The Writers' Room

This here is the good stuff! This month Kyle and Erik discuss two series five episodes written by guest writers. "Amy's Choice" by Simon Nye and "Vincent and the Doctor" by Richard Curtis. An actual Oscar nominee writing for Doctor Who! Can you even believe it?!

Direct download: Amys_Choice__VIncent_and_the_Doctor.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:01am EDT

This month, Erik and Kyle go deep underground, some might even call it Hades itself, to discuss "The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood," the two-part series five story from future showrunner Chris Chibnall. It brings back the Silurians and gives us a remix of Third Doctor story elements before falling on its face trying to do something interesting but failing miserably.

Direct download: Hungry_Earth_and_Cold_Blood.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 4:35pm EDT

Happy New Year! This month, Erik and Kyle embark on the first of what they're calling "Getting Whithoused," which is looking at the stories written by Toby Whithouse in the Steven Moffat era. Up first, "The Vampires of Venice" from series 5 and "The God Complex" from series 6.

Direct download: Getting_Whithoused_Part_1.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 5:21pm EDT

Hello and happy December, friends. This month, Erik and Kyle are taking a trip to the crash of the Byzantium to discuss what is certainly in the running for best Smith-era Steven Moffat script, "The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone." The Weeping Angels, River Song, the Crack, it's all here! And no beating around the bush, we pretty much love it.

Direct download: The_Time_of_Angels_and_Flesh_and_Stone.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 5:28pm EDT

This month, Erik and Kyle continue the Moffat Years train with his second episode, and indeed the second Eleventh Doctor and Amy episode, "The Beast Below," an episode---to quote Kyle---with a better story than plot.

Direct download: The_Beast_Below_Ep.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 1:51pm EDT

After a few months of falderal and fiddle-dee-dee, it is finally time for Erik and Kyle to begin the proper journey into the Steven Moffat showrunner era. And boy howdy what a big one to start with. "The Eleveth Hour" may be Moffat's masterpiece, and a taste of things to come. We are EXCITED.

Direct download: The_Eleventh_Hour_Final.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 3:18pm EDT

Let's try this again! This month, Kyle and Erik say farewell (for now) to showrunner Russell T Davies. What did he bring to Doctor Who, what is his legacy? It's a lot, that's the short answer. 

Direct download: RTD_Wrap_Up_for_Real.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Direct download: Silence_in_the_Library_and_Forest_of_the_Dead.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 1:33am EDT

This month we begin a new season! The Moffat Years! As a prelude, we discuss Steven Moffat's scripts during the Russell T Davies years, specifically this time "The Girl in the Fireplace" and "Blink." Nothing too major here or anything. Timey Wimey begins here!

Direct download: Moffat_During_RTD_1.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 3:22pm EDT

Well, friends, sometimes you lose episodes to tech crashes. It finally happened to us. So, you aren't getting a final discussion about the Russell T Davies (1) era of Doctor Who, you instead get us doing our top 11 RTD scripts. So, a draft rather than a discush. It happens. Enjoy!

Direct download: RTD_Top_11.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 6:26pm EDT

It's here. It's finally here. Kyle and Erik's discussion of the RTD tenure (first one) comes to an end with sigh "The End of Time." Both parts. They're doing it. Here we go.

Direct download: The_End_of_Time.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 7:05pm EDT

And so begins the gap year specials in earnest. Kyle and Erik are very nearly at the end of the Tennant and RTD (1) years. This month, it's "Planet of the Dead" and "The Waters of Mars." One of these won a Hugo for being one of the best pieces of sci-fi of the modern age. The other, did not. Care to guess which one's which?

Direct download: Planet_of_the_Dead_Waters_of_Mars.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 2:05pm EDT

We are indeed approaching the end of some journey! Kyle and Erik take a look at the Series 4 finale two-parter "The Stolen Earth/Journey's End," in which Russell T Davies tried to bring back nearly everyone from his entire era, plus Davros. Lot going on, shame about the bad stuff.

Direct download: Stolen_Earth_and_Journeys_End.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 3:46pm EDT

This month is a big one, folks! We're in the home stretch of the RTD1 era, talking about two of the writers' best episodes. "Midnight," series 4's companion-lite episode, and "Turn Left," the Doctor-lite episode that aired the following week. Both showcase Davies' trademark cynicism and have their own kinds of terrors. Neither are feel-good, but we sure like 'em!

Direct download: Midnight__Turn_Left.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Folks! It's a b-b-b-b-b-b-BONUS-s-s-s-s-s-s episode! To celebrate 10 years, Erik and Kyle are giving you, the free listener, access to our Patreon bonus mailbag episode. Listeners wrote in questions about our opinions, hopes, hypothetical ideas, and more all pertaining to our favorite show, Doctor Who. Please enjoy!

If you'd like to join our Patreon and get more episodes like this, head to patreon.com/thewritersroom and pledge $1 or $3 to get all the goodies.

Direct download: Patreon_Bonus_Episodes_-_10th_Anniversary_Mailbag.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:13pm EDT

Can you believe it, folks? This episode marks the 10th anniversary of Doctor Who: The Writers Room. What a long strange trip as has been for Kyle and Erik. So many episodes, so many laughs, so many writers covered.

And to commemorate 10 years, the fellas are...talking about bad Doctor Who. That's right, the two episodes written by accomplished playwright Stephen Greenhorn, "The Lazarus Experiment" and "The Doctor's Daughter." They really ought to have planned this better. Oh well.

Direct download: The_Lazarus_Experiment_and_The_Doctors_Daughter.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:23am EDT

Hello and happy holidays, friends! As Erik and Kyle wrap up their TENTH YEAR of podcasting, they look at David Tennant's last two proper Christmas specials. It's "Voyage of the Damned" from 2007 and "The Next Doctor" from 2008. Both of them written by Russell T Davies, our old pal. Enjoy, be safe, and help us celebrate our 10th anniversary by sending questions for a Q&A episode to erikandkyle@gmail.com.

Direct download: Voyage_of_the_Damned_and_The_Next_Doctor.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:36pm EDT

Direct download: The_Shakespeare_Code_and_The_Unicorn_and_the_Wasp.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Who had Kyle and Erik liking the season four Sontaran two-parter in their betting pool? Well surprises are part of life for Doctor Who fans. Yes, friends, our heroes beam about "The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky," so strap in. Oh, but Americans don't say "clever," so there's that.

Direct download: The_Sontaran_Strategem_and_The_Poison_Sky.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 7:04pm EDT

Our journey into the Donna Noble era of Doctor Who gets cooking with her first two proper trips in the TARDIS. First we have a favorite, "The Fires of Pompeii," written by James Moran, and then we have "Planet of the Ood" written by Keith Temple. Moral decisions and fixed points in time! Fun, fun, fun.

Direct download: Pompeii_Ood.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 8:08pm EDT

Hello, Donna! Yes, this month we're discussing the first two episodes featuring Donna Noble, "The Runaway Bride" and "Partners in Crime." How does Russell T Davies turn a one-off comedy guest star into the most beloved companion in the entire modern series? It's quite the feat!

Direct download: The_Runaway_Bride_and_Partners_in_Crime.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Faith and begorah! We're back with a new episode. Thank you all for your patience. Finally, we can discuss the two episodes that finish off Doctor Who series 3, "The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords," which weeeeeeee have thoughts about, let's say that. Next up: Donna!

Direct download: Sound_of_Drums_Last_of_the_Time_Lords.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 6:24pm EDT

Hello everyone. So sorry for the extreme delay in release. We've had what can only be described as a truly hellish month of July. Erik has all the details for you in this episode, which, until we are actually able to record our proper Series 3 finale discussion, will be a previous Patreon exclusive episode where your two intrepid hosts debate the most important writers in classic Doctor Who. More to come soon, and thanks for your patience.

Direct download: It_Came_From_Behind_the_Paywall....mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 1:37pm EDT

This month, in order to delay having to talk about a very bad two-parter, Kyle and Erik talk about "Utopia," an episode hailed by many as a modern masterpiece. But, 15 years later, does it still have that kind of impact? YANA! CHANTHO! JACK! MAAAAATHAAAAAAA!

Direct download: Utopia.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 7:36pm EDT

This month sees Erik and Kyle discussing a much beloved two-parter from series 3, "Human Nature/The Family of Blood," which has a lot of David Tennant, but not very much Tenth Doctor. Hmm? What what?

Direct download: Human_Nature_Family_of_Blood.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 4:27pm EDT

This month, Kyle and Erik discuss two stories by writers who'd write a lot more later on. The first is Mark Gatiss and "The Idiot's Lantern" from series 2. The second is Chris Chibnall and "42" from series 3. Which one do we like better? 

Direct download: The_Idiots_Lantern_and_42.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month, we continue our series 3 talk by looking at Helen Raynor's oft-derided two-parter, "Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks," which has some interesting elements. But enough? We'll see.

Direct download: Daleks_in_Manhattan.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

And here we are at Series 3 already! The "Oh hey, the Tenth Doctor isn't very nice" train continues with two early stories with new companion Martha Jones. We have "Smith and Jones" and "Gridlock," both from showrunner Russell T Davies.
Direct download: Smith_and_Jones_and_Gridlock.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Happy New Year, dear listener! As Kyle and Erik begin their 10th year of podcasting together, they finish (pretty much) Series 2 of updated Doctor Who. It's the almost universally beloved "Army of Ghosts/Doomsday," which has a lot more to it than meets the eye. Ghosts, for one thing.

Join our Patreon for bonus episodes, including our breakdown of Flux! Go to patreon.com/thewritersroom today.

Direct download: Army_of_Ghosts_Doomsday.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 7:01pm EDT

Erik and Kyle round out their first calendar year covering the Russell T Davies era by talking about Series 2's big classic villain return: "Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel." This story had a lot of heavy lifting to do, but does it succeed? Let's find out!

Direct download: Rise_of_the_Cybermen_and_The_Age_of_Steel.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Erik and Kyle descend down into the cosmically and existentially horrific masterpiece that is "The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit," as written by Matt Jones. Is this the best story we've looked at yet? Is it the scariest? Find out!

Join our Patreon for bonus episodes every month. http://patreon.com/thewritersroom

Direct download: The_Impossible_Planet_and_The_Satan_Pit.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month, with some actual news about Russell T Davies, Erik and Kyle discuss two of his scripts from series 2. First up is Tooth and Claw, the one with Queen Victoria and the werewolves. Second is Love & Monsters, the one nobody likes but that is actually pretty good.

Direct download: Tooth_and_Claw_and_Love_and_Monsters.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month, Kyle and Erik dive headlong into Doctor Who series two with a look at two episodes written by showrunners of other shows. "School Reunion" written by Toby Whithouse (Being Human) is a fan-favorite, giving the new series its first real taste of the classic with the return of Sarah Jane Smith. "Fear Her" written by Matthew Graham (Life on Mars) is the oft-derided also-ran of series two, which might well be better than its reputation.

Direct download: School_Reunion_and_Fear_Her.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:42pm EDT

And so it begins! Erik and Kyle have wrapped up Series 1 of updated Doctor Who, and now they commence the saga of the Tenth Doctor. Where to start? Why with "The Christmas Invasion" and "New Earth," of course! But it's not all just fun and games. Already they can sense the darkness inherent to Doctor number 10...and Kyle's kind of not into it.

Direct download: Christmas_Invasion_and_New_Earth.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 1:31pm EDT

Way too fast. We're already bidding a very fond farewell to the Christopher Eccleston year of Doctor Who by discussing his swansong, "Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways." It may be his last onscreen hurrah but it was only RTD's opening salvo. How'd he do for his first season as showrunner?

Direct download: Bad_Wolf_and_Parting_of_the_Ways.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

It's the penultimate month in our look at Series 1 of rebooted Doctor Who, and we have two stories showrunner Russell T Davies wrote to fill time, but, one of them at least, has transcending its limitations to become something of a classic. And the other one is "The Long Game."

Direct download: Long_Game_Boom_Town.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Erik and Kyle dip our toes in the pool of Steven Moffat with his addition to Doctor Who series 1, "The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances." You know, there's a lot to talk about in it. So, join us, won't you? Are you my mummy?

Direct download: Empty_Child_Doctor_Dances.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month, Erik and Kyle are discussing the series 1 episode "Father's Day," an emotional experience for both of them. But before that, the 2003 web-exclusive animated serial "Scream of the Shalka," which was to be Doctor Who. Until it wasn't. Two Paul Cornell stories? Why yes!

Direct download: Fathers_Day_and_Scream_of_the_Shalka.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month, Erik and Kyle continue their jaunt into Series 1 of rebooted Doctor Who with the first two stories not written by showrunner Russell T Davies. Those of course are Mark Gatiss' ode to Victorian ghost stories, "The Unquiet Dead," and Robert Shearman's indelible reintroduction of a classic villain, "Dalek." But do they hold up the way our heroes remember? Hmmm.

Direct download: The_Unquiet_Dead_and_Dalek.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month, Kyle and Erik revisit the "farting aliens" two-parter, "Aliens of London/World War III." While the humor doesn't age well, the fellas are surprised that the story is more interesting, the character drama much deeper, than memory said. And Mickey maybe isn't as big an idiot as we thought? WHAT?!

Direct download: Aliens_of_London_World_War_III.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 6:01pm EDT

Doctor Who: The Writers' Room is back, baby! After two years away from the TARDIS, Erik and Kyle have returned to tackle Doctor Who from 2005-2017. Much different than before, the fellas are going fairly chronological and what better place to start than showrunner Russell T Davies' first two episodes, "Rose" and "The End of the World?"

Direct download: Rose__The_End_of_the_World.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 7:13pm EDT

We did it! Yes, another season of The Writers' Room comes to a close, and it's a good one. Sapphire & Steel's final story, "Assignment Six," gives us a lot to chew on, and some really fascinating implications.

We also talk about the show as a whole, and prepare you all for the return of Doctor Who: The Writers' Room!

Direct download: Assignment_6.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This penultimate episode of The Writers' Room's look at Sapphire & Steel is a bit different. Creator P.J. Hammond did not write Assignment 5, aka the one that's a murder mystery---and it shows. Instead, Kyle and Erik talk about what an S&S serial looks like interpreted through the pen of former Doctor Who scribes Don Houghton and Anthony Read. The answer: not as good.

Direct download: Assignment_5.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

We're nearing the ending of the year and we're also starting down the road to the end of Sapphire & Steel. Assignment 4 affords Erik and Kyle opportunities to discuss poetry, spooky photography, the poetry of prose, and whether P.J. Hammond is a pessimist. Fun! 

Direct download: Sapphire_and_Steel_Assignment_4.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Erik and Kyle take on Assignment 3 of Sapphire & Steel, in which the elemental time menders contend with, not things from the past, but beings from the dystopian future. Is it as good as ghosty ancient things? Well, it does have the first appearance of Silver...and a creepy baby man monster things. Neat!

Direct download: Sapphire_and_Steel_Assignment_3.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month, Erik and Kyle are going into an old dilapidated railway station full of war ghosts and stuff for Sapphire & Steel Assignment 2. We talk about the morality of fighting time ghosts, the sadness of war, and the pain of lost love. But, like, it's fun!

Direct download: Sapphire_and_Steel_Assignment_2.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 6:21pm EDT

It's a new month, but it's also a new season! A very short new season, but a new season just the same. Erik and Kyle are looking at time fissures, ghost houses, and ambulatory alien element metal things. It's Sapphire & Steel! P.J. Hammond's landmark in weird sci-fi. We begin, sensibly, with Assignment 1.

Direct download: Sapphie_and_Steel_Assignment_1.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 1:43am EDT

Once again, Erik and Kyle have gotten to the end of a series! This month marks the final episode discussing The Outer Limits and they're thankfully ending with a bang. Story editor Seelag Lester is the subject, who wrote "Wolf 359," the amazing two-parter "The Inheritors" and the final episode ever, "The Probe."

Next month, a new show has been assigned...

Direct download: TOL_-_Seelag_Lester.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Once again, Erik and Kyle have gotten to the end of a series! This month marks the final episode discussing The Outer Limits and they're thankfully ending with a bang. Story editor Seelag Lester is the subject, who wrote "Wolf 359," the amazing two-parter "The Inheritors" and the final episode ever, "The Probe."

Next month, a new show has been assigned...

Direct download: TOL_-_Seelag_Lester.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

It's our penultimate episode about The Outer Limits, so why not talk about a bunch of crap? It's another of our now-ubiquitous episodes about writers who wrote only one episode.

This time out it's "Cold Hands, Warm Heart," "Behold! Eck," "Expanding Human," and "The Premonition."

Also, we've got announcements about our next two shows we're going to cover...

Direct download: Episode_16_-_Outer_Limits_One-Offs_2.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month it's some episodes of The Outer Limits season 2. We cannot say fairer than that. It's a trio of stories more or less by two writers; Jerry Sohl adapted his own short story for "The Invisible Enemy," Milton Krims rewrote a Stephen Lord treatment into "Keeper of the Purple Twilight," and then Krims rewrote Sohl for "Counterweight." And that's not all the rewriting there was in these. Not by a longshot.

Direct download: 15_-_Jerry_Sohl__Milton_Krims.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Friends! Because we're all having a rough go of it socially distancing, we thought we'd give you a little extra treat. The commentary we normally do once a month for our Patreon patrons is free for all to hear!

And it's a good one. We talked about the Doctor Who episode "Oxygen" for our Who for Schools raffle winner, and for the commentary, Erik and Kyle are joined by podcast superstars Joy Piedmont and Shannon Dohar! Enjoy their commentary and some general Who chatter afterward.

Stay safe and stay healthy!

Direct download: TWRTOL_Patreon_Bonus_--_DW_Oxygen_Commentary.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 10:00pm EDT

This month, Kyle and Erik are back talking about The Outer Limits season two, and with it...a writer! It's Robert C. Dennis, a very prolific TV writer who here is adapting three short stories and re-writing another writer's story for a fourth. They are "Cry of Silence," "I, Robot" (no, not that one), "The Duplicate Man," and "The Brain of Colonel Barham". Some of these are good and some of them super aren't!

Direct download: The_Outer_Limits_-_Robert_C._Dennis.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

What's this now?! Why yes! Erik and Kyle have given The Outer Limits a break for a month in order to talk about Doctor Who again! As part of the Who For Schools initiative, a lucky raffle winner got to decide what New Who episode we discussed. The winner has chosen "Oxygen" by Jamie Mathieson. We're talking Capaldi, Nardole, Bill, and dystopian capitalism. Yay!

Direct download: Doctor_Who_Special_-_Oxygen.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Happy New Year! And what could be happier than covering one of sci-fi's most famous writers? That's right, for episode one of our look at The Outer Limits season 2, we're talking about the great Harlan Ellison and his two scripts, "Soldier" and the immortal "Demon with a Glass Hand."

Next month, it's more Doctor Who...for a bit.

Direct download: The_Outer_Limits_-_Episode_13_-_Harlan_Ellison.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 10:00pm EDT

Can you believe it's been a year already? Kyle and Erik finish up their 12 months of discussing the first season of The Outer Limits with a countdown of their top 10 and bottom 5 episodes! Next year we begin season 2, with the two episodes written by the great Harlan Ellison!

If you have a suggestion for a classic genre show to discuss after The Outer Limits, email us at erikandkyle@gmail.com!

Direct download: The_Outer_Limits_-_Episode_12_-_Season_1_Wrap-Up.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month, Erik and Kyle only have two episodes left in season one of The Outer Limits. Fittingly, they're both would-be spin-offs from each of the show's two driving creative forces. First up is "Controlled Experiment," a comedy take on sci-fi from series creator Leslie Stevens. Second is the bat-poop crazy "The Forms of Things Unknown" from head writer Joseph Stefano.

Direct download: TOL_-_End_of_the_Line.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 8:03pm EDT

In this month's penultimate look at the first season of The Outer Limits, Kyle and Erik discuss four stories by four different writers, to varying degrees of interest. Those episodes are:

"Specimen: Unknown"
"The Guests"
"Fun and Games"
"The Special One"

Two of them are really quite good!

Direct download: The_Outer_Limits_-_Episode_10_-_One-Offs.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month, as we head to the end of The Outer Limits season one, we have a quartet of very odd stories, all featuring input from story editor and Joseph Stefano's right-hand man, Lou Morheim. These include "The Mice," "Second Chance," "Moonstone," and "The Chameleon." Robert Towne wrote that last one.

Direct download: The_Outer_Limits_-_Episode_9_-_Lou_Morheim.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month, Erik and Kyle keep digging deeper into the troubled psyche of The Outer Limits season 1's showrunner, Joseph Stefano. These three episodes--"The Invisibles," "The Bellero Shield," and "A Feasibility Study"--each represent the writer's best (and most upsetting) traits.

Direct download: TOL_-_Stefano_3.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month, Erik and Kyle are joined by writer, podcast, smart person extraordinaire, Paul Cornell to discuss the Outer Limits episode "Nightmare."

"Nightmare" is a very somber episode about humans facing interrogation from a superior alien aggressor. Can their fragile Earth psyches take it?! This discussion goes deep on rules of engagement, interior storytelling, Southern Gothic Sci-fi, and writer Joseph Stefano's id and ego.

Find Paul on Twitter, and check out his podcast, Hammer House of Podcast.

Direct download: TOL_-_Nightmare_w_Paul_Cornell.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 7:34pm EDT

This month we begin our look at The Outer Limits' most important writer, producer, and story-shaper, Joseph Stefano. We go in-depth on "It Crawled Out of the Woodwork," "The Zanti Misfits," and "Don't Open Till Doomsday," and figure out what Gothic Sci-Fi really means.

Direct download: TWR_-_Joseph_Stefano_pt_1.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 5:15pm EDT

This month, your faithful hosts have three stories from three different writers of The Outer Limits. First up is "The Human Factor" by David Duncan, an episode that seems like The Thing but is more like Face/Off. Next is "Corpus Earthling," a creepy little story about alien rocks by Orin Borsten. And finally, "Tourist Attraction" by Dean Riesner, a former child actor who went on to work with Clint Eastwood. Fun!

Direct download: TWR_-_Duncan_Borsten_Riesner.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 2:19am EDT

This month, Kyle and Erik look at two more writers of The Outer Limits. It's Jerome Ross, who wrote "The Man with the Power," and Anthony Lawrence, who wrote "The Man Who Was Never Born" and "The Children of Spider County." Enjoy!

Direct download: TWR_-_Ross_Lawrence.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:46am EDT

An early contender for MVP writer of The Outer Limits season one, veteran TV writer Meyer Dolinsky wrote three fascinating and troubling episodes, two considered legitimate classics.

First is "The Architects of Fear" which inspired Alan Moore's Watchmen; the paranoid Cold War thriller "O.B.I.T."; and a legitimately weird one, "ZZZZZ" about a super attractive bee woman.

Direct download: TWR_-_Meyer_Dolinsky.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month, Erik and Kyle delve further into The Outer Limits by talking about two episodes written by the writing team of Allan Balter and Robert Mintz ("The Hundred Days of the Dragon," "The Mutant"), and the one episode written by Ellis St. Joseph ("The Sixth Finger").

They get well into themes of bettering humanity, evolution, mutation, giant brains, giant eyeballs, goopy faces, and telepathy. And, you know, other things too.

Direct download: TWR_-_Balter_Mintz_St_Joseph.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Here we go! A new year and a new season. Erik and Kyle are embarking on their journey into the 1960s sci-fi anthology series The Outer Limits, which ran for 49 episodes on ABC TV in the United States and has since been reappraised time and again. We know a thing or two about series that began in 1963 that have gone on to longevity.

To begin, we look no further than the series' creator, Leslie Stevens, who wrote and directed four episodes during the first season. We're only talking about three of them in this episode, and they are "The Galaxy Being," "The Borderland," and "Production and Decay of Strange Particles."

Direct download: TWR_-_Leslie_Stevens.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Hello everyone! Happy New Year! First and foremost, welcome to 2019 and The Writers Room's new direction. It's still Erik and Kyle discussing old TV sci-fi, but for the next year or so, we'll be talking about the original 1963-1965 series The Outer Limits.

To start with, we're doing a bit of a primer about the series, how it came to be, who were the key creative types in charge of its 49 episodes, and what kinds of stories you can expect on the journey. First full episode about series creator Leslie Stevens will arrive January 15.

Sorry for the sound issues in this episode, it will not be indicative of the whole run, we assure you. We just didn't have time to re-record.

And finally, please consider supporting our new Patreon! Patreon.com/TheWritersRoom

Direct download: The_Outer_Limits_Primer.mp3
Category:television -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

It all comes down to this! Erik and Kyle finish up their six-year journey into the writers of classic Doctor Who with part two of their listener question answer thing.

Thank you to everyone for listening for this long (but very fun!) folly of ours. We'll continue to talk about Doctor Who going forward, but we're also jumping into new but similar shows, beginning with the original run of The Outer Limits!

Direct download: Episode_69_-_The_Big_Wrap-Up_part_2.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month, friends, it's all over bar the shouting. Kyle and Erik tackle some of YOUR questions and discussion topics about their six year journey into the writers and writing of the classic series of Doctor Who. On order are things like which script editors were the best, what Doctor/companion teams were best served on screen, and what we'd recommend to new viewers.

As referenced in the episode, here's the blog of Erik's more specific recommendations for first-time classic whovians.

Direct download: DWTWR_-_November_2_Wrap_Up.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 8:28pm EDT

66 episodes down covering individual writers of classic Doctor Who, and only one to go. Crazy. Erik and Kyle finish up their revisitation of Eric Saward, six years after the initial foray, by talking about his two Dalek stories--Resurrection of the Daleks and Revelation of the Daleks. One of them is good but not a Doctor Who story, the other definitely is a Doctor Who story but is terrible. What fun.

The fellas also tell you what's coming in the new year for this podcast feed and let you know there's still time to turn in your questions/discussion topics for the two-month podcast wrap-up! 

Direct download: Episode_67_-_Saward_Revisitation_2.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 1:23am EDT

The end is the beginning is the end! When we started our journey through the first 26 years of Doctor Who via the writers and the stories they wrote, we tried to start big, by tackling the stories written by '80s script editor Eric Saward, and in doing so, we bit off more than we could chew.

So, to wind down The Writers Room mark 1, we're going back and doing Saward in two goes rather than just one. This month, it's "The Visitation," "Earthshock," and "Attack of the Cybermen." Do we think the same things we thought back in 2013? How would we know?

Direct download: Episode_66_-_Saward_Revisitation_1.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 1:01am EDT

Whoa. We did it, everyone. With this month's episode, we conclude our quest to discuss the first 26 years of Doctor Who via the writers and the stories they wrote. We're finishing the initial run with a bang, by talking about David Whitaker's two Dalek stories--"The Power of the Daleks" and "The Evil of the Daleks." Both are hailed as lost classics, and for good reason. Erik and Kyle break down all things obedience and extermination.

Direct download: Episode_65_-_Whitaker_3.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Whoa. We did it, everyone. With this month's episode, we conclude our quest to discuss the first 26 years of Doctor Who via the writers and the stories they wrote. We're finishing the initial run with a bang, by talking about David Whitaker's two Dalek stories--"The Power of the Daleks" and "The Evil of the Daleks." Both are hailed as lost classics, and for good reason. Erik and Kyle break down all things obedience and extermination.

Direct download: Episode_65_-_Whitaker_3.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month, Erik and Kyle continue their discussion of the Doctor Who writing of David Whittaker with a story that was almost totally missing up until five years ago, and now it's fully back and available to watch in all its glory, "The Enemy of the World," one of the most atypical stories of the entire 1960s, and certainly of the Second Doctor's era. Erik had never listened to or watched this story until now; was it worth the wait?

Direct download: Episode_64_-_The_Enemy_of_the_World.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

It's nearly the end, but the moment has been prepared for. Except we're not talking about "Logopolis" in the least. It's our very final writer to cover from Doctor Who's classic series, David Whitaker, and incredibly important figure in the series' history and one that gave us many intriguing concepts.

In this first of three episodes, Kyle and Erik are talking about the three stories Whitaker wrote for the William Hartnell Doctor: "Edge of Destruction", "The Rescue", and "The Crusade." 

Direct download: Episode_63_-_Whitaker_1.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 7:05pm EDT

Can it be?! Kyle and Erik are talking about episodes of Doctor Who from after 2005?! Yes indeed! For nearly 6 years, the fellas have talked about episodes of the 1963-1989 seasons, but this month is different. Anna Lynch, the raffle winner from the #WhoAgainstGuns initiative, has chosen three new/modern Who episodes: "Partners in Crime," "The Doctor's Wife," and "Listen" and K & E get into things like fan wank, nostalgia, and companion story arcs.

Next month...it's the beginning of the end.

Direct download: Episode_62_-_New_Who.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Build high for happiness will prevail!

This month, the fellas close out the Seventh Doctor's era with three stories all about dystopian futures and seemingly nice but secretly upsetting societies. Sort of like Britain in the '80s, really.

We've got the two stories written by Stephen Wyatt ("Paradise Towers" and "The Greatest Show in the Galaxy") and the one story by Graeme Curry ("The Happiness Patrol"), all of which have a lot of ideas and themes and metaphors and allegories, but do they have stuff like plot and character and a story? We'll find out!

And next month...something very different.

Direct download: Episode_61_-_Stephen_Wyatt_and_Graeme_Curry.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

This month, 60 episodes in to their monthly journey into the writing and writers of Classic Doctor Who, Kyle and Erik are joined by and honest to good writer of Classic Doctor Who! Andrew Smith bravely sits with us to talk about his 1980 script, "Full Circle," the beginning of the E-Space trilogy and the story that introduced Adric. In addition, Andrew talks about how he was brought on board, and all the lovely Big Finish stories he's writing currently. (Dude writes a LOT.)

Also, Kyle, Erik, and Andrew have all been proud to take part in the #WhoAgainstGuns initiative which is raising money to help prevent gun violence. If you donate at least $10 before March 31, you'll get a truly fabulous 13-part, 40+ participant commentary to "The War Games." For information, click this link

Direct download: Episode_60_-_Andrew_Smith.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 1:54am EDT

Hi friends!

Erik and Kyle are pleased to join other Doctor Who podcasts, writers, and artists in the #WhoAgainstGuns movement to spread the message of peace and the call for ending gun violence in the U.S. and the rest of the world. We're happy to lend our voices to a special team-up commentary on a fan-favorite classic Doctor Who story, which can only be heard by donating $10.

 More information can be found here!

How to take part

Here’s what you have to do: make a donation of $10 or more to:

These organizations are U.S.-Based and focused on changing American laws and policy. They welcome international donations; however, if you live outside of the U.S. and want to make an equivalent donation to an organization in your own country here are some suggestions. (You may have others):

Once you’ve made your donation, send a copy of your receipt to gallifreystands@realitybombpodcast.com and you’ll get information on where to download your special commentary podcast later in March.

Direct download: WHO_AGAINST_GUNS_podcast_promo.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 5:26pm EDT

This month, Kyle and Erik talk about the work of script editor Anthony Read, who wrote one story under the pseudonym David Agnew (that one being season 15's "The Invasion of Time") and one under his own name (that being season 17's "The Horns of Nimon"). We find the merits (or demerits) in both of these stories, and talk about mazes both TARDIS and mythical & Greek. 

Direct download: Episode_59_-_Anthony_Read.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 1:00am EDT

This month, Erik and Kyle begin the final year of the podcast (as you know it) by closing out yet another Doctor's era, that being Sixth Doctor Colin Baker. Yes, after not talking about any of his stories since the very first one, we've wrapped him up in a little under a year, and we're ending with Philip Martin, who wrote "Vengeance on Varos" and "Mindwarp," (aka "The Trial of a Time Lord" parts 5-8). It's, uhh, it's pretty violent, we have to say.

Direct download: Episode_58_-_Philip_Martin.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

We've reached the end of another calendar year, which means it's been 5 years of Doctor Who: The Writers' Room! Can you even believe it? In honor of this, we've decided to go slightly outside of our usual parameters of the first 26 years of Doctor Who...all the way to 1996. That's right, we're talking about the TV Movie, written by Matthew Jacobs. The special has a fascinating backstory, and we get in to that along with dissecting if it works, and for whom.

Direct download: Episode_57_-_TV_Movie.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 1:31am EDT

Sorry for the delay this month, but we think you're in for a real treat (?) Erik, fresh off of becoming certified to teach English, and Kyle, fresh off of gallivanting and getting sick, discuss three poor old '80s stories that don't get much love. Is it because they're awful? We'll let you decide. But they talk about "The Twin Dilemma," "Timelash," and "Delta and the Bannermen." So there's that.

Direct download: Episode_56_-_80s_Crap.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 5:56pm EDT

This month, we have another pair of stories that fall into the "well, they don't really fit anywhere else" category, in this instance both being surreal and fantastical stories from the same period of time. '60s Weirdos, we're calling it, and we're talking about "The Celestial Toymaker" and "The Mind Robber." Why? Because we like you.

Also, this month marks Erik's last episode...recorded in the United States. He's moved to Prague and you can find out about his new adventure and help him keep podcasting by visiting his Patreon page (right here)!

Direct download: Episode_55_-_60s_Weirdos.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Break out the feather boas and start calling everything "Jimmy" because this month, Erik and Kyle are finishing their look at the Cybermen in Classic Doctor Who with the 1968 story, "The Invasion." But, oh no, they are not taking on this eight-episode epic alone; they've got the added brilliance of Verity! Podcast's own Deb Stanish to help break down all the ins and outs, from Tobias Vaughn's arrogance to Packer's frazzledness to Isobel's perceived flightiness. Oh, and Cybermen too.

Direct download: Episode_54_-_The_Invasion.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

This month, it's the end of a couple of things: First, the final episode in our Ice Warriors two-parter, focusing on the stories "The Curse of Peladon" and "The Monster of Peladon." Second, it's the last episode in which we have Third Doctor stories to discuss, so Kyle is clearly more sad about it than Erik. Oh, and a third one -- it's the last time we'll let people tell us one of these stories is bad. Which one? Find out soon!

Direct download: Episode_53_-_Ice_Warriors_2.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Hello and good July to you, Whovian friends! This month, Erik and Kyle go Cyber-crazy. They start by talking about the Cybermen as portrayed in the recently concluded Series 10 (poor Bill) and then transition to this month's meat, the Cybermen's fourth appearance, "The Wheel in Space" from 1968 and their sixth appearance, "Revenge of the Cybermen" from 1974.

These stories raise a number of questions, like "How can beings with their emotions removed want revenge?," "Why are they allergic to gold?" and "Do the Cybermen do anything at all in 'Wheel in Space?'" These questions are important!

Direct download: Episode_52_-_Cybermen_2.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

It'sssssss June, friendsssssss, and that meanssssss Erik and Kyle are going to be talking about the firssssst two (of only four) ssssssstories having to do with the Iccccccccccce Warriorsssss.

I'm really tired of writing it like that, so I'm gonna stop. Anyway, we talk about "The Ice Warriors" and "The Seeds of Death." That's the end.

Direct download: Episode_51_-_Ice_Warriorssssss.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Friends, it's Cyber-May! Or whatever. Anyway, it's our 50th episode, and for this one Erik and Kyle dive into talking about the Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis stories concerning those shiny shysters, the Cybermen. This time 'round, it's "The Moonbase" and "The Tomb of the Cybermen," because as the theme song to The Facts of Life told us, "you take the good, you take the bad..."

Direct download: Episode_50_-_Cybermen_1.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Last month we looked at the two stories that began the 1980s, and this month we're looking at the two stories that began Season 4...but that also means they're the two stories that saw the end of the First Doctor, "The Smugglers" by Brian Hayles and "The Tenth Planet" by Kit Pedler (and Gerry Davis). These two stories couldn't be more different from each other, and it definitely doesn't feel like the same Doctor. But we also get the Cybermen, who--spoilers--we'll see a whole lot more of in the coming months on this podcast.

Direct download: Episode_49_-_End_of_Hartnell.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 8:45pm EDT

As our podcast begins to wind down (still have like a year, people, calm down a bit), we're forced to look at things that don't really have much correlation other than placement. As such, Erik and Kyle are spending this month talking about the beginning of the JNT and Christopher H. Bidmead era with our good friend David Fisher's "The Leisure Hive," and one-timers Andrew McCullough and John Flanagan's "Meglos." Hooo boy, thems sure are stories that exist.

Direct download: Episode_48_-_The_80s_Begin.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 8:43pm EDT

Episode 47 - David Fisher (in the '70s)

Hello and happy February, friends and listening public! This month, Erik and Kyle are in the same room (that's how you know it's Gallifrey One time) to discuss the three stories written in the '70s by David Fisher, who joined in season 16. His two Key to Time stories--"The Stones of Blood" and "The Androids of Tara"--are pretty roundly beloved, but his season 17 story, "The Creature from the Pit," is derided almost categorically. Is this fair? Is he to blame or laud for these stories? We get down on it!

Direct download: Episode_47_-_David_Fisher.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Episode 46 - Terry Nation, No Daleks

We haven't talked about this writer in a while, but it's almost hard to talk about Doctor Who without him -- Terry Nation, the inventor and most prolific writer of the Daleks. We've done all of those, of course, but he also wrote two stories with no Daleks in them whatsoever: from season 1, "The Keys of Marinus," and from season 13, "The Android Invasion." Nation fell into certain traps and narrative tricks when he wrote Daleks; did the same happen without the trundling war machines? Kyle and Erik find out!

Direct download: Episode_46_-_Terry_Nation_No_Daleks.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Episode 45 - The Dalek Movies

Happy end of the year, friends! As we draw the putrid cesspool that was 2016 to a close, Erik and Kyle thought they'd give you a fun(?) treat by talking about the two Dalek movies made in the mid-60s by Amicus Productions and starring the incomparable Peter Cushing. Interesting it will be to see how the same stories from the TV show are changed/truncated for the purposes of being very swiftly made, less-than-90-minute family movies. Enjoy!

Direct download: Episode_45_-_The_Dalek_Movies.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:18am EDT

Episode 44 - Bob Baker & Dave Martin Part 3

We did it! Even as the country from which we hail goes to hell in a handbasket, we've managed to watch the final stories written by the Bristol Boys, aka Bob Baker and Dave Martin. Those three are "Underworld," "The Armageddon Factor," and the Bob Baker solo effort, "Nightmare of Eden." These writers have been a baffler thus far; how will we rate these three stories?

Direct download: Bristol_3.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 11:02pm EDT

Episode 43 - The Bristol Boys part 2

Oh....good. Erik and Kyle are back for the second part of their look at the so-called Bristol Boys, Bob Baker & Dave Martin. This time out, without the deft script editing hand of Terrance Dicks, we're left with off-the-wall stories "The Sontaran Experiment," "The Hand of Fear," and "The Invisible Enemy." Oh... oh gosh.

Direct download: Episode_43_-_The_Bristol_Boys_Part_2.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 8:39pm EDT

Episode 42 - Bob Baker & Dave Martin Pt 1

Another series of episodes all surrounding the same writers! We love those! This month begins Kyle and Erik's foray into the many scripts by Bob Baker and Dave Martin, affectionately referred to as "The Bristol Boys." This time it's the three they did during the Pertwee years -- "The Claws of Axos," "The Mutants," and "The Three Doctors." You won't believe which the fellas think is the best. Or maybe you will; you've probably been listening long enough to guess.

Direct download: Episode_42_-_The_Bristol_Boys_Pt_1.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 3:30am EDT

Episode 41 - Pip & Jane Baker

In the annals of Doctor Who, few writers' names are met with as much derision as those of Pip & Jane Baker, the husband and wife writing team who gave us three full serials plus an episode as needed during seasons 22, 23, and 24. Are these stories bad because of the writing? Are these stories bad at all? It's something Kyle and Erik will discuss, because if there's one these those boys love, it's evaluating hated writers to see if it's fair. (spoiler answer: maybe!)

Direct download: DWTWR_Pippin_Jane.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Episode 40 - Troughton One-Offs

Hello, one and all! Kyle and Erik are back to discuss more and more Doctor Who!! This month, we're doing some bits and bobs from the Patrick Troughton years, focusing on three stories by three different writers who only wrote one story for the show. First up is Elwyn Jones (with Gerry Davis) who wrote "The Highlanders," the story that introduced Jamie McCrimmond. Next is everybody's favorite oddity, "The Underwater Menace" written by Geoffrey Orme. And finally, "Fury from the Deep" which said goodbye to Victoria Waterfield, written by Victor Pemberton. Enjoy!

Direct download: Episode_40_-_Troughton_One-Offs.mp3
Category:Doctor Who -- posted at: 1:14pm EDT