Kasterborous Classic TV: Exploring Doctor Who & Classic Sci-Fi
Regular podcast featuring unique and in-depth discussions covering Doctor Who and other classic TV and movies, usually in the sci-fi and sci-fantasy fields. Launched in 2007, we've lost count of how many episodes we've actually done. Special episodes include interviews with creatives, writers, actors, and notable commentators in the cult TV field. Your regular hosts are Christian Cawley and James McLean.
Episodes
July 14, 2025 • 69 mins
We're back with a new edition of Kasterborous, this time steering largely away from (or around) Doctor Who and looking more specifically at the use of time travel in television and popular Hollywood movies.
So, Christian and James deliver you a video-exclusive, wide-ranging chat that takes in Doctor Who, Life on Mars, Back to the Future, Charmed, Once Upon a Time, Star Trek (and spinoffs), Ashes to Ashes, Primeval, Be...
So, Christian and James deliver you a video-exclusive, wide-ranging chat that takes in Doctor Who, Life on Mars, Back to the Future, Charmed, Once Upon a Time, Star Trek (and spinoffs), Ashes to Ashes, Primeval, Be...
Mark as Played
June 30, 2025 • 20 mins
There is a good chance that Doctor Who Series 15 will be remembered for many of the wrong reasons. But one great thing about it is that it gave us the chance to bring in a diverse collection of opinions and reactions.
As you may have read, this week I am joined by:
As you may have read, this week I am joined by:
- Philip Bates
- Gareth Kavanagh
- James Whittington
- Rick Lundeen
- ...and James McLean
...
Mark as Played
June 29, 2025 • 55 mins
James and Christian have just recorded an ad hoc conversation about recent events concerning Doctor Who.
Prepare for a video discussion which looks at J. Michael Straczynski's possible interest in Doctor Who, the current lack of scheduling for The War Between the Land and the Sea, obligatory AI talk, and a look at how much UK and US subscribers are paying for Netflix, Prime, Disney+, et al, compared with other countri...
Prepare for a video discussion which looks at J. Michael Straczynski's possible interest in Doctor Who, the current lack of scheduling for The War Between the Land and the Sea, obligatory AI talk, and a look at how much UK and US subscribers are paying for Netflix, Prime, Disney+, et al, compared with other countri...
Mark as Played
June 20, 2025 • 26 mins
During the run of Doctor Who Series 15, Christian Cawley and James McLean got together to discuss how the show was developing.
This conversation took place against a backdrop of intense speculation about the future of the series, its star, and perhaps even its showrunner. Factor in the internal narrative -- dialogue from Mrs Flood -- and comments from Russell T Davies seeming to downplay the future of Doctor Who, and ...
This conversation took place against a backdrop of intense speculation about the future of the series, its star, and perhaps even its showrunner. Factor in the internal narrative -- dialogue from Mrs Flood -- and comments from Russell T Davies seeming to downplay the future of Doctor Who, and ...
Mark as Played
June 18, 2025 • 21 mins
We're delighted to welcome back Philip Bates for this week's podcast. Recorded a few weeks before Series 15, Philip and Christian Cawley discuss his work on Companions: More Than Sixty Years of Doctor Who Assistants.
Originally published back in 2013 as 50 Years of Doctor Who Assistants by Andy Frankham-Allen, Philip has contributed a huge swathe of new material to this new edition.
After all, he's the editor...
Originally published back in 2013 as 50 Years of Doctor Who Assistants by Andy Frankham-Allen, Philip has contributed a huge swathe of new material to this new edition.
After all, he's the editor...
Mark as Played
June 2, 2025 • 48 mins
Well, Doctor Who Series 15 has come to a close, and we don't know what is going to happen next.
But before we spend time ruminating over the mind-bending regeneration, James and Magnus are here to discuss The Reality War.
But before we spend time ruminating over the mind-bending regeneration, James and Magnus are here to discuss The Reality War.
Shownotes
Patreon benefits
Mark as Played
May 28, 2025 • 68 mins
This week's podcast welcomes John Kenneth Muir, a guest who has also joined us previously on the John and Jim's Excellent Adventure podcasts.
Naturally, he's here to discuss Wish World with James, the penultimate episode of Doctor Who Series 15/2/41, however you prefer to count it. Expect some interesting insights into both the episode and the potential survival of the series.
As one listener on Patreon desc...
Naturally, he's here to discuss Wish World with James, the penultimate episode of Doctor Who Series 15/2/41, however you prefer to count it. Expect some interesting insights into both the episode and the potential survival of the series.
As one listener on Patreon desc...
Mark as Played
May 21, 2025 • 59 mins
This week, it's James McLean and the enigmatic Magnus chewing the Time Lord fat (eww). They get deep into The Interstellar Song Contest, with James as a long-term viewer of Doctor Who and Magnus as a more recent arrival.
Shownotes
- Doctor Who: The Interstellar Song Contest on BBC iPlayer and Disney+
Patreon benefits
Mark as Played
May 15, 2025 • 32 mins
Vworp Vworp and Cutaway Comics' Gareth Kavanagh joins James McLean in this week's Doctor Who podcast.
They cover the latest episode of Doctor Who (The Story and The Engine), with some interesting insights...
They cover the latest episode of Doctor Who (The Story and The Engine), with some interesting insights...
Shownotes
- Doctor Who: The Story and The Engine on BBC iPlayer and Disney Plus
- Cutaway Comics
Patreon benefits
Mark as Played
May 5, 2025 • 69 mins
This week, James McLean is joined by Doctor Who Companion editor Philip Bates to discuss the latest episode, Lucky Day.
They cover everything from twists and turns to the now-perennial question: will Doctor Who continue beyond this series?
Patreon subscribers, will also be able to see this conversation, if preferred, in video format.
They cover everything from twists and turns to the now-perennial question: will Doctor Who continue beyond this series?
Patreon subscribers, will also be able to see this conversation, if preferred, in video format.
Shownotes
- Doctor Who: Luck...
Mark as Played
April 29, 2025 • 88 mins
Episode 3 of Doctor Who Series 15, The Well, has aired in the UK and worldwide on the Disney+ service, and is ripe for discussion. What impact has this episode has, and can James McLean discern it?
This week, James is joined by James Whittington, a writer who worked with us back in the days of our old website. He also writes for the Legend TV channel, among other things, and has plenty of thoughts about Doctor Who...<...
This week, James is joined by James Whittington, a writer who worked with us back in the days of our old website. He also writes for the Legend TV channel, among other things, and has plenty of thoughts about Doctor Who...<...
Mark as Played
April 22, 2025 • 72 mins
Doctor Who Series 15's second episode, Lux, is the subject of discussion this week. James McLean welcomes this week's guest, Rick Lundeen, for quite a deep and wide-ranging chat about the episode and Doctor Who's current status.
Rick is a writer and artist with quite a considerable body of work behind him. Among those include work with Christian Cawley on the Time Leech comic strip way back in 2009, and his incredibl...
Rick is a writer and artist with quite a considerable body of work behind him. Among those include work with Christian Cawley on the Time Leech comic strip way back in 2009, and his incredibl...
Mark as Played
April 15, 2025 • 69 mins
James and Magnus discuss the first episode of Doctor Who S15, Robot Revolution, which introduces a new companion, Belinda Chandra, and ends with quite the cliffhanger.
This is an in-depth discussion of the episode, covering everything from the visual style to the themes of coercive control and loss.
Members of our free Patreon heard this episode first. Sign up at patreon.com/kasterborous for early episodes, ...
This is an in-depth discussion of the episode, covering everything from the visual style to the themes of coercive control and loss.
Members of our free Patreon heard this episode first. Sign up at patreon.com/kasterborous for early episodes, ...
Mark as Played
April 11, 2025 • 55 mins
This week's podcast was supposed to be Christian chatting with the Doctor Who Companion's Philip Bates about Doctor Who Series 15... and then Newsround published a brief chat with Russell T Davies.
Suddenly, we had to talk about the possibility that Doctor Who Series 15 might be the last, certainly as far as the current production setup is concerned, and maybe longer term, too.
So, the episode kicks off with ...
Suddenly, we had to talk about the possibility that Doctor Who Series 15 might be the last, certainly as far as the current production setup is concerned, and maybe longer term, too.
So, the episode kicks off with ...
Mark as Played
April 7, 2025 • 40 mins
In this week's podcast, Christian and James discuss Russell T Davies recent remarks concerning Doctor Who's future.
After that, the podcast continues with Christian highlighting a few interesting things he's come across recently, including a Beatles demo reel, a new Quatermass book from Toby Hadoke, and a Battle of Britain documentary tied to the promotion of a new combat flight simulator.
After that, the podcast continues with Christian highlighting a few interesting things he's come across recently, including a Beatles demo reel, a new Quatermass book from Toby Hadoke, and a Battle of Britain documentary tied to the promotion of a new combat flight simulator.
Bonus ...
Mark as Played
March 31, 2025 • 47 mins
Adrian Munsey, the director and writer of the Sky Arts series Wonderland: Science Fiction in the Atomic Age joined James McLean to explore his four-part documentary.
We previously shared the raw video version of this chat. Here is the audio podcast, for more convenient listening.
The series starts on April 3, 2025 on Sky Arts, and runs for four weeks. Further details can be found on Kasterborous. Incidentall...
We previously shared the raw video version of this chat. Here is the audio podcast, for more convenient listening.
The series starts on April 3, 2025 on Sky Arts, and runs for four weeks. Further details can be found on Kasterborous. Incidentall...
Mark as Played
March 24, 2025 • 35 mins
This week, Christian Cawley and James McLean mull over the impact of the single take shot in new Netflix drama Adolescence. Single takes, also known as one-shots and continuous shots, have appeared in many movies and TV shows, from Marvel's Daredevil to Alfred Hitchcock's Rope to Orson Welles' Touch of Evil, and many other besides.
It has been technically difficult to achieve, especially for British TV, but we wonder ...
It has been technically difficult to achieve, especially for British TV, but we wonder ...
Mark as Played
March 17, 2025 • 56 mins
Hello! This is our brand new podcast, which not only talks about James Bond, but also supports Podcasthon.
James McLean and Christian Cawley reconvene this week to discuss the events surrounding Amazon's purchase of Eon, and the resulting rumours. While we unsurprisingly dwell on the tempting notion of Pierce Brosnan returning as an older James Bond, there is also time to discuss the world of Bond spin-offs.
...
James McLean and Christian Cawley reconvene this week to discuss the events surrounding Amazon's purchase of Eon, and the resulting rumours. While we unsurprisingly dwell on the tempting notion of Pierce Brosnan returning as an older James Bond, there is also time to discuss the world of Bond spin-offs.
...
Mark as Played
March 10, 2025 • 30 mins
This week, Christian Cawley looks at some new Box of Delights material, a Fighting Fantasy books Kickstarter, a rediscovered Top of the Pops episode, and a new book about The Avengers (not the lycra superheroes).
Did you know, all our podcasts launch earlier on Patreon? Join us free at www.patreon.com/kasterborous, where you’ll also find podcasts with extra material!
Did you know, all our podcasts launch earlier on Patreon? Join us free at www.patreon.com/kasterborous, where you’ll also find podcasts with extra material!
Shownotes
Mark as Played
March 3, 2025 • 27 mins
This week, Christian chats with comedian Garrett Millerick about his standup show, Just Trying to Help, which is available to watch on YouTube now, and is recommended.
The thrust of the conversation is about our relationships with people like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg (and to a lesser extent Richard Branson...) and how they influence the modern world.
While it might be a slight diversion from the...
The thrust of the conversation is about our relationships with people like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg (and to a lesser extent Richard Branson...) and how they influence the modern world.
While it might be a slight diversion from the...
Mark as Played
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