Through the Vortex: Classic Doctor Who – Details, episodes & analysis

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Through the Vortex: Classic Doctor Who

Through the Vortex

Tv & Film

Society & Culture

Education

Frequency: 1 episode/11d. Total Eps: 68

Welcome to all Whovians! This podcast explores Classic Doctor Who (1963-1989) serial by serial providing context, commentary, and analysis. Whether you love Classic Who, are a New Who fan approaching the old series for the first time, or you just love some old-school science fiction, come along on a ride through the vortex. Do feel free to get in in touch to share the love of all things Doctor Who: throughthevortexpodcast@gmail.com

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https://www.happigal.com/
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https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x54yjfg
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https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3lgbi2
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https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x54yg31
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Podcast Update: Returning Early November with New Episodes

Season 4 · Episode 6

Sunday, July 16, 2023 • Duration 16:37

SEPTEMBER UPDATE: Sorry, all, moving international is difficult and I need a bit more time to get things together for the podcast. This is not an abandoned project—just a lot going on that makes recording difficult. Things should soon settle back down and a regular schedule will resume!

Previous:
Sorry for the unexpected disruption in the schedule. I do have some upcoming exciting changes for the podcast, but needed a little break to get everything together for you.

I am moving release dates to Wednesday, and Through the Vortex will return on early November for the remainder of Season 4! We have some exciting serials to cover every other week, and I also will be doing biweekly discussions on topics related to the previous serial but that may encompass the larger era/Classic Who ideas on the off weeks.

I really do appreciate everyone who has tuned in for this show, and I apologize for my periodic burnout. It is my hope that from here on out I schedule breaks to make sure this doesn't happen in the future and I can provide higher quality content. Through the Vortex is a passion project, and I adore getting to make these podcasts and the am always quietly astonished people want to listen to me talk about my favorite show:-)

Special thanks to Cathlyn "Happigal" Driscoll for providing the beautiful artwork for this podcast. You can view her work at https://www.happigal.com/

Do feel free to get in touch to share the love of all things Doctor Who: throughthevortexpodcast@gmail.com

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Serial #32: The Underwater Menace

Season 4 · Episode 5

Monday, May 8, 2023 • Duration 01:25:59

Doctor Who does Atlantis....for the first time!

The Doctor, Ben, Polly, and Jamie end up getting kidnapped by a group of people living under the ocean who want to sacrifice them to their goddess. They are saved by the scientist Zaroff, but it quickly becomes clear his plans for Atlantis will be earthshattering.

A serial that has a lot of potential it never quite realizes, but still an entertaining ride with some great moments and ideas.

ZAROFF: Bang! Bang! Bang, bang! That's all.
DOCTOR: Yes. Just one small question. Why do you want to blow up the world?
ZAROFF: Why? You, a scientist, ask me why? The achievement, my dear Doctor. The destruction of the world. The scientists' dream of supreme power!
_____

DAMON: Any sign of the Doctor?
ARA: No. He must have died saving us.
THOUS: We'll raise a stone to him in the temple.
DAMON: No. No more temples. It was temples and priests and superstition that made us follow Zaroff in the first place. When the water's found it's own level, the temple will be buried forever. We shall never return to it. But we will have enough left to build a new Atlantis, without gods and without fish people.
THOUS: Yes. That shall be his memorial.

Upcoming:
"The Moonbase"
Episodes 1 & 3 are missing, but have been animated
Team TARDIS lands on the Moon, where humans control the weather, but a strange virus is making everyone sick, and something is lurking just in the shadows....
Monday, May 14th (returning to our regular weekly schedule after end-of-semester insanity)

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Serial #31: The Highlanders

Season 4 · Episode 5

Monday, April 17, 2023 • Duration 01:40:02

After the Battle of Cullouden, the Scottish Highlanders who fought for Bonnie Prince Charlie are desperately seeking safety as the English brutally butcher the "traitors." When the Doctor, Ben, and Polly meet up with Jamie McCrimmon and his "Laird," they soon find themselves attempting to escape the English redcoats trying to hang them or sell them into indentured servitude.

One of the funniest of the historicals, the Second Doctor impersonates a German doctor (with a terrible accent) and a Granny while tricking would-be slave traders. Polly blackmails a soldier. Even Ben gets to play "Houdini."

Note: I do give a bit of an overview of the history that led to the Battle of Cullouden. If you are already familiar, you can skip over to 28:22 where I hop into the serial itself.
Obviously this historical overview is broad strokes; there are a lot of complicated situations that led up to the Jacobite uprisings--this is a simplistic overview.

POLLY: What about Jamie? We can't leave him here.
DOCTOR: True. His ship's sailed.
POLLY: What will you do?
JAMIE: Oh, I'll be all right. They won't catch me.
BEN: Did you hear that! They'll catch us all if we don't move fast.
POLLY: Doctor, can we take him with us?
DOCTOR: If he teaches me to play the bagpipes.

Upcoming:
"The Underwater Menace"
Episodes 1 & 4 are missing. You can watch 2 & 3 though!
Doctor Who's first venture to Atlantis (yeah...there's more than one!)
Monday, April 24th

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Serial #30 Part II: The Power of the Daleks

Season 4 · Episode 9

Monday, April 3, 2023 • Duration 01:32:03

The Daleks are mobile and they are getting their power....at any cost.

Enter a scheming would-be dictator, kidnapping, blackmail, false imprisonment, a mad scientist, and some very annoying recorder music. The newly-regenerated Doctor must think quickly to save the people of Vulcan.

In short, David Whittaker (the writer) is a genius.

DALEK: Why do human beings kill human beings?
BRAGEN: Get on with your work.
DALEK: Yes, master. I obey.
BRAGEN: Yes, obey me! From now on, I'll have complete obedience from everyone!

LESTERSON: Ah, I tried to turn the power off, but they were miles ahead of me. Marvelous creatures. You have to admire them.
BEN: But we've got to stop them!
LESTERSON: Oh, it's too late for that. They're the new species, you see, taking over from homo sapiens. Man's had his day. Finished now....All we can do is marvel at the creatures who are taking our place.

NOTE: There are six episodes in "The Power of the Daleks." Not sure why I continually referred to it as a 4-parter! The general pacing comments still all stand:-)

Upcoming:
"The Highlanders"
Team TARDIS lands in the middle of the Jacobite uprising and quickly befriend a group of Scotsman loyal to "the Young Pretender." But the Redcoats are ruthless in punishing those who rebel....
4 episodes, all missing:-(
Monday, April 10th

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Serial #30 Part I: The Power of the Daleks

Season 4 · Episode 8

Monday, March 27, 2023 • Duration 01:02:29

A newly regenerated Doctor, Ben, and Polly land on the planet Vulcan and witness a murder. Now they must investigate a colony on the verge of Civil War where a scientist has discovered a capsule buried thousands of years with a familiar foe trapped inside....

In Part I, we are examining Episodes 1-3 and focusing primarily on the introduction of the Second Doctor.

Next Time:
Serial #30: The Power of the Daleks, Part II
Closing out the serial with episodes 4-6, we will discuss the Daleks themselves, the incredible cast of characters on the planet Vulcan, and the philosophical implications of this intricate story.
Monday, April 3rd

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Behind the Scenes: Doctor Who's First Three Producers

Season 4 · Episode 7

Tuesday, March 14, 2023 • Duration 46:06

Today, we are taking time to look back at Doctor Who's first three producers, their teams, their visions , and their contributions to the show. Enter Verity Lambert, John Wiles, and Innes Llyod!

NOTE: The pollen is really bad here in Georgia right now, and I've really been struggling with congestion, which has made recording a bit difficult. Hoping to return to the regular weekly schedule going forward however!

UPCOMING:
The Power of the Daleks
6 episodes, all missing:-(
A newly-regenerated Doctor, Ben, and Polly land on Vulcan, immediately witness a murder, and begin to investigate a mystery in the nearby colony....
Monday, March 20th

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William Hartnell: Our First Doctor

Season 4 · Episode 6

Monday, February 20, 2023 • Duration 01:22:23

Taking a moment to celebrate our First Doctor!

I will be discussing the Doctor's character arc in this period of the show, Hartnell's wonderful performance, the Companions that define the Doctor, and some of the later appearances of the First Doctor in Classic and New Who.

This one is extra long as an apology for missing last week!

UPCOMING:
Behind the Scenes: The First Doctor
We are going to close out this era by discussing An Adventure in Space and Time and the producers, directors, writers, and others who helped define this era of the show.
Monday, February 27th

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Serial #29: The Tenth Planet

Season 4 · Episode 5

Monday, February 6, 2023 • Duration 01:17:11

The end of an era.

The TARDIS lands at the South Pole. The Doctor is ill. And Ben & Polly must contend with an invading group of aliens from the planet Mondas…better known as the planet of the Cybermen!

KRAIL [CYBERMAN): Care? No, why should I care?
POLLY: Because they're people and they're going to die!
KRAIL (CYBERMAN): I do not understand you. There are people dying all over your world yet you do not care about them.

_______________

DOCTOR: What did you say, my boy? It's all over. It's all over. That's what you said. No, but it isn't all over. It's far from being all over.

Upcoming:

William Hartnell: Our First Doctor
Let us take a moment to mourn (and celebrate) the first version of a character who has given us joy for nearly 60 years.

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The First Doctor's Best Villain (Part III)

Season 4 · Episode 4

Monday, January 23, 2023 • Duration 28:29

We are going to celebrate the great one-off villains of the First Doctor's era by counting down some of the best! No monsters or faceless hordes (so leaving off the Daleks--they got their own episode:-) but rather we are looking at the megalomaniacs, the schemers, and the scoundrels. Some are funny, some are scary, some are down-right devious, but all are unforgettable.

In Part III we will look at my pick for the #1 Best Non-Monster Villain of the First Doctor Era!!

Part I looked at my picks from #10-6 and Part II looked at my picks for #5-2. Please check them out.

The First Doctor and the Daleks for an in-depth discussion of the Daleks and how they define this era. This is a different sort of list.

Upcoming:
Serial #29: The Tenth Planet
4 episodes, 1-3 exist, 4 is missing:-(
Team TARDIS lands at the South Pole where a team of scientists are monitoring a spaceship from the planet Mondas...
Monday, January 30th

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The First Doctor's Best Villains (Part II)

Season 4 · Episode 3

Monday, January 16, 2023 • Duration 01:03:43

We are going to celebrate the great one-off villains of the First Doctor's era by counting down some of the best! No monsters or faceless hordes (so leaving off the Daleks--they got their own episode:-) but rather we are looking at the megalomaniacs, the schemers, and the scoundrels. Some are funny, some are scary, some are down-right devious, but all are unforgettable.

In Part II we will look at Villains #5-2. Next time, we will look at my pick for #1:-)
Please see Part I for my dive into Villains #10-6.
You also should see Vanquishing Villains #1: The First Doctor and the Daleks for an in-depth discussion of the Daleks and how they define this era. Obviously, they would top a list that includes monsters.

Upcoming:
10 Best First Doctor Villains (Part III)
We are going to continue are list with the top Villain for the First Doctor.
Monday, January 23rd

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Through the Vortex: Classic Doctor Who – Details, episodes & analysis

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Through the Vortex: Classic Doctor Who – Details, episodes & analysis

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Daily Motion6

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Other1

Daily Motion6

Apple Podcasts

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