PODCAST · tv
The Writers' Room
by Erik and Kyle
This monthly podcast will look at Doctor Who through the writers who molded the show and their televised output. Hosted by Kyle Anderson (Doctor Who blogger for Nerdist.com) and Erik Stadnik (host of the Doctor Who Book Club podcast)
Episodes
-
Sleep No More
In honor of Halloween this month, Erik and Kyle are looking at Doctor Who's attempt at a found-footage horror movie, that being Mark Gatiss' conceptually adventurous "Sleep No More." We've made no secret of the fact that we don't think it's good, but the ways in which it isn't good are certainly...
-
The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion
This month, Kyle and Erik are seeing double as they tackle Peter Harness and Steven Moffat's shape-shifting follow-up to "The Day of the Doctor," "The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion." People really like this one, especially the big speech the Doctor gives at the end. Do your intrepid hosts…
more -
The Girl Who Lived/The Woman Who Died
This month, Kyle and Erik look at a pair of episodes tied together through a guest actor/character...if you can even really call them the same character. Of course, this is "The Girl Who Died" written by Jamie Mathieson and Steven Moffat and "The Woman Who Lived" written by Catherine Tregenna.…
more -
Under the Lake/Before the Flood
This month, we're taking a timey-wimey trip to the lake (it's summer, ya know?) for a two-part adventure from our old friend, writer Toby Whithouse. It's "Under the Lake/Before the Flood," which has aquatic ghosts, an alien harbinger of death, and even more fascinating Twelve/Clara messiness.
-
The Magician's Apprentice/The Witch's Familiar
This month, we get to discuss the first of an entire season of two-parters with Steven Moffat's treatise on morality and Daleks with "The Magician's Apprentice/The Witch's Familiar," which features not just the Daleks but Davros and Missy too. It's a banger all around.
-
Dark Water/Death in Heaven
Somehow we've made to the end of Series 8 (basically) and with it, a pair of Steven Moffat episodes that bring together the Twelve/Clara/Danny story. "Dark Water" and "Death in Heaven" might lowkey be Moffat's best finale episodes...from a certain point of view.
-
Mummy on the Orient Express and Flatline
This month (a little late), Kyle and Erik look at the first two Doctor Who scripts by Jamie Mathieson, "Mummy on the Orient Express" and "Flatline." Conveniently, they happen to have been sequential episodes 8 and 9 from Series 8. Without giving too much away, these might be the best non-Moffat...
-
The Caretaker and Kill the Moon
This month, Kyle and Erik have to face their personal Waterloo with a pair of episodes from the middle of Series 8 that form the middle of the Doctor-Clara-Danny triangle, and which consequently are not fun to watch. Those are "The Caretaker," written by Gareth Roberts and Steven Moffat, and…
more -
Into the Dalek and Time Heist
Happy New Year, dear listeners! To kick off our 14th year (!!!) talking about Doctor Who on a podcast, we're discussing two episodes co-written by Steven Moffat. The first, "Into the Dalek" with Phil Ford and the second, "Time Heist" along with Stephen Thompson. What even are these episodes? What...
-
Deep Breath
Folks! It may be the end of 2025, but it's a brand new era, a brand new season, and a brand new Doctor for Erik and Kyle. Having bid a fond farewell to the Eleventh Doctor, this month they discuss the first adventure of the Twelfth. That is, of course, Deep Breath, written by showrunner Steven...
-
Eleventh Doctor Wrap-Up
Amazingly, folks, it's time to bid farewell to Matt Smith and the Eleventh Doctor. While Erik and Kyle have already spoken about each of his stories at length, this month they're going to discuss the era as a whole. What did Steven Moffat do right and what did he need to revamp for his second...
-
The Time of the Doctor
Time (ha) has come to bid the Eleventh Doctor farewell. It's also time to talk about the biggest comedown in Doctor Who history. How did Steven Moffat follow up the glory of "The Day of the Doctor?" Well with the decidedly messy "The Time of the Doctor." Erik and Kyle talk about the last episode...
-
The Day of the Doctor
It's finally here! The episode Erik and Kyle have been waiting for since they began Doctor Who's modern series. It's the 50th anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor," quite simply the best Doctor Who episode of all time. Spoilers, big fans.
-
A Town Called Mercy and The Name of the Doctor
As we head toward wrapping up the Matt Smith years, it has come time to talk about two incongruous episodes. First, "A Town Called Mercy" by Toby Whithouse and then "The Name of the Doctor" by Steven Moffat. Not a lot connect these two aside from both being in Series 7 but we needed 'em checked…
more -
Cold War and The Crimson Horror
It's another episode of Mark Gatiss here on Doctor Who: The Writers' Room. This month, Erik and Kyle look at the two stories Gatiss wrote for Series 7B. First up, "Cold War," the story that reintroduced the Ice Warriors aboard a Russian submarine in 1983. Second, "The Crimson Horror," a penny...
-
The Rings of Akhaten and Hide
This month, Kyle and Erik look at the two stories written for Doctor Who by Luther creator Neil Cross. Those are, as commissioned, the Nigel Kneale-inspired "Hide" and the many other things-inspired "The Rings of Akhaten." One of those stories was immediately derided upon release while the other...
-
The Snowmen & The Bells of Saint John
Erik and Kyle return to their old pal Steven Moffat for a pair of stories smack in the middle of the muddy series 7B, "The Snowmen" the only mid-series Christmas special, and "The Bells of Saint John" which officially introduced Clara Oswald Prime. Do these stories work? Do we like them? Why is...
-
The Curse of the Black Spot/Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS
Every once in a while Erik and Kyle have to talk about exceedingly boring episodes of Doctor Who. That time is now as our heroes look at the two scripts credited solely to Stephen Thompson, aka the guy who wrote stuff for Steven Moffat when he was too busy. Those episodes are "The Curse of the...
-
Victory of the Daleks and Night Terrors
Like it or not, it's impossible to talk about the Steven Moffat years without discussing the single most ubiquitous other writer of the era, Moffat's longtime collaborator and co-creator of Sherlock, Mark Gatiss. In the first of many episodes about Gatiss' Who output, Kyle and Erik discuss…
more -
The Angels Take Manhattan
It's finally time to say goodbye to the Ponds...mostly. Despite a few straggler episodes we have yet to discuss, this month's podcast is all about the farewell story for Amy and Rory, "The Angels Take Manhattan." How does Steven Moffat bid his era's first companions adieu? Are we happy with it?…
more -
Dinosaurs on a Spaceship/The Power of Three
This month, Kyle and Erik have good news and bad news. The bad news is we have to talk about "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship" and "The Power of Three." The good news is we won't have to talk about a Chris Chibnall script for like five more years. Anyway, these two episodes certainly aren't the worst...
-
Update on LA Fire Situation
Hi folks, just a quick update. Kyle who lives in LA has thankfully not had to evacuate due to the fires still raging and have ruined people's lives. But, because it was a fluid situation, it meant we weren't able to record when we had planned. So this month's episode will be a few days late. In…
more -
A Very Moffat Christmas part 1
The year that was 2024 has wound down and instead of wallowing in misery, Kyle and Erik are talking about some Doctor Who Christmas episodes! Specifically the first two penned by showrunner Steven Moffat. Those are, of course, "A Christmas Carol" from 2010 and "The Doctor, the Widow and the...
-
Asylum of the Daleks
This month, Kyle and Erik get into the beginning of the end of the Amy and Rory years and the end of the beginning (kind of) of the _____ Oswald years. That's right, it's the scary, surprising, and super good "Asylum of the Daleks," possibly the best Moffat episode we've talked about in months.
-
The Girl Who Waited and The Wedding of River Song
What a weird pair of episodes to talk about together, eh? To wrap up (most of) our discussion of series 6, we're delving into "The Girl Who Waited" by Tom McRae and "The Wedding of River Song" by none other than Steven Q. Moffat. On to series 7, eh?!
-
The Lodger & Closing Time
Comedy is a subjective thing. Some things you once found funny might not hold up a decade later, especially if the person who wrote them turned out to be a bigot and the primary guest star proving himself to be a twat. Anyway, unrelated, this month we're talking about The Lodger and Closing Time,...
-
A Good Man Goes to War and Let's Kill Hitler
We reach the midpoint of Series 6, with the very weird pair of highly plot-relevant episodes, "A Good Man Goes to War" and "Let's Kill Hitler," both by Steven Moffat. What works, what doesn't, what is pure mess and what is great characterization? River Song, Melody Pond, Mels, and Lorna...
-
The Rebel Flesh/The Almost People
This month, Kyle and Erik get contentious surrounding the Matthew Graham two-parter "The Rebel Flesh/The Almost People," which introduced the concept of Gangers into the series six silliness. One of your intrepid hosts thinks it's a very bad story and the other thinks it's pretty okay. Arguments...
-
Neil Gaiman
This month, Kyle and Erik discuss the two episodes written by acclaimed novelist/author/showrunner Neil Gaiman. Arguably the biggest guest writer ever to write for the series, Gaiman's stories---"The Doctor's Wife" from series 6 and "Nightmare in Silver" from series 7---have an interesting…
more -
The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon
Can Steven Moffat follow up a tremendous two-part finale, and a brilliant Christmas special, with a satisfying premiere? If you ask Kyle and Erik...sort of? It's time for Series 6, and that's a whole thing.
-
The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang
Truly the culmination of the most ambitious series of Doctor Who yet, Kyle and Erik look at Steven Moffat's tremendous two-part finale, "The Pandorica Opens" and "The Big Bang." Might it be his crowing achievement, even with so many other episodes to love?
-
Amy's Choice & Vincent and the Doctor
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?!
-
The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood
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…
more -
Getting Whithoused #1
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.
-
The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone
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...
-
The Beast Below
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.
-
The Eleventh Hour
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.
-
Russell T Davies Years Wrap-Up
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.
-
The Girl in the Fireplace and Blink
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!
-
Russell T Davies Top 11
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!
-
The End of Time
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.
-
Planet of the Dead and The Waters of Mars
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...
-
The Stolen Earth/Journey's End
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.
-
Midnight and Turn Left
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…
more -
10th Anniversary Mailbag Bonus Episode!
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…
more -
The Lazarus Experiment and The Doctor's Daughter
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...
-
Voyage of the Damned/The Next Doctor
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…
more
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Writers' Room have?
The Writers' Room currently has 177 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Writers' Room about?
This monthly podcast will look at Doctor Who through the writers who molded the show and their televised output. Hosted by Kyle Anderson (Doctor Who blogger for Nerdist.com) and Erik Stadnik (host of the Doctor Who Book Club podcast)
How often does The Writers' Room release new episodes?
The Writers' Room publishes regularly with 177 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Writers' Room?
You can listen to The Writers' Room on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Writers' Room?
The Writers' Room is created and hosted by Erik and Kyle.
URL copied to clipboard!