Radio Free Skaro #969 - Only Nixon Could Go To China

Despite a dearth of real news, and because of one glorious piece of fake news from the Onion, the Three Who Rule faff on less than usual this week, with a look at various Blu-Ray controversies, David Banks in Doctor Who magazine, a Classic Who event at the cool-name-having Electric Palace movie theatre. Plus our Classic Series Commentary for the final episode of “Planet of the Spiders”! Links: Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon The Onion: Moscow Expels 6 British Diplomats Who Would Not Shut Up About ‘Doctor Who’ Doctor Who Magazine #608 Doctor Who Series 1-4 Blu-ray due October 24 Blake’s 7 Series 1 collection available for pre-order (Amazon US) Classic Doctor Who night on September 19 at the Electric Palace Doctor Who Limited Edition Tankard Commentary: Planet of the Spiders Episode 6

A Gallifrey One guest announcement tops the RFS headlines as Jenna Coleman aka Clara Oswald is set to arrive in Los Angeles this upcoming February! Plus Russell T Davies is in the latest SFX to explain how TV works to you nerds, so what better time for the Three Who Rule to add their uninformed insights to the pile? An Emperor Davros dolly is on the way from B&M, Ncuti Gatwa’s theatrical spectacular The Importance of Being Earnest heads for cinema screens and more, before a Classic Series Commentary on the penultimate episode of both “Planet of the Spiders” and the Jon Pertwee era!  Links: Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon Jenna Coleman announced as guest of Gallifrey One RTD says Season 3 renewal won’t come until after Season 2 airs BFI redux screening of The Happiness Patrol on September 29 B&M 2024 Remembrance of the Daleks – Emperor Davros B&M 2024 The History of the Daleks #18 Ncuti Gatwa’s The Importance of Being Earnest getting UK cinema release Doctor Who finalists for five BAFTA Cymru Awards (aka The Welshies) Breakdown of the first scene of The Power of the Daleks Commentary: Planet of the Spiders Episode 5

The Radio Free Skaro crew dips further into their nostalhia-tinged well of archive videotape fetishism this week, in addition to deep analysis of the Youtube algorithm, Star Wars Outlaws, and Steven’s never ending quest to ignore current media trends and lose himself in production minutiae. And just to add to the second-hand smoke, rampant alcoholism and leaded gasoline, it’s back to 1974 for our Classic Series Commentary of “Planet of the Spiders”, Part the Fourth!  Links: Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon Doctor Who BBC Proms RTD mentions the DW Prom will be on UK TV at Christmas BFI Blake’s 7 screening happening October 5 Blake’s 7 Series 1 Collection PDF Archive BBC Videotape editing training film c. 1967 1969 print interview with Frazer Hines discovered, with rehearsal shots from The Space Pirates Big Finish Doctor Who – The Eighth Doctor Adventures: Deadly Strangers due December 2024 Commentary: Planet of the Spiders Episode 4

Warren has returned from his European travails, and just in time as casting for The War Between the Land and the Sea (henceforth known as TWBTLATS) is announced to much fanfare, A Disney poobah nods approvingly at Doctor Who as an idea, Catherine Tate herself hosts the BBC Proms, and Blake’s 7 news takes the internet (well, us) by storm with an amazing box set on the way for the UK (and North America?). All this as a preamble for some of the greatest acting in British televisual history as we commentate on Part Three of Planet of the Spiders! Links: Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon Cast announcement for The War Between the Land and the Sea The War Between the Land and the Sea readthrough of all 5 eps happened Mon Aug 19 Disney Chief Backs ‘Doctor Who’ As “Really Good Fit” After Ncuti Gatwa’s First Season Catherine Tate hosting the 2024 Doctor Who Proms Aug 26 Radio Times’ Doctor Who Proms preview with Murray Gold Doctor Who: The Adventures Before Hardcover – 3 Oct. 2024 Doctor Who: The Sequels Hardcover – 20 Mar. 2025 Doctor Who Icons 1 Paperback – 24 Oct. 2024 Doctor Who Icons 2 Paperback – 21 Nov. 2024 Doctor Who Icons 3 Paperback – 24 April 2025 Bad Wolf launches the Blaidd Writers Program, RTD will mentor winners Big Finish Jenny – The Doctor’s Daughter: Saving Time due Oct Blake’s 7 Series A coming to Blu-ray on November 11 (UK) Blake’s 7 Series A collection trailer Commentary: Planet of the Spiders Episode 3

While Warren tours Europe, after having chatted with Doctor Who scribes Paul Cornell and LM Myles at Worldcon (which you can hear on this podcast), Doctor Who composer (and Edmonton native) Sam Watts steps in as co-host! Hear of Tales of the TARDIS, Sarah Jane Adventures, and other audio delights as news of a new Jodie Whittaker Blu-ray set is announced, overseas filming for The War Between the Land and the Sea is confirmed, and is a renewal for a third season of Doctor Who or perhaps another new spinoff in the works? Links: Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon Doctor Who Magazine 607 Doctor Who: Jodie Whittaker Years on Blu-ray due November 5 (US) Doctor Who: Jodie Whittaker Years on Blu-ray due November 5 (Canada) The Tom Baker Collection Deluxe 4CD Set due Sep 27 Big Finish to temporarily roll back website to previous version Doctor Who: On Ghost Beach: 15th Doctor Audio Original due November 7 Doctor Who: Sting of the Sasquatch: 15th Doctor Audio Original due Nov 7 Doctor Who: The Official Quiz Book due Mar 20, 2025 David Whitaker by Simon Guerrier Paperback Edition Who Shop pink and grey cover variants Guest: Sam Watts Interview: Paul Cornell Liz Myles

With Warren galavanting around Glasgow for WorldCon, and Chris on assignment, the Three Who Rule are augmented by two of Verity!, namely Erika and Deb, for this episode, wherein such delights as Doctor Who archival chatter and praise for the 1975 BBC serial “The Legend of Robin Hood” are central to the discussion. But Warren does check in with an interview with noted author and Doctor Who writer Ben Aaronovitch, recorded in Glasgow! Links: Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon Los Angeles awarded hosting duties for WorldCon 2026 Official Doctor Who Podcast SDCC Panel Doctor Who Cyberman Episode screening at Riverside Studios on August 17 David Whitaker postscript / Terry Nation party from Simon Guerrier Steven on the Who’s He Podcast Interview: Ben Aaronovitch

It’s an international podcast of mystery as Warren radiophonically joins the podcast from Edinburgh in his continued journey across Europa as he and the other Two Who Rule discuss the latest news from Doctor Who about Catherine Tate’s return to Gallifrey One, the full Who and Trek SDCC panel is new viewable by all and sundry, Steven guests on the Nerdist’s Laser Focus podcast with esteemed colleague Kyle Anderson, and we return to the longest chase scene in Doctor Who history in Part Two of our Classic Series Commentary of “Planet of the Spiders”!  Links: Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon Catherine Tate Returns to Gallifrey One Doctor Who x Star Trek: Full SDCC Panel with Russell T Davies and Alex Kurtzman 60th Anniversary Episodes due on Blu-Ray Dec 10 BBC set to edit disgraced Huw Edwards out of Doctor Who episode after guilty plea Doctor Who Magazine Special 67: The Missing Doctor Who Steven on the Nerdist’s Laser Focus podcast talking about Old British Sci-Fi Doctor Who at The BBC Who Are We? Audio CD coming December 5 Two new dates added for Big Finish live story recording Cubicle7 RPG Humble Bundle Commentary: Planet of the Spiders Episode 2

What do you do to follow up on a historically spectacular Olympics opening ceremony in Paris, France? Why, you head to San Diego Comic-Con where Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson. and Russell T Davies kept a hall (H, in particular) enthralled with hints of the second Disney+ season of Doctor Who, a preview of the Xmas special, casting and confirmation of the existence of The War Between The Land and The Sea, and more! We not only have our own meagre insights into things SDCC but also a report on the ground from Drs. Heather Berberet and Stacy Watnick of the Free The Squee podcast, who were in Hall H and have much, much more to tell us about goings on at the con! As another SDCC fixture once said, Excelsior!  Links: Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon Doctor Who – Into The Whoniverse panel from SDCC ‘Doctor Who’ Spinoff ‘The War Between the Land and Sea’ Announced “Joy to the World” preview clip and Nicola Coughlan introduction Ncuti Gatwa and Russell T Davies Tease Season 2, ‘Epic Danger and Epic Growth’ As Well As ‘Growing Danger’ New Fifteenth Doctor Sonic Screwdriver from Character Options revealed at SDCC Doctor Who segment at Entertainment Weekly Doctor Who/Lower Decks crossover game event coming August 1 Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction coming to Comic-Con Museum in March 2025 BBC Commercial Reports Dip in Sales and Earnings Amid Market Challenges Doctor Who Season 1 now on RTE Player in Ireland Doctor Who – The Daleks In Colour (Original Television Soundtrack) coming September 13 Doctor Who “The Crusade” vinyl coming October 4 BF The First Doctor Adventures: The Living Darkness due Jan 2025 BF Zygon Century due Jan 2025 Annette Badland added to the guest list at LI Who Ysanne Churchman, voice of Alpha Centauri, dies, aged 99 Report: Heather Berberet and Stacy Watnick (Free the Squee)

San Diego looms as 2024’s Comic Con and all the attendant Doctor Who goodies within await! We’ve got news of official merchandise, hints of special correspondents from said Con of Comics, Louise Jameson returning to Doctor Who, Disney intrigues and a controversial Deadline article, and a special bonus tirade from Chris about Madame Tussauds in London followed by a warm restorative bath in Star Trek novel nostalgia by both Chris and Warren as Steven looks on in confused silence. Plus the beginning of our Classic Series Commentary for “Planet of the Spiders”! Prepare yourselves, Two Legs!  Links: Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon Doctor Who heads to San Diego Comic-Con 2024 Titan reveals SDCC exclusive merchandise Louise Jameson & Seán Carlsen at Gallifrey One 2025 Disney leak: Doctor Who a “low budget show” for Disney, Season 2 appears to premiere March 28 Deadline: ‘Doctor Who’s Regeneration: Has The Disney Gamble Paid Off? Doctor Who Magazine #606 The Fifteenth Doctor has arrived at Madame Tussauds London The Gold Archive: Invasions of Earth: A Secret History due October 31 Big Finish: Goth Opera (by Lizbeth Myles, adapted from Paul Cornell’s book) now available Big Finish – The Paternoster Gang: Trespassers – No Place Like Home due Dec 2024 Classic Series Commentary: Planet of the Spiders Episode 1

Thasmin Returns! That’s right, Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill are back in audio form in just announced Big Finish adventures, just one of the many highlights of a busy week of Who news, including a Doctor Who panel at San Diego Comic Con, D23 without Who content, and detente has been reached as Doctor Who’s Russell T Davies and Star Trek guy-in-charge Alex Kurtzman share a panel at SDCC title “Inaugural Intergalactic Friendship Day!”! A shocking lack of Farscape and Starlost representation, but here we are. Also even more audio news, Susan Twist materializing at Gallifrey One, and an interview with Doctor Who Blu-Ray High One and Nothing at the End of the Lane creator Richard Bignell! Links: Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill return to Doctor Who in new Thirteenth Doctor adventures Doctor Who panel in Hall H at SDCC on Friday, July 26 Star Trek and Doctor Who come together for Inaugural Intergalactic Friendship Day on July 30 No Doctor Who programming at Disney D23 event Doctor Who wins Outstanding achievement in family programming at TV Critics Association awards Susan Twist appearing at Gallifrey One Scene explaining sudden burst into song was cut from The Devil’s Chord The Happiness Patrol screeing at the BFI on August 31, on sale Jul 9 DWM Special #67 The Essential Guide to Missing Doctor Who due Oct 30 The Time-Travelling Almanac by Simon Guerrier due Oct 3 Big Finish – Once and Future Coda coming November 2024 Big Finish: Doctor Who – The Curse of Time, celebrating 50 Years of The Fourth Doctor, due Dec 2024 Peter Davison on 25 years of Big Finish Interview: Richard Bignell Season 15 Blu-Ray Season 25 PDF Content