Doctor Who: Watchers in the Fourth Dimension

Doctor Who: Watchers in the Fourth Dimension

Two (formerly three) Americans and a Brit attempt to watch their way through all of Doctor Who (in order), and discuss each story with a mix of whimsy and intellect.

Episodes

April 21, 2024 64 mins

It’s our customary season retrospective, as we take a look back at Season 15. If you’ve been following the podcast as we’ve talked through each story, you’ll know that we’ve fully embraced our controversial era: disliking the stories that fandom loves, and loving the stories that the fandom hates – but how will they all stand-up to our usual blend

 

Join us as we talk about why Underworld is the best story of the season, which char...

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It’s time for our seasonal Big Finish bonus episode! Join us as we discuss The Fate of Krelos and Return to Mondas – four episodes featuring the Fourth Doctor, Leela, the Second Doctor, Jamie, and the Cybermen!

 

Join us as we talk about the dream of a Leela/Jamie team-up (and the disappointment of it not happening), the transformation of the Cybermen into the Borg, how fantastic Frazer Hines is, the strange emotional impact of K9 ...

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Gallifrey, Vardans, AND Sontarans!? What is this madness!? Well, The Invasion of Time, apparently. Join us, the Watchers in the Fourth Dimension (of Rassilon) as we pick apart the Doctor’s latest return to his ancestral homeland for run-ins with high-ranking Time Lords, the introduction of exciting Time Ladies, and goodbyes to two beloved companions.

 

Join us as we talk about continuity errors, Tom Baker’s out-of-control ego, enor...

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Questionable physics, enormous amounts of CSO, and shamelessly riffing on Greek mythology in a way that hasn’t been done since Season 9? Yeah, it can only be Underworld – widely touted as the worst story of the Tom Baker era. But is it really as bad as its reputation suggests, or will the Watchers find plenty to forgive? We ARE in our controversial era, so ANYTHING is possible!

 

Join us as we discuss budget sofas, surprisingly goo...

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Are you an outgoing script editor? Do you have a grievance against a government agency? Is it specifically the tax authority? Well, why not write an entire serial of a kids’ show about the unfair burden of taxes? It’s a sure-fire winner, right?!? Right!?!? Even if not, it’s what happened for us to get The Sun Makers. Good job, Robert Holmes. Thankfully, your three favourite members of Watchers in the Fourth Dimension are here to di...

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We continue our journey through all of Doctor Who, as we discuss the third serial of Season 15: Image of the Fendahl. Received fan wisdom has this as being one of the better stories of the season… however, we’re in our controversial era this season – will we find gothic Who’s final story be a worthy last hurrah, or will we find it to be as limp as a salt-covered leech? Listen in to find out!

 

Join us as we discuss Benedict Cumberb...

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It’s time for a bonus episode! We are joined by our wonderful friend Diana Birney as we return to the very beginning, to discuss the recent re-edited, re-scored, and colourised version of The Daleks!

 

Join us as we talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of this. And there’s probably more bad and ugly than good, to be honest… still, even though they cut the “Baebara” storyline and removed any actual tension from the story, at l...

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We (finally) say hello to the legendary robotic pooch known as K9, while we also take on a giant, aggressively randy space prawn virus (yes, seriously!) which just wants to infect everyone and then BREED in The Invisible Enemy. We’ve been crying out for the weird lately… but not like this!

 

Join us as we discuss cheap (but actually surprisingly good) sets, the disrespect that Leela receives, the good and the bad of the model work,...

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Surprise bonus episode drop! We are joined by our good friend Robert Lloyd as we do the inevitable and revisit The Underwater Menace in the light of the recent animation. Suffice to say, nuzzink in the vorld can schtopp us now!

 

Join us as we discuss Professor Zaroff’s carefully curated brand, the wonderfully snarky octopus, whether Jamie has been eating a bit too much haggis, counter-culture hippy vibes, BBC animation budgets, an...

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We kick off a brave new era as Graham Williams takes the reins of the show with the Season 15 opener, Horror of Fang Rock. This story features our only ever sighting of a Rutan – the mortal enemy of the Sontarans. It also features… rich people? Ugh. Ok, whatever, guys.

 

Join us as we discuss Leela’s bloodlust, Terrance Dicks’ love of the green, whether this story suffered from overspending at the end of the previous season, the ab...

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As has become our custom, we wrap up the season with a bonus episode featuring a Big Finish story set during the season we’ve just discussed. For Season 14, we’re heading back to Tom Baker’s first release for Big Finish with Destination: Nerva!

 

Join us as we discuss *the squish*, actors getting older, unnecessary back stories, how the storytelling gives a sense of grand scope, yet another plot ripping off The Thing, and spreading...

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It’s time for our all-singing, all-dancing Season 14 retrospective! Except, there’s no singing, and no dancing. Just the usual format, with your three erstwhile hosts having an absolute blast recapping one of the most iconic seasons of the classic show.

 

Join us as we talk about the departure of Sarah and the arrival of Leela, blowing the budget on Talons, the lack of women in the Hinchcliffe era, and whether Tom Baker has by this...

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Oh boy… it’s time for us to cover The Talons of Weng-Chiang! For a long time considered one of the greatest Doctor Who stories of all time, but more recently faced with accusations of racism, you just know that this is going to be a wild ride of a discussion!

 

Join us as we talk about Britbox trigger warnings, John Bennett in yellowface, creepy AF puppets with pig brains, classic Holmesian double acts, Victorian London, time cabin...

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year, when we once again bring you our Holiday special. This year, we are joined again by our good friend Alan Siler to discuss the iconic BBC Children’s production of The Box of Delights! Many of you have asked for us to talk about this one, and so we hope that this doesn’t disappoint!

 

Join us as we discuss posset pots, going swift (does someone own the copyright on “flying”?), creepy clergyme...

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This episode, we’re off to a sandminer on a distant planet where a psychopath who believes is a robot is systematically killing off his colleagues (Agatha Christie-style) in order to create a robot revolution. Sounds convoluted, but it’s actually really good – it’s The Robots of Death!

 

Join us as we discuss Chris Boucher’s amazing world building (again), complex interpersonal relations, the continued love for Leela, the hilarious...

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The Doctor’s face carved on a mountain Mount Rushmore-style? Lots of scantily-clad people running around, fighting invisible monsters? Green-tinged people with a superiority complex? And then you want to add-on an insane computer?!? Chris Boucher definitely gets his Doctor Who career to an impressive start with his ambition. Yes, this episode, we’re discussing The Face of Evil!

 

Join us as we discuss Tom Baker’s ego, the absolutel...

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    The Doctor’s off on a solo venture to his home planet of Gallifrey, where an old enemy awaits, but this time in a form as crispy as sesame chicken! It’s a bonkers one, with ventures into the Matrix (sadly without Laurence Fishburne), forgotten relics, a German Time Lord, and Robert Holmes driving a bulldozer through established continuity. Listen in as we discuss The Deadly Assassin!

     

    Join us as we talk about our ongoing opinion o...

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    Eldrad must live! On what is her 18th story with the Doctor, we wave goodbye to Sarah Jane Smith (for now at least). She’s had a bit of a torrid time during her tenure in the TARDIS, and The Hand of Fear is no exception, as she gets possessed by the evil Eldrad. This serial has everything – silicon despots, hospitals, nuclear horror, mind control (ah, that old chestnut!), and, of course, a scarf-trip!

     

    Join us as we discuss the ad...

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    It’s time for our annual spooktacular Halloween Who-rror special! This year, we discuss two horror movies featuring the stars of Doctor Who, starting with Hammer Horror’s Dracula (also known as “The Horror of Dracula” - featuring Peter Cushing), followed by the Amicus anthology The Vault of Horror (featuring Tom Baker).

     

    It’s a wild ride this episode, as we touch on topics as varied as Chap Hop (yes, it’s a thing!), the worst insu...

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    We’re finally getting started on the legendary Season 14, as we discuss the debut serial, The Masque of Mandragora. Will it live up to the expectations that the received wisdom of fandom has set for the season, or will the season opener prove to be a disappointment? As always, you’ll have to listen to find out!

     

    Join us as we discuss whether this story would still work without Federico, what we wish Part One had been, the new cred...

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