2MTL 64: Doctor Who's Unpredictable TV Future

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We can't predict what Doctor Who will be like fifteen, ten, or maybe even five years from now. The rate of change in the way we communicate and obtain our entertainment has gone past "crazy" in the last few years and is inching toward "scary." Speaking of scary, while I can't predict the show's future, I can imagine a couple of dire scenarios!

I got the idea for this podcast thanks to the new Did You Know 4.0 video, embedded above. Find out more about the educators and futurists who put it together at the Fischbowl. As influential as their "Shift Happens" message has been in education and commerce, I'm almost ashamed to have spun their work into a commentary about a TV show. Almost.

2MTL 63: Solving the "Dalek" Dating Controversy

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So the Series 1 episode "Dalek" is set in 2012. But "Doomsday" and "Journey's End" happened before them. HOW CAN WE RECONCILE THIS CONTRADICTION???

Very easily.

(Also check out my early thoughts about the Time War and continuity in 2MTLs 8, 9 and 10.)

2MTL 62: God and "Gridlock"

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Who ever expected to see thousands of people singing "The Old Rugged Cross" in a planet-wide flying traffic jam? What impact did that moment have in a story that's all about the limitations of faith? And where does your humble host wish the lesson of "Gridlock" would be learned?

2MTL 61: Why Warren's (Mostly) Right About Romance

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Warren Frey — that shill for SPACE* — had some interesting recent thoughts about why a non-platonic Doctor worked in Series 1-4, along with a request that Moffat not go there in Series 5. While I agree we don't need a big honking love story subplot again, some level of affection between the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond may have to be explored….

* Yeah, yeah, Warren does this other thing, too.

2MTL 59: Bringing Back More Old Companions

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There's enough separation between the 1.0 and 2.0 versions of Doctor Who to make a classic series companion's return a risky venture. For a mass audience, the "companion's return" story has simply been done, already. And even for a hardcore fan audience, nostalgia can only carry you so far. But under certain circumstances, it just might work….

2MTL 58: If Torrents Become a Trickle, Will Doctor Who Be Delayed?

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Unauthorized downloads of TV shows are a fact of life today, as are efforts to curb them. If a chilling effect sets in, how might that affect how quickly international Doctor Who networks release the show? If the pressure to compete with file-sharers lessens, would that mean a longer lag time between the U.K. and other nations?

2MTL 57: Toby Hadoke and the Future of "Moths"

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Toby Hadoke generously spent some time on Skype with me to talk about the last few (apparently, for now…but "never say never…") performances of his fantastic one-man show, Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf. We talked about how it feels to wrap up the show, and what it's like to perform it in front of an audience of convention-going fans who can fact-check him trivia point for trivia point.

As usual, there will be a "Time Dilation" edition of the 2MTL podcast several days from now with the full, roughly 15-minute version of the interview — probably 2MTL #60.

(I'm looking forward to seeing "Moths" live for my first (and last?) time at Hurricane Who in Orlando, Florida, this October.)

2MTL 55: Why I'm a Bad Doctor Who Fan

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Let's get this out of the way first: I haven't seen many classic Doctor Who episodes, but I do remember liking "Caves of Androzani" when I was a kid, and "Remembrance of the Daleks" was just as good on the DVD I got last year as when I saw it on a bootleg VHS tape in college. The other episodes I've dabbled in, however…

…well, I guess I need some help. So I can more properly appreciate my "roots."