Doctor Who Literature
- Description:
- Doctor Who is not just one of the world's longest-running science fiction TV shows, but it's also generated a prolific amount of tie-in books, often with strong literary merit. Join Jason from the Trap One Podcast on a solo journey through the Target novelizations, in publication order.
RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/72d51f48/podcast/rss
- Episodes:
- 164
- Average Episode Duration:
- 0:1:29:26
- Longest Episode Duration:
- 0:2:18:20
- Total Duration of all Episodes:
- 10 days, 4 hours, 27 minutes and 55 seconds
- Earliest Episode:
- 6 November 2021 (4:53pm GMT)
- Latest Episode:
- 27 October 2024 (6:03am GMT)
- Average Time Between Episodes:
- 6 days, 14 hours, 51 minutes and 38 seconds
Doctor Who Literature Episodes
-
Episode 57 - The Power of Kroll (with Iain Martin)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 21 minutes and 26 secondsHappy New Year to all; we wish you a happy and healthy 2023.
My guest this week is the great Iain Martin (@broadanddeep), from oh so many great Doctor Who podcasts, including but not limited to We're All Stories in the End and All of Time and Space.
Iain proves a true challenge to the all-time "20 Questions" quiz title-holders.
While the TV version of "The Power of Kroll" doesn't win a lot of fans this week, the novelization was previously featured on Jason's Terrance Top Ten list in September 2019.
"Doctor Who and the Power of Kroll" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 56 - The Androids of Tara (with Michael Stevens; Pete Lambert)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 20 minutes and 33 secondsAnd, incidentally, a happy Christmas, to all of you at home!
For this Yule themed (and 7th-day-of-Hanukkah themed) episode of Doctor Who Literature, we feature K-9 singing holiday classics.There are two guest interviews this week. Delighted to have Michael Stevens, editor of the Target Audiobooks range, which featured a new novelization of this week's story, "The Androids of Tara".
And we have frequent Doctor Who Literature guest Pete Lambert (@Prof_Quiteamess) reading the Terrance Dicks adaptation of "Androids of Tara" for the first time!
Don't forget to listen to the Trap One discussion of the David Fisher novelization.
"Doctor Who and the Androids of Tara" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 55 - The Stones of Blood (with "UK" Jason McLaughlin)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 39 minutes and 31 secondsWe lost two big names connected with Classic Doctor Who this week: episode writer and novelist Chris Boucher, and actor Jane Sherwin. This episode features audio clips from Boucher's "The Robots of Death", and of Sherwin (with Frazer Hines and Graham Weston) in "The War Games".
My guest this week is Jason McLaughlin (@JangoMac72), one of my fellow co-hosts from The Trap One Podcast, and the impresario behind Bearded Geek Toy Reviews over on YouTube. "UK Jason" offers us a tour of his recording studio and his impressive array of genre memorabilia.Topics discussed this week include the great Saturday morning TV shows of Sid and Marty Krofft, specifically "Far Out Space Nuts" and "Land of the Lost". UK Jason also takes his turn at "20 Questions", with surprising results.
We also have Listener Mail, Jason's review of the "Stones of Blood" novelization, and much much more.
"Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 54 - The Invasion of Time (with Mark from Trap One)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 17 minutes and 0 secondsWe have a guest host this week. Mark (@QuarkMcMalus) from the Trap One Podcast does a brilliant job manning the ship and taking us back to Gallifrey, discussing this week's book with a first-time (and yet oddly familiar-sounding) guest.
"Doctor Who and the Invasion of Time" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 53 - Underworld (with Frazer Gregory)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 44 minutes and 41 secondsThis has been a fraught week on the Internet, on Twitter especially, so we open with an unscripted monologue on the subject.
Some background reading on the odious Joe Rogan, my fellow Spotify podcaster.
A link to Judd Apatow's 2015 anthology, Sick in the Head, an excerpt from which is read on the program. No copyright infringement is intended.This episode features Mouret's Rondeau, best known in the US as the theme to PBS's "Masterpiece Theater".
My guest this week is the great Frazer Gregory (@FelixFrazer). We discuss Underworld (the week's book and its parent TV episode), but also Warriors of the Deep and the Doctor Who Rubbish Monsters Advent Calendar. There are dramatic readings, and there's a game -- but not the game you were expecting."Doctor Who and the Underworld" features cover art by Bill Donohoe.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Bonus Episode - LI Who guest & fan interviews; bonus Classic Series audio commentary
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 11 minutes and 42 secondsJason is back from LI Who (Long Island Doctor Who) presents: Meglos 2022. And he's brought back interviews with four convention guests plus several fan friends. The perfect way to spend a week in between the end of the 1979 Target books and the start of the 1980 books.
Jason then does a spontaneous, unrehearsed audio commentary for a single 25-minute Classic Series Doctor Who episode. The episode we will be discussing this week is...Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 52 - The Ribos Operation (with David Barsky)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 34 minutes and 38 secondsThis week on Doctor Who Literature we close out our third season with a look at the last novelization of 1979, Ian Marter's third book, and the first book in the "Key to Time" cycle. US TV producer David Barsky rejoins us to talk about Harlan Ellison, "American Chopper", and a rousing game of "Listener Limerick Challenge".
Also this week we learned that Millie Gibson will be playing Doctor Who's newest assistant, and she's interviewed by the new Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, here.
Jason can be heard this week on the latest episode of Reality Bomb."Doctor Who and the Ribos Operation" features cover art by John Geary.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 51 - Destiny of the Daleks (with Larry VonMersbergen)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 28 minutes and 12 secondsWe have a short Terrance Dicks novelization this week, but one that was very influential on Young Jason's fandom, so there's a lot to say on this episode.
My guest this week is Larry, the founder and CEO of the Direction Point! podcast network, and the host of the Doctor Who Collectors Podcast. Larry has been around American fandom since practically the very beginning and has a wealth of stories to tell, but, more importantly, we also discuss which city makes the better pizza: New York or Chicago (spoiler alert, this is my podcast, so the answer is not going to be Chicago).
Last week I moderated a Trap One podcast discussion on The Stones of Blood, the new David Fisher novelization, with three other Doctor Who fans well known to listeners of this podcast.You can watch the full "Sesame Street" Monsterpiece Theater version of "Me, Claudius" (featured in this episode) here.
"Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit
-
Episode 50 - The War Games (with Ross Aitken, and many special guests)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 2 hours, 18 minutes and 20 seconds50 episodes of Doctor Who Literature, and this episode releases of the first anniversary of my original trailer for the then-forthcoming podcast, November 6. It's been a fun and rewarding year, we've read some great books and interviewed some great guests. Thanks to all of you who have been along for all or part of this journey.
"The War Games" is surely one of Doctor Who's best -- and most groundbreaking -- TV serials. The novelization by Malcolm Hulke has not quite received perhaps quite so much love, but we try to remedy that over the course of this episode.
Joining Jason this week is Ross from Gallifrey's Most Wanted Podcast as well as Stop! Let's Team Up. We discuss War Games, Jack Kirby, and Eli Wallach; and reflect on some of the badly-dated language used in the 1970s to denote race in the Target novelizations.
Many other special guests stop by this week to remember "The War Games" (TV and book) and to wish the podcast a happy 50th episode.
Read more about Rudolph Walker, who had a too-small part in Episodes Four and Five of "The War Games".
Pete Seeger's rousing rendition of "John Brown's Body", a fight song for the Union Army in the American Civil War, as referenced in the novelization.
Eli Wallach's excellent autobiography was published in 2005. The actor passed away a few years later at age 99.
"Doctor Who and the War Games" features cover art by John Geary.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 49 - Image of the Fendahl (with David Barsky)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 16 minutes and 3 secondsAnd, incidentally, a Happy Halloween, to all of you at home.
Welcome to the first episode of Doctor Who Literature made after the airing of "The Power of the Doctor", the BBC centenary episode, and the last hurrah for Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall. I appeared on Trap One earlier this week to discuss the episode. And be sure to check out DWLit vets Conrad, Mark, and Pete, discussing the Disney/Doctor Who news.
Joining Jason this week to break down "Image of the Fendahl" is friend of the podcast and TV producer David Barsky, who brings us news on his latest series, braves a round of "20 Questions", talks cross-country travel, and discusses just what merit might be found in this slender novelization. Plus, a surprising abundance of jokes about novelization author Terrance Dicks' surname.
This is your last week to contribute any audio recollections in advance of next week's special Episode 50, covering "The War Games" and its novelization."Doctor Who and the Image of the Fendahl" features cover art by John Geary.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 48 - The Robots of Death (with Daniel Knight)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 29 minutes and 49 secondsThis episode is being released the same day that "The Power of the Doctor" -- the Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall finale -- is set to air. One day ago, we received this gorgeous new trailer. How excited are you for this episode? We are, and we'll talk about it a lot today.
My guest this week is a returning guest, Daniel Knight (@DanielKnight73). We'll be talking "The Robots of Death", TV and book, but we also discuss the legacy of Philip Hinchcliffe, the last DWM survey of the entire series, and our thoughts on Jodie's and Chibnall's work on Doctor Who the last few years.
We are also joined again by Simon Hart (@Si_Hart), our correspondent at "Terrance Dicks: A Celebration" at Riverside Studios earlier this month.
"Doctor Who and the Robots of Death" features cover art by John Geary.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit
-
Episode 47 - The Invisible Enemy (with Si Hart)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 47 minutes and 49 secondsFor the third straight week on Doctor Who Literature, we are examining the novelization of a Bob Baker & Dave Martin TV episode. Made at the very beginning of the Graham Williams era, the first story produced as part of Season 15, this proves to be a somewhat rocky maiden voyage for Doctor Who's incoming producer, and the scripts that Williams was handed... probably did not help matters. There are some terrific ideas on the page and some terrific visual effects on screen, especially in Part One, but, this week's guest (the inaugural member of the Doctor Who Literature Five-Timers club), Si Hart (@Si_Hart) and I, sure have a lot of fun breaking down what went wrong.
Jason and Si also apply our Retrospective Script Editor hats to try and improve several Classic Doctor Who stories, such as "The Time Monster", and we revisit a COVID-inspired trip through the Jon Pertwee era.
Among the many other places you can catch Si is on the Maximum Power Podcast, which is about to launch its second season.
And catch Jason on the most recent episode of the Trap One Podcast discussing the Power of the Doctor trailer.
"Doctor Who and the Invisible Enemy" features cover art by Roy Knipe.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.]
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 46 - The Hand of Fear (with Dale Smith)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 52 minutes and 27 secondsDoctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
This week we are joined by Dale Smith, a prolific writer of both Doctor Who fiction and non-fiction. Dale talks about two of his Doctor Who novels and his recent Black Archives volume on "The Talons of Weng-Chiang". You can find Dale's masterful website detailing his writing career here, and can purchase his Black Archives volume here. We've talked a lot about "Talons" on Doctor Who Literature lately, but Dale's literally written the book on the subject, and this was a particularly fascinating conversation.
"The Hand of Fear" features one of Doctor Who's most emotional companion departures, and another amazing vocal performance by the great Stephen Thorne. We will cover all of that, from the sublime to the sublime.
Thanks to Frazer Gregory (@FelixFrazer) for this week's transcendently good guest reading.
"Doctor Who and the Hand of Fear" features cover art by Roy Knipe.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 45 - The Sontaran Experiment (with Bill Evenson)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 45 minutes and 7 secondsSeveral program notes this week. We're a big hit in France. The fabulous novelization cover by Roy Knipe generates much talk on Twitter. A major change to the show coming next week -- tune in and find out --
-- but before you do that, stick around this week. The always funny and ever-unpredictable Bill Evenson (of The Frankenstein Minute Podcast and Reality Bomb!) is back. We discuss Frankenstein, his Doctor Who humor book (co-written with repeat Doctor Who Literature guest Stacey Smith?), which is the better show: Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul, and... occasionally, just very occasionally, we talk about "Doctor Who and the Sontaran Experiment".
Bill has a memorably rough time with "20 Questions". Will he finish? Will he be the first person in the history of the show to NOT get the answer?
Jason breaks down what CultBox calls his "forensic look" at the text. Who's the better narrator -- Jason, or Jon Culshaw?
Links this week:
We're thrilled to make CultBox's September podcast roundup.
Bill and Stacey Smith? wrote a very funny book.
Jason previously interviewed Bill and Stacey about it on Trap One.
Jason returns to Trap One to discuss The Celestial Toymaker this week.
And Bill can be heard weekly on The Frankenstein Minute.Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 44 - The Android Invasion (with Ross Aitken + excerpt from a mystery guest)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 52 minutes and 35 secondsThere comes a time in every Doctor Who podcast's life -- and I'm sure I'll have plenty of them -- where the episode under discussion just isn't that good. This is one of those weeks, but it's a tribute to Doctor Who in general that it took 44 weeks' worth of books to get to this point.
Jason opens up with several anecdotes meant to delay the inevitable. Talking about dorm room decorations, Brooklyn geography, Winona Ryder, off-Broadway musicals, and knitting.
A mystery guest speaks to us, via an excerpt from a forthcoming Doctor Who Literature episode, about "The Android Invasion" on TV. Listen on to find out who!
Ross Aitken (@traitken) from Gallifrey's Most Wanted (@GallifreysMWPod) joins Jason this week for an all-encompassing and unpredictable discussion about the entirety of Doctor Who -- we literally chat about 1963 and 2022 and most stops in between -- while taking a few minutes to scowl at the TV episode and book in question this week.
Jason then reads a more sarcastic than usual breakdown of the Terrance Dicks novelization -- but Terrance himself has some thoughts on this story, it seems, and they're not too dissimilar to Jason's and Ross's.
Links to other podcasts mentioned in the episode:
Trap One: Galaxy 4
Gallifrey's Most Wanted: The 3rd Doctor
Gallifrey's Most Wanted: The 4th Doctor
Trap One: Doctor Who - Flux Trailer Breakdown
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 43 - Death to the Daleks (with Paul Simpson)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 45 minutes and 6 secondsThis week in September 2022 saw the announcement of the title of the next Doctor Who episode ("The Power of the Doctor"), although not the release date. This week also saw "Cobra Kai" Season 5 drop on Netflix, though that's of slightly less importance to fandom.
My guest this week is Paul Simpson (@scifibulletin), who has several terrific stories to tell about the early years of the Target Books publishing office and some amazing details about the early writers (Malcolm Hulke and his graph paper!). Paul is currently managing editor of Sci-Fi Bulletin.
Release information and a link to "Doctor Who and the Daleks: The Illustrated Edition" can be found here.
Stick around for the second half of the program, when Jason discusses the "Death to the Daleks" novelization -- a perfect example of how Terrance adds value and insight and depth to the TV serial even in a very short book. There's lots to break down today.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 42 - The Time Warrior (with Conrad Westmaas)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 58 minutes and 38 secondsIt's been a busy week in world news, especially in England, with the selection of a new Prime Minister, the passing of the Queen, and the accession of a new King.
Here on Doctor Who Literature, we tackle the novelization of "The Time Warrior", a book with sole writing credit to Terrance Dicks, but actually the work of two men: Terrance, and Robert Holmes.
We spend some considerable time on the book's Prologue, written by Holmes. This week's guest, Conrad (@HairOfTheHound_), lays down one of the great guest-readings of all time. Jason and Conrad have a long chat about the state of Doctor Who in 2022, "The Time Warrior" on TV, that prologue, and all the other wonderful material in the book.
Conrad takes a run at becoming Champion of "20 Questions". Will he succeed?
Finally, Jason goes through the rest of the book chapter by chapter. What happens to Eric the Squire in the book vs. on TV? Who is Professor Dingle? Who is Professor Crabshaw? Who has the upper hand in their alliance -- Linx, or Irongron? The answers to all these might surprise you...Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 41 - The Tomb of the Cybermen (with Steven B. from New To Who)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 56 minutes and 11 secondsSteven B. (@steedstylin) from the excellent New To Who podcast is a first-time guest this week. We have much to discuss about "Tomb of the Cybermen", which premiered 55 years ago this week. We take a look at some of the TV story's more questionable choices on race and ethnicity, and discuss what it was like to watch this story in 1967 when it first aired, versus 1992 when it was recovered after being thought lost, versus today. Steven also enthuses over the novel's cover art, and we discuss the great work of Jeff Cummins and other titans of the Target cover-painting range.
Here you can find New To Who's Ratings Matrix, a nifty way of ranking all the Doctor Who episodes from worst to best. What are some of our choices for best?
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 40 - Horror of Fang Rock (with Steve Alexander)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 53 minutes and 56 secondsJason is on vacation this week, so here is a pre-recorded episode. We did not discuss the book cover, but this is one of the all-time great Target covers, so take an extra minute to drink that in. Jeff Cummins, everyone. Such a haunting, moody painting.
Jason is joined this week by Steve Alexander (@stealexanderuk), a very familiar voice to listeners of the Trap One and the "Hamster with a Blunt Penknife" podcasts. Steve brings terrific intensity as we discuss not only "Horror of Fang Rock", both TV episode and novelization -- but also the long line of Target novelization audiobook adaptations. Steve brings with him a Top Ten list of audiobooks and his revelation of the top spot is not to be missed.
Jason then reviews the novelization, in terms so glowing that the review itself could serve as a lighthouse.
Also discussed this week is the fascinating 2018 Scottish film The Vanishing, based on the original Flannan Isle Lighthouse mystery.
And don't forget to read the Wilfrid Gibson poem based on the same subject.Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 39 - The Face of Evil (with Lelon Stoldt)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 41 minutes and 3 secondsIn 2022, it may be mid-August, traditionally a slow season for media, but there's been a lot going on this week. Jason takes a look at the series finale of "Better Call Saul" -- is it the greatest US TV series finale ever? And there's a new trailer out for the Doctor Who Blu-ray Collection -- it's Season 2, and Maureen O'Brien is back on screen as Vicki! We also have listener mail, and a plug for two new Black Archives releases.
Back to January 1978, Jason is joined by Lelon Stoldt (@LelonStoldt), creator and co-host of the InDOCtrination podcast -- catch its latest episode, which dropped after we recorded.
There's much to discuss about the novelization of "The Face of Evil". How does Terrance handle the TV characters. Is Chris Boucher's script flawless, and, if not, what does Terrance do, or not do, to salvage some of the flaws? How do you introduce your young daughters to "Doctor Who"? We also look at "Better Call Sault", and the current Star Wars spinoffs -- the latest of which has a name very, very familiar to longtime fans of "The Face of Evil". And how will Lelon fare at a game of 20 Questions?
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Bonus Episode - A Conversation with Jim Sangster
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 26 minutes and 24 secondsJason pauses the read-through in between the 1977 and 1978 books, and gives the episode over to Jim Sangster, a long-time Doctor Who fan who you know from pretty much everywhere, but most recently from his pandemic-inspired read-through of the Target novelizations in publication order (does that project sound familiar?), the wonderful Escape to Danger blog.
You can also find Jim on Twitter and I highly recommend his Target-inspired Redbubble shop.
We also have listener mail; Jason is left completely speechless by some of Jim's stories; and Jason digresses to discuss his all-time favorite Albert Brooks movie.
We will be back next week and will embark for the next few months on our journey, this time through the 1978 and 1979 books.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 38 - The Masque of Mandragora (with Philip Hinchcliffe and Graeme Burk)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 2 hours, 15 minutes and 51 secondsWe close out the 1977 Target novelizations with the longest-ever episode of Doctor Who Literature.
This is largely because we have two interviews this week. First, former Doctor Who producer Philip Hinchcliffe rejoins Jason to discuss his work on 1970s Doctor Who, specifically the TV production and the novelization of "The Masque of Mandragora".
We take a moment to reflect on the passing of Nichelle Nichols and of Vin Scully, the latter of whom has a surprising connection to TV science fiction.
We're then rejoined by Graeme Burk (@GraemeBurk), co-producer and co-host of Reality Bomb. We discuss the differences between our two podcasts, share our love for the Philip Hinchcliffe era, and both the TV and book versions of "Masque of Mandragora", share some laughs... and then go deep into debate over "Talons of Weng-Chiang", subject of last week's episode. Was "Talons" controversial when it came out in 1977? When did public opinion start to shift? Was "Talons" really banned in Canada? And, after clearing the air, we discuss Graeme's soon-to-be-released Hinchcliffe biography.
Lastly, Jason goes deep into the "Masque" novelization, and wouldn't even say no... to a salami... sandwich.Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 37 - The Talons of Weng-Chiang (with Kate Orman & Jon Blum)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 50 minutes and 32 seconds"The Talons of Weng-Chiang" is still, by popular acclaim, one of the greatest "Doctor Who" stories of all time. It's still in the top-10 -- out of both Classic and New series -- in the year-2014 DWM survey, and is even top-5 among Classic stories on that list.
"Talons" however also has major problems. One is the language; words that may (or may not) have been acceptable in 1977, are certainly not acceptable here in 2022. Two is the story's world-view, in which the immigrants (the Chinese, and other groups to be found in London's East End in the 1890s) are Other, alien, here solely to cause trouble -- described by various English characters within the story as "inscrutable", "pixilated", and "bloodsucker". "Doctor Who" -- both the TV show and the character -- has spent the better part of 60 years sticking up for the underdog, empowering the powerless and defending the oppressed. But for six weeks in the winter and early spring of 1977, the show took a break from that, and told a story instead about defending the Crown from... those other people.
Of course, "Talons" is NOT the only "Doctor Who" story with indefensible language and beliefs -- not the only Classic Series story to do that, and certainly there are New Series stories which also have problems. Does loving "Doctor Who" mean we have to accept its baggage?
Over the next two hours, join Jason -- and our first tandem guests, long-time Doctor Who novelists Kate Orman and Jon Blum -- as we take an unflinching look at this story, and then try to see if it's still possible to love this story in spite of its flaws, its many flaws.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 36 - The Deadly Assassin (with Mark from Trap One)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 40 minutes and 8 seconds"The Deadly Assassin" is the first Season 14 story to be novelized, the first of four straight Season 14 books to come, and the start of a long consecutive run of adaptations of *many* truly excellent Doctor Who stories.
Helping me break the book down this week is returning guest Mark (@QuarkMcMalus) from The Trap One Podcast. We have much to discuss about Time Lord mythology, the population breakdown on Gallifrey, how this story doesn't (or does!) connect up with "The War Games", and who are the best actors to play Borusa and the Master. Mark is also challenged to a game of "Guess That Cliffhanger". Plus we have more Listener E-Mail from a surprising source.Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 35 - The Mutants (with Denise Sutton)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 23 minutes and 19 secondsThis week Denise Sutton (@CupOfTea69) is our guest. We discuss what it's like watching Doctor Who overseas, what it's like when "The Dominators" is your birth story, and what links "The Mutants" has to other Bob Baker & Dave Martin scripts. Denise can also be found at her blog and on several terrific episodes of Trap One, such as discussing the Audio Annuals or "The Pirate Planet".
Denise goes for the all-time record on "20 Questions", and we have our first listener e-mail (it's... interesting).Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 34 - Planet of Evil (with Simon Hart)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 25 minutes and 55 secondsBack for a record-setting fourth appearance on Doctor Who Literature this week is Simon Hart (@Si_Hart). We both break down the TV version of "Planet of Evil" -- is this one of Doctor Who's most successful hours? How does the dialogue and plot logic measure up to the many other jewels in the Philip Hinchcliffe era crown? Then we get to the book -- is Terrance Dicks able to work his usual magic on a script that he seems to find less enjoyable than many others he's adapted in the past?
Si also tries to defend his crown as all-time DWL "20 Questions" champion. Can he break his own record this week?
Later on, Jason walks us through the text of the book and gets the impression that Terrance is rolling his eyes at the story a little more than usual.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
-
Episode 33 - The Brain of Morbius (with Adam Clegg)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 37 minutes and 41 secondsIt's June 1977, and the release of the novelization of a Doctor Who story whose influence is still being felt in the New Series even 45 years later. It's "The Brain of Morbius".
My guest this week is Adam Clegg (@AdamJClegg) of the Real McCoy Podcast, and we both have thoughts about Morbius, and the New Adventures, and the current series, and many, many other topics.
You can also hear Jason this week on the newest episodes of Reality Bomb and Gallifrey's Most Wanted. And check out the night that Trap One took Times Square!
Check out all past episodes of Doctor Who Literature here.
-
Episode 32 - The Ark in Space (with Stacey Smith?)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 35 minutes and 38 secondsJason is joined this week by three-time Doctor Who Literature guest Stacey Smith?, to break down Ian Marter's first novelization, "The Ark in Space". Stacey, who continues to be prolific, recently edited the Outside In volume on Twin Peaks, and, of course, Stacey being Stacey, has several other books in the work. All at once. Other passionate and controversial opinions are exchanged.
Jason then does his close reading of Ian Marter's text of the Ark in Space book. What does Marter do differently from Terrance Books? How do the scenes in the book stack up to those on television? And how much are we looking forward to Marter's next book after this one?
You can check out the full Doctor Who Literature archives here.
-
Episode 31 - The Claws of Axos (with Jan Fennick)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 22 minutes and 19 secondsIt's April 1977, and "The Talons of Weng-Chiang" has just finished its controversial run on TV, but in the books, we are back in the height of the Pertwee era, reading the novelization of 1971's "The Claws of Axos".
My conversation this week is with Jan Fennick, a New York-based Doctor Who fan and writer, and a long-time friend of Jason's. We cover lots of ground -- Long Island geography, stories about U.S. Who fandom in the '80s and '90s, and, of course, "Star Trek" and "Twin Peaks".
Jason then brings us home with a glowing discussion of the magic that Terrance Dicks works on the "Axos" novelization -- perhaps not the greatest episode but certainly one of the more fun and involved books. That makes two books in a row where Terrance is really enjoying himself.
You can find Jan's writing in many places, but especially recommended is Red, White and Who, the book on the history of American "Who" fandom, and the forthcoming Outside In Walks With Fire, in which Jan (but not Jason this time) helps analyze the entirety of "Twin Peaks".
We will be back next week with another episode, but in the meantime, don't forget to check out our full archive here.
-
Episode 30 - The Dalek Invasion of Earth (with John Peel)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 33 minutes and 33 secondsThe March 1977 Target release was the novelization of "The Dalek Invasion of Earth", by Terrance Dicks. This contains perhaps the greatest opening sentence of the entire Target run and shows what Terrance Dicks can do with one of Doctor Who's most iconic hours.
Jason breaks down the text in the first half of the program and uncovers some surprising changes that Terrance made to the original story.Jason is then joined by John Peel, who's written several Dalek novels himself, and we have a wide-ranging conversation through the entirety of Doctor Who history, from "The Daleks" in late 1963, to "Eve of the Daleks" on New Year's Day 2022... and beyond. That starts at about 30:00.
This is the last novelization of a Willian Hartnell episode to be published in the 1970s. It'll be a long wait for the next one, so get your fill now!
-
Episode 29 - The Seeds of Doom (with Philip Hinchcliffe)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 32 minutes and 30 secondsDoctor Who Literature is delighted and overjoyed to bring you Jason's interview with Philip Hinchcliffe, the man who produced "The Seeds of Doom" for television and who then wrote the novelization. This half-hour was one of the high points of Jason's decades as a fan and we couldn't be happier to share it with you.
Our guest conversation this week is with Shannon Dohar (@SDohar), a Doctor Who fan in New York City, whose voice you can also hear on the musical podcasts Deeper Cuts and So Much to Sing About. What was it like reading the novelizations and New Adventures in the US before the New Series hit it big here? What are our thoughts on the Chris Chibnall era? How much does Philip Hinchcliffe and his era's stories mean to us today? Spoiler alert: Quite a bit. And how does Shannon fare on a game of "Twenty Questions"?
Lastly, Jason reviews the "Seeds of Doom" novelizations and talks about the different needs of a six-week TV serial versus a 120-page adaptation.
Special thanks to David Barsky for the production of this episode.
-
Episode 28 - Carnival of Monsters (with Pete Lambert)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 38 minutes and 42 secondsIt's January 1977 and the start of another year of Target books. It's the third straight Terrance Dicks book, and the third Third Doctor book out of the past four. For a slim book, just 119 pages of text, Terrance manages to make a lot of changes from the TV serial.
My guest this week is a returning guest, Pete Lambert (@Prof_Quiteamess). We discuss the linguistics of Polari, the evolution of Jo Grant, and whether or not Drashigs are meant to scurry, or to slither.
In the second half of the program, Jason does a deep dive into the book's text compared to the TV episodes, and finds the changes good. What's the Third Doctor's favorite alcoholic beverage? What extra detail does Terrance add when describing the Doctor's nose? And, if it's 1926, what does that mean for the UNIT dating controversy?
And don't miss Jason's recent moderation of a Trap One episode on the Galaxy 4 DVD animation.
Don't forget to tune in next week for a non-Terrance Dicks, 4th Doctor novelization, in what may prove to be the biggest episode of Doctor Who literature to date!
-
Episode 27 - Pyramids of Mars (with Sadie Miller)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 25 minutes and 12 secondsDelighted to have Sadie Miller on as my first guest this week to discuss her Big Finish audios, her Doctor Who legacy, and this week's episode, Pyramids of Mars.
Joining me on the second half of the program is my good friend Mark from the Trap One Podcast as we discuss the TV story's December 1976 novelization, Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars. What's changed in the book from the TV episodes? How's Jason's grasp of Egyptian geography? How much did it cost Sutekh to ship the Osirian rocket parts from Valley of the Kings to Mick Jagger's estate, using 1911 freight charges? And will Mark be able to break the all-time "20 Questions" show record?
Jason then reviews the Pyramids novelization, and surveys his favorite shows about TV lawyer and judges.
It's Doctor Who Literature's biggest episode yet!
You can also catch Jason on the most recent episode of the Doctor Who Target Book Club Podcast. So much fun to record with Tony and Dalton and discussing another epic Terrance Dicks novelization of a Tom Baker classic.
-
Episode 26 - Planet of the Daleks (with Conrad Westmaas)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 33 minutes and 49 secondsDelighted to welcome to the show this week, for the first time, Conrad Westmaas. We discuss the ethics of adding illustrations to your own Target book copies, the unexpected career intersection between John Abineri and WInona Ryder, and what it's like to hear Paul McGann namecheck your own character on TV. Is Planet of the Daleks a good story?
Conrad also braves a game of "Guess That Cliffhanger!", with surprising results (spoiler: sadly, no cliffhangers involving John Abineri appear this week).
In the second half of the program, Jason discusses the surprisingly extensive differences between the TV story and the slim novelization.
Jason discussed the casting of Ncuti Ghatwa on this past week's episode of the Trap One Podcast. Please check that out as well!
-
Episode 25 - The Space War (with Daniel Knight)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 45 minutes and 19 secondsBREAKING NEWS! Ncuti Gatwa is the new Doctor Who!! ... but this episode was recorded and edited before the announcement, so join me on Trap One later in the week for a deeper analysis.
Welcome to the 25th episode of Doctor Who Literature -- this week is the 49th anniversary of Target's first Doctor Who book releases, and now we're reading their 25th published novelization, "Doctor Who and the Space War", published in September 1976. My guest this week is Daniel Knight, and we discuss the history of TV production in the US, Star Trek, what makes the definitive Malcolm Hulke novelization, and what other Doctor Who podcasts might also be tackling "Frontier in Space" this week.
Daniel joins us for a game of "Guess That Cliffhanger". Can anything in the world stop him now?In the second half, Jason does a close reading of the text. Is this an improvement on the TV story, or perhaps a slight diminution?
The episode features a brief musical cue from The Beastie Boys for Mothers' Day. No copyright infringement is intended.
-
Episode 24 - The Web of Fear (with Bill Evenson)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 30 minutes and 41 secondsWhen Bill Evenson is in the house, anything can happen on the podcast. Today we discuss The Web of Fear, the TV episodes (four of the six of which were famously rediscovered and released in 2013), and the 1976 Terrance Dicks novelization. But we also discuss Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, Mel Brooks, alcohol, the LAX Marriott and Doctor Who convention dealers' rooms, and... more alcohol. Also, one of us can't tell the difference between Rod Steiger and Roy Staiger, but both of us agree that baseball is no substitute for Doctor Who.
Bill is a prodigious talent. You can hear him on just about every episode of Reality Bomb, read him (with co-author, and friend of the program, Stacey Smith?) in Look At The Size of That Thing (never mind the cover art), and hear even more of him as co-host of the Frankenstein Minute podcast.I previously interviewed Bill (and Stacey Smith?) on an episode of Trap One in 2021.
This episode features musical excerpts from the incredible vocal talents of Patti LuPone from the US TV series "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend", and from the film soundtrack of Fiddler on the Roof.
The new documentary Fiddler's Journey to the Big Screen is still playing in Manhattan as this episode releases, and will be touring North America throughout spring 2022. I have no involvement with the film or filmmakers, and its relation to "The Web of Fear" is of course strictly tangential. At best.
-
Episode 23 - Genesis of the Daleks (with Simon Hart)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 34 minutes and 40 secondsThis is the first episode of Doctor Who Literature recorded and aired after the April 2022 premiere of "Legend of the Sea Devils". Hear Jason's review at the top of this episode -- and, for a more balanced view, Jason recently joined a Trap One panel discussing the same episode.
This week, we have our first three-time guest, Mr. Si Hart. We break down, just how good is Genesis of the Daleks? How do you rank the four actors who portrayed Davros on TV? Who does the better dramatic reading from the novelization (hint, it's Si)? And, just how many copies of this novelization is too many to own (hint, that's a very large number)?
Si also joins us for a game of "Guess That Cliffhanger". The results will leave you in suspense.
The episode concludes with Jason's review of the "Genesis of the Daleks" novelization.
Featured throughout are selections from D'Oyly Carte productions of Gilbert & Sullivan's, HMS Pinafore and Pirates of Penzance.
-
Episode 22 - Revenge of the Cybermen (with David Barsky)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 47 minutes and 7 secondsMay 1976 saw the release of "Doctor Who and the Revenge of the Cybermen". It's the third novelization of a Tom Baker episode -- all by Terrance Dicks so far -- and the third novelization of a Cybermen episode -- but this is the first one by Terrance and the first one NOT written by Gerry Davis. David Barsky joins us in the first half to talk about how he got into television, where his career has taken him, and where Doctor Who fits in. We both give contrarian takes on "Revenge of the Cybermen" the TV story, and have a lot of fun sharing our opinions on Christopher Robbie's controversial Cyberleader. We then discuss passages from the book, and marvel over how much it strays, at times, from the TV version. We're also debuting a new game here on Doctor Who Literature. How does Barsky fare on the premiere edition of "Guess That Cliffhanger"? We'll leave you in suspense until you listen... In the second half, Jason tackles the text of the novelization, and tries to figure out where this fits among Terrance's previous adaptations. And be sure to join us next week for another guest, another novelization, and another thrilling game.
-
Episode 21 - The Ice Warriors (with Frazer Gregory)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 29 minutes and 50 secondsIt's March 1976, and, it's not the first Target novelization to feature The Ice Warriors, but it is the novelization of their very first TV adventure. It's Brian Hayles' second, and, sadly, final, Target novelization.
After a discussion of the news this week in New York City-based Doctor Who fandom, Jason welcomes back to the show Frazer Gregory, to discuss the Ice Warriors novelization. The two of us exchange dramatic readings of favorite passages, discuss how well Hayles captured the 2nd Doctor in print, along with all the other supporting characters and monsters. We come at this book from different perspectives, having discovered it at very different times in our lives. And Frazer makes a run at becoming the King of 20 Questions on Doctor Who Literature... can he do it?
Jason concludes with his review of the Ice Warriors novelization. And we'll see you next week!
-
Episode 20 - The Dinosaur Invasion (with Lewis Baston)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 36 minutes and 14 secondsThis week Jason is joined by Lewis Baston, author of a forthcoming Obverse Books' Black Archive book on the Doctor Who serial "The Sun Makers", to talk about Malcolm Hulke's February 1976 novelization of "Invasion of the Dinosaurs"... but, fear not, we get plenty of talk in about "The Sun Makers", too.
Later on, Jason breaks down all the ways, plot-wise and dialogue-wise, and tone-wise, how the novelization differs so greatly from the TV serial.
Along the way, we also discuss Von Daniken, play a game of 20 Questions, and give a look at the new trailer for Doctor Who: "Legend of the Sea Devils".
-
Bonus Episode - Escape to Danger (with Robin Bland)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 14 minutes and 2 secondsHappy April 1st to all our listeners. This week, our read-through of the Peter Cushing novelizations, by Observe Books, reaches "Escape to Danger", a short-story anthology adapting all six episodes from Cushing's wildly successful second radio series as Dr. Who. What happens when Robert Holmes turns his hand to the Cushing Universe characters?
You won't want to miss Jason's breakdown of the first two short stories in this collection.
You can find "Escape to Danger" (edited by Robin Bland) from the good people at Observe Books. The Cushing novelizations are no joke!
-
Episode 19 - The Tenth Planet (with Ross from Gallifrey's Most Wanted)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 39 minutes and 19 secondsIt's February 1976, and "Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet". The first Hartnell-episode novelization published in ten years, a novelization of the first Cyberman TV adventure... and William Hartnell's last full story.
Ross from "Gallifrey's Most Wanted" rejoins Jason to talk about how this book compares to childhood memories. We also take a grand tour through all of Doctor Who -- TV, books, Big Finish, and even some non-Doctor Who-related content. Ross really knows his stuff and it's always a thrill discussing the entirety of Doctor Who with him.
In the second half of the show, Jason (plagued by some really bad microphones and audio quality -- please bear with me!) works through the text of the novelization. What does Gerry Davis do with the by-now ten-year-old TV scripts? How do the Antarctic landscape, the Cybermen costume and voices, and the generation of the First Doctor into the Second, work in the book, compared to how we would have seen them on TV?
-
Episode 18 - The Loch Ness Monster (with Simon Hart)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 32 minutes and 4 secondsIt's January 1976, and season 2 of Doctor Who Literature begins with a look at Terrance Dicks' second novelization of a Tom Baker episode: Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster, a quick-to-print adaptation of the Season 13 series premiere, "Terror of the Zygons".
Jason is joined at the top of the hour by Simon Hart (@SiHart) as we discuss how Terrance's novelization differs in many key ways from the TV broadcast. What do Doctor Who monsters sound like when we're reading these books as kids, before having seen the TV story in question? Did Si remember to charge his laptop before the recording started? And can Jason stump Si in a game of "20 Questions"?
In the second half of the program, Jason takes his signature close look at Terrance Dicks' writing style. Is this book a mere transcript of the TV episodes, devoid of extra insights or observational humor? Far, far from it.
This hour features a musical snippet from Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.
-
Bonus Episode - Lynda Baron tribute (with Joe Ford) and Collecting the Targets (with Dale Santos)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 31 minutes and 32 secondsWe take a break between Seasons 1 and 2 of the program -- as we're in between the 1975 and 1976 books -- and reflect on the passing of Lynda Baron, one of the great "Doctor Who" guest performers (1966, 1983, 2011). What are the best verses of "The Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon"? What happens when the Target novelization of "Enlightenment" is missing a key scene? And, worst of all, what happens when Jason lets Joe solo-host the show for a minute? I mean, what could possibly go wrong...
We also premiere an interview with Dale Santos, a prolific collector of Target novelizations and original cover art, who explores with us the roots of his collection. How many different cover variants of Target books are there? What happened to the original cover paintings?
Regular programming resumes with "Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster" next week, but this bonus content is not to be missed.
-
Episode 17 - The Three Doctors (with Mark from Trap One)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 39 minutes and 58 secondsIt's the last novelization of 1975, and the end of the first season of Doctor Who Literature. In a slight format change, Jason goes deep into the memory banks to explain a curious notation that he wrote on the inside cover of the book back in 1985.
We're joined then by Jason's good friend Mark from the Trap One Podcast to discuss what the novelization of "The Three Doctors" means to us. Plus many other stories of having met now-deceased Doctor Who greats at conventions over the years, and how has the language of fandom changed over the years, and what makes a multi-Doctor story tick, and, does "Twice Upon a Time" count as a multi-Doctor story?And, after the interview with Mark, Jason goes deep to discuss what changes Terrance made between screen and script. Is this book better or worse than Jason remembered it from his last read-through? What is the significance of the words "purple" and "flute"? And where, oh, where is the First Doctor?
-
Episode 16 - Planet of the Spiders (with Graeme Burk)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 49 minutes and 48 secondsWe open by paying tribute to two big names from the Doctor Who family who we lost this past week, an actor from the 1970s and a writer from the 1960s.
In the first part of the program, Jason -- having run out of blog posts to adapt, had to write half of this week's script from scratch -- takes us on a journey through Terrance Dicks' word-pictures, editorial additions and omissions, and lyrical evocation of the senses, in his novelization of "Planet of the Spiders", which is set half on a planet of the spiders, and half on a planet of the Buddhists.
In the second part of the program, Jason is joined by Graeme Burk from "Reality Bomb" to discuss the book, the origins of our Target collections, Graeme's memorable weekend with Terrance Dicks in the year 2000, whether or not the Eighth Doctor Adventures books stand the test of time... and Graeme joins me in a new segment, a game of Twenty Questions, before announcing his latest book.
Please listen to the special Terrance Dicks episode of Reality Bomb.You can also find some of Graeme's acclaimed Doctor Who non-fiction here.
This week's episode features the vocal talents of Dooley Wilson.
-
Episode 15 - The Green Death (with Hannah Long)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 45 minutes and 11 secondsWelcome to a special recorded-at-Gallifrey-One-in-Los-Angeles edition of Doctor Who Literature. While Jason the Brooklyn boy is somewhat out of his element in this big big city, he's joined long-distance by a fellow Brooklynite to discuss Malcolm Hulke's glorious August 1975 paean to the common man and laborer.
The first half of the book features Jason's breakdown of the text of the book, adapted from a three-part blog post originally published in February 2017.
The second half sees Hannah Long, a freelance writer and commentator, discuss "Doctor Who and the Green Death" from a different perspective to Jason's own, but they do find a lot of common ground to like about the book. You can find Hannah's writings about Doctor Who here and please look her up on Twitter as well.This episode features musical selections from the legendary Woody Guthrie and the incomparable Mandy Patinkin.
-
Episode 14 - Terror of the Autons (with Eric Gjovaag)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 40 minutes and 53 secondsIt's May 1975, and Terrance Dicks' second book in three months. Will his increased writers' output affect his style, descriptive powers, wit, pizzazz? ... obviously not. This book is tremendous and actually an improvement over the TV serial in several spots.
In the first half of the episode, Jason breaks down why this novelization is such an upgrade from TV, and why the mere act of opening the book brings a lump to his throat.
In the second half, Jason is joined by a very old internet friend from the rec.arts.drwho days, Eric Gjovaag. Eric tells some wild stories about the old days of American Doctor Who fandom in the 1980s and '90s, and these are not to be missed.
You can find Erc's own Wizard of Oz book and other Oz writings, as well as his long-running Oz homepage, and his Doctor Who fan club's page.
-
Episode 13 - The Giant Robot (with Stacey Smith?)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 36 minutes and 7 secondsIt's Episode Lucky-Number-Thirteen. Doctor Who and the Giant Robot is one of our favorite novelizations from childhood, a slim volume -- the shortest Target book to date -- but it's held an outsized influence over Jason's life, since he first read it over 35 years ago. What about this little book is so magical? Why should it still be widely read today?
In the first half of the episode, Jason takes you on journey through the book's text. Terrance Dicks uses fewer words here, in the March 1975 release, than in his earlier books, but pulls no punches, and works his usual craft in adapting the teleplays while never missing a wicked character aside or sharp internal thought.
In the second half, we're rejoined by Stacey Smith?, a prolific Doctor Who non-fiction writer and editor, making her second appearance on Doctor Who Literature. How did Stacey come to get this book co-signed by the wrong Doctor? Is this book more memorable than its parent TV story? How do the book's politics play out in this tumultuous world of 2022?
This episode features Simon & Garfunkel's "Hazy Shade of Winter" (not featuring Miss Winters... or Arnold Jellicoe).
-
Episode 12 - The Cybermen (with Pete Lambert)
Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 37 minutes and 20 secondsDoctor Who Literature turns to Jason's first novelization, Doctor Who and the Cybermen, which Jason first read -- all in one day -- on Super Bowl Sunday 1985. Thirty-seven years later and the book's prose, vocabulary, and descriptive powers, are still unmatched.
In the first half of the episode, Jason breaks down what makes Gerry Davis' writing style so good, and fortunately there are many more Davis novelizations to come.
In the second half, we're joined by Pete Lambert, a good friend from the Trap One Podcast. We talk about how influential this book was to us as young readers, what other classic book series we moved away from once the Doctor entered our lives, and how the Target books would stack up against today's YA fiction. What is the significance of the word "radiophonic" to the text? Who exactly in the story as a "fetish", and what's it about? And why are there Welsh shepherds on the moon? A truly fun and relaxed conversation, and we can't wait to have Pete back on again soon.