A Hamster With a Blunt Penknife - a Doctor Who Commentary podcast

Joe M delivers his top ten classic Doctor Who stories...never in your wildest dreams will you believe his number one...

Moving pictures! And a thrilling escape for Victoria who doesn't take a break from snivelling but does manage to get trapped under ice! It's all go this week!

What ten new series stories does lovely Joe M like the least?

A new Hamster Patreon feature is to appear in a new Hamster segment - the top and bottom ten TV Doctor Who for both classic and new series. Here Joe M kick starts the madness with his bottom ten TV classic Doctor Whos.

Are we struggling with pictures in the plotless middle episodes of The Ice Warriors? With all this banter flying around we don't have any time to get bored!

In a double bill with Too Hot for TV for MayGan, we have another, very different, take on the TV Movie from two mega fans of the movie who can't control their love for this fabulous piece of trash...

The first of three episodes celebrating the TV Movie this month - James takes a trip back in time to re-experience The TV Movie as a 16 year old via his diaries...

Proper Ice Warrior we have lumbering around the base threatening Victoria and all in black and white animation! Where so these lumbering behemoths come from?

It's battle between Dad and Son again! Eddie loves this glacial story, but Jon isn't a fan. We head to the tundra to see a Viking Warrior cut out of the ice and come to life! And how much was Eddie given to spend at the merchandise table at the convention?

The battle of RTD2! In the blue corner; Joe M! Lover, not fighter! In the red corner; Joe F! Who is not amused about anything this episode is doing... Opinions fly - not for the weak hearted!

Has the impossible been achieved? Has Frazer made allowed me to find a way to enjoy The Kings Demons?

Who else but our Frazer could take hold of this insignificant little two parter and shout from the rooftops about it. His beguiling argument starts here...

A delightful episode celebrating Jodie Whittaker and the 13th Doctor and determining the Strictly Come Hamster best episode of the era...

And its Tennant and Tate out...and Ncuti Gatwa in! Plus The Toymaker, Melanie Bush, UNIT, and tons of continuity! How will it fare a few years after release?

A wonderful conversation about continuity, lore, production value, the Master and the Cybermen, self sacrifice, strong companions and a magnificent Doctor(s).

A brand new contributor to Hamster and the boldest introductory swing as we head straight into Jodie's two part series 12 finale.

Are we really talking about the abuse of science and committing suicide in a Doctor Who story? Has the story run out of steam or does it rouse at the conclusion?

We're very much in the wander around the spaceship section of the story but with David Collings on the scene and two Brigadiers in action things don't stay quiet for long!

What chaos will ensue when super villain Eddie Arnold takes the reins and guides us through season 2 featuring discussions on Planet of the Giants, The Dalek Invasion of Earth, The Rescue, The Romans and The Web Planet...

Our favourite episode of the story and the one which introduces timey wimey to Steven Moffat whilst he was still a wee nipper. The ultimate nostalgia fest when the Doctor jogs the Brigadier's memory?

Joe & James embark on a timey wimey adventure and talk season 20, introducing new companions, unforgettable incidental music and a story with some serious themes...

Welcome to Dinosaur Hour with me, Joe Ford, and my pupil Paul Arthur...get ready to see Dino on Dino action, Dinos in the Underground and a jeep driven through a Dinos legs!

What's that? An episode of padding? It's the Doctor on the run...from UNIT? Plus politics gets messy when the far left show what they do with insurrectionists...

Joe & Paul continue their love in with this latter era Pertwee six parter with the story opening out in some fascinating and absurd new directions. How does the show tackle examining left wing extremism?

The ultimate fifth Doctor love in as the team discuss the era, the actor, the character and determine the Strictly Come Hamster ultimate fifth Doctor story!

There's a ruddy great T-Rex chained down in the hangar and its pissed and wants to eat Sarah Jane! Does Doctor Who get any more exciting than this?

It's all to play for with this episode; Yates is acting oddly, the Doctor is just trying to work, Sarah goes out to play and the Brigadier hunts for a traitor!

Paul bravely hands this episode to his family to watch...and then realises that whatever embarrassment he might have felt is dispelled when he watches it with a friend…

We bring this commentary to a rousing conclusion as we discuss the momentous ending, the crazy pace, the mad twists and of course why the Cartmel era is just as flawed as what came before...

It's time for name that Davison incidental music quiz! Things are REALLY hotting up with part three; traitors, massacres, and thousands of silos bursting open!

Bombs, Freighters and Reid - oh my! We're still in love with this propulsive, expensive and impressive action romp.

We discuss everything that makes this story stand out as impressively as it does, the many ways that the story is unique and why the instincts of the writer and producer were bang on.

Winner of the Paul Spragg Big Finish competition, Luke Hollands joins me to talk about a much ignored but blisteringly action packed and entertaining festive special. Ryan & Graham leave, Jack returns, Daleks on Daleks, Jodie in prison...so much to talk about!

Joe, David, Gareth and Dan all meet up in London for the day and of course had to do a bookclub recording - so we add to our original top and bottom tens with four more books we love and hate! Due to recording outside, a nearby crowd can be heard joining in the fun!

Serve the podcast! Serve the podcast! More great Nun action, a portal to another world, a bneautiful gift for Bea and touching moment for Chrissie.

A moving examination of dementia, an chilling look at Greek myths, a hilariously camp group of sinister nuns and Phylida Law!

Is there anything more Doctor Who than a Time Lord and a human tied up in a van using the indicators to send out morse code while the army fights a bunch of mannequins in carnival masks?

Who's in charge of you pen pushers these days? What makes good and bad comedy in Doctor Who? What makes scary Doctor Who? What makes entertaining Doctor Who? Terror of the Autons!

Hungry asphyxiating chairs! Troll dollies that strangle fathers! Coppers with blank faces! Jo Grant having a meltdown! What a first day on the job...

The Master! Jo Grant! Captain Yates! A shrunken scientist in a lunchbox! Don't touch her that's a bomb! Daddy issues! So much for Joe & Paul to get their teeth into...

We've synchronised the mega wattage, called New York, prepared the vinegar in squeezies and turned off the sun! Anything else?

Time for another exciting adventure with Sarah Jane and the moppets...and the Slitheen! A new friend, Clyde, joins, and there's some unfinished Doctor Who business...

Is this a disappointing denouement or a rousing conclusion to a story that Rob and I both admit is one of our all time favourites?

Joe’s favourite of the serial; sacrificial wrapping, QueQuiQuod and devastating reticules! Action, suspense, jokes, a brilliant Doctor and Benton and Hawthorne on form!

The Master makes his move on the village and blackmails them all with gossip and scandal! And the great Doctor/Miss Hawthorn debate rages on - Science or magic? 'With horns!'

E-O-Evo-Ay Azal! The Doctor is frozen, Jo is in a state, Miss Hawthorne is in a box and the Master is on the move...enter Yates and Benton to the rescue! My helicopter!?

'Lots of lovely hush!' Rob and I are in total agreement on the fact that this is one of the very best first episodes of Doctor Who; thrills, suspense, jokes, character moments, a great cliffhanger and...Miss Hawthorne!

In a brand new thread for Hamster, Joe & Daniel will be watching and celebrating The Sarah Jane Adventures. How smart, funny, silly, intelligent and mature this series can be.

It's shoddy and boring and pantomimic and gets the Daleks wrong. Screw that! Daleks blowing up, gun battles, mucky punch ups, 'BYE BYE!' Just fabulous!

More great direction, lots of Davros discussion, how ableist is Doctor Who, plus Joe heads down a very strange rabbit hole where he is heading off with Paul (and wife) to a new life!