This Week In Doctor Who - May 14, 2003
(posted 14th May 2003, 12:16pm - TWIDW post #0156)

THIS WEEK IN DOCTOR WHO - May 14, 2003
by Benjamin F. Elliott
Vol 6, No 20
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thisweekindoctorwho
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It is 7 years to the day since the FOX premiere of Doctor Who, a 1996 TV Movie intended to relaunch the series. Some Canadian stations aired the movie on May 12 and May 13, while the UK premiere was not till 27 May. While it did not result in a new Doctor Who TV series, it did introduce Paul McGann to us as the 8th Doctor, a role he has played in various audio productions since then, including the current Shada remake. The 8th Doctor has also featured in novels and comics.

Shada, BTW, continues with new episodes on Fridays. Go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/doctorwho/ and click on the Shada pages to listen to current and earlier episodes in RealPlayer format.

Fans of the 1996 TV Movie in South Africa can see it twice next week on the SA Sci-Fi Channel http://www.uk.scifi.com/ . Wednesday 21 May at 8PM and Saturday 24 May at 6:35PM. It will also air in the US on the US Sci-Fi Channel http://www.scifi.com/ late Sunday June 15 at 1AM EDT Eastern Feed (1AM PDT Western Feed).

UK Gold's Second Dalek Day is coming up on 26 May (a Bank Holiday). Here's the schedule:
UK Gold UK Gold 2 Story
9:50AM 6PM Genesis of the Daleks
12:35PM 8:45PM Destiny of the Daleks
2:30PM 10:40PM Resurrection of the Daleks
4:20PM 12:30AM Revelation of the Daleks
6:10PM not on Remembrance of the Daleks

WYBE 35 (WYBE-DT 34-1) Philadelphia, PA http://www.wybe.org/ has a Doctor Who pledge drive this weekend. 4 hours of Who. Hopefully WYBE will not do with Doctor Who what they have been doing with other shows this week - they have been running a scroll during the programs. Running scrolls were bad on the cable news networks. They were worse on local news. We DON'T need them on regular programming - not even in pledge week. That having been said, I hope it's a very successful pledge drive for the Doctor on WYBE. It's always nice when the Doc returns to Prime Time TV.

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:

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RADIO/INTERNET:

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BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/doctorwho/
Shada - new 6 episode version of Douglas Adams' TV story left unfinished in 1979. Now an audio story with illustrations. Stars Paul McGann as the Doctor, Lalla Ward as Romana, and John Leeson as K9.
Fri 16 May - Episode 3 premieres. Episodes will premiere on Fridays. Listen to the high quality audio if your internet connection is fast enough to handle it - it sounds much better. The medium quality audio sounds fine, and if you have a dial up connection (like most people) the medium quality audio is likely the best you can get to work, but if you can listen on a computer with a high quality connection you will have a much better time.

American Who http://www.interstellartransmissions.com/who
http://www.interstellartransmissions.com/who/51203.mp3 - Nicholas Courtney from 1999 and Ken Patterson in a new episode - MP3 format
Ken Patterson of KTEH 54 in San Jose is the featured guest in this episode as Joey investigates the situation behind the disappearance of Doctor Who from KTEH after 22 years. KTEH's Who History, the current situation, and hope for the future? A Nicholas Courtney interview from 1999 will be part of the show, but is missing as of this writing - check in a day or two. Plus other Who news. Last week's pilot episode (with the 1993 John Nathan-Turner interview and 2003 Benjamin Elliott interview) is still online at the link I gave last week - or just click from the website.

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 sci-fi radio talk show, sometimes with Doctor Who content. Easiest to hear in timezones outside the USA. Keep an eye on the Scifioverdrive website, which should have details on their next episode shortly.

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TV:

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UK:

UK Gold http://www.onthebox.com/partner/otb
Late Fri 12:45-3:25AM, Sat 6:30-9AM BST Genesis of the Daleks movie
The 4th Doctor investigates the origins of the Daleks in a chilling tale of deceit and Davros. Will the Doctor have to destroy history to save the future from destruction by the Daleks?
Late Sat 12:30-2:25AM, Sun 7:15-9AM BST Revenge of the Cybermen movie
Until the TARDIS arrives, the 4th Doctor, Sarah, and Harry keep themselves busy dealing with a "plague" and an attack by the last surviving Cybermen.
Remember - Dalek Day 2 comes Monday 26 May on UK Gold and UK Gold 2.

UK Gold + 1
Late Fri 1:45-4:25AM BST Genesis of the Daleks movie
Late Sat 1:30-3:25AM BST Revenge of the Cybermen 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 EDT (9PM + 1AM PDT)
Saturday/Sunday complete stories Midnight + 3:30AM EDT (9PM + 12:30AM PDT)
Wed Logopolis pts 3+4 of 4
The final Tom Baker episodes. The Master's plot goes awry, putting the universe on an imminent course for destruction. An unholy alliance and unexpected help from Earth are the only chances for life to survive.
Thu Robot pts 1+2 of 4
Fri Robot pts 3+4 of 4
Tom Baker becomes the 4th Doctor as U*N*I*T investigates a giant robot and a dangerous scientific society.
Sat The Robots of Death all 4 pts
When robots are reprogrammed to kill, the 4th Doctor and Leela must cause a short circuit.
Sun The Talons of Weng-Chiang all 6 pts (recheck)
A night at the Theatre turns deadly, forcing the 4th Doctor and Leela to investigate Chinatown, magic, and 2 people who have no business doing business on 19th Century Earth.
Mon The Ark In Space pts 1+2 of 4
Tue The Ark In Space pts 3+4 of 4
The survivors of humanity are in danger of permanent death unless the 4th Doctor, Sarah, and Harry can stop the force that has invaded the Ark which threatens to eat them all.

Channel numbers in brackets ( ) indicate a digital station that is not on the air. Full power non-commercial stations were required to have their digital stations on the air by May 1, 2003, or give the FCC convincing reasons for an extension. 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 11,8781
Pre-empted by auction. Doctor Who returns May 24.

WCNY/W59AU Syracuse/Utica, NY http://www.wcny.org
analog 24,59
digital 25-1
Sun 5:30PM EDT The Masque of Mandragora pt 2 of 4
Mandragora manipulates events in Italy, endangeroub both a Prince's efforts to lead his people out of the Dark Ages and the Prince's uncle's efforts to kill off his nephew and take the throne.
» actually Robot: Part Two

WSKG Binghamton, NY http://www.wskg.com
analog 46
digital (42) - don't know yet if this station got an extension
Sat 11:30PM EDT The Android Invasion pt 3 of 4
The Doctor searches for the real Sarah and a way off the fake Earth before it is destroyed.

WYBE Philadelphia, PA http://www.wybe.org
analog 35
digital 34-1
Philadelphia DirecTV Local 35,909
Philadelphia Dish Local 35,8162
Sat 8PM to Midnight - Doctor Who Night
WYBE is running a Doctor Who pledge night and hopes you'll give support.
Sat 8PM to 9:30ishPM EDT Meglos pts 2,3+4 of 4
Meglos impersonates the 4th Doctor to steal the Dodecahedron, leaving the Doctor to take the blame.
Sat 9:30ishPM to Mid EDT Full Circleall 4 pts
Trapped in E-Space on a backward planet, the 4th Doctor, Romana, and K9 learn the secrets of Alzarius, and why the residents can never return to Terradon.

MPT Maryland http://www.mpt.org
analog 22,67,28,31,62,36
digital 42,(29),(62),(44),(28),(56) - don't know yet if MPT's stations got
an extension
DC/Hagerstown & Baltimore DirecTV Local 22,980
Late Sat Mid EDT The Caves of Androzani movie
Time approximate after Independent Eye. The 5th Doctor and Peri face death and betrayal from all sides. The military is corrupt. The President is more corrupt. The androids are looney. And Sharaz Jek makes the androids look like the Princes of Calmness. Spectrox is to blame. Spectrox could kill them all. The Doctor's celery dies in this story.

WCET Cincinnati, OH http://www.wcet.org
analog 48
digital 34-2
Cincinnati DirecTV Local 48,909
Cincinnati Dish Local 48,8356
Sat 11PM EDT Attack of the Cybermen 4 pt version, pts 3+4
On the planet Telos, the 6th Doctor and Peri need help from the Cryons to keep the Cybermen from gaining the secrets to Time and Space.

WILL Urbana, IL http://www.will.uiuc.edu
analog 12
digital (9) - don't know yet if this station got an extension
Sat 11:40PM CDT The Brain of Morbius pt 3 of 4
Professor Solon must operate on Morbius before a suitable head is ready - with explosive consequences. The Sisterhood of Karn fan the flames.
» waa actually City of Death: Part Three.

IPTV Iowa http://www.sffn.com http://www.iptv.org
analog 11,12,21,24,27,32,32,36
digital 50,(45),(25),(18),(28),(33),(35),(35) - extensions granted for IPTV's digital channels
Des Moines DirecTV Local 11,474 - coming soon
Des Moines Dish Local 11,9116
Cedar Rapids Dish Local 12,9161
Omaha, NE Dish Local 32,9146
Sat 11:35PM CDT Pyramids of Mars pts 1+2 of 4
An archaeological expedition unwittingly opens a gateway to Mars, where the evil Lord Sutekh aches for release from his prison and a chance to destroy the universe again.

KERA/K44FI Dallas/Wichita Falls, TX http://www.kera.org
analog 13,44
digital 14-1
Dallas DirecTV Local 13,889
Dallas Dish Local 13,8406
Late Fri 12:30AM CDT Time-Flight movie
Reeling from the ending of Earthshock, the TARDIS crew finally makes it to Heathrow Airport. While Tegan seems tempted by the possibility of resuming her normal life, the 5th Doctor tries to find out what causes two Concordes to disappear from the 20th Century. Real Concordes were used for this story. At the moment Concordes aren't allowed to fly at all - they've been grounded.

KBDI/K32EO Denver/Colorado Springs, CO http://www.kbdi.org
analog 12,32
digital (38) - extension granted for KBDI's digital channel
Denver DirecTV Local 12,910
Denver Dish Local 12,8211
Late Fri 12:30AM MDT The Happiness Patrol pt 3 of 3
When the 7th Doctor and Ace inspire a rebellion, Helen A gets very unhappy.
Late Fri 1AM MDT Silver Nemesis pt 1 of 3
Sat 11PM MDT Silver Nemesis pts 2+3 of 3
Earth faces imminent destruction in 1988 from a decision the Doctor made in 1638. With Nazis, the Cybermen, and a Sorceress all vying for control of the statue Nemesis, the 7th Doctor plays a dangerous game of chess.

KUED/KUES-DT Salt Lake City/Richfield, UT http://www.kued.org
analog 7
digital 42-1,19-1
Salt Lake City DirecTV Local 7,982
Salt Lake City Dish Local 7,8536
Sat 11:30PM MDT Warriors' Gate pt 1 of 4
At the gateway to leave E-Space, a Time-Sensitive begs the 4th Doctor for help undoing a terrible injustice.

KBTC/KCKA/K65BU 28,15,65 Tacoma/Centralia/Gray's River, WA
http://www.kbtc.org
analog 28,15,65
digital 27-1,(19) - extension granted for KCKA's digital signal
Seattle DirecTV Local 12,910
Seattle Dish Local 28,8620
Sat 7PM, Late Sat 12:30AM PDT The Greatest Show in the Galaxy pts 1+2 of 4
The beginning of this story has become surprisingly relevant in the last year or two. The 7th Doctor and Ace get the intergalactic equivalent of E-mail spam. A bot materializes in the TARDIS and keeps badgering them to let it talk about the Psychic Circus. I guess the Doctor needs a better spam blocker, or possibly some good anti-virus protection. Certainly all of us who get lots of annoying and offensive spam can feel for the Doctor and Ace in this bit.

KTEH/KCAH San Jose/Watsonville, CA http://www.kteh.org
analog 54,25
digital (50),(58) - extension granted for KTEH/KCAH's digital signals
San Francisco DirecTV Local 54,903
Salinas Dish Local 25,9190
The history of Doctor Who on KTEH and the status of the show's future are discussed on the American Who online radio show (see link earlier in column).

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Thanks for reading. Until next week, take care.

Doctor Who is a BBC Trademark. Copyright 2003.