Doctor Who: Fifty Years Ago
57 episodes - English - Latest episode: 12 months ago -A Blogspot page for a Podcast on iTunes.
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Episodes
Season 10: The Green Death
May 19, 2023 16:00How much does this story get right about pollution? Surprisingly much. Ben, Luke and Nick pick apart this Pertwee classic.
Season 10: Planet of the Daleks
April 07, 2023 18:00This edition of the Doctor Who Fifty Years Ago podcast covers Planet of the Daleks, comparing the theme of warfare and the use of emotions in this story, and in more recent Who stories.
Season 10: Frontier in Space
February 24, 2023 18:30In this episode of Doctor Who Fifty Years Ago, we look at what Frontier in Space can tell us about 1973, and dissect the "metaphor of the Master's plan" to spread fear and xenophobia.
Season 10: Carnival of Monsters
January 27, 2023 19:00In this episode of Doctor Who Fifty Years Ago, the podcast reviews Carnival of Monsters in the context of 1972, and Robert Holmes' view on history, bureaucracy, society and entertainment in his carny story.
Season 10: The Three Doctors
December 30, 2022 20:19The podcast returns to start looking at Season 10's stories, with plenty to discuss on the differences on the show and in the world in 1972 and 2022. We begin with the first multi-Doctor story, so here's multiple people to review and analyse it!
A Character Analysis Podcast on "The Master"
January 02, 2021 15:09A special edition of the Doctor Who Fifty Years Ago podcast in which Ben, Luke and Nick commit an in-depth analysis into the long-term villain of the show, "The Master".
Episode 25: Inferno Episode 7: Endings and Beginnings
June 20, 2020 17:30A Doctor Who series and a government ends, and a new government begins in the 1970s which brought in an element of internationalism. In 2020, there might be an end of an age with isolationist nationalistic agendas cropping up. We can but analyse what Doctor Who and the world was in 1970, compare it to what it is in 2020, and murmur disapprovingly.
Episode 24: Inferno Episode 6: The Flame of Hope versus the Wind of Injustice
June 13, 2020 17:10There’s a tiny glimmer of goodness in the face of inevitable destruction in this episode of Doctor Who Fifty Years Ago. There’s also a fight against this goodness which threatens the safety of everyone we like. I cannot shove my tongue further inside my cheek even if I wanted to. Something something apocalypse now.
Episode 23: Inferno Episode 5: The Eruption Division
June 06, 2020 17:58The morals are wobbly and grey, as is the concept of soldiers, heroes and bureaucrats. We recognise when the rules can be broken, deify those who do and vilify those who don't, a humanisation of soldiers. The environment also gets a mention as it threatens to consume us all, very quickly in the story, very slowly in reality.
Episode 22: Inferno Episode 4: Violence and Interrogation
May 30, 2020 17:30We interrogate an episode in which the Doctor is interrogated to tell anything except the truth and the concept of the parallel universe gets another turn. There's also deep discussion about how violent acts and regimes are portrayed, and a subverted view of bureaucracy.
Episode 21: Inferno Episode 3: A Power Play
May 23, 2020 13:11Whilst an election looms in Britain 50 Years Ago, so does a story about parallel universes where extremism holds power and how it all ends in fire. Or is it connected to Buddhism? It's all visually interesting.
Episode 20: Inferno Episode 2: How to Treat Technology
May 16, 2020 17:39The calculated brainy use of brawn, how space and drilling are viewed by authors and audiences and how future technology is viewed by everyone are discussed in this episode of Doctor Who: Fifty Years Ago.
Episode 19: Inferno Episode 1: A Fiery Hierarchy
May 09, 2020 18:05This episode talks about several power complexes: control of information, government and technology, renegades and experts in the past as seen in this episode of Doctor Who Fifty Years Ago, which has repercussions for the present and indeed the future.
Episode 18: The Ambassadors of Death Episode 7: Media of Death
May 02, 2020 21:07In which there is a large discussion about how the media is portrayed in fiction between fifty years ago and now as "The Ambassadors of Death" fizzles out right at the very end.
Episode 17: The Ambassadors of Death Episode 6: Space Odyssey of Death
April 25, 2020 17:30The plot of this tale becomes apparent, but we can’t help but compare the space elements of this episode to high sci-fi elements of a Space Odyssey.
Episode 16: The Ambassadors of Death Episode 5: Mark 3 Fuel Variant of Death
April 18, 2020 17:49This episode of Doctor Who: Fifty Years Ago is about fuelling a space mission. Of course, Apollo 13 happened in real-life at the same time. That's quite interesting, and so are the subjects of regular characters, communications and privacy.
Episode 15: The Ambassadors of Death Episode 4: Bureaucratic Inertia of Death
April 11, 2020 17:35This episode deals with the concept of trust, black and white morality, and an unfortunate mishap with fuel for a space program. Yes, that space program. Also food shortage and disease was also happening 50 Years Ago, because nothing changes.
Episode 14: The Ambassadors of Death Episode 3: Moon Suits and Dinner Boots of Death
April 04, 2020 18:25In which a long monologue about Spacesuits is spoken to you, as well as radiation, the media, and stuntmen.
Episode 13: The Ambassadors of Death Episode 2: The Conspirators of Death
March 28, 2020 18:30In which various genres, including the spy thriller, are discussed, along with the political sympathies of the Conspirators in this tale of space-astronaut kidnap, hairdryer guns and jazzy soundtrack.
Episode 12: The Ambassadors of Death Episode 1: The Broadcast of Death
March 21, 2020 18:30We open a seven episode Spy Thriller with action and space capsules galore. We talk about the relaxation of broadcast media, the seriousness of space science and, erm, Milton Keynes *screams*
Episode 11: (Doctor Who) and the Silurians Episode 7: Explodey-Wodey
March 14, 2020 18:30The Military Mind clashes with science, and explosions prevail. Turns out the Doctor losing makes the episode better.
Episode 10: (Doctor Who) and the Silurians Episode 6: Medicine Man and the Cottage Hospital
March 07, 2020 18:30An episode in which the cure for a virus is looked into which the Brig is being military and Liz is being science-y. The differences between sci-fi realism in 1970 Doctor Who and the goings-on in the world in 2020 are also discussed, because they have to be.
Episode 9: (Doctor Who) and the Silurians Episode 5: Viral
February 28, 2020 18:30To hold in our hands, an episode of Doctor Who Fifty Years Ago that uses a virus as a plot-point, compared to nowadays, where viruses make the world squirm. That power would be the crowning irony of ironies, and through this episode, Ben, Luke and Nick gain ironic power.
Episode 8: (Doctor Who) and the Silurians Episode 4: Man-Trap
February 21, 2020 18:30Ben, Luke and Nick get trapped by a visual stimulant in an episode about human and alien moral values, and also talk about radio wars, jungle wars and generation wars. Bubbly liquid also froths.
Episode 7: (Doctor Who) and the Silurians Episode 3: The Silurians and the Subtext
February 14, 2020 21:09Selfish scientists and Silurian scales form basis for a slow discussion about this episode of Doctor Who: Fifty Years Ago.
Episode 6: (Doctor Who) and the Silurians Episode 2: Full of Character and Noise
February 07, 2020 17:52Ben, Luke and Nick attempt to explain how good Malcolm Hulke's characterisation and Carey Blyton's music is in this episode of Doctor Who by critiquing the characters and becoming the music itself.
Episode 5: (Doctor Who) and the Silurians Episode 1: Classy and Dumb
January 31, 2020 16:59 mpeg/3The episode walks a fine line between eminently respectable and completely absurd. Ben, Luke and Nick love this and will happily talk about it, if only because they think they're the same as the show they like. They can but dream.
Episode 4: Spearhead from Space Episode 4: NesTENe out of NesTENe
January 24, 2020 17:29Marks for this alien invasion, and its effect on the watching public? Well, have a guess. We also talk about rockets and leftist purges, just to spice up this excellent conclusion to this good serial.
Episode 3: Spearhead from Space Fleshy Scobie's Dynamite
January 17, 2020 18:24An episode which talks about espionage, human like mannequins and the glory of it being in colour, as we slowly move towards an awe-inspiring conclusion, hence the allegory of dynamite.
Episode 3: Fleshy Scobie's Dynamite
January 17, 2020 18:24An episode which talks about espionage, human like mannequins and the glory of it being in colour, as we slowly move towards an awe-inspiring conclusion, hence the allegory of dynamite.
Episode 2: Spearhead from Space Episode 2: Arguments about Aliens
January 10, 2020 17:30 mpeg-3Ben, Luke and Nick get themselves embroiled in a few arguments about characters, alien invasions, sci-fi realism and fantasy and many other things included in this episode of Doctor Who: Fifty Years Ago.
Episode 1: Spearhead from Space Episode 1: Robert Holmes' Script Meteorite
January 04, 2020 01:30 mpeg-4Season 7 begins, and the 1970s begins. Robert Holmes throws his rejected scripts into space, and they come back to Earth looking suspiciously like Quatermass II. Ben, Luke and Nick review this episode, the media, dolly-birds and colour television.
Episode 44: Finale: Discussion about Doctor Who Season 4
July 15, 2017 18:48Luke, Nick and Ben discuss Season 4 of Doctor Who (1966/1967) and determine what it was about, what it succeeded in and why its so important to Doctor Who. CHANGE! Oh, this is the last video/podcast/BlogSpot post. Thanks for watching and listening. Keep watching Doctor Who, folks. Ben. Ok, so I'm lying...
Episode 43: The Evil of the Daleks Part 7: The Penultimate End
July 08, 2017 18:29Ben, Luke and Nick make big speeches. Rank them in your favourite order!
Episode 42: The Evil of the Daleks Part 6: The Impotent Emperor
July 02, 2017 01:00Ben, Luke and Nick travel into the future, never to return.
Episode 41: The Evil of the Daleks Part 5: Let's Play Trains
July 01, 2017 12:17Ben, Luke and Nick watch Daleks at their most evil: causing a country manor special of Doctor Who. But is it a good one?
Episode 40: The Evil of the Daleks Part 4: Humans and the Human Factor
June 17, 2017 17:24Ben, Luke and Nick get the closest they will ever be to the Doctor in this episode, in that they are also mostly off screen and nodding occasionally
Episode 39: The Evil of the Daleks Part 3: Not Like Moffat
June 10, 2017 18:16Ben, Luke and Nick see the finale of the podcast in sight, and so end up looking at the finales of Doctor Who. Also, Evil part 3.
Episode 38: The Evil of the Daleks Part 2: Competency of the Daleks
June 10, 2017 18:15Our three intrepid heroes, Ben, Luke and Nick, dive into an unknown world, that of strange moving pictures. Do they enjoy their adventures in this bizzare realm?
Episode 37: The Evil of the Daleks Episode 1: Romping around Borough de Chelsea
May 28, 2017 00:30One last crime drama mystery for us to start this last story of this season. A romp in Chelsea, dancing in bars, the poshest man in the world, this story draws on the '60s very well.
Episode 36: The Faceless Ones Episode 6: Champagne Socialism Revolution
May 21, 2017 00:30This plot resolves itself remarkably quickly. Let's instead answer questions such as; how much did this cost? Who is David Ellis? How does Champagne Socialism relate to the Faceless Ones? Find out in this conclusion.
Episode 35: The Faceless Ones Episode 5: Contrasts
May 14, 2017 00:30A great number of contrasts are found in this episode, with clever yet silly villains, simplistic and complicated ideas about identity and villainy and a moral dilemma placed in a traditional Doctor Who story.
Episode 34: The Faceless Ones Episode 4: Escapism Orbit
May 07, 2017 00:30Sci-fi of the past and sci-fi of the present battles each other to see which is more interesting in this episode. Also includes space and love.
Episode 33: The Faceless Ones Episode 3: The Crime of Comedy
April 29, 2017 01:30This serial turns into a crime drama and our three critics don't mind it. The subject of comedy in Doctor Who is also discussed, it isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Episode 32: The Faceless Ones Episode 2: The Sound of Spies
April 23, 2017 00:30This episode is turned into a spy thriller, according to Nick, Ben and Luke, with a great soundscape and tense atmosphere, aided by great performances. It's winning them over.
Episode 31: The Faceless Ones Episode 1: One's Authoritarian Dilemma
April 16, 2017 00:30Malcolm Hulke swings right off the bat with moral dilemmas the fight between an anarchic Doctor and authority continues and jokes about numbers. All in an airport. Ben, Nick and Luke enjoy this one.
Episode 30: The Macra Terror Episode 4: Not a Happy Ending
April 08, 2017 18:30Emotions run high and the end is nigh for the Macra and the Terror, but is this a happy ending? Luke, Nick and Ben tell it like it is.
Episode 29: The Macra Terror Episode 3: Better than Jaws
April 02, 2017 00:30Whilst this is a weak episode, its content remains worthy of discussion. Sharks, brainwashing, idioms and tense music are discussed by Ben, Nick and Luke. Speaking of idioms; here's one; "Subscribe now!"
Episode 28: The Macra Terror Episode 2: Indoctrinated
March 26, 2017 00:30Luke produces a thesis on why this episode is so good; the fear, the terror, the paranoia, the gas-lighting. Here's a story that Nick, Ben and Luke all attempt very hard to fault it and fail. This is good.
Episode 27: The Macra Terror Episode 1: Black to Platt
March 19, 2017 00:30This curiously complicated episode draws many comparisons from Luke, Nick and Ben. Its themes of paranoia, culture and crabs are all intensely scrutinised, as are comparisons with episodes fifty years later.