You could argue that The King’s Demons is the last ordinary story of the classic series. Over the course of the ’80s, as the show becomes a bizarrely early victim of the streaming-era curse of shortened seasons with no filler episodes, the middle ground of Doctor Who falls away; everything […]
Pop Culture
Doctor Who A-Z #127: Enlightenment (1983)
By the end of Peter Davison’s second season there is an unbridgeable gap between what the show does well and what the production team and the fans both want it to do. What it does well – and what it’s been doing a lot of recently – is produce cerebral […]
Doctor Who A-Z #126: Terminus (1983)
Terminus is, at the very least, trying to do some distinctive things – and if you think that’s an unpromising introduction to a review, well, you’re right, but let’s take stock of the positive things first. It’s the middle story in a linked run of three adventures, which isn’t unprecedented […]
Doctor Who A-Z #125: Mawdryn Undead (1983)
Following on from Snakedance‘s exploration of the Fifth Doctor’s character and particular brand of heroism, here’s another road not wholly taken. The problem the Fifth Doctor keeps running into isn’t that Peter Davison is a bad actor – he may be second only to Patrick Troughton as the most technically […]
Doctor Who A-Z #124: Snakedance
Christopher Bailey, making his return here after writing the best story of the preceding season, is one of the most singular talents to write for Doctor Who. Before we start gushing about his genius, then, it’s probably worthwhile to note that he’s been extremely fortunate with his collaborators. His scripts […]
Doctor Who A-Z #123: Arc of Infinity (1983)
Season Twenty is an odd one in Peter Davison’s run. There isn’t a story like The Caves of Androzani or Earthshock which fans at the time rallied around; the best script by a mile is Christopher Bailey’s Snakedance, and Bailey’s vision of Doctor Who was simply too personal and strange […]
Our Picks from Fantasia Film Festival’s 2026
Happy 30th Anniversary to Fantasia Film Festival, the Montreal‑based titan of the genre space. Over the past three decades it has grown from upstart festival to one of the few global events genre fans look to for upcoming trends, talent breakouts, and the next 12 months of must‑see titles. Put […]
Outside the Blue Box: Tip Toe (2026)
The following article contains spoilers for Tip Toe. You’re not wrong, I chose an interesting time to write an article about Russell T Davies. The man who, in 2005, brought Doctor Who back to life might have turned out to be, in 2025, the man who killed it off again. […]
Seahorse (Raindance Film Festival 2026) A Compassionate Feature Debut
Having just completed its run at the UK Raindance Film Festival, Seahorse is an affecting and well-intentioned feature debut from Canadian actor & filmmaker Aisha Evelyna. As well as writing and directing the film, Evelyna also takes the lead role of Nola, a Toronto woman seeking stability following a stay […]
Littermates (Dances with Films 2026) A Whimsical, Well‑Crafted British Oddity
Scott Tinkham & Michael Woloson’s feature debut fills me with the best kind of nostalgia. Before the most destructive vote in British political history, independent British cinema was in a far healthier place, to the extent that it felt like there was a genuine breakthrough of a new creative voice […]