Oi! Spaceman: Adventures in Media Criticism
122 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 7 years ago - ★★★★ - 1 ratingA geeky husband and wife team talk all things Doctor Who, from a sex-positive and queer-friendly perspective. Warning: spoilers and a distrust of Steven Moffat may lie within.
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Episodes
In The Beginning There Was the Number (Logopolis)
November 25, 2015 22:56 - 1 hour - 62.7 MBIn this episode Shana and Daniel wave goodbye to Tom Baker (for now) in their discussion of Logopolis. First, though, Daniel rambles on by himself for a few minutes about why you're not getting a discussion of Sleep No More and Face the Raven today. There's some computer science, some mispronouncing of words, some chat about Hitler and even a little bit of conversation about the episode in question. Shana might even prefer Ainley to Delgado! Main Topic: Logopolis. Sexual fetish out the gat...
Systemic Evil (The Keeper of Traken)
November 18, 2015 03:48 - 58 minutes - 57.1 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel take a look at Tom Baker's penultimate story: The Keeper of Traken. First they discuss a bit of the real-world politics surrounding the Paris terrorist attacks from the weekend, in particular the not-particularly-surprising revelation that Gareth Roberts is a right-wing douchebag. After moving on to the titular episode, they discuss Nyssa, Adric, the burnt-up Master, and the limits of political authority. Main Topic: Keeper of Traken. Irish racist. Terrori...
Defending the Status Quo (The Zygon Invasion/Inversion)
November 13, 2015 01:13 - 1 hour - 75.4 MBIn this episode Shana and Daniel discuss the two-part Zygon story "The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion," and discuss false equivalencies regarding oppressed peoples. Also a brief discussion of "Kill the Moon." That's about it really. Main Topic: The Zygon Invasion/Inversion. Body Image. Truth or Consequences. Kill the Moon. Abortion. Daniel's idea for an abortion short story. Feminism in a box. Metaphor in SF to talk about political ideas. The Oppressed Must Break the Cycle. Questioning ...
Heinlein, Shakespeare, Math, and Sex (Warrior's Gate)
November 06, 2015 17:06 - 1 hour - 70.2 MBIn this episode, Daniel and Shana finish up the E-Space Trilogy with a discussion of Warrior's Gate. And of course a story with the enslavement of an alien race has no particular political significance, right? Also: a discussion of non-determinism and Eastern philosophies, and a bit about the BDSM implications of Romana's torture scene. Main Topic: Warrior's Gate. Anthropomorphic lions. Correction. Nothing political. Understanding E-space. Shana likes Daniel's notes. Revisiting Tom Baker. ...
Defeating Toxic Masculinity (The Girl Who Died/The Woman Who Lived)
October 30, 2015 14:16 - 1 hour - 94.8 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel barely even bother to talk about plot and story, so fascinated were they by the gender issues in the most recent two-part story of Series 9: The Girl Who Died/The Woman Who Lived. Is Ashildur genderqueer? Is Clara queer? Are the Mire 'roid-ragers? Is Leando an abusive boyfriend? Also alternative masculinity as portrayed by the Doctor and by the perhaps-appropriately-named Sam Swift the Quick. It's probably more fun than it sounds. Main Topic: The Girl Who ...
Missing 1977 and Reading Twitter
October 21, 2015 19:28 - 1 hour - 56.2 MBIn this episode of Oi! Spaceman, Daniel and Shana get silly, discussing being uncomfortably political, read some Twitter messages on the air, and eventually even chat a bit about the second part of the E-space trilogy: State of Decay. Sparkly vampires, eldritch horrors, and Leela's possible place in this story are all discussed. Main Topic: State of Decay. Retirement age. Not Wings of Desire. Someone will get that joke. Shana will never listen to any podcasts. An email from JB Anderton....
Bootstraps, Memes, and Subjugation (Under the Lake/Before the Flood)
October 14, 2015 22:21 - 1 hour - 94.1 MBIn this episode, Daniel and Shana are highly amused (and at least somewhat impressed by) the second two-part story of Series 9, "Under the Lake/Before the Flood." A base-under-siege with a nifty Golden Age SF time travel twist, this story inspires discussion of subjugated peoples controlled by mental conditioning, the way that that metaphor might reflect modern-day patriarchal structures, and the use of time travel paradoxes in Moffat Who. Also: email about military adventurism in the Wester...
Round and Round We Go (Carnival of Monsters)
October 08, 2015 21:18 - 1 hour - 63.7 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel are joined by Holly B. of the City of the Dead podcast to discuss the Third Doctor story "Carnival of Monsters," and end up wandering over most of the Pertwee era in the process. The miniscope as metaphor for Doctor Who *and* male gaze, the appearance of Ian Marter before Harry Sullivan, and the awesomeness of Shirna are all discussed. Also: a brief discussion of the Capaldi era so far. Main Topic: Carnival of Monsters. With special guest host Holly B. o...
Einstein and Mengele (The Magician's Apprentice/The Witch's Familiar)
September 30, 2015 23:18 - 1 hour - 72 MBIn this episode, which was recorded late and was edited minimally -- forgive the animal noises and the verbal tics please -- Daniel and Shana discuss the first two-parter of Series 9: The Magician's Apprentice and The Witch's Familiar. It's a fairly rambling conversation but Shana and Daniel actually disagree to some degree about the overall merits of the episode, but agree on Michelle Gomez's performance, myriad pacing and structural issues, and the anarchist rock star Doctor. Is Davros the...
Ineffectual Oligarchy (Full Circle)
September 23, 2015 16:37 - 1 hour - 84.7 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel are joined by James Murphy of the Pex Lives podcast to discuss the introduction of Adric (and, for this show, 80s Who) in Full Circle. Since James is a bit of a Moffat defender, they also put him on the spot and force him to defend the horrible sexism, racism, and general horribleness of the last few years of Doctor Who. (He survives, barely). It's an overall very fun and discursive conversation that barely even mentions oligarchy at all. Main Topic: Full...
Split Personalities (City of Death)
September 16, 2015 23:16 - 1 hour - 91.9 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel are joined by JB Anderton of the Who37 podcast in discussing the Douglas Adams classic: City of Death. First though, lots of discussion of Steven Moffat and the general failures of the last couple of years of Doctor Who. They then discuss some personal history among the three of them, the relationship between Romana II and the Fourth Doctor, and debate the ethics of sexual consent with a maggot spaghetti man. All that and comparisons between Clara Oswald's b...
Female Objectification and Cold War Allegory (The Armageddon Factor)
September 09, 2015 00:21 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBIn this episode Daniel and Shana are finishing up the Key to Time with The Armageddon Factor. It's the end of Mary Tamm, the beginning of Lalla Ward, and K-9 gets taken over by an alien menace. Also there's some fairly obvious Cold War stuff going on, a supercomputer that can't be stopped, and some discussion of distant godlike beings. Main Topic: The Armageddon Factor. Finishing up the Key to Time. The Bristol Boys. The very last six-parter. Not The Odyssey. (Not) ranking the episodes. Ba...
False Equivalence and Antifeminist Holmes (The Power of Kroll)
September 03, 2015 00:41 - 1 hour - 103 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel spend quite a bit of time responding to some listener email, defend their general lack of respect for the Moffat era, discuss the Bechdel test as it relates to Robert Holmes, and find a few minutes somewhere to discuss The Power of Kroll. Show Notes: Main Topic: The Power of Kroll. Giant Vagina Cthulhu. Letter from Lee on UNIT and sexual attraction to Daniel. The Knowing Viewer. Letter from WhoBranigan, our very first super-fan. Schpansky. Does there exis...
Game of Clones (The Androids of Tara)
August 25, 2015 18:15 - 49 minutes - 45 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel continue with their look at the Key to Time season with a discussion of The Androids of Tara. Along the way, a discussion of doubles in fiction is discussed, as well as a connection to Gone With the Wind. Also: a response to a listener email about capitalism. Main Topic: The Androids of Tara. Vaudeville. Doubles and comedy. Romana's clothing as a clue to tone. Another letter from Henry: capitalism. Moving on to The Androids of Tara. A Gone With the Wind ...
The Companion's Journey (Turn Left)
August 19, 2015 17:01 - 1 hour - 62.9 MBIn this episode, Daniel and Shana are joined by Jessica from The Web of Queer in discussing the Donna-centric episode Turn Left. Other than the general aura of Donna squeefulness, the trio discuss Donna as the ordinary person who has the seeds of the extraordinary within, the political nature of the companion during the RTD/Gardner era, and the return of Rose Tyler. Also: the metaphysics of the beetle bubble universe. Main Topic: Turn Left. With special guest Jessica from The Web of Quee...
An Abusive Polyamorous Triad (Series 8)
August 11, 2015 16:52 - 1 hour - 91.9 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel discuss the relationship dynamics of the now-on-Netflix-streaming Series 8 of Doctor Who, viewing the Danny/Clara/Doctor conflict as a deeply dysfunctional polyamorous triad. The topics discussed, including emotional abuse, toxic masculinity, and systemic misogyny, may be triggering or otherwise uncomfortable for some listeners. Also discussed: Clara as a "bossy control freak," some general impressions of Series 8 on a technical level, and a close reading of...
Vampire Rocks and Secret Lesbians (The Stones of Blood)
August 05, 2015 06:46 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel discuss a recent bit of nerd culture misogyny/blindness, then move on to the third part of the Key to Time: The Stones of Blood. Discussions revolve around the relationship between Romana and the Fourth Doctor, spreading into Romana's acceptance by the other women in the story, and whether or not the Cessair of Diplos received a punishment that fit the crime. Also: what's the deal with Romana's shoes? Main Topic: The Stones of Blood. Vincent Price. A momen...
Postmodern Who (The Pirate Planet)
July 30, 2015 14:52 - 58 minutes - 53.4 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel explore the first credit on Doctor Who of the late, great Douglas Adams. Does his signature style work well within the Whoniverse? Furthermore, is the Fourth Doctor just turning into kind of a dick? Also: why do people hate Romana I so much? A theory is proposed. Main Topic: The Pirate Planet. Shana gets the plot. Robot parrot. Talk like a pirate. Neil Gaiman. Bruce Purchase. Moons of Madness! Adams and Moffat. Jelly babies. Named female characters. The aw...
One Day, Even Here.... (The Ribos Operation)
July 23, 2015 18:05 - 1 hour - 93.6 MBIn this episode, Daniel and Shana discuss one of the finest Doctor Who stories ever: The Ribos Operation. But first they re-introduce themselves for new listeners, indulge in a bit of fanwankery around some Series 9 pre-release, discuss geek culture for a bit, and respond to Jack Graham's comments about their previous episode discussing The Invasion of Time. Also: Binro as moral authority. Main Topic: The Ribos Operation. Fred and Whedon. Daniel's favorite. Reintroductions. Fanwankery. The...
Science Versus Oligarchy (The Ice Warriors)
July 14, 2015 17:57 - 1 hour - 61.3 MBCan you discuss a story called "The Ice Warriors" and barely talk about the Ice Warriors? When there's a fascinating underlying sociopolitical context you can. Also: Jamie likes short skirts and yet another Arnold Rimmer reference. Main Topic: The Ice Warriors. An abbreviated introduction. Jack didn't like our discussion last week. Bad fan Daniel. A shoutout to Pex Lives. The Ice Warriors not so generic. The Abdominable Snowmen is unlistenable. Season 5. Political Troughton. Brian Hayles. W...
Tom Baker Gives Zero Shits (The Invasion of Time)
July 07, 2015 13:04 - 1 hour - 57.5 MBThis time Daniel and Shana discuss Louise Jameson's last story The Invasion of Time, and speculate as to how little Tom Baker actually cared about the show at this point. Also, our first female Time Lord, neutered Sontarans, Milton Johns being creepy, and much discussion of writing structure. Main Topic: The Invasion of Time. "Tom Baker throws his weight around, and Leela's nipples are almost exposed." Rockin' it in the Middle Ages. Goading the Sontarans. Doctor Who stories with the wor...
Human Dog Food (Spare Parts)
June 30, 2015 15:35 - 1 hour - 83.7 MBIn this episode, Daniel and Shana are joined by the writer of the Shabogan Graffiti blog and host of the Shabcast, Jack Graham, to talk about the Big Finish audio Spare Parts. If you know Jack's work at all, you won't be surprised that this one gets lefty, political, and ranty pretty quickly. Alas, poor Yvonne. Show Notes: Main Topic: Spare Parts, with special guest Jack Graham. An inaccurate summary? Shana's introduction to the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa. "Beige." The Young Davison versus t...
Time Lord's Burden (The Invisible Enemy)
June 19, 2015 17:59 - 1 hour - 60 MBThis week, Daniel and Shana discuss colonialism, slavery, and the "White Man's Burden" in the context of "The Invisible Enemy." The ethics of a robot dog, the role of the white savior in Doctor Who, and whether it's best to view Leela's treatment through a sexist or a racist lens is all considered. It's not all serious, though, because Louise Jameson looks adorable in Tom Baker's hat. Main Topic: The Invisible Enemy. Shana gets the plot. Space. More with Finnoula. Interrupting Shana. The R...
Savages, Cargo Cults, and Feminized Violence (The Face of Evil)
June 10, 2015 17:37 - 56 minutes - 51.4 MBIn this episode, Daniel and Shana confront the air-quote Savage in their discussion of Leela of the Sevateem in her very first story, The Face of Evil. Lots of sexism, racism, classicism, and various other -isms (implicit and explicit) to unpack here, so you might as well have a listen. Main Topic: The Face of Evil. Pennant Roberts. Apologies to Fionnuala about Dodo. A personal hello. "Doctor Qui." Leela's costume. Cosplayers. A Dandy Pandy Aside. Jelly Babies and cannibalism. "Civilizing"...
Print the Legend (The Deadly Assassin)
June 03, 2015 14:00 - 57 minutes - 52.3 MBIn this episode, Daniel and Shana take a break from hiatus to discuss the one, the only, The Deadly Assassin. Max Mad: Fury Road and the riots in Baltimore were very much on their mind during the recording, so this is a bit more politics-heavy than some other episodes, which fits the themes of The Deadly Assassin just fine. Main Topic: The Deadly Assassin. Zeitgeist. Dogs. Genesis. Fibro-fog. Center. Catch-Up. Masque. Sarah. Web. Travers. Furiosa. Companions. Formula. Masque. Doubt. Exit. ...
"Robot" Live Commentary
April 29, 2015 14:00 - 1 hour - 95.4 MBIn this episode, Daniel and Shana attempt to do a live commentary for Tom Baker's very first story "Robot." They previously discussed this story briefly in their very first regular episode, but thought it deserved a second look. They work off of the Region 1 DVD and hit "play all" at 4:25 in the podcast so you can watch along if you're so inclined. Note: The puppy was chewing on a toy towards the beginning of this podcast and so there's a bit of noise towards the beginning. It's not too ba...
The Fascist Boy Genius Turned Hero (The Sontaran Strategem/The Poison Sky)
April 22, 2015 18:35 - 1 hour - 64 MBDaniel and Shana take a break from Classic Who to discuss the Tenth Doctor story "The Sontaran Strategem/The Poison Sky," in particular the way that it plays on Third Doctor tropes and the relationship the Doctor has with his two companions, Martha and Donna. In Part Two they discuss "The Stones of Venice" from Big Finish, which has a surprisingly literary bent. Main Topic: The Sontaran Strategem/The Poison Sky. Bonus: Big Finish "The Stones of Venice." Daniel forgets an episode title. Sha...
The One Where Shana Says "Sontar-Ha" About a Billion Times (The Time Warrior)
April 09, 2015 12:00 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel discuss Sarah Jane's first adventure ever, "The Time Warrior," and discuss her relationship with Pertwee versus the one she had with Tom Baker. Also: the introduction of the Sontarans, the invention of the word "Gallifrey," and feminism galore. Bonus content at the end of the episode includes Daniel and Shana discussing the Big Finish Eighth Doctor audio "The Sword of Orion." Show Notes: Main Topic: The Time Warrior and The Sword of Orion. Exciting weapon...
A Silly Story Deserves a Silly Podcast Episode (The Three Doctors)
April 01, 2015 13:00 - 49 minutes - 45.6 MBIn this appropiately menadering and off-topic podcast episode, Daniel and Shana discuss the tenth anniversary story The Three Doctors. Much merriment was had by all, both onscreen and off. Plus: Omega and hagiography. (Note: Around the thirty-minute mark there is a brief mention of Thomas Jefferson and his relationship with Sally Hemings that may be triggering for some listeners. It's brief but those easily triggered by such topics should be aware it's coming. Thanks.) Main Topic: The Thr...
Stupid Sexy Warmongers (The Sea Devils)
March 25, 2015 13:00 - 58 minutes - 53.7 MBIn this episode of Oi! Spaceman, Daniel and Shana are joined by Lee Russell of Hougly Reviews and the They Must Be Destroyed on Sight! podcast (often co-hosted by Daniel, so go check it out). They discuss the Third Doctor romp "The Sea Devils," with mentions of some terrible creature effects, campy overacting from Roger Delgado, and what Mac Hulke's socialism meant for his work on Doctor Who. Main Topic: The Sea Devils. Introducing Lee. Shana's initial thoughts on The Sea Devils: fashion v...
Attack of the Demon Poo Baby (Terror of the Autons)
March 18, 2015 13:00 - 54 minutes - 50.2 MBIn this installment, Shana and Daniel confront Jo Grant in her first adventure, Terror of the Autons, which has some really horrendous CSO in service of a demonic doll. Also: Mike Yates makes eyes at Jo, The Doctor sort of gets along with the Brig and UNIT, and innovative uses for Bunsen burners are found. Not least, Daniel and Shana coin the term: "Daffodil Bukkake." Oh, and some loser with a funky beard makes his first appearance. Main Topic: Terror of the Autons. Daffod-evils. Demon poo ...
Some Men Just Want to Watch the World Burn (Inferno)
March 11, 2015 13:00 - 1 hour - 57.7 MBFinally Shana and Daniel get around to what is probably the single most-requested Classic Who episode they've gotten to-date: Season 7's Inferno. Drilling, parallel universes, and green zombie werewolves make for an entertaining episode, both for the series itself and the podcast. Main Topic: Inferno. Not such a bad intro. Slightly more loopy. What if it was called "The Mo-hole Project?" The one with the big drill and the green zombie monster thingies. Drill technobabble. Parallel Universe...
Troughton and Jamie and Vaughn and Packer and Zoe and Isobel (The Invasion)
March 02, 2015 17:09 - 1 hour - 60.1 MBThis week, Shana and Daniel discuss one of Daniel's all-time favorite stories, one that prefigures the entire Pertwee era, The Invasion. Lots of couples in this one, including a Smithers-Burns relationship between Packer and Vaughn and some real girl power between Isobel and Zoe. Also: the Cybermen. Main Topic: The Invasion. A discussion of "Sinister Allies." Adorable married couple bullshit. The great Kevin Stoney as Tobias Vaughn. Coffee and paczkis. Sassy "under-Brigs." What if this was ...
Time Paradox and Class Structure (Chimes of Midnight)
February 23, 2015 15:00 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBShana and Daniel are joined by Dr. Paul Booth of Depaul University in their discussion of "Chimes of Midnight," an Eighth Doctor audio adventure from Big Finish. Lots of general discussion of Big Finish ensues, along with a discussion of why the Doctor can be such a revolutionary figure on other worlds but must let simmering issues like class oppression alone. Main Topic: Chimes of Midnight. Introducing Paul Booth. "Pretend it's midnight and you're stoned, and it will make perfect sense." D...
Miniskirts, Spy Parodies, and Sociopolitical Commentary (The Enemy of the World)
February 16, 2015 15:23 - 1 hour - 77.4 MBAfter an unintentional hiatus, Shana and Daniel are back and continuing to discuss Patrick Troughton stories with this: The Enemy of the World, basically just looking through the lens of the massive and amazing cast of characters in the thing. Also: budding feminism and buried sexism, The Amazing Ass of Astrid, and how we decide as societies who has authority and who doesn't. Main Topic: The Enemy of the World. Volcanoes in Doctor Who. "The Incredibles" in ten years old. Troughton's dual r...
Hard Science Fiction and Soft Feminism (The Moonbase)
January 21, 2015 15:00 - 1 hour - 57.9 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel discuss "The Moonbase," the value of a more hard-SF approach to Doctor Who, and the feminist implications of getting coffee. Also, organic solvents as the tools of revolution! First, though, a discussion of "Clara Who" in New Who Series 8. Main Topic: The Moonbase. "The whole killer virus and Jamie and there's a gravitron...." A new microphone. "War-Doctoring" as a verb. Laughing at "international cast." Talking about "Clara Who," misogyny, and the differen...
Fab First Doctor in the Swingin' Sixties
January 14, 2015 15:00 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel discuss "The War Machines," one of the last First Doctor adventures, and one that would have huge effects on the series for years to come. Does this story encourage technophobia? How does Doctor Who's popularity young people influence the way Hartnell interacts with Ben and Polly, and the Sixties subculture? How much of a raw deal did Dodo get? This episode is most certainly required. Main Topic: The War Machines. Daniel invokes Christ. Would the War Machi...
Missing Episodes and Moral Culpability (Mission to the Unknown/The Daleks' Master Plan)
January 07, 2015 15:00 - 1 hour - 97.7 MBAn epic Doctor Who episode deserves an epic celebration of it. Yes, a celebration. Shana and Daniel have a long and lively conversation about the (arguably) longest single story in Doctor Who history: The Daleks' Master Plan, with Mission to the Unknown as prequel. Along the way, we see some excellent (and not-so-excellent) costume design, the gaining of (and loss of) some important companions, some very silly science, a pair of amazing performances from Kevin Stoney as Mavic Chen and of cou...
Coming to You Live From Raxacoricofallapatorius (Aliens of London/World War Three)
December 31, 2014 16:50 - 53 minutes - 48.9 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel are joined by the wonderful, intelligent, and lovely Jessica from The Web of Queer! The three talk all about the Ninth Doctor story Aliens of London/World War Three, including the tragedy of farting aliens (who are also incredlbly body-positive), the loveliness of Harriet Jones, and the wonder of the Tyler family dynamic. All this and a proposal for a Doctor Who tribute band besides. Main Topic: Aliens of London/World War Three. Introducing Jessica from...
A Turducken of Moffat (Last Christmas)
December 28, 2014 20:37 - 1 hour - 59.8 MBIn which Shana and Daniel discuss the 2014 Christmas special, "Last Christmas," which probably should have just been called "Moff-ception." Or "The One With Crabs That Have Mouths in Their Butts." Among the topics discussed: the infantilization of Clara, the kinds of people that look like scientists, and the process of grieving. What a fun Christmas episode this was. Main Topic: Last Christmas. Shana took a bunch of notes. General Impressions about the Christmas special. Nick Frost/S...
Cartoony Slavery and Sexual Assault (The Romans)
December 18, 2014 18:02 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel continue their examination of the companions of Classic Who as they discuss The Romans. How adorable is Vicki? How badass is Barbara? How blockheaded is Ian? And what does the tone of this story, in which broad farce is set alongside slavery and sexual assault, say about the way entertainment was viewed in the 1960s? All that and Sassy Hartnell too. Main Topic: The Romans. A slow start. Introductions. Who is Vicki? Reading a Facebook comment. Production va...
There's Nothing More Boring Than Hearing About Someone Else's Vacation (Our Experience at Chicago TARDIS 2014)
December 11, 2014 15:00 - 1 hour - 62.3 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel bore you with a long conversation about their time at Chicago TARDIS 2014, including an hour-by-hour itinerary of what they did and didn't do. Riveting. To liven things up, they talk about getting to meet both Wendy Padbury and Frazer Hines randomly in the lobby, and share amusing anecdotes about some of the panels, including Noel Clarke's lunch with Sasha Grey and Camille Coduri's clear physical desire for Jon Pertwee. Main Topic: Chicago TARDIS 2014 W...
Of Pandas and Poetry (The Time Meddler)
December 06, 2014 19:52 - 38 minutes - 35 MBIn this episode, Shana and Daniel discuss the great First Doctor serial The Time Meddler. And struggle to keep the puppy quiet. Along the way, discussions of misconceptions about the First Doctor, the creation of the pseudo-historical in Doctor Who, and the characterizations of Steven and Vicki abound. Also: a change in leadership as Verity Lambert leaves, looking ahead to some missing episodes, and casting a modern version of the Meddling Monk. Main Topic: The Time Meddler. Funny Hartnell...
Not a Foucauldian Reading of Doctor Who (A Conversation with Paul Booth)
December 01, 2014 00:27 - 45 minutes - 41.9 MBWe met academic Doctor Who writer Paul Booth at Chicago TARDIS 2014, and against his better judgement he agreed to sit down with us for an hour or so for a conversation about the intersection between Doctor Who fandom and the show's production team. What are some of the defining characteristics of Doctor Who fandom? What is (and should be) the relationship between the show and its fans? How can we reconcile liking something that we find problematic in many ways? All this and Paul gives us a ...
The Quest for Fire (An Unearthly Child/100,000 BC)
November 24, 2014 15:00 - 1 hour - 56 MBIn this episode (recorded on the day of the 51st anniversary) Daniel and Shana discuss the very first episode of Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child. Are the caveman sequences worth it? Is Barbara really as awesome as fandom thinks? (Yes.) Should the Doctor always be a hero? All this and much more. Main Topic: An Unearthly Child. Meeting three new companions. The Susan Scream. Parks and Recreation reference. Explaining "received fan wisdom." Going to Chicago TARDIS. Talkin' about Susan Foreman. ...
Meandering, Manpain, and Moffat-Hate (Dark Water/Death in Heaven)
November 13, 2014 20:36 - 1 hour - 67.7 MBIn this episode, Daniel and Shana discuss the two-part Series 8 finale, "Dark Water/Death in Heaven." Look forward to discussions of death (both real-life and fictitious), competence in Doctor Who, the spinning of wheels in an attempt to hoodwink the audience, and Danny's manpain being more important than the life of a child. Main Topic: Dark Water/Death in Heaven. Shana plays with her phone. Lying to Cybermen. Daniel forgets the title of "Revenge of the Cybermen." Previewing future podcas...
Adventures in Close Reading (In the Forest of the Night)
October 30, 2014 19:42 - 47 minutes - 43.4 MBIn what is probably the most literary-discussion episode of our Doctor Who podcast ever, Shana and Daniel discuss "In the Forest of Night." Is Danny an irresponsible teacher? How should we treat mental illness in fiction? What is Clara's role in this story? Plus an extended discussion of poetry, all in this latest podcast episode. Also: Series 8 finale discussion. Main Topic: In the Forest of the Night. Not awake just yet. Millions. Annoying kids are a good thing? First female director of ...
This Podcast Does Not Support Orson Scott Card's Homophobia and General Wingnuttery (Flatline)
October 22, 2014 16:23 - 45 minutes - 41.4 MBAnother episode, another recording style. And another Doctor Who episode (Flatline) we both really liked. Score another point for Jamie Mathieson. Here we discuss what we want the Doctor to be, how the simple matter of the show being remarkably less sexist and problemmatic affects our enjoyment, and the ethics of dealing with alien species with whom one can have little hope of clear communication. Enjoy! Main Topic: Flatline. Interfering audio. Jamie Mathieson for showrunner! Additional tho...
A Scientist Not a General (Mummy of the Orient Express)
October 15, 2014 14:00 - 35 minutes - 32.2 MBWe had some technical problems and life pressures, so this one is a bit shorter than usual. Let us know if you like the shorter format. In this episode, Shana and Daniel discuss Doctor Who Series 8, Episode 8: "Mummy on the Orient Express." Main Topic: Mummy on the Orient Express. An all-too brief synopsis. A slightly longer synopsis. Guest stars. A completely different Doctor. A completely different Clara. Felt like David Tennant. Not a general but a scientist. Not misogynistically weak. ...
Moon Abortion and You Fail Physics and Biology Forever (Kill the Moon)
October 09, 2014 20:30 - 1 hour - 63 MBThis one's going up much later than we wanted, but better late than never? Hopefully. This time, Shana and Daniel discuss "Kill the Moon," in particular some horrifying science content and the inherent sexism of certain elements of fandom. Also: the abortion of the moon. Main Topic: "Kill the Moon." Bad Astronomy. Question: sexism on Doctor Who versus other similar shows? If you're on Tumblr.... We expect better from Doctor Who. "You cis-het white dude." The science of "Kill the Moon." N...