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Wednesday 2nd April 2003



This Week In Doctor Who - April 2, 2003
(TWIDW post #0150)
THIS WEEK IN DOCTOR WHO - April 2, 2003
by Benjamin F. Elliott
Vol 6, No 14
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thisweekindoctorwho
thisweekindoctorwho-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
May looks to be a busy month for Doctor Who broadcasts.
On 2 May, the new version of Shada premieres on the BBC's Doctor Who website http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/ . It stars Paul McGann as the 8th Doctor, Lalla Ward as Romana, and John Leeson as K9. More info on how it will be serialized when that info comes out.
UK Gold will have "Dalek Days" on the May Bank Holidays. 10 of the 11 complete Dalek stories will air - 5 stories per Bank Holiday. Only The Chase is being skipped. It is too soon to be sure how much of the marathons will air on UK Gold 2 or UK Gold +1. These will be UK Gold's existing prints of stories, and not remastered versions. Here's the lineup:

Monday 5 May
7:20AM BST The Dead Planet aka The Dalek aka The Mutants
10:45AM BST The Dalek Invasion of Earth
1:35PM BST The Day Of The Daleks
3:25PM BST Planet of the Daleks
6:05PM BST Death to the Daleks

Monday 26 May
9:50AM BST Genesis of the Daleks
12:35PM BST Destiny of the Daleks
2:30PM BST Resurrection of the Daleks
4:20PM BST Revelation of the Daleks
6:10PM BST Remembrance of the Daleks
The UK Sci-Fi Channel http://www.uk.scifi.com/ will be airing the 1996 Doctor Who TV Movie in May. Alas, apparently Sci-Fi and UK Gold don't co-ordinate their schedules - Doctor Who airs on 5 May from 7:20 to 9PM, overlapping with Death to the Daleks. Months and months with no Doctor Who on Mondays in Britain, and then two channels air it at the same time. If you want to watch both this movie and the UK Gold marathons, your best bet is to catch the April showing on the 20th (Easter) at 1:10PM, immediately following a broadcast of the documentary Dalekmania, which begins at Noon that day.
The South African Sci-Fi Channel http://www.uk.scifi.com/ - yes, the same website - will air both the 1996 Doctor Who movie and a new Doctor Who special in May. The special is part of a series profiling UK Science fiction shows called SF:UK. Here's the lineup:
Saturday 3 May 4:25PM SF:UK - Trips Through Time And Space (first airing?)
Wednesday 21 May 8PM Doctor Who 1996 TV Movie
Wednesday 21 May 9:25PM SF:UK - Trips Through Time And Space
Saturday 24 May 6:35PM Doctor Who 1996 TV Movie
In the US, multiple stations (KBDI and NHPTV so far) have skipped Time and the Rani, the first 7th Doctor story, only to reschedule it to air at a later date. No known reason why.
Maryland Public TV will pre-empt Doctor Who on May 3rd, as an installment of their spring documentary series Independent Eye will start late and run long. This will be the first time I can recall Maryland Public TV not airing Doctor Who at some hour during the week since July 6, 1998, before this column began. I don't know if that is the longest consecutive week run that Doctor Who has had on a TV station without a single pre-emption, but it is certainly a long run. A big round of applause for Maryland Public TV.
Meanwhile, let us scratch our heads in confusion at Maryland Public TV and Iowa Public TV, which are about to skip Doctor Who stories for reasons unknown. Iowa Public TV is bypassing Genesis of the Daleks. Maryland Public TV is skipping The Five Doctors and Frontios.
As of this week, New Hampshire Public TV is airing just 1 Doctor Who episode a week - Saturdays at 11PM Eastern.
BBC Radio 7 listeners - it appears that the broadcast of Shada last weekend was not the only Doctor Who on the immediate agenda. The Jon Pertwee story The Paradise Of Death begins being serialized in the 7th Dimension sci-fi slot this weekend.
» Shada was meant to be Slipback
Time Zone changes continue this weekend. Most places around the world that did not go to Daylight Savings or Standard Time last weekend will switch this weekend. Some places will not switch at all. Make sure you know whether or not you need to change your clock and change it in the right direction. If you plan to listen to anything online that comes from another country, make sure you know whether they are on Daylight or Standard Time as well.
While I try to keep the column up to date, I do sometimes miss late changes to schedules. If you see TWIDW's information getting out of synch with what your local station is actually airing, let me know ASAP.
Additions and corrections are welcome at thisweekindoctorwho-owner@yahoogroups.com , bfelliott@... , bfelliott3 on AOL IM, or thebfe on Yahoo Messenger. And now, the listings:


RADIO/INTERNET:


BBC Radio 7 http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/
Digital radio & TV in UK, live realplayer link on website for worldwide use
Sat 6PM+ Mid BST (7PM+1AM CET, Noon+6PM EST, 9AM+3PM PST, Sun 3+9AM AEST) The Paradise Of Death pt 1 of 5
Sun 6PM+Mid BST (7PM+1AM CET, 1+7PM EDT, 10AM+4PM PDT, Mon 3+9AM AEST) The Paradise Of Death pt 2 of 5

A mysterious death at a theme park draws the attention of UNIT. The 3rd Doctor thinks that something is seriously wrong with "Experience Reality" Set between The Time Warrior and Invasion of the Dinosaurs. Starring Jon Pertwee, Nicholas Courtney, and Elisabeth Sladen. Produced for the radio in 1993.
Fri 7PM EST InterstellarTransmissions
http://www.interstellartransmissions.com
WWNN AM1470 Pompano Beach/Boca Raton, FL (Miami/West Palm Beach, FL)
http://www.wnnhealthtalkradio.com
Joey Reynolds' weekly radio show for sci-fi news and interviews, which can be heard online worldwide. Doctor Who news usually discussed during the show. This week - Samuel R. Delany on diversity in science fiction.
Business Talk Radio Network http://www.businesstalkradio.net/
Late Sun/Early Mon 2-6AM EDT (11PM-3AM PDT, 7-11AM BST, 4-8PM AEST ) Sci-Fi Overdrive
http://www.scifioverdrive.com/ station list on the scifioverdrive website
http://www.businesstalkradio.net/weekday_host/Archives/sfo.shtml - archives in MP3 format
Live audio link at Business Talk website - requires Windows Media Player.
National version of Interstellar Transmissions, though probably easiest to hear in timezones outside the USA. This week - two hours of sci-fi news/talk, repeat of the Interstellar Transmissions talk with Samuel R. Delany on diversity in science fiction, and Mark Hamill (Star Wars, Batman, Time Squad) in the last hour.


TV:


UK:
UK Gold http://www.onthebox.com/partner/otb
Late Fri 1:35-3:35AM, Sat 7:10-9AM BST Carnival Of Monsters movie
The 3rd Doctor and Jo find themselves shrunk down to size in an electronic zoo where license paying customers can watch multiple channels of reality programming. Nah. Who'd watch that?
Late Sat 1:10-3:35AM, Sun 6:35-9AM BST Frontier In Space movie
An old enemy is fomenting hatred between Earth and Draconia, in hopes of starting an intergalactic war. No one will listen to our heros, no matter what outfit Jo is wearing.

UK Gold + 1
Late Fri 2:35-4:35AM BST Carnival Of Monsters movie
Late Sat 2:10-4:35AM BST Frontier In Space movie
Homechoice http://www.homechoice.co.uk
Video On Demand. Now playing:
Robot all 4 pts
The Ark In Space all 4 pts
The Sontaran Experiment both pts
CANADA/USA:
BBC Kids http://www.bbckids.ca
Weeknights 2 episodes Midnight + 4AM Eastern Time (9PM + 1AM Pacific Time)
Saturday/Sunday complete stories Midnight + 3:30AM Eastern Time (9PM +
12:30AM Pacific Time)
Wed The Androids of Tara pts 1+2 of 4
Thu The Androids of Tara pts 3+4 of 4

To rescue Romana and the 4th segment of the Key To Time, the 4th Doctor becomes involved in court intrigue, as a Count plots to steal control of the kingdom of Tara from the rightful Prince on Coronation Day.
Fri The Power of Kroll pts 1+2 of 4
The 4th Doctor is mistaken for a gun-runner.
Sat The Horns of Nimon all 4 pts
A decaying empire has struck a devils' bargain with a horn-wearing creature. Not only will an innocent world suffer, but the empire itself could be destroyed by its own bargain. Only the 4th Doctor, Romana, and K9 can set things right.
***BBC Kids is officially switching to Daylight Savings Time half-way through The Horns of Nimon. Horns will therefore end at 3AM Eastern Time, 30 minutes before its second airing. In the Pacific Time Zone, where Daylight Savings Time will not have started yet, the 12:30AM rerun will begin at 11:30PM that night only. Adjust the information for your local time zone. At 1AM late Saturday/early Sunday in your timezone, it becomes 2AM.***
Sun The Leisure Hive all 4 pts
The 4th Doctor's continuing search for a good holiday spot brings the TARDIS to Argolis, where scientific experiments may have found a way to reverse the effects of aging and extend life.
Mon The Power of Kroll pts 3+4 of 4
A giant squid is mistaken for a god.
Tue The Armageddon Factor pts 1+2 of 6
The final segment of the Key To Time is hidden somewhere on Atrios, a world being devastated by a nuclear war.
Channel numbers in brackets ( ) indicate a digital station that is not on the air. Low power stations do not currently have digital assignments.
NHPTV New Hampshire http://www.nhptv.org
analog 11,49,52
digital 57,48,(49) - not on digital schedule yet
Boston Dish Local 8781,11
Thu 11:30PM, Sat 11PM EST Paradise Towers pt 1 of 4
Beginning this week, NHPTV airs just one episode a week. This is the only week a Thursday airing is listed. It is possible that the Thursday episode is part 1 and the Saturday episode is part 2, because the online schedule thinks that Time and the Rani will begin (out of order) on April 26, giving just 3 weeks for the 4 episodes of Paradise Towers.
WCNY/W59AU Syracuse/Utica, NY http://www.wcny.org
analog 24,59
digital 25-1
Sun 5:30PM EDT The Seeds of Doom pt 2 of 6
Goons hired to steal the seed pod plan to kill everyone at the South Pole to cover their tracks. But a pod has already claimed a researcher, and is even now turning into a monster.
WSKG Binghamton, NY http://www.wskg.com
analog 46
digital (42) - under construction
Pre-empted by auction. Next episode airs April 19.
WQED/WQEX Pittsburgh, PA http://www.wqed.org
analog 13,16
digital 38-1,(26)
Pittsburgh DirecTV Local 13,947
Pittsburgh Dish Local 8136,13
Late Sat Mid EST The Five Doctors 4 pt version, pt 1? of 4
Last week's Doctor Who broadcast was replaced at the last minute by a Doo Wop special. Tonight's episode is still scheduled, though next week Doctor Who is now listed as pre-empted again. Doctor Who will return April 19.
» this episode was also pulled from the schedule.
WYBE Philadelphia, PA http://www.wybe.org
analog 35
digital (34) - coming 2003
Philadelphia DirecTV Local 35,909
Philadelphia Dish Local 8162,35
Sat 11PM EST Nightmare of Eden pts 2+3 of 4
A dangerous drug is putting the crews of the ships into a stupor, unable to deal with the growing menace. The 4th Doctor and Romana are the prime suspects in this latest problem.
MPT Maryland http://www.mpt.org
analog 22,67,28,31,62,36
digital 42,(29),(62),(44),(28),(56) - simulcast of analog begins in 2003
DC/Hagerstown & Baltimore DirecTV Local 22,980
Late Sat Mid EST The King's Demons movie
The 5th Doctor and company arrive in 13th Century England, where King John hails them as Demons. The Five Doctors should logically air next week, but MPT will skip it and go to WarriorsFromTheDeep. Unless their online listings are wrong.
WCET Cincinnati, OH http://www.wcet.org
analog 48
digital 34-1
Cincinnati DirecTV Local 48,909
Cincinnati Dish Local 8356,48
Sat 11PM EST The Five Doctors Special Edition 102 minutes
This special 1995 revamp of the Five Doctors airs this week before WCET moves into the Colin Baker era. With new special effects, more scenes, and several alternate takes, it still essentially follows the original story. Doctors past and present along with Companions are taken out of time by a villain who wants them to solve a mystery, without them knowing why they're doing it.
WILL Urbana, IL http://www.will.uiuc.edu
analog 12
digital (33) - under construction
Sat 11:40PM CST The Armageddon Factor pt 3 of 6
The 4th Doctor, Romana, and K9 learn the secret of the planet Zeos.
IPTV Iowa http://www.sffn.com http://www.iptv.org
analog 11,12,21,24,27,32,32,36,36
digital 50-1,(45),(25),(18),(28),(33),(35),(35),(34)
Des Moines Dish Local 9116,11
Omaha, NE Dish Local 9146,32
Cedar Rapids Dish Local 9161,12
Sat 11:35PM CST Revenge of the Cybermen pts 1+2 of 4
IPTV skipped Genesis of the Daleks. Returning to Nerva after dealing with the Daleks, the 4th Doctor learns that they have arrived too early. Before the TARDIS catches up with them, a space "plague" and an intergalactic traitor get in the way.
KERA/K44FI Dallas/Wichita Falls, TX http://www.kera.org
analog 13,44
digital 14-1
Dallas DirecTV Local 13,889
Dallas Dish Local 8406,13
Pre-empted a final time. Doctor Who returns Late Friday April 11 at 12:30AM.
» a later report indicated Castrovalva aired this week in the Friday timeslot.
KBDI/K32EO Denver/Colorado Springs, CO http://www.kbdi.org
analog 12,32
digital (38) - under construction
Denver DirecTV Local 12,910
Denver Dish Local 8211,12
No Friday episodes this week.
Late Fri 12:30AM MST Dragonfire pt 1 of 3
Late Fri 1AM MST, Sat 11PM MST Dragonfire pts 2+3 of 3
Sabalom Glitz tries to get the 7th Doctor to help him in a quest to find an ancient treasure. Mel is left babysitting her worst nightmare - a troubled teenager called Ace. Pre-empted by pledge drive next week. In two weeks, Time And The Rani will finally air, albeit out of order.
KUED/KUES Salt Lake City/Richfield, UT http://www.kued.org
analog 7,19
digital 42-1,(19)
Salt Lake City DirecTV Local 7,982
Salt Lake City Dish Local 8536,7
Sat 11:30PM MST Meglos pt 3 of 4
The 4th Doctor's life is imperiled, as he is blamed for Meglos' evil deeds. His only hope is for Romana to find the real long-coated, flowing scarfed villain.
KBTC/KCKA/K65BU 28,15,65 Tacoma/Centralia/Gray's River, WA
http://www.kbtc.org
analog 28,15,65
digital (27),(19) - under construction
Seattle DirecTV Local 12,910
Seattle Dish Local 8620,28
Sat 7PM, Late Sat 12:30AM PST Delta and the Bannermen pts 1+2 of 3
The 7th Doctor and Mel win a vacation to Disneyland in 1959. Doctor Who didn't have the budget in 1987 to go out of the country, so a space accident moves the vacation to Wales. One of the passengers carries a secret which could end the vacation early, and bring an alien invasion to a summer camp.
KTEH/KCAH San Jose/Watsonville, CA http://www.kteh.org
analog 54,25
digital (50),(58) - under construction
San Francisco DirecTV Local 54,903
Salinas Dish Local 9190,25
San Francisco Dish Local 8234,54 - not available to subscribers
Due to situations largely beyond their control, Doctor Who is on hiatus on KTEH/KCAH. Doctor Who will return ASAP.


Thanks for reading. Until next week, take care.

Doctor Who is a BBC Trademark. Copyright 2003.