This Week in Doctor WhoThis Week in Doctor Who

This Week in Doctor Who: Print Archive


Friday 4th August 2000



THIS WEEK IN DOCTOR WHO - August 4, 2000
by Benjamin F. Elliott
Email: bfelliott@gallifreyone.com
The August pledge season is underway on most PBS stations. Remember that all start and end times provided for US stations during this period are approximate. Be on the lookout for shows beginning early or ending late, sudden pre-emptions, and unannounced Who specials.
WQED/WQEX Pittsburgh, PA has decided to go from 1 Doctor Who episode a week to 2. Beginning August 26, 2 episodes will air Saturdays at 11PM. When Red Dwarf returns in October, the start time will move to 11:30PM, the science show Stargazer will slip in somewhere, and it will be advertised as The Stargazer/Doctor Who Hour.
As previously mentioned, BBC America will air comedies at 5AM on August 14 instead of Doctor Who. However, it appears to be just a one week change. Doctor Who is back to 5 days a week on Monday the 21st, still at 5AM Eastern Time (2AM Pacific). This is BBC America, so I'm sure there will be more schedule changes before October.
The New Zealand Doctor Who Fan Club http://www.tetrap.com/drwho/nzdwfc/ has an interview with the person at Prime TV who got the idea to start airing the show there discussing how the show has done and what the future may be. Go to the Prime TV page on their site for details. Mostly encouraging.
Additions or corrections are welcome at bfelliott@gallifreyone.com or bfelliott@earthlink.net , or bfelliott3 on AOL IM. And now, the listings:


Radio/Real Audio:


BBC Radio 4
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/
Realplayer Stream
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/realplayer/index_fm.html
Dead Ringers ep 208
Fri 6:30PM BST (1:30PM EDT, 10:30AM PDT), Sat 12:30PM BST (7:30AM EDT, 4:30AM PDT)

As of press time, the Dead Ringers cast was hoping to get a prank phone call through from The Doctor to --- -----. Will they succeed? Season-ending cliffhanger.


Television:


UK/IRELAND:
UK Gold
http://www.sceneone.co.uk/s1/tv/listings
Sun 9-10:55AM BST The Curse of Fenric movie
The Summer of Syl reaches its 11th week as the TARDIS lands in 1943 England near a seaside town. An ancient Viking curse, the shady side of the British war effort, and the shady side of the Russian war effort come together for a lovely round of blood and gore. Ace learns a secret about her past.

UK Gold 2
http://www.sceneone.co.uk/s1/tv/listings
Sun 6-7:55PM BST The Curse of Fenric movie
More convenient time for people with Sky Digital service. Has UK Gold 2 turned up anywhere else yet? It's approaching two years old.
TG4/TnaG
http://www.tg4.ie/tg4.htm
http://www.sceneone.co.uk/s1/tv/listings
Sat-Sun 5:05PM BST The Curse of Peladon eps 3 - 4 of 4
A plot to keep Peladon out of the Federation is exposed, and the Doctor encounters the world's ugliest teddy bear.
EUROPE/AFRICA/ASIA:
BBC Prime
http://www.bbcprime.com/
Late Fri 1AM*, Sat 5PM CET The Keeper of Traken ep 2 of 4
Sun+Mon 11:30AM CET The Keeper of Traken ep 3 of 4

*Not seen in all regions.
Melkur gets the Doctor, Adric, and Tremas accused of treason, clearing the way for Kassia to become the new Keeper.
AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND:
UKTV Australia
http://www.varos.com/drwho/uktv/
Sun 7AM, Late Sun 1AM AEST The Mind of Evil all 6 eps
A week in the life of the UNIT family - seductive killers, nuclear missile disposal, a machine that absorbs the evil thoughts of killers. The Doctor begins to suspect that an Emil Keller is the link between all these crises. But even "Emil" does not suspect who will become the real villain in one of Jon Pertwee's most popular stories.
Mon-Tue 11:30PM AEST The Claws of Axos eps 3 - 4 of 4
The Axons plan to begin feeding on Earth within the next 24 hours unless the Doctor and the Master team up to save the day. While the Master might just be genuinely helping, suspicion develops about the Doctor's true motives.
Wed-Fri 11:30PM AEST Colony In Space eps 1 - 3 of 6
The TARDIS' first successful flight in close to two years takes the 3rd Doctor and Jo to a colony world which a mining company wants to take over.
Prime TV New Zealand
http://www.tetrap.com/drwho/nzdwfc/
http://www.primetv.co.nz/
Sun-Tue 6:25PM The Gunfighters eps 2 - 4 of 4 (Don't Shoot The Pianist, Johnny Ringo, The OK Corral)
Never before televised in New Zealand. The Clantons now believe that the Doctor is Doc Holliday, the man who killed their brother. And Wyatt Earp is perfectly willing to let the Clantons believe that. Much shooting and killing to follow.
Wed-Fri 6:25PM The War Machines eps 1 - 3 of 4
Last televised in 1969. The Doctor and Dodo return to 1966 London. In the newly-completed Post Office Tower, the ultimate computer has been assembled, capable of linking all computers around the world and enabling instant communication. The tower still stands in London today, though it is now owned by British Telecom.
USA:
BBC America
http://www.bbcamerica.com/
Weekdays 5AM EDT - 2 episodes edited together daily
Mon The Face of Evil eps 3+4 of 4

The Doctor and Leela face off against Xoanon, the computer who sounds distinctly like Tom Baker.
Tue-Wed The Robots of Death eps 1 - 4 of 4
Today on The Doctor Who Show - "I'm A Robot, But I Kill People". We investigate service robots that have developed a desire to kill people. We will also talk to the crew of a sandminer who were threatened by these robots, and to the person who claims responsibility for this mayhem - Taran Capel. And of course, our bouncers stand outside the stage if, as we hope, some gratuitous violence breaks out.
Thu-Fri Robot eps 1 - 4 of 4
Back to the first Tom Baker story, where the Doctor investigates the theft of the information needed to launch nuclear weapons and the plans to a doomsday weapon.
NHPTV New Hampshire 11,49,52
http://nhptv.org/
Sun 3PM EDT The Seeds of Doom eps 5+6 of 6
Harrison Chase suffers a mental breakdown. The Krynoid takes control of the mansion. U.N.I.T. considers an explosive solution to the problem, and the Doctor actually supports it. Next episodes air August 27.
WQED/WQEX 13,16 Pittsburgh, PA
http://www.wqed.org/
No episodes this week or next. Doctor Who special on August 19.
WYBE 35 Philadelphia, PA
http://www.wybe.org/
Sat 11PM EDT Full Circle eps 3+4 of 4
Romana is infected by the life cycle of Alzarius. The Doctor discovers the truth about the system files. Can the Alzarians handle the truth?
MPT Maryland 22,28,31,36,62,67
http://www.mpt.org/
Late Sat Mid* EDT Snakedance movie
*Also listed as 12:15AM in some listings. Tegan's mind is reinvaded
by the Mara, who plans to revive his evil culture on his home planet.
Watch out for the unusual camera techniques.
WUSF 16 Tampa, FL
http://www.wusftv.usf.edu/gateway.htm
Sat 11:45PM EDT The Trial Of A Time Lord ep 1 of 14 (The Mysterious Planet ep 1 of 4)
The 6th Doctor finds himself in a courtroom, where the Time Lords have questions about his tendencies to meddle in the development of civilizations.
WCET 48 Cincinnati, OH
http://www.wcet.org/
Sat 11:20PM EDT The Brain of Morbius eps 2+3 of 4
The Karn-age continues as Doctor Solon tries to recycle the Doctor's head and the Sisterhood decide that they would rather kill the Time Lord themselves. How do you figure out the good guys and the bad guys if both of them want to kill you? You check the script for episode 4, obviously, but that episode doesn't air until next week.
WYIN 56 Gary, IN (Chicago, IL)
http://www.wyin.org/
Sat 8PM CDT 30 Years In The TARDIS 1993 documentary (more likely 9pm)
A tribute to the history of the Doctor, which first aired on BBC 1 in 1993. Many clips and interviews. Released on video as "More Than 30 Years In The TARDIS with 40 more minutes of footage, but as the entire Doctor Who video catalog was recalled earlier this week during the changeover from FOX to Warner, this may be the only chance you'll have to see the special.
Sat 9PM CDT Horror of Fang Rock eps 2,3,+4 of 4 (more likely just episode 3)
As the people in the lighthouse die at an alarming rate, the Doctor and Leela discover that one of the humans is an alien in disguise.
Sat 10:30PM CDT "Doctor Who's Who's Who" 1985 documentary
That's right, WYIN fans. The New Jersey Network-produced special that WYIN has tried to air so many times before succeeding gets an encore appearance. The special that made many American viewers aware of fandom, with appearances by Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Jon Pertwee, and others. Next episode airs August 19.
TPT 2 St. Paul, MN
http://www.tpt.org/
Sat 11:30PM, Sun 5:30AM CDT The Talons of Weng-Chiang ep 3 of 6
Leela faces the forces of Weng-Chiang. Considering how good Leela is at killing people, you would think those forces would take one look and get out of the country. Bad news for them, I guess.
IPTV Iowa 11,12,21,24,27,32,32,36
http://www.sffn.com/
http://www.iptv.org/
Next episodes on August 11.
PPTV North Dakota 2,3,4,6,9,13,19
http://www.pptv.org/
Fri 10:30PM CDT (9:30PM MDT) The Sun Makers ep 3 of 4
The Gatherer plans to use the Doctor as bait to catch the rebels. Leela is captured and sentenced to either death or cessation of chocolate rations, whichever is worse. Next episode on August 18.
KBDI/K32EO 12,32 Denver/Colorado Springs, CO
http://www.kbdi.org/
Sat 10PM MDT The Ribos Operation ep 1 of 4
No Friday episode. The Doctor's time travels are interrupted by a man claiming to be the White Guardian. The guardian wants the Doctor's help to locate the six segments of the Key To Time. Segment 1 is on the ice world of Ribos.
KUED 7 Salt Lake City, UT
http://www.kued.org/
Sat 11:20PM MDT Genesis of the Daleks ep 1 of 6 OR Pyramids of Mars ep 3 of 4
Information is sketchy about what KUED is doing. Based on the listings in their website, they are jumping back to the start of Genesis of the Daleks, which they aired earlier this year. If they follow their regular rotation, episode 3 of Pyramids Of Mars will air instead. Next episode airs August 19.
KBTC/KCKA/K65BU 28,15,65 Tacoma/Centralia/Gray's River, WA
http://www.kbtc.org/
Sat 7-10PM PDT An Unearthly Child all 4 eps (An Unearthly Child, The Cave Of Skulls, The Forest Of Fear, The Firemaker)
The June pledge drive came in $4,000 short, so KBTC is trying again. The very first Doctor Who story, which begins in November 1963, when a schoolteacher voices her concerns about a bizarre pupil.

Late Sat 12:30AM PDT Planet of Evil eps 1+2 of 4
Might be pre-empted by pledge programming. The 4th Doctor and Sarah miss London by approximately 1 entire galaxy and 35,000 years, give or take a decade. Zeta Minor is a planet that blurs the lines between the universes of matter and anti-matter. A scientific expedition on the planet studying the anti-matter has been massacred, and the Doctor and Sarah could be next.
KTEH 54 San Jose, CA
http://www.kteh.org/
Sun 11PM-12:45AM PDT Attack of the Cybermen both 45 minute eps
The first of six Colin Baker stories that were originally intended to be shown with 45 minute episodes, but have rarely if ever aired that way in America. A distress call brings the Doctor and Peri to 1985 London, where Commander Lytton of the Dalek Task Force was left behind after a previous story.


Thanks for reading. Until next week, take care.