THIS WEEK IN DOCTOR WHO - 18 SEPTEMBER 1998

Note: In case you weren't in a position to get the update I sent out, the big news of last week was that Maine Public Broadcasting will pick up Doctor Who on Saturday nights at 9PM beginning October 3rd. They will begin airing the show with Tom Baker's episodes. This leaves a mere 190 or so PBS stations to convince to air the show until we have full US coverage!

If you have schedule information or other feedback, you can reach me at bfelliott@jnpcs.com.

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The UK:

UK Gold is airing two omnibus stories this weekend. On Saturday they'll air the William Hartnell story The Ark from 10:05AM to 12:05PM. The 1st Doctor, Steven, and Dodo land on a ship in the far future where all of humanity is stored. On Sunday they'll show the colour Jon Pertwee story The Claws of Axos from 10:05AM to 12PM. The 3rd Doctor, Jo, and UNIT's search for the Master is interrupted by the arrival of an alien ship. The aliens offer a substance that could significantly improve the human quality of life. But is the price too high?

Europe:

BBC Prime airs Doctor Who 3 times on Saturdays, at 1:05AM CET, 10AM, and 5:30PM. The 1:05AM and 10AM broadcasts will air episode 2 of The Talons of Weng-Chiang, while the 5:30PM showing will feature episode 3. In 19th Century London, the 4th Doctor and Leela investigate a series of disappearances and murders in Chinatown. The trail seems to lead to a magician.

Canada:

SPACE: The Imagination Station airs Doctor Who on the specialty cable tier. On Sunday, "The Waking Ally", episode 5 of The Dalek Invasion of Earth will show at 8AM Eastern Time and 3:30AM. The 1st Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Susan continue their fight against the Daleks who conquered Earth, but one of them is thinking of staying behind. The weekday episodes air at 7:30AM Eastern Time. Monday through Thursday, the 1st 3rd Doctor story Spearhead From Space airs. The 3rd Doctor is exiled to Earth just as an alien invasion begins. Then on Friday, see episode 1 of The Silurians. The Brigadier calls the 3rd Doctor and Liz Shaw to an experimental nuclear power plant to examine a series of power failures and psychiatric breakdowns. This is the Black and White version of "Silurians".

Some Canadians can also see Doctor Who on their PBS stations. British Columbia and Alberta viewers can check out KSPS. Ontario viewers can find KBDI. And New Brunswick viewers will have the option of Maine Public Broadcasting beginning October 3rd.

USA:

Maine Public Broadcasting will begin airing Doctor Who again in just 2 weeks. Beginning Saturday, October 3rd, viewers throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and parts of New Brunswick, Canada will get 2 episodes at 9PM Eastern time. They will begin with Tom Baker's episodes. Of course, many Maine viewers can also receive NHPTV's signals ...

... and this week NHPTV presents episodes 1 and 2 of The Seeds of Death Friday night at 10PM. The 2nd Doctor, Jamie, and Zoe arrive on Earth at the same time that The Ice Warriors arrive at the moon. Will they do lunch together, or fight over whether Earth or Mars gets to rule Earth, with T.Mat as the battlefield? Hint: no waiters get tipped in this story.

For probably the final week, WQED 13 / WQEX 16 Pittsburgh and BBC America (a Cable network) will air the same Doctor Who episode. In The Ark In Space, episode 4, the Wirrn go into battle with the awakened humans for the sleeping survivors of humanity. Will the 4th Doctor's plans to save humanity be foiled by Sarah's decision to indulge in a few hot fudge sundaes in unrecorded adventures? Or will she be able to squeeze through? WQED will air the episode Saturday at 10:30PM, and BBC America will air it (with commercials) Saturday at 11:15PM Eastern Time with a 5:15AM repeat.

MPT Maryland offers viewers the chance to see "The Expedition", episode 5 of The Daleks, this Saturday late night at Midnight. The 1st Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Susan have successfully escaped the Daleks. Unfortunately, they left their fluid link behind. Now what can they do?

WUFT 5 in Gainesville, Florida will give viewers Earthshock Saturday afternoon at 5PM. The 5th Doctor and company land in a series of caves in the 26th Century. Meanwhile, an expedition in the save set of caves is slaughtered by a mysterious force. A follow.up expedition suspects the Doctor, but the answer is far more serious. And that's just episode 1. By the end of the movie format broadcast, British viewers were left shocked at a story that broke one of the cardinal rules of the series. If you don't know what happens, watch and be surprised. If you do know, get an unsuspecting person to watch with you and gauge the reaction after he or she sees the ending.

WUSF 16 in West Palm Beach, Florida moves on to episode 1 of Kinda, the 5th Doctor story that introduced a new villain, focused on Tegan, and had barely any appearances from Nyssa in it. It all takes place on Deva Loka, a planet haunted by an infamous force. The episode airs at 11:30PM Saturday.

[DWAlliance Editor's Note: As mentioned in Letters of Comment, WUSF is in Tampa, not West Palm Beach]

WCET 48 is Cincinnati, Ohio's source for movie format 7th Doctor stories. It airs them at 11PM on Saturdays. This week the Doctor and Ace face a Silver Nemesis. Modern Nazis (practically New Age . I was half expecting to see them practice Yoga) and Lady Peinforte (a woman from 1638) travel to Windsor, England on November 22, 1988. They are waiting for the arrival of a statue. The Doctor must keep both force from keeping their hands on it. Unfortunately for him, a 3rd force turns up ...

WFWA 39 from Fort Wayne, Indiana helps viewers relieve the Nightmare of Eden. A collision in space destabilizes two ships. The 4th Doctor turns up and offers to help. But when an illicit drug appears, guess who gets the blame! A movie format broadcast at Midnight late Saturday.

WTBU 69 in Indianapolis, Indiana proves that there's nothing as irritating as deja.vu. At 6PM Sunday, it will air the movie version of Meglos. A venomous cactus traps the 4th Doctor and Romana in a Chronic Hysterisis. Then he impersonates the Doctor to engage in a con job. Will the Doctor ever break free? Note: this came out many years before "Wag The Dog".

WTBU 69 in Indianapolis, Indiana proves that there's nothing as irritating as deja.vu. At 6PM Sunday, it will air the movie version of Meglos. A venomous cactus traps the 4th Doctor and Romana in a Chronic Hysterisis. Then he impersonates the Doctor to engage in a con job. Will the Doctor ever break free? Note: this came out many years before "Wag The Dog".

Louisiana Public Television (LPTV) presents parts 5 and 6 of [s{TheSeaDevils}}. The 3rd Doctor and the Master each try to convince the Sea Devils to follow their ideas for either peace or conquest. But these reptiles are not so easy to control. These episodes that conclude the story air at 10PM Saturday.

Iowa Public Television (IPTV) offers 2 episodes of the good Doctor late Friday night at 11:05PM. This week, the 3rd Doctor wraps up Spearhead From Space and then experiences part one of The Silurians. They will be showing the Black and White version of "Silurians".

KBDI 12 in Denver, Colorado will not air Doctor Who on Friday night. When it resumes on Saturday, they will offer episodes 5 and 6 of The Time Monster at the special time of 10:05PM. The Master's efforts to take the Atlantis crystal come to a head, and threaten far more then Atlantis. Of course, no one will listen to the 3rd Doctor.

KTEH 54 in San Jose, California concludes its run of 5th Doctor stories will The Caves of Androzani, airing complete Sunday night at 11PM in episode format. The Doctor and Peri are stuck on a mud.spitting planet as former gunrunner Saraz Jek faces off against the forces of a corrupt President. Normally, that's bad enough. But this time, the Doctor and Peri learn they are dying, and the cure is beyond their reach. After this, at 12:42AM, KTEH will air "Mythmakers: Jon Pertwee", a special that probably focuses on his Doctor Who years..

KRCB 22 in Sonoma County, California airs episode one of Planet of Fire Saturday late night at 11PM. Tegan's left the TARDIS, and everyone's coping in their own way. The Doctor does some exploring, Turlough fishes a drowning teenager out of the water, and Kamelion starts meddling with the TARDIS. And an old villain is back ...

KSPS 7 in Spokane, Washington airs the movie version of The Android Invasion Saturday night at 10:30PM Pacific Time (11:30PM Mountain). The 4th Doctor and Sarah finally get back to 20th Century Earth. But the planet appears to be deserted. Some British Columbian and Albertan viewers can see these broadcasts.

KBTC 28 in Tacoma, Washington will show episodes 9 and 10 of Trial Of A Time Lord. The 6th Doctor begins his rebuttal case, still shocked by the Valeyard's evidence. To try to confuse him, the Doctor picks an adventure from his FUTURE. But the footage isn't the same now as when the Doctor viewed it in private. This is the first appearance of Mel. These episodes, also known as "Terror Of The Vervoids" parts 1 and 2, will air 4 times: Saturday at 7PM and 12:30AM, Monday at 7:30PM and 12:30AM.

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Thanks for reading!

WTBU 69 in Indianapolis, Indiana proves that there's nothing as irritating as deja.vu ...