Doctor Who is a fantastical show, so much so that every time a character does something banal, your ears prick up. When Dorothea “Dodo” Chaplet, the Doctor’s newest companion, steps out of the TARDIS on her first voyage and immediately sneezes, we know there has to be some reason for it. […]
Pop Culture
Doctor Who A-Z #22: The Massacre (1966)
Also known as The Massacre of St. Bartholemew’s Eve, this is a case of crazy name, surprisingly sober story. The Massacre sees John Lucarotti return to Doctor Who after taking a break for the show’s second season. By the 1970s, that kind of break would be unremarkable; Robert Holmes sat […]
6 Things Not To Miss at Soho Horror Festival (2024 Curtain Raiser)
The end of November sees the award-winning Soho Horror Festival return to Brixton – 3 days of fresh and independent horror that is certain to make jaws drop, entertain and raise the flag for us horror weirdos. The line-up has something for everyone, dipping into many different sub-genres but here […]
Doctor Who A-Z #21: The Daleks’ Master Plan (1965-66)
The odd thing about Terry Nation is that, the more he began to define himself as a writer of epic science fiction, the more he returned to his roots in comedy sketches. It’s not just that stories like this and The Chase contain more comedy than the Doctor Who stories […]
Doctor Who A-Z #20: The Myth Makers (1965)
Andrew Cartmel, the final script editor for classic series Doctor Who, would always push for more stories to be set on Earth, arguing that whereas the BBC’s attempt to create alien planets and races were variable, they were reliably world-class at period drama. The Myth Makers proves this was always […]
Doctor Who A-Z #19: Mission to the Unknown (1965)
I’d like to think these reviews hold a bit of interest to people who aren’t into Doctor Who, if only because the history of Doctor Who is, to a large extent, the history of British television. Today’s entry, for instance, tells us something about the BBC’s commercial position in the […]
Doctor Who A-Z #18 – Galaxy 4 (1965)
As Doctor Who started to define itself and learn what it was good at, it was inevitable that a few writers would fall by the wayside. They may have seemed like good fits for the programme when they were commissioned, but by the time their episodes were broadcast the show […]
Documentary Competition (London Film Festival 2024) Feat. Mother Vera, The Shadow Scholars and Seeking Mavis Beacon
For whatever reason, I’ve unfairly neglected the Documentary Competition at London Film Festival. This year, I sort of stumbled upon it. I think the best thing about LFF is that, if you go looking, you’ll always find a good surprise. As I was unable to make it into town most […]
The Headliners (London Film Festival 2024) Feat. Hard Truths, Bird & The End
I love London Film Festival. As soon as the summer rolls around I’m counting down the days until the festival kicks off. My short film V played in the festival in 2017 and being granted a filmmaker’s pass was like finding a golden ticket. We saw over forty films that […]
Doctor Who A-Z #17 – The Time Meddler (1965)
The Time Meddler is an important story, to the extent that you probably know why before you watch it. It’s the first story where the Doctor investigates an alien threat in Earth’s past, inventing the “pseudo-historical” subgenre. Even more importantly, that alien threat turns out to be a member of […]