Dimensions Interview Special 2012

Back in November Fuschia and The Prof went out into the mundy, stalking Big Finish ladies at Dimensions on Tyne.

The lovely Jacqueline (Supreme Commander of the Terran Federation) Pearce (Sputters is a bit jealous), the beautiful and charming Beth Chalmers, and the splendid Chase (Leeta the sexy Bajoran) Masterson.

Spot on caricature of the second Doctor by Erich Owen

A spot on caricature of the second Doctor, Patrick Troughton, by ~Erich0823(Erich Owen). Please visit his page over at DeviantArt and see his other Doctor Who and comic related work. 

Dirty WHOers Podcast - Episode 49

It's a beast (which is somewhat appropriate). It's the closest thing we're gonna get to a Crimbo episode (cue jingle bells intro).

At just over an hour it breaks all our rules about 'keep it short' and 'never work with animals or children'.

We slur our way through the usual stuff. This time we put out some milk for 'Survival' [1989], last of the old school Whos, plus we've an interview with Will Barton (Midge) who brought along Lawry Lewin (Rossiter, from the End of Time). We did this one with the chaps from Pharos Project way back at Whooverville 4 earlier this year (what were thay thinking putting them and Sputters on the same panel).

Big thanks to The Prof, who's been poorly, for cobbling this kitten together.

Dimensions of the Third Kind

Let’s just say, I think it was no coincidence that the Director General of the BBC resigned during John Levene’s cabaret act…

Sorry, getting a bit ahead of myself, there. Allow me to explain (sort of): it’s that time of year again, when we bravely sally forth north of the Tyne to the Inn of Holidays at Seaton Burn, for the annual convivium that is Dimensions. We like Dimensions: it’s small but perfectly formed and, Guinness-related incidents aside, an incredibly friendly and relaxed convention. It really doesn’t hurt that we don’t have to go very far to get there, either.

Having learnt our lesson after accidentally winning it the first year we attended, we avoided the Friday night pub quiz and settled down in the bar instead to watch the guests arriving. Granted, there was absolutely no danger of us winning the quiz this year because our ringer Rob Shearman was sadly missing (off being a proper author in Canadia Land), but we still didn’t want to risk it.

Another notable absence was Nick Briggs, who was also beavering away at this here writing malarkey. Nevertheless, the Big Finish crew were there to support their customers’ habits and entertain at their panel, teasing us all mercilessly with veiled hints and knowing winks about the fun stuff they have lined up for the 50^th anniversary next year. Still, it was a bit odd not having our annual therapy session with him which, even though we’ve actually only done it twice, has become a proper little Dirty Whoers pre-Crimble tradition.

You can never be quite certain who’s going to turn up to these things until you see the whites of their eyes, so it was good to see Terrance Dicks and Peter Davison arriving on Friday. In fact there was a bit of a cheer as Mr Davison wandered in out of the freezing rain, as he’d had to cancel at the last minute in 2011, with Colin Baker kindly stepping into the breach (something that wouldn’t have been possible this year, seeing as he’s currently upside down eating unmentionables).

There was a distinctly awed hush when Mr Dicks came into the bar later in the evening, and it was lovely to see the genuine affection and reverence the fans have for him, even if that did lead to him being surrounded by far too many glasses of propitiatory wine. Old BBC trooper that he is, though, he was up and about signing autographs at 9am the next morning, when younger, lighter drinkers were still sleeping off their hangovers.

In our usual hopeless idiom, we accidentally ended up having breakfast with two of the guests, something I would never normally do as I firmly believe in them being allowed their privacy at meal-times. And I do mean accidentally: it was very busy in the dining room on Saturday morning so we had to plonk down on a big, long table where a phone indicated the presence of a person or persons unknown. The phone in question turned out to belong to Spencer Wilding (the Minotaur from The God Complex and Vogon Number 1 from the HHGTTG movie), a thoroughly lovely and incredibly tall bloke: so tall, in fact, that it was a relief he was sitting down most of the time as I barely reached his knee when he stood up, and it’s rather tricky to maintain an engaging conversation with a patella. Shortly afterwards we were joined by the beautiful and charming Virginia Hey (Bond Girl and Zahn from Farscape, to name but two) and we had a very entertaining half an hour before getting down to business. Spencer confirmed that Matt Smith is a smashing lad who takes his responsibilities towards his young fans very seriously indeed (as if we ever doubted it!).

We spent a busy day collecting autographs, chatting to friends and listening to panels, the Caves of Androzani one with Peter Davison and Roy Holder being a particular highlight, as was the writers’ workshop with Big Finish’s Mark Wright and Matt Fitton. And then I was dragged to see John Levene’s evening cabaret by the Prof and the naughty people from Tachyon TV and Adventures with the Wife in Space; I accidentally saw some of it last year, for my sins, and it was as if he’d never been away (plus, it wasn’t quite the same when you didn’t have Toby Hadoke’s audio commentary to go with it).

Being lightweights, we went to bed before midnight and therefore missed another evening of slightly tipsy bar-related shenanigans. More autographs and talks followed, including the marvellously wrangled panel starring John Leeson, Nabil Shaban, Brian Croucher and Roy Holder, before podcast friend Bob Fischer of BBC Radio Tees encouraged us to stop being so work-shy and go and do some interviewing. We hadn’t actually planned on doing any this year, but a pixie is always prepared and there were Big Finish guests to mug, er, question.

Beth Chalmers (most notably Seventh Doctor audio companion Raine Creevy) is a very talented lady who we wanted to interview the first year we attended back in 2010, but sadly didn’t have chance to speak with at the time. Well, we’ve finally managed to put that right! Next, we interviewed the stunning and gracious Jacqueline Pearce (Servalan in Blake’s 7 and, of course, Chessene in The Two Doctors). She’s absolutely wonderful, and I will admit to being just a teensy bit star-struck when talking to her (not helped by the fact I kept hitting the wrong buttons on the gadget whilst trying to set up the recording).

Finally, we spoke to Chase Masterson, more familiar to Star Trek DS9 fans as Leeta. She’s recently joined the Big Finish family, working with both the Fourth and Seventh Doctors and currently awaiting the release of the pilot for her own spin-off series, written by Jonathan Morris (he of Festival of Death fame). We can’t tell you what it’s called, or she’d have to kill us. Sorry about that. You’ll just have to listen to the interview…

Dirty WHOers Podcast - Episode 48

Well, it had to happen. There was no avoiding it. We had to do some kind of review of the first chunk of 'Season 7' (mostly to stop people moaning us at events). All in one: "Asylum of the Daleks", "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship", "A Town Called Mercy", "The Power of Three", and "The Angels Take Manhattan".

Never let it be said we're not good value. The usual piss taking, ranting, bigotry, and moaning about bugger all ensues.

Cheers to The Prof for another sterling edit.

Dirty WHOers Podcast - Episode 47

Howdy partners.

Saddle up for another foray into the 60's with our review of Hartnells 'The Gunfighters'. Sorry the audio's a bit ropey, but Skype's been a pain in the hidey of late and our tales around the camp fire may be a mite misbehavin'. The Prof, as ever, has roped and branded this here tale to the best of his skill, but we have tales to weave of dames and songs, of pistols and ugly sticks, spontaneous pianistical skills, of accents and hysterical accuracy, Nurse Gladys Emanuel, 60's humour and Clancy accents, etc., etc.

So come you coyotes, and howl at the moon, for there's blood upon the sawdust, in the Last Chance Saloon. Enjoy ;)

Again, sorry it sounds like bollocks.

Dirty WHOers Podcast - Episode 46

Here we are again, and all hail another Prof edit of awesomeness.

Mercifully better than the last time, this episode we ponder upon Tom Bakers (arguably) finest season, and the episode 'The Robots of Death' [1977]. Annoying cousins, blue cars and boats, the usual rating and tipping shenanigans, art and colonic irrigation, fashion, the difference between small and really far away, seasonal awesomeness, mice in wainscoting, yada, yada.

Gird your liver for another round of the Dirty WHOers Drinking Game, and don't forget we're also on Facebook, 'n Google Plus, n shit. Plus, ignore Sputters, he will be at Whooverville 4 in Derby on Saturday (and you should be too).

Boomshanka.

Dirty WHOers Podcast - Episode 45

We're really, really,  really, really sorry.

This is probably our WORST EPISODE EVER, which has nothing to do with last years lovely Whooverville guests Maurice Roëves (of The Caves of Androzani fame) nor Tristan Peatfield (new series production designer and cocktail officianado, with his son Louis) that we crow-barred in as a saving grace.

We tried to review 'Bad Wolf' & 'The Parting of the Ways' [2005], but we had sound problems and just couldn't be bothered. Apathy struck us hard, and we thought "sod it, it's free, they won't mind". In the end we just bickered for a bit, talked about farting aliens, the dangers of travelling in time and space, Rose being a bitch (or not), stopped and started a lot, some Buck Rodgers, Sen tried to reach though Skype and 'shit down Oolon's neck', a big plug for Whooverville 4, rolled the Wheel of Who, a few serious minutes and a raising of the glasses to the glamorous Mary Tamm and feisty Romana I, then we left it at that.

Don't forget the drinking game. On the plus side this ones' not very long and the Prof did wonders with it considering.

Dirty WHOers Podcast - Episode 44

Morning all.

To start off with, this episode should be listened to in conjunction with The Dirty WHOers Drinking Game. Accept no substitute.

This time we look at another Davidson, for our sins, and cast a bloodshot eye over 'Black Orchid'. The last of the pure historical plots, it's double the Nyssa, double the fun. Cricket, fancy dress, Dame Agatha, Adric's eating habits, and all things Brideshead Revisited.

If ya like it, go say so on Facebook. If you don't, tell us on Google Plus.

Dirty WHOers Drinking Game

Hola Whoovian peeps.

Right, so, grab a drink (we suggest tequila shots) and load up any of our podcasts. Then give this a go:

Sputters refers to either MILFs or to masturbating - drink.
Sen or Sputters talk about their childhood - drink.
Sen goes off on one about anything to do with the TARDIS - drink.
A family pet interrupts the podcast - 2 drinks.
Sputters mentions Pertwee, Bessie or Jo Grant - drink.
Sputters impersonates Sen - drink.
Sen impersonates Sputters - 2 drinks.
Sen disses RTD - drink.
Anyone disses Tennant - drink.
Terry forgets what she's talking about - drink.
Terry forgets the rating system - drink.
Terry says fuck, mierda, estúpido or any variation thereof - drink.
Fuschia tuts or sighs - drink.
Fuschia name drops - drink.
Fuschia lays the hate down on McCoy - drink.
Fuschia says "The fact is..." - drink.
You hear a bottle opening, pouring, glasses, or ice chinking - 2 drinks.
There's a Krap Dalek sketch/joke - drink.
The Prof is mentioned - drink.
You get name-checked - 3 drinks.
Someone says: Wanker, Plonker or Bollocks - drink.
We mention Second Life, or one of our Second Life buddies - drink.
We mention another podcast, or someone from another Who podcast - drink.

NEW:

Tabby has "A bit of thing" for someone - drink.
Tabby mentions Shakespeare, J. K. Rowling, Charlotte Brontë or Jane Austen - drink.

Addendum: Thanks Vicky!:

Sputters disses Davison: drink.
Terry swoons over McGann: drink.
Sen mentions the never-realised-80s-TimeAgents-plotline: 2 drinks.

Dirty WHOers Podcast - Episode 43

We'd like to dedicate this episode to the loverly Caroline John, who sadly recently passed away.

Long overdue, it's time for our review of The Five Doctors [1983]. A mixed opinion from the usual team of Yanks and Limeys, but probably the single most quotable Who episode ever. A veritable  shmorgers board of Who from the Davidson era way back to (sort of) Hartnell.

We talk trials and tributes, inoculations, Vimto, value, Raston Robots, tripping over, and the madness of Big Tom. Kudos and props to The Prof, as ever, for his usual masterful turd polishing.

It's free, and thankfully mercifully short.

Doctor Who RPG Interview Special

Fushia, oh she of much RP experience, investigates the world of DWATS.

In this one-off interview special we chew the fat with the most splendid Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan, Line Developer for Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space, Primeval and The Laundry Files roleplaying games, from Cubicle 7.

Great game. Stirling bloke.

If ya like it, let us know on Facebook.

Dirty WHOers Podcast - Episode 42

42, but hardly the answer to live the universe and everything. Here we are again, a tad overdue but we made it in the end. Big props to The Prof.

This time, a look at 'Mysterious Planet' [1986], plus accents, good burgers, clown suits, name checks, the Wheel of Who, singing waiters, and an attempt to understand the rating system. Enjoy.

If ya like it, let us know on Facebook.

Sorry for the Wait

New podcast coming soon. Honest.

Dirty WHOers Podcast - Episode 41

Greetings fellow Whovians.

Another feat of disjounted rambling and pointless arguments. This time (on our 2 year anniversary) we chew the fat on 'The Two Doctors' [1985]. Troughton and Baker (#2) take a vacation where the oranges come from, dragging Hines and Bryant along for the ride. Double the Doctors. Double the alcohol. Sen has some great insight into this one, it's well worth a listen. Pour y'self a large one.

Enjoy, and any feedback's welcome over at Facebook, on Twitter, or via Google+.

Yes Jamie. It is a big one.

Dirty WHOers Podcast - Episode 40

So, we've now done (officially, not inc. specials) 40 of these suckers, and your still here? Bless you, fellow Whovian, for your tenacity and alcohol tolerance.

Lovingly woven on a loom of golden audio magic by Fuschias pet Professor, we lyrically slur our way through the classic Troughton episode the 'Tomb of the Cybermen' from far back in the annals of Whovian history. The year Elvis and Priscilla got hitched in Vegas. The year the first North Sea gas was pumped ashore and homosexuality was decriminalised in the UK. The year Uncle Walt released Jungle Book and Christiaan Barnard carried out the world's first heart transplant. Happy times. We discuss racism, sexism, companion intellect, and the girth of things under Jamies kilt. Your patronage, as ever, is surprising but appreciated.

We love to hear what you think of these classics, and any comments or retorts are welcome here, on Facebook, via Twitter, or on Google+.

Sputters' Underoos.

Sputters confesses to owning a pair of Doctor WHO Underoos. His mother bought them on the market in Ormskirk.

(I'm laughing SO much..)

Dirty WHOers Podcast - Episode 39 & 39a

Fiesta Readers Daleks

And lo it came to pass, in a flurry of (almost) competent podcasting activity, we did take a shufty at 'Dalek' from Christopher Eccleston's much under-rated tennure as the Doctor back in 2005.

And lo the Proff did edit, and he found it good, but a bit sweary as usual.

And lo the audience did find we did deviate from the designated narrative - yet found it mercifully short and cost nowt. There was much rejoicing.

Written by (the terribly accommodating) Rob Shearman we've also got one of Fuschias stalking moments to go along with this - it was a bit long if we shoved them together, so it's included as an extra (below). Episode 39a, if ya like. Money back if not entirely satisfied.

Tom Baker Made Me a Dirty WHOer

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOM BAKER!!!

Thomas Stewart Baker (born 20 January 1934).

Wow. Tom Baker is 78 and I am older than I wish to admit in writing. But I will admit one thing. Tom Baker made me a Dirty WHOer.

One of my all time favorite Doctors(and my first Doctor), Tom Baker really nailed the role, bringing to it most of the elements we associate with the character today. In a way, I think he completed the character together with the first 3 actors. I don't mean that the Doctor's character didn't continue to evolve with the ensuing actors that portrayed him but Tom added some of the most fascinating and essential characteristics to our understanding of this strange "Time Lord." Obviously the writers and producers had a lot to do with this, but his riveting interpretation left a lasting impact on the character, forever influencing any other actors to take on the role.

What did he add, exactly?

The Doctor became clearly alien. Tom reminded us that although the Doctor was a big Earth/human fan boy, he was after all an alien from a race of extremely advanced aliens that mostly liked to watch(pervy!)and just be smug in their own superiority in general. They set about protecting their own timeline and "meh!" to the rest of existence. One of the alien qualities that was added was a sort of Sherlockian detached asexuality. Other races were not sexually attractive to the Doctor, not even humans. The Doctor originally had a grand daughter, Susan Foreman, so we know that they reproduce somehow. But now there was the insinuation that perhaps Time Lord reproduction wasn't as straightforward as we thought. In the episode 'City of Death' the Doctor complements Countess Scarlioni with "You're a beautiful woman... probably." This unusual attitude served to increase the mystery of the character.
Another trait that made Tom's Doctor more alien is that he bacame oddly changeable. No I don't mean he changed his outfit often(he did), but that we now saw him at his silliest and most serious, often seconds apart. Again, in a human, this would be certifiable behaviour. In a Time Lord, uhm.... normal?
And even though he abhorred violence, a traditional Doctor trait, he could be ruthlessly violent when driven to it. Pertwee had the occasional Venusian karate, but Baker was shown even breaking a neck(Seeds of Doom).

Other aspects that were expanded on from earlier Doctor lore were his anti-authoritarianism and obvious atheism. I suppose if your race was hob-nobbing with misbehaving "Eternals" you'd be an atheist too. He also took the second Doctor's penchant for acting the fool to mislead dangerous villains and made it his own.

Tom had also had great companions. He had the luck of some excellent companions such as Sarah Jane, Leela, and Romana among others(and the "Rory" of his time, Doctor Harry Sullivan). These three were all very different from each other each bringing great new character interactions we hadn't seen before. Sarah, the more traditional but long serving assistant and investigative journalist, Leela, a primitive but armed and dangerous young woman that often had to be restrained from killing folks, and Romana, a Time Lord peer and educated Lady from the academy on Gallifrey, but inexperienced in actual time travel adventuring. All of them were recipes for varied but cracking good Doctor/companion fun!

Tom was dedicated to the role, staying in the role for longer than any other actor and when in public always kept in mind that children looked up to the Doctor, behaving himself(mostly). He was/is(check out the Big Finish audio adventures with Tom as the Doctor!) a very charismatic Doctor. Baker never had leading man looks but he had leading man charisma and a dynamic, expressive face and powerful personality. Big ego and portraying the Doctor go together well.

So I'm very grateful, extremely grateful he was given and took the role. I was a trekkie until I saw my first Doctor Who episode with Tom Baker. Star Trek's superior special effects and limited story premise couldn't compete with Tom Baker's fireworks and the TARDIS(Hello, did I mention it goes ANYWHERE and ANYTIME in the known and unknown universes?!) His Doctor blew my mind and I fell in love. Yes...sadly, I had a little crush, but let's not think about that.

Thank you Tom Baker and Happy 78th Birthday!



Signed,
by just another Dirty WHOer,
Terry Lightfoot.

Dirty WHOers Podcast - Episode 38

Here we are again. Did you have a nice Christmas? Happy New Year!

Usual 4 with the usual dose of fanatical fan bigotry. This time reviewing last years Christmas Special, The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe, sliding into the esoterica (as one only can after enough booze).

Sputters and Lightfoot on the edit. Not 'Dalek', but that's on it's way.

Who is the Doctor? "The First Question"

A beautiful video that made me cry because I'm such a girl. It really tugs on your heart strings, especially if you love all the Doctors. You get an inkling of who is this time lordy gestalt that we know as the Doctor.

Doctor Who: "The First Question", celebrates the Doctor Who's 50th anniversary.

/via Vikki Teinaki on Facebook

And to finish, a bit of disrespectful fun, Doctor Who the way I've always imagined it, very sweary:

/via Ken Deep on Facebook

:-)