Doctor Who On Target: Recent Episodes
Greg James
They're back! Bigger, more powerful and scarier than before - and this time, they have web guns! The fabulous Patrick Troughton classic story, recently returned (almost) to the BBC archives is graced with a truly wonderful package from BBC Audio with David Troughton narrating! How could Greg and David resist reviewing this one? They couldn't, of course - so, hit the download button and join as we find out if this Doctor Who is On Target!
Galaxy 4 by William Emms is where David and Greg are faced with the beautiful but cold and deadly Drahvins, the incredibly ugly but rather nicely spoken Rills, and are nearly knocked right over by their robotic servants the chumblies. What on Earth will we make of this lost (aside from one recently-discovered episode) oddity from Hartnell-era Who? And of course, we have the very first narration of a Target audio from the original Vicky herself - Maureen O'Brien.
A live commentary this time for you to watch with us and see if you agree with our views on this story. But first we have a report from Cardiff, and then feedback from our listeners. Write in to let us know what you think of this episode or anything on the world of Doctor Who. email us at doctorwhoontarget@gmail.com or tweet us at DrWhoontarget.
We go North of border today to find ourselves facing a mishmash of enmity from all over Europe - times haven't changed, have they! Bonnie Scotland is the setting for myriad skirmishes for the control of Great Britain, with pirates, a not-quite-himself Second Doctor and a new edition to the TARDIS crew - download and listen to what we think - but then email, twitter or send us an audio recording to let us know what YOU think!
Can you spot all the connections to see why we've chosen to review this episode? Of course you can - you're a Doctor Who fan... Listen in to hear what we make of this Matt Smith story written by Chris Chibnall - the soon to be show-runner of our favourite TV programme.
Our first Malcolm Hulke review - and it's the Jon Pertwee classic Doctor Who and the Cave Monsters. Join us as we enter a subterranean world of political intrigue, betrayal and personal vendettas - all topped off with a monstrous Tyrannosaurs Rex! Classic Doctor Who indeed - and a real feast for David and Greg to get their teeth into! And don't forget to download or order a copy of Greg's new science fiction novel set in a dystopian future - The Faith Seekers.
Greg and David discuss the announcement that Jodie Whittaker is the 13th Doctor. Finally, some 36 years of so after Tom Baker hinted that the new Doctor would be a woman, his prophecy has come true - of course, he knew all along!
We get back to classic Target reviews - and there's nothing more classic than the very first story to feature the 4th Doctor himself - the Terrance Dicks scripted and written The Gian Robot. We think it's one of our best ever podcasts! See what you think and let us know. Oh, and don't forget to download or order a copy of my new book - The Faith Seekers - available now on Amazon, Lulu and iBooks.
The Season finale is upon us - can Steven Moffat's final episode for Season 10 live up to last week's incredible Mondasian Cybermen epic? Join Greg and David as we watch the episode and record immediately after broadcast.
Lilliputian shenanigans with an environmental twist this time! No - that's not the latest cocktail - it's Greg and David's review of the William Hartnell story Planet of Giants! One of Terrance Dicks later novelisations for the Target range, let's see how it fare with the new BBC Audio version read by none other than the very first Doctor Who companion - Susan herself - Carol Ann Ford.
As we enter the final story Capaldi's last season, join us as we watch the Genesis of the Mondasian cybermen...
Rona Munro has returned to the Doctor Who fold after last penning the very last story of the classic series - what do Greg and David think of her much anticipated return?
After our break we have decided to catch up by discussing the Monk Trilogy! Extremis (again!), The Pyramid at the End of the World and The Lie of the Land all in one huge session! Let us know what you think by emailing us or tweeting us! DoctorWhoontarget@gmail.com.
"Eminent scientist Emil Keller has developed a revolutionary new process for the treatment of hardened criminals. His invention, the Keller Machine, is being heralded as a major scientific breakthrough.But Professor Keller is in truth the Master, and the Keller Machine is much more than a mere machine.Soon the Doctor, Jo, the Brigadier and UNIT are involved in a bitter struggle with the Master, an alien mind parasite, and a diabolical scheme to plunge the world into a Third World War... Richard Franklin, who played Captain Mike Yates in the BBC TV series, reads Terrance Dicks's novelisation of a 1971 TV serial by Don Houghton." So goes the blurb from Penguin/BBC Audio - but there is only one question on our minds - Can Richard Franklin redeem himself after our last review of his narration? Listen on to find out...
What will Greg and David make of the episode which sees the start of a three-part story? Download and listen to our review of this series 10 Steven Moffat penned episode.
On 18th May, Greg and David met up in Cardiff to have a final visit to the Doctor Who Experience before it closes, and also had a set tour of the real TARDIS at BBC Wales Studios - listen in and see what we thought of it.
Oxygen by Jamie Mathieson - writer of the modern classic Mummy on the Orient Express, and Flatline - can he deliver for the third time? Listen to Greg and David's review hot off the press...
Guest starring David Suchet, written by Doctor Foster's Mike Bartlett, creepy old house, strange goings on...surly it will be a winner? Listen to Greg and David review the episode 5 from season 10 of Doctor Who...
Sarah Dollard's much anticipated follow-up to Face the Raven - how will it fare in the opinions of Greg and David? Download now to find out...
Doctor Who's greatest ever writer joins forces with Doctor Who's greatest ever script editor and novelist to make… The Space Pirates! Surely it should be an epic of screen and novelization? Download and listen to what the On Target team David and Greg make of this long lost story.
Starting our review of the final Peter Capaldi outing - season 10 we give our post-broadcast thoughts on The Pilot by Steven Moffatt, which introduces Pearl Mackie as new companion Bill Potts.
Dare you confront the Three Who Rule! This time we are lost in E Space - and this story is read by Geoffrey Beevers - the Master! Can he be trusted in this world outside of normal time and space? Joins us as we prepare to face The Great Vampire! And Adric…
The Horror…the horror… of Fang Rock! Yes - this week Greg and David announce their schedule for reviewing the upcoming series 10 of Doctor Who - Peter Capaldi's final in the role, reveal their competition winner for The Pirate Planet and of course, review the fabulous Terrance Dicks classic starring the 4th Doctor The Horror of Fang Rock. There's even some poetry thrown in for to whet your appetite…
Space Queens! Killer robot parrots! Mentiads! Diamond rain and time-hopping planets captained by a cyborg pirate captain! It can only be the legendary Douglas Adams. And no amount of madcap mayhem will stop the Doctor Who on Target team bringing you their review of this classic Tom Baker tale from the Key to Time season.
After a gap of some time, the expectation has been high, but finally, the wait is over -they have returned - Greg and David, no, sorry, of course we mean the Daleks, return to Doctor Who in their first meeting with the 3rd incarnation as played by the one and only Jon Pertwee. A Terrance Dicks novezisation, a UNIT story, and the new audio version voiced by Richard Franklin - what will we make of it all? Plus a competition to win a copy of the new BBC Audio version on CD.
It's Christmas, so we take a break from the Target books to review the Doctor Who Christmas special - The Return of Doctor Mysterio. The first time there has been new Doctor Who on our screen for a whole year!
This time we are joined by Doctor Who novelist Una McCormack where vampires, ancient Arabic legends, Viking folklore, Christian religious doubt, moral conflict, sexuality, and world wars are tipped into the huge bubbling cauldron which is: The Curse of Fenric. Whew! Let's see what sort of a magic potion Greg, David and Una can concoct from this to try and counteract that age old Curse.
David and Greg attended the screening of the new animated version of the 2nd Doctor's classic first story - The power of the Daleks. Please enjoy our review and enter our competition at doctorwhoontarget@gmail.com
1066 and all that - Doctor Who style! Greg and David review The Time Meddler by Nigel Robinson with the audio version read by Peter Purves. The 1st Doctor story has a number of firsts for Doctor Who - We discuss the original TV version, the Target novelization and also the new audio version released this month from the BBC.
This time we are reviewing The Sontaran Experiment by Ian Marter - the two-part TV story which was written into a full length Target novelization - how did Ian Marter fare with this? And what about Jon Culshaw's reading of the new BBC Audio version? Liston on…
In this episode we are held in …The claws of Axos - The classic 3rd Doctor story by Terrance Dicks.
Watch your back! Check their ID! Throw away your transistor radio - International Electromatics are watching you. We review Cybermen - The Invasion by Ian Marter - and, there will be blood…
Cracking crustaceans! It's the Macra Terror! Greg, David and Michael must walk at a very leisurely pace to try and escape their advance. In time for the new audio version from BBC Audio read by Anneke Wills, we review this mysterious lost story.
The Second part of our Target cover special - this time we are joined by Grant to let us know what he thought of the exhibition and what the Target Covers mean to him.
I veer away from the world of Target this week - apart from one mention - see if you can find it - but stay well within the realms of Doctor Who fandom with selected highlights and an interview with astrophysicist Dr Edward Gomez. Let me know if you enjoy it. Email doctorwhoontarget@gmail.com or Tweet OnTarget.
This time we look at the classic Jon Pertwee story which was novelised for Target by Terrance Dicks.
Doctor Who On Target visit the Cartoon Museum in London for the fabulous display of original cover artwork for the Target books - generously organised by Ed Russell - Brand Manager for Doctor Who. A big thank you to him and all the owners of the artwork who so kindly loaned them for us to see.
This time the Doctor Who: On Target team are being spooked by shop mannequins and thrilled by the BBC iPlayer of the 1970s-Terrance Dicks! And goodness, isn't Caroline John good!
A deviation from our normal rules this time - he's never written the Target novelisation for it, though we wish he would, but we're reviewing it anyway - in the form of a commentary to celebrate 10 years since it was first shown. Actually, it may be more than that now... timey wimey...
To celebrate a whole year since the first episode of Doctor Who: On Target, or Whos On Target as we were know then, we return to the subject of our first podcast - the daleks, specifically the variety faced by William Hartnell and written by Terry Nation. This time, the dreaded daleks have left their home planet of Skaro and launched a full scale invasion of Earth!
The On Target team are asked to sample some very unusual culinary delights in this episode - but they find themselves strangely drawn to the bloodthirsty appetites of the connoisseur...
The Whos On Target team travel back to 17 century France and become embroiled in religious war which pitted their fellows against each other. What did the team think of this Target novelization? And is it cannon? Listen in to find out...oh, is that the Doctor and Steven in the TARDIS?
We couldn't resist - Greg, Alex and Mike and Michael from Norfolk review the season 9 finale.
Two Thirds of the Whos On Target team mangage to make it to the offical BBC Doctor Who Festival in London - what did we think?
This time, the Who's On Target team have had to get on their bikes - yes - get on their bikes and frantically peddle across a quarry on a bike far too small for them and dressed like silly mummie's boys. Now why on Earth do we have to do that? Why - to see The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, of course!
A very special instruction from a giant of Doctor Who leads the team on to an action-packed episode this month, with a guest reviewer, new music, a sketch, arguments and info! What more could you want? Let's just hope we can get this transmat repaired to home from Nerva Beacon for the next episode!
This time the Doctor Who: On Target team find themselves in an Orwellian world of capitalist greed at the expense of the people, torture televised as public entertainment, and conglomerates controlling the government. But let's try and forget Tory Britain and review the Colin Baker story Vengeance on Varos!
In this episode of Doctor Who: Whos On Target we find ourselves in a foreboding, dark and anxiety-ridden place - yes, the mind of Christopher H. Bidmead! Sorry, that was a bit cheap - but we review our first story by the former script-editer himself - and it causes a huge rumpus at the Whos On Target team's HQ - wildly varying opinions on this one...
This time, the Whos On Target team are embroiled in a diplomatic, inter-galactic escapade which involves a pair of Cockney showpeople, an escaped sea monster, an escaped sea monster, a monster which has escaped from the sea, and a sea monster which has escaped from the sea, a mini-scope and-well, you get the picture...
We review the very first Target Doctor Who novelisation - Doctor Who and the Daleks! Or, to give it its original title: Doctor Who In An Exciting Adventure With The Daleks by David Whitaker.
This time, the Whos On Target team trek to the North Pole to have a good look at Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet, by Gerry Davis. This novelisation adapts the very last William Hartnell story, and the very first regeneration..,
Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars by Terrance Dicks
This time, the Whos On Target team come face to face with Sutekh the Destroyer in a terrifying tale of robotic mummies, ancient Egyptian curses and a horrifying vision of a future Earth if the Doctor cannot save it! Yes – the team review the classic tale The Pyramids of Mars – but what will they think of it in novelization form?
This time, the Whos On Target team trek up the chilling, snowy Himalayas to brave The Abominable Snowmen, by Terrance Dicks. A classic lost Troughton story, only one episode of the TV original survives, but we have Target..and we sit, surrounded by Warrior Monks, bravely discussing the story while outside, the wind howls as the roar of the yeti echoes round the peaks of the snow-clad mountains...