Always Foolish: A Positive Doctor Who Podcast

On this special early episode for Hallowe'en, David gets spooky and philosophical, examining the nature of fear in Doctor Who and the esoteric ways it makes us uncomfortable or afraid. And unlocks some memories along the way.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor Who podcast, about finding things we like in episodes we don't. We pick out our favourite bits for these stories, and suggest quick fixes to some common critiques.

Please, listen, share and rate the show. It really helps. Follow us and get in touch on Instagram alwaysfoolishpodcast, TikTok @alwaysfoolishpod, and...

On this episode we're fighting it out over Chris Chibnall's first Thirteenth finale, The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos.

What is this episode saying about grief? Why is Graham obsessed with Paltraki? What's needed to make the planet feel like a real threat? How can we introduce Calpol to Da Club? How incredible is this story's direction and music? Why didn't David enjoy playing Monk or Dare at university? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish. Plus we translate what Ranskoor Av Kolos actually means.

Always Foolish is a...

On this episode it's world war three as we rank every episode from Russell T Davies' second era of Doctor Who. What comes bottom? What comes top? Will our hosts ever agree on anything?

Why did Lucky Day work for some and not others? When is a hat a prototype hat? How do the best episodes of this era stack up? Would Tom kill his mum with a star? Did RTD2 feel new enough? How would mutually assured landmines even work? And what did we think was next for Doctor Who back in February when we...

On this episode we're telling some truths about Toby Whithouse's series 10 Orwellian occurrence, The Lie of the Land.

Is Bill Potts the best companion? Does Mark Gatiss keep trying to get the talking M&Ms into his episodes? Why does the world of this episode feel so empty, and how can we fix that? Can you lose at Super Monky Ball? What are the philosophical underpinnings of the script? And did you know that guy was on the apprentice? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish. Plus our favourite extra co-host returns.<...

On this episode we're extremely excited to monky about with the first two parts of Series 10's truth twisting trilogy, Extremis & The Pyramid at the End of the World.

Are these the best episodes of Doctor Who? Do The Monks have second jobs? What are the writers saying about the nature of truth? Are we living in a simulation? If yes, would it even matter? If no, sure.

What if Kier Starmer turned into cubes? How should we interpret "In darkness we are revealed"? Is human connection the solution to our problems? Does Tom...

On this episode we're playing the long game as we give our overall thoughts on Russell T Davies' second era of Doctor Who. What worked? What didn't? What could have been?

Did Russell get to execute his vision? Why did David give up Minecraft for Lent? Where did Ncuti shine as The Doctor? How do you set The Vlinx to kill mode? What can we learn by looking at the Chibnall years? Will David buy expensive props live on air? What should Belinda's arc have been? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always...

On this episode we're on tour in Germany - as all the co-hosts convene to discuss the insanity of The Two Doctors & Black Orchid, and then do a Doctor Who quiz. The audio quality isn't the best - sorry! Normal programming to resume shortly.

Are these the best or worst Sontaran designs? What is going on with the death tube? What are the strange, upsetting undertones to The Two Doctors? Please can I look in the secret death cupboard? What pictures should you choose to avoid spoiling quiz answers? Is everything set in Sheffield? Plus Godzilla...

We're away for a summer break, so this episode is a compilation of some of our favourite, funniest bits as well as some outtakes that didn't quite make the cut.

How did Mandy destroy British democracy? Why must we beware the mouths of Skaro? What would be on Clara's YouTube channel? Who worship's the Clockwork man? What's colonel Ibrahim's second job? Who's Toms self-insert Star Wars character? Is David a long-lost Chibnall? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor Who podcast, about...

Big Finish Doctor Who audio dramas may be incredible, but they can also be incredibly expensive. On this episode David is spreading his love of stories by talking through the various ways you can get audios for free, totally legally and without resorting to destructive piracy. And cause he can't resist some SEO he counts down his top 5 favourite stories available for free, right now! You'll also find out how flexible David's definition of 'free' is.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor Who podcast, about finding things we like in episodes we don't. We pick out...

Firstly, are you OK? On June 10th we got the news that the 2026 Christmas special had been cancelled, RTD/Bad Wolf were gone and the show had been put out to tender. And people went a little crazy. But what does this all mean? Well don't worry, David and Tom are here to explain why things are actually probably sort of fine, and breakdown all the new Doctor Who stuff that is coming over the next few months.

How did we get to this point, and is blame unhelpful here? Is Doctor (Raston Warrior) Robot qualified...

David's soon to be back from his travels, but for now here's the next instalment of quiz game, so play along at home! Will Tom find the fake Big Finish story this time? Or will he be saddled with yet another piece of unwanted Japanese tat? Is this Scunthorpe? Who is David's most goblinesque friend? Will Tom finally break when Lady Christina meets Harry Sullivan? Bazoingo amirite? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor Who podcast, about finding things we like in episodes we don't. We...

David's off on his jollies (he's in New Zealand as you're reading this, can you spot him?) so here's the next instalment of quiz game, so play along at home! Can Tom work out which of these Big Finish stories is a big fake? Does David need to go into so much detail about the Churchill Years? Does Sergeant Andy have Dyslexia? How would pig-hamlet go? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor Who podcast, about finding things we like in episodes we don't. We pick...

David's still on his jollies around the world, so it's time for Tom to challenge David to once more determine which of these weird eighth doctor novels is a fake? If he can't, David will punish himself by buying something he hates in Japan to lug around with him forever more.

Has the Time Hotel been done before? Why does anything happen in these books? Who presents Sandi Tovskig's Richard Osman's House of Games? What sort of nemesis is Sabbath? What is that in Tom's cup? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always...

On this episode we're not hitting snooze on Mark Gatiss' series 9 fiendish found footage film, Sleep No More.

How should the critique of capitalism be drawn out more? Is Reece Shearsmith acting, or is he just like that? Isn't the implementation of found footage sorta excellent? Is Tom Blair Witching out? Why isn't this episode scary, and how can we change that? What would Clara vlog about? How should Doctor Who balance experimentation with quality? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish. Plus teenage David cameo.

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On this episode David takes Tom through his weird experience at Chris Chibnall's book launch, including a few Doctor Whoy tidbits that you probably won't hear anywhere else.

How did Chibnall bring his own experiences to his detective novel? Is David a long lost Chibnall son? What were the greatest successes of the 13th Doctor's era? How would a weeping angel do at Total Wipeout? What made Flux so interesting? Does Tom know what a hill is? How does showrunning in SD differ to HD? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.<...

Welcome to the second Dimensions in time Loop, our yearly tradition where we find new ways to lose our minds over Doctor Who's bizarre Eastenders crossover, Dimensions in Time (1993).

Is Mandy the worst politician in British history? (Yes, Tom has the stats)! How much would David spend on a Silurian murder board? Is this in fact purgatory? Are we seeing the wilderness years made manifest? What exactly is happening to the companions? What exactly is happening to us? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

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It's another in person quiz, pitting Tom and Secret Third Member in a contest to see who knows David's sense of humour better? Can they distinguish him from an AI? What is Time Vogue? What if Alex Trebek did stuff? Should David have made this episode? (No). Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

Also sorry for the slightly echoey audio in this episode. We're trialling a new set-up for in person recordings.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor Who podcast, about finding things we like in episodes we...

On this episode David looks at the story of David Burton, the definitely still alive actor who definitely claimed to be the 8th Doctor possibly to get a free car. Get ready for supportive evidence, confusing contradictions, and a bunch of other David Burtons who are not him. Legally I can't prove anything one way or another. Illegally though, when I was 7 I stole a Freddo.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor Who podcast, about finding things we like in episodes we don't. We pick out our favourite bits for these stories, and suggest quick fixes...

In this episode we're continuing to wish for a new reality as we get to the second part of our discussion of the insane firework finale of series 15.

What should Belinda's actual arc have been? Why is Belinda exiled to the baby cube? What could Billie Piper bring to The Doctor? Did the Christmas star eat the Doctor's soul too? What themes should be drawn through the whole era? Did David engage in anti-Shobogan discrimination? Do we overthink the opinions of actors? Was there a gas leak in the bone palace? Answers to all these questions o...

In this episode we're wishing for a new reality as we discuss the insane firework finale of series 15.

Could one extra scene fix skeleton Omega? Is David Tennant in debt to the Mafia? What are the underlying messages behind all the madness? Who is a better actor - duck or baby? Where does spectacle give way to farce? Is this literally just the End of Time again? How did RTD capture the 13th Doctor in 1 line? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor...

Contrary to popular belief, 2025 had not just one, but four Doctor Who christmas specials, courtesy of Big Finish. Doctor Who: Christmas: It's a Wonderful War and Other Stories is one of the best Big Finish sets of the year, and in this episode we'll be reviewing and summarizing each story to explain why they hit all the right Christmassy Doctor Whoy notes.

Doctor Who: Christmas: It's a Wonderful War and Other Stories from Big Finish Productions

From a sleepy English village to an asteroid on the edge of creation, Christmas is celebrated across all...

In our holiday special, we're gobbling up RTD's chaotic coincidence festive Christmas episode, The Church on Ruby Road.

Who is the breakout performer opening the Gatwa era? Why is Jurassic Park so badly run? What makes a villain versus sympathetic? Did the gobins kill Adric? Is popcorn television enough at christmas, or do we need more depth? Is Carla Sunday an alt-reality serial killer? How should the episode's hanging threads have been resolved? What DNA based pranks could we pull on Ruby? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

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David's been listening to Big Finishes spooky season special boxset, Halloween: Sea Smoke and Other Stories and he has thoughts. Mostly about episode 2. Enjoy this little review of one of the weirder Big Finish sets of the year.

Doctor Who: Halloween: Sea Smoke and Other Stories from Big Finish Productions

Dare you step into the shadows? Terror awaits across time and space. Silent assassins, primordial evils and horrors that defy imagination – the Doctor’s universe has never been more terrifying. The four stories are:

1. Sea Smoke by Jonathan Sims - A First Docto...

Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of events in the Middle East, racism, homophobia and transphobia. If these topics may be distressing to you, please feel free to skip the episode.

On this episode will we be singing the praises of series 15's Eurovision tribute act, The Interstellar Song Contest?

How should Doctor Who tackle complex real-world issues? Is Belinda a sociopath? How should they handle the Doctor's turn to darkness, and why did they get it so wrong? Is phase one activated? Can Rylan ever die? Is there secret genius to Dugga-doo...

We're really busy this week and so as we're already editing the Interstellar Song Contest episode, rather than releasing nothing we thought it'd be nice to compile some of the funny or interesting stuff that's been cut or condensed, to hint at what's coming up next. Hopefully it'll also give you an insight into how we edit things.

Does David own every book? Why do so many horrible people have such insane schedules? Has Charlie Condou been typecast in Doctor Who? Who wins, Norfolk or sea? Did Margaret Thatcher have a son? Answers to all these...

It's another special episode, pitting Tom against Secret Third Member once again as they attempt to prove who is the master when it comes to Eric Roberts, the most prolific actor of all time (but most importantly The Master in the TV Movie of all time).

Which of these terrible Eric Roberts movies is the fake? How come all of these terrible Eric Roberts movies sound real? Has Dr Albert Beck crossed the line? If Earth get hot do people get mad? Minotaur Highway Collision, yes or no? Did Tom direct Jaws? Did they try to...

On this episode we need to discuss the Children in Need special, Destination Skaro, 2 years after it aired, and somehow also 2 days (timey-wimey). We also dive into classic series colourisations and Big Finish's Seventh Doctor epic, The Last Day.

How much does continuity matter? Can Davros rollerblade? How can you adapt classic who for the modern age? How many wigs did Anthony Ainley wear? Which classic episodes could do with a touch up? What's the deal with this biblical true crime podcast? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

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It's quiz time again, with Tom versus Secret Third Member in America's favourite game: Master or Mestor? Who will weed out more details about renegade time lord The Master from hot facts about disgusting slugman The Mestor? Who will claim the coveted golden Pond? What did The Master do?! Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

Also sorry for the slightly echoey audio in this episode. We're trialling a new set-up for in person recordings.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor Who podcast, about finding things we like in...

On this episode Frank Cottrell-Boyce's series 8 foliage-based fairytale is growing on us, as we discuss In the Forest of the Night.

Does every story need a villain? Does every story need a Doctor? Does every tree respond to flamethrower? Do wooden trees sail in flesh ships? Are the kids the real stars here? Is it a wolf or a labrador? How does this episode miss the mark on mental health? Will Clara and Danny get fired? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish. Plus David engages in Tardis Wiki warfare.

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On this episode David explores the impact of the Weeping Angels, and dives deep into the expanded whoniverse to reveal the Weeping Angel Doctor Who story that may be better than Blink.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor Who podcast, about finding things we like in episodes we don't. We pick out our favourite bits for these stories, and suggest quick fixes to some common critiques.

Please, listen, share and rate the show. It really helps. Follow us and get in touch on Instagram alwaysfoolishpodcast, TikTok @alwaysfoolishpod, and YouTube @alwaysfoolishpod.

Hosted...

On this episode it's story time as we ride the spider-train of thought through series 15's metafictional masterpiece, The Story & the Engine. This episode was recorded live from a house.

How are stories intertwined with our basic humanity? Why can't David be trusted with scissors? How important is it to truly belong? Would you want to be on the front lines with Major Gasleak? What do the old gods mean to humans? Why is the org chart of this evil plan so unclear? In the end, what even is a story? In the end what even...

On this episode it's your lucky day because we're discussing series 15's prescient podcaster-based political thriller, Lucky Day. This episode was recorded live from a house.

How should the show explore post-Doctor PTSD? Why does Davros hate mouths? Are UNIT the other villains of this episode? Are Ruby's family the worst researchers of all time? What questions does Pete McTighe want us to ask? Did Conrad Clark kill Mr Benn? How are the media complicit in toxic politics? Was Kate Steward down the well? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

We're having a little summer break, so please enjoy another compilation of some of our favourite bits and deleted scenes that didn't make the episode's the first time. We'll be back with regularly scheduled content soon.

Who is Burning Bill the Gecko? What happens just off-screen in Oppenheimer? Does David know what an eclipse is? Which Doctor can dunk? How about an X-rated K9 spin-off? What happens when Michelle Gomez goes improv mode? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor Who podcast, about...

On this solo investigation David delves into the mystery of Lost in the Dark Dimension, Doctor Who's missing anniversary special. It's a story of egos and mismanagement that makes The Reality War look like Hamlet.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor Who podcast, about finding things we like in episodes we don't. We pick out our favourite bits for these stories, and suggest quick fixes to some common critiques.

Please, listen, share and rate the show. It really helps. Follow us and get in touch on Instagram alwaysfoolishpodcast, TikTok @alwaysfoolishpod, and YouTube @alwaysfoolishpod. <...

On this episode we're getting well into the depths of series 15's horror classic, The Well.

Does this episode benefit from being a sequel to Midnight? Why does David love quarries? How heartbreaking is Rose Ayling-Ellis' performance? Did the wirework union step in here? Does ambiguity enhance a story? And are we ready for Doctor Who and the Mystery of the Crucified Skeleton? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor Who podcast, about finding things we like in episodes we don't. We pick...

On this episode we're luxuriating in the madness of series 15's second story, Lux.

Trigger warning for discussions of racism.

Is this episode about the importance of human connection? Does David know what an eclipse is? How perfect is Alan Cumming as Mr Ring-a-Ding? How long does a conclave last? Can you go too meta with Doctor Who? Will Tom die on Mount Everest? What is RTD trying to say through the Doctor Who fans? How did the emperor return? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

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On this little bonus episode, David takes Tom through his top Mrs Flood conspiracy theories. Is she the Rani? Is she a god? Is she no one of particular note? Get ready to get hype, or if you're hearing this later, get ready to laugh at how silly we were because she was obviously Tara from the Androids of Tara.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor Who podcast, about finding things we like in episodes we don't. We pick out our favourite bits for these stories, and suggest quick fixes to some common critiques.

On this episode we're revolting against our usual format to discuss the Season 15 opener, The Robot Revolution.

Is this an effective season opener? Do we need more dead cats? Does RTD handle incels and coercion appropriately? What about K9's X-rated spin-off? What do we think of the spiky Doctor-Belinda dynamic? Is David an American sleeper agent? Why do we love retrofuturism? And could we be dealing with a god of stories? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor Who podcast, about finding...

On this episode we're offering up our opinions on series 7's song-filled story, The Rings of Akhaten.

What does the ending say about potential? Will the cashless economy defeat Akhaten? What should Doctor Who mean to kids? How much is it to rent a moped? Is the Doctor kind of the villain of series 7? Where did Clara's dad buy that leaf? Also the Doctor and Clara definitely killed all those people. Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

Always Foolish is a positive Doctor Who podcast, about finding things we...

Welcome to the first of what will be our yearly tradition - The Dimensions in Time Loop, where we lose our minds over Doctor Who's bizarre Eastenders crossover, Dimensions in Time (1993).

Why does Kate O' Mara take this so seriously? Did Mandy steal the vote from Big Ron? Does quality matter in a charity special? How does Doctor Gun fit into this? What was the impact of DiT? Is K9 barred from the pub? Was it Sir Ian McKellen? Answers to all these questions on this episode of Always Foolish.

Always Foolish is...