The Doctor's Beard Podcast

Lucky Shot Productions
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A Whovian (John S. Drew) and a Newvian (writer/editor Jim Beard) walk into a TARDIS and retrace the journey of the Doctor and his companions from the very beginning.

  1. 1D AGO

    Davros, Duos, and DJs: The Season 22 Finale - "Revelation of the Daleks"

    John and Jim welcome back special guest Felicity Kusinitz to discuss the Colin Baker era finale - a story that generates surprising ratings diversity and sparks debate about Eric Saward's best (or most problematic) work. Production Background: Director Graham Harper returns after "Caves of Androzani" to helm this two-part adventure, the last to be shot using film for location work. John shares fascinating details about Eric Saward writing the script while vacationing in Rhodes, drawing inspiration from Evelyn Waugh's satirical novel The Loved One, and Greek locations providing character names. The story features newly constructed Daleks for the first time since "Planet of the Daleks," plus some surprising casting stories - including Sir Laurence Olivier being approached to play... the mutant. Best and Worst Guest Stars: Jim declares this story contains both the best and worst guest stars ever - a proclamation that generates immediate discussion. Eleanor Bron's appearance delights Jim (who knew her from "Help!" and "Bedazzled"), while the DJ character sparks the episode's most heated debate. The hosts and Felicity find themselves split on whether this comedic character works or derails the story's tone. The Duo Dynamic: The hosts examine Eric Saward's interesting structural choice of populating the story with paired characters - from Orsini and Bostock (the assassin and his squire) to Jobel and Tasambeker, Kara and Vogel, and more. Discussion explores whether this represents a Robert Holmes homage and how these relationships drive the narrative. Davros as Emperor Palpatine: Jim presents his case for Davros completing his transformation into Emperor Palpatine, complete with blue lightning and manipulation tactics. The hosts debate the character's evolution, Terry Molloy's performance, and the story's handling of Davros versus the "real" Daleks. The Mortuary Planet Concept: Jim shares his fascination with funeral home settings in science fiction, praising the story's dark humor and satire. Discussion covers the story's Soylent Green elements, the disturbing glass Daleks, and whether the various subplots serve or detract from the core narrative. Perry's Accent Meta-Moment: The hosts discuss the scene where DJ asks "Is that your real accent?" - exploring what the production team knew about Nicola Bryant's secret by this point. Listener Perspectives: Jameson and Jamie Girl weigh in with contrasting views on the DJ character, Herbert from "Timelash," and the season's violence levels. Final Ratings: The three hosts land across the spectrum - demonstrating this story's divisive nature even among those who generally enjoy it. Felicity's Colin Baker Era Assessment: The returning guest shares her overall thoughts on Season 22, Colin Baker's Doctor, and her relationship with Perry as a companion. Coming Up Next: Special Hiatus Content: Patreon Exclusive (Next Week): John and Jim cover "Slipback" - the BBC Radio 4 audio drama featuring Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant that aired during the 18-month hiatus. Patreon Exclusive (Week After): A deep dive into the missing Season 23 - examining what stories were planned, what could have worked, and where to find them in expanded media through Big Finish and Target novels. Main Feed: Classic Patreon episodes will be released for non-subscribers during the two-week break. Regular Patreon Episode (Monday): Episode 159 concludes the Steve Parkhouse comic run with his final story "Once Upon a Time Lord." Hashtags: #DoctorWho #RevelationOfTheDaleks #SixthDoctor #ColinBaker #NicolaBryant #Davros #Daleks #EricSaward #GrahamHarper #EleanorBron #Season22 #ClassicWho #TerryMolloy #DoctorWhoReview #DoctorWhoPodcast #Whovian #Necros #GlassDaleks #1985 #ClassicDoctorWho

    1h 30m

  2. FEB 21

    H.G. Wells and Temporal Mechanics: Defending "Timelash"

    Join hosts John Drew and Jim Beard, along with special guest Alan J. Porter, as they tackle one of Classic Who's most controversial stories - and discover they might be more divided on it than expected! Production Overview: This 1985 two-part adventure was written by Glen McCoy (his only Doctor Who story) and directed by Pennant Roberts in his final work on the series. The production faced several challenges, including John Nathan-Turner pulling Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant out of rehearsals twice - once for a US convention and once for pantomime rehearsals. Robert Ashby's Borad makeup took three hours to apply daily and prevented him from eating, though he was given creative freedom to rewrite his own dialogue. The story originally featured the First Doctor, Susan, Ian, and Barbara, but was changed to reference the Third Doctor and Jo Grant at JNT's insistence. The Paul Darrow Factor: Guest star Paul Darrow (Blake's 7's Avon) deliberately over-acted as revenge for Colin Baker's bombastic portrayal of Bayban the Butcher on Blake's 7. When JNT asked him to play Tekker like Avon, Darrow refused and instead played him like Richard III - even asking if he could wear a hump! Eric Saward described the character as "a Roman Emperor who's been sniffing glue all day." Fan Reception vs. Host Opinions: Despite ranking 199th out of 200 in Doctor Who Magazine's 2009 poll (just above "The Twin Dilemma"), the hosts find themselves surprisingly divided. Alan defends the story as one of his favorites, particularly praising the H.G. Wells subplot and the Doctor's use of temporal mechanics. Jim finds it uneven but leans more positive than negative, enjoying Part 2 more than Part 1. John remains the dissenting voice, giving it his lowest rating and arguing it should have been condensed to a single episode. What Works: The Borad's makeup design and Robert Ashby's restrained performance The Doctor actively using time manipulation as a tool (the "time slip" device) The Third Doctor/Jo Grant backstory and photo reveal H.G. Wells as Herbert, with the reveal of his identity The Bandril aliens as an attempt at something visually different Colin Baker's performance showing the Doctor's arrogance and self-assurance Peri's relatively conservative and flattering outfit The concept of time technology used as a weapon (aging doors, etc.) References to the Doctor being President of Gallifrey What Doesn't Work: Twenty-one minutes before the TARDIS actually arrives on Karfel Excessive padding, particularly the extended TARDIS arguing scenes The "Morlocks" name being too on-the-nose from H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" Plot holes regarding mirrors, reflective surfaces, and androids The unnecessary subplot about the impending Bandril war The clone reveal feeling like a tired trope Peri's character arc diminishing from agency to damsel in distress Questions about how the Doctor knew there was a mirror behind the mural The Borad's similarity to Davros (wheelchair, arm weapon, disfigurement) Behind the Sofa Reception: Interestingly, all three Behind the Sofa pairings enjoyed the story, with Janet Fielding calling it the best of Season 22 and Peter Davison saying it was "bad enough to be good." Special Effects: The Blu-ray release is the only Colin Baker Season 22 story to receive updated special effects, particularly within the Timelash corridor itself. However, the hosts debate whether the original effects were actually any worse than typical for the era, with some defending them as perfectly acceptable for 1985. The Third Doctor Connection: The story's references to an unseen Third Doctor adventure generate discussion about whether this needs to be explored further. Some Big Finish audios and novels have addressed different aspects of this backstory, though no single story covers the complete adventure. The reveal of Jo Grant's photo in the locket creates a memorable moment, though questions remain about the logistics of the wall/mural/mirror setup. Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor: All three hosts praise Colin Baker's performance, with discussion about how he represents a return to the "classic" Doctor archetype - combining arrogance, self-assurance, and alien behavior in ways that callback to earlier incarnations. Alan notes that the Sixth Doctor has become his favorite classic Doctor, particularly in Big Finish audios where the character develops further. Jim agrees that Baker brings back an edge and arrogance that had been missing from the Fifth Doctor's portrayal. H.G. Wells Subplot: The reveal of Herbert as H.G. Wells divides the hosts. Alan loves this aspect and wishes Wells could have become a companion, noting that expanded media has hinted at further travels with the Doctor. The hosts discuss the 1979 film "Time After Time" covering similar territory. The Loch Ness Monster connection provides a subtle Easter egg at the story's conclusion. Nicola Bryant's American Accent: The discussion reveals interesting perspectives - Alan, who lived in Britain during the original broadcast, thought she was genuinely American for years. Now living in the US for 30 years, he can hear her straining with the accent. The hosts share the behind-the-scenes story of how Bryant and her agent maintained the deception for nearly a year before revealing the truth to Colin Baker. The Violence Debate: The hosts attribute Season 22's increased violence to Eric Saward's script editing philosophy and his particular vision of science fiction, suggesting he didn't fully understand the Doctor's character. They note that the 18-month hiatus may have saved the show by allowing time to reassess and tone down the violence. Production Value Discussion: The hosts debate whether Timelash deserves its reputation for poor effects and production values, with most agreeing the special effects are no worse than surrounding stories. The Timelash corridor interior set receives mixed reviews - an "A for effort" but questioned execution that might have benefited from filters or different lighting approaches. Viewership: Part 1: 6.7 million viewers Part 2: 7.4 million viewers Coming Up Next: Patreon Exclusive (Monday): John and Jim cover all three parts of Steve Parkhouse's "Polly the Glot" comic strip, spin the Memory TARDIS, and discuss more theme music variations. The hosts express relief that only two more Parkhouse stories remain in their comic journey. Next Main Episode: The hosts continue through Colin Baker's Season 22 with "Revelation of the Daleks," featuring the return of Davros. John handles narration duties, and they're joined by special guest Felicity Kusinitz, who has recovered from her previous illness and will bring her "much better voice" to the discussion. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #Timelash #ClassicWho #SixthDoctor #ColinBaker #NicolaBryant #Peri #PaulDarrow #BlakesSeven #HGWells #ThirdDoctor #JoGrant #TheBorad #Season22 #1985 #DoctorWhoReview #DoctorWhoPodcast #Whovian #ClassicDoctorWho #TimeLords #TARDIS #TemporalMechanics #GlenMcCoy #PennantRoberts #Karfel #Bandrils #Morlocks

    1h 38m

  3. FEB 14

    Culinary Carnage in Seville - "The Two Doctors"

    Join hosts John Drew and Jim Beard, along with special guest JB Anderton (Doctor Who Gives a F*ck/The Bat 77 podcast), as they tackle one of the most controversial multi-Doctor stories in classic Who history. Production Overview: The hosts discuss the behind-the-scenes details of this 1985 three-part adventure, including how the location shifted from the originally planned New Orleans to Seville, Spain. They explore the challenging filming conditions, including extreme heat that made the production difficult, and discuss how this became Colin Baker's favorite story due to his friendship with Patrick Troughton. Creative Conflicts: The episode examines the tension between writer Robert Holmes and director Peter Moffatt, who had very different visions for the story's tone. The hosts also discuss script editor Eric Saward's influence and his preference for darker, more violent content. The Season 6B Theory: The hosts dive deep into fan theories explaining why the Second Doctor and Jamie appear older and why the Doctor seems to be working for the Time Lords, introducing listeners to the concept of "Season 6B" - the idea that the Second Doctor had adventures between his trial and regeneration. Performance Praise: All three hosts agree that Patrick Troughton delivers an excellent performance, giving the role his full commitment despite the script's issues. Colin Baker also receives praise for his dedication, though the hosts feel the material doesn't serve either Doctor well enough. Major Criticisms: The character of Shockeye and the extended focus on food/cannibalism themes Gratuitous violence including the rat-eating scene Poor pacing that stretches the story beyond its natural length Wasted potential for Jamie's character The controversial ending where the Sixth Doctor kills Shockeye Questionable makeup choices for Troughton's Androgum transformation Tall Sontarans that contradict established lore Historical Context: The hosts note that during the airing of part two, the BBC announced Doctor Who would be "rested" for 18 months, creating controversy among fans. The hosts conclude that while the story began with promise in part one, it devolved significantly by part three, with the violence and Shockeye subplot overwhelming what could have been an engaging multi-Doctor adventure. Coming Up Next: Patreon Exclusive: John and Jim wrap up their look at Colin Baker's Voyager comic story, spin the Memory TARDIS, and dive into the infamous "A Fix with Sontarans" special from Jim'll Fix It. Plus, Jim finally shares his thoughts on the legendary (and infamous) charity single "Doctor in Distress" by Ian Levine and company. Next Main Episode: The hosts continue their Colin Baker journey with "Timelash," joined by special guest Alan J. Porter. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #ClassicWho #TheTwoDoctors #SixthDoctor #SecondDoctor #ColinBaker #PatrickTroughton #FraserHines #DoctorWhoPodcast #Whovian #TimeLord #Sontarans #RobertHolmes #1985 #MultiDoctor #TARDIS #JamieJamie #Peri #DoctorWhoReview #ClassicDoctorWho

    2h 15m

  4. FEB 7

    What Do You Do In There? - Argue, Mainly - "The Mark of the Rani"

    OPENING: THE RANI INTRODUCTION: John: "So here we are again talking The Mark of the Rani, which now for you, Timey Wimey, you've already met the Rani, but this is the Rani 1.0, played by Kate O'Mara, who American audiences might remember appeared on the television show Dynasty." JIM'S INITIAL REACTION: "It is really interesting. I'm glad you brought that up, because it had occurred to me that I had already met the character and was somewhat familiar with her. At least I knew the basic setup because we had talked when we watched her in the Ncuti story." THE OVERALL VERDICT: "Otherwise, in general, I enjoyed this story. And Kate O'Mara - good. And yet in a different way than the actress in current days." PRODUCTION DETAILS: Production Code: 6X Air Dates: February 2-9, 1985 Writers: Pip and Jane Baker (first outing for Doctor Who - they'll be back next season and Sylvester McCoy's first season with another Rani story) Director: Sarah Hellings (the last female director for Classic Doctor Who) THE MUSIC John: "One of the things - I've said this, this is one of my favorite episodes - but one thing that I love about it, the music stands out in this one compared to a lot of other productions." Jim: "Interesting that you say that, because I've said it many times before, I don't always notice music, it doesn't always hit me on a conscious level. I noticed it and made a note. It did stand out to me in this story." ANTHONY AINLEY'S DISCONTENT: John: "I mentioned the appearance of the Master. And Anthony Ainley, Colin Baker, and Nicola Bryant all say on the Blu-ray set that Ainley was not happy about sharing the limelight. RATINGS: Episode 1: 6.3 million Episode 2: 7.3 million JIM'S FORMAT REVELATION: "I'm gonna say it right now. While watching this, I finally, finally decided fully - I don't care for this setup. I don't care for the two parts at 45 minutes each." PART ONE SYNOPSIS: Doctor and Peri arrive in the early 19th-century mining village of Killingworth to investigate time distortion. They witness local miners attack a deliveryman and smash the machinery he was carrying, appearing as Luddites to locals. The Doctor notices one rampaging miner has a strange red mark on his neck. He meets Lord Ravensworth, a local landowner who saves the Doctor when attacked by three Luddites. He's deeply concerned about violent outbreaks among normally passive men. Culprit is the Rani, a Time Lord chemist posing as old woman running local bathhouse. She's been extracting neurochemicals from miners that enable sleep, which causes red marks on their necks. She needs these chemicals for her planet, Miasimia Goria, where her experiments have left inhabitants unable to rest and have now rebelled. Master arrives having visited her planet and forces an uneasy partnership by stealing some of her precious brain fluid to ensure cooperation. Doctor disguises himself as a miner and enters the bathhouse. Rani traps him, but Master convinces her to let him handle the Time Lord. He convinces Luddites to push Doctor's TARDIS down the mine shaft with the Doctor to follow. JIM'S LIGHTNING ROUND: "I want to try something different here. Bear with me. Lightning round of comments. You ready? Let's see this." THE LIST: Almost artistic opening shots plus nice music She is wearing - the Doctor says the Daleks have time machines Master Lots of handheld camera work Peri's more capable The Master changed time by eliminating a man Vulgarly colored coat The Master and Rani have a history Rani's jabs at the Master - smiley face Doctor's imitations of Peri - smiley face No birds Doctor recognizes the Rani but she didn't recognize him American War of Independence The Rani's a vegan Brains as good as anyone's - No comment, Doctor Shades of Bruce Wayne   THE OPENING SEQUENCE: Jim: "Let's go right back to the beginning - that opening series of shots to set up the village, the music lining, and then into the bathhouse. Almost artistic. It was filmed so nicely, with nothing weird going on. And then they go into the bathhouse, and it gets weird at that point. But accompanied by very nice music." The Impact: "Beautiful work. I was never so taken by opening shots. They were almost poetic in a way. And she did all that - that was a small area, and she made it look so much bigger."   PART TWO SYNOPSIS: Doctor is saved by inventor George Stephenson and returns with Peri to Lord Ravensworth's estate, where Stephenson has planned a meeting of scientific and engineering geniuses. The Doctor worries about gathering under the current circumstances, but the Master is desperate for it to proceed. He wants to enlist the finest minds of the Industrial Revolution to accelerate Earth's development and use the planet as a power base. Master uses mind control on Stephenson's assistant Luke Ward, ordering him to kill anyone who tries to prevent meeting. Master strikes a deal with Rani - she can return to Earth at any time to harvest brain fluid if she helps him achieve his goal. Doctor sneaks into Rani's TARDIS at the bathhouse, discovering jars of preserved dinosaur embryos. Rani summons her ship to the old mine workings, with the doctor still hiding inside, and he overhears their plans. Peri uses her botanical knowledge to make a sleeping draft for afflicted miners, searching for herbs amid Rani's landmines. Doctor confronts Master and Rani at the edge of the dell and witnesses Luke step on a mine that transforms him into a tree. Using Master's own tissue compression eliminator, Doctor takes them prisoner, but Rani tricks Peri and two escape. However, the Doctor has sabotaged Rani's TARDIS navigational system. The ship spins out of control, and under destabilized conditions, the jar holding the Tyrannosaurus Rex embryo falls and breaks, causing the creature to grow due to time spillage. Doctor and Peri swap a vial of brain fluid with Ravensworth, who will administer it to afflicted miners. They depart in the TARDIS before the astonished eyes of the scientist and his financier. THE LANDMINE QUESTION: Jim: "What is it about this show and landmines?" THE REMOTE CONTROL: Jim: "The thing about that - she has solved the problem of being able to remote control a TARDIS. Does that come into play going forward?" John: "Yes. There is another Time Lord in Classic Who coming up who also has the ability to do that." Jim: "That's cool." THE MORALITY DEBATE: John: "I think she's not evil. She's amoral." THE INVITATION: Jim: "So, everybody out there listening, if you want to chime in, is the Rani evil or just amoral? We'd love to hear from you." NEXT TIME: Monday (Patreon): More Voyager Part 4, some Doctor Who music, and some Memory TARDIS Friday (Patreon) then Saturday (Main Feed): THE TWO DOCTORS - a three-part story Jim: "Let's see how well things hold up there if I've got to sit through three 45-minute episodes. Oh my word. It does have Patrick Troughton though." John: "And you always seem to like Patrick Troughton better when he's tempered by the other ones." THE SIGN-OFF: "And now you know what your co-hosts do in the Doctor's Beard TARDIS - argue, mainly!" Support at patreon.com/thedoctorsbeardpodcast for $3/month! Subscribe on all platforms. Email thedoctorsbeardpodcast@gmail.com or join our Facebook community. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #TheMarkOfTheRani #ArgueMainly #ColinBaker #SixthDoctor #Peri #NicolaBryant #KateOMara #TheRani #RaniDebut #AnthonyAinley #TheMaster #PipAndJaneBaker #SarahHellings #LastFemaleDirector #ClassicWho #Season22 #GeorgeStephenson #Killingworth #Luddites #IndustrialRevolution #Shropshire #IronbridgeGorge #HandheldCamera #FirstTime #BatmanSixty6Connections #KingTut #SomeaysYouCantGetRidOfABomb #BrucWayne #DoctorSyn #ScarecrowOfRomneyMarsh #PatrickMcGoohan #TheMusic #JonathanGibbs #JohnLewis #AIDS #Tragedy #ColinBakerTrooper #DogExcrement #DislocatedPinky #Stunts #AinleyNotHappy #SharingTheLimelight #Dynasty #RaniVsMaster #OppositeNumber #Scientist #Amoral #EvilOrAmoral #TheQueen #Hindi #Rani #TimeladyRegeneration #Romana #CanChangeHowSheLooks #TheRanisTARDIS #BestConsole #RemoteControl #TRexEmbryos #DinosaurEmbryos #ChekhovsGun #TimeSpillage #MiasimiaGoria #BrainFluid #NeurochemicalsForSleep #Landmines #TransformationIntoTree #LukeWard #BotanicalKnowledge #PeriCapable #PeriWhining #InconsistentCharacter #PipVsJane #CatsAndMiceOnGallifrey #TwoPartFormat #45Minutes #TooLong #LessIsMore #Batman66Homages #Nostalgia #FirstColinBakerStory #1987Convention #GeorgeTakei #PeterDavison #PatrickTroughton #MissedOpportunity #NotSexiestDoctor #PinkPumps #PeriOutfit #CrystalPavilion #Dowdy #TissueCompressionEliminator #Phallic #VeganLine #LambChop #NoCommentDoctor #MyBrainsAsGoodAsAnyones #13OutOf15 #JodieWhittaker #FemaleVillain #FemaleDirector #FemaleWriter #BehindTheSofa #Consensus #BestSoFar #NotSoDark #PhilipMartin #VideoNasties #BigFinish #MissionToMagnus #CreedOfTheChromon #AntidoteToOblivion #Mindwarp #BlueCoat #RealTime #FlashAnimation #PaulMcGannMovie #Homework #TheTwoDoctors #NextWeek #ThreePartStory #Felicity #GetWellSoon #JeffScott #Australia #JustinGallifrey #Jameson #JamieGirl #Shag #ColinBakerYears #WontBeWriting #SylvesterMcCoyReturn #24DayNovel #DisneyWorld #30Days #Countdown #Snowstorm #ZeroDegrees #LakeBuenaVista #DoctorWhoPodcast #TheDoctorsBeardPodcast #Whovian #PodcastCommunity

    1h 51m

  5. JAN 31

    I'm in the Minority - "Vengeance on Varos"

    Episode Title: "I'm In The Minority" - Vengeance on Varos Review THE EMPTY TARDIS: The Missing Guest: Felicity Cousins from The Flop Cast was supposed to join but had to bow out about an hour before recording - her voice has been acting up again. "I don't think she ever really fully recovered from the last time she was sick when she was with us." THE SEXY DOCTOR ANNOUNCEMENT: John: "She was going to miss the announcement that we are now dealing with the sexiest Doctor to date!" Jim: "According to People Magazine? According to the newspapers?" The Daily Mirror: "In addition to having the sexiest Doctor, we also have a companion with great assets." Jim's Pun: "You're really keeping abreast of this stuff." John: "Yes, I am." THE SEXINESS DEBATE: Jim: "Honestly, sexier than Jon Pertwee? Come on." THE BIG QUESTION: John: "I told you this was one of my two favorite Colin Baker stories, and I would actually rank this up there as some of the best Doctor Who in Classic Who. What are your initial thoughts about Vengeance on Varos?" PRODUCTION DETAILS: Production Code: 6V (V for Varos!) Air Dates: January 19-26, 1985 Writer: Philip Martin (first story - will have sequel with Sil next season) Director: Ron Jones Original Titles: "Domain" and "Planet of Fear" THE PUBLIC RECEPTION: The Controversy: Episode didn't get very well received by the public. Scenes like: Acid bath deaths Attempted hangings Genetic experiments on women The Complaints: Widely criticized in Radio Times Letters page and in TV program Points of View. Unlike Before: "Unlike previous criticisms of the show's violence, this time it was raised by members of the general public. Some of the show's fans were even against this, besides people like Mary Whitehouse." PART ONE SYNOPSIS: Desolate planet Varos - citizen workers make up strange society of viewers who watch public torture and executions and vote on whether or not their Governor will be punished on camera for his actions. Official currently negotiating over price of Varos's precious Zeiton (Zeiton or Zyton?) with Sil, contentious representative of Galatron Mining Concern. Dealings going poorly for Varos. Sil has inside man - Governor's Chief Officer on his payroll advising him to oust current leader. Doctor and Peri arrive seeking Zeiton to repair ailing TARDIS, find themselves freeing rebel named Jondar from televised execution. As Governor, Sil, and everyone on planet watch, Doctor and Peri escape with Jondar and his wife Areta, only to wander into Purple Zone - tunnels haunted by fantastic illusions. Getting through them, Doctor discovers TARDIS has been captured, then loses Peri and others to guards chasing them. He himself walks into arid desert illusion. While citizenry watch, he seemingly succumbs to great heat and perishes. THE META COMMENTARY: Jim: "It's very meta what we would call meta today. It strikes you immediately that he's commenting about violence on television." The American Target: "I personally felt a little targeted because I feel like in extension they - or he was - pointing that a lot at us here in the United States." John: "I'd say that's fair." THE PENAL COLONY: Jim: "Weirdly enough, we're also going back to the old Australia thing. But as in good Doctor Who form, we get something like that dropped and then it's not picked up on again." The Discovery: "The whole thing about 'I discovered that this is a penal colony' - or it grew out of a penal colony. I said 'Oh, all right, we've kind of had that a lot recently.' But then I remembered that it wasn't brought up again." THE TIME CRAFT MYSTERY - AGAIN: Jim: "Another thing that's used here - I'm sure you noticed it, and I don't get it unless it's something we're going to be rewarded with at some point - there's another mention of another space-time craft. So why do we get two of these mentions now? Or is that just coincidence?" John's Explanation: "This particular season, without I don't know if they realize it, if it was done on purpose - we deal a lot with other alien cultures trying their hand in time travel. Including we're going to have, if I'm not mistaken, humans soon." JIM'S OPINION: "Piss or get off the pot. That's an interesting aspect, although as Homer Simpson's father said, 'I ain't for it, I'm agin it' because I think it does take the Mickey out of the Time Lords. But if you're going to go down that road, then tell us that story - what will the Time Lords do about making sure they're the only ones that get to do that?" WHAT JOHN LOVES: JOHN'S LIST: The Music: "I love the music. I think the music is very inspired for this." The Twin Dilemma Doctor: "This is more of the Doctor from Twin Dilemma - as he so callously says to Peri 'Oh well, you'll just live out the few years you got left, you'll die and that's it. But I'm stuck here forever in the...' That was actually an interesting moment. There was a little thread of Tom Baker's 'I am the walker in eternity' or whatever the hell he said in Pyramids of Mars." The Torture Scene: "I thought it interesting that right off the bat we get a torture scene as Jason Connery's character Jondar is chained up. That's one of the first things that was called out - 'Oh look at this, we just start the show and this guy's being brutalized?' I guess they wanted to hit people with it right off the bat. 'This isn't your typical Doctor Who.'" Jim: "It definitely isn't." THE GREEK CHORUS: John: "I was shocked - I didn't really realize it until watching it this time. We've got our two folks there sitting and watching. They represent us, the audience, the rest of Varos. How casual they talk about those being tortured as though they were fictional. You'd sit there go 'Oh no, that was the guy who got killed last week' - say that casually because it's all fiction. But these are real people and they're saying it the same way." Jim: "I mean, I think that's part of the message - violence on television is numbing us to the fact that there is real violence in the world." THE APPRECIATION: Jim: "I'll admit that part is kind of interesting because those two are totally in that room the entire time. They're kind of like a Greek chorus. They're off to one side, commenting on everything going on. Then they themselves have a little struggle between them." The Uniqueness: "That was an interesting thing to do because I don't really remember anything else like that - two characters who don't have any interaction whatsoever with all the other characters. And they're in one set the entire time." GUEST STARS: The Governor - Martin Jarvis: One of those rare people to have appeared in all three decades of Doctor Who: 1965's The Web Planet as one of the Menoptera Invasion of the Dinosaurs in 1974 Jim: "We wouldn't recognize him from that. But that's cool." John: "See, point to me - I recognize that you recognize him. I went 'This dude has totally been in Doctor Who before.'" Areta - Stephen Yardley: Previously played Severin in Genesis of the Daleks (1975) Owen Teale (Maldak): Going to appear later in Torchwood episode "Countrycide" Etta - Sheila Reid: "I was today years old when I discovered that Etta is Clara Oswald's grandmother in Doctor Who, appearing in both a Peter Capaldi and a Matt Smith story. And she's wonderful as the grandmother." John: "She's adorable as Clara's grandmother. Still with us. Still acting. Last credit was just last year." SIL - NABIL SHABAN: The Condition: Born with osteogenesis imperfecta which left his bones brittle. Recent Passing: "Only passed away this past October at the age of 72. We'll see him again next season in Trial of a Time Lord, one of the stories there." Jim's Memory: "I did look him up because I couldn't shake the feeling he was in Time Bandits, but he wasn't. He really seemed like one of the - and pardon the term - dwarves, the little people. But he's not. He's not one of them. Kenny Baker is from Star Wars." The Background: "He's Jordanian British."   PART TWO SYNOPSIS: Doctor revives on gurney just before being put into acid bath and escapes. Governor tries to wring answers out of Peri but her truth falls on deaf ears. When Doctor is recaptured, Governor stages old-fashioned hanging to trick Doctor into talking, but instead makes Sil reveal his treachery against Varos. Peri and Areta put into transmogrifier and begin to change into animals. Doctor pulls the plug and together with Jondar they escape further into dome. There they come across more illusions and near death, while Chief Officer makes his own play to oust Governor with another public vote. Peri and Governor escape with help of guard and meet up with Doctor and others. Quillam and Chief Officer perish by poison vines. Back at Governor's chambers, Sil discovers his invasion has been stopped and he is ordered by his own people to negotiate for Zeiton at any price at all. A win for people of Varos, especially when Governor ceases all public tortures and executions. HOT TAKE: Jim: "What the heck? Well, where's the vengeance? Where's the vengeance? Why? I mean, just because it's a cool alliteration? The Doctor's never met any of the bad guys before. There's no vengeance that I'm aware of, so I didn't get that." PART TWO FALLS APART: Jim: "Part two - for me, it falls apart. I think it's kind of sort of everything but the kitchen sink." The Purple Zone: "Especially at the end when they get further into dome and they've dropped the term 'the Purple Zone' - which is unfortunate because I kind of liked that. When we get to the point where all of a sudden there's like this flora and it's poison vines..." Quillam and the Chief Officer: "And that's how they get rid of Quillam and the Chief Officer who doesn't ever have a name in this - he's just the Chief Officer. But he looks like a bad guy at least." John: "All the guys, right?" PART TWO WEAKNESSES: Jim: "Part two is definitely weaker than part one. Then we go back to Sil, a

    1h 21m

  6. JAN 24

    Colin Baker Fans Unite! - "Attack of the Cybermen"

    Episode Title: "Colin Baker Fans Unite!" - Attack of the Cybermen Review THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! Recorded on January 14th, the anniversary was January 13th! Three years of The Doctor's Beard Podcast! The Early Days: "I wonder how many people were listening back then?" Only a couple dozen, mostly friends. "How many of those people are still with us?" Patreon Originals: Shout-out to Dawn, Jameson, and Jamie Girl who've been there from the beginning! THE OPENING QUESTION: John: "What did you think of the season opener for Season 22?" JIM'S RESPONSE: "I'M A HAPPY CAMPER." "This is a world of difference. A universe of difference. I'm even rolling with the stuff that's not that great." THE BIG DECLARATION: "I think this is my second favorite Cyberman story." Why Jim Loves It: Colin Baker has settled into his Doctor "He's smoothed over some of the rougher edges already" The Cybermen's scheme isn't dumb - it's BIG and makes sense Foundation is reasonable: self-preservation Connects with Tomb of the Cybermen John's Agreement: "I give you all that. Colin, his performance, and even Peri." PRODUCTION DETAILS: Production Code: 6T Air Dates: January 5-12, 1985 (not 1986 as John mistakenly said last episode!) Writer: Paula Moore (Paula Woolsey, Eric Saward's girlfriend) Director: Matthew Robinson (last directed Resurrection of the Daleks) THE WRITING CONTROVERSY: Three Claims: Paula Woolsey: Got the credit Eric Saward: Most say he wrote it; this was a workaround to BBC rules Ian Levine: Claims HE wrote the story, Saward just wrote the script Saward's Version: Levine contributed to continuity help, didn't write anything Jim's Reaction to Levine News: "You shouldn't have told me that. I'm down on it." John's Defense: "You appreciate these continuity things. That's what Levine brings to the table." Why the Strong Opening? "Hey, the Cybermen are back! It's the new season!" BBC did 4-5 different promos (unprecedented). Possibly Nicola Bryant cheesecake photos helped. NOSTALGIA CENTRAL: THE COMPANION NAME-DROPS: Peri's Line: The Doctor's called her Tegan, Zoe, Susan... and strangely, Jamie. Jim's Point: "Really dumb thing to say - as we in particular know on this podcast, Jamie can be used for both male and female. It's like Peri's never met a female named Jamie?" The List: Tegan, Zoe, Susan, and Jamie THE TERRIBLE ZODIN: Jim: "How do you remember that?" The Running Joke: Started in The Five Doctors - Patrick Troughton listing enemies fought, mentions "the terrible Zodin." Brigadier: "Who?" Peri's Confusion: She seemed to act like it was a companion or ally. "Although the 'terrible' part should have tipped her off." TOTTERS LANE: The Landing: No specific reason other than for us, the audience John's Theory: "There seems to be more of a nod to the 20th anniversary with these references. Companions, Totters Lane, we're getting The Two Doctors with Patrick Troughton, another story where Jon Pertwee's Doctor is referenced. This felt more like walking down memory lane." The Set vs. Location: Originally a set, now actual location shot. "Doesn't exactly match up, but probably thinking 'It was 20 years ago, who the heck would remember what it looked like?'" The Availability Problem: At that time, you couldn't watch An Unearthly Child if you wanted to - not available on VHS or anything. Only if you caught The Five Faces of Doctor Who a couple years earlier. Jim's Sadness: "It's sad they would have had to rely upon an outside source to help with historical things of the show. Doctor Who is still a pretty big, important part of the BBC. Odd there wouldn't be anybody around who would be the keeper of the flame." PERI'S FIRST OUTFIT: Jim's Complaint: "Horrible. Dumb. Peri, you're obviously having a lot of problems running when the Doctor starts running. Is this really the best choices you're making here? And the color!" Why It's There: "But I know why it's all there. I get it." (For the male viewers) GUEST STARS: Brian Glover (Griffiths): Former wrestler and English teacher turned actor. No relation to Julian Glover. David Banks: Cyber Leader (same as Earthshock) Michael Kilgarriff: Cyber Controller (same as Tomb of the Cybermen THE CYBER HIERARCHY: Jim's Confusion: "Is this the first time we've actually seen this Cyber Controller?" The Difference: Cyber Leader: Always in the field directing Cybermen in action Cyber Controller: The big boss they check in with PART ONE PRAISE: John: "I always love anytime we've got the Doctor in contemporary setting - going back to Pertwee, but definitely Troughton and Hartnell with War Machines. Here we have Peri and Doctor just roaming the streets tracking the signal. Loved it. I'm looking at the houses." The Date: Aired January 5-12, 1985. Set in 1985 to jive with The Tenth Planet (1986). The Realization: "Whoever came up with this idea realized 'We're coming up on the year the Cybermen first arrived. We should do something with that.'" THE TIME CRAFT MYSTERY: The Questions: Where did it come from? Whose planet is doing this? Was the Doctor sent off course to stop use of time ship? Is mission to stop Cybermen from changing history or to get time ship? The Concern: "How many times over past 20 years has there been any other race with time craft other than Time Lords? The Daleks, for one..." John's Point: "That should be of fairly great concern by Time Lords. They should know everybody everywhere in the whole universe who has time travel capability." Jim: "Why did they want the TARDIS when they already had a time craft?" THE WEB OF TIME: Jim's Note: "I always love the conversation about history of Mondas, the whole 1986 thing. I circled this - mentioned more than once, I don't think the term has been used before. The web of time." The Phrase: Used very formally as if that's what it's really called. The concept has been there, but not the phrase. PERI'S SECOND OUTFIT: Jim: "Much better outfit once Cybermen force her to change clothes." The Question: "Did they stand there as she changed to make sure?" John: "They'd do it passively. No passion. They'd just be like—" Jim: "Oh right, yeah. I can just see 'You've got to turn your back.' 'There's no significance to us having to turn our back.'" TOMB OF THE CYBERMEN LOVE: Jim: "I love all the references to the tombs, Tomb of the Cybermen. That whole thing. I love that concept. That's one of the reasons I like Tomb of the Cybermen. Really glad that was pulled back into cyber mythology." THE KRYONS: Jim's Uncertainty: "I don't know what to think about the Kryons and their design. Interesting it's all women who play the roles. Don't know if we were supposed to think anything of that - is their race entirely female, or were there males but the males perished?" John's Theory: "More my thinking - there's nothing suggesting 'we're the last women' or 'we were only women.'" The Appreciation: "Makes them more exotic. I appreciated all the actresses - really got into the hand movements thing. Right out of the 60s!" THE SENSORITES CONNECTION: Jim: "Everything about the Kryons is right out of the Sensorites playbook. They are so early 60s. The translucent pieces of plastic film cut up and pasted on them." The Head Pieces: "Weirdly, their eye holes are so big you can see the actresses' eyes. Then I saw there's an actual lens over that - some smooth, some segmented which really made it hard for actresses to see. I realized they weren't trying to say those were their organic heads but helmets they wear." Ice Warriors Comparison: "Reminded me of Ice Warriors - those aren't necessarily their heads but helmets. Made me wonder what the Kryons actually looked like." The Follow-Up: "There's no way nobody has not followed up - they've returned in a book, comic, or Big Finish and answered some questions." John: "Do you know off the top of your head?" / Jim: "I don't. They don't return in the show." SONIC LANCE VS. SONIC SCREWDRIVER: Jim's Frustration: "Why have an ersatz sonic screwdriver? Just have a sonic screwdriver! They call it a sonic lance. Why does JNT not want his cake but he's going to eat it too? You want to get rid of sonic screwdriver, yet you have a device that is everything but a sonic screwdriver except for the name." The Theory: "Possible Eric Saward himself was either testing waters or trying to put his mark on it." The Problem: "We won't see it again. Because it had a lot of use - chameleon circuit, closeups, handed around." Modern Context: "I get it - at this moment, sonic screwdriver's not anything like today where it's indispensable. Almost too much in modern Doctor Who - almost overboard, like he couldn't live without it." LYTTON'S TORTURE: Jim: "Wow, that was pretty extreme. But I have to say, I was glad for it. Not necessarily that somebody gets tortured, but I think it's a good moment. Makes the Cybermen seem like a threat." THE DOCTOR'S HUMANITY: Jim's Appreciation: "I really liked and appreciated how much the Doctor's humanity comes through. You might've gotten the idea with earliest moments of Colin Baker's Doctor we weren't going to see anything like that. But no - he's got one hell of a streak of humanity." The Balance: "My goodness, did they balance that character in the span of one story! They somewhat softened his sarcasm and cutting remarks, but not completely. The ego is still there, but then they play up the humanity. It's a nice balance. I really like him." COLIN BAKER'S VOICE: Jim: "I haven't said this before - I like Colin Baker's accent. Every Doctor is from somewhere different in the UK. I don't know exactly where Colin Baker's from, but I liked the way he speaks. Something about his voice I like." The Comparison: Tom Baker had the most distinctive voice Davison's kind of wasn't a pleasure to listen to Loved Hartnell's accent Troughton's just kind of bland "My God, I love the way Pertwee talk

    1h 44m

  7. JAN 15

    Disco Who - A 70s Retrospective

    Episode Title: "Disco Who" - A 70s Retrospective SPECIAL HIATUS EPISODE - PATREON BONUS NOW AVAILABLE TO ALL! This episode was originally produced for Patreon sponsors in July 2025 and is now being shared with main feed listeners to showcase the bonus content available through Patreon membership ($3/month gets early access, exclusive episodes, and more!). THE DECADE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING: From Jon Pertwee's January 3, 1970 debut to Tom Baker's dominance through 1979, John and Jim reflect on ten years of color, UNIT, Masters, companions, and the evolution of the Doctor. THE BIG QUESTION: WAS PERTWEE'S TIME PROPER DOCTOR WHO? John's Challenge: "When you consider what we had in the 60s, what is proper Doctor Who?" The Batman Comparison: Like Batman needing parents killed, what are the essential Doctor Who elements? The Core Elements They Identify: Rebel/Iconoclast: Always up against authority Itinerant: No fixed location (even when exiled, Pertwee chafed at it) Time and Space: Non-negotiable Companion: Someone to talk to, bounce ideas off Scientific Curiosity: Every Doctor has this Eccentric/Off-Kilter: From Hartnell to modern Doctors British: "Has to be British. I know that sounds weird - he's an alien - but yeah, has to be British." PERTWEE AS THE SUPERHERO DOCTOR: Breaking From Troughton: Far more action-oriented. Troughton actively distanced himself from violence. Pertwee waded right in - Venusian Aikido and all! The James Bond Comparison: Show runners wanted "James Bond," but Jim saw more superhero than spy. Ushering In The 70s: "Nobody could have ushered in the 70s but Jon Pertwee. Troughton just could not have done it. Hartnell, absolutely not... New decade, new everything." Adam Adamant Connection: John's been watching Verity Lambert's follow-up series with Sydney Newman - Victorian man in suspended animation recovers in 1960s. "Pertwee's Doctor was Adam Adamant - man out of time, fish out of water." THE UNIT ERA - ADDITION OR SUBTRACTION? Jim's Take: "It added to it. It's a whole new layer that very much appeals to me. A paramilitary organization led by dynamic characters you want to root for." The Brigadier Factor: "You look forward to every interaction he'd have with the Doctor because you knew it was going to come close to a throat. His frustration with the Doctor and the Doctor with him." Continuity Innovation: First time Doctor Who had ongoing character plots! Mike Yates' betrayal and redemption across seasons. Bessie > Romance: "We were more impressed with Bessie back then." TOM BAKER - THE YOUNG DOCTOR: The Big Change: First time the Doctor wasn't an older gentleman - "this young man. But still not handsome!" The Beatles Analogy: Hartnell = John Lennon (fits like a glove!) Pertwee = Paul McCartney (leader of the pack, the charming one, ladies' man) Troughton = George Harrison (the spiritual one) Tom Baker = Ringo (John: "Tom Baker and Ringo, pretty much cut from the same cloth") Product of His Time: Baker represents late 70s - the hair, floppy clothing, the scarf as his version of ladies' knitted shawls, the big coat. The 80s Problem: "More and more as we're getting into the 80s, he's not really working as an 80s Doctor... Peter Davison seems like the 80s Doctor that should be there." Following Trends: The show followed trends more than ever - Star Wars influence obvious, but also Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers. Saturday night scheduling against Buck Rogers killed ratings (lost half the audience). BAKER FATIGUE: The Unique Problem: "You never hear Hartnell, Troughton, or Pertwee fatigue, but you hear Baker fatigue." Jim's Confession: "I had a little Troughton fatigue." The Blame Game: "I blame the producers of Doctor Who. They should have moved Baker along sooner instead of leaving it to him. There was precedent - they fired Hartnell!" Jim's Prediction: "I can't imagine Davison, Baker, or McCoy topping Jon Pertwee." John's Counter: "Davison will topple Pertwee. Pertwee will stay number two for me. He's a formative Doctor." Jim's Concession: "I'm going to give Davison the benefit of the doubt that he may push Tom Baker down." THE BAKER RECKONING: Jim's Frustration: "All this time I've heard almost nothing but Tom Baker, Tom Baker, Tom Baker - as if there's nothing else, no one else in this show since 1963. It's really interesting now to have gotten almost to the end and seeing that, for me, he ain't all that." The Diagnosis: "He's not bad. It's just not my cup of tea. He's been more annoying to me than anything. That's just that kind of character I don't care for." Only Three Stories Left: Moving into the 80s in full! THE TOM BAKER CHALLENGE: Jim's Dare: "Come on, bring on the hate emails. I'm waiting for it. Bring it on. I know how special he is to a lot of people." NEXT TIME: Patreon Exclusive #126: Music, Big Finish's "Doctor Who and the Pirates," Memory TARDIS spin, catching up on email Main Feed: Warrior's Gate - The end of the E-Space Trilogy! Jim handles narration for the four-parter. "The beginning of the end... preparing for the moment." From the swinging 70s to the itchy 80s! This episode showcases the exclusive content Patreon sponsors receive! Join for just $3/month at patreon.com/thedoctorsbeardpodcast for early access, bonus episodes, and more! Subscribe on all platforms. Email thedoctorsbeardpodcast@gmail.com or join our Facebook community. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #70sRetrospective #DiscoWho #1970s #JonPertwee #TomBaker #ThirdDoctor #FourthDoctor #UNIT #TheBrigadier #TheMaster #RogerDelgado #Leela #Romana #SarahJane #Jo #GenesisOfTheDaleks #TheThreeDoctors #DeadlyAssassin #Inferno #TheDaemons #BakerFatigue #SuperheroDoctor #ColorTV #ClassicWho #DoctorWhoHistory #DecadeReview #PatreonBonus #DoctorWhoPodcast #TheDoctorsBeardPodcast #Whovian #PodcastCommunity #RetrospectiveEpisode #TimeAndSpace #ProperDoctorWho #BeatlesAnalogy #AdamAdamant #VerityLambert #JimShooterTribute #NewUniverse #SecretWars #ComicBooks #JackKirby #WordBalloon

    59 min

  8. JAN 8

    I am the Doctor, Whether You Like it or Not - "The Twin Dilemma"

    Episode Title: "I Am The Doctor, Whether You Like It Or Not" - The Twin Dilemma Review THE GREAT REVERSAL: After three seasons of John defending Peter Davison against Jim's criticisms, the tables turn completely. Jim embraces Colin Baker. JIM'S SHOCKING TAKE: "I don't usually line up with Doctor Who fans because I did not like Caves of Androzani and I liked this. I liked Baker. If it's not what the show needed at this moment in time, it's definitely what I needed. I needed a Doctor who was more awake and doing things... larger." THE TWIN DILEMMA (March 22-30, 1984) Writer: Anthony Steven (first and only Doctor Who story - oldest writer at 67!) Director: Peter Moffatt (returning) The Legend: Doctor Who Magazine 2009 poll - Caves of Androzani came in #1. The Twin Dilemma came in #200... DEAD LAST. The Rift Begins: Saward wasn't happy with Baker's casting (thought he was miscast), didn't like JNT's stunt casting focus, and objected to JNT comparing Doctor Who to comedy show "Morecambe and Wise." THE DAVISON SLAM: The Shocking Lines: "I never really liked him anyway" "He had a sort of feckless charm" Definition of feckless: "Lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible" The Culprits: Either JNT (getting back at Davison for leaving?), Saward (who did the heavy rewrite), or Steven - but those lines don't get through without approval. Jim's Theory: "I can't see JNT being happy with Davison leaving after three years. This could be him being petty." STORY BREAKDOWN: Mathematical geniuses Romulus and Remus are abducted by mysterious Edgeworth and taken to Mestor on asteroid Titan Three. The newly regenerated, unstable Doctor picks a new outfit, declares himself "unregenerate," and plans to become a hermit with Peri. The twins' father alerts authorities. Police commander scrambles fighters to investigate the freighter - only survivor is pilot Hugo Lang who accuses the Doctor of the attack. The twins are forced to do calculations for Edgeworth (revealed as Azmael, a Time Lord and the Doctor's old teacher). Mestor plans to move two planets into Jaconda's orbit as "larders" to replenish the wasting planet. The Doctor realizes the calculations are off - the worlds will crash into the sun, destroying everything but scattering Mestor's gastropod eggs throughout the universe. Mestor demonstrates mind-possession on Azmael, threatening to take the Doctor's body. The Doctor destroys Mestor's slug body. Azmael dies exorcising Mestor's mind. Jacondans are freed. Lang stays to help with mop-up. The Doctor returns the twins to Earth. CHARACTER ANALYSIS: The Sixth Doctor - Every Previous Doctor Combined: Hartnell's there (not the lead initially, Peri has more agency) Troughton: "We must find this evil and destroy it!" Pertwee: Says "Eureka!" Tom Baker: The ego is BACK and turned up to 11 Davison: The violence continues, referenced regeneration fears New Affectation: Repeating words three times when incredulous or angry ("Sweet, sweet, sweet") Hugo Lang - The Space Dirty Harry: Jim's Justice League addition! "You might reach that gun before I can kill you" - classic action hero dialogue. Stays on Jaconda at the end despite having "no one to go back to." Kevin McNally plays Hugo (later Pirates of the Caribbean's Gibbs!) Azmael: Time Lord, the Doctor's favorite teacher (sorry, Borusa!). Controls Jaconda, calls them "my people" (why does a Time Lord want to rule a planet?). The Death Scene: John loved it - touched and warm between Azmael and the Doctor. "The finest teacher I ever had." Mestor: Giant slug with mind-control powers and embolism ray ("little bubbles, not good"). Finds Peri "pleasing" so doesn't kill her immediately (second ugly being attracted to Peri after Sharaz Jek). PRODUCTION DETAILS: New Title Sequence: Sparkly! Logo curved! Colin's face transitions from serious to smiling! The TARDIS: Has a chair! The Doctor calls the outside "hideous" - setup for attempting to fix chameleon circuit next story Trans-Mat Love: Jim adores that this technology persists throughout Who history. The Doctor turns it into a time travel device ("just a few little adjustments") Old Who Connections Everywhere: Braveheart Tegan reference Azmael knew Fourth Doctor Wine at the fountain (Big Finish goldmine!) Space police headquarters "straight out of Troughton's time" The Video Games: The twins face each other with what look like handheld gaming consoles - repurposed 1970s electronic games! John searched everywhere to identify them. Actor Notes: Maurice Denham returns in Pertwee BBC audio "The Paradise of Death" and appeared with Roger Delgado in "The Slide" Edwin Richfield (Mestor) was Captain Hart in "The Sea Devils" The twins' real father played a gunrunner in "Caves of Androzani"! THE ENDING - "WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT": The Lines: "Wait a bit before criticizing my new persona" "I am the Doctor, whether you like it or not" The Delivery: Spoken directly to camera, directly to the audience. Then both smile - a wink? Softening the harshness? Jim's Question: "Why put that in there? You don't just have something like that unless you already felt you were getting pushback." The Speculation: Was it in original script or added during filming? Did it start as Doctor-to-Peri dialogue that got strengthened and shifted to Doctor-to-audience? The Challenge: "People will be like 'All right, let me give it another try.' This has been the thing about doing review shows - stuff I thought was garbage as a kid is really good now, and vice versa. The Meta Moment: Lots of meta at beginning and end - the story knows it's a transition. NEXT TIME: Patreon Exclusive #152 - Music, Colin Baker's comic debut, Season 21 Retrospective (the good, bad, and ugly), spoiler card revealing something about Season 22, Memory TARDIS spin, and a longer-than-usual episode! Then: Peter Davison Retrospective (Patreon) and 1970s Doctor Who retrospective (main feed hiatus episode)! Colin Baker fans - write in! "We need to hear from more people who like Colin Baker's Doctor. Drop us a line or leave a voicemail!" Subscribe on all platforms. Email thedoctorsbeardpodcast@gmail.com. Support at patreon.com/thedoctorsbeardpodcast for $3/month. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #TheTwinDilemma #SixthDoctor #ColinBaker #Regeneration #Peri #NicolaBryant #Season21Finale #NewDoctor #ExplosionInARainbowFactory #TechnicolorDreamcoat #WhetherYouLikeItOrNot #IAmTheDoctor #PeterDavison #Azmael #Mestor #Gastropods #HugoLang #Jaconda #AnthonyStevenGastropods #EricSaward #PeterMoffat #MoodCat #CatBadge #BipolarDoctor #ManicDepressive #ControversialDoctor #UnlikeableDoctor #CharacterArc #DavisonSlam #Feckless #ClassicWho #1984 #WorstDoctorWhoStory #Number200 #TablesTurned #JohnsRevenge #JimsStruggle #UnregeneratedDoctor #DoctorWhoPodcast #TheDoctorsBeardPodcast #Whovian #PodcastCommunity #DefyingExpectations #RebelSpirit

    1h 52m
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About

A Whovian (John S. Drew) and a Newvian (writer/editor Jim Beard) walk into a TARDIS and retrace the journey of the Doctor and his companions from the very beginning.

Information

  • Creator
    Lucky Shot Productions
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    186
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    The Doctor's Beard Podcast