Christian Cawley and James McLean settle in for a long-overdue rewatch of The Trial of a Time Lord, the Sixth Doctor’s epic 14-part swan song. Things kick off in signature style with a false start on the wrong episode, followed by a deep dive into the high-budget model work and low-budget "starched doily" fashion of 1986...

This is the first part of our commentary/talking over The Mysterious Planet, with each subsequent installment coming to your podcast app over the next few weeks.

However, if you want the whole thing in one go, you'll find it on our Patreon, details below.

We'd love it if you watched along with us, via DVD, Blu-ray, or even BBC iPlayer. Just be sure not to hit "continue watching" or whatever if you've already enjoyed some classic Doctor Who lately...

We're presenting our commentaries to you on Patreon in a complete story-by-story package, in both video and audio. To remind you, Season 23 comprised the following individual stories:

• The Mysterious Planet by Robert Holmes

• Mindwarp by Philip Martin

• Terror of the Vervoids by Pip and Jane Baker

• The Ultimate Foe by Robert Holmes (with Pip and Jane Baker)

This week, you get just the first part of the conversation, BUT Patreon listeners got the whole thing AND earlier than you, by a full 3 days. To join them, visit the Kasterborous Patreon today and sign up to support us with a free trial. Patreon supports will be getting our thoughts on Mind Warp and Terror of the Vervoids and the rest of the Doctor's trial much sooner than everyone else, too.

Every week, supporters get the podcast first, with extra material (this one had video), ad-free, and other video content, and we give you access to the Kasterborous Archive (this week: Karen Gillan!)

We are on a mission to raise our profile on Apple Podcasts, and we can’t do it without you.

If you enjoy what we do, please leave a review.

It takes 30 seconds but makes a massive difference in helping new listeners find us. While you’re there, make sure you’re subscribed so you never miss a drop.

No problem. You can still help us grow. Leave a review on your platform of choice and send us the link via X/Twitter, Facebook, or directly to editor@kasterborous.co.uk. We’ll make sure to give you a shout-out in a future episode as a thank you for your support.

Thanks!

What do you think of the Sixth Doctor's final stand? Let us know in the comments, look out for our conversation about part two next week.

This week, Christian Cawley and James McLean prepare for the journey they’ve avoided for over 500 episodes: the 14-part epic, The Trial of a Time Lord.

As the longest single serial since The Daleks' Master Plan, it was intended to save the show, but instead, it became a fascinating, frustrating mirror of Doctor Who’s real-world struggle for survival in 1986.

No shownotes as such this week, but look out for discussion of:

• The binge-culture disconnect: We discuss the "memory of disappointment" surrounding the 14-week structure. Does a story this long work better in the era of streaming, or was the "trial" format fundamentally flawed from the start?

• The unlikable hero: James revisits his "pre-teen" struggle with Colin Baker’s Doctor. We look at the "clownish" costume, the bullish personality, and whether a simple wardrobe change could have saved his legacy (probably, yes).

• Interruptions in the matrix: Why the constant cutaways to the courtroom dampen the stakes of stories like Mindwarp and The Mysterious Planet.

• The "lost" season 23: Christian breaks down the original plans for the season—including The Nightmare Fair and Yellow Fever and How to Cure It—and how a behind-the-scenes "trial" at the BBC led to the version we eventually got.

• The Valeyard revelation: We talk about the "adult vagueness" of the show's dark mirror-Doctor and why the revelation of his true identity didn't quite land for a younger audience in the 80s.

• Missed opportunities: From the lack of past companions in a courtroom evidence-giving scenario (where was Jamie or Ian Chesterton?) to the "meta-danger" of putting the show on trial while it was actually under threat from BBC management.

We're hitting play on The Trial of a Time Lord from next week, and we'll be presenting our commentaries to you on Patreon in a complete story-by-story package, in both video and audio. To remind you, Season 23 comprised the following individual stories:

• The Mysterious Planet by Robert Holmes

• Mindwarp by Philip Martin

• Terror of the Vervoids by Pip and Jane Baker

• The Ultimate Foe by Robert Holmes (with Pip and Jane Baker)

This week, it's a full show for everyone, BUT Patreon listeners got it earlier than you, by a full 3 days. To join them, visit the Kasterborous Patreon today and sign up to support us with a free trial.

Every week, supporters get the podcast first, with extra material (this one had video), ad-free, and other video content, and we give you access to the Kasterborous Archive.

We are on a mission to raise our profile on Apple Podcasts, and we can’t do it without you.

If you enjoy what we do, please leave a review.

It takes 30 seconds but makes a massive difference in helping new listeners find us. While you’re there, make sure you’re subscribed so you never miss a drop.

No problem. You can still help us grow. Leave a review on your platform of choice and send us the link via X/Twitter, Facebook, or directly to editor@kasterborous.co.uk. We’ll make sure to give you a shout-out in a future episode as a thank you for your support.

Thanks!

What do you think of the Sixth Doctor's final stand? Let us know in the comments, and look out for our deep dive into The Mysterious Planet next week!

In this week's chat, Christian and James revisit their recent discussion about recovered episodes from missing Doctor Who serial The Daleks' Master Plan.

Was the initial reaction to viewing the episodes harsh?

Sourcing comments from the Facebook thread on the episode, we add some context, underline a few points, and possibly even concede a few things.

As stated at the time, Christian and James have different views on this, which makes it all the more interesting. Could The Daleks' Master Plan have been viewed differently if it had always existed in the hands of the BBC? Is the currency of scarcity something we need to understand better?

Enjoy the podcast now on video, pick it up in audio format via Spotify, or wait until Monday for the public release on all platforms.

• TIMELASH: Confessions of a Visual Effects Assistant

This week, it's a full show for everyone, BUT Patreon listeners got it earlier than you, by a full 3 days. To join them, visit the Kasterborous Patreon today and sign up to support us with a free trial.

Every week, supporters get the podcast first, with extra material (this one had video), ad-free, and other video content, and we give you access to the Kasterborous Archive.

We are on a mission to raise our profile on Apple Podcasts, and we can’t do it without you.

If you enjoy what we do, please leave a review.

It takes 30 seconds but makes a massive difference in helping new listeners find us. While you’re there, make sure you’re subscribed so you never miss a drop.

No problem. You can still help us grow. Leave a review on your platform of choice and send us the link via X/Twitter, Facebook, or directly to editor@kasterborous.co.uk. We’ll make sure to give you a shout-out in a future episode as a thank you for your support.

Thanks!

We'll be back next week with the first part of our look at The Trial of a Time Lord...