Doctor Who: Toby Hadoke’s Time Travels

Slightly updated with a couple of "I Think You'll Find"s that weren't in the original episodic release, here is a chance to digest a whole three hours (nearly) of daft Dalek action with the delightful Darrell MacLaine in celebratory mode as he and your host Toby Hadoke try to identify Aridians, wonder why Columbo is on the Empire State Building, encounter some dubious baby based "comedy" on the Marie (Mary?) Celeste and eventually end up in London 1965. And Darrell knows a song about that. 

Just over half way through The Time Warrior your host,  Toby Hadoke, came forth, claiming this planet and all its moons and satellites for his greater glory. So rather appropriately the man who chose the story, renaissance man Tom Salinsky, sent his thoughts over at around that time of year, so it seemed appropriate to watch it during the period it originally went out. Prior warning - Toby is a huge fan of this story, so it's not the trickiest of prospects to find the joy in this... in fact, the hardest thing will be deciding what to chose. 

A new companion and a new monster, both of whom prove to be extremely popular in the long run, plus some medieval villainy and a geographical location rather close to your host, Toby Hadoke - yes , it's one of the few Northern Doctor Who stories. And look, it's a perfectly balanced and fun adventure, and special guest Tom Salinsky has really thrown himself into the task of celebrating this very jolly Doctor Who adventure, but will Toby be able to guess what he has chosen as his favourite ting about it? 

An episode with a first and a last. The first Doctor Who episode to mention Gallifrey and the last one to be broadcast in a Toby Hadoke free world. Your host was born midway between this and episode four, so if everyone looks slightly less irritated and isn't looking over their shoulder worried they're going to be ambushed by a baby with lots of inane questions about cast lists then now you know why. It's a fun episode, this, with one of the worst performances in the show's history, and a personal connection to Toby as he has worked with someone who was standing very close to that terrible acting.  It's doubtful that special guest Tom Salinsky, and Toby will be choosing the Sentry as their favourite thing but hey, you never know (cue unconvincing laughter). 

 

Relax, Hadoke has entered the fray - this was the first Doctor Who episode broadcast during your host's lifetime. Perhaps his mum had it on whilst rocking him to sleep? He wouldn't have nodded off during this though, as it is great fun, and special guest Tom Salinsky will have no trouble coming up with a host of favourite things this week: but will Toby - like Hal the Archer - hit the target?

 

And so we come to Doctor Who's second first night. But as we will soon discover, there's no guarantee that what gets written or planned for ends up being seen bu the public, as shirts change, scripts are juggled and a writer who doesn't really want to spend too much time ends up producing what the team need - and at a speed they appreciate. Join host Toby Hadoke as he presents the What, When and Who of the first episode of the Doctor Who story that changed the face of the series forever. 

No mention really of Kate Bush, nor any kinda/Kinda "kind of" jokes either, but instead a really interesting and literary take on one of Doctor Who's most fascinating scripts from top TV writer (The Bay) Daragh Carville. But, you know, it also has a big pink snake in it and Jack Meadows from The Bill going mad. So what will your host Toby Hadoke make of it all...? Careful though - you don't want to see the dark places of his inside. 

Oh this is a good 'un. From its BBC one ident opening to its CGI werewolf and Sam Briggs as the Queen, there is much to discuss with this often overlooked episode of New Who. Film-maker Lisa Gledhill brings her historical expertise and Doctor Who trailer making to bear on this viewing - but will she and your host Toby Hadoke both identify the same things as worthy of celebrating about this horrifying instalment? Go on, have a listen, they won't bite...

There's very little guest Gary Russell hasn't done for the series, so it's great to have him choosing his favourite things about a bona fide Doctor Who classic. For this omnibus version the opening and closing credits have been chopped off and the whole thing has been stuck together into one feature length presentation. A bit like the VHS release then, except that we haven't redone the credits in crappy red writing with too many people on one page. 

Its the second part of our trawl through the (other) beautiful game, looking at the cricketing Doctor's cricketing occasions as well as some real life connection between Doctor Who and the leather and willow - notably a batting Master, some villains announcing test matches and a Gallifreyan grandson hitting the international stage in his whites.