I was thrilled to be invited to join the great Ben and Baz Greenland for an episode of their new podcast, The TARDIS Crew.
The guys invited me on to talk about a number of subjects, but we eventually settled on a discussion of the Sylvester McCoy and Andrew Cartmel era of Doctor Who. In particular, the way in which Cartmel and his creative team capitalised on the creative strengths of the production at a point where the show was very much on its last legs. Understanding the limitations of the family science-fiction show, and the question of how it could or couldn’t compete in an increasingly special-effects-given genre, Cartmel landed on a radical approach to Doctor Who: a deconstruction and subversion of children’s television.
You can listen directly to the episode below or by clicking here.
Filed under: Podcasts!, Television | Tagged: Andrew Cartmel, baz greenland, ben greenland, doctor who, the tardis crew |
the m0vie blog 
Ghost Light is one of the wildest Doctor Who stories ever. Love the approach Cartmel took to the show. Loads of ambition behind it, and a refreshing change of pace from the empty nihilism of the Saward era.
Also, since you ranked it in January, here’s my ranking of Sylvester McCoy’s amazing era!
Stone Cold Classic:
1. Ghost Light
2. The Curse of Fenric
3. Remembrance of the Daleks
4. The Greatest Show in the Galaxy
Not Perfect, Still Pretty Great:
5. The Happiness Patrol
6. Survival
7. Paradise Towers
Good, solid Doctor Who:
8. Battlefield
Seriously flawed but interesting:
9. Delta and the Bannermen
WTF:
10. Silver Nemesis
11. Time and the Rani
What a run that is. A couple of absolute shockers, but still. Classic Doctor Who went out with a bang.