Tin Dog Podcast

Description:

tin-dog@hotmail.co.uk The Tin Dog welcomes you to sit back and listen to his rants and ramblings about all that is best in modern SF and Television. Via the gift of the new fangled Podcast over the tinterweb. As you can probably guess Tin Dog mostly talks about Doctor Who, Torchwood and Sarah Jane Smith but that wont stop him talking about any other subject you suggest. Hailing from a non specific part of the northeast of England, Tin Dog is male and in his mid 30s. A life long fan of almost all TV SF. His semi-autistic tendencies combined with his total lack of social skills have helped him find a place in the heart of British SF Fandom. Even as a child the Tin Dogs mother told him that she can trace his love of SF TV back to his rhythmic kicking, while still in the womb, along to the beat of the Avengers theme music. From Gabriel Chase to Totters Lane, from the Bad Wolf Satellite to the back streets of the Cardiff, Tin Dog will give you his thoughts on the wonderful Whoniverse. Daleks and Cybermen and TARDIS ES Oh My If you enjoy these Tin Dog Podcasts please remember to tell your friends and leave an email tin-dog@hotmail.co.uk

Homepage: http://tin-dog.co.uk

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Tin Dog Podcast Episodes

• TDP 1366: TV #DoctorWho The Interstellar song contest REVIEW #DisneyWho

  20 May 2025 (6:53am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 22 minutes and 45 seconds

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    Synopsis After two  hijack the control gallery of the  and eject the audience into space,  and  must race to stop them from broadcasting a  to 3 trillion viewers. Plot In the year ,  steps out of cryogenic suspension and onto the stage as the   begins in the  space station, with the  and  exiting the  at the same time in order to take a  reading. As the reading finishes they turn to the stage, notice where they are, and unanimously decide that they're staying to watch the festivities. The opening ceremonies include commercials for the contest's sponsor . , also in the audience, watches the Doctor and Belinda from afar and is delighted to see that the Vindicator is primed, calling it "the final link". Meanwhile married couple  and , having arrived late, bicker over their seats being taken by the Doctor and Belinda. A , , storms backstage and seizes control of the production booth along with another Hellion worker, . The pair detain everyone present and swap over the livestream to the recording of the dress rehearsal in order to keep the outside world from realising anything is wrong. However, the Doctor notices that Rylan (who missed the dress) is present on stage but not on the television feed, and begins fiddling with wiring near his seat. As the first song plays, Kid disengages the space station safety protocols and evacuates the air in the main area, sending the vast majority of the audience careening out into space, the Doctor and the TARDIS amongst them. Contestant  and her associate  are spared when Wynn surreptitiously seals their pod, and Belinda manages to hang on after being thrown against the ceiling of hers, but they are seemingly the only survivors. With the arena "purged", Kid initiates the final phase of his plan, bringing out a device that will generate a . However, since the  is still intact, backstage director  tries to persuade Wynn that they could still save everyone. Belinda exits the seats and meets up with Cora and Len, who explain to her that the station is in communication lockdown until the scheduled end of the show to prevent manipulation of the betting markets. There's no way for them to call for help. Len finds Hellion script in a nearby terminal and tells Belinda "people say" Hellions have fearsome psychic powers and practise cannibalism, prompting Cora to defend them. As the Doctor freezes in space, an image bursts into his mind: his granddaughter, . She tells him to go back, to find her. He comes to, grabbing a nearby  and propelling himself back to the airlock where Mike and Gary let him in and revive him. The trio talk about how everyone is frozen but not dead, and the  was increased by the Doctor, so theoretically everyone is still in range of the station. Scanning through a nearby terminal, the Doctor finds out that the hellions are uploading a delta wave to transmit with the song contest, potentially killing all three trillion viewers across the galaxy. Searching for a , they come across a museum dedicated to the song contest's history, complete with holographic . As Kid notices people interfering with the systems he attempts to contact them, speaking with the Doctor, Belinda's group managing to eavesdrop on their exchanges of threats. Cora sees Wynn in the background and reacts, prompting Len to inquire further. Cora confesses that she's a Hellion who cut her own horns off and says that their peaceful planet was destroyed by , makers of PoppyHoney. Kid intends to get revenge on every viewer of the Song Contest, as being complicit in the sponsoring Corporation's crimes. Cora convinces Len to help them stop Kid, but he blames her for lying to him throughout their songwriting partnership and says he will no longer work with her after this crisis is over. The Doctor appears on the bridge and dismantles the delta wave, distracting Kid with a hologram. He then, frustrated with the level of damage Kid wished to inflict on the galaxy - three trillion deaths, injured him repeatedly, using  holograms to inflict pain, only stopping when Belinda and Cora entered the production booth. The Doctor puts Gary and Mike to work grabbing everyone suspended in the mavity field using hard light and then utilizing Rylan's cryochamber to safely revive them. As the majority of the attendees filter into the main chamber once more, Rylan explains that the contest is obviously null and void, but there's one contestant left that he wants everyone to hear - Cora. Cora tells everyone that she's a hellion, that the Corporation tried to bury her song and story, and sings for the galaxy. Applause echoes and the crowd is moved to tears. The Doctor and Belinda find the TARDIS in the museum, brought in by contest staff. In their conversation, they mention the earth, prompting the hologram Graham Norton to appear and mention that the earth was destroyed on   for unknown reasons, everything used for the song contest were sifted from the wreckage. The pair run back into the TARDIS and with a fully primed Vindicator pilot the TARDIS directly back to when they left. As they do so, however, the  chimes, and the TARDIS groans, an explosion rocking the TARDIS doors off their hinges. Mrs Flood is the last of the attendees to be brought back aboard the space station, and immediately is concerned as to whether the Doctor is still around. When she learns that he's gone, she begins to , her double brainstem having frozen, splitting into two, a . The new incarnation identifies herself as , acting dismissive of her earlier incarnation, while Mrs Flood begins to defer to her. Taking the readings of the Vindicator, the new Rani says that she'll bring the Doctor absolute terror, and marches off, her prior self in tow. Cast  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -  Drone Guards - , , ,  And  as  Introducing  as  Crew  

  
  

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• TDP 1358: OCAS - PILOT REVIEW BIG FINISH ORIGINAL

  17 May 2025 (5:00am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 12 minutes and 32 seconds

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      Greed is a sickness. In the mid-21st century, the country has changed. Following a populist revolution, which brought down the entire system of government, society now aims to be more compassionate and equitable. Poverty is a distant memory, public services are properly funded, and separation between 'haves' and 'have-not' is a thing of the past. Those responsible for the corruption of the old world - people who abandoned moral principles in pursuit of wealth and power - have been diagnosed with a disorder: Obsessive Capital Accumulation Syndrome (OCAS). They have been removed from society to undergo treatment and rehabilitation, and without them, the nation has flourished. Making a documentary to commemorate the anniversary of May '33, Leo interviews those who were at the centre of events twenty years before. But as he scratches the surface of the new regime, he finds that the official history does not tell all. Britain may strive to be better for everyone - but utopia comes at a price. This release includes over ten minutes of behind-the-scenes interviews.    

  
  

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• TDP 1365: TV #DoctorWho The Story and The Engine #DisneyWho Review

  14 May 2025 (6:28am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 22 minutes and 47 seconds

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    Synopsis When  and  land in  for another  reading, the Doctor goes to a  to meet an old . There, he discovers a mysterious  trapping the patrons, feeding  with their stories. Plot  sits in a chair, getting a haircut, and tells a story about  the , his village saved by the mysterious man in the blue box. As he speaks, images splay out on the wall behind him, depicting his story to the men listening eagerly. As he finishes, they all look at a pair of lights on the wall in tense anticipation, relaxing when they switch from red to green. Omo tells the others not to worry, the Doctor always comes, and the light switches back to red, alarms blare, and the room shakes.  insists that the  take her home, and he suggests that they head to , , the communications hub of , and a place he loves - home of his favorite barbershop. Belinda expresses confusion at this - the  can do his hair; but he explains that it's about community, about being himself, since it's the first time he's ever been a black man. Belinda understands and sends him off to enjoy himself in Lagos after he takes a  reading. The Doctor winds his way through a market, greeting everyone as he passes, before he comes to his friend Omo's barbershop, , finding those assembled in the middle of a story. As the door closes behind him an alarm goes off in the TARDIS, alerting Belinda that something has gone wrong. The Doctor notices that everyone present is on missing posters outside, and he watches as the man's hair grows back. The light in the barbershop flashes to red, people scramble to decide who still has a story left, and someone sits down, telling the story of  and a , of music and of time. As images flicker on the wall, the Doctor looks on in wonder, and asks how it works, begins testing by throwing out words from his travels. But it has to be a story, it has to be with a haircut. A new  has taken over the shop, he came one day, and as if by magic the shop became his. A woman enters the barbershop, , bringing food, the door closes behind her, and an alarm in the TARDIS sounds again. The Doctor recognizes her, but can't place her. The light switches to red again, and the Doctor sits down, telling the most powerful story he knows, not of  or , but of an ordinary life. Of Belinda Chandra doing her job, helping someone all night long, even on her grandmother's birthday, a simple gesture of thanks two weeks later. Abby watches a screen in another room, seeing it lighting up, noting that they're accelerating, as the story ends. The Barber is impressed with the power of his stories, and tells Abby when she comes out that they need to recalibrate . Omo asks if they can be let free now that the Doctor has come, his stories being effective, his hair having grown in the interim more than any of theirs. But Abby locks the door and the pair leave. The TARDIS sounds an alarm yet again, this time showing Belinda an image of the barbershop. The Doctor is furious that Omo betrayed him, is willing to trap him here, and refuses to listen as everyone tries to tell him not to open the door. He forces it open with his sonic screwdriver, finding a vacuum on the other side. A vacuum with only giant web and a large spider traversing it, the barbershop on the back of the spider. The Doctor closes the door with great effort, and the Barber emerges from the backroom, explaining that the shop is in Lagos and in outer space at the same time, only Abby and himself able to travel between. Outside, Belinda finds herself lost, but is pointed towards the shop by a , entering it, glad to see the Doctor. Reunited, the pair confront the Barber, calling him a coward who hides his face, having no real power. Rising to the taunt, the Barber names himself, calling himself , , , , , the god of stories. The pair burst out laughing - the Doctor has met Bastet, Sága, Dionysus, Anansi. He's partied with them, Anansi even tricked him to marry his daughter. This man isn't any of them. And so the man admits, he's the person who did their work for them. Wherever the gods went, he took their stories, cleaned them up, refined them, wrote them down, all for humans to repeat them, to keep the gods alive. Without him the gods would not exist. The web outside is his creation as well, the , a web that connects cultures and ideas. He was so successful that the gods abandoned him, and now he wants vengeance. The engine winds down, so much power drained from the Doctor opening the door. Abby criticizes him, and the Doctor recognizes her at last - Anansi's daughter, Abena. He's sorry that he was unable to help her, but he was a  at the time, and had his own story. The light turns red, and the Barber insists the Doctor tell a story. The Doctor refuses, demanding to know what vengeance is being planned. The Barber relents - he plans to cut out the gods from memory when he reaches the center of the nexus, erasing them from existence. The Doctor is horrified, this will damage humanity, as it will harm their ability to tell stories, to pass down information, insisting that this is horrific. He refuses to sit down and speak, he won't let the spider go further. As the shop descends into chaos, everyone arguing, Abena proclaims that she will tell a story, and begins to braid the Doctor's hair. And she tells a story of plantation slaves transmitting information through the braids on their hair, maps to freedom for anyone who could escape, hidden in a place where the overseers would never check. As the battery stabilizes, the Doctor and Belinda run into the back room, finding themselves in a maze, a maze for which the Doctor has the map on his head. The pair come to a room full of artifacts from various cultures and the ship's engine, an engine that runs on stories, a heart inside a brain. The Barber enters the room behind them, having cut Abena off from the outside, the Doctor disrupting the flow of power, slowing the spider down but not stopping it. The Barber insists that the Doctor has done nothing. So the Doctor suggests that they consider , who wrote a story in six words. The Doctor's six word story is "I'm born. I die. I'm born." And energy begins to flow into the engine, never-ending energy, as his past lives flicker across the screens. But the Doctor has disrupted the engine, it can't process the power. He tells the Barber that now it's his choice - he can save the people in the shop by opening the door. But the engine will disintegrate. The Barber unlocks the door and Omo, Adena and the rest out front escape. The Doctor sends Belinda back as he sits with the Barber, talking to him, convincing him that he still has more to live for. The pair escape the shop at the last moment as it collapses, the engine exploding, destroying the spider it rode on. Omo apologizes to the Doctor, and says that he should have protected the Doctor, they're part of the same community. The two make up. Omo gives the Barber his shop, saying that he's retiring, and gives him a name, his father's name, . Adétòkunbo steps back into the barbershop, now his. The Doctor and Belinda step back into the TARDIS, one step closer to home. Cast  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -  Crew          ,  and  with  and                             by   •   by   Music  by   •  Assistant to  -    •   performed by               General production staff  for the  -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   - ,   - ,   -  Script department  -   -  Camera and lighting department  - ,   -   -   - ,   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   - , , ,  Art department  - ,   - ,   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   - ,   -   - , , , , , ,   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   - ,   -   - , ,   - ,   - , , , , , , , , , , ,  Costume department  -   -  Make-up and prosthetics Movement  -   -   -  Casting  -   -  General post-production staff  -   -   -   -   -  Special and visual effects  -   -   -   -   - ,   -  Sound  -   -   -   -                                                            Not every person who worked on this adventure was credited. The absence of a credit for a position doesn't necessarily mean the job wasn't required. The information above is based solely on observations of the actual end credits of the episodes as broadcast, and does not relay information from IMDB or other sources.     Worldbuilding  claims to be , , , , and . In return, the Doctor relates encounters he had with all of those deities: winning a bet against Anansi, having a drinking contest with Dionysus that caused a  in , watching  movies with Sága, and losing a game of  to Bastet. The  has a large collection of artefacts related to stories. The room of shelves includes a  , several , a  statue of , a life-sized statue of a bearded man, , a helmet, copies of , , and , and a statue of a . The area around the heart has a statue of a dancing  goddess, a , a , a statue of an , a model , several , , and a . Notes The episode has a smooth transition from the "" into the , with the title sequence first appearing in the shop window, and then the camera slowly zooming closer until the image fills the frame and the window fades away. The title of the episode was revealed on official social media on  . On , the prequel short story , also written by , was published on the . Some of the artwork from it was shown on the shop window in this episode when  was telling his story of the Doctor. The story shares many themes and ideas with other work by Ellams. The 2017 play Barber Shop Chronicles prominently explored  as places of friendship and culture. It featured many barber shops, including one in . A version of the story about  and the  was part of this play. The 2019 play The Half-God of Rainfall depicted a world in which the gods of all religions coexist as separate figures who interact and fight with each other.  appeared, presented as the  of stories. Ellams viewed the character  as echoing the title character of this play, as both are newly-invented children of gods. The 2020 poetry book The Actual had a poem about the Yo-Yo Ma story, as well as a poem comparing rapping to time travel which mentions Doctor Who. The Yo-Yo Ma anecdote is based on the musician's trip to  which was filmed for the 1993 documentary Distant Echoes: Yo-Yo Ma & the Kalahari Bushmen. For the UK debut on , the episode was first released as an audio description version only. The standard version of the episode was then released a few minutes later. Episode writer  appears as a , marking the second time a person has written and acted in the same episode, following  in  [+].  as  and  as the  were omitted from the advance credits. The  anecdote of challenging him to write a story in six words appears to be referencing 'For sale: baby shoes, never worn.', a story misattributed to Hemingway. Myths to be added Filming locations to be added Ratings to be added Production errors If you'd like to talk about narrative problems with this story — like plot holes and things that seem to contradict other stories — please go to . to be added   The Doctor uses the , as he previously did in :  [+], :  [+], :  [+] and :  [+]. 's cameo, for the first time, occurs in a flashback rather than the present, in the story the Doctor recounts about how Belinda saved a  life. She's seen walking down the hallway just before Belinda meets the patient again and is given flowers. The Doctor recognises Abby from his encounter with  when he was the , indicating he now has access to some of the memories that were erased by . Belinda sees an apparition of  just before she reaches the barber shop. When she later tells the Doctor about seeing a little girl, he guesses it was due to stories from the Story Engine leaking out. When the Doctor overcharges the engine with his endless story, it is shown with clips of the  from :  [+], the  in :  [+], the  in :  [+], the  in :  [+], the  in :  [+], the  in :  [+] with audio from :  [+], audio of the  from :  [+], the  in :  [+], the  in :  [+], the  in :  [+], the  in :  [+], , , and the  in :  [+] (saying the line heard earlier), the  in :  [+] and the  in :  [+]. Clips of the  in :  [+], the  in : "" [+], the Twelfth Doctor in :  [+] and a still of the Fifteenth Doctor in :  [+] appear in the background of the following scene. in article: External links Official  page on  Footnotes  @BBC (2025-03-22). . YouTube. Archived from  on 2025-03-22.   (2025-05-08). . . Archived from  on 2025-05-08.  Amanda-Rae Prescott (2025-05-10). . Den of Geek. Archived from  on 2025-05-11.  . BBC One. Archived from  on 2025-04-30.

  
  

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• TDP 1351: 1. Zygon Century: Infiltration Worlds of #DoctorWho REVIEW

  10 May 2025 (5:04am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 12 minutes and 55 seconds

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    The Zygons have come to claim the Earth, and this time they're playing the long game. For the Black Cadre have a plan, a plan that will take exactly one hundred years to come to fruition. Prepare yourselves... the Zygon Century has begun! 1901: The Unknowing Mirror by Jonathan Barnes In Edwardian London, that scandalous investigator of occult phenomena, Mr Herbert Scott, and his associate, Father Felix Cromwell, are confronted by a case of possession. A young woman, suffering from unusually vivid dreams, seems also to exhibit signs of a completely separate personality. Another being is speaking through her, a being which claims not to be from Earth at all, a being which calls itself... Zygon. 1935: The Miracle of Pendour Cove by Lauren Mooney and Stewart Pringle Freddie Trewella has found a mermaid, beautiful and strange, washed ashore in a Cornish bay. He names her Vorvoren, and she comforts him in his harsh life of servitude to a zealot father. As they grow together, Vorvoren shows Freddie her secret power, to change her appearance into anything she desires. But Freddie has secrets of his own, terrible secrets, and soon Vorvoren's great adventure among the humans becomes a nightmarish fight for survival... 1957: Double Agent by Trevor Baxendale In an England gripped by Cold War paranoia, wounded MI5 operative Caldwell is itching to rejoin the fray abroad. So why are the service sending him to a remote Cornish island? Can the future of the world really be at stake? Will he be able to complete his mission without falling foul of the hideous monsters stalking the caves? And who exactly is the island's other new arrival: an operative of quite a different kind, known only as the Doctor? **Please note: The Miracle of Pendour Cove contains depictions of domestic violence which we strongly advise is not suitable for younger listeners**

  
  

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• TDP 1364: TV #Doctorwho review Lucky Day

  6 May 2025 (1:35pm GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 17 minutes and 58 seconds

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    Lucky Day (Doctor Who) 3 languages Tools         Appearance  hide Text Small Standard Large Width Standard Wide Color (beta) Automatic Light Dark   From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 316 – "Lucky Day"  episode Promotional title-card Cast  –   –   –  Others Benjamin Chivers – Young Conrad Kirsty Hoiles – Moira Clark  – Conrad Clark Gethin Alderman – The Shreek Kareem Alexander – Jordan Lang  – Carla Sunday  – Cherry Sunday  – Louise Miller Madison Stock – Elsa Paddy Stafford – Sparky Blake Anderson – Jack Aoife Gaston – Michelle  – Alfie Michael Woodford – Derek  –  Alexander Devrient – Colonel Christofer Ibrahim Tina Gray – Audrey  – Shirley Bingham  –   – Herself  – Himself  – Herself Calypso Cragg – Influencer 2 James Craven – Influencer 3 Selorm Adonu – Influencer 1 Aidan Cook – The Vlinx  – Voice of the Vlinx  – Mrs Flood Production Directed by Written by Script editor David Cheung Produced by Vicki Delow Executive producer(s) Joel Collins Music by Series Running time 46 minutes First broadcast 3 May 2025 Chronology ← Preceded by "" Followed by → "" "Lucky Day" is the fourth episode of the  of the  series . It was written by , and was directed by . The episode was released on , , and  on 3 May 2025. It features the return of companion  (), who plays a leading role in the episode opposite Conrad Clark (), with both the  () and  (), the series' main leads, only appearing briefly. The episode focuses on Ruby, who begins a relationship with Conrad as she attempts to find her place in the world after leaving the Doctor. When it is revealed that Conrad wants to "expose"  for their goals being "fake", Ruby and  have to deal with the repercussions of Conrad's actions. The episode was devised by showrunner , with Davies enlisting McTighe to write the episode. He used the episode to explore Ruby and Kate's characters while also exploring the "the spread of online hatred" and its effects. The episode's monster, the Shreek, was based off of McTighe's childhood fears of dog-like creatures in the dark, with the creature being portrayed via costume and an animatronic head. Filming took place in November 2023 and it was  with the . The episode received positive reviews from critics, who highlighted Gibson's performance, the twist regarding Conrad's true identity, and the episode's social commentary, but were more critical of underdeveloped plotlines in the episode, as well as the execution of Conrad as an antagonist. Plot []  and  arrive on New Year's Day, 2007, and meet eight-year-old Conrad. Following this, Conrad investigates sightings of the Doctor and the , seeing a younger Doctor with his then-companion  in 2024, where he is marked as prey by a creature called the Shreek. In 2025, after stopping travelling with the Doctor, Ruby gives Conrad about her encounters with extraterrestrial life an interview on his podcast. They start dating and she gives him an antidote to act against him being marked by the Shreek, which has been recently captured by . At a weekend away at Conrad's home village, Ruby fears she is in danger and tells Conrad she is suffering from  following her experiences with the Doctor. Two Shreek appear in pursuit of Conrad, who admits he did not take the antidote. Ruby calls UNIT and their leader  to the village. The Shreek are revealed to be fake, part of a setup orchestrated by Conrad, whose relationship with Ruby was a ploy, against UNIT. A scandal breaks and Conrad and his followers continue to perpetuate disinformation about the non-existence of aliens, discrediting UNIT. After Conrad publishes details of UNIT employees, Kate realises he has an insider in UNIT. The insider sneaks Conrad into the building. Alerted to his presence, Kate allows Conrad to reach the command floor, where he livestreams his intrusion. In order to expose Conrad's lies Kate releases the Shreek, which hunts Conrad. With the Shreek attacking him, Conrad admits on his livestream he has been lying about UNIT. Ruby stuns the Shreek, although it manages to injure Conrad's arm. Public sentiment turns in UNIT's favour, though Colonel Ibrahim tells Kate that she went too far by releasing the Shreek. Ruby decides to get away to overcome her trauma, and Kate offers her support when she is ready to talk. Conrad is imprisoned and the Doctor berates him for harming Ruby and his friends. Conrad asks the Doctor if he has yet met Belinda, who the Doctor has not, since that's his future. The Doctor tells Conrad that he will die in prison and be forgotten by history. However, after the Doctor leaves Conrad, Mrs Flood releases him. Production [] Development [] Showrunner  wished to include an episode discussing the spread of "toxic, online hatred", and contacted writer  to write the script. McTighe had previously written episodes under former showrunner . When writing the episode, he said that he wanted to take the opportunity to explore what happens to a  after they leave , feeling that it had infrequently been done in the past. McTighe described the episode as a mix between , , and . He also compared one of the main settings to Devil's End from the 1971 serial  and the fact that it was a Ruby-centric story to the 2024 episode "". Ruby was referred to as having  following her time with the Doctor, which Davies wanted to portray in the episode. The episode also allowed McTighe to explore Kate's character further, with her willingness to go too far being something that McTighe stated would have further repercussions "beyond this episode, beyond this season, even beyond this show." McTighe developed the Shreek off the idea of a "four-legged, creeping animal", leaning into his childhood fears about dog-like creatures in the dark. He made its motivations simple, with a desire to hunt, to make a monster that could not be reasoned with and terrifying. Prior to this, the Shreek were first mentioned in Caged, a 2024 Doctor Who novel by . McTighe also included a number of  to past episodes and . "Lucky Day" is a "Doctor-lite" episode, which Davies stated required them to find "inventive ways" to include the Doctor, one of which is a  to a story set in the . The  took place at  on 7 November 2023. Casting [] The episode starred  (left) and  (right) as  and Conrad Clark.  returns as outgoing series regular and former companion . It is the first of two appearances that Gibson is set to make during the , as well as her first appearance since the 2024 Christmas special, "". In July 2024, at the Doctor Who  panel, it was officially announced that  had been cast in a role that would be involved in Ruby's character arc. Further details later revealed that Hauer-King would portray Conrad, a  and Ruby's boyfriend.  and  also make brief appearances as the  of  and his companion, , respectively.  who plays Alfie previously held the role of the Castellan in "" (1983).  reprised her role as newsreader Trinity Wells.  appears as herself, a Welsh presenter on  interviewing Conrad. The remainder of the guest cast includes , , , , Alexander Devrient, and , as well as  in a voice role. Filming and production design [] The primary Shreek costume was constructed using  molds and , with the final molds eventually being injected with  and painted. The Shreek uses an animatronic head. The Shreek costumes used in the episode by Conrad's friends were designed as derivative versions of the primary Shreek costume. The design team at Millenium FX had a designer look at the primary Shreek costume once and then construct the derivative version from memory to reflect the costumes' in-universe construction. The team had to make the costumes look convincing while also looking like "rubber costumes", which proved a challenge. The Shreek performers are unable to see inside the mask, requiring outside direction for the actors to know where they need to go. The inclusion of  in the scene where Conrad explores the abandoned department store featuring the Shreek was a result of McTighe wanting to include a callback to the first episode of Doctor Who's revived era, "" (2005), which featured living mannequins called .  Pame Downe designed Ruby's outfits with dark blue and green colors, which Gibson felt were "more mature colors". One of her outfits included a pinstripe suit and pants that Gibson said was reminiscent of one of 's previous outfits in the series. Filming occurred in the Welsh village of  (pictured). "Lucky Day" is directed by . The episode was placed in the second production block of the fifteenth series with the first episode, "", and followed recording of "Joy to the World" in the block immediately preceding. The two episodes in this block were filmed concurrently by utilizing a .  for the episode began on 14 November 2023. Gibson and Hauer-King were spotted filming scenes together two days later.  was done in  on 24 November. The production team made use of  for the aforementioned abandoned department store scene, which was similarly used as a filming location in "Rose". For the scenes set in the village, the town of , was used with recording taking place from 27–29 November. Two-thirds of the budget allocated to the six-week filming block was used during those three days, three hours of which were spent shooting three takes with a helicopter. Broadcast and reception [] Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating B- 10/10 7/10 Broadcast [] "Lucky Day" was  released on  at 8 a.m.  (BST) in the United Kingdom and on  in the United States at 12 a.m.  on 3 May 2025. A  broadcast of the episode followed at 7:10 p.m. BST.  also handled international distribution of the episode. Ratings [] The episode recorded overnight broadcast ratings of 1.5 million, a decline on the previous episodes and setting a new record low after Lux's 1.58 million. Critical reception [] Robert Anderson, writing for , praised the episode's writing, the performance of Gibson, and the usage of Conrad as an antagonist, though stated that the episode, at times could feel "hollow" and that Ruby's character arc was not as well executed as it could have been. Daniel Cooper, writing for , similarly highlighted the twist about Conrad's identity, McTighe's writing, and the episode's social commentary, but felt Conrad's backstory utilizing "the trope that survivors of abuse perpetuate that cycle of abuse" was overused. Adi Tantimedh, writing for , praised the episode, highlighting the twist involving Conrad and the episode's social commentary. Stefan Mohammed, writing for , found several of the episode's plot points underdeveloped, stating that Ruby's character arc was undermined by her strong home life and that Conrad embodying all aspects of the social issues being discussed made him feel overcomplicated with unclear motivations. Despite this, he found Gibson's performance compelling, and highlighted the episode's usage of Kate. Vicky Jessop, writing for the , positively highlighted the episode, though felt Conrad's execution as an antagonist was weak, and that the consequences of his actions were not explored well enough. Isobel Lewis, writing for , stated the episode had consistency issues not present in the rest of the series; she also found it to retread similar ground to previous series episode "", to which she negatively compared "Lucky Day". References [] ^      (Behind the scenes featurette). 3 May 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025 – via .  Eddy, Cheryl (27 January 2025). . . Retrieved 26 April 2025.  Gledhill, Lisa (24 April 2025). Quinn, Jason (ed.). "Preview - Lucky Day". . No. 616. . pp. 12–14.  . BBC Mdia Centre. 28 April 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025. ^       Powell, Steffan (presenter); Aiken, Jonathon (director) (3 May 2025). . . Series 15. Episode 4. .  and . Retrieved 3 May 2025.  Salmon, Will (3 May 2025). . . . Retrieved 4 May 2025.  Tantimedh, Adi (2 April 2025). . . Retrieved 3 May 2025.  Mitovich, Matt Webb (1 May 2025). . . Retrieved 3 May 2025.  Rowan, Iona (30 April 2025). . . Retrieved 3 May 2025.  Famurewa, Jimi (1 April 2025). . .  from the original on 3 May 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025.  Mitovich, Matt Webb (2 April 2025). . . Retrieved 3 March 2025.  Hibbs, James (28 April 2025). . . Retrieved 3 May 2025.  Petski, Denise (3 May 2025). . .  Griffin, Louise (30 April 2025). . . Retrieved 3 May 2025.   (writer),  (director), Delow, Vicky (producer) (3 May 2025). . . Series 15. Episode 4. . . Retrieved 3 May 2025.  Tantimedh, Adi (30 April 2025). . . Retrieved 3 May 2025.  Griffin, Louise (3 May 2025). . . Retrieved 3 May 2025.  . TVZoneUK. 23 April 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025.  Rowan, Iona (29 April 2025). . . Retrieved 3 May 2025.  Mellor, Louisa (24 March 2025). . .  from the original on 7 April 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025. ^   Quinn, Jason, ed. (November 2023). "Issue 596". . No. 596. . p. 4.  Quinn, Jason, ed. (January 2024a). "Issue 598". . No. 598. . p. 12. ^   Quinn, Jason, ed. (February 2024). "Issue 601". . No. 601. . p. 10.  Craig, David (16 November 2023). . . Retrieved 3 May 2025. ^   Lewis, Isobel (3 May 2025). . . Retrieved 3 May 2025. ^   Tantimedh, Adi (3 May 2025). . .  from the original on 3 May 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025. ^   Jessop, Vicky (3 May 2025). . . Retrieved 3 May 2025.

  
  

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• TDP 1354 : 14A. Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor Adventures Series 14: The Hellwood Inheritance

  3 May 2025 (5:00am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 10 minutes and 37 seconds

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  This title was released in March 2025. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 30 April 2025, and on general sale after this date. 14.1 The Hellwood Inheritance by Alan Barnes (4 parts) When the Doctor and Leela are chased through the countryside by a headless knight, it's only the start of their problems. Because they are in the grounds of Hellwood Manor - the first safari park for ghosts! Mistaken for parapsychical investigators, the TARDIS team are shown the mysterious 'ghost catcher' device that's made the whole scheme possible. But it can't really be catching ghosts, can it? What's really happening in Hellwood? 14.2 The Memory Thieves by Phil Mulryne (2 parts) The colony world of New Pasithea was peaceful for many years. But strange electric pulses started to be detected in its forests... and then they started to get stronger... and then people lost their memories... The Doctor and Leela land in a community in turmoil, doomed to insanity by the mysterious 'Abeyance' unless the TARDIS crew can save them. But with reports of monsters being seen in the locality, this may prove harder than expected. Can they rescue the minds of the colonists? Or will they forget what they have to do... **Please note: the collector's edition CD boxset is strictly limited to 1,500 copies**

  
  

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• TDP 1363: TV #DoctorWho The Well #DisneyWho Doctor Who Review

  30 April 2025 (4:57am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 26 minutes and 18 seconds

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    The Well was the third episode of  (also marketed, globally, as Season 2) of . It premiered on  . It was the first episode of Series 15 to feature a new writer, , who co-wrote the script together with . The story features the second appearance and return of the , first seen 17 years prior in the , thus serving as a sequel to  [+] from .   Continuing directly after their encounter with  in the , The Well continues one of Series 15's main story arcs of the Doctor being unable to get the TARDIS to return Belinda to the 24th May 2025, and with the two discovering that, by the 5020th century, something has caused Earth to cease existing entirely.  also briefly appears at the end of the story: this time, she is seen in a videocall as a superior official to the mining crew. Her appearance here continues the enigmatic nature of the character that has been hinted and shown since her first appearance in  [+], and continues the story arc of Mrs Flood somehow appearing in different eras of time that was first seen in the previous story, Lux. Contents Synopsis Far in the future, on a tough, brutal planet, a devastated mining colony has only one survivor. To discover the truth, the Doctor and Belinda must face absolute terror... Plot To be added...  showed Mo a picture of a vindicator to find out if the Doctor was travelling with one. After Mo confirmed he was, Mrs. Flood described this as "exactly what I needed to know. Just as I predicted. A vindicator, in action, that's very good news." Cast  -   -  Aliss Fenly -  Shaya Costallion -  Cassio Palin-Paleen -  Mo Gilliben -  Hanno Yeft -  Callo Rence -  Kai Sabba -  Albie Bethick -  Sal Van Hyten -  Ulric Dazen -   -  Val Vivo -  Trooper 5 -  Trooper 6 -  Trooper 7 -  Trooper 9 -  Trooper 10 -   -  Crew

  
  

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• TDP 1353: REVIEW 93. Torchwood: Rictus from #Bigfinish worlds of #Doctorwho

  26 April 2025 (6:23am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 8 minutes and 12 seconds

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    This title was released in March 2025. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 31 May 2025, and on general sale after this date. 1901. Six months after the death of Queen Victoria, her gung-ho daughter Princess Beatrice goes to visit the organisation she's inherited. What is Torchwood? Meanwhile, something has broken out of a vault deep beneath London. The Smiling Man is coming. **Please note: the collector’s edition CD is strictly limited to 1,000 copies**

  
  

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• TDP 1362: #DoctorWho #DisneyWho TV Doctor Who Review Lux

  22 April 2025 (12:03pm GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 16 minutes and 2 seconds

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    From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 314 – "Lux"  episode Promotional title-card Cast  –   –  Others  – Newsreader Cassius Hackforth – Tommy Lee Ryan Speakman – Husband  – Reginald Pye  – Mr Ring-a-Ding  – Sunshine Sally Lewis Cornay – Logan Cheever Lucy Thackeray – Renée Lowenstein Jane Hancock – Helen Pye William Meredith – Policeman Samir Arrian – Hassan Chowdry Bronté Barbé – Lizzie Abel Steph Lacey – Robyn Gossage  – Mrs Flood Production Directed by Written by Script editor David Cheung Produced by Chris May Executive producer(s) Russell T Davies Joel Collins Music by Series Running time 43 minutes First broadcast 19 April 2025 Chronology ← Preceded by "" Followed by → "" "Lux" is the second episode of the  of the  series . It was written by , the Doctor Who showrunner, from a concept first developed over two decades prior, and directed by . In the episode, the  () and his , , land in 1952 , while trying to make their way back to 2025. After doing so, they discover a mysterious  where fifteen people have disappeared. The pair stay to investigate and ultimately confront an animated God, Lux (voiced by ), who traps them in film. "Lux" is unusual for the programme in that it features a mixed live-action and animated format. Filming for the episode took place in  and at  in January 2024. Some voice-over work took place internationally in  in June. Animation and other  work continued later into the year, with some tasks still being completed as late as September. The episode includes references to ,  and  to its own . It was released on , , and  on 19 April 2025. Reception to the episode was positive, with critics praising its use of animation in a live-action setting. A novelisation written by  is set to be released in July 2025. Plot [] Unable to return to 24 May 2025, the  lands in 1952 , where the Doctor and  find a cinema that is chained shut. At a diner, they speak to the mother of one of fifteen people who disappeared from the cinema, which continues to play movies at night. Although  is still enforced, the waiter allows them to stay. Inside the cinema, the pair discover a living cartoon, Mr Ring-a-Ding, the embodiment of Lux Imperator, God of Light, is responsible. The projectionist, Reginald Pye, plays films for Lux, who uses his power to recreate Pye's dead wife. Lux has trapped the missing people in a film reel. He similarly traps the Doctor and Belinda, and turns them into cartoon characters, until they regain their usual forms. They flee to another false reality, where a racist  cop challenges them. They escape through a television watched by . Though delighted to meet the Doctor they reveal that their world is the fake one, and encourage him to return and defeat Lux, even though they will then cease to exist. Back in the cinema, the Doctor heals his injured hand using residual  energy. Lux steals the energy to create a solid body. Belinda attempts to burn film reels to cause an explosion, but encouraged by his wife, Pye sacrifices himself. The explosion exposes the cinema to sunlight causing Lux to expand infinitely until he becomes one with the universe. The missing people return. As the Doctor and Belinda leave, Mrs Flood encourages the bystanders to watch the TARDIS dematerialise, claiming this "show" is a "limited run" that ends on 24 May. The Doctor's fans critique the episode, realising that they still exist. Production [] Development and production design [] "Lux" was written by . He had wanted to do an episode that included a living cartoon for a long time, but was unable to do one until now for funding reasons. He also revealed that he had considered variants of such an episode, including one two decades prior that would have featured a hologram rather than a legitimate animation as a result of the budgetary constraints. The story also contains mentions of segregation and racism in which Davies said he added to address issues in present-day society. It was also used as a subversion to the Doctor usually situating themselves as the main authority figure. While including such themes, he didn't want it to be the dominant subject. Among these are the NYPD officer saying the cinema is a space "reserved for " and prejudicely assuming that Belinda is . Other motifs present explore grief, hope, friendship, and sadness.  references to  and the  character  were included. Additionally, Davies has continued a recent trend of . Also unusual for the show, the episode featured a . Costume designer Pam Downe created the Doctor's and Belinda's outfits using the  of blue and yellow. Sethu's dress was inspired by a similar one worn by Anita () and designed by  in the  of . Meanwhile, Gatwa's blue suit was influenced by American musical artists of the 1950s. These hues were intended to further contrast with the red interior of the cinema by ultimately using all three . Downe ultimately wanted to successfully convey movement during the episodes action scenes. As such, three different  were considered for Sethu to wear and her dress had multiple . The concept of Mr. Ring-a-Ding was inspired by animations from . Ian Spendloff worked as a creative designer for the episode, and was the designer of Mr. Ring-a-Ding. Davies compared the concept of Mr. Ring-a-Ding to  from the 1930s. Spendloff drafted thirty different sketches that were considered before finally settling on the one used in the episode. Each one featured variations in noses, hair, and other elements. Mr. Ring-a-Ding was ultimately given a pig-like nose and blue skin to reflect characteristics of cartoon characters from the time period, with Davies wanting the character to look vaguely human but not be immediately identifiable as something else.  to  were also present in the episode because Davies recalled his enjoyment of cartoons while writing it, which made him consider people who loved the programme. Within the episode, the fans wore Doctor Who apparel (including a  scarf, another a  "Telos" sweatshirt) and declared "" (2008) as their favourite episode. One of them also mentioned the impending cancellation of the show. They then point out the "obviousness" of the episode's , and made references to . The show's BBC ident appears on the screen of their television. Although they say they are too inconsequential to be given surnames, all three characters—Hassan Chowdry, Lizzie Abel and Robyn Gossage—are fully named in the credits. The concept of Doctor Who existing within  had previously been briefly explored in  (1988) and other expanded media. Following this instance, such an idea was considered quasi-. This scene raised suspicion that Davies had potentially been planting  online himself regarding upcoming episodes as well as rumours that the series would enter into another hiatus. When the fact that the episode was written and filmed well before the leaks began appearing was considered, it was compared to the . Casting [] The episode stars  as the  of  and  as his , .  voices the antagonist, Mr. Ring-a-Ding. It marks Cumming's second appearance in the show after his role as King  in the 2018 episode "". Davies said that he and the production team had considered whether it was too soon to cast Cumming again and that had it been a live action role, he likely would not have been. Mr. Ring-a-Ding is the "God of Light" and part of the "Pantheon of Gods" that Davies has been developing since "" (2023).  stars as Reginald Pye, the theatre's projectionist and Lewis Cornay plays a diner worker who helps the Doctor and Belinda investigate the disappearances.  also makes a brief appearance as recurring character Mrs. Flood. The trio of fans were portrayed by Samir Arrian, Bronte Barbe, and Steph Lacey. Filming and post-production [] Exterior shots for the theater were filmed at  Pavilion. The wooden ramp can be seen at the bottom of the photo. The story was filmed in the series' third production block, along with the following episode, "". It was directed by  and recorded in late-January 2024.  took place in . The surrounding area was made up to look like an American city in the 1950s by adding vehicles and American flags.  pavilion was used for exterior shots of the theatre. The production team painted the building, added a period theatre sign, and removed a modern ramp at the front of the building. Its removal led to the discovery of rotting wood that had to be replaced at the show's expense. The episode was shot during  causing the cast and crew to struggle with unexpected rain and winds, requiring hot water bottles to keep warm during takes. Interior shots for the studio were filmed on  4 at . Pieces of that set were reused from "" (2024). As a result of Mr. Ring-a-Ding being an animated creation, the performers had to interact with a two-foot acrylic cutout of the character or a thin green pole on set.The scenes were then edited during the  process. References for Mr. Ring-a-Ding's movement were filmed by crew, and then drawn directly into the scene by animators from . Cumming voiced his scenes in  on 28 June 2024. Elements of Cumming's facial expressions during this recording for were incorporated into Mr. Ring-a-Ding. The scene where the Doctor and Belinda are turned into cartoons were first recorded on a , in which Gatwa and Sethu had to portray the characters in a rigid and cartoon-like manner. The animators used this as a reference for interaction between the two characters when redrawing them as a cartoon. Animations were done at twenty-five frames a second, requiring twenty-five drawings for each second of screen time, or fewer if characters' movement was limited.  artists recorded  at Bang Post Production in  on 4 September 2024. The episode's soundtrack included two singles: "" by , and the  rendition of "". Despite the episode taking place in 1952, the tracks were not released until 1956 and 1969, respectively. , the show's , also included the song "The Sad Man With A Box", a piece that he originally composed for . Broadcast and reception [] Professional ratings Aggregate scores Source Rating  (Tomatometer) 100%  (Average Score) 7.70/10 Review scores Source Rating B 10/10 9/10 Broadcast [] "Lux" was  released on  at 8 a.m.  (BST) in the United Kingdom and on  in the United States at 12 a.m.  on 12 April 2025. A  broadcast followed at 7:15 p.m. BST.  also handled international distribution of the episode. Ratings [] The episode received overnight viewing figures of 1.58 million, the lowest broadcast ratings in Doctor Who's history. It was the fourth most-watched programme of the day on BBC One, with one show on  also achieving higher numbers. Critical reception [] On the  website , 100% of 10 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.70/10. Robert Anderson, writing for , praised the episode, highlighting Mr. Ring-a-Ding, several individual scenes, such as the fourth-wall-breaking scene, and the performances of Gatwa and Sethu. 's Martin Belam responded positively to the episode, praising Cumming's performance and the fourth-wall-breaking scene. Will Salmon, writing for , highlighted Mr. Ring-a-Ding and Gatwa's performance, though felt Murray Gold's musical score "drowned out" some scenes. Adi Tantimedh, writing for , found the episode to be the strongest out of the episodes headed by Davies in his second tenure as showrunner. Andrew Blair, writing for , highlighted the characterization of Mr. Ring-a-Ding, but criticized the episode's similarities to "", which he felt made the episode feel repetitive and weaker than it should have. He also felt the episode's handling of race was not effective, as while he felt the episode's inclusion of the topic was commendable, he felt the Doctor's in-universe way of handling it "can't help but scrape awkwardly against our real-world knowledge." Vicky Jessop, writing for the , criticized the inclusion of the scene featuring Doctor Who fans, stating that while it was initially entertaining, it quickly became "strained".    

  
  

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• TDP 1352: Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor Adventures: Deadly Strangers

  19 April 2025 (5:05am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 11 minutes and 41 seconds

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    The Doctor, Audacity and Charley visit many times and places, always with the best of intentions. But others have a different agenda... Puccini and the Doctor by Matthew Jacobs Inspired by his friends, the Doctor takes Charley and Audacity to Milan to meet Puccini and hear the music of love. But the Doctor is not the only alien entranced by humanity. The mysterious Tura is setting riddles, and for those who answer, the experience is transformative... Women's Day Off by Lisa McMullin Iceland, 1975. Charley and Audacity are thrilled to discover that the women have gone on strike. All of them. With potentially disastrous consequences for a girl called Kyla - and everyone she comes into contact with. The Gloaming by Lauren Mooney and Stewart Pringle The Doctor, Charley and Audacity arrive on Gloaming, a luxury sleep clinic in orbit around a dead world. Gloaming is filled with wealthy Sleepers, dreaming through the dark ages of their world in suspended animation. But something is growing here, creeping into minds and poisoning dreams. Something the Doctor fought long ago...

  
  

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• TDP 1361: #DOCTORWHO review #DisneyWho The Robot Revolution

  17 April 2025 (5:00am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 18 minutes and 12 seconds

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    "The Robot Revolution" is the first episode of the  of the  series . The episode was written by , the Doctor Who , and directed by . In the episode, the  (), rescues Belinda Chandra (), after she is kidnapped from  and inadvertently gets involved in a war on another planet. Chandra becomes the Doctor's new . Production for the episode took place in  in late-2023. It was released on , , and  on 12 April 2025. Reception was mostly postive, with Sethu's characterization particularly praised. A novelisation written by  is set to be released in July 2025. Plot [] Belinda Chandra's boyfriend, Alan Budd, gives her a certificate  for her birthday. He  but she rebuffs him. Seventeen years later, on 24 May 2025, Belinda is captured by robots and taken, as their queen, to Missbelindachandra One, a planet orbiting her star. The "Missbelindachandrakind" are composed of humanoids and robots, who coexisted peacefully until the latter took control and some humans began to rebel. The robots are controlled by the Great  Generator, who plans to merge with Belinda. On their spaceship, Belinda blames Alan for registering the star, as it flies through a time fracture. , who had been in pursuit, is sent backward six months, and by the time Belinda arrives, he has become the historian. Exploiting a fault that prevents the robots from hearing every ninth word, the Doctor and the rebels rescue Belinda. The Doctor realises that the robots possess a certificate identical to Belinda's, and have had it for over 5000 years. He concludes that this is related to the time fracture. Belinda allows herself to be captured, asking the robots to spare the rebels. Belinda and the Doctor are taken to the Great AI Generator. They discover that it is not "AI" but "AL", short for Alan. After Belinda had blamed Alan, the robots used the time fracture to capture him ten years earlier in 2015. Seeing life on Missbelindachandra as a game, Alan merged himself with the machines and started the war. Using every ninth word, Alan communicates to them that he is in pain. Belinda touches her copy of the certificate to Alan's, causing them to experience all of time simultaneously. The Doctor rescues Belinda, while Alan reverts to a sperm and egg, which is cleaned up by a robot. Now free, the humanoids and robots rebuild their society, while the Doctor takes Belinda to his . He describes meeting her distant descendant Mundy Flynn and wants to know how the robots acquired the certificate, but Belinda, disturbed at his insistence that their encounter is "destiny" and refusing to be one of his adventures, demands to be taken home. The TARDIS is unable to return to 24 May 2025, instead bouncing off that date. The Doctor tells Belinda that they will need to take the long way around. As the TARDIS dematerialises, debris from several Earth landmarks and the certificate float in space. Production [] Development [] "The Robot Revolution" was written by . He initially conceptualized the idea as a one-off story and later reworked it into a  to serve as a companion introduction. Davies said that it was a "difficult" episode to write, because he struggled with turning a joke about star naming into a full script. He also viewed it as a wider narrative about the concerns surrounding artificial intelligence in a real-world context. A  for the episode included "Belinda and the Robots". Filming [] Screenshot from the film  Promotional poster for  The  team used  and  as references. Set design began at  in October 2023.  Phil Sims said he and Davies took inspiration from  and  when . They were created with a  appearance influenced by the . Millennium FX designed the robot costumes over the course of eight weeks. They were first created digitally and split into 34 different pieces to be . Afterwards, the pieces were assembled with glue and finished with  and . The polish robot that appears in the episode was designed with a similar 1950s aesthetic, primarily being based on cars of the time period. The robot had unique wheels that allowed it to move laterally as well as straight ahead, as the designers wanted the robot to have a unique range of motion compared to other robots of similar size. The AI Generator was similarly designed to appear large and imposing, with the set and art design teams collaborating to determine where the presence of Alan would be inside of the machine. The set for the throne room, where Belinda is initially brought in the episode, is re-used for the AI Generator's room. The design team placed the "head" of the Generator's design just below the room's centerpiece in order to create the illusion that the room acted like a crown for the Generator and that the room is an extension of him. The episode was directed by . It was recorded in the second filming block of series 15 along with the fourth episode, "".  occurred in November 2023 in  while  filming also took place at Wolf Studios. Casting [] The episode stars  as the  of  and introduces  as his , Belinda Chandra. Sethu previously played a separate but related character in the  episode "" (2024).  reprised her role as Mrs Flood, an enigmatic character who was first introduced in  (2023) and recurred in the previous series. Alan Budd (the episode's antagonist) was portrayed by Jonny Green, who formerly voiced characters in various  and . Other members of the guest cast included , Jeff Kunjumon, Evelyn Miller, and Caleb Hughes. Two of the robots were operated by Stephen Love and Robert Strange; the two worked as Wrarth Warriors in "" (2023), while Strange also handled the  costume in "" (2024). Broadcast and reception [] Professional ratings Aggregate scores Source Rating  (Tomatometer) 100%  (Average Score) 7.10/10 Review scores Source Rating B- 6/10 Release [] "The Robot Revolution" was  released on  at 8 a.m.  (BST) in the United Kingdom and on  in the United States at 12 a.m.  on 12 April 2025. A  broadcast followed later in the day at 6:50 p.m. BST.  also handled international distribution of the episode. Ratings [] Overnight viewing figures estimate that the episode was watched by 2 million people on its BBC One broadcast, making it the second most-watched programme on BBC One behind the finale of , as well as the fourth-most watched programme of the day. Critical reception [] On the  website , 100% of 8 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.10/10. Will Salmon with  highlighted the setting of the episode and its design, but criticized the episode for being "light", as well as due to confusing plot points toward the end of the episode. Writing for , Stefan Mohamed highlighted the Doctor's characterization and the episode's new visual and directorial techniques, but criticized Alan as a villain and the death of Sasha 55 as a weak narrative moment. 's Roxy Simmons found the episode enjoyable but found the episode to make very little impact on the audience, and found the commentary unsubtle. Belinda's characterization and Sethu's performance was near universally praised.  author Ed Power praised the Doctor's characterization and the fun nature of the episode, though felt that elements of Alan's characterization as a "nerdy" character would receive negative reception, and that Sasha 55's death was unnecessary for the episode's plot.  critic Robert Anderson criticized the episode as feeling "shallow", as well as the twist of the AI Generator being Alan. Reviewing the episode for , Jack Seale highlighted the episode's re-introduction of the Doctor's character and the inclusion of topical issues, but criticized the twists involving the AI Generator as well as the execution of the episode's message. 's Chris Taylor argued that Belinda's characterization was weak, and that she lacked a sense of purpose compared to other past companions. He also criticized the episode's social commentary, feeling that the episode moved to fast to properly critique any aspect of society. Michael Hogan, penning a review for  felt some of the episode's social commentary was not well-executed, and felt jarring given the episode's time slot.

  
  

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• TDP 1355: Life and Death of River Song Ace and Tegan - Worlds of #DoctorWho

  12 April 2025 (7:30am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 13 minutes and 30 seconds

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    2. The Death and Life of River Song Series 02: Ace and Tegan   This title was released in March 2025. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 31 May 2025, and on general sale after this date. Ace and Tegan have been plucked from their twenty-first century lives and stranded in 1860. But who is responsible, and why is River Song mixing in nineteenth century society too? Somebody is out to eliminate the three of them, as Ace and Tegan realise that this may not be their first meeting with River. Their lives are entangled, and to escape, somebody must pay the ultimate price... 2.1 Castaways by James Moran Adrift in the past, Ace and Tegan are looking into supposed hauntings on London's new underground railway lines. But how and why are they there? Their memories are not what they were, and they are about to encounter River Song, perhaps not for the first time. One thing is certain - River knows more than she is telling! 2.2 Driftwood by Roland Moore Back in her TARDIS travels, Ace is cut off from the Doctor, on a stricken spaceship with sixty minutes to live. Something has invaded the vessel - something that travels along wires and can control its metal structure. As time runs out, Ace's only hope may be a mysterious woman with a blaster and fantastic hair. 2.3 Dead Rising by Roland Moore With the Doctor and Turlough on ice, Tegan faces interrogation from the Pilot of Vrexel colony. Something is making the colonists drop down dead... Tegan claims she is just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But when River Song arrives and the dead start rising, Tegan's problems get a whole lot worse... 2.4 The End is the Beginning is the End by James Moran River, Ace and Tegan must stop Gregor Ganley from changing their past again, and again... and again. But he's always one step ahead. And River's new friends want to convince her that assassination is not always the best option. But first, they have the matter of imminent certain death to deal with... **Please note: the collector’s edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,250 copies**    

  
  

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• TDP 1350: Doctor Who: The Fifth Doctor Adventures: The Great Beyond REVIEW

  5 April 2025 (5:05am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 7 minutes and 58 seconds

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    The Doctor has been sent to Beyond - for the rest of his natural lives. In the years after a devastating intergalactic war, a prison facility was set up on a distant planet. To preserve the fragile peace, the most dangerous former combatants are sentenced to life in Beyond. Like the notorious Starclair sisters, whose involvement on both sides of the war is the stuff of legend - as well as a certain Time Lord with a reputation for interfering in things that don’t concern them. But there’s something else on the planet too. Something that adds an infinite variety of agony to a life sentence on Beyond, and makes the inmates wish for the relative comfort of death. Because what's coming to those who stay too long in Beyond is almost too hideous to contemplate. Alive and conscious, deprived of your senses and all movement. Just locked in, alone in a darkness that lasts forever.

  
  

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• TDP 1349: 2. VAM PD Volume 02 REVIEW #Bigfinish

  29 March 2025 (5:05am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 9 minutes and 46 seconds

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    Vampires live their lives by rules - but who polices them? Welcome to the Office of the Night, where vampires Catrin and Magnus keep an uneasy peace between the living and the undead. 2.1 The Last Post by Rochana Patel and David Smith Oleanna wakes up to find she's posted a photo of a breakfast she didn't have. Worse, she's locked out of all her social media accounts. And then a vampire appears at her door and tells her she's going to die today. Cleaning up after victims is an unglamorous job that the Office of the Night has long outsourced - this used to just be bills and faked suicide letters, but the group has gone rogue and is now arranging the deaths of people who aren’t even dead yet. 2.2 Sunlight and Bleach by Aaron Lamont He's been investigating a corrupt deal between the government and vampires. Can such a thing even exist? Are vampires even real? What is going on? One man sets out to expose the Office of the Night. It's time to shine a little light on this grubby deal. The problem is that vampires don't like the sunlight. 2.3 Dracula Bachelor by Ash Darby Sometimes killing is easy. Never underestimate human vanity and stupidity. People will always sign up for a reality TV show. Especially one that offers the winner immortality. Of course, there's always a catch. If this show is so successful, why has no-one ever seen it? Note: This production features scenes of vampiric feeding and blood consumption.    

  
  

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• TDP 1348: #bigfinish 92. Torchwood: Inseparable review

  22 March 2025 (5:05am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 9 minutes and 7 seconds

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    This title was released in February 2025. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 30 April 2025, and on general sale after this date. Yvonne Hartman and Tommy have gone undercover at a couples' retreat. Will anyone buy their May to December romance? Torchwood came looking for a mysterious energy signal and instead found themselves caught in a web of troubled lovers becoming ever closer. Perhaps what Yvonne and Tommy really need is time apart from each other?

  
  

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• TDP 1347: #DoctorWho 9.1. Doctor Who: Genesis of the Cybermen

  15 March 2025 (5:05am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 13 minutes and 58 seconds

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    This title was released in March 2025. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 30 April 2025, and on general sale after this date. A King lies dying in his castle. His eldest son Prince Sylvan is an artist with no desire to inherit a kingdom, while Prince Dega toils in his laboratory, dedicated to saving their dying people from extinction. They will all burn unless he succeeds. When the TARDIS arrives, its crew believe they can help. But this planet is Mondas. And this is the Genesis of the Cybermen... Please note: the collector's edition double CD is strictly limited to 2,000 copies    

  
  

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• TDP 1346: UFOCAST Interview with James Swallow about Shadow Play

  10 March 2025 (7:22pm GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 37 minutes and 49 seconds

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  TDP 1346: UFOCAST Interview with James Swallow about Shadow Play    

  
  

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• TDP 1344: 5. Doctor Who: Classic Doctors New Monsters 5: Faithful Friends

  6 March 2025 (5:05am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 14 minutes and 31 seconds

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      This title was released in January 2025. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 31 March 2025, and on general sale after this date. Four new adventures featuring classic Doctors encountering monsters from the new series of Doctor Who! 5.1 The Krillitane Feint by John Dorney The TARDIS brings the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe to a planet where a secure research base is conducting disturbing experiments. A group of captive Krillitane are test subjects for a military power, keen to understand the species' unique abilities. But who are the real monsters here? 5.2 The Dying Breed by Tim Foley When the Doctor, Leela and K9 land on the Lupari homeworld tracking a temporal anomaly, they find a kingdom in disarray. The Great Lord Garzan's son has been attacked, and strange beasts roam the frozen landscape. Whilst Leela spars with the new heir, the Doctor and K9 must work out how all these strange events are connected. Little do they know that their discoveries will shake the Lupari to their core... 5.3 The Krillitane Relic by John Dorney The TARDIS brings the Doctor and Ray to a space station cryogenic facility, where interplanetary VIPs are stored pending medical cures. There is a familiar face here too - someone the Doctor remembers, but who does not remember him... 5.4 Five Hundred Ways to Leave Your Lover by Tim Foley Chris is on a date. But it isn't working out. Perhaps he'll end it over dinner. Or on a cruise. Or in a lunar spa. But who are these figures in red? And why are they so invested in his relationship? All of reality might be at stake, and the Monks will pursue Chris wherever he goes - but as long as he manages to break up with his boyfriend, the Doctor, everything might be saved... **Please note: the collector’s edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,250 copies and will not be repressed**  

  
  

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• TDP 1343: #DoctorWho: The Third Doctor Adventures: Doctor Who and the Brain Drain

  27 February 2025 (5:05am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 11 minutes and 5 seconds

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    This title was released in February 2025. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 31 March 2025, and on general sale after this date. A newly exiled Doctor accompanies Liz Shaw and the Brigadier to a symposium held in an imposing Scottish castle. Professor MacLeod and her son have developed a new treatment for memory loss and a possible cure for dementia. As the Doctor investigates sightings of strange mythical creatures, and ghosts are unleashed in the castle’s corridors, Liz and the Brigadier search for a connection. Just what is happening to the energy produced by the MacLeods’ revolutionary treatment? And what is the strange creature that hides in the castle grounds? Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart © Haisman & Lincoln and used under licence. With thanks to Hannah Haisman and Candy Jar    

  
  

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• TDP 1342: 2.3. The Paternoster Gang: Trespassers 3: No Place Like Home REVIEW

  24 February 2025 (5:05am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 8 minutes and 18 seconds

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    This title was released in December 2024. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 28 February 2025, and on general sale after this date. In Victorian England, the Great Detective, Madame Vastra, her resourceful spouse, Jenny Flint, and their loyal valet, Strax, solve conundrums, fight injustice and capture criminals - but an enemy has taken up residence undetected. The secret of the shape-shifting trespassers will now be revealed... 2.7 Doppelgängers by Ken Bentley After being imprisoned by a shapeshifting foe, Jenny has escaped through the London sewers and returned to Paternoster Row. Meanwhile, her captor (now disguised as Doppel-Jenny) infiltrates Paternoster Row with murderous intent! 2.8 Jellyfish! by Neve McIntosh and Dan Starkey The Gang head to the coast for Madame Vastra to convalesce. But their holiday proves far from restful. This Cornish village is home to suspicious locals, strange storms and wreckers. Most dangerous of all, something lurks in the seas - something with a mysterious hold over Vastra... 2.9 The Houseguest by Matt Fitton Vastra, Jenny and Strax return to London to find Paternoster Row changed. Houses lie empty, a crimewave grips the neighbourhood. A new criminal mastermind rules the underworld. What's more, Number 13 has an unexpected houseguest. And he claims to be the Doctor... Recorded on: 20-22 May 2024 Recorded at: The Soundhouse

  
  

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• TDP 1345: SP24. #DoctorWho: The Fourth Doctor Adventures: The Curse of Time review

  20 February 2025 (5:05am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 6 minutes and 47 seconds

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    After being dragged through a rip in the time vortex, the TARDIS returns the Doctor, Sarah and Harry to Earth. They are in medieval times, but something strange is afoot. The villagers live in fear of the sinister Brotherhood, an order of monks that upholds the sacred laws. Then there’s Faustus Black, with his troupe of travelling players. What connects them is a terrible secret hidden in the Forbidden Forest... a cave from which nobody has ever returned... **Please note: the collector's edition double CD is strictly limited to 1,500 copies**

  
  

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• TDP 1337: #DoctorWho The Seventh Doctor Adventures: The Doctor and Carnacki REVIEW

  17 February 2025 (5:05am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 10 minutes and 21 seconds

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      Ghost finder Thomas Carnacki deals with many uncanny mysteries that defy explanation. But throughout his life, a stranger keeps appearing. Whether he is an ally or a rival remains to be seen, but one thing is certain. When the Doctor and Carnacki cross paths, death and danger are always close... The Haunter of the Shore by AK Benedict 1897. Young Carnacki investigates a case at Edgemere Manor where the skeletons of tourists are left on the shore of the lake. Carnacki must discard everything he knows when he discovers that the estate’s hermit is the Doctor, and that time is being manipulated by an unseen force. The Doctor and Carnacki must work together if the mystery of Edgemere Manor is to be solved, the house saved, and the haunted residents find peace. The House by Georgia Cook Awoken in the dead of night to assist his distraught friend Arkright, Carnacki finds himself unexpectedly thrust into a long-buried mystery from his childhood, and face-to-face with a man he hasn't seen in years: the Doctor. But what is 'The House'? Why does everything Arkright touch transform into the same rotting furnishings and wallpaper? Can a man really be haunted by a building? The Institute of Forgotten Souls by Jonathan Barnes In the heart of England in 1936 there lies a home for wounded men. It is a strange, shadowed place, full of secrets. Terrible beasts prowl the grounds, as if guarding something dreadful. Inmates are disappearing, picked off one by one, while a singular resident - a certain, now retired ghost finder - bravely staves off the darkness. Yet tonight is the night when it's all going to end. For tonight is the night when the Doctor comes to call...

  
  

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• TDP 1340: V UK review from @Bigfinish

  13 February 2025 (5:05am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 11 minutes and 54 seconds

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    This title was released in January 2025. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 28 February 2025, and on general sale after this date. London. Present Day. Earth is visited by aliens, bringing peace and prosperity. But their intentions are not benevolent, and soon the world is under occupation. While some choose to collaborate with the Visitors, others decide to fight back. Episode One Alien motherships appear above cities across the globe. The world reacts with panic and fear - until the commander of the Visitors appears and reveals that they come in need of help. Their offer seems too good to be true... Episode Two One month later, and the Visitors have become part of everyday life. But people are beginning to disappear, and scientists are being persecuted. Documentary-maker Mike Donovan sneaks on board one of the motherships and discovers the horrifying truth. Episode Three It is now Christmas. The Visitors have taken charge, imposing martial law over the UK. Scientists are forced to go into hiding - and Doctor Juliet Parrish finds herself becoming the reluctant leader of the rebellion.   **Please note: the collector’s edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,000 copies and will not be repressed.**

  
  

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• TDP 1339: For Your Consideration Chariots Of Fire

  10 February 2025 (5:05am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 59 minutes and 7 seconds

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    Luke brings his favourite film this month, it’s Chariots of Fire. Apologies for the variable sound quality. T-shirts can be found here –  Follow us on twitter  Like us on  Review us on  Email the show – 

  
  

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• TDP 1341: 1. Doctor Who: The Fugitive Doctor: Most Wanted REVIEW

  5 February 2025 (9:16pm GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 12 minutes and 43 seconds

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      This title was released in January 2025. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 31 March 2025, and on general sale after this date. 1.1 Fast Times by Robert Valentine When the mysterious Division tries to arrest their equally mysterious agent, the Doctor, she evades capture and heads out in search of answers... but trouble is never far behind. Captured by bounty hunters and imprisoned in a maximum-security hulk ship, the Doctor is about to learn that there's no time to stand still when you're a fugitive. And times are about to get very fast indeed. 1.2 The Legend of Baba Yaga by Rochana Patel On the run from the Time Lords and in serious need of help, the Doctor heads for 17th-century Russia in search of the legendary witch of Slavic folklore... Baba Yaga. But while trying to gain assistance from this powerful entity, the Doctor finds herself embroiled in events from the most famous of Baba Yaga’s tales when she tries to help a beautiful young woman called Vasilisa retrieve a burning ember to save her family from the bitter Russian winter. What is real? What is fantasy? And will the Doctor be able to tell the difference in time? 1.3 The Dimension of Lost Things by Lisa McMullin Fleeing Cosmo through the Vortex, the TARDIS gets sucked down a temporal plughole, and the Doctor emerges into a weird landscape. Finding other lost souls in the form of mountaineer George Mallory and scavenger Athelia, the Doctor soon stumbles across another, more surprising denizen of this strange dimension - herself! With Cosmo still in pursuit and memory-stealing winds threatening to wipe her mind for good, the Doctor senses a complex trap in action. But whose trap is it, and how can she possibly escape? **THIS TITLE HAS NOW SOLD OUT ON CD**

  
  

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• TDP 1338: 91. Torchwood: Ianto's Inferno review

  3 February 2025 (5:00am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 7 minutes and 50 seconds

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    This title was released in January 2025. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 31 March 2025, and on general sale after this date. Tonight's the night for Anthony and Dean. No more pruning old people's gardens. No, they're about to hit the big time. They've an alien artefact, they've got a guy on the inside, and tonight they're going to break into Torchwood and steal everything. All they have to do is find their car...

  
  

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• TDP 1334: Riversong1_lastWords - 1. The Death and Life of River Song Series 01: Last Words

  30 January 2025 (5:00am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 7 minutes and 10 seconds

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    Wrenched from her digital afterlife in the Library, River Song finds herself on sixty-first century Earth, resurrected in a clone body. Billionaire tech mogul Garrison Clay has a mystery to solve, and he's selected River as the person to solve it. Armed with only her sonic screwdriver and a fake ID, River heads out into a world soon to be ravaged by solar flares... where danger stalks her at every turn. Book 1 - Apokalypsis Book 2 - Fate & Fatality Book 3 - The Black Hours Book 4 - Book of the Dead

  
  

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• TDP 1336: AE1. UFO: Shadow Play Written by James Swallow REVIEW

  27 January 2025 (5:00am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 6 minutes and 23 seconds

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    The last line of defence in a clandestine war, SHADO is all that stands between humanity and a force of alien invaders - and leading that fight is the uncompromising Ed Straker, commanding Earth's defenders around the clock. But what happens when the man at the top is pushed too far? After an experiment goes wrong, Straker awakens from a coma with missing memories and strange hallucinations that threaten his grip on reality - but is it the result of alien interference, or has the commander's iron will finally cracked? Facing danger from within and without, Straker must find the truth... even if it kills him.   UFO™ and © ITC Entertainment Group 1969 and 2024. Licensed by ITV Studios Limited. All Rights Reserved.

  
  

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• TDP 1333: DoctorWho The Trials of a timelord

  23 January 2025 (5:00am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 8 minutes and 4 seconds

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    The Sixth Doctor's fortieth anniversary celebrations continue, courtesy of LudoSphere Incorporated, with the greatest adventure ever streamed... Responding to a distress call from an old friend, the Doctor and Mel find themselves in 'Cyberia', a prison camp run by an even older foe. But this time, the Cyber Leader's machinations are just the tip of one very sinister iceberg, one that will test the Doctor to his very limit, and beyond... We hope you're hiding behind the sofa, because 'The Trials of a Time Lord' are about to begin! The Trials of a Time Lord Parts 1 and 2 by Rochana Patel The Trials of a Time Lord Parts 3 and 4 by Katherine Armitage The Trials of a Time Lord Parts 5 and 6 by Stewart Pringle

  
  

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• TDP 1335: 4. Missy Series 04: Bad Influence #Doctorwho review

  16 January 2025 (5:00am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 9 minutes and 9 seconds

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    Missy... alone, unleashed, and unfettered. What does she get up to when the Doctor isn’t around? Sometimes, Missy isn’t the only bad person in the room. Sometimes, she meets others with their own naughty plans. And whoever they might be - medieval thieves, wayward students, renowned assassins - Missy will bring out the worst in them... 4.1 Missy and the Time Assassin by David Quantick Missy gets to meet a hero. But James Blakelock, Time Assassin doesn’t quite live up to the legend - although he is very easy on the eye. Although she has places to be and species to annihilate, Missy can't help herself, so she tags along on James' next mission. After all, a little bit of assassination never hurt anyone... 4.2 Bad Apple Brigade by Freddie Valdosta Missy finds herself stranded on Brownsea Island with a troop of girls sent there to improve themselves. But these girls are troublemakers, and Missy has a few lessons to teach them. Only, they’re not alone. Something lurking in the woods has history with Missy - but for her, that might be the future... 4.3 The Baron Robbers by Lou Morgan Bored and stranded in the 14th Century, Missy is looking for a way out. Any way at all. Luckily the spectacular ruby owned by Edward, the famed Black Prince, might be just what she needs to get her broken vortex manipulator working again. But someone else is after the ruby too - and the question is, who wants it more... and how low are they prepared to go to get it?  

  
  

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• TDP 1331: #ForYourConsideration Episode 13 - The Breakfast Club

  13 January 2025 (6:00am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 3 minutes and 27 seconds

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      Michael’s wife has this month’s pick, it’s the John Hughes classic The Breakfast Club. T-shirts can be found here –  Follow us on twitter  Like us on  Review us on  Email the show – 

  
  

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• TDP 1332: #DoctorWho: The War Doctor Rises: Unknown Soldiers review

  8 January 2025 (10:21pm GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 9 minutes and 2 seconds

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    follow me here @tindogpodcast.bsky.social   This title was released in December 2024. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 28 February 2025, and on general sale after this date. As the Time War rages across the cosmos, an unlikely crew of outcasts form a pact to end the conflict once and for all. Their target: a legendary warrior, whose assassination at a precise point in history will create a chain reaction that sets the whole universe free...

  
  

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• TDP 1330: #DoctorWho Christmas 2024 Joy to World (fixed)

  31 December 2024 (6:42am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 19 minutes and 58 seconds

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      this version is 20 mins nlong not 6 sorry for earlier release  

  
  

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• TDP 1329: #DoctorWho Christmas 2025 Joy To The World REVIEW

  30 December 2024 (7:03pm GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 6 minutes and 53 seconds

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  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 312 – "Joy to the World"  episode Promotional poster, featuring the caption "Joy to the Worlds" Cast  –   – Joy Almondo Others  –   – Trev Simpkins Steph de Whalley – Anita Benn  – Hotel Manager Peter Benedict – Basil Flockhart  – Hilda Flockhart Niamh Marie Smith –  Phil Baxter –  Samuel Sherpa-Moore –  Ruchi Rai – Receptionist Joshua Leese – Mr Single Ell Potter – Server Liam Prince-Donnelly – Barman Fiona Marr – Angela Grace Production Directed by Alex Sanjiv Pillai Written by Script editor David Cheung Produced by Alison Sterling Executive producer(s) Joel Collins Steven Moffat Music by Running time 54 minutes First broadcast 25 December 2024 Chronology ← Preceded by "" Followed by → — "Joy to the World" is an episode of the British  series . It was broadcast on  and released on  on 25 December 2024 as the fifteenth  since the show's revival in 2005. In the episode, the  of  discovers a strange hotel at Christmastime that has harnessed the power of time travel and finds a mysterious briefcase. While investigating, he meets new  Joy Almondo (guest star ) who helps him solve the mystery. "Joy to the World" was written by  and directed by Alex Sanjiv Pillai. It was filmed in October and November 2023. Plot []  arrives at the Time Hotel, an establishment in the year 4202 that allows guests to visit various points in history, several of which the Doctor visits during the episode. The Doctor enlists the aid of Trev, a worker at the hotel, as he investigates a mysterious man holding a briefcase. As each new person is tricked into taking the briefcase, it takes control of them, and the previous carrier disintegrates. Trev's  manager arrives in Joy Almondo's London hotel room in 2024 with the briefcase, and the Doctor following him. The briefcase takes control of Joy, and the Doctor opens it, finding a strange device inside. The briefcase is about to disintegrate Joy, when a Doctor from the future arrives from the Time Hotel and gives them an override code. The future Doctor then returns to the Time Hotel with Joy, stranding the current Doctor in 2024. He takes a job working at Joy's hotel, befriending the manager Anita, and awaiting an opportunity to get back to the Time Hotel the following Christmas. A year later, the Doctor re-enters the Time Hotel, and gives his past self the code (which he'd obtained by the ), then departs with Joy. They open a door to the distant past, where the Doctor frees Joy from the briefcase by provoking her anger at being unable to be with her dying mother due to . The briefcase reveals itself to be of  origin, with plans to detonate a "star seed" to use as an energy source, using the hotel's time travel to allow it to grow in the past. The briefcase is eaten by a , and the Doctor and Joy flee. Trev, who connected psychically to Villengard's system before he died, contacts the Doctor through his . Trev reveals the briefcase's location, and the Doctor finds it sealed in a shrine. The Doctor is able to open it, but Joy takes the briefcase outside, and lets the star seed enter her. Joy and the other people killed by the seed pilot it into space, where it detonates safely. At various points in time, the star gives hope and comfort to those who see it, including Joy's dying mother and . The Doctor sees that that the star was also the . Production [] Development [] Former Doctor Who showrunner  penned the episode. , the Doctor Who , initially began writing the 2024 Christmas special. Davies had sent a portion of the script to former showrunner  to get his opinion on it. At the time, Davies was in discussions with Moffat to have him write a script for the . When Davies realised he was too busy to complete the script, he shelved it and asked Moffat to write the Christmas episode instead. Moffat considered writing a , but decided against it, believing that such an episode would be better suited mid-series. Despite this, he said the episode still had a comedic tone with emotional elements. Here's the pitch that got me the job. You know in just about every hotel room you've been in there's a locked door? It's weird, but there always is. Okay. We're about to blow apart the truth of that. In the far future there is a place called the Time hotel, and the Time Hotel has realised something brilliant, which is following the discovery of time travel they have an opportunity to sell all the rooms they failed to sell the last time. So they have built extensions into more or less every hotel room in history, and you get access to it occasionally. — Steven Moffat, "The Joy Bringer",  3 December 2024 Half the script had been completed before Davies informed Moffat that  wouldn't be in the special. The character of Anita originally only had around ten lines but her presence was increased after the production team became fond of her. Moffat had finished writing the episode by 20 July 2023. Working titles for the episode included "The Time Hotel" and "Christmas, Everywhere All at Once". The story further explores the "Villengard Corporation", a recurring fictional  company that has been mentioned in a number of Moffat's Doctor Who episodes. The Doctor last confronted Villengard in the  episode "" (2024). It is the ninth Doctor Who Christmas special to be written by Moffat who once again assumed an  role during production of the episode. Casting [] In November 2023,  was announced to be appearing in an undisclosed role of an upcoming Doctor Who episode. It was later revealed that Coughlan would star in the 2024 Christmas episode as the Doctor's one-off companion, Joy Almondo, a guest at a hotel who "gets caught up in [the Doctor's] adventures." Initial reports indicated that , who portrays the Doctor's current companion Ruby Sunday, would not appear in the special. Gibson however, made a brief  near the end of the episode..  was cast to play Trev, an employee at the Time Hotel while  portrayed the hotel's manager. Steph de Whalley appeared as Anita, the manager of another hotel whom the Doctor spends a year with. Niamh Marie Smith played , a passenger on the  in 1962, whom Moffat confirmed as the same character as the love interest of  in the films  (1962) and  (1963). Historical figures  and  were depicted, at a , by Phil Baxter and Samuel Sherpa-Moore, respectively. Sherpa-Moore is Norgay's great-great nephew. Peter Benedict and  appeared as Basil and Hilda, guests at the Queen's Hotel in Manchester during . The guest cast also included Ruchi Rai, Joshua Leese, Ell Potter, and Liam Prince-Donnelly. Filming []  for the episode was underway at  by 11 October 2023. The  room was built on a  that allowed the set to tilt to give the effect that it was being eaten by a dinosaur. The  was working on  by 17 October. The graphics team took fifteen 11-hour days to create enough artwork to fill the Doctor's hotel room. Seven different briefcases were purchased by the  for use in the episode. A team at Millennium FX designed the Silurian prosthetics.  began on 23 October, with recording extending into November. "Joy to the World" was directed by Alex Sanjiv Pillai in the first filming block of the . For the Sandringham Hotel, the production team chose to purchase two floors of an actual hotel, but had to build the lobby on a . The top of the Orient Express set was built in front of a  and placed on  to allow the special effects team to replicate the look of a moving train. Mika Orasmaa was the episodes . Release and reception [] Professional ratings Aggregate scores Source Rating  (Tomatometer) 80%  (Average Score) 7.3/10 Review scores Source Rating B– 10/10 Broadcast and promotion [] "Joy to the World" was broadcast on  and released on  on 25 December 2024 at 5:10 PM . In the United States the episode was released  on  at 9:10 AM .  also handled international distribution of the episode outside of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. A clip and  for the episode was released on 15 November as part of the 2024  broadcast. The press screening took place in the week prior to broadcast, which was hosted by . Promotional posters released by  captioned the poster with "Joy to the Worlds", mirroring the title "Joy to the World". Ratings [] In the UK, Doctor Who was the sixth most-watched programme on Christmas Day, receiving 4.11 million viewers overnight. Critical response [] On the  website , 80% of 15 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10. Writing for , Michael Hogan referred to "Joy to the World" as "the best Christmas adventure for more than a decade." He further elaborated by saying that "there's something here for all generations to enjoy" and praising the guest cast, namely Nicola Coughlan, Steph de Walley, and Joel Fry. Authoring a review for , Louise Griffin also praised the guest cast but felt that Coughlan had been underused. 's Robert Anderson wrote that the special "masterfully blends the show's signature whimsy with heartfelt storytelling, delivering a cozy, deeply human tale about the transformative power of friendship" and that "Moffat's excellent script is central to the episode's success." The writing was also applauded by Adi Tantimedh, who writing for , said "Moffat pins down the core of what makes Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor different from all his predecessors." Stephen Robinson with the  criticised the Doctor's characterization, saying the "there are key moments in the story that directly contradict the Doctor's former growth" and that "he's a mix of the 'lonely god' from Russell T Davies' first run and Steven Moffat's 'madman in a box,' and the effect is discordant." Emily Murray from  also criticised a portion of the episode, writing that the "villains quite frankly feel like an afterthought and feel threadbare."

  
  

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• TDP 1239: #foryourconsideration 12 The Muppet Christmas Carol

  24 December 2024 (3:33pm GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 1 hours, 1 minutes and 37 seconds

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  Surprise! Here’s an extra episode of For Your Consideration for Christmas. T-shirts can be found here –  Follow us on twitter  Like us on  Review us on  Email the show – 

  
  

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• TDP 1328: 90 #Torchwood: Reflect

  19 December 2024 (1:57pm GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 11 minutes and 13 seconds

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  This title was released in December 2024. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 28 February 2025, and on general sale after this date. "I will live in the past, the present, and the future. The spirits of all three shall strive within me." Christmas is a time for ghost stories, everyone knows that. But it is also a time to reflect on the past, consider the present and muse on where we might be in the future. Dorothy McShane and St John Colchester-Price have gathered to tell each other - and you at home - four stories of horror and hope, of spirits and sadness. It's the longest night of the year. And the lady in green waits... **Please note: the collector’s edition CD is strictly limited to 1,000 copies**  

  
  

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• TDP 1327:#Bigfinish Originals - VAM PD Volume One REVIEW

  16 December 2024 (7:47am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 13 minutes and 53 seconds

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  Vampires live their lives by rules - but who polices them? Welcome to the Office of the Night, where vampires Catrin and Magnus keep an uneasy peace between the living and the undead. Party All Night Vampire Circuit Parties? Someone's set up a series of tasting clubs at which vampires massacre unsuspecting human invitees. Magnus and Catrin must stop this before the craze goes viral. It's Jane's first day as human liaison to the Office of the Night and it may well be her last. Blood Bank Some vampires choose not to kill for blood – they prefer to have it supplied. It's a lifestyle choice. There’s a thriving red market in liquid gold. But the vampires running the Red Market are worried – something's contaminating the blood – a contaminant that for some is a drug and for others is lethal. If the Red Market falls, then their customers are suddenly going to get very hungry. Under the Sun A vampire cult has sprung up allowing vampires the ultimate cure – the ability to walk in the sun. Catrin and Magnus are worried. Is the cult a trick, or will it change the way that vampires feed, unleashing terror on the world? Note: This production features scenes of vampiric feeding and blood consumption.  

  
  

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• TDP 1325: Torchwood Bad Connection 89

  13 December 2024 (6:10am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 7 minutes and 24 seconds

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  This title was released in November 2024. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 31 January 2025, and on general sale after this date. A lonely man is walking past a telephone box when he notices it’s ringing. On the other end of the line is a woman telling him he’s in terrible danger. Will someone finally listen to Suzie Costello? And will she save Emlyn Crook?

  
  

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• TDP 1325: #ForYourConsideration 11 - Austenland

  9 December 2024 (7:54am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 31 minutes and 16 seconds

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    This month’s choice comes from Luke’s wife Hannah. What did Michael and his family make of the choice. T-shirts can be found here –  Follow us on twitter  Like us on 

  
  

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• TDP 1324: 8. #DoctorWho: Once and Future: Coda - The Final Act

  6 December 2024 (7:41am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 8 minutes and 28 seconds

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    This title was released in November 2024. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 31 January 2025, and on general sale after this date. The Time War. Dealing with the repercussions of degeneration, the Doctor has a limited window of time to evade capture, recruit old allies, wage a war, and find out what's really going on. A warrior is being hunted by a mysterious stranger in a TARDIS. A rogue agent has been assigned a mission to eliminate a dangerous foe. This is a fight between a war criminal and a fugitive. A fight between Doctors.

  
  

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• TDP 1323: 84. Torchwood: The Restoration of Catherine

  27 November 2024 (6:19am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 6 minutes and 44 seconds

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    Sergeant Andy and duplicitous 1950s Torchwood agent Norton Folgate find themselves trapped inside a house in the seventeenth century. Can they arrange a wedding before all of time collapses?    

  
  

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• TDP 1321: 85 #Torchwood: Art Decadence review

  20 November 2024 (9:37pm GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 6 minutes and 41 seconds

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      London in the 1920s and Sir Reggie works for Torchwood, saving the world from alien invasions. Really, he relies on the services of his loyal butler while he paints the town red. But there's a new sensation in high society - What is the secret of The Serpentine Club and can Forster save his master from it?    

  
  

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• TDP 1322: #Doctorwho 8th Doctor Doctor Who: The Stuff of Legend (Studio version)

  15 November 2024 (9:30am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 9 minutes and 35 seconds

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  Something is afoot in the lonely Cornish village of Merrymaid Bay. Rumours of dead men working in the tin mines have sent a chill through the community, and it's up to the Doctor and Charley to get to the bottom of the mystery. Can the legends of the Bucca that haunts the mines be true? And just what awesome power do the Doctor's greatest enemies - the Daleks! - threaten to unleash upon the universe?  

  
  

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• TDP 1319: 13C. Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor Adventures Series 13: Dominant Species review

  8 November 2024 (2:04pm GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 9 minutes and 52 seconds

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    13.6 The Face in the Storm by Sarah Grochala (2 parts) 1916 and the TARDIS has landed in the cargo hold of the SS Maycrest, a ship transporting soldiers across the Atlantic. Except that’s not all that’s being transported across the ocean. Because the Doctor and his friends find a strange crate in the hold, a crate that's unnaturally cold. But the contents of the crate are not the ship’s biggest secret. Nor it’s deadliest threat... 13.7 Dominant Species by John Dorney (4 parts) It has been a long time since the invasion of Taleeria. The population is enslaved and subject entirely to the will of the conquerors - the Dominators and their deadly robot servants, the Quarks. The Doctor, Harry and Naomi stumble into this perilous scenario and are soon separated... but freeing the people of Taleeria should be business as usual, shouldn't it? Where the Dominators are concerned, things may not be so simple... **Please note: the Collectors' Edition CDs are strictly limited to a pressing of just 1,500 copies**

  
  

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• TDP 1320: #DoctorWho: The Third Doctor Adventures: The Quintessence #REVIEW

  4 November 2024 (6:27am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 8 minutes and 30 seconds

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    This title was released in October 2024. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 30 November 2024, and on general sale after this date. The Doctor and Jo Jones arrive at 'Always', a Victorian manor house perched impossibly on the distant storm-world of Nethara Reach. Greeted by the peculiar Pepperdines, a couple frantic with worry about their ailing daughter, they discover terrible secrets hiding within the panelled walls and gruesome oil paintings. Secrets that will bring the Doctor face to face with one of his most ancient and implacable enemies, and put his relationship with Jo to the ultimate test.

  
  

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• TDP 1318:13B. Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor Adventures Series 13: Metamorphosis

  29 October 2024 (3:25pm GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 11 minutes and 32 seconds

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    From the recent past to the far future, the Doctor, Harry and Naomi find themselves battling foes old and new. From the malevolence of the Master to the traps of the Toymaker, danger lurks round every corner... and sometimes in the last shape you'd expect... 13.3 Matryoshka by Aurora Fearnley (2 parts) When a strange force drags the TARDIS to Earth, it's clear that the Doctor, Harry and Naomi are up against an incredibly powerful being. And when they encounter Lord Pearson, inventor of games and toys, searching for his vanished daughter... it becomes clear exactly who that being might be. Hide and seek is one of the simplest games devised by man... but in the hands of The Toymaker... it may also become the deadliest. 13.4 The Caged Assassin by Matthew Sweet (2 parts) It's very unusual to find a tiger in the TARDIS. But it’s even more unusual to find one heavily dosed in radiation. But this is far from the most unusual occurrence the Doctor, Naomi and Harry are going to encounter today. Because they are about to meet Charles Jamrach, supplier of exotic animals to the rich and royal, who is unaware that his famous menagerie conceals a deadly terror. A strange creature out for blood... 13.5 Metamorphosis by Lisa McMullin (2 parts) The people of the planet Jaxus are vanishing. When the Doctor and his friends land, Naomi is snatched away by a mysterious fog and taken to a prison run by a very old foe of the Doctor's. The Master is here and he has, as ever, a sinister scheme underway... but neither Naomi nor Harry know who he is... Can the Doctor stop his plans and rescue the prisoners? Or will his companions inadvertently aid his enemy's plans? **Please note: the collector's edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,500 copies.**

  
  

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• TDP 1305:God Wants YOU to be an Atheist FREE audio book Chapter five - So this is Christmas?

  27 October 2024 (6:28am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 5 minutes and 46 seconds

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  TDP  1305:God Wants YOU to be an Atheist FREE audio book Chapter five - So this is Christmas?    

  
  

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• TDP 1318: For Your Consideration Episode 10 - Howl's Moving Castle

  15 October 2024 (6:00am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 45 minutes and 13 seconds

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  Continuing the animated theme from last month, Michael’s pick is Howl’s Moving Castle. T-shirts can be found here –  Follow us on twitter  Like us on  Review us on  Email the show – 

  
  

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• TDP 1304: God Wants You To Be An Atheist - Chapter 4

  14 October 2024 (11:20am GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 7 minutes and 15 seconds

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  God Wants You To Be An Atheist - Chapter 4    free audio book

  
  

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• TDP 1317: Torchwood 88 from @Bigfinish Widdershins by Guy Adams

  9 October 2024 (12:07pm GMT)
  Episode Duration: 0 days, 0 hours, 8 minutes and 53 seconds

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  This title was released in October 2024. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 31 December 2024, and on general sale after this date. One night long ago, Iain tried to raise the Devil. He walked the wrong way round an ancient stone in the village graveyard. He didn't think anything would happen, not really. But something did. Something far worse than the Devil came to Llandyth. And now, many years later, Iain's trying to work out what really happened that night. Did Torchwood ruin his life?  

  
  

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