Doctor Who Literature

Up first is Jason Davis (@TheJasonDavis), writer and editor extraordinaire, of TheJasonDavis.com, This interview was recorded live at Gallifrey One in Los Angeles in February 2023, and you already heard the first half of that interview in my Harlan Ellison special. This is the rest of that conversation.

Then I was joined on short notice by Matt West (@WingedPodcast) of Q the Winged Podcast and Miwk Publishing (on which Matt gives me a pronunciation lesson).

Followed by a return visit from Jason Davis.

Between the three of us and the three interviews, he hit just about every corner of science fiction from television to the printed page.

You can find some more of Matt's work on the original Pyramids of Mars DVD.

And Jason (this podcast's Jason) was most recently on Trap One to discuss the Season 9 Blu-ray Collection.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.

You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

As much as I love Season 18 and its novelizations... the Season 19 premiere, "Castrovalva", and its novelization, are right up there. Especially the novelization, says my guest this week, Graeme Burk (@graemeburk) from Reality Bomb. We both read out favorite passages from the book -- and then quickly get off on several wide-ranging tangents, before coming back to the greatness of "Castrovalva".

Simon Guerrier (@0tralala) recently tweeted out the first page of David Whitaker's unfinished novelization of "The Enemy of the World".

Groucho Marx duets with his then 8-year-old daughter on a song from The Mikado.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmEuXaea8rY

Graeme references the 1964 documentary on Culloden, which can be found here.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.

You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

The new trailer for the Autumn 2023 Doctor Who specials is up!

Conrad Westmaas (@HairOfTheHound_) is back this week as we discuss "Meglos". Conrad tries to win back his 20 Questions crown... how well will that go? We also play a lively game of show-and-tell.

The "Josie and the Pussycats In Outer Space" series can still be found on DVD.

The full cut of Peter Howell's "The Astronauts", mentioned this week, can be heard in full.

"Doctor Who – Meglos" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.

You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

Joining me this week is Frazer Gregory (@FelixFrazer). We have an epic discussion of "Time-Flight" the book and TV, and play an involved game of "Target Books First Lines" -- turning the tables on Frazer after he sprung this game on ME on an earlier episode.

You can hear a lot of Frazer's recent appearances on other Doctor Who podcasts such as WHO Corner to Corner.

And Jim Sangster (@MonsterMaker), who contributed the excellent show open this week, can recently be heard on Reality Bomb and the Doctor Who Target Book Club Podcast.

You can read Waris Hussein's 1963 diaries here.

Also mentioned in this episode is David Gerrold's very funny book about the genesis of Star Trek: TOS "The Trouble with Tribbles".

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.

You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

What is The Sun Makers on TV? A simple satire on 1970s' British taxation? A subversive takedown of capitalism? Colonialism? All of these things? Lewis Baston (@LewisBaston5) has written the book on this story -- literally -- and is back this week to discuss with us.

Please purchase Lewis' Black Archive volume on Sun Makers here.

Last week, one memorably cranky reviewer on Apple Podcasts described my guests as "ghastly woke zombies". You bet we are! And even more of that this week. Jim Sangster (@Monster_Maker) has gone ahead and designed the Ghastly Woke Zombie T-shirt.

And friend of the podcast Brian Burkart has given us the K-9 Roomba.

"Doctor Who and the Sunmakers" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.

You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

Kate Orman was on the schedule but unable to join us this week, but please purchase and listen to her incredible new Big Finish audio novel, The Dead Star.

John Fraser, who was the principal guest star in Logopolis, wrote a terrific autobiography several years ago which you can still find -- even if, sadly, the book doesn't describe his three weeks on Doctor Who.

Jason's most recent guest spot on the Doctor Who Target Book Club Podcast can be found here.

"Doctor Who – Logopolis" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.

You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

Joining me this week to wrap up the E-Space Trilogy -- the first story in the trilogy is the last to be novelized -- is Jim Sangster (@Monster_Maker), the designer of our excellent new logo, and the musical genius behind... well, you'll hear it within today's episode.

Check out Jim's RedBubble Store, my official Doctor Who convention T-shirt outfitter, and from which Jim wore a selection during our recording for this week.

You can catch Jason on the most recent podcast guest appearance on the most recent episode of Gallifrey's Most Wanted.

This week's episode frequently references James Cooray Smith's excellent Doctor Who-themed Substack.

A new James Bond novel is out, and author Kim Sherwood has a surprising connection to Doctor Who's "Full Circle"...

"Doctor Who and the Leisure Hive" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.

You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

Our guest is the superb @Quark_McMalus of Trap One Podcast.

You can find an image of the proposed (and rejected) cover painting for this novelization here.

Doctor Who: Doom's Day Hours 14-11 by M.G. Harris is due out in August.

We have a new logo beginning this week and it's all thanks to @Monster_Maker! It's absolutely lovely and I can't believe it's mine!

If this week's book sounds familiar, it's possibly because the Doctor Who Target Book Club Podcast covered it last week, also with the help of @Monster_Maker.

And don't forget to tune in NEXT week, when our special guest is... @Monster_Maker.

The full 1963 version of "Meet the Mets" can be found here.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.

You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

We're All Stories in the End: Camera Obscura

Trap One: The Season 2 (William Hartnell) Blu-ray Collection

Doctor Who Literature: The Eight Doctors

Meanwhile this week, the ubiquitous Si Hart brings his talents back to DWLit. And brings not one, not two, but, how gratifying, THREE copies of the Leisure Hive novelization.

We also discuss the significance of Lalla Ward's bathing costume, the many splendors of Season 18, and whether or not, when it comes to playing "20 Questions", Si is smarter than an AI program.

"Doctor Who and the Leisure Hive" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.

You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.

You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

Joining me this week to celebrate Season 18 -- as well as the many other topics which inevitably come up -- is Lelon Stoldt (@LelonStoldt) from the InDOCtrination Podcast, a delightful show in which Lelon reads his way through the Target novelizations with his daughters -- in story order. You can catch their latest episode here.

All our guests are up for a rousing game of "20 Questions"... but what happens when an AI program attempts the same? Find out... the results will shock you.

"Doctor Who and the Keeper of Traken" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.]

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.

You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

Our journey through Season 18 continues with the novelization of "Warriors' Gate" -- and, for a short time only, the Target books match up by publication order AND story order!

Jason's guest this week is Adam Clegg (@AdamJClegg), a popular returning guest, and co-host of both The Real McCoy Podcast and Harry Sullivan Is An Imbecile!. We are both delighted by Warriors' Gate, both in print and on TV. As a result, this conversation is much more on topic than usual. But there's still time for a game of 20 Questions.

Jason then breaks down the text of the novelization, which is in many ways a stark departure from the previous Target books that we've been examining in publication order. What is the significance of the April 1982 release date?

"Doctor Who and Warriors' Gate" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

Seasons 18 through 21 of the Classic Series are my era of the show, and this week's novelization, January 1982's "Doctor Who and the State of Decay", is the first novelization of the JNT era. You'll be hearing a lot more Peter Howell music on this show the next few seasons!

After a brief roundup of some distressing current events, we revisit Harlan Ellison, one of the topics from last week's show. The anthology referenced is "This Book Needs No Introduction, by Harlan Ellison".

This week's guest is the always wonderful Denise Sutton (@CupOfTea69).

"Doctor Who and the State of Decay" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

You can find Jason at Humanity Is My Business.

We are then rejoined by Philip Hinchcliffe, Doctor Who's producer between 1974 and 1977, and producer for Chris Boucher's first two TV episodes, to discuss the work and legacy of Mr. Boucher, who passed away in December 2022. This interview was recorded in January 2023.

And stay tuned for a bonus conversation, also recorded live at Gally, with long-time show contributors David Barsky and Bill Evenson. This conversation is, ah... much less scholarly and stately than the other two.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

There is so, so much to discuss, and it's fitting that Mark from The Trap One Podcast is the one to join me this week. We discuss both the TV serial -- Doctor Who's first four weeks on television in late autumn 1963 -- and the novelization, which came out 65th in Target's publication run but is indeed the first story.

Mark and I have lots and lots of memories this week. And lots more in my audio essay, following the conversation with Mark.

You can find for purchase two Doctor Who spinoff media tales mentioned by Mark:
--"Hunters of the Burning Stone", a comic book sequel to this adventure.
--"The Last Day at Work", a Big Finish freebie audio play also riffing on this adventure.

On YouTube you can find:
--the 1976 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Weebles set.
--Game 6 of the 1981 World Series, which aired the same week this novelization was published.

"Doctor Who and an Unearthly Child" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

This episode of "Doctor Who Literature" was mostly recorded live at Gallifrey One in Los Angeles between February 16 and 18, 2023.

Stacey Smith? joins me to discuss the episode and novelization of the week, the pandemic, the convention, and her international travels. And Dale Santos returns from the Gally dealer's room with some fascinating book-related treasures.

The con is not over yet and there's plenty more con-related content to come over the next few episodes!

"Doctor Who and the Enemy of the World" features cover art by Bill Donohoe.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

"The Creature from the Pit" as a TV episode has divided fandom over the years, but fortunately, my guest this week, the great Frazer Gregory (@FelixFrazer), fall onto the same page in discussing both the episode and the January 1981 David Fisher novelization.

However, Frazer doesn't find "20 Questions" such an easy time of it...

"Doctor Who and the Creature from the Pit" features cover art by Steve Kyte.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

December 1980 marks a watershed moment for the Target novelizations range -- the last calendar year in which more than half a given year's books will be written by Terrance Dicks. We will look back and pay tribute to his contributions to the range during this episode -- though of course he will have many more novelizations put out over the next decade-plus.

Joining me as a first-time guest this week is Jo Short (@thebrainofspock). Technical problems transpired to make this a very short interview, but Jo came packed with insights, so there's not a wasted moment.

"Doctor Who and the Monster of Peladon" features cover art bySteve Kyte.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

We've got a show bursting at the seams this week.

We have a new Season 9 Classic Series Blu-ray collection trailer, and it is very emotional.

Jason previously discussed this week's book, "Doctor Who and the Horns of Nimon" over on our sister podcast, The Doctor Who Target Book Club Podcast.

My guest this week is the great Ross Aitken (@traitken), from such amazing podcasts as Gallifrey's Most Wanted (@GallifreysMWPod). Ross, like Jason, never shies away from strong opinions, and there are some great ones this week.

We discuss some Hall of Fame athletes this week as well, and joining the Doctor Who Literature guest reading Hall of Fame is the one and only Jim Sangster (@monster_maker).

Ross and Jason briefly discuss the game that broke Jason's heart when Jason was just days old, Game 7 of the 1973 World Series. We have very different rooting interests in this game.

The stakes are very high in this week's game of "Guess That Cliffhanger".

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Substack is an incredible ride.

"Doctor Who and the Horns of Nimon" features cover art by Steve Kyte.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

January 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the releases of the first three Target novelizations. Happy Birthday to Doctor Who novels!

My guest this week, and it's a fun, wide-ranging chat, is fan favorite Pete Lambert (@Prof_Quiteamess). Fresh off his appearance discussing "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" on another podcast, Pete has several fresh takes about the way Buffy/Angel and Doctor Who have influenced each other over the years, and we detour to a brief lovefest about "House, M.D.".

The story of the week is "Nightmare of Eden", Bob Baker's final "Doctor Who" script before departing to the world of Wallace and Gromit, and this is the final novelization of any of his stories. How does the TV production differ from Baker's intended story? And how does the great Terrance Dicks bring the story back to basics?

Pete will have his hands full with a game of "Guess That Cliffhanger".

"Doctor Who and the Nightmare of Eden" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

And Jim Sangster (@Monster_Maker) is back to discuss "Marinus" in both TV and book incarnations and why "Marinus" is so important to 21st-century "Doctor Who"... as well as Jim's prolific creative work and DW content, Bette Davis, limericks, and the long-awaited return of everyone's favorite game, "Guess That Cliffhanger".

The Bette Davis/George Colouris interview may be found in its entirety here.

The "Blake's 7" anthology for which Jim provided illustrations may be found and purchased here.

"Doctor Who and the Keys of Marinus" features cover art by David McAllister.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

We're very excited to welcome Paul Scoones (@Paul_Scoones) to Doctor Who Literature. Paul wears many hats in the "Doctor Who" universe and we'll discuss almost all of them today. We'll also discuss pronunciations, genealogy, the long and benevolent shadow of Terrance Dicks... and play a game of "20 Questions".

Read Paul's accounting of the recovery of Episode 1 of "The Crusade", which occurred 24 years ago this week.

You can find the TSV novelizations -- including two written by Paul himself -- here.

Bonus reading on the Curse of the House of Atreus.

"Doctor Who and the Armageddon Factor" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

My guest this week is the great Iain Martin (@broadanddeep), from oh so many great Doctor Who podcasts, including but not limited to We're All Stories in the End and All of Time and Space.

Iain proves a true challenge to the all-time "20 Questions" quiz title-holders.

While the TV version of "The Power of Kroll" doesn't win a lot of fans this week, the novelization was previously featured on Jason's Terrance Top Ten list in September 2019.

"Doctor Who and the Power of Kroll" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

And, incidentally, a happy Christmas, to all of you at home!

For this Yule themed (and 7th-day-of-Hanukkah themed) episode of Doctor Who Literature, we feature K-9 singing holiday classics.

There are two guest interviews this week. Delighted to have Michael Stevens, editor of the Target Audiobooks range, which featured a new novelization of this week's story, "The Androids of Tara".

And we have frequent Doctor Who Literature guest Pete Lambert (@Prof_Quiteamess) reading the Terrance Dicks adaptation of "Androids of Tara" for the first time!

Don't forget to listen to the Trap One discussion of the David Fisher novelization.

"Doctor Who and the Androids of Tara" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

We lost two big names connected with Classic Doctor Who this week: episode writer and novelist Chris Boucher, and actor Jane Sherwin. This episode features audio clips from Boucher's "The Robots of Death", and of Sherwin (with Frazer Hines and Graham Weston) in "The War Games".

My guest this week is Jason McLaughlin (@JangoMac72), one of my fellow co-hosts from The Trap One Podcast, and the impresario behind Bearded Geek Toy Reviews over on YouTube. "UK Jason" offers us a tour of his recording studio and his impressive array of genre memorabilia.

Topics discussed this week include the great Saturday morning TV shows of Sid and Marty Krofft, specifically "Far Out Space Nuts" and "Land of the Lost". UK Jason also takes his turn at "20 Questions", with surprising results.

We also have Listener Mail, Jason's review of the "Stones of Blood" novelization, and much much more.

Jason's latest Trap One guest appearance can be found here...
and Jason's Trap One panel on the David Fisher "Stones of Blood" novelization can be found here.

"Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

We have a guest host this week. Mark (@QuarkMcMalus) from the Trap One Podcast does a brilliant job manning the ship and taking us back to Gallifrey, discussing this week's book with a first-time (and yet oddly familiar-sounding) guest.

"Doctor Who and the Invasion of Time" features cover art by Andrew Skilleter. 

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

This has been a fraught week on the Internet, on Twitter especially, so we open with an unscripted monologue on the subject.

Some background reading on the odious Joe Rogan, my fellow Spotify podcaster.

A link to Judd Apatow's 2015 anthology, Sick in the Head, an excerpt from which is read on the program. No copyright infringement is intended.

This episode features Mouret's Rondeau, best known in the US as the theme to PBS's "Masterpiece Theater".

My guest this week is the great Frazer Gregory (@FelixFrazer). We discuss Underworld (the week's book and its parent TV episode), but also Warriors of the Deep and the Doctor Who Rubbish Monsters Advent Calendar. There are dramatic readings, and there's a game -- but not the game you were expecting.

"Doctor Who and the Underworld" features cover art by Bill Donohoe.
Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

This week on Doctor Who Literature we close out our third season with a look at the last novelization of 1979, Ian Marter's third book, and the first book in the "Key to Time" cycle. US TV producer David Barsky rejoins us to talk about Harlan Ellison, "American Chopper", and a rousing game of "Listener Limerick Challenge".

Also this week we learned that Millie Gibson will be playing Doctor Who's newest assistant, and she's interviewed by the new Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, here.

Jason can be heard this week on the latest episode of Reality Bomb.

"Doctor Who and the Ribos Operation" features cover art by John Geary.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

Joining Jason this week is Ross from Gallifrey's Most Wanted Podcast as well as Stop! Let's Team Up. We discuss War Games, Jack Kirby, and Eli Wallach; and reflect on some of the badly-dated language used in the 1970s to denote race in the Target novelizations.

Many other special guests stop by this week to remember "The War Games" (TV and book) and to wish the podcast a happy 50th episode.

Read more about Rudolph Walker, who had a too-small part in Episodes Four and Five of "The War Games".

Pete Seeger's rousing rendition of "John Brown's Body", a fight song for the Union Army in the American Civil War, as referenced in the novelization.

Eli Wallach's excellent autobiography was published in 2005. The actor passed away a few years later at age 99.

"Doctor Who and the War Games" features cover art by John Geary.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

And, incidentally, a Happy Halloween, to all of you at home.

Welcome to the first episode of Doctor Who Literature made after the airing of "The Power of the Doctor", the BBC centenary episode, and the last hurrah for Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall. I appeared on Trap One earlier this week to discuss the episode. And be sure to check out DWLit vets Conrad, Mark, and Pete, discussing the Disney/Doctor Who news.

Joining Jason this week to break down "Image of the Fendahl" is friend of the podcast and TV producer David Barsky, who brings us news on his latest series, braves a round of "20 Questions", talks cross-country travel, and discusses just what merit might be found in this slender novelization. Plus, a surprising abundance of jokes about novelization author Terrance Dicks' surname.

This is your last week to contribute any audio recollections in advance of next week's special Episode 50, covering "The War Games" and its novelization.

"Doctor Who and the Image of the Fendahl" features cover art by John Geary.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

For the third straight week on Doctor Who Literature, we are examining the novelization of a Bob Baker & Dave Martin TV episode. Made at the very beginning of the Graham Williams era, the first story produced as part of Season 15, this proves to be a somewhat rocky maiden voyage for Doctor Who's incoming producer, and the scripts that Williams was handed... probably did not help matters. There are some terrific ideas on the page and some terrific visual effects on screen, especially in Part One, but, this week's guest (the inaugural member of the Doctor Who Literature Five-Timers club), Si Hart (@Si_Hart) and I, sure have a lot of fun breaking down what went wrong.

Jason and Si also apply our Retrospective Script Editor hats to try and improve several Classic Doctor Who stories, such as "The Time Monster", and we revisit a COVID-inspired trip through the Jon Pertwee era.

Among the many other places you can catch Si is on the Maximum Power Podcast, which is about to launch its second season.

And catch Jason on the most recent episode of the Trap One Podcast discussing the Power of the Doctor trailer.

"Doctor Who and the Invisible Enemy" features cover art by Roy Knipe.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.]
Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

Doctor Who Literature is now a member of the Direction Point Doctor Who podcast network.

This week we are joined by Dale Smith, a prolific writer of both Doctor Who fiction and non-fiction. Dale talks about two of his Doctor Who novels and his recent Black Archives volume on "The Talons of Weng-Chiang". You can find Dale's masterful website detailing his writing career here, and can purchase his Black Archives volume here. We've talked a lot about "Talons" on Doctor Who Literature lately, but Dale's literally written the book on the subject, and this was a particularly fascinating conversation.

"The Hand of Fear" features one of Doctor Who's most emotional companion departures, and another amazing vocal performance by the great Stephen Thorne. We will cover all of that, from the sublime to the sublime.

Thanks to Frazer Gregory (@FelixFrazer) for this week's transcendently good guest reading.

"Doctor Who and the Hand of Fear" features cover art by Roy Knipe.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

-- but before you do that, stick around this week. The always funny and ever-unpredictable Bill Evenson (of The Frankenstein Minute Podcast and Reality Bomb!) is back. We discuss Frankenstein, his Doctor Who humor book (co-written with repeat Doctor Who Literature guest Stacey Smith?), which is the better show: Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul, and... occasionally, just very occasionally, we talk about "Doctor Who and the Sontaran Experiment".

Bill has a memorably rough time with "20 Questions". Will he finish? Will he be the first person in the history of the show to NOT get the answer?

Jason breaks down what CultBox calls his "forensic look" at the text. Who's the better narrator -- Jason, or Jon Culshaw?

Links this week:
We're thrilled to make CultBox's September podcast roundup.
Bill and Stacey Smith? wrote a very funny book.
Jason previously interviewed Bill and Stacey about it on Trap One.
Jason returns to Trap One to discuss The Celestial Toymaker this week.
And Bill can be  heard weekly on The Frankenstein Minute.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

There comes a time in every Doctor Who podcast's life -- and I'm sure I'll have plenty of them -- where the episode under discussion just isn't that good. This is one of those weeks, but it's a tribute to Doctor Who in general that it took 44 weeks' worth of books to get to this point.

Jason opens up with several anecdotes meant to delay the inevitable. Talking about dorm room decorations, Brooklyn geography, Winona Ryder, off-Broadway musicals, and knitting.

A mystery guest speaks to us, via an excerpt from a forthcoming Doctor Who Literature episode, about "The Android Invasion" on TV. Listen on to find out who!

Ross Aitken (@traitken) from Gallifrey's Most Wanted (@GallifreysMWPod) joins Jason this week for an all-encompassing and unpredictable discussion about the entirety of Doctor Who -- we literally chat about 1963 and 2022 and most stops in between -- while taking a few minutes to scowl at the TV episode and book in question this week.

Jason then reads a more sarcastic than usual breakdown of the Terrance Dicks novelization -- but Terrance himself has some thoughts on this story, it seems, and they're not too dissimilar to Jason's and Ross's.

Links to other podcasts mentioned in the episode:
Trap One: Galaxy 4
Gallifrey's Most Wanted: The 3rd Doctor
Gallifrey's Most Wanted: The 4th Doctor
Trap One: Doctor Who - Flux Trailer Breakdown

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

This week in September 2022 saw the announcement of the title of the next Doctor Who episode ("The Power of the Doctor"), although not the release date. This week also saw "Cobra Kai" Season 5 drop on Netflix, though that's of slightly less importance to fandom.

My guest this week is Paul Simpson (@scifibulletin), who has several terrific stories to tell about the early years of the Target Books publishing office and some amazing details about the early writers (Malcolm Hulke and his graph paper!). Paul is currently managing editor of Sci-Fi Bulletin.

Release information and a link to "Doctor Who and the Daleks: The Illustrated Edition" can be found here.

Stick around for the second half of the program, when Jason discusses the "Death to the Daleks" novelization -- a perfect example of how Terrance adds value and insight and depth to the TV serial even in a very short book. There's lots to break down today.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

It's been a busy week in world news, especially in England, with the selection of a new Prime Minister, the passing of the Queen, and the accession of a new King.

Here on Doctor Who Literature, we tackle the novelization of "The Time Warrior", a book with sole writing credit to Terrance Dicks, but actually the work of two men: Terrance, and Robert Holmes.

We spend some considerable time on the book's Prologue, written by Holmes. This week's guest, Conrad (@HairOfTheHound_), lays down one of the great guest-readings of all time. Jason and Conrad have a long chat about the state of Doctor Who in 2022, "The Time Warrior" on TV, that prologue, and all the other wonderful material in the book.

Conrad takes a run at becoming Champion of "20 Questions". Will he succeed?

Finally, Jason goes through the rest of the book chapter by chapter. What happens to Eric the Squire in the book vs. on TV? Who is Professor Dingle? Who is Professor Crabshaw? Who has the upper hand in their alliance -- Linx, or Irongron? The answers to all these might surprise you...

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

Steven B. (@steedstylin) from the excellent New To Who podcast is a first-time guest this week. We have much to discuss about "Tomb of the Cybermen", which premiered 55 years ago this week. We take a look at some of the TV story's more questionable choices on race and ethnicity, and discuss what it was like to watch this story in 1967 when it first aired, versus 1992 when it was recovered after being thought lost, versus today. Steven also enthuses over the novel's cover art, and we discuss the great work of Jeff Cummins and other titans of the Target cover-painting range.

Here you can find New To Who's Ratings Matrix, a nifty way of ranking all the Doctor Who episodes from worst to best. What are some of our choices for best?

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

Jason is on vacation this week, so here is a pre-recorded episode. We did not discuss the book cover, but this is one of the all-time great Target covers, so take an extra minute to drink that in. Jeff Cummins, everyone. Such a haunting, moody painting.

Jason is joined this week by Steve Alexander (@stealexanderuk), a very familiar voice to listeners of the Trap One and the "Hamster with a Blunt Penknife" podcasts. Steve brings terrific intensity as we discuss not only "Horror of Fang Rock", both TV episode and novelization -- but also the long line of Target novelization audiobook adaptations. Steve brings with him a Top Ten list of audiobooks and his revelation of the top spot is not to be missed.

Jason then reviews the novelization, in terms so glowing that the review itself could serve as a lighthouse.

Also discussed this week is the fascinating 2018 Scottish film The Vanishing, based on the original Flannan Isle Lighthouse mystery.

And don't forget to read the Wilfrid Gibson poem based on the same subject.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

In 2022, it may be mid-August, traditionally a slow season for media, but there's been a lot going on this week. Jason takes a look at the series finale of "Better Call Saul" -- is it the greatest US TV series finale ever? And there's a new trailer out for the Doctor Who Blu-ray Collection -- it's Season 2, and Maureen O'Brien is back on screen as Vicki! We also have listener mail, and a plug for two new Black Archives releases.

Back to January 1978, Jason is joined by Lelon Stoldt (@LelonStoldt), creator and co-host of the InDOCtrination podcast -- catch its latest episode, which dropped after we recorded.

There's much to discuss about the novelization of "The Face of Evil". How does Terrance handle the TV characters. Is Chris Boucher's script flawless, and, if not, what does Terrance do, or not do, to salvage some of the flaws? How do you introduce your young daughters to "Doctor Who"? We also look at "Better Call Sault", and the current Star Wars spinoffs -- the latest of which has a name very, very familiar to longtime fans of "The Face of Evil". And how will Lelon fare at a game of 20 Questions?

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

Jason pauses the read-through in between the 1977 and 1978 books, and gives the episode over to Jim Sangster, a long-time Doctor Who fan who you know from pretty much everywhere, but most recently from his pandemic-inspired read-through of the Target novelizations in publication order (does that project sound familiar?), the wonderful Escape to Danger blog.

You can also find Jim on Twitter and I highly recommend his Target-inspired Redbubble shop.

We also have listener mail; Jason is left completely speechless by some of Jim's stories; and Jason digresses to discuss his all-time favorite Albert Brooks movie.

We will be back next week and will embark for the next few months on our journey, this time through the 1978 and 1979 books.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

We close out the 1977 Target novelizations with the longest-ever episode of Doctor Who Literature.

This is largely because we have two interviews this week. First, former Doctor Who producer Philip Hinchcliffe rejoins Jason to discuss his work on 1970s Doctor Who, specifically the TV production and the novelization of "The Masque of Mandragora".

We take a moment to reflect on the passing of Nichelle Nichols and of Vin Scully, the latter of whom has a surprising connection to TV science fiction.

We're then rejoined by Graeme Burk (@GraemeBurk), co-producer and co-host of Reality Bomb. We discuss the differences between our two podcasts, share our love for the Philip Hinchcliffe era, and both the TV and book versions of "Masque of Mandragora", share some laughs... and then go deep into debate over "Talons of Weng-Chiang", subject of last week's episode. Was "Talons" controversial when it came out in 1977? When did public opinion start to shift? Was "Talons" really banned in Canada? And, after clearing the air, we discuss Graeme's soon-to-be-released Hinchcliffe biography.

Lastly, Jason goes deep into the "Masque" novelization, and wouldn't even say no... to a salami... sandwich.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

"The Talons of Weng-Chiang" is still, by popular acclaim, one of the greatest "Doctor Who" stories of all time. It's still in the top-10 -- out of both Classic and New series -- in the year-2014 DWM survey, and is even top-5 among Classic stories on that list.

"Talons" however also has major problems. One is the language; words that may (or may not) have been acceptable in 1977, are certainly not acceptable here in 2022. Two is the story's world-view, in which the immigrants (the Chinese, and other groups to be found in London's East End in the 1890s) are Other, alien, here solely to cause trouble -- described by various English characters within the story as "inscrutable", "pixilated", and "bloodsucker". "Doctor Who" -- both the TV show and the character -- has spent the better part of 60 years sticking up for the underdog, empowering the powerless and defending the oppressed. But for six weeks in the winter and early spring of 1977, the show took a break from that, and told a story instead about defending the Crown from... those other people.

Of course, "Talons" is NOT the only "Doctor Who" story with indefensible language and beliefs -- not the only Classic Series story to do that, and certainly there are New Series stories which also have problems. Does loving "Doctor Who" mean we have to accept its baggage?

Over the next two hours, join Jason -- and our first tandem guests, long-time Doctor Who novelists Kate Orman and Jon Blum -- as we take an unflinching look at this story, and then try to see if it's still possible to love this story in spite of its flaws, its many flaws.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

"The Deadly Assassin" is the first Season 14 story to be novelized, the first of four straight Season 14 books to come, and the start of a long consecutive run of adaptations of *many* truly excellent Doctor Who stories.

Helping me break the book down this week is returning guest Mark (@QuarkMcMalus) from The Trap One Podcast. We have much to discuss about Time Lord mythology, the population breakdown on Gallifrey, how this story doesn't (or does!) connect up with "The War Games", and who are the best actors to play Borusa and the Master. Mark is also challenged to a game of "Guess That Cliffhanger". Plus we have more Listener E-Mail from a surprising source.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

This week Denise Sutton (@CupOfTea69) is our guest. We discuss what it's like watching Doctor Who overseas, what it's like when "The Dominators" is your birth story, and what links "The Mutants" has to other Bob Baker & Dave Martin scripts. Denise can also be found at her blog and on several terrific episodes of Trap One, such as discussing the Audio Annuals or "The Pirate Planet".

Denise goes for the all-time record on "20 Questions", and we have our first listener e-mail (it's... interesting).

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.

You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

Back for a record-setting fourth appearance on Doctor Who Literature this week is Simon Hart (@Si_Hart). We both break down the TV version of "Planet of Evil" -- is this one of Doctor Who's most successful hours? How does the dialogue and plot logic measure up to the many other jewels in the Philip Hinchcliffe era crown? Then we get to the book -- is Terrance Dicks able to work his usual magic on a script that he seems to find less enjoyable than many others he's adapted in the past?

Si also tries to defend his crown as all-time DWL "20 Questions" champion. Can he break his own record this week?

Later on, Jason walks us through the text of the book and gets the impression that Terrance is rolling his eyes at the story a little more than usual.

Please e-mail the pod at DrWhoLiterature@gmail.com.
You can catch all past episodes at https://anchor.fm/doctorwholit.

My guest this week is Adam Clegg (@AdamJClegg) of the Real McCoy Podcast, and we both have thoughts about Morbius, and the New Adventures, and the current series, and many, many other topics.

Catch Jason and Adam together on past Trap One Podcast episodes such as this one.

You can also hear Jason this week on the newest episodes of Reality Bomb and Gallifrey's Most Wanted. And check out the night that Trap One took Times Square!

Check out all past episodes of Doctor Who Literature here.

Jason is joined this week by three-time Doctor Who Literature guest Stacey Smith?, to break down Ian Marter's first novelization, "The Ark in Space". Stacey, who continues to be prolific, recently edited the Outside In volume on Twin Peaks, and, of course, Stacey being Stacey, has several other books in the work. All at once. Other passionate and controversial opinions are exchanged.

Jason then does his close reading of Ian Marter's text of the Ark in Space book. What does Marter do differently from Terrance Books? How do the scenes in the book stack up to those on television? And how much are we looking forward to Marter's next book after this one?

You can check out the full Doctor Who Literature archives here.

It's April 1977, and "The Talons of Weng-Chiang" has just finished its controversial run on TV, but in the books, we are back in the height of the Pertwee era, reading the novelization of 1971's "The Claws of Axos".

My conversation this week is with Jan Fennick, a New York-based Doctor Who fan and writer, and a long-time friend of Jason's. We cover lots of ground -- Long Island geography, stories about U.S. Who fandom in the '80s and '90s, and, of course, "Star Trek" and "Twin Peaks".

Jason then brings us home with a glowing discussion of the magic that Terrance Dicks works on the "Axos" novelization -- perhaps not the greatest episode but certainly one of the more fun and involved books. That makes two books in a row where Terrance is really enjoying himself.

You can find Jan's writing in many places, but especially recommended is Red, White and Who, the book on the history of American "Who" fandom, and the forthcoming Outside In Walks With Fire, in which Jan (but not Jason this time) helps analyze the entirety of "Twin Peaks".

We will be back next week with another episode, but in the meantime, don't forget to check out our full archive here.

Doctor Who Literature is delighted and overjoyed to bring you Jason's interview with Philip Hinchcliffe, the man who produced "The Seeds of Doom" for television and who then wrote the novelization. This half-hour was one of the high points of Jason's decades as a fan and we couldn't be happier to share it with you.

Our guest conversation this week is with Shannon Dohar (@SDohar), a Doctor Who fan in New York City, whose voice you can also hear on the musical podcasts Deeper Cuts and So Much to Sing About. What was it like reading the novelizations and New Adventures in the US before the New Series hit it big here? What are our thoughts on the Chris Chibnall era? How much does Philip Hinchcliffe and his era's stories mean to us today? Spoiler alert: Quite a bit. And how does Shannon fare on a game of "Twenty Questions"?

Lastly, Jason reviews the "Seeds of Doom" novelizations and talks about the different needs of a six-week TV serial versus a 120-page adaptation.

Special thanks to David Barsky for the production of this episode.

It's January 1977 and the start of another year of Target books. It's the third straight Terrance Dicks book, and the third Third Doctor book out of the past four. For a slim book, just 119 pages of text, Terrance manages to make a lot of changes from the TV serial.

My guest this week is a returning guest, Pete Lambert (@Prof_Quiteamess). We discuss the linguistics of Polari, the evolution of Jo Grant, and whether or not Drashigs are meant to scurry, or to slither.

In the second half of the program, Jason does a deep dive into the book's text compared to the TV episodes, and finds the changes good. What's the Third Doctor's favorite alcoholic beverage? What extra detail does Terrance add when describing the Doctor's nose? And, if it's 1926, what does that mean for the UNIT dating controversy?

And don't miss Jason's recent moderation of a Trap One episode on the Galaxy 4 DVD animation.

Don't forget to tune in next week for a non-Terrance Dicks, 4th Doctor novelization, in what may prove to be the biggest episode of Doctor Who literature to date!

Delighted to have Sadie Miller on as my first guest this week to discuss her Big Finish audios, her Doctor Who legacy, and this week's episode, Pyramids of Mars.

Joining me on the second half of the program is my good friend Mark from the Trap One Podcast as we discuss the TV story's December 1976 novelization, Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars. What's changed in the book from the TV episodes? How's Jason's grasp of Egyptian geography? How much did it cost Sutekh to ship the Osirian rocket parts from Valley of the Kings to Mick Jagger's estate, using 1911 freight charges? And will Mark be able to break the all-time "20 Questions" show record?

Jason then reviews the Pyramids novelization, and surveys his favorite shows about TV lawyer and judges.

It's Doctor Who Literature's biggest episode yet!

You can also catch Jason on the most recent episode of the Doctor Who Target Book Club Podcast. So much fun to record with Tony and Dalton and discussing another epic Terrance Dicks novelization of a Tom Baker classic.

Delighted to welcome to the show this week, for the first time, Conrad Westmaas. We discuss the ethics of adding illustrations to your own Target book copies, the unexpected career intersection between John Abineri and WInona Ryder, and what it's like to hear Paul McGann namecheck your own character on TV. Is Planet of the Daleks a good story?

Conrad also braves a game of "Guess That Cliffhanger!", with surprising results (spoiler: sadly, no cliffhangers involving John Abineri appear this week).

In the second half of the program, Jason discusses the surprisingly extensive differences between the TV story and the slim novelization.

Jason discussed the casting of Ncuti Ghatwa on this past week's episode of the Trap One Podcast. Please check that out as well!

BREAKING NEWS! Ncuti Gatwa is the new Doctor Who!! ... but this episode was recorded and edited before the announcement, so join me on Trap One later in the week for a deeper analysis.

Welcome to the 25th episode of Doctor Who Literature -- this week is the 49th anniversary of Target's first Doctor Who book releases, and now we're reading their 25th published novelization, "Doctor Who and the Space War", published in September 1976. My guest this week is Daniel Knight, and we discuss the history of TV production in the US, Star Trek, what makes the definitive Malcolm Hulke novelization, and what other Doctor Who podcasts might also be tackling "Frontier in Space" this week.

Daniel joins us for a game of "Guess That Cliffhanger". Can anything in the world stop him now?

In the second half, Jason does a close reading of the text. Is this an improvement on the TV story, or perhaps a slight diminution?

The episode features a brief musical cue from The Beastie Boys for Mothers' Day. No copyright infringement is intended.

When Bill Evenson is in the house, anything can happen on the podcast. Today we discuss The Web of Fear, the TV episodes (four of the six of which were famously rediscovered and released in 2013), and the 1976 Terrance Dicks novelization. But we also discuss Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, Mel Brooks, alcohol, the LAX Marriott and Doctor Who convention dealers' rooms, and... more alcohol. Also, one of us can't tell the difference between Rod Steiger and Roy Staiger, but both of us agree that baseball is no substitute for Doctor Who.

Bill is a prodigious talent. You can hear him on just about every episode of Reality Bomb, read him (with co-author, and friend of the program, Stacey Smith?) in Look At The Size of That Thing (never mind the cover art), and hear even more of him as co-host of the Frankenstein Minute podcast.

I previously interviewed Bill (and Stacey Smith?) on an episode of Trap One in 2021.

This episode features musical excerpts from the incredible vocal talents of Patti LuPone from the US TV series "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend", and from the film soundtrack of Fiddler on the Roof.

The new documentary Fiddler's Journey to the Big Screen is still playing in Manhattan as this episode releases, and will be touring North America throughout spring 2022. I have no involvement with the film or filmmakers, and its relation to "The Web of Fear" is of course strictly tangential. At best.

This is the first episode of Doctor Who Literature recorded and aired after the April 2022 premiere of "Legend of the Sea Devils". Hear Jason's review at the top of this episode -- and, for a more balanced view, Jason recently joined a Trap One panel discussing the same episode.

This week, we have our first three-time guest, Mr. Si Hart. We break down, just how good is Genesis of the Daleks? How do you rank the four actors who portrayed Davros on TV? Who does the better dramatic reading from the novelization (hint, it's Si)? And, just how many copies of this novelization is too many to own (hint, that's a very large number)?

Si also joins us for a game of "Guess That Cliffhanger". The results will leave you in suspense.

The episode concludes with Jason's review of the "Genesis of the Daleks" novelization.

Featured throughout are selections from D'Oyly Carte productions of Gilbert & Sullivan's, HMS Pinafore and Pirates of Penzance.

After a discussion of the news this week in New York City-based Doctor Who fandom, Jason welcomes back to the show Frazer Gregory, to discuss the Ice Warriors novelization. The two of us exchange dramatic readings of favorite passages, discuss how well Hayles captured the 2nd Doctor in print, along with all the other supporting characters and monsters. We come at this book from different perspectives, having discovered it at very different times in our lives. And Frazer makes a run at becoming the King of 20 Questions on Doctor Who Literature... can he do it?

Jason concludes with his review of the Ice Warriors novelization. And we'll see you next week!

This week Jason is joined by Lewis Baston, author of a forthcoming Obverse Books' Black Archive book on the Doctor Who serial "The Sun Makers", to talk about Malcolm Hulke's February 1976 novelization of "Invasion of the Dinosaurs"... but, fear not, we get plenty of talk in about "The Sun Makers", too.

Later on, Jason breaks down all the ways, plot-wise and dialogue-wise, and tone-wise, how the novelization differs so greatly from the TV serial.

Along the way, we also discuss Von Daniken, play a game of 20 Questions, and give a look at the new trailer for Doctor Who: "Legend of the Sea Devils".

Happy April 1st to all our listeners. This week, our read-through of the Peter Cushing novelizations, by Observe Books, reaches "Escape to Danger", a short-story anthology adapting all six episodes from Cushing's wildly successful second radio series as Dr. Who. What happens when Robert Holmes turns his hand to the Cushing Universe characters?

You won't want to miss Jason's breakdown of the first two short stories in this collection.

You can find "Escape to Danger" (edited by Robin Bland) from the good people at Observe Books. The Cushing novelizations are no joke!

Jason is joined at the top of the hour by Simon Hart (@SiHart) as we discuss how Terrance's novelization differs in many key ways from the TV broadcast. What do Doctor Who monsters sound like when we're reading these books as kids, before having seen the TV story in question? Did Si remember to charge his laptop before the recording started? And can Jason stump Si in a game of "20 Questions"?

In the second half of the program, Jason takes his signature close look at Terrance Dicks' writing style. Is this book a mere transcript of the TV episodes, devoid of extra insights or observational humor? Far, far from it.

This hour features a musical snippet from Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.

It's the last novelization of 1975, and the end of the first season of Doctor Who Literature. In a slight format change, Jason goes deep into the memory banks to explain a curious notation that he wrote on the inside cover of the book back in 1985.

We're joined then by Jason's good friend Mark from the Trap One Podcast to discuss what the novelization of "The Three Doctors" means to us. Plus many other stories of having met now-deceased Doctor Who greats at conventions over the years, and how has the language of fandom changed over the years, and what makes a multi-Doctor story tick, and, does "Twice Upon a Time" count as a multi-Doctor story?

And, after the interview with Mark, Jason goes deep to discuss what changes Terrance made between screen and script. Is this book better or worse than Jason remembered it from his last read-through? What is the significance of the words "purple" and "flute"? And where, oh, where is the First Doctor?

We open by paying tribute to two big names from the Doctor Who family who we lost this past week, an actor from the 1970s and a writer from the 1960s.

In the first part of the program, Jason -- having run out of blog posts to adapt, had to write half of this week's script from scratch -- takes us on a journey through Terrance Dicks' word-pictures, editorial additions and omissions, and lyrical evocation of the senses, in his novelization of "Planet of the Spiders", which is set half on a planet of the spiders, and half on a planet of the Buddhists.

In the second part of the program, Jason is joined by Graeme Burk from "Reality Bomb" to discuss the book, the origins of our Target collections, Graeme's memorable weekend with Terrance Dicks in the year 2000, whether or not the Eighth Doctor Adventures books stand the test of time... and Graeme joins me in a new segment, a game of Twenty Questions, before announcing his latest book.

Please listen to the special Terrance Dicks episode of Reality Bomb.

You can also find some of Graeme's acclaimed Doctor Who non-fiction here.

This week's episode features the vocal talents of Dooley Wilson.

Welcome to a special recorded-at-Gallifrey-One-in-Los-Angeles edition of Doctor Who Literature. While Jason the Brooklyn boy is somewhat out of his element in this big big city, he's joined long-distance by a fellow Brooklynite to discuss Malcolm Hulke's glorious August 1975 paean to the common man and laborer.

The first half of the book features Jason's breakdown of the text of the book, adapted from a three-part blog post originally published in February 2017.

The second half sees Hannah Long, a freelance writer and commentator, discuss "Doctor Who and the Green Death" from a different perspective to Jason's own, but they do find a lot of common ground to like about the book. You can find Hannah's writings about Doctor Who here and please look her up on Twitter as well.

This episode features musical selections from the legendary Woody Guthrie and the incomparable Mandy Patinkin.

In the first half of the episode, Jason breaks down why this novelization is such an upgrade from TV, and why the mere act of opening the book brings a lump to his throat.

In the second half, Jason is joined by a very old internet friend from the rec.arts.drwho days, Eric Gjovaag. Eric tells some wild stories about the old days of American Doctor Who fandom in the 1980s and '90s, and these are not to be missed.

You can find Erc's own Wizard of Oz book and other Oz writings, as well as his long-running Oz homepage, and his Doctor Who fan club's page.

In the first half of the episode, Jason takes you on journey through the book's text. Terrance Dicks uses fewer words here, in the March 1975 release, than in his earlier books, but pulls no punches, and works his usual craft in adapting the teleplays while never missing a wicked character aside or sharp internal thought.

In the second half, we're rejoined by Stacey Smith?, a prolific Doctor Who non-fiction writer and editor, making her second appearance on Doctor Who Literature. How did Stacey come to get this book co-signed by the wrong Doctor? Is this book more memorable than its parent TV story? How do the book's politics play out in this tumultuous world of 2022?

This episode features Simon & Garfunkel's "Hazy Shade of Winter" (not featuring Miss Winters... or Arnold Jellicoe).

Doctor Who Literature turns to Jason's first novelization, Doctor Who and the Cybermen, which Jason first read -- all in one day -- on Super Bowl Sunday 1985. Thirty-seven years later and the book's prose, vocabulary, and descriptive powers, are still unmatched.

In the first half of the episode, Jason breaks down what makes Gerry Davis' writing style so good, and fortunately there are many more Davis novelizations to come.

In the second half, we're joined by Pete Lambert, a good friend from the Trap One Podcast. We talk about how influential this book was to us as young readers, what other classic book series we moved away from once the Doctor entered our lives, and how the Target books would stack up against today's YA fiction. What is the significance of the word "radiophonic" to the text? Who exactly in the story as a "fetish", and what's it about? And why are there Welsh shepherds on the moon? A truly fun and relaxed conversation, and we can't wait to have Pete back on again soon.

Once we get to the book, the first half of the episode is Jason and his trademark breakdown Brian Hayles' prose style and narrative choices.

In the last half of the episode, I'm delighted to be joined by Ross from Gallifrey's Most Wanted, who provides a different take on Hayles' prose style. We thoroughly explore the politics of this story, and what those politics look like today, both in the UK, where the Peladon adventures were written, and here in the States, where similar issues continue to drive the political narrative. This is a can't-miss conversation.

This may be the end of Doctor Who and the Sea-Devils, but the Sea Devils will return.

This week we're up to October 1974 and the first book of Target's last double-release month. The first of those two books is the novelization of "The Daemons", the Season 8 finale, and is written by the episode's producer and co-writer, Barry Letts. It's one of the longest novelizations Target will ever put out, and in the first half of this episode, we'll take a deep dive into just what Barry is able to do with all that extra space.

For the second half of the episode, we're joined by Simon Hart (@Si_Hart), a very prolific and very funny podcaster, who talks about how he first encountered this novelization, and how well it holds up today.

This week's outro music features two different versions of "Heart" from the Broadway musical "Damn Yankees", including selections from the 1958 movie adaptation and a 1969 episode of the Ed Sullivan Show.