stitcherLogoCreated with Sketch.
Get Premium Download App
Listen
Discover
Premium
Shows
Likes
Merch

Listen Now

Discover Premium Shows Likes

Debating Doctor Who

194 Episodes

71 minutes | Oct 25, 2022
Episode 171: A Classic Series Fan’s Take On “The Power Of The Doctor”
It's just Alasdair on this one, offering an hour-plus worth of solo thoughts on something he's particularly qualified to discuss: how "The Power Of The Doctor" incorporates the classic series. As Allison and Alasdair won't both be available to record together until next month, the latter jumps on the mic for what turns out to be much longer than planned (but probably not longer than he honestly should have expected) to talk about Ace, Tegan, and, well, a few other aspects of the 13th Doctor's final story. While the full discussion of the story will wait until we can get both hosts on, it turned out that Alasdair had PLENTY of (spoiler-y) things to say on this particular topic that he felt honor-bound to share with you all...
71 minutes | May 22, 2022
Episode 170: New Doctor announced, Tennant and Tate returning, and more!
We're back from one of our customary unexpected hiatuses because, well, frankly Russell T. Davies simply demanded it. But first, we talk about what we've been up to in 2022 (some lovely stuff, some distinctly less than lovely stuff) to explain just why the podcast was on hold for a bit, as well as our plans to talk about the 13th Doctor specials in the near future. But then we get into all the recent news, including Ncuti Gatwa's casting as the new Doctor, the announcement that David Tennant and Catherine Tate are returning, and the casting of Yasmin Finney as a character called Rose. To help manage people's varying degrees of spoiler aversion, we initially stick to just what has been officially announced, then discuss what's been spotted on the set, and finally talk about some of the rumors going around as to what it all means, so feel free to listen to all or only some of it if you want to avoid potential spoilers. We're just so happy to be back with you all, and so excited to be excited about Doctor Who!
79 minutes | Dec 18, 2021
Episode 169: “The Vanquishers”…Part Two!
We had plenty more to say about the finale, as it turns out there was A LOT going on in this one. Allison has some more praise for Jodie Whittaker's performance, while Alasdair reports on their rewatch of "The Wedding Of River Song" for what we're sure were good and useful reasons. Then we look closer at Diane, the Great Serpent, the Sontarans, the fate of Professor Jericho, and a bunch more!
68 minutes | Dec 10, 2021
Episode 168: “The Vanquishers”…Part One!
After five weeks of being more or less on the same page about Flux, Alasdair and Allison are split on the finale. Alasdair dug it! Allison very much did not! We discuss how the episode really does seem to ignore the whole destruction of the universe thing, but then Alasdair submits... what if that's fine actually? We talk quite a bit about poor Karvanista and the offscreen genocide of his people, and then look at the episode's central conceit with the Doctor(s). We also look at the final scene between Yaz and the Doctor and wonder just what the show was playing at there. There's still plenty to discuss, so we'll be back soon with part two!
72 minutes | Dec 4, 2021
Episode 167: “Survivors Of The Flux”…Part Two!
We're back and possibly even sillier than we were in our last discussion of this episode. We discuss what works -- the performances, mainly -- and what really doesn't about all the business with the Doctor and Tecteun. We look at this in comparison with "The Timeless Children", and we're not exactly thrilled to say that the earlier episode comes off looking better. We also generally examine past episodes that served to set up big finales, and see how this stacks up next to the likes of "The Stolen Earth" and "The End Of Time: Part One." We took a look at the costuming, and Allison made a reference to something on Fleabag that lost Alasdair completely. All in all, a fun use of an hour and change!
66 minutes | Dec 3, 2021
Episode 166: “Survivors Of The Flux”…Part One!
We keep not planning to make these two-part conversations, and then we hit the hour mark and realize we haven't even started talking about all the Barbara Flynn stuff (for the second time in two weeks!). In the meantime, we discuss a bunch of other parts of an episode we both enjoyed but also think is probably the least effective of the season. We spend a lot of time on just what exactly was going on with Yaz, Dan, and Jericho. We look at the Grand Serpent's path through UNIT history, and Alasdair does a quick lore check. We randomly talk about "Dinosaurs On A Spaceship" just as we're theoretically trying to wrap the episode up, and also discuss to what degree "Spyfall" is like early Legends Of Tomorrow. Can't lie, folks, we got a bit weird in this one.
62 minutes | Nov 27, 2021
Episode 165: “Village Of The Angels”…Part Two!
We're back for more Angel chat! Topics this time around include how this episode stands up on a rewatch, Jamie Magnus Stone's generally excellent direction, Annabel Scholey and her wonderfully unselfish performance, just how awesome Segun Akinola's score is for this episode (even if we're not *really* the right people to be discussing music in-depth), Bel's side-story with guest star Blake Harrison, and what to make of the great-uncle of it all.
64 minutes | Nov 24, 2021
Episode 164: “Village Of The Angels”…Part One!
Yep, once again, we're making this a two-parter. We weren't sure heading in, as you can hear from Alasdair's uncertain intro, but by the hour mark it was pretty clear that, yeah, we have just about as much to say on this episode as we did "Once, Upon Time." So, in this first part of our discussion, we talk about Kevin McNally's beautiful performance as Professor Jericho, why this is such a good outing for the Weeping Angels as monsters, and a few issues that Alasdair has with the underlying story structure. That said, we're very much agreed this is a damn good episode, and we're very excited to talk more about it on the other side of the holiday...
79 minutes | Nov 21, 2021
Episode 163: “Once, Upon Time”…Part Two!
We're back as promised to continue our discussion of our an episode we dug the first time around and dug even harder on the rewatch. We discuss some more about just why this episode is such a breath of fresh air, then start discussing specific things we love about it, starting with Barbara Flynn's mysterious woman. We also discuss the Weeping Angels and their role here ahead of their big return tomorrow, plus look even more closely at the Doctor and Yaz's relationship and just how mean the Doctor is to Yaz in this episode. We finish up with a brief look toward the future with some 14th Doctor casting rumors, and we catch up on some news about next year's specials that are at least a month old but we totally missed back in October. (And honestly, pretty sure I speculated on whether the two sides of the regeneration scene would be filmed separately, like they did with Eccleston and Tennant, and it turns out that Jodie Whittaker confirmed that as such on The Graham Norton Show. Oh and apparently that's how she did it when she regenerated from Capaldi anyway. So, uh, yeah, no points for research this week, but hey, the episode discussion is fun...)
60 minutes | Nov 18, 2021
Episode 162: “Once, Upon Time”…Part One!
We had so much to say about this one that we couldn't fit it into a single episode! So here's what turned out to be the first part of our discussion of this frankly stunning episode. We talk about how this feels ambitious in a way even this era's best stories generally haven't. We look at how Flux is progressing Yaz and the Doctor's relationship at long last. We marvel at all the several great performances, and we talk about the big surprise guest star. (No, not Barbara Flynn. To Alasdair's great chagrin, we ran out of time to talk about her. But hey, part two incoming Saturday!)
73 minutes | Nov 15, 2021
Episode 161: “War Of The Sontarans” with Kate Kulzick
Friend of the show Kate Kulzick stops by to help Alasdair offer our long-awaited (hopefully, otherwise they're just late) thoughts on the second chapter of Flux. We discuss how well the episode dusts off the Sontarans for their first significant non-Strax appearance since 2008. We consider what the Crimean War setting lends to the episode. Kate shares her worries about Yaz's eventual fate, and we remain charmed by Dan, with or without his implausibly young parents...
6 minutes | Nov 14, 2021
Episode 160.5: A short solo promise that “War of the Sontarans” is coming soon
Hi friends! Sorry we haven't had a chance to get you an episode on "War of the Sontarans", even though it's a week later and, uh, slightly after the next episode aired in the UK. As Alasdair hops on briefly to explain, we had some scheduling issues this week, but a full episode on "War of the Sontarans" with guest cohost Kate Kulzick will be here soon, and then we'll endeavor to get back on schedule. Thanks for your understanding!
66 minutes | Nov 4, 2021
Episode 160: “Chapter One: The Halloween Apocalypse” [Reuploaded with right episode]
We give our thoughts on the first episode of "Flux" -- sorry, sorry, the first *chapter* -- and, honestly? We kinda dug it. Allison opens with discussion of a character Alasdair wasn't entirely expecting. We go surprisingly long on the internal logic of the episode's goofy sci-fi thing. Alasdair pledges their allegiance to the walking embodiment of Liverpool (also known as Dan) and uses the word "vibes" a lot. We struggle to remember the name of that one series 12 episode. But mostly, we're liking how this is going... even if we're still nervous.
66 minutes | Oct 28, 2021
Episode 159: Getting ready for Series 13
We talk about the upcoming premiere of series 13, which Allison is very upset to hear is starting with an episode called "The Halloween Apocalypse." We get into what we're hoping for from this six-episode season, which honestly turns into a therapy session for our frustrations with the Chris Chibnall era. Also, unexpectedly, a defense of the relative merits of "Fear Her." Join us next week for our reactions to the premiere -- whatever our issues with the past two seasons, we still find ourselves cautiously excited...
60 minutes | Sep 28, 2021
Episode 158: What? What? WHAT!? Russell T. Davies is back!
Fire up the emergency podcast klaxons, because we've got some absolutely wild news to talk about! Russell T. Davies is coming back as showrunner on Doctor Who, and we give our thoughts on just what that means. Like... what, if anything, might he bring back from previous eras, including his own? Should we read into the BBC emphasizing that he's back for the show's 60th anniversary year? Do we have to go watch "Years & Years" now? And just how ridiculous can we get by deep-diving the latest (and earliest) betting odds on who RTD might cast as the Doctor? Also... with not a hint of irony, just how exciting is it going to be when the first *bad* Davies episode airs? Friends, we're pumped.
59 minutes | Aug 3, 2021
Episode 157: Series 13! Whittaker and Chibnall leaving! Also, hi!
We're back from yet another of our trademark hiatuses to discuss the recent news about the show's future. Series 13 is set to be the last for both Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall -- though, as we discuss, nobody has said anything yet about Mandip Gill, who we can only assume is going to take over Doctor and showrunner duties going forward. We look at what the news that the upcoming series is a single, six-part story might mean, and why we're alternately very worried and maybe just the slightest bit optimistic? Lot of reading the Broadchurch tea leaves here, folks. We then look ahead in general terms to who the 14th Doctor might be, by which we mean Allison is looking at the betting odds again. Kris Marshall's publicist, if you're listening, we're doing our bit to keep his name in the running.
91 minutes | Jan 4, 2021
Episode 156: “Revolution Of The Daleks”
Alasdair and Allison take a look at a very eventful New Year's special, as we see big returns, big departures, and a tease of a big new addition. All that and, oh, right, the Daleks! We both enjoyed this one a lot, especially for various character moments that made us think maybe, just maybe, Chris Chibnall has figured out what he wants to do with these characters. We revel in Captain Jack's big return, and wonder whether maybe a little bit of Torchwood was exactly what this incarnation of Doctor Who needed. All that plus Alasdair reads one of the most wonderfully ridiculous TARDIS Wiki pages, for reasons that honestly escape us.
82 minutes | Dec 17, 2020
Episode 155: Live Discussion of Timeless Child Continuity Snarls, Our Very Own Story Pitches, and More!
We're back for our third live show of 2020! Here's the recording of our Crowdcast hangout with a couple dozen of our lovely listeners, in which we field all manner of intriguing questions, including: What is the best episode of series 8, and why is it "Mummy On The Orient Express"? (Taken verbatim, that one.) *Did* Clara meet the Doctor's pre-Hartnell selves in "The Name Of The Doctor", what with the whole Timeless Child thing and whatnot. Would we want to see an animated version of Doctor Who? And what would we pitch as the Doctor Who story we would most like to see? Come along for the ride with Allison, Alasdair, and a whole bunch of friends in the chat!
115 minutes | Dec 11, 2020
Episode 154: RTD and David Tennant’s “Casanova” with Kev Koeser
Reminder: We have a live show this Saturday, December 12, at 6:30 p.m. Eastern! Go to https://www.crowdcast.io/e/ddw-live to sign up or just join us on the day. As for today, here's the first installment of a new occasional series in which Alasdair and a rotating team of cohosts look at works that Doctor Who luminaries (Whominaries?) worked on before the new series. Kev Koeser of the great podcast Talking Who To You joins Alasdair to discuss the Russell T. Davies-written, David Tennant-starring 2005 miniseries "Casanova", which very much feels like a dress rehearsal for what they would create with the 10th Doctor. Alasdair and Kev run through the highs and lows of the miniseries, which is generally a wonderfully enjoyable romp -- with a *great* performance from the legend Peter O'Toole -- but does have some really bad elements. Speaking of: There's some discussion of potentially transphobic content in the miniseries at around the 56:30 mark, so audience members sensitive to that topic should scrub ahead to around 1:04:00.
75 minutes | Dec 2, 2020
Episode 153: The News You Can Use Episode
There's just so much news to talk about! Enough to lure Allison back on for another episode during what is increasingly inaccurately being called a "hiatus", even! We break down the newly released trailer for the upcoming special, "Revolution Of The Daleks", and for some reason the newly revealed guest cast launches Alasdair on tangents about Law & Order: UK and the Mystery Science Theater 3000 entry Time Chasers. (Surprising amount of Law & Order: UK talk in this episode, honestly.) Then we get into some casting news about the upcoming series, followed by a general meditation on Jodie Whittaker's future on the show and what she might do after Doctor Who. And remember, we have a live show on December 12 at 6:30 Eastern/5:30 Central -- go to www.crowdcast.io/e/ddw-live to register!
COMPANY
About us Careers Stitcher Blog Help
AFFILIATES
Partner Portal Advertisers Podswag Stitcher Originals
Privacy Policy Terms of Service Your Privacy Choices
© Stitcher 2023