Latest Podcast Episodes

He's ginger. He's cute. He shouldn't be trusted too far. Or so goes popular opinion. This week Cheryl and Daisy discuss the Doctor's last non-human companion, Vislor Turlough.

We'll post the Gotya video that Daisy mentions on our Facebook page.

Don't forget to go to DailyMotion to stream The Eleventh Hour (that we're reviewing next week) if you haven't any other way of watching it.

Warning: Glee spoilers (for those who watch Glee but haven't seen the last few episodes)
Also Warning: Rapid Rabbits


Episode 33: The Man from Trion Affair

The Blue Box Podcast - Episode 7: Sex. Brought to you every Saturday by Starburst Columnist - JR Southall, Lee Rawlings, Mark Cockram and Simon Brett

Sarah and Andrew return to the new series in full force with a retrospective on fan (and Andrew)-favorite 'The Doctor's Wife'- and come to the conclusion that our vastly differing opinions on the show can only be solved one way...

Besides The Cultdom Collective Podcast which Dr Who and/or SciFi podcast to we listen to and recommend to others. Plus Dr Who Podshock Second Life May 2012 Meetup Report

Summary:
Adam J Purcell, Andy Simpkins and Keith Dunn sit down, howling, in front of the 2006 Doctor Who story, Tooth and Claw, and spout our usual nonsense!

The Doctor’s pretending to be Scottish, Rose is being tied-up and the Queen is not amused. But enough of their problems, please sit down with us to enjoy Doctor Who: Tooth and Claw...

Vital Links:

• Staggering Stories.
• BBC: Doctor Who.
• BBC: Doctor Who – Tooth and Claw.
• Wikipedia: Doctor Who – Tooth and Claw.
• Doctor Who Podcast Alliance.
• Facebook: Staggering Stories Group.

Besides The Cultdom Collective Podcast which Dr Who and/or SciFi podcast to we listen to and recommend to others. Plus Dr Who Podshock Second Life May 2012 Meetup Report

Besides The Cultdom Collective Podcast which Dr Who and/or SciFi podcast to we listen to and recommend to others. Plus Dr Who Podshock Second Life May 2012 Meetup Report

Besides The Cultdom Collective Podcast which Dr Who and/or SciFi podcast to we listen to and recommend to others. Plus Dr Who Podshock Second Life May 2012 Meetup Report

Im heutigen Whocast kommen Pia, Kolja und Raphael zu Wort, um Euch uber die aktuellen NEWS und die Zustande auf der RolePlayConvention in Koln zu informieren. Ausserdem gibt es ein kurzes Review zu Robert Vogels "Doctor Who Workshop" auf eben dieser..

Im heutigen Whocast kommen Pia, Kolja und Raphael zu Wort, um Euch uber die aktuellen NEWS und die Zustande auf der RolePlayConvention in Koln zu informieren. Ausserdem gibt es ein kurzes Review zu Robert Vogels "Doctor Who Workshop" auf eben dieser..

Shaken Not Stirred VIII

007:

• Prognosis Negative proudly presents Shaken Not Stirred, the wiley James Bond commentary podcast featuring Steven, Josh, Eric, and Kyle!
• Join us as chew on arguably George Lazenby's premeire outing as 007, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Let the banter begin!
• Nowhere will you find a James Bond commentary that sprinkles in more oblique Doctor Who references.

WARNING:

• This discussion contains miscellaneous SPOILERS pertaining to the film(s) discussed and more! If you are 100% spoilerphobic to films not yet seen, do not complain to us.
• This episode is mostly negative (though often that is a misnomer) and contains EXPLICIT terms, concepts, and as always expect strokes of innuendo throughout.
  

LINKS:

• [The Three Podcasts that Rule this Commentary]
  
• Radio Free Skaro: radiofreeskaro.com
• Mostly Harmless Cutaway: guidetothewhoverse.libsyn.com
  
• WTF are you watching: wtfareyouwatching.tumblr.com

DISCLAIMER:

• FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPROSES ONLY!
• Yes, yes, there's been a delay...
• This particular commentary was only made possibly by magic.
  
• COMING SOON: ProgNeg #12 Rango
  

This never happened to the other fellow.

---

Steven: @Legopolis
Josh: @whomeJZ
Eric: @BullittWHO
Kyle: @functionalnerd

Prognosis Negative
Email: guidetothewhoverse ~at~ gmail ~dot~com
Website: prognosisnegative.libsyn.com
Twitter: @ProgNeg
Tumblr: progneg.tumblr.com
Facebook: facebook.com/ProgNeg

Produced by E.A. Escamilla

Shaken Not Stirred VIII

007:

• Prognosis Negative proudly presents Shaken Not Stirred, the wiley James Bond commentary podcast featuring Steven, Josh, Eric, and Kyle!
• Join us as chew on arguably George Lazenby's premeire outing as 007, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Let the banter begin!
• Nowhere will you find a James Bond commentary that sprinkles in more oblique Doctor Who references.

WARNING:

• This discussion contains miscellaneous  SPOILERS pertaining to the film(s) discussed and more! If you are 100% spoilerphobic to films not yet seen, do not complain to us.
• This episode is mostly negative (though often that is a misnomer) and contains EXPLICIT terms, concepts, and as always expect strokes of innuendo throughout.

LINKS:

• [The Three Podcasts that Rule this Commentary]
• Radio Free Skaro: radiofreeskaro.com
• Mostly Harmless Cutaway: guidetothewhoverse.libsyn.com
• WTF are you watching: wtfareyouwatching.tumblr.com

DISCLAIMER:

• FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPROSES ONLY!
• Yes, yes, there's been a delay...
• This particular commentary was only made possibly by magic.
• COMING SOON: ProgNeg #12 Rango

 

This never happened to the other fellow.

 

Steven: @LegopolisJosh: @whomeJZEric: @BullittWHOKyle: @functionalnerd

Prognosis NegativeEmail: guidetothewhoverse ~at~ gmail ~dot~comWebsite: prognosisnegative.libsyn.com Twitter: @ProgNegTumblr: progneg.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/ProgNeg

Produced by E.A. Escamilla

Shaken Not Stirred VIII

007:

• Prognosis Negative proudly presents Shaken Not Stirred, the wiley James Bond commentary podcast featuring Steven, Josh, Eric, and Kyle!
• Join us as chew on arguably George Lazenby's premeire outing as 007, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Let the banter begin!
• Nowhere will you find a James Bond commentary that sprinkles in more oblique Doctor Who references.

WARNING:

• This discussion contains miscellaneous  SPOILERS pertaining to the film(s) discussed and more! If you are 100% spoilerphobic to films not yet seen, do not complain to us.
• This episode is mostly negative (though often that is a misnomer) and contains EXPLICIT terms, concepts, and as always expect strokes of innuendo throughout.
  

LINKS:

• [The Three Podcasts that Rule this Commentary]
  
• Radio Free Skaro: radiofreeskaro.com
• Mostly Harmless Cutaway: guidetothewhoverse.libsyn.com
  
• WTF are you watching: wtfareyouwatching.tumblr.com

DISCLAIMER:

• FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPROSES ONLY!
• Yes, yes, there's been a delay...
• This particular commentary was only made possibly by magic.
  
• COMING SOON: ProgNeg #12 Rango
  

 

This never happened to the other fellow.

---

 

Steven: @Legopolis
Josh: @whomeJZ
Eric: @BullittWHO
Kyle: @functionalnerd

Prognosis Negative
Email: guidetothewhoverse ~at~ gmail ~dot~com
Website: prognosisnegative.libsyn.com
Twitter: @ProgNeg
Tumblr: progneg.tumblr.com 
Facebook: facebook.com/ProgNeg

Produced by E.A. Escamilla

The RFS team is scattered hither and yon this week with Steven in Madison, Wisconsin, and Warren scooping up cross-border deals in Seattle, but they still manage to crank out another episode of Radio Free Skaro for your listening delight. This week, Steven and Chris postulate on the news that was, including a discussion on the wonderful Tales of Television Centre documentary that aired on BBC Four this past week, but all of the Three Who Rule are there to commentate over the final three episodes of Inferno, the 1970 Jon Pertwee classic. It's the end of the world as we know it...

Check out the show notes at http://www.radiofreeskaro.com

The RFS team is scattered hither and yon this week with Steven in Madison, Wisconsin, and Warren scooping up cross-border deals in Seattle, but they still manage to crank out another episode of Radio Free Skaro for your listening delight. This week, Steven and Chris postulate on the news that was, including a discussion on the wonderful Tales of Television Centre documentary that aired on BBC Four this past week, but all of the Three Who Rule are there to commentate over the final three episodes of Inferno, the 1970 Jon Pertwee classic. It's the end of the world as we know it...

Check out the show notes at http://www.radiofreeskaro.com

The RFS team is scattered hither and yon this week with Steven in Madison, Wisconsin, and Warren scooping up cross-border deals in Seattle, but they still manage to crank out another episode of Radio Free Skaro for your listening delight. This week, Steven and Chris postulate on the news that was, including a discussion on the wonderful Tales of Television Centre documentary that aired on BBC Four this past week, but all of the Three Who Rule are there to commentate over the final three episodes of Inferno, the 1970 Jon Pertwee classic. It's the end of the world as we know it...

Check out the show notes at http://www.radiofreeskaro.com

In this podcast episode I discuss the latest doctor who news, doctor who game news, doctor who audiobook news, doctor who convention news, and I discuss my review on The Space Museum! For more doctor who updates check out http://galifreydoctorwhopodcast.com/

In this podcast episode I discuss the latest doctor who news, doctor who game news, doctor who audiobook news, doctor who convention news, and I discuss my review on The Space Museum! For more doctor who updates check out http://galifreydoctorwhopodcast.com/

This week, we take a step back a bit and return to the Fifth Doctor, taking a look at his very first adventure, Castrovalva. Featuring severe regeneration trauma, the Master having plans within plans, Adric not involved in most of the adventure, and recursion. Oh, as well as the start of the Master's habit of wearing disguise just to wear them.

Feedback to: show@untemperedschism.org
Twitter: @schismpodcast
Web: http://www.untemperedschism.org/

Duration: 37:07

200 vblogs, 3 wines and a toast

This week we tie up our coverage of Dr Who The Official Convention with the Dr Who Uncut panel of Exec Producer Caroline Skinner, Production Designer Michael Pickwoad and Casting Director Andy Pryor but before that I get a mention on Dave Gorman's Absolute Radio show as does this photo http://twitpic.com/9m4e1c

Keep listening after the end theme for a little bonus clip recorded at the recent Greatest Show in The Galaxy convention.

You can see video of this week's panel here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcpQ25m0chY&

and see all of my photos of Dr Who The Official Con here http://www.flickr.com/photos/tdrury/sets/72157629287180278/

End theme is Dr Who Gypsy Guitar version by Thrip

If you want to send me comments or feedback you can email them to tdrury2003@yahoo.co.uk or contact me on twitter where I'm @tdrury or send me a friend request and your comments to facebook where I'm Tim Drury and look like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/tdrury/3711029536/in/set-72157621161239599/ in case you were wondering.

This week we tie up our coverage of Dr Who The Official Convention with the Dr Who Uncut panel of Exec Producer Caroline Skinner, Production Designer Michael Pickwoad and Casting Director Andy Pryor but before that I get a mention on Dave Gorman's Absolute Radio show as does this photo http://twitpic.com/9m4e1c

Keep listening after the end theme for a little bonus clip recorded at the recent Greatest Show in The Galaxy convention.

You can see video of this week's panel here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcpQ25m0chY&

and see all of my photos of Dr Who The Official Con here http://www.flickr.com/photos/tdrury/sets/72157629287180278/

End theme is Dr Who Gypsy Guitar version by Thrip

If you want to send me comments or feedback you can email them to tdrury2003@yahoo.co.uk or contact me on twitter where I'm @tdrury or send me a friend request and your comments to facebook where I'm Tim Drury and look like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/tdrury/3711029536/in/set-72157621161239599/ in case you were wondering.

This week we tie up our coverage of Dr Who The Official Convention with the Dr Who Uncut panel of Exec Producer Caroline Skinner, Production Designer Michael Pickwoad and Casting Director Andy Pryor but before that I get a mention on Dave Gorman's Absolute Radio show as does this photo http://twitpic.com/9m4e1c

Keep listening after the end theme for a little bonus clip recorded at the recent Greatest Show in The Galaxy convention.

You can see video of this week's panel here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcpQ25m0chY&

and see all of my photos of Dr Who The Official Con here http://www.flickr.com/photos/tdrury/sets/72157629287180278/

End theme is Dr Who Gypsy Guitar version by Thrip

If you want to send me comments or feedback you can email them to tdrury2003@yahoo.co.uk or contact me on twitter where I'm @tdrury or send me a friend request and your comments to facebook where I'm Tim Drury and look like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/tdrury/3711029536/in/set-72157621161239599/ in case you were wondering.

Look, Nick Briggs, we tried, ok? Honestly we really did. But we're just not you.... As a result, Dave and Siobhan sit in front of microphones and try to be nice about Death To The Daleks. There's a good chance that the dvd presentation from BBC Wordlwide is actually better then the story itself.

Possibly.

Anyway, we give it a good old try!

The DWO WhoCast - Clarinets and ring modulators? Just... No, ok?

Season 2 Episode 6. This week we talk about Jamie, Producer Philip Hinchcliffe, The KLF’s Doctorin’ The TARDIS and we take a look at Timelash. In the Death Zone we find The Raston Warrior Robot Vs. A Weeping Angel

We can be found at http://whostorian.podbean.com

by searching The Whostorian in iTunes

by searching for The Whostorian on Facebook

On Twitter: @TheWhostorian

Email: thewhostorian@gmail.com

Uzhe 40-i vypusk nashego podkasta! Na segodnia u nas obzor poslednikh novostei, kotorykh, v koi-to veki, dazhe s izbytkom. A eshchio u nas novye druz'ia – Team TARDIS Radio i odin iz ego vedushchikh Il'ia segodnia nash gost'.

Skachat'/Download (17 MB)

Nash Sait

Stranichka Vkontakte

DPSDPDu 40-D1 D2ND?NNDo D1/2DdegNDuD3D3/4 D?D3/4D'DoDdegNNDdeg! DDdeg NDuD3D3/4D'D1/2N N D1/2DdegN D3/4D+-D*D3/4N D?D3/4ND>>DuD'D1/2D,N D1/2D3/4D2D3/4NNDuD1, DoD3/4ND3/4NNN, D2 DoD3/4D,-ND3/4 D2DuDoD,, D'DdegDPDu N D,D*D+-NNDoD3/4D1/4. D DuNN N D1/2DdegN D1/2D3/4D2NDu D'NND*NN – Team TARDIS Radio D, D3/4D'D,D1/2 D,D* DuD3D3/4 D2DuD'NND,N DD>>NN NDuD3D3/4D'D1/2N D1/2DdegN D3D3/4NNN.A

Download: Voice_Of_Gallifrey_40.mp3

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It didn't take long for the crew of the Liberator to start pairing off, just in time for a weekend break... Avon and Cally go on a murder mystery weekend in a spaceship full of planks and struggle to solve the only (very obvious) clue. But, to be fair, it's hard to concentrate when you're being stared at by couple of angry perms while a midget with super strength keeps getting in your way. Blake and Jenna go on a double date in the woods with Travis and his lady friend. They film themselves engaging in rough, physical action that leaves them all hot and sweaty. Much to the disappointment of the locals... ...and the entertainment of Vila and Gan who are lounging about on the sofa watching it all as it's streamed live.

We finally get to a 7th Doctor episode and who better than Adventures with the Wife in Space‘s Neil Perryman to make that happen?

Ghost Light is a packed episode that barely takes a breather, so Neil and I took the opposite approach in this episode of the podcast by keeping it light. Really though how much could we say about what is essentially an all-around solid episode of Doctor Who?

Enjoy!

Find Neil at:
Adventures with the Wife in Space
Who Fix
Tachyon TV
Also follow “Wife in Space” on Twitter @wifeinspace and on Facebook

MUTTER'S SPIRAL wraps up The Amazing Race's 20th edition, as John & Will go over a dramatic final 2 episodes. What did we think? How would we have handled things? Listen and find out! Also, some Doctor Who talk and TRIVIA! NEXT: SHERLOCK s2 begins with "A Scandal in Belgravia".

For the first time on The Memory Cheats, Josh and Steven randomly draw a Patrick Troughton story to review. Problem is, it's the Season 6 opener, "The Dominators", not one of the more celebrated stories in Doctor Who history. Would your intrepid hosts offer a different opinion…?

 

 

Visit our website at http://www.thememorycheats.libsyn.com

 

Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/thememorycheats

 

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoctorWhoTheMemoryCheats

For the first time on The Memory Cheats, Josh and Steven randomly draw a Patrick Troughton story to review. Problem is, it's the Season 6 opener, "The Dominators", not one of the more celebrated stories in Doctor Who history. Would your intrepid hosts offer a different opinion...?

Visit our website at http://www.thememorycheats.libsyn.com

Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/thememorycheats

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoctorWhoTheMemoryCheats

For the first time on The Memory Cheats, Josh and Steven randomly draw a Patrick Troughton story to review. Problem is, it's the Season 6 opener, "The Dominators", not one of the more celebrated stories in Doctor Who history. Would your intrepid hosts offer a different opinion…?

Visit our website at http://www.thememorycheats.libsyn.com

Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/thememorycheats

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoctorWhoTheMemoryCheats

Who’s bad? This week, the ESO crew descend into the wretched hive of scum and villainy to determine the tops of sinful sots and the baddest mf’ers in the galaxy. Malicious Mike, Mike the Merciless, and Rat Bastard Bobby join forces with Atrocious Anthony Taylor, the Award-Winning, Devilishly Devious Mark Maddox, Vile Victor Fishman, and … Continue reading →

The Doctor Who Podcast turns its steely gaze towards the Big Finish Towers this week as we look at the latest trilogy of Big Finish audios featuring the 8th Doctor, Paul McGann. The Silver Turk, The Witch from the Well and Army of Death fall under the watchful eye ofJames, Tom and Ian.

Newsflash from me regarding exciting news from the world of Journey That Never Ends! Check out this update as soon as you can :-)

Waffle On about The Odd Couple. On this edition we talk about one of Kells favorite film The Odd Couple. Written by Neil Simon, directed by Gene Saks, and starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau , It is the story of two divorced men - Felix Ungar, the neurotic neatfreak, and Oscar Madison, the fun-loving slob - who decide to live together, even though their personalities clash. We had a great time chatting about this awesome film and we hope you enjoy listening to it. We have a Facebook group page so if you fancy joining that head to https://www.facebook.com/groups/waffleon/ and join in on the fun. As usual we are on iTunes and also Stitcher Radio, just type in Waffle On Podcast into the search bar and away you go. Feedback or general ranting to waffleonpodcast@gmail.com. Cheers Meds and Kell.

Waffle On about The Odd Couple. On this edition we talk about one of Kells favorite film The Odd Couple. Written by Neil Simon, directed by Gene Saks, and starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau , It is the story of two divorced men - Felix Ungar, the neurotic neatfreak, and Oscar Madison, the fun-loving slob - who decide to live together, even though their personalities clash. We had a great time chatting about this awesome film and we hope you enjoy listening to it. We have a Facebook group page so if you fancy joining that head to https://www.facebook.com/groups/waffleon/ and join in on the fun. As usual we are on iTunes and also Stitcher Radio, just type in Waffle On Podcast into the search bar and away you go. Feedback or general ranting to waffleonpodcast@gmail.com. Cheers Meds and Kell.

Waffle On about The Odd Couple.

On this edition we talk about one of Kells favorite film The Odd Couple. Written by Neil Simon, directed by Gene Saks, and starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau , It is the story of two divorced men - Felix Ungar, the neurotic neatfreak, and Oscar Madison, the fun-loving slob - who decide to live together, even though their personalities clash. We had a great time chatting about this awesome film and we hope you enjoy listening to it.

We have a Facebook group page so if you fancy joining that head to https://www.facebook.com/groups/waffleon/ and join in on the fun. As usual we are on iTunes and also Stitcher Radio, just type in Waffle On Podcast into the search bar and away you go.

Feedback or general ranting to waffleonpodcast@gmail.com.

Cheers Meds and Kell.

The Doctor Who Podcast turns its steely gaze towards the Big Finish Towers this week as we look at the latest trilogy of Big Finish audios featuring the 8th Doctor, Paul McGann. The Silver Turk, The Witch from the Well and Army of Death fall under the watchful eye ofJames, Tom and Ian.

The Doctor Who Podcast turns its steely gaze towards the Big Finish Towers this week as we look at the latest trilogy of Big Finish audios featuring the 8th Doctor, Paul McGann. The Silver Turk, The Witch from the Well and Army of Death fall under the watchful eye of James, Tom and Ian.

Waffle On about The Odd Couple.

On this edition we talk about one of Kells favorite film The Odd Couple. Written by Neil Simon, directed by Gene Saks, and starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau , It is the story of two divorced men - Felix Ungar, the neurotic neatfreak, and Oscar Madison, the fun-loving slob - who decide to live together, even though their personalities clash. We had a great time chatting about this awesome film and we hope you enjoy listening to it.

We have a Facebook group page so if you fancy joining that head to https://www.facebook.com/groups/waffleon/ and join in on the fun. As usual we are on iTunes and also Stitcher Radio, just type in Waffle On Podcast into the search bar and away you go.

Feedback or general ranting to waffleonpodcast@gmail.com.

Cheers Meds and Kell.

This is the recent interview with Barnaby Edwards most notably the Dalek operator.
15.4MB

Doctor Who: Podshock - Episode 270
Running time: 1:42:29

We review the Doctor Who DVD - The Invisible Enemy, plus Doctor Who related news, feedback, and more. Hosted by Louis Trapani, Dave Cooper, and Ian Bisset.

Presented to you by the Gallifreyan Embassy and is a production of Art Trap Productions.

This podcast is made possible in part by and is brought to you by Podshock Supporting Subscribers and from donations from listeners like you.

Get a special discount on domain names at http://hover.com/podshock - Hover: Domain names made simple.

Get the DWP Podcast Companion App for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

This episode is also brought to you by Audible. Visit http://podshock.net for the link to your FREE audio-book download with free trial.

Do you want the Enhanced Podcast AAC file format? Get our Enhanced Podcast version of this episode using our feed at http://www.gallifreyanembassy.org/podshock/podshock.xml.

Dirk Gently (TV series) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Dirk Gently Titlescreen of series 1, based on Gently's painted whiteboard. Genre Comic science fiction/Detective fiction Created by Howard Overman Douglas Adams (novel) Written by Howard Overman Matt Jones Jamie Mathieson Directed by Damon Thomas Tom Shankland Starring Stephen Mangan Darren Boyd Composer(s) Daniel Pemberton Country of origin United Kingdom Language(s) English No. of series 1 No. of episodes 3 (+ pilot) (List of episodes) Production Executive producer(s) Howard Overman Saurabh Kakkar (ITV Studios) Brian Minchin (BBC) Eleanor Moran (BBC - Pilot) Jamie Laurenson (BBC - Pilot) Producer(s) Chris Carey Editor(s) Matthew Tabern Cinematography Ole Bratt Birkeland Camera setup Single-camera Running time 60 minutes Production company(s) ITV Studios The Welded Tandem Picture Company Distributor BBC Cymru Wales Broadcast Original channel BBC Four BBC HD (repeats) Picture format HDTV 1080i Audio format Stereo Original run 16 December 2010 – 19 March 2012 Chronology Related shows The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy External links Website Dirk Gently is a British comedy detective drama TV series based on characters from the Dirk Gently novels by Douglas Adams. The series was created by Howard Overman and stars Stephen Mangan as holistic detective Dirk Gently and Darren Boyd as his sidekick Richard MacDuff. Recurring actors include Helen Baxendale as MacDuff's girlfriend Susan Harmison, Jason Watkins as Dirk's nemesis DI Gilks and Lisa Jackson as Dirk's receptionist Janice Pearce. Unlike most detective series Dirk Gently features broadly comic touches and even some science fiction themes such as time travel and artificial intelligence. Dirk Gently operates his Holistic Detective Agency based on the "fundamental interconnectedness of all things", which relies on random chance methods to uncover connections between seemingly-unrelated cases. He claims that he follows the principles of quantum mechanics, and although the majority of his clients suspect he may be a conman he often produces surprising results. With the help of his assistant, Richard MacDuff, Dirk investigates a number of seemingly unrelated but interconnected cases. An hour-long pilot episode loosely based on plot elements from Adams' 1987 novel Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency was broadcast on BBC Four on 16 December 2010 and was watched by 1.1 million viewers. Critical reception was generally positive.[1] A full series of three one-hour episodes was subsequently commissioned in March 2011 and was broadcast on BBC Four in March 2012.[2] The series is the first continuing drama series produced for the digital channel.[3][4] The series is produced by ITV Studios and The Welded Tandem Picture Company for BBC Cymru Wales and shot in Bristol. The pilot was written by Howard Overman and directed by Damon Thomas. The full series was written by Overman, Matt Jones and Jamie Mathieson and directed by Tom Shankland. The series along with the pilot episode was released on DVD on 26 March 2012 by ITV Studios Home Entertainment.[5] An original television soundtrack album featuring music from the series composed by Daniel Pemberton was released by 1812 Recordings on 5 March 2012.[4] Contents 1 Production 1.1 Background 1.2 Announcement 1.3 Adaptation 1.4 Cast 1.5 Filming 1.6 Music 2 Plot 2.1 Episodes 3 Reception 3.1 Pilot 3.2 Series One 4 References 5 External links Production Background The novel Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency has its origins in the incomplete 1979 Doctor Who television serial Shada, featuring Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor. Location filming in Cambridge had been completed, but a studio technicians' dispute at the BBC meant that studio segments were not completed, and the serial was never transmitted.[6] As a result of the serial's cancellation, Adams reused a number of ideas from this script and his other Doctor Who scripts as the basis for a new novel, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, published in 1987. Adams published another, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul in 1988 and at the time of his death in 2001 was working on a third installment to be titled The Salmon of Doubt, fragments of which were published posthumously. Each novel features new characters and scenarios, although Dirk (real name Svlad Cjelli), his "ex-secretary" Janice Pearce and Sergeant, later Inspector, Gilks recur in each.[7] The first Gently novel had previously been adapted into a stage play, Dirk and a BBC Radio 4 series by Above the Title Productions which was first broadcast in October 2007 and featured comedian Harry Enfield in the title role.[8][9][10] According to James Donaghy, Douglas Adams was frustrated that his Dirk Gently novels were never adapted for the screen.[1] Announcement During Hitchcon - a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy convention - Ed Victor, a literary agent who represents Adams's estate announced that a television adaptation of Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency was in production. Stephen Mangan was announced to be playing Gently, with Darren Boyd as MacDuff and Helen Baxendale as Susan. It is the first television adaptation of Adams' Dirk Gently series, although characters from the books had appeared in a 1992 episode of The South Bank Show.[11][12] Shooting on the pilot commenced early in October 2010 in Bristol.[7] The director was Damon Thomas and the producer was Chris Carey. Although it was commissioned by the BBC, it was produced by ITV Studios with The Welded Tandem Picture Company. The pilot was first broadcast on BBC Four on 16 December 2010 and was repeated a number of times during the next month.[13][14] The pilot gained a commission on 31 March 2011 for a three-part series of one hour-long episodes broadcast on BBC Four in March 2012.[3][4] The series is the first continuing drama series commissioned by BBC Four.[3] Adaptation The screenplay of the pilot by Howard Overman is not a direct adaptation of the novel, but uses certain characters and situations from the novel to form the basis of a new drama centred around Dirk.[15] Speaking about his interpretation, Howard Overman stated in an interview with Benji Wilson "I'm not even going to try to adapt the book: you can't adapt this story. Especially not on a BBC Four budget. We made the deliberate decision not to do a straight translation of the books. If we'd done that the fans would have felt badly let down, because you can never portray that world on the screen as well as it's been done in people's own imaginations...If you just do a straight adaptation like The Hitchhiker's Guide film, people are always going to be quite brutal about it because it's never going to live up to their expectations."[16] Dirk drives an old brown Austin Princess in the production. Stephen Mangan, writing a BBC blog on the programme stated "In my opinion, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency and The Long Dark Tea-Time Of The Soul are unfilmable as written...too much happens, there are too many ideas".[17] The pilot concentrates on two relatively minor plot strands in Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency: the disappearance of a cat, and the simultaneous disappearance of millionaire Gordon Way. Although time travel is involved in the solution, the novel's entire St Cedd's College / Electric Monk / Coleridge strand is omitted, although key words relating to these elements do appear on Dirk's whiteboard when it is first seen, though they are never subsequently referred to.[1][16][18] Other elements from the book, such as the trapped sofa, are also absent and the setting is updated to 2010, with email and voicemail replacing the answering machine messages in the book. There are changes to the characters too, one notable one being that Susan is Gordon's ex-girlfriend rather than his sister.[18] Several additional elements from Adams's novels, in particular St Cedd's College, were later to appear in the full series. Interviewed about the series, Stephen Mangan noted that "All three episodes are very different in tone and you get a different Dirk with each one...He's on the run from the police in one of them and in another there's a bit of romance in the air, which for Dirk is a surprise because he's probably the most asexual character on TV... There seems to be a vogue for dark, realistic, gritty detective series, apart from perhaps Sherlock. Dirk has so much humour in it. How many other detectives mix detection with quantum mechanics or drive a 30-year-old brown Austin Leyland Princess?"[19] Each episode of series one was written by different writers, who are mostly known for their contributions to science fiction and fantasy programmes; series creator Howard Overman also created Misfits and has written for Merlin, Matt Jones has previously written the Doctor Who stories "The Impossible Planet"/"The Satan Pit" and Jamie Matheson wrote the film Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel and has written scripts for Being Human.[20] Cast Stephen Mangan, best known for his role in the television series Green Wing, and subsequently Episodes, was cast in the main role as holistic detective Dirk Gently. Mangan already knew the novel and the author's works, stating in a press release "I've been a fan of Douglas Adams ever since the Hitchhiker's radio series which I used to record as a child and listen to over and over again in my bedroom. It's such a thrill to now be playing one of his brilliant characters. Dirk is a chaotic, anarchic force of nature with a totally unique take on the world. He is described as 'lazy, untidy, dismissive and unreliable'. I've absolutely no idea why they thought I'd be right for the role."[15] Cast alongside him were Darren Boyd and Helen Baxendale, both of whom had previously worked with Mangan in Green Wing and Adrian Mole: the Cappuccino Years respectively.[7] Darren Boyd and Helen Baxendale returned for the full series, with the character of Richard MacDuff becoming Dirk's "partner/assistant" for each of the episodes.[19] Other regular cast members are Jason Watkins as Detective Inspector Gilks and Lisa Jackson as Dirk's secretary Janice Pearce.[21] The programme pilot featured appearances from Doreen Mantle, Anthony Howell, Miles Richardson, Billy Boyle. Episode one saw guest appearances by Paul Ritter, Cosima Shaw, Ken Collard, Colin McFarlane and Miranda Raison. Episode two featured roles for Bill Paterson, Sylvestra Le Touzel, Lydia Wilson, Andrew Leung, Will Sharpe and Bethan Hanks. Episode three features Lisa Dillon and Tony Pitts.[21] Filming Wills Hall at the University of Bristol was used as the fictional St. Cedd's College, Cambridge. Although the series is set in the London boroughs of Camden Town and Islington, the series was shot entirely in Bristol. Areas and buildings featured in the programme included the Guildhall, the Bottle Yard, St Thomas Street and the Greenbank area.[22][23] The second series episode also featured extensive filming around the University of Bristol, with Wills Hall doubling as the fictional Cambridge College St. Cedd's. The production's location manager, Rob Champion, noted that each location had to be chosen carefully to avoid featured giveaway clues to Bristol, in particular any building made of the local building material, limestone.[24] He noted that "Episode 2 was the greatest challenge as it included two days material in a Robotic Laboratory. Bristol has such a thing...a joint venture between the two universities, with a very helpful professor, but its landlord was an American corporation with the most unimaginably anal restrictions on access. They basically didn't want us there and took the best part of two weeks to say so...We eventually settled upon a brand new building at the Bristol-Bath Science Park where they could not have been more helpful. All this on a BBC4 budget."[24] Music The series's soundtrack was composed by Daniel Pemberton. In creating the distinctive sound for the main titles and incidental music, Pemberton made use of a Marxophone, a zither which is a cross between a hammered dulcimer and a piano. These instruments were produced in America between 1927 to 1972.[25] The soundtrack also mixes in a harpsichord, synth, bass guitar and drums.[26][27] A soundtrack album featuring music from the series was released by 1812 Recordings on 5 March 2012.[4] Plot Dirk Gently (real name Svlad Cjelli) operates a Holistic Detective Agency based on the "fundamental interconnectedness of all things". To solve cases, Dirk relies on random chance methods for example "Zen navigation" (following people or vehicles who look like they know where they are going, in the hope that they will lead somewhere you want to be) or throwing a dart at a board of words to select the direction of his detection. By following up on apparently random occurences and whims, Dirk discovers connections between seemingly unrelated cases and often produces surprising results. He claims that he follows the principles of quantum mechanics (although it is implied when he speaks to an expert in these fields that he doesn't really understand them); most people suspect he is just a conman and he rarely gets paid by clients and is therefore in almost permanent financial difficulty.[16][28] In the pilot episode, Dirk bumps into a former university friend, Richard MacDuff, who has been made redundant from a job at an electricity board, and takes on a case for him. During the course of his investigation, Dirk hypnotises MacDuff and persuades him into investing his £20,000 redundancy money in his failing detective agency. MacDuff therefore becomes Dirk's partner in the business and "assistant" on investigations.[28] Richard MacDuff's girlfriend, Dr Susan Harmison, was also at university with the pair and is deeply sceptical about Dirk's abilities. Also present at the Agency is Dirk's receptionist Janice Pearce, whom Dirk has not paid for years and who therefore refuses to do any work.[28] Episodes No.TitleDirectorWriterViewing figures[29]Original air date 0 "Pilot" Damon Thomas Howard Overman 943 000 16 December 2010 When Dirk Gently sets out to solve an apparently simple and harmless disappearance of a cat from an old lady's house, he unwittingly uncovers a double murder which, in turn, leads to a host of even more extraordinary events.  1 "Episode 1" Tom Shankland Howard Overman 844 000 5 March 2012 Dirk discovers the connection between two unrelated cases - a client who believes the Pentagon are trying to kill him and another whose horoscopes appear to be coming true.[2]  2 "Episode 2" Tom Shankland Matt Jones 561 000 12 March 2012 Dirk is called back to his old university to protect a valuable robot but within 24 hours it has been stolen and a dead body discovered, with Dirk and MacDuff the prime suspects.[2]  3 "Episode 3" Tom Shankland Jamie Mathieson 592 000 19 March 2012 Dirk’s old clients are being randomly murdered with Dirk as the only link. Rather than talk to the police, Dirk elects to leave the country but is waylaid by a series of seemingly unconnected events.[2]  Reception Pilot Stephen Mangan plays the titular holistic detective in the series. The pilot episode gained 1.1m viewers (3.9% share) on BBC Four, which was over three times the channel's slot average.[3] Critical reception for the pilot was largely positive. Several mentioned that it was only a loose adaptation of the novel, although the general consensus was that the essence of the original was maintained. Sam Wollaston in The Guardian stated "Coming to it fresh, it's a neat story about aforementioned missing cat and time travel, with a smattering of quantum physics and the fundamental connectedness of things. With a lovely performance from Doreen Mantle as the old lady/murderer. Stephen Mangan's good in the title role, too – a teeny bit irritating perhaps, but then Mangan is a teeny bit irritating. So is Dirk Gently, though – it's perfect. Funny too. Quite funny."[30] James Donaghy, also writing in The Guardian stated "Personally I hope Dirk Gently gets made into a full series. The programme shows promising glimpses, has a strong cast and Misfits already proves Overman can write. And a BBC4 adaptation feels like a good fit – Gently being exactly the kind of playground-of-the-imagination curio the BBC made its name indulging."[1] The Independent published two reviews. Alice-Azania Jarvis was extremely positive, writing "...there wasn't very much you could fault about the production at all. Right down to the quirky camerawork and youthful, poppy soundtrack (who would have thought the Hoosiers could be so right in any situation?), the director, Damon Thomas, got it pretty spot-on. The result was a pleasingly festive-feeling adventure; part Wallace & Gromit, part Doctor Who, part The Secret Seven. And the best thing? There wasn't a Christmas tree in sight. Douglas Adams once claimed that Gently would make a better film character than his more famous hero, Arthur Dent. Based on last night's experience, he may well have been right."[31] John Walsh's review for The Independent was cooler about the adaptation, although he praised Mangan's performance: "Given the talent and style on display, it should have been a scream. In fact it all seemed a little moth-eaten. Though set in the modern day, it was staggeringly old-fashioned...You could overlook these faults, however, for the joy of Stephen Mangan's performance as the titular gumshoe. With his alarmed-spaniel eyes and jutting-jawed stroppiness, his geography teacher elbow-patches and Medusan hair, he radiates mess...His ineptness as a sleuth provided some fine comic moments.[32] Paul Whitelaw in Metro was also positive, although he noted "At times it felt forced, with a sense of trying slightly too hard when a touch more subtlety would have brought out the essential Adamsian eccentricity."[33] Dan Owen of Obsessed with Film noted that the adaptation played with the idea of inexplicable situations: "Purists may grumble this isn't the Dirk Gently they wanted to see, but it's more accessible and practicable. And while Dirk Gently is certainly another gimmicky detective series (yawn), its details are unique and engrossing enough to shrug off the genre's clichés. In some ways it's a pastiche of whodunits, taking the genre's often tenuous explanations to an outrageous extreme."[34] Paul Whitelaw in The Scotsman noted that "Although Adams's more ambitious concepts are sidelined in favour of a more prosaic - if nonetheless enjoyable - sci-fi mystery, Overman captures at least some of the wit and whimsy of his distinctive comic voice" going on to suggest "This modestly-budgeted pilot suggests potential for a series, so the deviation from Adams's originals makes sense. It also adds yet another very British oddball to the pantheon currently occupied by Doctor Who and Sherlock.[35] Series One Critical opinion to the full series was mildly positive. The adaptation from the Adams' novels was the focus of several reviews. Jane Simon, writing in The Mirror stated "It's just a shame creator Douglas Adams isn't around to see how Howard Overman has ­transferred Dirk to the screen. He'd definitely approve.[36] Mark Braxton in the Radio Times likewise agreed that "Overman has plucked the comic essence of Adams from his novel...and worked it into a digestible, enjoyably eccentric format."[37] AA Gill writing in the Sunday Times March 11, 2012 wrote 'Who'd have guessed that this would ever get recommissioned?...It has to get a nomination as the greatest waste of the most talent for the least visible purpose or reward." Others complained that the series was not an exact adaptation of the novels. Nigel Farndale in The Telegraph stated "I struggled with Dirk Gently...It had nothing to do with Stephen Mangan's considerable comedic talents, still less with Darren Boyd who plays MacDuff, the Dr Watson to Dirk's Holmes. It is more to do with my devotion to Douglas Adams, upon whose comic novel this series is based...in Douglas Adams, 90 per cent of the pleasure is in the prose, the narration, the felicities of language."[38] Tom Sutcliffe in The Independent felt that the programme's qualities were "spread a little too thinly over a nonsensical thriller plot' and that "laughs... were far too widely spaced in a script that could have done with a lot more editing."[39] Several critics compared the production with the big-budget BBC One detective series Sherlock, the second series of which was broadcast in January 2012. Writing in Metro, Keith Watson said "There's no doubt Sherlock has raised the detecting duo bar on TV...it's more than a match for Sherlock on the dialogue front, neatly catching the surreal humour that was the Adams trademark...but there was no disguising the fact that Dirk Gently was a five-star script being filmed on a one-star budget, making it look like a designer label knockoff when set against the production values lavished on Sherlock.[40] Stuart Jeffries in The Guardian, meanwhile, found a comparison between the tone of the series and 1960s spy/detective capers; "Never since The Avengers has there been anything so unremittingly silly on British television as Dirk Gently...Dainty harpsichord music tells us we're back in an era of TV misrule, in whose glory days John Steed, Mrs Peel and Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) played fast and loose with viewers' intelligences."[26] The first episode had 737,000 viewers and a 3% audience share[41] but this fell to 415,000 and 2% share for the second episode.[citation needed] Series one, including the pilot episode, was released on DVD on 26 March 2012 by ITV Studios Home Entertainment.[5] References ^ a b c d James Donaghy "Douglas Adams's holistic detective Dirk Gently arrives on BBC4", The Guardian, 16 December 2010 ^ a b c d Helena Cole, Dirk Gently returns for three-part series, SFX, 17 February 2012 ^ a b c d "Dirk Gently to return to BBC Four", BBC Press Release, 31 March 2011 ^ a b c d Jason Deans, "Dirk Gently to return to BBC4", The Guardian, 31 March 2011 ^ a b http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/dirk_gently/buy/2802/dirk_gently_dvd/ ^ "Shada", BBC Cult, accessed 19 March 2012 ^ a b c Chris Harvey, "Dirk Gently: Douglas Adams's detective finally cracks TV", Daily Telegraph, 16 December 2010 ^ "BBC - Press Office - Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency opens for business". Retrieved 14 August 2007. ^ Dirk Maggs News and New Projects page ^ July 2007 BBC announcement of radio version ^ Rob Hastings, "BBC set to film Douglas Adams's Dirk Gently novel", The Independent, 6 October 2010 ^ The South Bank Show: Douglas Adams at the Internet Movie Database ^ Radio Times listing ^ "BBC News - Stephen Mangan to star as detective Dirk Gently". 6 October 2010. Retrieved 10 October 2010. ^ a b "BBC - Press Office - Stephen Mangan to play Dirk Gently in drama based on Douglas Adams' novel". Retrieved 10 October 2010. ^ a b c Benji Wilson, Dirk Gently: The case of the missing electric monk, The Telegraph, 5 March 2012 ^ Mangan, Stephen (16 December 2010). "Douglas Adams' Dirk Gently: How slavishly should a screen adaptation follow the book?". BBC. Retrieved 20 December 2010. ^ a b Tom Chivers, "Dirk Gently on BBC4: would Douglas Adams have recognised his creation?", Daily Telegraph, 17 December 2010 ^ a b "Stephen Mangan speaks about the return to our screens of Dirk Gently", Northampton Chronicle & Echo, 8 March 2012 ^ Helena Cole, "Dirk Gently returns for three-part series", SFX, 17 February 2012 ^ a b Cast lists, British Comedy Guide ^ Productions 2011-12, Bristol Film Office, accessed 18 March 2012 ^ News, Bristol Film Office, accessed 18 March 2012 ^ a b Dirk Gently, thecallsheet.co.uk, accessed 19 March 2012 ^ Photograph of recording session, Daniel Pemberton's Twitterfeed, accessed 22 March 2012 ^ a b Stuart Jeffries, "TV review: Dirk Gently; Empire", The Guardian, 5 March 2012 ^ Daniel Pemberton's Twitterfeed, accessed 22 March 2012 ^ a b c Dirk Gently homepage, BBC Four, accessed 19 March 2012 ^ "BARB". BARB. Retrieved 4 April 2012. ^ Sam Wollaston "TV review: The House That Made Me; Dirk Gently", The Guardian, 16 December 2010 ^ Alice-Azania Jarvis "Last Night's TV: Dirk Gently/BBC4", The Independent, 17 December 2010 ^ John Walsh, "Dirk Gently, BBC4, Thursday", The Independent, Sunday, 19 December 2010 ^ Keith Watson, "Stephen Mangan perfect for Douglas Adams's Dirk Gently", Metro, 16 December 2010 ^ Dan Owen, "TV Review: Dirk Gently", Obsessed with Film, 17 December 2010 ^ Paul Whitelaw, "TV preview: Dirk Gently", The Scotsman, 13 December 2010 ^ Jane Simon, "Douglas Adams would approve of Dirk Gently double act", The Mirror 12 March 2012 ^ Mark Braxton, Radio Times, 5 March 2012 ^ Nigel Farndale, White Heat, BBC Two, and Dirk Gently, BBC Four, review, Daily Telegraph, 9 March 2012 ^ Tom Sutcliffe, " Last Night's Viewing: Dirk Gently", The Independent 6 March 2012 ^ Keith Watson, Dirk Gently has a five-star script filmed on a one-star budget, Metro' 6 March 2012 ^ Ratings roundup, Digital Spy, 7 March 2012 External links Dirk Gently, BBC Online Dirk Gently at the Internet Movie Database Dirk Gently at the British Comedy Guide Official production team Twitterfeed

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