Doctor Who Literature
By Jason Miller
Doctor Who LiteratureFeb 06, 2022
Episode 110 Part I -- The Celestial Toymaker (with James Goss)
Welcome to the first of two planned episodes about the 1966 Doctor Who serial The Celestial Toymaker. The episode eventually spawned a TV sequel ... in 2023, The Giggle. The novelizations of both stories were released in 1986 and 2024 respectively.
Joining me this week is James Goss, author of the Giggle novelization, and we spend about 90 joyous minutes talking about both books.
Links to other podcasts or posts or websites discussed today:
--James Goss recently appeared on Trap One.
--Shannon Patrick Sullivan's A Brief History of Time (Travel).
--James Cooray Smith's Psychic Paper looks at Trial of a Time Lord.
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Watch this episode and all previous episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels
"Doctor Who – The Celestial Toymaker" features cover art by Graham Potts.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit
Episode 109A - Harry Sullivan's War (with Jim Sangster)
1986 saw the release of the first two Companions of Doctor Who novels, original full-length books rather than novelizations of Doctor Who TV serials. There would only be one more after this one. Harry Sullivan's War was written by Ian Marter, who died tragically young, on his own 42nd birthday, just a couple of weeks after the book's release.
Jim Sangster rejoins me as the guest for this week's book -- and also wrote this week's theme song!
A video for Jim's son is found here. Song written by Jim Sangster and sung by Antony Owen.
The first 8 minutes are an audio essay about the 1986 baseball season. If you're not a baseball fan, you will be after hearing this essay (or not).
Recent guest Dale Smith recently penned an essay about Turlough and the Earthlink Dilemma, the first Companions of Doctor Who novel, covered on this show (by Dale Smith!) just last month.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Watch this episode and all previous episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels]
"The Companions of Doctor Who – Harry Sullivan’s War" features cover art by David McAllister.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit
Episode 109 - Fury From the Deep (with Conrad Westmaas)
Returning to Doctor Who Literature this week is Conrad Westmaas, one of the great friends of this show, who brings news from Big Finish and the convention circuit.
After catching up, Conrad and Jason dive into this week's Doctor Who episode and novelization, Fury From the Deep, which may well be one of the 60 greatest Doctor Who stories of the past 60 years.
A link to the choose-your-own-adventure book by Eric Grissom referenced by Conrad during today's interview.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Watch this episode and all previous episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels
"Doctor Who – Fury From the Deep" features cover art by David McAllister.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit
Episode 108 - The Savages (wtih Nathan from PixelWho)
Very happy to have on the show this week Nathan Skreslet from PixelWho, an innovative Doctor Who online store, which has supplied the bookmark Jason uses while reading the novelizations -- among other art.
Michael Storm from our Mark of the Rani episode has blogged about his appearance and about the book/TV episode.
Shout out to the recent Gallifrey's Most Wanted episode covering The King's Demons, which we covered on Doctor Who Literature last week.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Watch this episode and all previous episodes on YouTube at
https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels]
"Doctor Who – The Savages" features cover art by David McAllister.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit
Episode 107 - The King's Demons (with Jim Sangster)
Jim Sangster is back on Doctor Who Literature, not only with a new song (and, as usual, a banger), but with a new video as well Jim is here to discuss Doctor Who's Season 20 classic The King's Demons.
Recent Jason podcast appearances discussed in the episode include:
Trap One: The Underwater Menace
Trap One: The Daleks -- In Colour
Who & Company: Jason & Dark Shadows
Gallifrey's Most Wanted: Timewyrm: Genesys
Jim's video adaptation of his song for this episode can be found up on our YouTube channel!
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Watch this episode and all previous episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels
"Doctor Who–The King’s Demons" features cover art by David McAllister.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit
Episode 106 - The Mark of the Rani (with Michael Storm)
Doctor Who fans may love Pip & Jane Baker. Doctor Who may hate Pip & Jane Baker. But Doctor Who fans cannot ignore Pip & Jane Baker, and what unique voice they brought to their scripts and especially their four novelizations in between Seasons 22 and 24 of Classic Who. And now in publication order we reach the first of their books: The Mark of the Rani.
And please give a warm Doctor Who Literature welcome to Michael Storm, who makes a very memorable DWLit debut. We've got a lot to discuss.
Join DWLit Nation and get your Ghastly Woke Zombie T-shirt here.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Watch this episode and all previous episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels
"Doctor Who – The Mark of the Rani" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit
Episode 105A - Turlough and the Earthlink Dilemma (with Dale Smith)
Here on Doctor Who Literature we take a brief scheduled break from the novelizations. It's still May 1986, and not only did we get the Doctor Who novelization of Timelash, but now we get the debut of the short-lived Companions of Doctor Who line. First up, Turlough and the Earthlink Dilemma. Which doubles as the first original Doctor Who novel. Many more would follow.
Joining me to break this one down is Doctor Who novelist Dale Smith.
We'll also discuss Dale's recent Black Archive volume on The Greatest Show in the Galaxy.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Watch this episode and all previous episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels
"The Companions of Doctor Who–Turlough and the Earthlink Dilemma" features cover art by David McAllister.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit
Episode 105 - Timelash (with Simon Guerrier -- LIVE)
Recorded live at Gallifrey One in Los Angeles last week, Simon Guerrier -- author of the magisterial new biography of David Whitaker -- sits down with me, and Mark from Trap One -- to discuss one of Doctor Who's more controversial episodes... Timelash. Plus, a brief recap of Gally.
Mark and I also collaborated on a Trap One Gally Field Report.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Watch this episode and all previous episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels
"Doctor Who– Timelash" features cover art by David McAllister.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit
Episode 104 - Galaxy Four (with Stacey Smith? LIVE)
Live from Los Angeles, it's Saturday night... or rather, Sunday morning at Gallifrey One. Welcome to the first of three live interviews recorded at the con, with another to follow next week and the third to follow in a couple of months. The accomplished and well-traveled and glamorous Stacey Smith? rejoins me to discuss one of Doctor Who's less remembered, but possible underrated, 1960s episodes.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Watch this episode and all previous episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels
"Doctor Who – Galaxy Four" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit
Episode 103 - The Twin Dilemma (with Graeme Burk)
This week's Doctor Who novelization is The Twin Dilemma. Which, when you rank Doctor Who's TV stories from best to worst, is almost always at the bottom of the list.
And our Doctor Who Literature guest this week is Graeme Burk, from one of Jason's favorite Doctor Who podcasts, Reality Bomb.
Please listen to the two Doctor Who Essentials episodes of Reality Bomb, here and here.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Watch this episode and all previous episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels
"Doctor Who – The Twin Dilemma" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit
Episode 102 - The Time Monster (with Si Hart)
After two weeks celebrating "The Gunfighters", we now spend a week tolerating, or at least giving a curt head nod to, "The Time Monster". Why was this one of the last Pertwee stories to be novelized? If the TV scripts were co-written by Barry Letts, why does Terrance Dicks appear to have so little patience for it?
Check out Si's Library of Impossible Things podcast.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Watch this episode and all previous episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels
"Doctor Who – The Time Monster" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit
Episode 101-B - The Gunfighters Part II (with Jim Sangster)
Jim Sangster rejoins me this week -- this time in the interviewer's seat -- as we continue our deep dive into The Gunfighters. Why was a particular 1983 Doctor Who hardcover reference book so hard on the story? Did the story effectively kill the historical genre in '60s Who? Was this the lowest-rated story of all time? Is the inclusion of the ballad a betrayal of the Western genre?
Jim and I both love this story to bits. Which is why we spent two weeks on it and not just one.
Sampled or narrated this week:
--The final pitch of Game 6 of the 1975 World Series.
--The theme to US TV's The Life & Legend of Wyatt Earp.
--Frankie Laine sings the theme to Gunfight at O.K. Corral.
--The theme to Gerry Anderson's Four Feather Falls.
--The Doctor Who discussion in U.S. sportswriter Allen Barra's now out-of-print Inventing Wyatt Earp.
In short, Jim and I had a delightful two weeks in Tombstone. Next week a new guest and I will be off to Atlantis... will that be as much fun?
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Watch this episode and all previous episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels
"Doctor Who – The Gunfighters" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit]
Episode 101-A -- The Gunfighters Part I (with Jim Sangster)
Jason loves The Gunfighters. Unreservedly and without irony. It ranked as #13 on his Top 60 of-all-time Doctor Who stories as announced in November 2023.
So this episode about the novelization needs to be big, epic, as widescreen as Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas (and Deforest Kelley!) in John Sturges' Gunfight at the OK Corral.
This week, Jim Sangster and I focus primarily on the behind-the-scenes production chaos behind the making of Doctor Who's third production season, which informs a lot about why Gunfighters is one of the show's last pure historicals. Jason also touches briefly on the context of the novelization, and then next week, both Jim and I are back for more rootin' tootin' Gunfighters.
The Harvey Keitel interview referenced in this episode can be viewed here.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Watch this episode and all previous episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels
"Doctor Who – The Gunfighters" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit
Episode 100 - The Two Doctors (with Conrad Westmaas, Frazer Gregory, and Jason Davis)
Target Book 100 was a special event for Doctor Who fans. A milestone novel, with a special introduction written by show producer John Nathan-Turner -- his only direct contribution to the Target books -- and with a gold-stamped foil logo and a unique flash above the logo.
Is The Two Doctors -- Patrick Troughton's final live contribution to Doctor Who, filmed about two and a half years before his untimely passing -- as special a story as the novelization? We need three guests to break it down for us this week. Conrad, Frazer, and Jason Davis, all back for repeat appearances.
Conrad co-stars in a brand-new Big Finish release with the Sontarans (and TV Sontaran Dan Starkey!). Buy it here!
Musical inspiration for this episode comes from The Sundays.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Watch this episode and all previous episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels
"Doctor Who – The Two Doctors" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit
Episode 99 - The Krotons (with Jim Sangster) (CORRECTED)
NOTE: This episode run time should be 92 minutes. A 66-minute truncated version was erroneously sourced first. We have now updated the stream.
And, incidentally, a happy 2024 to all of you at home.
We are no longer on Twitter, but can be found on YouTube, BlueSky, and all your favorite podcast apps of choice.
Jim Sangster rejoins me this week with a specially recorded "Direction Point" intro, a comedy sketch featuring the Krotons, and, of course, a lengthy conversation about Xmas movies and... the Krotons.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Watch this episode and all previous episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels
"Doctor Who – The Krotons" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit]
Happy New Year + The Future of This Podcast (with Mark from Trap One)
And, incidentally, a happy 2024 to all of you at home!
Mark from Trap One is my guest this week. We discuss the coming changes to Doctor Who Literature as Jason is deleting Twitter. You can find this show on BlueSky and YouTube going forward, as well as your favorite podcast apps of choice.
Jason and Mark watch Doctor Who's first New Year's Day special -- Volcano, Episode 8 of The Daleks' Master Plan, aired January 1st, 1966 -- and do a live episode commentary. Couldn't ask for a better discussion partner than Mark!
We also say goodbye to Richard Franklin (Captain Mike Yates), and discuss our plans for the upcoming Gallifrey One convention. You can hear the late Richard's appearance on Trap One here. Jason and Mark's latest Trap One is here.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Watch this episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@drwhonovels
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doctorwholit.
Episode 98 - The Invasion (with Pete Lambert)
We are up to one of Doctor Who's all-time greats -- The Invasion, Number 19 on Jason's recent Top 60 list for the 60th anniversary. Rejoining me after a too-long hiatus is Pete Lambert (@Prof_Quiteamess). And joining us for her first guest reading on Doctor Who Literature is Lucy McCaul (@LucyMcCaul).
Interested in The Golden Land? A trailer from the theatrical staging in NYC a few years back is here.
This past week Jason moderated the Trap One recap of The Giggle.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
"Doctor Who – The Invasion" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 97 - The Myth Makers (with Si Hart) and The Giggle (with Callie)
Please welcome back to the show Mr. Si Hart (@Si_Hart) as we travel back into antiquity and explore The Myth Makers. But first, in a conversation recorded two days before the premiere of The Giggle, we predict what might happen in Doctor Who's latest episode. Spoiler alert, one of us is very, very right, and the other one of us (me) is very, very wrong.
Check out Si's new solo podcast, The Library of Impossible Things.
And joining me to break down The Giggle seconds after it ended, please welcome back my teen daughter Callie, who has lots of Thoughts about Fourteen and Donna, and all our other Who pals.
Last week I was back on Trap One to discuss Wild Blue Yonder.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!]
"Doctor Who – The Myth Makers" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 96 - The Mind of Evil (with Jim Sangster)
After taking a month to observe Doctor Who's 60th anniversary with a wide range of guest interviews, we're back -- like RTD back with David Tennant and Catherine Tate to ring in the TV show's newest era -- to look at the Target novelizations, picking up with the July 1985 paperback release of The Mind of Evil.
Jim Sangster (@Monster_Maker), who brings so much behind-the-scenes value to this show, joins me on the air to discuss Mind. And some history facts about The Tyburn Tree.
This interview was also recorded on Halloween, so join us as we discuss our favorite scary movies.
But how is Jim with his Doctor Who quotations? The answer might surprise you...
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
"Doctor Who – The Mind of Evil" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Doctor Who Turns 60! -- Part IV -- Pull to Open (Paul Hayes) and The Star Beast (Jason, Jan, and Jim)
Happy Doctor Who Day, everybody! Except this episode is not narrated by Paul McGann.
My first guest this week is a great one, Mr. Paul Hayes (@the_questmaster), covering his new non-fiction volume Pull to Open, available from Ten Acre Films, publisher of so much excellent Doctor Who and other BBC-related volumes.
You can find Paul's blog here.
So soon after discussing the making of Doctor Who's very first serial, I'm then joined by longtime friends of the show Jan Fennick, and Jim Sangster (@Monster_Maker), as we discuss The Star Beast, the newest DW episode, released on the 60th anniversary plus two days.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Doctor Who Turns 60! -- Part III -- Shaun Lyon from Gallifrey One
As we continue on with our monthlong celebration of Doctor Who's 60th anniversary, please give a warm welcome to Shaun Lyon (@shaunlyon), the Program Director and programming head at the annual Gallifrey One convention in Los Angeles each February. Shaun and I will be presenting our "60 for 60" lists -- our personal top 60 Who TV stories from the past 60 years.
A supercut of Kevin Stoney saying "Packer" in "The Invasion" does actually exist, not discovered in time for us to seek out permission to include the audio here, but please give a listen!
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Doctor Who Turns 60! -- Part II -- Gary Russell & Mickey Lewis
We continue on with our 60th anniversary month hiatus from our weekly review of the Doctor Who Target novelizations, with recordings of two interviews that Jason conducted at L.I. Who 2023 this past August, with two Doctor Who novelists, Gary Russell (@twilightstreets) and Mickey Lewis. Two great writers and two great guys. We hope you enjoy.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Doctor Who Turns 60! -- Part I -- Adam Christopher
My guest this week has already given me dozens of hours of enjoyment as a science fiction and mystery writer. Please welcome Adam Christopher (@ghostfinder) to the show. Adam and I discussed many topics, starting with his Doctor Who fandom in New Zealand in the 1980s, and moving on to his wide-ranging professional career.
The infamous 1977 blackout can be heard on this newly-unearthed Mets radio broadcast, which includes the blackout striking in the 6th inning, and the belated resumption of the game two months later.
During the recording, Adam and I enthuse about the Bowery Boys Podcast, which you can find here.
In writing his Stranger Things novel, Adam found New York Mets knowledge on Faith and Fear in Flushing, which it won't surprise you to learn, Jason has already been following for years.
Jason's latest Trap One episode is here. Thanks to fellow Doctor Who podcasters Brendan (@brandybongos) and Mark (@QuarkMcMalus) for their entertaining joint appearance this week.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 95 - The Awakening (with Andrew Smith)
Andrew Smith (@Andr3wSmith) rejoins the show this week to discuss the 1984 TV story The Awakening and its 1985 novelization. Jason and Andrew are coming from very different places with regard to the story, but are more than happy to meet in the middle... and each brings a diabolical game for the other to play.
Shannon Patrick Sullivan's A Brief History of Time (Travel) brings us some data on the authorship of The Awakening.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
"Doctor Who – The Awakening" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 94 - Marco Polo (with Ross Aitken)
After a run of pre-recorded episodes, Jason is back with a (somewhat) live episode full of current events, Doctor Who news, and tons of feelings.
Ross Aitken (@traitken) from Gallifrey's Most Wanted is our guest this week. The conversation is fast and furious and might not have much to do with Marco Polo, but it's typically intense and wide-ranging.
Please consider ordering in Outside In Regenerates from ATB Publishing. Jason will have an essay in the forthcoming volume.
More information on the late lamented Waldenbooks Otherworlds Club.
This episode features opening and closing titles from the classic U.S. TV Western Have Gun Will Travel, the radio version of which you can find on your Old Time Radio player of choice, or here.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
"Doctor Who – Marco Polo" features cover art by David McAllister.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 93 - The Caves of Androzani (with Paul Scoones)
A perennial consensus choice for one of the Greatest Of All Time Doctor Who episodes, The Caves of Androzani features an intense script by Robert Holmes, one of Peter Davison's most well-rounded and Doctor-ish performances, groundbreaking direction by Graeme Harper, Roger Limb's best-ever score, and... well, so much else to praise.
My guest this week is truly one of the foremost experts on all things Androzani. It's Paul Scoones (@Paul_Scoones), author of the most recent DVD production notes on the story. Always a great time talking to Paul, and he was game enough to try out our newest game...
The news this week is provided by Jim Sangster (@Monster_Maker)!
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
"Doctor Who – The Caves of Androzani" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 92 - Planet of Fire (David Barsky; Graeme Burk, and Mark from Trap One)
Planet of Fire was a Doctor Who episode with an awful lot happening in it. We here at Doctor Who Literature are of course very fond of it. So, to celebrate, here's an episode... with an awful lot happening in it.
Graeme Burk (@graemeburk) from Reality Bomb joins us to discuss his favorite Doctor Who TV story from the past 60 years.
Mark (@QuarkMcMalus) from The Trap One Podcast joins us for a correspondent's piece on the island of Lanzarote.
David Barsky checks back in with us to discuss Planet of Fire, the record albums of Peter Wyngarde, surprising messages coded in our DNA, and what it's really like to walk on red-hot lava flow.
The song "I Remember It Well" from the film Gigi can be found here.
[If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!]
"Doctor Who – Planet of Fire" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
A Conversation with Andrew Smith
In a bonus episode in between our looks at the 1984 and 1985 Target novelizations, we're joined by Andrew Smith (@Andr3wSmith), author of the classic Doctor Who episode (in every sense) Full Circle.
This is a great time to revisit my episode on the Full Circle novelization, which was written by the man himself.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 91 - Frontios (with Si Hart)
It's Frontios week on Doctor Who Literature. This is one of the underrated gems of the Peter Davison story, but Si Hart (@Si_Hart) and I are here to spread the word.
The new 60th Anniversary mini-season trailer dropped on the day that this episode releases. Jason gives his instant reaction to the trailer -- perhaps too instant, as Jason had not seen the concurrent BBC tweet identifying Neil Patrick Harris' character!
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
"Doctor Who – Frontios" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 90 - The Highlanders (with Daniel Knight)
The last Doctor Who novelization published before I became I fan of the TV show, it's The Highlanders. Joining us to discuss is a guest who's visited the Culloden battlefield several times, and who actually purchased his copy of this book in the Highlands, it's Daniel Knight (@DanielKnight1973)!
Musical cues featured in this episode include The British Grenadiers and The Skye Boat Song. One particular gag in the text owes a life debt to Netflix's late lamented "The Who Was? Show".
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!]
"Doctor Who – The Highlanders" features cover art by Nick Spender.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 89 - Inferno (with David Barsky)
Includes an encore presentation of Kate Orman's audio essay from last week's episode on The Aztecs.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
"Doctor Who – Inferno" features cover art by Nick Spender.
Doctor Who Literature is a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 88 - The Aztecs (Ross Aitken; Kate Orman)
A jumbo-sized episode as Ross (@traitken) from Gallifrey's Most Wanted (@GallifreysMWPod) stops by to discuss The Aztecs, both the 1964 Doctor Who TV serial and the 1984 novelization. We have lots to say about it... as well as about critical readings of the story, OPPENHEIMER, Bing Crosby, and our favorite American soap operas.
Also contributing to the show this week are Jim Sangster (@Monster_Maker) with an introductory segment, and Doctor Who author Kate Orman, who narrates her own 1992 essay on the Aztecs book.
Audio from Game 7 of the 1960 World Series: an excerpt, and the recovered full game video.
Also discussed this week is James Cooray Smith's Substack essay on The Krotons.
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"Doctor Who – The Aztecs" features cover art by Nick Spender.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Bonus Episode - L.I. Who 60 (with Conrad Westmaas)
This week it's an unplanned bonus episode replaying the audio of two fan panels Jason moderated at L.I. Who 60 (@LIDoctorWhoCon) last weekend, with permission to record from all panelists.
Special thanks to Conrad (@HairOfTheHound_), without whom this week's episode would not exist.
"60 for 60" features Jason, Keir Hansen (@GallifreyRadio), Drew Meyer (@whoandcompany), Hannah Long (@HannahGraceLong), and Jan Fennick.
The Target Books discussion features Jason, John Peel, Kathryn Sullivan, Rob Bardsley, and Dan Murphy.
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Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 87 - Warriors of the Deep (with "UK Jason" McLaughlin)
One of Jason's early favorite Doctor Who episodes, Warriors of the Deep, comes up for discussion. Joining in the fun is Jason McLaughlin (@jangomac72) of Bearded Geek Toy Reviews.
This episode also features music by Jim Sangster (@Monster_Maker) as we explore that '80s vibe!
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"Doctor Who – Warriors of the Deep" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 86 - The Dominators (with Frazer Gregory)
And now, the episode of Doctor Who Literature that you've all been waiting for... the showdown between Frazer Gregory (@FelixFrazer) and myself over what many believe (but not Frazer) is one of the worst Doctor Who tales of all. But today, the debate will be settled (or not).
Also appearing this week are Stacey Smith?, reading an excerpt from Look at the Size of That Thing, and Bill Evenson (@BillEvenson) reading an excerpt from Outside In.
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"Doctor Who – The Dominators" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Doctor Who Podcast Day trailer
Hello, and thank you for downloading the Doctor Who Literature podcast. This special trailer is being released on August 9, 2023, which has been designated Doctor Who Podcast Day. Please enjoy the brief introduction to the show, and, whatever you do, keep turning the pages!
Episode 85 - Enlightenment (with Jason and Callie)
A very special guest joins us this week to discuss Enlightenment... my daughter! She has much to say about Barbara Clegg and how this story is unique in showing the female perspective in Doctor Who's early years.
Jim Sangster (@Monster_Maker) also has a song for us this week. With a YouTube video!
This concludes our run of ten straight Peter Davison books. The Target range's focus is about to shift in a major way. And be sure to join in next week for what may well be our Biggest Episode of All Time.
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"Doctor Who – Enlightenment" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 84 - Snakedance (with Jim Sangster)
The novelization of Snakedance is published the month after the novelization of Kinda, so it fell to Terrance Dicks to adapt both Doctor Who Mara stories from the small screen to the printed page. Terrance doesn't have all that much to add to Christopher Bailey's complex themes and explorations of the dark sides of human nature... but we have plenty to add to the discussion.
Joining me this week is Jim Sangster (@Monster_Maker). Jim also contributed our show logo, and this week's celebrity voice impression sketch. Along the way, we'll talk about the great Hollywood movies, EuroVision and Top of the Pops, Nellie Bly, and... well, many other topics.
Superman: The Movie can be purchased or streamed on Amazon, while My Dinner With Andre can be watched free on YouTube.
You can hear the voices of H.G. Wells and Walt Whitman on YouTube, and also watch the entirety of the January 1973 Foreman v. Frazier heavyweight title fight.
Lastly, for more on Nellie Bly, check out the Bowery Boys Podcast, as I always do for all things NYC.
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"Doctor Who – Snakedance" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Bonus Episode - A Conversation with Ian Potter
Delighted to welcome to the show this week Ian Potter, who's done remarkably good work with Big Finish, Black Archives volumes on The Myth Makers and Carnival of Monsters, and with RIffTrax Presents. A great conversation, do not miss!
And Jim Sangster (@Monster_Maker) has a correspondent's piece for us about the recent Target Books Day in London. Thanks, Jim!
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Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 83 - Kinda (with Dale Smith)
Rejoining me this week is Dale Smith, author of several Doctor Who novels and Black Archives books, including a forthcoming (August 2023) look at The Greatest Show in the Galaxy. The book this week is 1982's Kinda, novelized in 1984.
Jason has several other podcast episodes out on other shows, including A Kettle and Some String, and new Trap One episodes repackaging my interviews with Philip Hinchcliffe and Elizabeth Morton. Please enjoy (after you've downloaded this episode first).
Friend of the podcast James Cooray Smith also has a terrific Psychic Paper article up about The New Adventures, well worth a read. Jason previously did a documentary about the first four NAs over on Trap One.
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Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 82 - Mawdryn Undead (with Steven B. from New To Who)
Season 6 of Doctor Who Literature starts a week early as our bonus episode is delayed. We jump into the 1984 books by looking at Mawdryn Undead with the capable help of Steven B. (@steedstylin) from the New To Who podcast (@NewToWhoPodcast). We have a lot to talk about.
Steven's new project is Reimagining Doctor Who, which comes highly recommended.
Many thanks to Jim Sangster (@Monster_Maker) for research assistance and for a dramatic reading from the diaries of Angus Mackay, a member of the Mawdryn Undead guest cast.
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Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 81-B - The Five Doctors, Part II (Elizabeth Morton; Graeme Burk, David Barsky, and Stacey Smith?)
As we continue on with our look at The Five Doctors, Doctor Who's 20th anniversary special, this week we are joined by Elizabeth Morton (@LiverpoolGirl72), author of the new novel The Orphans from Liverpool Lane. We'll discuss Elizabeth's strong Doctor Who family connection, and, of course, with two Doctors in her household already, who's her favorite? The answer may surprise you.
A panel of three great friends of the podcast then join Jason to discuss Five Doctors -- is it the greatest episode of all time? Again, the answer may surprise you. Welcome back to Graeme Burk (@GraemeBurk), Professor Stacey Smith?, and David Barsky.
Jason then examines the back half of the Terrance Dicks' Five Doctors novelization.
Next week we'll finish up our look at The Five Doctors and will have another bestselling author for you to join the conversation.
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"Doctor Who – The Five Doctors" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 81-A - The Five Doctors, Part I (with James Cooray Smith)
This week, it's The Five Doctors, the 20th anniversary special for Doctor Who, aired (at least in the States) exactly on the 20th anniversary, and the novelization, by episode writer Terrance Dicks, came out the same week. We're now at three times the 20th anniversary, but this story still has a powerful hold.
We'll be bringing you three straight episodes exploring Five Doctors - in every dimension, in every detail - and this week my guest is James Cooray Smith, author of many Black Archives titles such as The Massacre, and keeper of the great Psychic Paper Substack. James and I have much to discuss; there's probably enough material in here to cover seven episodes, let alone one, as we discuss Five Doctors and beyond -- way beyond.
Music heard this week includes a 1980s US cartoon TV theme (sung by John Sebastian!), the theme to the PBS staple This Old House (via Fats Waller), some old school late '80s hip-hop, and a Jim Sangster (@Monster_Maker) homage to Tulips from Amsterdam.
Shout-out to the Metebelis 2 Podcast.
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"Doctor Who – The Five Doctors" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 80 - Arc of Infinity (with Bill Evenson)
Joining me this week is Bill Evenson (@BillEvenson) of the Frankenstein Minute Podcast (@FrankenMinute). This was Jason's first Doctor Who cliffhanger; Bill came to the story later, but we're both fond of it, even against conventional wisdom.
Naturally the conversation takes several twists and turns. No conversation with Bill fails to reference the 1987 World Champion Minnesota Twins.
This episode also features a musical composition by Jim Sangster (@Monster_Maker), and includes a few feature, #DoctorWhoOnPluto
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Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 79 - Terminus (with Steven Alexander)
Thank you for downloading this episode of the Doctor Who Literature podcast. We know you have a choice... and we know that not many Who fans are gonna wanna sit through a 105-minute discussion on Terminus -- but this is a strong episode. Promise!!
Steven Alexander (@stealexanderuk) from the Robots in Your Eyes podcast (@RobotsInEyes) is my return guest this week. He has a LOT to say about "Terminus", both TV serial and book. We'll discuss religion, disease, Norse mythology, the movie Alien, and epic 1920s Hollywood silent-film-blockbusters... and "Terminus".
The 1923 Cecil B. DeMille production of The Ten Commandments can be watched on YouTube.
The 1993 HBO original movie And The Band Played On can be watched on Max.
Paul Scoones' excellent article on the Doctor Who DVD information text commentary tracks can be found here.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 78 - Earthshock (with Jon Arnold)
Earthshock was a signal moment in the journey of many Doctor Who fans when it aired in March 1982, from the surprise reveal of a returning monster, to the unexpected departure of a regular cast member. Ian Marter's August 1983 novelization of the story is a bit different from what we saw on television, but is no less impactful.
We're very happy to have with us this week Jon Arnold (@The_Arn) as a first-time Doctor Who Literature guest. Jon can be heard on two other excellent podcasts, the Doctor Who-inspired Strangers in Space (@strangerscast), as well as the football (soccer)-themed @BustingBallsPod. Jon has also written several terrific volumes in Jason's favorite Who non-fiction range, The Black Archives from Observe Books, including a look at a TV story previously examined on this very show, Invasion of the Dinosaurs. And don't forget Jon's contributions to the Silver Archive range; Jon and Jason also discuss TV's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" this week.
Also mentioned this week is Jim Sangster (@monster_maker)'s newest DWLit-themed T-shirt.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, subscribe, and rate us!
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 77 - Four to Doomsday (with Jason Davis, and Matt West)
For a story like Four to Doomsday, what else could we do but give you three terrific interviews, with two guests?
Up first is Jason Davis (@TheJasonDavis), writer and editor extraordinaire, of TheJasonDavis.com, This interview was recorded live at Gallifrey One in Los Angeles in February 2023, and you already heard the first half of that interview in my Harlan Ellison special. This is the rest of that conversation.
Then I was joined on short notice by Matt West (@WingedPodcast) of Q the Winged Podcast and Miwk Publishing (on which Matt gives me a pronunciation lesson).
Followed by a return visit from Jason Davis.
Between the three of us and the three interviews, he hit just about every corner of science fiction from television to the printed page.
You can find some more of Matt's work on the original Pyramids of Mars DVD.
And Jason (this podcast's Jason) was most recently on Trap One to discuss the Season 9 Blu-ray Collection.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 76 - Castrovalva (with Graeme Burk)
As much as I love Season 18 and its novelizations... the Season 19 premiere, "Castrovalva", and its novelization, are right up there. Especially the novelization, says my guest this week, Graeme Burk (@graemeburk) from Reality Bomb. We both read out favorite passages from the book -- and then quickly get off on several wide-ranging tangents, before coming back to the greatness of "Castrovalva".
Simon Guerrier (@0tralala) recently tweeted out the first page of David Whitaker's unfinished novelization of "The Enemy of the World".
Groucho Marx duets with his then 8-year-old daughter on a song from The Mikado.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmEuXaea8rY
Graeme references the 1964 documentary on Culloden, which can be found here.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 75 - Meglos (with Conrad Westmaas)
The new trailer for the Autumn 2023 Doctor Who specials is up!
Conrad Westmaas (@HairOfTheHound_) is back this week as we discuss "Meglos". Conrad tries to win back his 20 Questions crown... how well will that go? We also play a lively game of show-and-tell.
The "Josie and the Pussycats In Outer Space" series can still be found on DVD.
The full cut of Peter Howell's "The Astronauts", mentioned this week, can be heard in full.
"Doctor Who – Meglos" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.
Episode 74 - Time-Flight (with Frazer Gregory)
It's 1983! And the second-ever novelization of a Peter Davison story, released just in time for the end of TV's Season 20.
Joining me this week is Frazer Gregory (@FelixFrazer). We have an epic discussion of "Time-Flight" the book and TV, and play an involved game of "Target Books First Lines" -- turning the tables on Frazer after he sprung this game on ME on an earlier episode.
You can hear a lot of Frazer's recent appearances on other Doctor Who podcasts such as WHO Corner to Corner.
And Jim Sangster (@MonsterMaker), who contributed the excellent show open this week, can recently be heard on Reality Bomb and the Doctor Who Target Book Club Podcast.
You can read Waris Hussein's 1963 diaries here.
Also mentioned in this episode is David Gerrold's very funny book about the genesis of Star Trek: TOS "The Trouble with Tribbles".
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.