NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 297: "Paradise Towers" Is Up!

 
"Nothing's just 'rubbish' if you have an inquiring mind."
-- The Seventh Doctor, Doctor Who: "Paradise Towers"

Hello again, everyone! My partner in time Jesse Jackson and I are back with a new episode of Next Stop Everywhere: The Doctor Who Podcast! This time, we're  joined by special guest companion Holly Mac as we discuss "Paradise Towers", the second serial from Doctor Who Season 24 in 1987, featuring Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor, Bonnie Langford as Melanie "Mel" Bush, and Richard Briers as the Chief Caretaker!

In this episode, Jesse, Holly and I discuss things like Jesse becoming Grand Uncle Jesse, Holly teaching 7th Grade English, my thanks to everyone who expressed condolences about my mom, my new temporary podcasting location, Jesse's wife Linda needing her appendix out while traveling for a marathon, Richard Briers appearing on Torchwood and in Spice World, Elizabeth Spriggs as the Fat Lady from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Julie Brennon being married at the time to Mark "Turlough" Strickson, writer Stephen Wyatt being inspired partially by visiting friends who lived in tower blocks in London's East End, the 1975 J.G. Ballard novel High-Rise also being an influence, composer Keff McCulloch having to compose the score in just a week after producer John Nathan-Turner hated the previous composer's score, The Who's Roger Daltrey being offered the role of the Deputy Chief Caretaker, Stephen Wyatt's plans for a sequel to "Paradise Towers" with the Kangs being sent away to attend boarding school, the Seventh Doctor winning the Kangs over by buying them cans of Fizzade soda pop, the Kangs being similar to L.A. street gangs, the Doctor using the Caretakers' rule against them to escape, Mel being completely obsessed with swimming in a pool, Pex getting bullied by the Kangs, wondering how Mel avoided being electrocuted taking out the Pool Cleaner while in the swimming pool, Kroagnon needing more characterization and backstory, the Great Architect becoming Edgar from Men in Black, our favorite quotes of the story, my Reverse the Reverse the Polarity segment, new feedback from Sandi from Oregon, Holly Mac returning to talk "The Name of the Doctor", and more!

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Be sure to come back in two weeks for the next episode of Next Stop Everywhere as Jesse and I are joined by special guest companion Holly Mac as we discuss "The Name of the Doctor", the thirteenth episode from Doctor Who Series Seven in 2013, featuring Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor, Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald, Alex Kingston as River Song, and the introduction of Sir John Hurt as the War Doctor!

New DOCTOR WHO 60th Anniversary Trailer Teases Kate Stewart and the Celestial Toymaker

 
At long last, a new trailer!

The BBC has released a new trailer for the three upcoming Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials, teasing the return of Jemma Redgrave as UNIT's Kate Stewart. In addition, the BBC has confirmed that Neil Patrick Harris' mysterious villain will indeed be the Toymaker, last seen back in the William Hartnell era serial "The Celestial Toymaker," played by Michael Gough.

The two-minute, ten-second trailer opens in London, as Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) remarks to her mother Sylvia Noble (Jacqueline King), "Sometimes, I think there's something missing. Like I had something lovely...and it's gone. I lie in bed thinking, 'What have I lost?'"

Next, we hear the new Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant) say to Shirley Anne Bingham (Ruth Madeley), "Now, I've got this friend, called Donna Noble. I had to wipe her memory to save her life. If she remembers me, she will die, so what happens next? A spaceship crashes right in front of her, it's like she's drawing us in."

We cut to a quick scene of Donna poking the eye of Beep the Meep (voiced by Miriam Margolyes). "What the hell!" exclaims Donna. "We've got a bloody Martian in the shed!" This is immediately followed by a shot of Sylvia slapping the Fourteenth Doctor, something she did when David Tennant played the Tenth. "Ahhh, here we go again!" exclaims the Doctor.

As we see the Doctor and Donna aboard some kind of space station, the Doctor remarks in a voiceover, "I don't believe in destiny, but if destiny exists, then it is heading for Donna Noble."

We cut to another scene, with the Doctor saying in a voiceover, "And I've got a memory. After a very long time, something's coming back." As we hear this, we see the Toymaker dancing around, dressed in a formal top hat and tuxedo.

Yasmin FInney's character Rose is then shown with Beep the Meep as she asks, "Who are they?"

"Monsters," replies Beep the Meep.

In a separate scene, Donna asks the Doctor, "There's something so bad the TARDIS ran away?"

The Doctor pauses for a moment, before replying, "Yes."

"Then...we...go and KICK IT'S ARSE!"

Next, we see a large helicopter carrying the TARDIS about to land on a helipad atop UNIT's brand-new headquarters. As the Doctor and Donna emerge, they're greeted by Kate Lethbridge-Stewart. Kate asks, "What do we do this time, Doctor? How do we fight the human race?"

As we see the streets of London in chaos, the Doctor remarks, "Something entered this world."

The Toymaker, speaking with a German accent, says, "Oh, but he is recognizing me."

Donna asks, "Who is he?"

"The one who waits," remarks an unknown voice.

Some random clips follow, first with Kate Stewart ordering someone to "Open fire!"

The Doctor cries out in anguish, "Why does it have to be this?!" as he looks up and sees a giant version of the Toymaker holding puppet strings in his hands.

On UNIT's helipad, the Toymaker aims a large cannon at the Doctor, who yells back, "Your fight is with me!"

In another scene, the Doctor says to Donna, "I don't know...if I can save your life this time."

More fleeting images end the trailer, including the Wrarth Warriors, the Toymaker exclaiming "Worldwide premiere!", and lastly, Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor slowly opening his eyes.

If you'd like to check out the new trailer, you can see if below thanks to the official Doctor Who channel on YouTube...

Doctor Who returns in November for the first 60th Anniversary Special, "The Star Beast."