This Week in Doctor Who: Print Archive
Friday 25th August 2000
THIS WEEK IN DOCTOR WHO - August 25, 2000 |
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by Benjamin F. Elliott |
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As of publication time, we are still waiting for final confirmation that the US National Doctor Who Night is going to happen. When/if it comes, I will try to get the information into the web page versions of this column ASAP. |
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WQED/WQEX Pittsburgh did a Pertwee-themed pledge night for Doctor Who last weekend. A viewer of the special reported seeing The Dæmons episodes 4 and 5, The Time Monster episode 6, Invasion (of the Dinosaurs) episode 1, and Invasion of the Dinosaurs episode 2. The person also claimed to see "Disco Dancing Klingon" pledgetakers performing after every tenth pledge. I'm trying not to think too hard about what that would look like. |
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IPTV Iowa is 1) reducing the amount of Doctor Who it air per week and 2) giving it a better timeslot. Effective Friday, September 8, IPTV is cutting back to 2 episodes a week. Then, on September 22, IPTV is moving the start time back from 11:30PM to 11:05PM, to leave time afterwards for Space Island One. IPTV will be airing the stories from The Key To Time season this fall. |
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1) KUED in Salt Lake City, Utah, wherefort happened on August 19? For thou wast beholden to present Pyramids of Mars episode 4 on that eventide, even though thou advertisings didst indicate that Genesis of the Daleks episode 2 wouldst be the program presented. But lo, what piece of cinema didst break upon the TV sets of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir? Indeed, it wast The Android Invasion episode 1! Aye, there's the rub. |
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Seriously, everyone knows that a TV station is going to get its tapes confused every once in a while. But one of the two stations I just listed has had chronic problems for months, and it is almost a joke for me to bother to write down what they are scheduled to air, because of how often what they put on their website turns out to be wrong. If I know of a schedule change, I can announce it in this column, and the word will get out. If you bother to mention a schedule change just before starting the show, most viewers will understand. And, at an utter minimum, glance at the label on the tape to make sure you're showing what you think you're showing. I am getting complaints from people who have pledged money to you in the past and are considering sending that money to other stations out of frustration. |
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A follow-up to a story from the Spring. KSPS in Spokane, Washington, which suspended Doctor Who this spring after close to two decades on the air, made its decision on renewal or cancellation. The show's been officially "rested". They plan to air other science fiction programs in the Saturday slot for the forseeable future. KSPS can be seen in much of Western Canada, and was the only source of Doctor Who on TV for many of those people. |
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A follow-up to a report on KBDI from earlier this month. The late Friday reruns are coming back in September, and they are returning to 2 episodes a week. It seems the 1 episode a week situation was only for 1 month. |
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In good news, there is not one BBC digital channel being pitched to regulators for Canada, but two. The already mentioned BBC Canada, and BBC Kids, with Alliance Atlantis as the Canadian partner. (The Discovery Channel is the US partner for BBC America.) The CRTC is supposed to rule on these channels next week, and they could be on the digital cable tiers within the next year or two. Hypothetically, Doctor Who could appear on either or both stations, though we will not know unless/until they go on the air. |
Additions or corrections are welcome. And now, the listings: |
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UK/IRELAND: |
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UK Gold http://www.sceneone.co.uk/s1/tv/listings Sun 7:25-10:50AM BST Doctor Who And The Silurians movie An experimental power plant inadvertently awakens an intelligent race of reptiles who used to run the planet. The Doctor wants to bring about peace, but both humans and Silurians seem eager to have a war instead. UK Gold 2 http://www.sceneone.co.uk/s1/tv/listings Sun 6-8:10PM BST Doctor Who And The Silurians movie I would be very interested in hearing from someone who watches this broadcast on UK Gold 2. How are they going to squeeze that story into 2 hours, 10 minutes? Hmm. |
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TG4/TnaG http://www.tg4.ie/tg4.htm http://www.sceneone.co.uk/s1/tv/listings Sat-Sun 5:05PM BST The Sea Devils eps 5 - 6 of 6 The Sea Devils attack the British Navy, and the Doctor's dreams of peaceful co-existence hang a mere thread away from being dashed. |
EUROPE/AFRICA/ASIA: |
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AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND: |
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UKTV Australia http://www.varos.com/drwho/uktv/ Sun 7AM, Late Sun 1AM AEDT The Dæmons all 5 eps A black magic story, with secret cults, a witch, wacky technology, and everyone's favorite foe - the Master. Episode one is the real highlight, with the sense of a countdown to destruction. Mon 11:45PM AEDT Day of the Daleks ep 3 of 4 Tue 11:30PM AEDT Day of the Daleks ep 4 of 4 Special start time on Monday. The 22nd Century Daleks try to exterminate the rebels before the incident in the 20th Century, unaware that it was the rebels whose foolhardy actions created the Dalek run timeline in the first place. Wed-Fri 11:30PM AEDT The Curse of Peladon eps 1 - 3 of 4 The Time Lords send the TARDIS to Peladon, a planet seeking admittance to the Galactic Federation. Someone is trying to murder the delegates who will make the decision. |
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Prime TV New Zealand http://www.tetrap.com/drwho/nzdwfc/ http://www.primetv.co.nz/ Sun-Tue 6:30PM The Mind Robber eps 3 - 5 of 5 Last televised in New Zealand in 1991. The mysterious realm is a land of fiction, where anything you write or dictate becomes established fact. If the Doctor's not careful, he may turn himself into fiction, and wind up trapped as a character in a british science fiction series. Wed-Fri 6:30PM The Krotons eps 1 - 3 of 4 Last televised in New Zealand in 1991. The Krotons. Saviours of the Gond people, who provide for them, teach them, and permit the brightest students to become their companions. No one has ever seen them. But surely, they must be good and helpful. Mustn't they? |
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BBC America http://www.bbcamerica.com/ Weekdays 5AM EDT (2AM PDT) - 2 episodes edited together Mon-Tue Planet of Evil eps 1 - 4 of 4 A planet on the edge of the universes holds the secrets to the disappearance of a scientific expedition and a power source that could give new life to a solar system. Wed-Thu Pyramids of Mars eps 1 - 4 of 4 The 4th Doctor must undo the damage when a meddling scientist accidentally sets in motion a process that could let Sutekh the destroyer loose on the galaxy. Fri The Android Invasion eps 1+2 of 4 The Doctor and Sarah finally return to modern England. But the people are gone, the money is fresh, and the ginger bitter doesn't taste bad. Something's wrong. |
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NHPTV New Hampshire 11,49,52 http://nhptv.org/ Sun 3PM EDT The Masque of Mandragora eps 1+2 of 4 The TARDIS is used in a plot to destroy the Italian Renaissance just as it is born. Winner of the best villain played by a glowing ball of fire, it's the Mandragora Helix. |
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WQED/WQEX 13,16 Pittsburgh, PA http://www.wqed.org/ Sat 11PM EDT The Invisible Enemy eps 2+3 of 4 At the Titan medical facility, the Doctor's situation grows steadily worse. But the virus does not want to wait for the Doctor to succumb, so it plots an attack. |
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WYBE 35 Philadelphia, PA http://www.wybe.org/ Sat 11PM EDT Warriors' Gate eps 1+2 of 4 A ship of time-sensitive slaves lures the TARDIS to a gateway between the universes. |
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MPT Maryland 22,28,31,36,62,67 http://www.mpt.org/ Late Sat Mid EDT Enlightenment movie The 5th Doctor and company get pulled into a space sea race held by immortals. A saboteur is trying to foul up the race. And those Guardian jerks are causing trouble again. Death, deceit, and treachery abound in the climax of the show's 20th anniversary season. |
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WUSF 16 Tampa, FL http://www.wusftv.usf.edu/gateway.htm Sat 11:30PM EDT The Trial Of A Time Lord ep 4 of 14 (The Mysterious Planet ep 4 of 4) The Tribe of the Free attack the underground dwelling. Drathro decides to let humanity die if that's what is necessary to protect his functional operations. The Valeyard does a bit of scowling. |
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WCET 48 Cincinnati, OH http://www.wcet.org/ Sat 11:30PM EDT The Seeds of Doom eps 2+3 of 6 See NHPTV for description. |
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WYIN 56 Gary, IN (Chicago, IL) http://www.wyin.org/ Sat 10PM CDT "???" It could be Deadly Assassin 2, Invisible Enemy 1, Invisible Enemy 2, or something else. » it was The Invisible Enemy: Part One |
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TPT 2 St. Paul, MN http://www.tpt.org/ Sat 11:30PM, Sun 5:30AM CDT The Talons of Weng-Chiang ep 6 of 6 Magnus Greel is ready to return to the 51st Century, unaware that his trip will only result in his death and the destruction of history. |
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IPTV Iowa 11,12,21,24,27,32,32,36 http://www.sffn.com/ http://www.iptv.org/ Fri 11:30PM CDT Underworld all 4 eps The Minyans, a dead civilization fouled over by the Time Lords, have searched for centuries for race banks that could let them start again. Now, as their quest ends, one of their old gods/bunglers arrives with a grin and a scarf. |
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PPTV North Dakota 2,3,4,6,9,13,19 http://www.pptv.org/ Fri 10:30PM CDT (9:30PM MDT) Underworld ep 1 of 4 See IPTV for description. |
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KBDI/K32EO 12,32 Denver/Colorado Springs, CO http://www.kbdi.org/ Sat 10PM MDT The Ribos Operation ep 4 of 4 Jethryk, Jethryk. Who's got the Jethryk? |
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KUED 7 Salt Lake City, UT http://www.kued.org/ Sat 11PM, Late Sat 12:30AM MDT "???" In theory, it should be The Android Invasion episode 1, however that episode aired last week. |
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KBTC/KCKA/K65BU 28,15,65 Tacoma/Centralia/Gray's River, WA http://www.kbtc.org/ Sat 7PM, Late Sat 12:30AM PDT Pyramids of Mars eps 3+4 of 4 See 25 Aug 2000 for description. |
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KTEH 54 San Jose, CA http://www.kteh.org/ Sun 11PM PDT The Two Doctors all 3 45 minute episodes A massacre on a space station leaves the 2nd Doctor missing, presumed dead. The 6th Doctor and Peri are needed to figure out what happened. But no one can find out why the 2nd Doctor's hair has gone gray, or why Jamie looks like he's 40. Much of this story was filmed in Spain. |
Thanks for reading. Until next week, take care. |
