This Week In Doctor Who - September 25th

Once lost story has first broadcast in the UK since the 1960s! Details below.

Welcome to the column that tries to give an accurate account of all Doctor Who broadcasts scheduled in the coming week. If your station carries Doctor Who, you can read this to compare what you're getting to what other people in Who areas are offered. If you don't have access to Doctor Who broadcasts, you can find out what you're missing. As always, I need reader feedback. If I'm making a mistake about something, or a new station has picked up the show that I don't know about, your alerting me is vital. I try to make sure that everything's accurate, but I'm not infallible. If you wish to give feedback, whether it's a complement or a correction, just e- mail me.

Broadcasting News: UK Gold's October schedule has come out. On Saturday, October 10th, they've quietly penciled in The Tomb of the Cybermen. Apparently, this story hasn't aired on television over there since 1967. They didn't repeat it when it was discovered in 1991. They didn't repeat it in the 1993 30th Anniversary. Now, after it has aired in a number of other countries and been one of the most successful video releases, it will finally re-air on British television. Hopefully it will set a few UK Gold viewing records.

In other UK news, BBC Choice has launched. They're currently offering a lot of repeats of first episodes of BBC programs. As of press time, I was unaware of any Doctor Who programming planned for this digital channel.

Foxtel's UK-TV in Australia is still not airing any of the 'Who-Files' specials that were promised to viewers. The most recent news from them was that the regular Doctor Who broadcasts would resume in October.

The Doctor Who News Page notes that ABC Australia, the regular Doctor Who broadcaster down under during its original run, has no plans right now to order episodes again. They're on a tight budget and many Doctor Who stories are available on video.

Countdown in Maine: It's just one more week until Maine Public Broadcasting picks up Doctor Who! Two episodes will air every Saturday night at 9PM beginning October 3rd.

BBC America is taking this week off from Doctor Who broadcasts. Its "new" stories will begin playing October 3rd with The Sontaran Experiment.

MPT Maryland fans, take note. They will finish The Daleks on October 3rd at Midnight. The next week, they're changing their schedule again. Please get to the end of the paragraph before giving a combination cry of joy and pain. Beginning Friday, October 9th, they will air complete Hartnell stories Friday and Saturday nights at Midnight (the same story Friday and Saturday, in case you can't see both broadcasts). It looks like they're returning to movie format broadcasts. They will start with The Edge of Destruction.

Finally in the news, it seems that I've made an error in the last few columns. I've written that WUSF 16 originates in West Palm Beach, Florida. Actually, it originates in Tampa. WXEL 42 broadcasts from West Palm Beach, and they aren't airing Doctor Who right now (they have ordered some pledge specials for December).

On to the actual schedule listings:

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The UK:

UK Gold presents a weekend of gunfights and stiff actors just for us. Saturday morning watch The Gunfighters, an oft maligned 1st Doctor story. In 1881 Tombstone, USA, Americans with British accents face off in a carefully crafted tale that bungles the entire OK Coral legend, but in a good way. Sit back and enjoy the first Who story to ever have a ballad written for it. It runs from 10AM to 12:05PM.

Then on Sunday morning the 3rd Doctor has his first adventure away from Earth. It seems the Time Lords consider a doomsday weapon more serious then his exile. Can the Doctor find out what is happening on the Colony In Space? Special guest starring Roger Delgado as you-know-who. This over-rated story airs from 8:55 to 11:50AM.

Mainland Europe:

BBC Prime, as always, repeats one episode twice on Saturday and then airs the next episode. This week the 1:05AM CET and 10AM CET showings are of The Talons of Weng-Chiang, episode 3. Then, at 5:30PM CET, they'll air The Talons o of Weng-Chiang, episode 4. Enjoy this classic 4th Doctor / Leela story set in the 19th Century. But the villain seems to be slightly more advanced.

Canada:

SPACE: The Imagination Station offers viewers a bonus this week. Saturday afternoon at 4PM Eastern, they will repeat the special I Was A Doctor Who Monster!. Their Sunday broadcast this week will be Flashpoint, episode 6 of The Dalek Invasion of Earth. The 1st Doctor and company wage their final desperate assault on the Daleks in an attempt to save the human race from destruction. And one of the original cast will never re-enter the TARDIS. This episode with the memorable ending airs at 8AM and 3:30AM. Monday through Friday at 7:30AM Eastern, the 3rd Doctor tries to help "Doctor Who And The Silurians" make peace with the humans in episodes 2 through 6 of that story. This is the Black and White version of that story.

Some Canadian viewers can also see PBS stations with Doctor Who Broadcasts. Some Ontarians can view KBDI Denver. Some British Columbian and Albertan viewers can see KSPS Spokane. And next week, some New Brunswick fans will be able to see Doctor Who on Maine Public Broadcasting.

The USA:

NHPTV New Hampshire presents episodes 3 and 4 of The Seeds of Death Friday night at 10PM. The 2nd Doctor faces off against the Ice Warriors, who've decided to decline the Doctor's dinner invitation and wipe out all life on Earth instead. Then, they can move in. At least these warriors are very clean creatures. They're using killer soap!

WQED 13 / WQEX 16 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania will air episode 1 of 2 of The Sontaran Experiment, the shortest of all the 4th Doctor stories. The Doctor, Sarah, and Harry travel from Space Station Nerva to Earth to see if it's ready for human habitation. A slight problem: it's already inhabited, sort of. Tune in Saturday night at 10:30PM.

MPT Maryland will air The Ordeal, episode 6 of The Daleks, this Saturday at Midnight. Ian and Barbara help the Thals sneak behind the back of the Dalek city for a surprise attack. But the price will be high. Meanwhile, the 1st Doctor and Susan are involved in a frontal assault.

WUFT 5 in Gainesville, Florida will show the movie version of Time-Flight at 5PM Saturday. Suffering the aftereffects of Earthshock, the TARDIS crew finally make it to Heathrow airport, where Tegan had wanted to go. But Concordes are disappearing, and before you can say "Beware of the Kalid!", the 5th Doctor finds himself getting involved in a terrifying time-travel trip. This story took the unusual approach of letting a number of theoretically dead characters get involved at various points, with at least one of them not being dead. Most reviewers forget this to complain about the special effects and the plot, but it's worth remembering this aspect and watching to see how they do it.

WUSF 16 in TAMPA, Florida is NOT airing Doctor Who at 11:30PM this Saturday. They're having a pledge drive! The apparent start time is 11:55PM, and it's scheduled for 35 minutes. This week's episode is part 2 of Kinda. This 5th Doctor, Tegan, Adric, but not Nyssa story is generally loved or hated by fans. Trouble is brewing in paradise, and its teabag is Tegan. Meanwhile, two of the people on the human expedition go insane. Confused. Watch the episode to understand.

» The episode shown was actually part one, most likely at 11:30pm. The pledge has also been shifted two weeks on to 09 Oct 1998.

WCET 48 in Cincinnati, Ohio airs the movie version of The Greatest Show in the Galaxy. Watch one of the cast of the new "Love Boat" as the ringmaster! Gasp at the stunts, or what happens when the stunts fail! Beware of "junk mail that talks back"! Meet the mysterious intergalactic explorer and his assistant, Max! Marvel at the time traveling earring that Ace finds for the first time 1 story after wearing it on her jacket! And wonder just what those 3 spectators are there for! Sit right back and enjoy the show Saturday late night at 11PM! Any more fares, please?

WFWA 39 in Fort Wayne, Indiana presents the classic 4th Doctor story The Horns of Nimon in movie format Saturday at Midnight. A gravity well. A new sonic screwdriver. An aging empire. A mysterious horned benefactor that just needs a few people to feed on. A charming megalomanic named Soldeed. And a deadly surprise. Can the Doctor, Romana, and K9 sort this situation out in time?

WTBU 69 in Indianapolis, Indiana (a public broadcasting station not born of PBS) offers fans the beginning of the "E-Space Trilogy" Sunday night at 6PM. In the movie presentation of Full Circle, the 4th Doctor tries to return Romana to Gallifrey against her wishes. The TARDIS insists they made it, but they're definitely NOT on Gallifrey. One of the regular characters is decapitated in this story. Also, it's the first meeting with Adric.

LPB (Louisiana Public Broadcasting) presents episodes 1 and 2 of The Mutants this Saturday night at 10PM. The Time Lords interrupt the 3rd Doctor's exile yet again to send him on a little mission. Considering the outcome, you'd think they'd choose a Time Lord who was less likely to attract attention. This story reputedly has the same title as the original Dalek story (sloppy producers), so that story is called The Daleks or "The Dead Planet" to avoid confusion.

Iowa Public Broadcasting will air episodes 2 and 3 of The Silurians Friday late night at 11:05PM. The 3rd Doctor, Liz, and the Brigadier are at a nuclear power plant investigating power failures. More people are going insane, and a mysterious creature is on the loose. And Dr. Quinn, Medicine Man, seems to have the answers, but he won't tell. This is the Black and White version.

KBDI 12 in Denver, Colorado, has been erratic lately in its Doctor Who showings, and that continues this week. Friday late night at 11PM Mountain time (1AM Eastern), they will repeat episodes 5 and 6 of The Time Monster, as the 3rd Doctor and Jo fight the Master's efforts to conquer the power of the crystal of Atlantis. But Saturday night's broadcast will be pre-empted by an auction. This station is also available to some Ontario viewers.

KTEH 54 from San Jose, California shows viewers the story that shocked Britain - The Twin Dilemma. The Doctor's regenerated into a madman. Suffering severe side effects from his problematic regeneration, the new 6th Doctor seems incapable of handling a simple matter of twins being kidnapped and a planet being threatened by slugs. He does try to kill Peri, though. The 4 episodes that threw the world for a loop air Sunday night beginning at 11:21PM. Then, at 1:03AM, they will air a KTEH interview with Colin Baker.

KRCB 22 in Rhonert Park, California will air Planet of Fire, episode 2. Turlough's hiding secrets and tattoos. Kamelion's having an identity crisis. And the Master is taking a surprisingly small role in what is one of his own plans. Can the 5th Doctor unravel the mysteries before the planet unravels itself?

KSPS 7 in Spokane, Washington (and available in several states) will present the movie version of The Brain of Morbius at 10:30PM Pacific time (11:30PM Mountain). The 4th Doctor and Sarah land on a planet where Time Lord heads are in high demand, but the Doctor's is the only one around! The original video release of this story had the entire "Sisterhood Of Karn" subplot sliced out of it for no apparent reason. So, if you bought the 1985 video release, this is 35-40 minutes longer. Some British Columbia and Alberta, Canada viewers can see this station.

KBTC 28 in Tacoma, Washington will air episodes 11 and 12 of "Trial Of A Time Lord" four times this weekend. (These episodes are also known as parts 3 and 4 of Terror Of The Vervoids.) The 6th Doctor's evidence of his behavior in the future isn't helping very much. He insists that the evidence has been tampered. He better be right, considering what happens when he agrees to stop the Vervoids. Watch these episodes Saturday at 7PM and 12:30AM, and Monday at 7:30PM and 12:30AM.

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Thanks for reading! Someday, enough of the world will be airing the series to make this column impossible.

Benjamin F. Elliott

This Week In Doctor Who is written by Benjamin F. Elliott. The Doctor Who Alliance of North America version is edited by Shaun Lyon. Siobahn Morgan and Shaun Lyon provide web space for the column. If you wish to recreate any part of this column, just contact the writer first. Doctor Who was produced by the BBC, who still have all copyrights and trademarks. This column is copyright 1998.