Welcome to the DOCTOR WHO TARGET BOOK CLUB PODCAST, the podcast in which we undertake the [insert adjective here] project of discussing, in story order, all of the DOCTOR WHO novelizations!
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The panel discusses the "Doctor Who" novelization of "The Curse of Fenric," examining author Ian Briggs' inspirations from Norse mythology and Alan Turing, and the story's controversial portrayal of faith and relationships. They highlight how the book expands on the televised version's production struggles and character depth, particularly Ace's complex arc. The episode also features an in-depth critique of plot points, character portrayals, and the novelization's unique structure, concluding with individual ratings and a look ahead to the next classic series discussion.
What does the story GHOST LIGHT have to do with recapitulation theory? How is it a commentary on fan collectors in general and DOCTOR WHO collectors specifically? We have all the answers! Ha, kidding – it’s GHOST LIGHT, so there are always more questions. Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, Dalton Hughes, and special guest Matthew Kresal of THE POLICE BOX IN A JUNKYARD podcast as they wrestle with the story that pinned many a fan to the mat for literally decades, if not millennia! We are...
What’s the big difference between the premiere episode of DOCTOR WHO’S twenty-sixth season have to do with Spike Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING? One has fully realized female characters. The other was seen by a lot of people. Guess which one is which? If you can’t, fear not, because our panel of Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, Dalton Hughes, and special guest Jason Miller of the DOCTOR WHO LITERATURE PODCAST and co-host of the TRAP ONE PODCAST will answer this question, and many, many more! We are a...
Why does Ace’s aunt hate the ‘60s so much? Does the Doctor actually know ahead of time that the Gods of Ragnarok are on Segonax? And why does the Doctor look like a character from WATCHMEN on the cover of this book? Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, and Dalton Hughes as they discuss the novelization of [THE] GREATEST SHOW IN THE GALAXY. We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DOCTOR WHO COLLECTORS PODCAST, THE POLICE BOX IN A JUNKYAR...
The Doctor and Ace take time out to listen to some jazz. Oh, and there are some Nazis involved. And a female practitioner of the dark arts from the 17th century. And some newly polished Cybermen. How is this story special again? Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, and Dalton Hughes as they discuss the novelization of the official 25th anniversary story SILVER NEMESIS. We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DOCTOR WHO COLLECTORS PODCAS...
A colony with a delusional leader insisting that everything is fine, that everyone is happy, and that all those disappearances you’ve been hearing about are for the good of the nation. You already know what we’re going to say, so do we really need to connect the dots? Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, and Dalton Hughes as they discuss the disturbingly prescient story THE HAPPINESS PATROL. We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DOCTO...
Now a bumper volume! Almost two hours of discussion on such topics as inappropriate relationships, redshirts with names and rich interior lives, and why this story is perfect to watch during Pride Month! Oh, and Daleks, but who cares about them? Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, Dalton Hughes, and special guest Matthew Kresal as they discuss REMEMBRANCE OF THE DALEKS. We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DOCTOR WHO COLLECTORS PODC...
What’s this?! Has a new Doctor regenerated into an old familiar face? No, that sort of dumbassery only happens on Disney shows. Instead, we’re going back a bit and changing formats a LOT to look at a graphic novel written by one of the stars of the show! Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, and Dalton Hughes as they discuss Colin Baker’s THE AGE OF CHAOS – the graphic novel, we mean, not his tenure on TV. Rimshot! We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such ...
The first season of the McCoy era comes to a close, with a new companion and…a vampire story?! Really?! Were we the only ones who didn’t see this? Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, and Dalton Hughes as they discuss Ian Briggs’ novelization of DRAGONFIRE. We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DOCTOR WHO COLLECTORS PODCAST, THE POLICE BOX IN A JUNKYARD PODCAST, and TIMESTREAMS. You can check out these and other podcasts in the networ...
It’s the ‘50s, and there’s a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on. There’s also a whole lotta peeing. (You already know what we’re talking about, right?). Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, and Dalton Hughes as they discuss DELTA AND THE BANNERMAN – erm, MEN! Yeah, it’s MEN. Isn’t it? We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DOCTOR WHO COLLECTORS PODCAST, THE POLICE BOX IN A JUNKYARD PODCAST, and TIMESTREAMS. You can check out these and other ...
One of the joys of reading a novelization is reliving a story that you’ve always loved. Another joy of reading a novelization is not having to see the things you despised in a story that you’ve always hated. Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, and Dalton Hughes as they discuss how PARADISE TOWERS fits the latter category more than the former. Build High for Happiness! We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DOCTOR WHO COLLECTORS PODCAS...
It’s a new era, and we celebrate…never having to read another Pip and Jane Baker book again. (Did you really think I was about to say “the beginning of the McCoy era”? Well, that too.) Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, Dalton Hughes, and special guest Trey Korte as we begin the McCoy era with a man on the floor in a wig, a middle-aged woman appearing in drag, and so…many…exclamation marks!!! We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DO...
Who would’ve believed that we could discuss THE ULTIMATE FOE for longer than the actual run-time of the story – and that we could say mostly positive things about it? Granted, there’s still that business of some weird future Doctor being the villain (spoilers!) and Colin Baker being fired after making this, but why should that yuck our yum? Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, and Dalton Hughes as we finish the Colin Baker era with all the exclamation marks it deserves!!! We are a proud p...
Killer plants! A murder mystery! Scheming agronomists! Ellipses…sentence fragments…and exclamation marks! EVERYWHERE! And so much new vocab! Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, Dalton Hughes, and special guest Matthew Kresal as they discuss Pip and Jane Baker’s TERROR OF THE VERVOIDS!!! We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DOCTOR WHO COLLECTORS PODCAST, THE POLICE BOX IN A JUNKYARD PODCAST, and TIMESTREAMS. You can check out these a...
Is Peri dead? Is she unhappy in a forced marriage? Is she unhappy as the manager of a pro wrestler named Yrcanos? And what exactly does “Vroomnik” mean, anyway? Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, Dalton Hughes, and special guest Jason Miller as they discuss Philip Martin’s novelization of MINDWARP to find out! We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DOCTOR WHO COLLECTORS PODCAST, THE POLICE BOX IN A JUNKYARD PODCAST, and TIMESTREAMS. ...
What is the mystery of Ravalox? Is there really any Sixth Doctor and Peri slash fiction out there? And why are some car owners such a**holes? Join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, and Dalton Hughes as they discuss Terrance Dicks’ novelization of THE MYSTERIOUS PLANET to find out! We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DOCTOR WHO COLLECTORS PODCAST, THE POLICE BOX IN A JUNKYARD PODCAST, and TIMESTREAMS. You can check out these and other podca...
Is Kemel the most racist character created for the classic series? Did the Second Doctor really commit genocide? And did we really need a novelization of the “missing adventure” between THE WHEEL IN SPACE and THE DOMINATORS? Join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, and Dalton Hughes as they discuss Frazer Hines’ novelization of EVIL OF THE DALEKS to find out! We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DOCTOR WHO COLLECTORS PODCAST, THE POLICE BOX I...
What does Frazer Hines remember most about EVIL OF THE DALEKS? What convinced him to write his own version of it? And what did Sonny Caldinez do to get so…big? Come listen to Tony Whitt interviewing Hines about all of this and more in this special episode, before our regular panelists discuss his novelization next week! REVISITING THE EVIL OF THE DALEKS WITH FRAZER HINES was recorded on Saturday, November 30 at Chicago TARDIS 2024. The PowerPoint presentation used can be downloaded at the Google...
The year wouldn’t be complete without our light and calorie-free (not to mention mostly content-free) Holiday Special, and what better way to celebrate than to pull apart four books that we won’t even be covering on this show for another couple years? TARGETING THE NEW BATCH was recorded on Sunday, December 1 at Chicago TARDIS 2024. The PowerPoint presentation used can be downloaded at the Google Drive link below! We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine sh...
Saward’s not done with the show at this point yet, but we’re done with Saward, and it’s about…well, mostly about Douglas Adams, to be honest. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Saward was being really bloody sincere. Join Tony Whitt, Dalton Hughes, and Alyson Fitch-Safreed as they discuss the novelization of the radio play story SLIPBACK! We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DOCTOR WHO COLLECTORS PODCAST, THE POLICE BOX IN...
The Ice Warriors are back, and it’s about…well, ice, really. And a virus that kills off men. And a female-dominated society trying to fight a male-dominated one. And the Doctor’s bully from school. And Sil. AND… You get the idea. Join Tony Whitt, Dalton Hughes, and Alyson Fitch-Safreed as they look at the novelization of the unproduced television story MISSION TO MAGNUS! We are a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DOCTOR WHO COLLECTORS PODCAST, TH...
It's THE ULTIMATE EVIL! …but enough about the election. Now that certain lunatics are back in the White House, do we go back to calling him DWARF Mordant, or does the fact that we care make us snowflakes? And while we’re at it, would this story have been the new TWIN DILEMMA if it had been made. Join Tony Whitt, Dalton Hughes, and Alyson Fitch-Safreed as they go back to a simple time (i.e., anytime before November 5) and look at the novelization of this unproduced television story! We are a prou...
In some alternate universe, the BBC had complete confidence in Colin Baker; Season 23 was produced and premiered right on schedule; and Graham Williams wrote the first of what would be a long line of excellent scripts for the show he once produced. None of those things happened in our universe, of course – but we still got the excellent Graham Williams story. Tony Whitt, Dalton Hughes, and Alyson Fitch-Safreed talk about the first of three stories that were never produced (and one which was) as ...
Last time Eric Saward squared off against the New Zealand Doctor Who Fan Club, it didn’t go so well for him. What about this time? Has Saward learned from the excesses that laid RESURRECTION so low? Has the NZDWFC provided us a better read yet again? Come listen as Tony Whitt, Dalton Hughes, and Alyson Fitch-Safreed debate whether a bunch of references to tinclavic and Terileptils actually make for a worse novelization. We are now a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including su...
Some fans have called this story cursed, and after losing two-thirds of our first attempt to record this episode and then having to remount it three weeks later, we agree! (Is this what it felt like to make SHADA? They both have Denis Carey in them, so…maybe HE’S the curse?) Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, and Dalton Hughes as we try to endure this book without having to call an ambulance. (Just listen and that attempt at a joke will make more sense. Unlike this story.) We are now a ...
You’re listening to your favorite podcast (ha!), and they decide to cover SEARCH FOR THE DOCTOR by Dave Martin, one of the FIND YOUR FATE books featuring the Sixth Doctor. If you decide to stick around and here what Tony Whitt and Dalton Hughes have to say about this bizarre book, go to 159. If you decide you’d rather wait until they get around to discussing a novelization of a real story such as (snort!) TIMELASH, go to 160. If you decide to do neither of these things, well, you already know wh...
Name me another podcast where such varied subjects as Season 6B, the morality of vegetarianism, the inherent racism of DOCTOR WHO, and the relative sexual attractiveness of Patrick Troughton come up in the same discussion. I dare you. Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, and Dalton Hughes as we discuss Robert Holmes’ first and only full-length novelization of his script for THE TWO DOCTORS. We are now a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DO...
For this synopsis, I tried to come up with jokes about the Master hanging around in a field waiting for the Doctor or the Rani giving one of her victims a woody, but I just couldn’t be bothered. Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, and Dalton Hughes as we try to decide whether there’s any joy to be had in Pip and Jane Baker’s book, or whether it’s just an ACT vocab study guide masquerading as a novelization. We are now a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fi...
What exactly is the literary equivalent of a video nasty? And does the novelization of VENGEANCE ON VAROS really fit the bill, or is it more of a political satire in the vein of 1984 – or maybe both? Come join Tony Whitt, Alyson Fitch-Safreed, and Dalton Hughes as we try to figure out exactly what Philip Martin was trying to do with this book, and why it took him nearly four years to do it. We are now a proud part of the Direction Point Podcast Network, including such fine shows as THE DOCTOR WH...
