Broader and deeper than Doctor Who... Back in the early months of 2012 we started life as the Blue Box Podcast, a small team of three (then four, then five...) people podcasting our thoughts on Doctor Who, in the classic style of a bunch of friends the microphones were just accidentally eavesdropping on during a conversation in the pub. Over a decade later, the team has expanded and so has the remit; nowadays we publish episodes approximately three times a week, and the discussion has moved ...
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A round-up of recent news stories in the Doctor Who telesphere, including thoughts on the announcement of The Land Between the War and the Sea Presented by Dylan Rees, with Jon Arnold and J.R. SouthallBy StrangersCast
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A genuine contender for the Best Doctor Who Story Ever Made - or just the fourth best story of 1975? Thanks to the recent repeat, we've slotted in Pyramids of Mars Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and J.R. SouthallBy StrangersCast
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Composer James Lark chooses the eight things he would take with him, if he was about to be marooned on a desert planet Presented by Joe Ford James on Twitter James Lark's websiteBy StrangersCast
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Film Club Extra: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
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Now that we've had chance to catch up with it, our thoughts on the fourth film in the current Planet of the Apes sequence and the tenth overall Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Matt BarberBy StrangersCast
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Our thoughts on Alex Garland's final film as director, which wonders what a Civil War in 21st century America would look like - plus some more specific thoughts (beginning at 26:10) on last weekend's assassination attempt on Donald Trump Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Matt BarberBy StrangersCast
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Desert Planet Picks 67: Daniel Rawnsley
1:20:43
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Voice artist and podcaster Daniel Rawnsley chooses the eight items he would take with him, if he was about to be marooned on a desert planet Presented by Joe Ford Daniel on TwitterBy StrangersCast
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A conversation about the five movies based on Stieg Larsson's Millennium series of books about Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist, including both versions of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Presented by J.R. Southall, with Matt BarberBy StrangersCast
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Blue Box 154: Season One Listeners' Poll
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For the final time* we head back to the first full (your mileage may vary) season of RTD's second coming, to discuss the highs and the lows as pointed out by our listeners, as we run down the stories in the order they preferred them Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jim Cameron (* probably)By StrangersCast
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Desert Planet Picks 66: Frazer Gregory
1:22:41
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Champion of the Damned Frazer Gregory chooses the eight items he would take with him, if he was about to be marooned on a desert planet Presented by Joe Ford Frazer on TwitterBy StrangersCast
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Private Members Club 23: General Election Results
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It's been 27 years since an outgoing Conservative Prime Minister handed the keys to Downing Street to his Labour replacement, so here are our thoughts on the results of the latest General Election Presented by J.R. Southall, with Matt Barber and Ian WintertonBy StrangersCast
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Spoiler warning: if you're two episodes into Douglas is Cancelled on ITV, we'll be talking about the whole thing (albeit not overtly revealingly) in this review of Steven Moffat's latest comedy drama - with the emphasis more surprisingly on the drama rather than the comedy Presented by J.R. Southall, with Matt Barber…
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Desert Planet Picks 65: Adam S. Leslie
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Author and screenwriter Adam S. Leslie chooses the eight items he would take with him, if he was about to be marooned on a desert planet Presented by Joe Ford Adam's Twitter (plus further links)By StrangersCast
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Private Members Club 22: General Election Preview
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Our thoughts on the announcement, the campaigns, and the likely results Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Matt BarberBy StrangersCast
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Blue Box 153: Season One Retrospective
1:20:38
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Four of the team who had mostly missed the individual episode reviews, come together to discuss the 2024 series of Doctor Who Presented by J.R. Southall, with Simon Brett, Mark Donaldson, Dylan Rees and Ben VerthBy StrangersCast
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All-round good egg and 'occasional' podcaster for hire (and You and Who author!) Si Hart chooses the eight items he would take with him, if he was about to be marooned on a desert planet Presented by Joe Ford the Trap One podcastBy StrangersCast
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It's been a long time since RTD has written a season finale, but how will it stand up to scrutiny? Warning: prepare for swears as we get a bit hot under the collar pulling it apart and trying to piece it all back together again Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber, Iain Martin and Ian Winterton…
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For a time it felt like Mozart and Madigan were the sound of the 1970s, but how does Bo Widerberg's romantic tragedy stand up in 2024? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Matt BarberBy StrangersCast
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A conversation about the second Doctor and the actor who played him, Patrick Troughton Presented by Matt Barber, with Jon Arnold, Mark Donaldson and Dylan ReesBy StrangersCast
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Desert Planet Picks 63: Luke Molloy
1:20:41
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Podcaster at large Luke Molloy, chooses the eight items he would take with him, if he was about to be marooned on a desert planet Presented by Joe Ford Luke's TwitterBy StrangersCast
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We've talked about the original 1970s TV series and its shorter lived 2000s revival, but in this podcast we're turning our attention to the stories that were too hot for TV - but spoiler warning, Terry Nation's 1976 novelisation includes twists you might want to discover for yourself, that we can't avoid bringing up before we discuss John Eyers' tw…
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Iris Wildthyme creator and author of Strange Boy, Paul Magrs chooses the eight items he would take with him, if he was about to be marooned on a desert planet Presented by Joe Ford Paul's YouTube channelBy StrangersCast
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After our conversation about The Devil's Chord, we found ourselves inexplicably materialising in 2019 in a world where The Beatles had never existed - aka Richard Curtis' film Yesterday Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Matt BarberBy StrangersCast
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Who Review 31: The Legend of Ruby Sunday
1:07:48
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It's the penultimate episode of this year's series, so it's time to pull the chords together that Russell T Davies has been dangling since Wild Blue Yonder - but what would we make of it all? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Matt BarberBy StrangersCast
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The randometer lands on the final story of the original run, Survival - but is it a Masterful end to the classic series? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber, Mark Donaldson and Dylan ReesBy StrangersCast
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The audio edition of our freewheeling and irreverent conversation about William Russell Enoch, who passed away last week at the age of 99 Presented by Dylan Rees, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber, Mark Donaldson and J.R. SouthallBy StrangersCast
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Desert Planet Picks 61: Gary Russell
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Former child actor, Big Finish co-founder and Doctor Who renaissance man Gary Russell chooses the eight items he would take with him to a desert planet Presented by Joe Ford Gary's wiki pageBy StrangersCast
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It hardly seems like we've got to know our two regulars at all yet, and now here we are enjoying their penultimate adventure together - for now at least. Our thoughts on Kate Herron and Briony Redman's Rogue Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber and Ian WintertonBy StrangersCast
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Film Club Duet 16: Immaculate and The First Omen
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In the space of just three weeks, we've recently had two films about young American nuns fetching up in Italy only to suspect sinister conspiracies afoot in an echo of the Roe vs Wade reversal - so of course we put The First Omen and Immaculate together for a review; major spoiler warning: impossible to talk about these films without discussing whe…
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Desert Planet Picks 60: Jon Arnold
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Part-time football pundit and multiple Black Archive author Jon Arnold chooses the eight items he would take with him, if he was about to be marooned on a desert planet Jon's TwitterBy StrangersCast
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Ian Winterton of Cutaway Comics joins us for our review of the second Doctor-lite episode in a row Presented by J.R. Southall, with Matt Barber and Ian Winterton Ian on TwitterBy StrangersCast
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Transposing the premise of The Wicker Man to a six-part TV serial set in Wales, is Toby Whithouse's latest any good? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Matt Barber and Jim Cameron The Red King on Wiki Where to Watch The Red KingBy StrangersCast
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Desert Planet Picks 59: Rod Brown
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The host of the Strictly Come Hamster podcast chooses the eight items he would take with him, if he was about to be marooned on a desert planet Presented by Joe Ford Rod on X Hamster on AppleBy StrangersCast
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We're halfway through the first series of the new era of Doctor Who and the talking points - and comparisons - are mounting up Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber, Mark Donaldson and Iain MartinBy StrangersCast
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Blue Box 150: Dandies and Clowns - the Cybermen (Part One)
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Were the Cybermen treated right during their first few years in Doctor Who - or did the makers of the programme come up with a brilliant idea and then have no clue what to do with it? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Matt Barber and Ben VerthBy StrangersCast
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Joe Ford, of the podcast A Hamster With a Blunt Penknife, chooses the eight items he would take with him, if he was about to be marooned on a desert planet Presented by J.R. Southall A Hamster With a Blunt Penknife Joe Ford on Twitter/X Joe's photo choice (hiding somewhere behind 15-year-old him!):By StrangersCast
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Steven Moffat returns to Doctor Who to write his first episode for over six years, but does he still have the old magic or has he lost his touch? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Dylan ReesBy StrangersCast
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Film Club 63: Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy
1:22:48
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It's a quarter of a century since George Lucas released the first of the Star Wars prequels, but how is that film trilogy looking twenty-five years on? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Simon BrettBy StrangersCast
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After our discussion about the Sam Raimi trilogy last week, we turn our attention to the two modern resurrections, and ask if they are worthy successors - or indeed, whether the spirit of Evil Dead is really in them at all Presented by J.R. Southall, with Mark Donaldson and Dylan ReesBy StrangersCast
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Who Review 26: Space Babies & The Devil's Chord
1:29:23
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It's the first series of RTD's second era but is it a new dawn or just back to old habits - or is it indeed a fresh start at all? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber and Lee RawlingsBy StrangersCast
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Blue Box 149: YouGov's Most Popular Doctor Whos 2024
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In 2018 YouGov made a survey of British adults to discover how they felt about the various actors who have played Doctor Who - so we've gone back to the website five years later and sifted through the data to see if those opinions have changed in the meantime... Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber and Mark Donaldson…
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Sam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy takes itself far less seriously than most of the rest of its contemporary "video nasty" movies, but how does it stand up four decades on? Presented by Dylan Rees, with Mark Donaldson and J.R. SouthallBy StrangersCast
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Blue Box 148: Dandies and Clowns - the Master (Part One)
1:04:52
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Was the Master's introduction into Doctor Who in 1971 (every story for the entire year) too much? Or do his eight (would have been nine) stories across the era justify their existence every time? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Iain MartinBy StrangersCast
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In the first of two episodes covering the live action Resident Evil saga, we turn our attention to the first three films, 2002's original, it's 2004 sequel Apocalypse and Extinction from 2007 Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Dylan ReesBy StrangersCast
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Film Club Extra: YouGov's Top 25 Horror Films
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We went back to the YouGov website to find out what their sample survey said about the most popular horror films in the UK, and suffice it to say there were some mysteries along the way. Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Matt BarberBy StrangersCast
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TV Club 70: Terry Nation Short Trips
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In a new mini-strand attempting to find out what Doctor Who writers get up to when they're not writing Doctor Who, we take a look at some of Terry Nation's other work, including episodes of Hancock, Blakes 7 and The Avengers Presented by Dylan Rees, with Jon Arnold and J.R. SouthallBy StrangersCast
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The middle story in Series 7A (like, don't get excited man) is Toby Whithouse's Western, A Town Called Mercy: but will we find it OK Corral, or Last Chance Saloon? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Matt BarberBy StrangersCast
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Apple TV+ seems to have made itself a home for sophisticated sci-fi of late, but how does this story of what happens to the people who've stepped out of Earth's atmosphere compare? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Matt Barber Constellation on WikiBy StrangersCast
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Blue Box 147: April News Round-Up (and Series Preview)
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With Season One now fairly imminent and series previews appearing the press, we thought we'd round up some recent news with rumours, summaries and - spoilers! - some spoilers too Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Matt BarberBy StrangersCast
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Blue Box 146: Terrance Dicks AI Trope Bingo
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We asked Chat GPT to tell us why Terrance Dicks was the worst writer in the history of Doctor Who, in the hope it would at least provide illuminating evidence for the contrary... Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Matt BarberBy StrangersCast
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Film Club Lite 59: Immortal Beloved (1994)
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Citizen Kane meets Amadeus, but is Gary Oldman going to be enough to get us through Bernard Rose's period biopic? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Matt BarberBy StrangersCast
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