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Doctor Who's Tragical History TourDoctor Who's Tragical History Tour
  • Nu-Who
    • Ncuti Gatwa
    • Jodie Whittaker
    • Peter Capaldi
    • Matt Smith
    • David Tennant
    • Christopher Eccleston
  • Tweeners
    • John Hurt
    • Paul McGann
    • The Master List
    • Regeneration X
    • The Mystery Guest
    • The Hand of Fear
  • Colo(u)r
    • Sylvester McCoy
    • Colin Baker
    • Peter Davison
    • Tom Baker
    • Jon Pertwee
  • Monochrome
    • Patrick Troughton
    • William Hartnell
  • Tour du Jour
    • On This Day in Doctor Who History
    • The House of Holmes
    • 60 for 60
    • 50 for 50
    • The Randomizer
    • THT Rand-o-pix of the Day
    • The Feast of Steven
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Doctor Who's Tragical History TourDoctor Who's Tragical History Tour
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  • Nu-Who
    1. Ncuti Gatwa
    2. Jodie Whittaker
    3. Peter Capaldi
    4. Matt Smith
    5. David Tennant
    6. Christopher Eccleston
    7. View All

    Wish It All Away, and Back Again

    May 25, 2025

    Sold For a Song

    May 21, 2025

    The Demon Barber of Story Beats

    May 12, 2025

    The Sunday Stratagem

    May 4, 2025

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (24→19)

    November 10, 2023

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    B-Bye Bradley

    October 6, 2022

    Svelte 16

    May 8, 2022

    2024Kristmas #4 – Twice Upon the First

    December 21, 2024

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (18→13)

    November 13, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (36→31)

    October 12, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (42→37)

    October 5, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (12→7)

    November 17, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (24→19)

    November 10, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (30→25)

    October 28, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (48→43)

    September 28, 2023

    2024Kristmas #3 – The Man With All The Toys

    December 16, 2024

    2024Kristmas #2 – It’ll Be a Wild Blue Christmas

    December 10, 2024

    2024Kristmas #1 – Seasons Beastings

    December 3, 2024

    Pre-Embering the Fireplace

    May 5, 2024

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (24→19)

    November 10, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (42→37)

    October 5, 2023

    The Dark Jacket Dimension

    November 13, 2021

    The (W)hole Ruth

    January 31, 2020

    Wish It All Away, and Back Again

    May 25, 2025

    Mark II of The Rani

    May 24, 2025

    Sold For a Song

    May 21, 2025

    The Demon Barber of Story Beats

    May 12, 2025
  • Tweeners
    1. John Hurt
    2. Paul McGann
    3. The Master List
    4. Regeneration X
    5. The Mystery Guest
    6. The Hand of Fear
    7. View All

    Hurt So Good: A Doctor and His Umbrella

    April 27, 2023

    Who Told You There Wouldn’t Be Any Math?

    December 5, 2022

    Svelte 16

    May 8, 2022

    Ten’ll Get You Five

    September 4, 2020

    Double Doctor Dastardly Danger

    April 25, 2024

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    McGann Before McGann

    May 26, 2023

    … And All That Yaz

    November 16, 2022

    Wish It All Away, and Back Again

    May 25, 2025

    Mark II of The Rani

    May 24, 2025

    Sold For a Song

    May 21, 2025

    The Demon Barber of Story Beats

    May 12, 2025

    Ghost Re-Write

    November 16, 2021

    The (W)hole Ruth

    January 31, 2020

    Dup-topia

    January 29, 2020

    The Glue Guy

    June 24, 2018

    Doctor on Doctor ACTION!

    November 19, 2017

    The Wheel in Cheese

    August 10, 2014

    The Hurt Locker

    May 25, 2013

    Wish It All Away, and Back Again

    May 25, 2025

    Mark II of The Rani

    May 24, 2025

    Sold For a Song

    May 21, 2025

    The Demon Barber of Story Beats

    May 12, 2025

    Wish It All Away, and Back Again

    May 25, 2025

    Mark II of The Rani

    May 24, 2025

    Sold For a Song

    May 21, 2025

    The Demon Barber of Story Beats

    May 12, 2025
  • Colo(u)r
    1. Sylvester McCoy
    2. Colin Baker
    3. Peter Davison
    4. Tom Baker
    5. Jon Pertwee
    6. View All

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (36→31)

    October 12, 2023

    A Studio Film (or rather a film in the studio)

    June 9, 2023

    … And All That Yaz

    November 16, 2022

    Fivey at Forty: The First Companion Death of 1982

    March 16, 2022

    Sweet, not Effete

    April 5, 2025

    Arguably Arguable

    August 19, 2024

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (48→43)

    September 28, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (60→55)

    September 15, 2023

    The End of Enlightenment

    January 13, 2025

    What’s in a Number? Occasionally Everything

    November 23, 2024

    A Spot of Gray in a Sea of Color

    November 19, 2024

    ⅔ of a Magic Number, but None Too Shabby Either

    October 1, 2024

    The Truth That Supports the Lie

    March 15, 2025

    The Golden Sweep of Tom Baker Begins

    December 28, 2024

    Déjà Who, All Over Again

    February 8, 2024

    XCited for Tom

    January 27, 2024

    Living Day-to-Day with The Candy Man

    July 31, 2024

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (6→1)

    November 23, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (30→25)

    October 28, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (48→43)

    September 28, 2023

    Wish It All Away, and Back Again

    May 25, 2025

    Mark II of The Rani

    May 24, 2025

    Sold For a Song

    May 21, 2025

    The Demon Barber of Story Beats

    May 12, 2025
  • Monochrome
    1. Patrick Troughton
    2. William Hartnell
    3. View All

    Stock(s) Company

    September 9, 2024

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (18→13)

    November 13, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (24→19)

    November 10, 2023

    60 for 60 — The Greatest Stories in Doctor Who History — (36→31)

    October 12, 2023

    The TARDIS whirled on it’s way again…

    December 24, 2024

    Have a Feast @ Doctor Who’s Tragical History Tour!

    December 6, 2024

    Quarter Zip

    July 21, 2024

    Roll Without the Rock, or the Schlock

    July 15, 2024

    Wish It All Away, and Back Again

    May 25, 2025

    Mark II of The Rani

    May 24, 2025

    Sold For a Song

    May 21, 2025

    The Demon Barber of Story Beats

    May 12, 2025
  • Tour du Jour
    • On This Day in Doctor Who History
    • The House of Holmes
    • 60 for 60
    • 50 for 50
    • The Randomizer
    • THT Rand-o-pix of the Day
    • The Feast of Steven
    • Tour Notz
    • The Watcher
    • Contact the Tour
Doctor Who's Tragical History TourDoctor Who's Tragical History Tour
Tour Updates New Who for You Peter Capaldi Patrick Troughton Series 8

Is Half an Oaf Better Than None?

By -- DSWSeptember 7, 201402 Mins Read
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Mark Gatiss has done it again, though perhaps not in the way he intended.  Gatiss has enough of a track record by now in nu-Who that we can rate some of his stories against each other and have a healthy debate about it (hey that sounds like a mid-week mid-season list post–note to self).  While some of his stories are beloved, Victory of the Daleks was divisive and although not as pronounced, we suspect that Robot of Sherwood might also, and that rather depends on how you like your ‘legends’ presented to you.

The ‘celebrity historical’ has long been a fixture in Doctor Who going all the way back to Marco Polo.  In Robot of Sherwood we are presented with the full Robin Hood myth, an especially deliberate choice given the ongoing questioning about the nature of heroism that has run through the season, ticking off all the boxes of Robin in manner and dress.  It’s no wonder that the Doctor is skeptical of how-down-the-line it all seems to fit.  But it is this underlying and ongoing skepticism that we here at the Tour suspect might very well undermine the episode for some fans.

This Capaldi Doctor so stubbornly clings to his notions that something must be up with Robin that while at least initially it’s comedic, and the competition with Robin over Clara’s attention is well-served, after awhile it did start to wear thin, so much so that the moment when the Sheriff finally points out the flaw in the Doctor’s reasoning is a bit of a fizzle.

That said Jenna Coleman was amazing in Robot of Sherwood, and this season has served her very well.  Having her once again verbally fence with the antagonists of the week is a nice turn, and well realized.

Unlike Into the Dalek where images were hard to come by, this week we’re positively overflowing with medieval goodness.  The caps are also a treat.  BTW did you spot Patrick Troughton in Robot of Sherwood?  We sure did.

Next week … Listen up!

Short Hops:

The ‘Ocho’ Theory of Relativity The Series 8 Dynamic Ratings Table Can’t Get No Gatiss-faction
New Who for You Tour Updates Peter Capaldi Patrick Troughton Jenna Coleman Marco Polo Robot of Sherwood Mark Gatiss Victory of the Daleks Series 8 Into the Dalek
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  1. 1. The Story & The Engine
  2. 2. The Well
  3. 3. The Interstellar Song Contest
  4. 4. Lucky Day
  5. 5. The Robot Revolution
  6. 6. Joy to the World
  7. 7. Lux
  8. 8. Wish World
  9. 9. The Reality War
On This Day in Doctor Who History

June 2025

Friday June 13

1964: The Aztecs [4--The Day of Darkness]
Recurs yearly
1970: Inferno [6]
Recurs yearly

Saturday June 14

1969: The War Games [9]
Recurs yearly
2008: Midnight
Recurs yearly

Sunday June 15

2024: The Legend of Ruby Sunday
Recurs yearly

Monday June 16

1973: The Green Death [5]
Recurs yearly
2007: Utopia
Recurs yearly

Tuesday June 17

1967: The Evil of the Daleks [5]
Recurs yearly
1972: The Time Monster [5]
Recurs yearly
2006: Love & Monsters
Recurs yearly
2017: The Eaters of Light
Recurs yearly

Wednesday June 18

1966: The Savages [4]
Recurs yearly
2005: The Parting of the Ways
Recurs yearly

Thursday June 19

1965: The Chase [5--The Death of Doctor Who]
Recurs yearly
1971: The Dæmons [5]
Recurs yearly
Random Thoughts

Can-Do Attitude!

By -- DSWJune 10, 2018 Tour Updates 1 Min Read

‘Russ’

By -- DSWJune 4, 2024 Roundel Roundabouts 1 Min Read

Voyage of the Spammed

By -- DSWOctober 12, 2014 Tour Updates 1 Min Read
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  1. ► The Ncuti Gatwa Miscellany
  2. ► Ncuti Gatwa -- Who Not Who!
  3. ► Varada Sethu -- Who Not Who!
  4. ► Millie Gibson -- Who Not Who!
  5. ► Wish World
  6. ► The Interstellar Song Contest
  7. ► The Story and the Engine
  8. ► Lucky Day
  9. ► The Well
  10. ► The Robot Revolution
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