Doctor Who: The Sonic Toolbox

Could a Dalek be good?  Is the Doctor a good man?  Will Clara ever get her coffee?  And just how many Gally ribbons can you get out of one Doctor Who episode?  The answers to all these questions, and more, as we review "Into The Dalek"! WARNING: THIS SHOW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR "INTO THE DALEK", and some rabbits.

And exhale.  It's finally here. Series 8 has begun andwe have seen the new Doctor in action.  "Deep Breath" takes us to Victorian London and the Paternoster Gang.  It takes the Doctor to a rather interesting pst-regeneration.  Scottish?  Eyebrows?  And a...giant T-Rex??  Hang on, folks.  This one's gonna be a whopper! WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS (and some rabbits)

Summer's almost over, which is a bit bitter sweet.  We say goodbye to our Summer Concert Series (thank you all for indulging us and having fun with it), but hello to Series 8 and a new Doctor.  This week we have our headline act.  One of the most controversial in the industry, Megadeth!  And I'm sure that Dave Mustaine would love it if he knew we were using his band to bring us around to the topic of all the death that's happened on this simple, British, children's show.  That's right.  50 years of body count.  And it hasn't all been caused by everyone but the Doctor. But first, we join our dear Uncle Elmer on a wonderful rabbit chase.  Enjoy!   "Sweating Bullets" from the Megadeth album Countdown to Extinction, 1992.

The penultimate band to hit the stage for our Summer Concert Series is comin' atcha live on the wire!  It's Tesla!!  We're going back to the beginning of the idiot box to bring you "The Idiot's Lantern", a subtle horror story written by Doctor Who's own horror writer, Mark Gatiss.  Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin. "Cumin' Atcha Live" by Tesla from the album Mecanical Resonance, 1986

Hold on to your hearts this week, folks.  On our stage tonight...Loverboy!  That's right, Capt. Jack Harkness is working hard for the weekend and he's lovin' every minute of it.  And when it's over, you'll have heaven in your eyes.  Yup, it's all Capt. Jack this week.  Well...mostly.  In between the rabbit chasing. "Turn Me Loose" by Loverboy, from the self titled album "Loverboy", 1980. WARNING: Contains rabbits

  Po no Sto fro mo fo zo mo fo bo jo fo do wo.  Oh, sorry.  Don't speak Judoon?  We don't either.  I think we said "The Police. Not Sting from MTV fame, Zenyatta Mondatta, from Brittan.  Judoon from Doctor Who."  Or something like that.  But, yes, this week it's all about the Judoon!  Well, mostly about the Judoon.  OK, we try really hard to talk about the Judoon, but the rabbits seem to keep distracting us.       "Every Breath You Take" from the 1983 album Synchornicty       WARNING: Contains rabbit chasing  

  Russell T. Davies, bless his heart, gave us the Time War in an attempt to get away from those meddling Time Lords.  What he really gave us was the biggest retcon in all of time and space.  As the summer rolls on, we explore that clash and some of its implications.   Gallifrey is calling…       Opening song: "London Calling" by The Clash, from the album London Calling.  

Next up on our Summer Concert stage is none other than that punk sensation...Rose Tyler!  Oh, you were expecting Blondie?  THAT punk, the one from the 1970's with Deborah Harry.  Yeah, no.  This week it's all about Rose.  Kinda takes you back to 2005, doesn't it?   "One Way Or Another" by Blondie, from the album Parallel Lines

  Even a man who is pure at heart, and says his prayers at night…can meet Queen Victoria on the road to Torchwood House and stop a werewolf it it's tracks.  And so it is this week, from the Mexican/American music of Los Lobos to the moors of Scotland under a summer's full moon, we bring you "Tooth and Claw" to face your darkest fear.  Will the wolf survive?  Who knows?   Opening Music: "Will the Wolf Survive", Los Lobos, from the album "How Will the Wolf Survive" (1984)  

No bull…frogs here, Jeremiah or otherwise named.  Just a robot dog named K-9.  Of course, there’s no “just” about him.  Loyal, smart and with a lazar nose and tickertape tongue, K-9 is probably one of the Doctor’s best beloved companions.  At least among us fans.  We love him, and we’re talking all about him.

Come on in and don't rush the stage.  It's festival seating and the tickets are free!  Welcome to the start of The Sonic Toolbox 2014 Summer Concert Series!!  This week on our stage it's The Beatles!!!  Ok, so it isn't really, but we are reviewing the 10th Doctor/Donna story "Turn Left".  You know, the one where she has a beetle on her back.  See what we did there?  So sit back, put those records on your record player (or turn on your MP3 player...just doesn't have the same ring to it, tho) and join us in a Magical Mystery Tour of an alternate kind. Links: A Quantum of Time Are Chronons the Elementary Particles in space and Time? Time Particles    

The Doctor faces off with the Yeti once again!  This time in the London Underground.  With Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart.  Yup, this week we review the Second Doctor story "The Web of Fear".  This is the story where we meet the Brig before he was a Brigadier.  So much furryness.  So much story.  So much...hey! Where's episode 3?  Damn you, BBC!!  Oh, well.  Has anyone dared to look in Sudanese TV station studios, maybe?? WARNING: Contains rabbit chasing

We've talked about the TARDIS before.  We've had discussions about the Chameleon Circuit and temporal physics.  This week, we're discovering a whole bunch (but by no means all) of the little used funtions of the TARDIS.  Little things that the Doctor may have mentioned or used only once, things that writers or showrunners came up with at the last moment when they realised they had painted our intrepid crew into the perverbial corner. And stuff... WARNING: Contains rabbit chasing

She's our favorite new Who companion.  This week we discuss why we love her so much.  Donna Noble, that fiery redhead, draws us in and becomes our touchstone companion with her down-to-earth way and her lack of attraction to the Doctor.  That and so much more.

It's Memorial Day (due to technical dificulties, Memorial Day is almost over) and even tho he's not in the U. S. Armed Services, and died of old age rather than service to his country, we here in the Toolbox have decided to honor Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart on this week's show.  Join us as we discuss our beloved Brig and try our best to stay on topic. WARNING: Contains rabbit chasing

R of the Daleks.  Resurrection this time.  And we're talking about it.  The 5th Doctor, Tegan leaving (spoilers!) and the very beginning of the Dalek civil war.  A civil war that spans many years and two regenerations, that's three Doctors.  We're taking a look at "Resurrection of the Daleks" in our own, special, rabbity way. Also, actual news and yarny talk.  Enjoy! WARNING: Contains rabbits

His name is Davros.  He created a maniacal race of mutants from his own people, the Kaleds, and called them Daleks.  He programed them with the desire to take over the universe.  Dude's got issues.  Good thing, too, or he'd be boring to talk about.  And that's what we're doing this week.  Talking about the nutjob in the mobile life support unit.  Grab your jackbooks, we're in for a bumpy ride! WARNING: Contains multitudes of rabbits

We conclude our two part review with "The Poison Sky".  Since Daisy kept accedentally talking about it last week, this week is a bit of a short episode.  Filled with short potato aliens.  And, as usual, rabbits.

Break out your sour cream, the Potato Heads are back!  This time they are...working with a genious kid and his genious kid students?  Ee, Er, WHAT???  It must be "The Sontaran Stratagem", part one of the two part 10th Doctor Sontaran story.  It's the focus of our show this week.  Tho, we must admit, sometimes our focus gets a little fuzzy. WARNING: Contains rabbit chasing                                    

Cloned super soldiers that look like potatos.  Who else can we be talking about but the Sontaran race?  This week we put these war mongering side dishes under the microscope to find out just what makes them tick. WARNING: Contains rabbit chasing