stories 167-169: The Christmas Invasion, New Earth and Tooth and Claw. Panini UK, 2 Dec. 2015, p. 101.

The 2006 Satan two-parter was ‘allocated to Matthew Jones’ in ‘February 2005’

Doctor Who: The Complete History #53. Stories 174-177: The Impossible Planet / The Satan Pit, Love & Monsters, Fear Her and Army of Ghosts / Doomsday. Panini UK, 30 Nov. 2016, p. 101.

15.

1h57m48s

2h56m20s

RTD on ‘collapsed’ low-budget ghost story Doctor Who

Davies, Russell T. “Little Wigs Abound! And Russell T Davies (DOCTOR WHO)” [podcast episode]. Firecrotch & Normcore: THEY LIKE TO WATCH, 27 March 2024, https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/little-wigs-abound-and-russell-t-davies-doctor-who

16.

1h58m7s

Wolf Hall Series Two not being able to film outside

“UK TV industry in crisis, says Wolf Hall director.” BBC, 23 March 2025, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3w10816en3o

17.

2h6m11s

RTD on gunlike sonic

Davies, Russell T. “The new Doctor checks in”. Interview with Alan Sepinwall. What’s Alan Watching, 3 May 2024, https://archive.vn/wXKCw

18.

2h9m14s

RTD on writing without foreshadowing (Paradox Machine example)

Davies, Russell T, and Benjamin Cook. The Writer’s Tale – The Final Chapter. BBC Books, 2010, pp. 678-679.

19.

2h10m57s

Ncuti Gatwa schedule (Sex Ed) affecting 2024 S1

“Doctor Who Unleashed: 73 Yards” Doctor Who Unleashed, BBC iPlayer, 25 May 2024, ~5m, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001zq03

Davies, Russell T, Millie Gibson, and Chris May. In-vision commentary. Doctor Who, 2023 Christmas special: The Church on Ruby Road, 25 Dec. 2023, 10:55-11:30, 42:47-43:22, https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0gsdjvx/doctor-who-video-commentaries-christmas-special-the-church-on-ruby-road-with-commentary

20.

2h19m23s

RTD on The Power of the Doctor being like a child’s vision of the show

“Doctor Who boss teases “immense plans” for Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor.” Radio Times, 13 May 2022, https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-ncuti-gatwa-plans-newsupdate/

21.

2h21m8s

Young Chibnall on Open Air

“Chris Chibnall interview: ‘Doctor Who should make us all feel eight years old’.” The Telegraph, 3 Oct. 2018, https://archive.vn/TtlLG

“Chris Chibnall says his Doctor Who criticism on Open Air was a “load of nonsense”.” Cultbox, 3 Oct. 2018, https://cultbox.co.uk/news/chris-chibnall-says-his-doctor-who-criticism-on-open-air-was-a-load-of-nonsense

22.

2h23m

2h24m24s

The Disney deal is dead

“BBC Confirms future of Doctor Who and a new Christmas special in 2026.” Doctor Who [official website], 28 Oct. 2025, https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/bbc-confirms-future-of-doctor-who-and-a-new-christmas-special-in-2026

23.

2h23m27s

2h45m36s

October 2024, Ncuti Gatwa Graham Norton S3 comments, Deadline coverage

“The BBC Didn’t Censor Ncuti Gatwa Over ‘Doctor Who’ Being Renewed, But Says His Comment About Season 3 Was Wide Of The Mark.” Deadline, 16 Oct. 2024, https://deadline.com/2024/10/doctor-who-truth-behind-ncuti-gatwa-season-3-comments-graham-norton-1236117391/

“BBC Cuts Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor Who Comment “Confirming” a Third Series for the 15th Doctor.” Doctor Who TV, 12 Oct. 2024, https://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/ncuti-gatwa-series-16-comments-cut-103087.htm

24.

2h24m

S2 main filming finished in April 2024

“Russell T. Davies: ‘I thought Doctor Who lost Ncuti Gatwa to James Bond’.” Metro, 7 May 2024, https://web.archive.org/web/20240508115333/https://metro.co.uk/2024/05/07/russell-t-davies-thought-doctor-lost-ncuti-gatwa-james-bond-20784333/

25.

2h24m4s

2025 reshoots

Doctor Who Filming Locations [@set_dw]. “Unexpected #dwsr

Doctor Who filming is taking place this week at 137 Plymouth Road, Penarth. It seems there are some late reshoots/pick-ups taking place on the finale.

This is NOT for new episodes, this is late work on Season 2.”. Twitter, 5. Feb 2025, https://archive.vn/VcW0K

Doctor Who Filming Locations [@set_dw]. “There’s a difference between adding a scene, and doing 2 weeks of reshoots. And this time it’s coupled with uncertainty and newspaper articles, rather than just adding a short scene for an Xmas ep.”. Twitter, 17. Feb 2025, https://archive.vn/84hd7

Doctor Who Filming Locations [@set_dw]. “Yes, that’s being done alongside the reshoots that have just been done”. Twitter, 17. Feb 2025, https://archive.vn/zKgEa

Doctor Who Filming Locations [@set_dw]. “It’s quite clear to me that if you’re doing reshoots 9 months after an episode originally wrapped, in the run up to transmission, amongst major uncertainty… Something is up.”. Twitter, 17. Feb 2025, https://archive.vn/2vz5B

Doctor Who Filming Locations [@set_dw]. “I’m distinguishing between “reshoots” and “pickups”. Church on Ruby Road additional work I consider to be pickups – adding an extra scene. Recent stuff is reshoots, retooling and changing scenes, for whatever reason.”. Twitter, 18. Feb 2025, https://archive.vn/ccggc

Doctor Who Filming Locations [@set_dw]. “1 location from 2 weeks worth of reshoots was based at a house, yeah. Studio work obviously wouldn’t be picked up on.”. Twitter, 18. Feb 2025, https://archive.vn/CSfGf

26.

2h24m50s

BBC Director of Drama comments on RTD’s 2026 Doctor Who Christmas special

“BBC Confirms future of Doctor Who and a new Christmas special in 2026.” Doctor Who [official website], 28 Oct. 2025, https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/bbc-confirms-future-of-doctor-who-and-a-new-christmas-special-in-2026

27.

2h25m19s

Carole Ann Ford on cut footage from The Reality War

“Carole Ann Ford describes unused Doctor Who finale scene.” Cultbox, 24 Oct. 2025, https://cultbox.co.uk/general/carole-ann-ford-describes-unused-doctor-who-finale-scene

28.

2h25m55s

The mother of Poppy’s actor speaking about original plans and filming

“Doctor Who Actor Seemingly Confirms Finale’s Original Ending Plans — Before Those Reshoots Due to Ncuti Gatwa’s Departure.” IGN, 9 June 2025, https://www.ign.com/articles/doctor-who-actor-seemingly-confirms-finales-original-ending-plans-before-those-reshoots-due-to-ncuti-gatwas-departure

29.

2h30m39s

RTD on the Disney deal being for a set number of episodes, and no decision on renewal taking place until those episodes had aired

Davies, Russell T. “Letter From the Showrunner.” Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 609, 10 Oct. 2024, p. 6.

Davies, Russell T. “Letter From the Showrunner.” Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 613, 30 Jan. 2025, p. 4.

Davies, Russell T. “Letter from the Showrunner.” Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 618, 19 June 2025, p. 4.

30.

2h36m22s

Benjamin Cook talking RTD out of including the Cybermen as a tease to the end of Journey’s End

Davies, Russell T, and Benjamin Cook. The Writer’s Tale – The Final Chapter. BBC Books, 2010, pp. 322-324, 351-353.

31.

2h37m20s

Contemporary coverage of Susan Foreman

Ford, Carole Ann. “The Importance of Being Susan.” Interview by Benjamin Cook. Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 623, 6 Nov. 2025, pp. 21-47.

32.

2h37m51s

The Reality War script (Sixth Doctor and Edge parts in the Thirteenth Doctor scene)

Davies, Russell T. “The Reality War.” Accessed through BBC Writersroom, released 23 Nov. 2025, p. 61, https://www.bbc.co.uk/writers/documents/the-bridge-s2-ep-8-blue-amends-30.09.24.pdf

33.

2h42m30s

Doctor Who CBeebies series

“Doctor Who – The Tardis is set to land on CBeebies.” BBC Media Centre 12 June 2025, https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2025/doctor-who-bbc-to-expand-whoniverse-to-cbeebies

34.

2h48m40s

3h3m14s

The War Between spinoff worked on before the 60th anniversary

“Pete McTighe’s Production Diary.” Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 625, 8 Jan. 2026, p. 17.

35.

3h11m50s

RTD and Ncuti on the Orishas and story reworkings regarding including them on the show

“Ncuti Gatwa reveals his dream Doctor Who storyline”. Radio Times, 26 Oct. 2022, https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-ncuti-gatwa-storyline-newsupdate/

Davies, Russell T. “Creating a SEQUEL to Midnight | Behind the Scenes of THE WELL | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 27 April 2025, ~1m8s, https://youtu.be/H0f7AePd3W4

“Letter from the Showrunner”. Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 617, 22 May 2025, p. 4.

36.

3h11m59s

Dot and Bubble as an idea germinating since 2009

Davies, Russell T. “Episode Preview: Dot and Bubble.” Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 604, 23 May 2024, p. 15.

37.

3h18m26s

Lawrence Miles on Doctor Who being like a native language to communicate through

Miles, Lawrence. “64 Thousand-dollar Questions: the “Reader’s Choice” Interview With Lawrence Miles Part Four: General Principles (I.e. Those That Haven’t Yet Been Compromised).” Menace: The Miles Mailing List, 11 March 2001, https://web.archive.org/web/20020906172751/http://www.menace.ndo.co.uk/loz/qanda/part4.htm

38.

3h30m

Moffat comparing his new 10 Downing St show to Press Gang

Moffat, Steven [@stevenwmoffat]. “Number 10. It’s basically Press Gang in Downing Street. Or Doctor Who with funnier monsters. Or Sherlock with a fairly similar door. (But really it’s Press Gang in Downing Street.)” Instagram, 19 Aug. 2025, https://archive.vn/xX5hZ

39.

3h32m23s

Use of AI in Doctor Who: The Collection blu-rays

[@TheCyberdevil]. “I do think the AI upscaling on S13 to my eyes is overdone, particularly on the film sequences. It’s all a matter of personal taste, but I think some areas of the picture are oversharp, particularity during movement. It’s nowhere near as bad as the YouTube screening of Zygons.” Twitter, 18 Oct. 2025, https://archive.vn/dfkRK

“AI on Classic Doctor Who. Why it’s bad.” Cyberdevil’s – Doctor Who DVD & Blu-Ray Blog, 18 March 2026, https://archive.vn/mF63

“Is A.I. worth it?” YouTube, uploaded by Pip Madeley, 22 Oct. 2025, https://youtu.be/24hwN1NyMs4

“Doctor Who: The Collection – Season 13 blu-ray is full of the laziest AI upscaling I’ve ever seen.” Reddit, 19 Oct. 2025, https://archive.vn/CSFg6

Who Cares? - Dr. Who Fans Talk TV is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://whocaresdw.wordpress.com/

Character-lite episodes. Penultimate suspense. Companion characterisation. Gods and science. Was this episode worthy of a wish?

Neo
Ingiga
Tyler

TIMECODES

00:00:00 What we liked
00:12:49 Doubts, plot, storytelling, villainy
00:19:50 Omega, gods, science, mythic register
00:25:42 Belinda companionship, garbling, drama confusion, Nursedoc
00:33:50 Ruby in 2025 S2, S1-S2 links
00:42:30 Conrad, wish baby, Flood hugs, political commentary, encampment
00:53:19 Non-politics, generational differences
01:03:49 Production design, aesthetics, Belinda screaming
01:13:50 The Ranis
01:23:35 Episode structure, Chibnall era comparisons, Omega reveal
01:32:01 Poppy, family, adoption, motherhood, wishes, Vindicator, sci-fi power
01:39:30 Ncuti’s wishes, season 2 development
01:47:35 Visual storytelling
01:56:28 Ending countdown, contrived suspense, Harry Potter, doubt
02:00:37 Too early to judge, Belinda’s doubts

SOURCES

1.
~11m28s
Colour variation in the outcast camp in Wish World
“The Making of Wish World | Doctor Who Unleashed | FULL EPISODE | Season 2 | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 24 May 2025, ~14m30s, https://youtu.be/-0JTepA27OA

2.
~20m50s
RTD on the 2025 Rani’s science/magic approach
Davies, Russell T. “Doctor Who’s Russell T Davies, Anita Dobson and Alex Sanjiv Pillai on the return of the Rani and “colossal” two-part season finale Wish World and The Reality War”. BBC Media Centre, 20 May 2025, https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/doctor-who-wish-word-the-reality-war

3.
~26m3s
Ncuti Gatwa schedule (Sex Ed) affecting 2024 S1
“Doctor Who Unleashed: 73 Yards” Doctor Who Unleashed, BBC iPlayer, 25 May 2024, ~5m, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001zq03

Davies, Russell T, Millie Gibson, and Chris May. In-vision commentary. Doctor Who, 2023 Christmas special: The Church on Ruby Road, 25 Dec. 2023, 10:55-11:30, 42:47-43:22, https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0gsdjvx/doctor-who-video-commentaries-christmas-special-the-church-on-ruby-road-with-commentary

4.
~33m56s
Varada cast so late before S2 filming
“Doctor Who’s Varada Sethu: ‘Belinda is main character of her own story – not in awe of the Doctor’”. Radio Times, 1 April 2025, https://archive.vn/4546f

5.
~34m11s
Tabloid Millie Gibson drama
Methven, Nicola. “Doctor Who companion Millie Gibson dropped from next series of BBC show as replacement revealed”. The Mirror, 19 Jan. 2024, https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/doctor-who-companion-millie-gibson-31924485

6.
~35m22s
Ncuti and Millie described as giggling schoolgirls
“Doctor Who star Millie Gibson on hope for Ruby Sunday and lessons learned from ‘magical’ Ncuti Gatwa”. Big Issue, 11 May 2024, https://www.bigissue.com/culture/tv/doctor-who-millie-gibson-ruby-sunday-companion-tv/

7.
~36m9s
2024 S1 and 2025 S2 being almost a back-to-back production

(S2 written before S1 aired)
Davies, Russell T. “Letter from the Showrunner”. Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 592, 22 June 2023, p. 11.

8.
~36m13s
RTD on 2024 S1 and 2025 S2 being so connected
Davies, Russell T. “Boxing Clever.” Interview with Darren Scott. SFX magazine, vol. 378, May 2024, p. 26.

9.
~43m39s
RTD on the wish world idea
“The Making of Wish World | Doctor Who Unleashed | FULL EPISODE | Season 2 | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 24 May 2025, ~1m50s, https://youtu.be/-0JTepA27OA

“The Return of an Old Enemy | Behind the Scenes of ‘Wish World’ | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 25 May 2025, ~58s, https://youtu.be/e9AbC7ZVXlM

10.
~53m36s
When the Eurovision episode was written
The ‘First Order’ (two seasons and a spinoff) + writing dates for the ‘First Order’
Davies, Russell T. “Letter From the Showrunner.” Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 613, 30 Jan. 2025, p. 4.

S2 written before S1 aired
Davies, Russell T. “Letter from the Showrunner”. Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 592, 22 June 2023, p. 11.

Season 2 ‘Episode 6’ nearing a ninth draft at least as of January 2024
Davies, Russell T. “Letter from the Showrunner”. Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 600, 2 Jan. 2024, p. 8.

11.
~1h3m48s, ~1h4m39s
Rani sonic syringe inspiration
Van Kesteren, Michael. “The Return of an Old Enemy | Behind the Scenes of ‘Wish World’ | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 25 May 2025, ~5m39s, https://youtu.be/e9AbC7ZVXlM

12.
~1h14m26s
Rani actress on Classic Who Rani inspiration
Punjabi, Archie. “The Return of an Old Enemy | Behind the Scenes of ‘Wish World’ | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 25 May 2025, ~4m19s, https://youtu.be/e9AbC7ZVXlM

13.
~1h21m38s
RTD on the unholy trinity; three bad guys
“The Return of an Old Enemy | Behind the Scenes of ‘Wish World’ | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 25 May 2025, ~28s, https://youtu.be/e9AbC7ZVXlM

14.
~1h21m47s
Chibnall on using three bad guys (plan all along)
Chibnall, Chris. “Maximum Power.” Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 583, 13 Oct. 2022, p. 19.

15.
~1h27m56s
Omega in The Timeless Children
Chibnall, Chris. “The Timeless Children.” Accessed through BBC Writersroom, released 11 May 2020, p. 32, http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scripts/doctor-who-s12-ep10-the-timeless-children.pdf

16.
~1h35m43s
RTD Star Wars inspiration
Davies, Russell T, Bonnie Langford, and Vicki Delow. In-vision commentary. Doctor Who, Empire of Death with commentary, 22 June 2024, ~43m34s-44m35s, https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0020m9n/doctor-who-video-commentaries-empire-of-death-with-commentary

17.
~1h39m40s
Ncuti wishing for the Rani; RTD granting it
“The Making of Wish World | Doctor Who Unleashed | FULL EPISODE | Season 2 | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 24 May 2025, ~9m34s, https://youtu.be/-0JTepA27OA

18.
~1h40m
Capaldi wishing for Mondasian Cybermen; Moffat granting it
“Yes – the return of Doctor Who’s Mondasian Cybermen WAS a gift to Peter Capaldi from Steven Moffat”. Digital Spy, 20 April 2017, https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/cult/a826323/doctor-who-mondasian-cybermen-peter-capaldi/

19.
~1h40m10s
Tennant wishing for Zygons; Moffat granting it
“David Tennant and Matt Smith – favourite Doctor Who monster (Wales comic con)”. YouTube, uploaded by Tytteas, 28 Dec. 2019, ~42s, https://youtu.be/3sKBjUFZaBc

20.
~1h40m40s
Ncuti wishing for Orishas; RTD exploring that
“Ncuti Gatwa reveals his dream Doctor Who storyline”. Radio Times, 26 Oct. 2022, https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-ncuti-gatwa-storyline-newsupdate/

Davies, Russell T. “Letter from the Showrunner”. Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 617, 22 May 2025, p. 4.

21.
~1h48m45s
The director on staging the ending
Pillai, Alex. “The Return of an Old Enemy | Behind the Scenes of ‘Wish World’ | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 25 May 2025, ~8m52s, https://youtu.be/e9AbC7ZVXlM

22.
~1h51m41s
Wish World Rogue scene shot as an addendum to S1E6 Rogue shooting
“The Return of an Old Enemy | Behind the Scenes of ‘Wish World’ | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 25 May 2025, ~3m, https://youtu.be/e9AbC7ZVXlM

23.
~1h54m34s
RTD procrastinating
Davies, Russell T, and Benjamin Cook. The Writer’s Tale – The Final Chapter. BBC Books, 2010.

Who Cares? - Dr. Who Fans Talk TV is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://whocaresdw.wordpress.com/

‘The kind of episode you should never do a sequel to’. Continuing mining, drama avoidance, gun storytelling, script development…was The Well a diamond in the rough, or a worthy sequel?

Neo
Ingiga
Mirrors

TIMECODES

00:00:00 The episode’s identity
00:04:02 Contrasts with Midnight
00:13:37 The entity’s physical form and methods
00:21:28 Aliss and the entity’s escape
00:27:08 Misremembered throwback to RTD1
00:34:33 Avoidance of Belinda drama
00:39:58 Militaristic stories with a sonic mouse
00:45:16 How the script came to be
00:49:56 Being ‘classic’ Doctor Who
00:57:16 Visual and musical moments
01:04:12 Warriors of the deep
01:09:51 Metatextuality
01:14:14 Flood, signing on screen, sign off

SOURCES

1.
~0s, ~49m8s
RTD on Midnight being the sort of episode not to make a sequel to
Davies, Russell T. “The Making of The Well | Doctor Who Unleashed | FULL EPISODE | Season 2 | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 26 April 2025, ~7m, https://youtu.be/JxMGqYdEr-A

2.
~3m20s, 27m15s
It was time for Marvel spacesuits
Davies, Russell T. “Creating a SEQUEL to Midnight | Behind the Scenes of THE WELL | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 27 April 2025, ~4m50s, https://youtu.be/H0f7AePd3W4

3.
~4m22s, ~21m15s, ~30m23s, ~47m20s
RTD on modifying the script in progress to use the Midnight entity and planet
Davies, Russell T. “Creating a SEQUEL to Midnight | Behind the Scenes of THE WELL | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 27 April 2025, ~1m8s, https://youtu.be/H0f7AePd3W4

4.
~4m35s
Unleashed; Steffan action heroes
Powell, Steffan. “The Making of The Well | Doctor Who Unleashed | FULL EPISODE | Season 2 | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 26 April 2025, ~9m30s, https://youtu.be/JxMGqYdEr-A

5.
~12m16s, ~13m8s
RTD talking about scrapped Orisha episode
Davies, Russell T. “Creating a SEQUEL to Midnight | Behind the Scenes of THE WELL | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 27 April 2025, ~1m8s, https://youtu.be/H0f7AePd3W4

“Letter from the Showrunner”. Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 617, 22 May 2025, p. 4.

6.
~21m33s
Deaf character introduced during casting
Davies, Russell T. “Doctor Who Boss Shares the Unusual Note He Got About Psychological Thriller Featuring a Deaf Character”. Article by Matt Webb Mitovich. TV Line, 23 April 2025, https://tvline.com/previews/doctor-who-episode-the-well-rose-ayling-ellis-deaf-feedback-1235438974/

Angel-Walfall, Sharma. “Preview: The Well”. Doctor Who Magazine, vol. 614, 27 March 2025, p. 21.

7.
~40m29s
RTD on gunlike sonic
Davies, Russell T. “The new Doctor checks in”. Interview with Alan Sepinwall. What’s Alan Watching, 3 May 2024, https://archive.vn/wXKCw

8.
~46m37s
Original Midnight written hastily when another script fell through
Davies, Russell T, and Benjamin Cook. The Writer’s Tale – The Final Chapter. BBC Books, 2010, ch. 8.

9.
~1h10m21s
Varada Andor comparison
Sethu, Varada. “The Making of The Well | Doctor Who Unleashed | FULL EPISODE | Season 2 | Doctor Who”. YouTube, uploaded by Doctor Who, 26 April 2025, ~10m, https://youtu.be/JxMGqYdEr-A

10.
~1h16m11s
Treatment of deaf character within the episode
[wibbly-water]. “Deafhood and Sign Language in DR Who (minor spoilers for the latest episode)”. Reddit, 28 April 2025, https://archive.vn/imusO

Who Cares? - Dr. Who Fans Talk TV is made with Jetpack Podcast. Full show notes and every episode at https://whocaresdw.wordpress.com/