Pull To Open: A Random Doctor Who Podcast
By Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Join journalists Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor as they summarize stories in record time, play the Whomoji game, enter the History Corner, answer the Four Questions to Doomsday, and cower in fear before the almighty Randomizer.
New episode every Saturday!
Snakes on an Astral Plane (Manifesting "Kinda")
Open the box, Pull To Open listeners—but be sure your mind is ready. Kinda is the kinda… er kind of Doctor Who story where the themes are so rich you don’t care what it looks like. Which is just as well because the jungle looks like a garden center, the villain looks like an ’80s music-video nightmare, and the real monster may be your own mind. Peter Davison’s trip to Deva Loka banks hard into Buddhism, colonialism, feminism, telepathy, forbidden apples, silent men, and Hindle going so far over the top he may actually achieve orbit. But is this Mara tale a classic, a green-tinted mess, or somehow both? Join us as we face the dark places of the inside, ask why we didn’t get more possessed Tegan, and try not to laugh at a giant pink snake surrounded by mirrors. Silence, male fools—the wheel is turning.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:01:50
- Whomoji Challenge 00:07:21
- Poll to Open 00:14:14
- Comment of the Week 00:17:13
- TL;DW 00:22:32
- Review: Kinda 00:25:30
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:06:17
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:09:00
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:15:24
- Final Judgment 01:20:24
- Randomizer! 01:26:41
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Story Essentials
- Series 2, Episode 11
- Season 19, Serial 3
- Story number: 118, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Christopher Bailey
- Director: Peter Grimwade
- Script Editor: Eric Saward (commissioned by Christopher H. Bidmead and worked on by Antony Root)
- Producer: John Nathan-Turner
- Aired 1–9 February 1982
Pull To Open: Kinda
- Season 7
- Episode 12
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2026
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Drawn Apart (Illustrating "Fear Her")
Doctor Who fans have long feared Fear Her—and not necessarily for the reasons the episode intended. A lonely child, a suburban street, a cupboard-dad, a doodle monster, a rogue Isolus, and one baffling Olympic torch relay all add up to what may be the most filler-y filler episode Russell T Davies ever filled. But is it really as bad as its reputation suggests? Chris reaches for the Ogron almost immediately, while Pete shocks the universe by defending the value of low-stakes Doctor Who, especially when David Tennant and Billie Piper are still bringing the charm. Grab your crayons, keep an eye on the TARDIS, and join us as we ask the terrifying question: what if the scariest thing about Fear Her is that it’s… kind of fine?
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:03:34
- Whomoji Challenge 00:07:09
- POLL To Open 00:12:42
- TL;DW 00:18:07
- Review: Fear Her 00:19:33
- Four Questions to Doomsday 00:55:21
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 00:57:36
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 00:59:57
- Final Judgment 01:05:33
- Randomizer! 01:11:26
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Story Essentials
- Series 2, Episode 11
- Story number: 179, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Matthew Graham
- Director: Euros Lyn
- Script Editor: Simon Winstone
- Producer: Phil Collinson
- Executive Producers: Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner
- Aired 24 June 2006
Pull To Open: Fear Her
- Season 7
- Episode 11
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2026
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Time’s New Romans (Rebooting "The Pandorica Opens” and “The Big Bang")
It’s the end of the universe as Moffat knows it, and somehow we feel fine. The Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang two-parter throws every monster in the closet at Stonehenge, locks the Doctor in the most mythic box since the TARDIS, shoots Amy, explodes reality, gives Rory 2,000 years of plastic husband duty, and then fixes everything with a wedding phrase. Does it all make sense? Frequently! Does it cheat? Occasionally! Does it still make Team PTO cry happy tears? Like Karen Gillan reading the deepest-blue terms and conditions. Join us as we salute Matt Smith yelling at spaceships, interrogate Moffat’s monster fan service, ponder whether Sutekh got rebooted with the TARDIS, and ask whether this fairy-tale finale is really as good as we remember.
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Please review Pull To Open on Apple Podcasts.
Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:12
- Whomoji Challenge 00:12:27
- POLL To Open 00:15:39
- Comment of the Week 00:17:56
- TL;DW 00:24:11
- Review: The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang 00:27:39
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:02:20
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:06:17
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:12:45
- Final Judgment 01:19:44
- Randomizer! 01:24:24
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Story Essentials
- Series 5, Episodes 12 & 13
- Story number: 215, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Steven Moffat
- Director: Toby Haynes
- Script Editor: Lindsey Alford
- Producer: Peter Bennett
- Executive Producers: Steven Moffat, Piers Wenger and Beth Willis
- Aired 19–26 June 2010
Pull To Open: The Pandorica Opens | The Big Bang
- Season 7
- Episode 10
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2026
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Tachyons We Meet on Vacation (Touring "The Leisure Hive")
The Leisure Hive should be a relaxing holiday: a beachside opening, fabulous costumes, and Lalla Ward dressed like she just won regatta season. Instead, we find a story with enough ideas for three serials and enough pacing for half of one. Is it a commentary on nuclear war? A tourism satire? A hard-sci-fi flex? A lizard-mafia caper? Somehow it’s all of them, plus the moment Doctor Who quietly kills off the Randomizer and ushers in the John Nathan-Turner era with neon, synths, and pure style. Join us as we step into the tachyon chamber to confront old-man Tom Baker and the most leisurely chaos in the Fourth Doctor’s final stretch.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:15
- Whomoji Challenge 00:07:52
- POLL to Open 00:12:36
- Comment of the week 00:15:03
- TL;DW 00:22:17
- Review: The Leisure Hive 00:24:51
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:05:14
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:08:57
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:13:14
- Final Judgment 01:18:18
- Randomizer! 01:24:02
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Story Essentials
- Season 18, Serial 1
- Story number: 109, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: David Fisher
- Director: Lovett Bickford
- Script Editor: Christopher H. Bidmead
- Producer: John Nathan-Turner
- Executive Producer: Barry Letts
- Aired 30 August–20 September 1980
Pull To Open: The Leisure Hive
- Season 7
- Episode 9
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2026
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Circus Breaker (Performing "The Greatest Show in the Galaxy")
Come one, come all to the Psychic Circus — where the audience kills, the clowns are robots, and the Doctor may be only one striped scarf away from becoming one himself. This week, Pull To Open tackles The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, a late-McCoy oddity that somehow manages to be creepy, funny, ambitious, and weirdly relevant all at once. Is the Chief Clown an all-time villain? Are the Gods of Ragnarok a brilliant meta-commentary or a giant last-minute shrug? And most importantly: is the Doctor, in fact, a hippie? Grab some popcorn and keep your hands inside the clown car at all times.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:41
- Whomoji Challenge 00:08:00
- Poll to Open 00:13:14
- TL;DW 00:21:16
- Review: The Greatest Show in the Galaxy 00:23:48
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:01:05
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:05:01
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:07:36
- Final Judgment 01:12:32
- Randomizer! 01:19:10
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Story Essentials
- Season 25, Serial 4
- Story number: 155, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Stephen Wyatt
- Director: Alan Wareing
- Script Editor: Andrew Cartmel
- Producer: John Nathan-Turner
- Aired 14 December 1988–4 January 1989
Pull To Open: Time and the Rani
- Season 7
- Episode 8
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2026
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
The Halftime Show (Marking the Midpoint)
Five years, 160 stories, one increasingly suspicious Randomizer. Pull To Open has reached the exact midpoint of its mad dash through all of Doctor Who, so Pete and Chris are taking a break from the usual TL;DW chaos to ask the big questions: How did this thing start? When did the podcast actually get good? Which Doctors and eras has the Randomizer weirdly favored — or avoided — and why does Doctor Who somehow work better in random order than almost any franchise alive? Join us as we look back on listener Homojis, cursed pirate detours, guest-star highlights, production growing pains, and the dawning realization that this “five-year mission” is really a ten-year one. The back half starts now.
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Pull To Open: The Halftime Show
- Season 7
- Episode 7
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2026
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
It’s a Tetrap! (Disguising "Time and the Rani")
September 7, 1987: a date that lives in Doctor Who infamy—at least for Chris, who rage-quit the show the moment Time and the Rani introduced the Seventh Doctor in the most cursed way imaginable. Bad wigs, mangled aphorisms, quarry overload, neon overkill, and a regeneration scene that practically dares you to change the channel: this one has it all. But is the story merely a disaster, or a pivotal disaster? Join us as we revisit Sylvester McCoy’s bumpy debut, marvel at Kate O’Mara’s all-time great “Rani pretending to be Mel” performance, and ask how the same show that made Caves of Androzani wound up here. Time and tide melts the snowman.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:31
- POLL to Open 00:07:55
- Comment of the Week 00:11:10
- TL;DW 00:21:19
- Review: Time and the Rani 00:23:59
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:02:02
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:06:27
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:11:59
- Final Judgment 01:15:37
- Randomizer! 01:21:14
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Story Essentials
- Season 24, Serial 1
- Story number: 147, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Pip and Jane Baker
- Director: Andrew Morgan
- Script Editor: Andrew Cartmel
- Producer: John Nathan-Turner
- Aired 7–28 September 1987
Pull To Open: Time and the Rani
- Season 7
- Episode 6
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2026
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Water War (Submerging "The Sea Devils")
The Sea Devils should be an all-timer: the Master returns, the Navy shows up, the Doctor tries to broker peace, and the monsters have one of the most iconic “emerging from the sea” entrances ever. And yet… why do we learn so little about Sea Devil society? Why is the prison run by a duffer with sword décor and futuristic venetian blinds TVs? And why does this story quietly force the Doctor into the same moral corner as Doctor Who and the Silurians — with a choice that looks an awful lot like annihilation? Strap on your string vest: we’re going deep.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:01:29
- Whomoji Challenge 00:07:14
- POLL to Open 00:12:20
- Comment of the Week 00:15:05
- TL;DW 00:22:33
- Review: The Sea Devils 00:26:32
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:05:11
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:10:01
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:14:39
- Final Judgment 01:19:21
- Randomizer! 01:26:01
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Story Essentials
- Season 9, Serial 3
- Story number: 61, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Malcolm Hulke
- Director: Michael E. Briant
- Script Editor: Terrance Dicks
- Producer: Barry Letts
- Aired 26 February–1 April 1972
Pull To Open: The Sea Devils
- Season 7
- Episode 5
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2026
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
3 Days in the Gally (Scenes from Gallifrey One 2026)
Pull To Open goes on location! Pete and Chris hit Gallifrey One in Los Angeles as total Gally virgins, gawping at “chemicals on fire” sunsets, accidentally learning how expensive fandom can be, and collecting hot takes like they’re limited-edition prints. Along the way: Peter Davison (and the Tom Baker advice he still can’t hear), Millie Gibson popping in like it’s no big deal, and a convention floor vibe check that can best be summarized by one hoodie: “I told you Disney was a bad idea.” Plus: fans tell us where Doctor Who goes next… including the boldest pitch of all: put it on YouTube.
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Pull To Open: Gallifrey One Recap
- Season 7
- Episode 4
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2026
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Parallel Metal (Initializing “Rise of the Cybermen” and “The Age of Steel”)
Some stories upgrade the villains. This one upgrades everything. We venture to Pete’s World to face the stompiest reintroduction of a classic foe in rRise of the Cybermen and The Age of Steel. But are these metal men truly scary, or are they just Bluetooth bullies from Big Tech? Let’s debate the genius of rewriting Cyber-history, discuss what the story steals from Spare Parts, and say goodbye (maybe?) to Mickey. Wherever you land on this story, you have to admire it for accurately predicting Apple AirPods.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:03:37
- Whomoji Challenge 00:08:11
- POLL to Open 00:12:43
- Comment of the Week 00:15:03
- TL;DW 00:20:04
- Commentary: Rise of the Cybermen | The Age of Steel 00:22:31
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:08:41
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:13:06
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:18:30
- Final Judgment 01:24:45
- Randomizer! 01:30:30
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Story Essentials
- Series 2, Episodes 5 and 6
- Story number: 175, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Tom MacRae
- Director: Graeme Harper
- Showrunner: Russell T. Davies
- Aired 13–20 May 2006
Pull To Open: Rise of the Cybermen | The Age of Steel
- Season 7
- Episode 3
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2026
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Bonnie Dangerously (Quartering “The Highlanders”)
It’s the Second Doctor’s second story, and he’s already cross-dressing, bashing heads, and doing the worst German accent this side of Oktoberfest. The Highlanders is a story where the Doctor flails through post-regeneration weirdness while Ben, Polly, and proto-companion Jamie navigate the aftermath of Culloden and a plot to sell Scots into slavery. With violent slapstick, dodgy disguises, and an unexpected showdown on a boat, this might be the most violent—and historically faithful—Doctor Who story ever made. But does the Randomizer’s gift of Jamie McCrimmon come wrapped in tartan triumph… or just more post-battle trauma?
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:03:05
- Whomoji Challenge 00:07:07
- POLL to Open 00:13:23
- TL;DW 00:19:55
- Commentary: The Highlanders 00:22:26
- History Corner 00:47:20
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:02:08
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:05:13
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:09:10
- Final Judgment 01:12:57
- Randomizer! 01:17:14
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Story Essentials
- Season 4, Serial 4
- Story number: 30, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writers: Elwyn Jones, Gerry Davis
- Director: Hugh David
- Script Editor: Gerry Davis
- Producer: Innes Lloyd
- Aired 17 December 1966–7 January 1967
Pull To Open: The Highlanders
- Season 7
- Episode 2
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2026
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Clash of the Eras (Mediating “Doctor Who and the Silurians”)
Season seven of Pull To Open begins where all great potholing expeditions do: deep underground, with claw marks from the Randomizer and a moral crisis waiting at the exit. This week it’s Doctor Who and the Silurians, the only story bold enough to put “Doctor Who” in the title, and then end by asking: “So… was that a genocide?” Pete and Chris debate Malcolm Hulke’s surprisingly textured reptiles, UNIT’s “sealed permanently” semantics, and why Pertwee is somehow fully formed in his second story. Plus: an experimental Whomoji where nobody knows the answer, an extremely nerdy Bessie license-plate detour, and a dream involving Avon from Blake’s 7 and… kissing. (Not that kind of dream.)
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:35
- Whomoji Challenge 00:07:01
- POLL to Open 00:14:01
- TL;DW 00:18:00
- Commentary: Doctor Who and the Silurians 00:22:34
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:06:58
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:13:15
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:17:59
- Final Judgment 01:22:40
- Randomizer! 01:29:53
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Story Essentials
- Season 7, Serial 2
- Story number: 51, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Malcolm Hulke
- Director: Timothy Combe
- Script Editor: Terrance Dicks
- Producer: Barry Letts
- Aired 31 January–14 March 1970
Pull To Open: Doctor Who and the Silurians
- Season 7
- Episode 1
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2026
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Dawn of the AIpocalypse (Deprogramming “The War Machines”)
Long before Skynet, the British Post Office built its own murderbot. In The War Machines, a supercomputer called WOTAN tries to conquer the world by... hypnotizing secretaries and constructing clunky Dalek knockoffs in a warehouse. And honestly? It almost works. Join us as we revisit the First Doctor’s most tech-forward outing, featuring the debut of companions Ben and Polly, the Inferno Club (not that one), face-sucking elevators, and a press conference for the ages. Is this the beginning of UNIT-era vibes? Did the GPO invent AGI? And wait, did they seriously name-check Jimmy Savile?! Tune in for evil acronym discourse, war machine shenanigans, and the shocking origin of the Cybermen.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:01:22
- Whomoji Challenge 00:05:55
- POLL To Open 00:11:36
- TL;DW 00:19:32
- Commentary: The War Machines 00:22:17
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:07:12
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:10:07
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:16:32
- Final Judgment 01:21:56
- Randomizer! 01:26:33
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Story Essentials
- Season 3, Serial 10
- Story number: 26, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Ian Stuart Black, from a story by Kit Pedler
- Director: Michael Ferguson
- Script Editor: Gerry Davis
- Producer: Innes Lloyd
- Aired 25 June–16 July 1966
Pull To Open: The War Machines
- Season 6
- Episode 33
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Invasion on 34th Street (Speciating “Daleks in Manhattan” and “Evolution of the Daleks”)
What happens when the Daleks land in 1930s New York and start questioning who they are? You get one of Doctor Who’s strangest detours for a marquee monster, where the Cult of Skaro grapples with ambition, identity, and a makeover ambitious enough for a Broadway musical. We dig into how Daleks in Manhattan and Evolution of the Daleks blend showbiz sparkle with Hooverville grit, why Dalek Sec’s big evolutionary leap still resonates, and how a story filled with showgirls, pig slaves, and lightning-powered science ends up delivering some of the most intriguing self-reflection the Daleks have ever attempted.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:01:56
- Whomoji Challenge 00:07:59
- POLL to Open 00:12:49
- TL;DW 00:18:09
- Commentary: Daleks in Manhattan and Evolution of the Daleks 21:25:19
- History Corner 01:02:50
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:07:05
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:14:22
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:17:09
- Final Judgment 01:21:38
- Randomizer! 01:31:15
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Story Essentials
- Series 3, Episodes 4 and 5
- Story number: 185, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Helen Raynor
- Director: James Strong
- Showrunner: Russell T. Davies
- Aired 21–28 April 2007
Pull To Open: Daleks in Manhattan | Evolution of the Daleks
- Season 6
- Episode 32
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Space: 1969 (Energizing “The Space Pirates”)
Ahoy, space scallywags! This week the Randomizer maroons us in The Space Pirates, the six-part “epic” so padded it should come with its own flotation device. Join us as we navigate Argonite economics, Star Trek knockoff vibes, Clancy's comedy moustache, a CEO who is definitely up to something, and a TARDIS crew who spends most of the story confused, kidnapped, or both. Is this Bob Holmes’ secret experiment? A proto–frontier-in-space? Or simply the BBC showing off their 1969 model shop? Whatever it is… grab your magnets and hold on.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:01:37
- Whomoji Challenge 00:08:58
- POLL to Open 00:16:35
- TL;DW 00:22:00
- Commentary: The Space Pirates 00:25:17
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:01:37
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:03:45
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:08:49
- Final Judgment 01:13:22
- Randomizer! 01:18:23
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Story Essentials
- Season 6, Serial 6
- Story number: 48, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Robert Holmes
- Director: Michael Hart
- Script Editor: Derrick Sherwin
- Producer: Peter Bryant
- Aired 8 March–12 April 1969
Pull To Open: The Space Pirates
- Season 6
- Episode 31
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Doctor, Octopus (Filleting “The Power of Kroll”)
Doctor Who’s biggest monster gets his due—or does he? The Randomizer drops us into The Power of Kroll, the soggiest segment of the Key to Time season, where the squid is supersized but the stakes… maybe not so much. Join us as we wade through methane, musical glass-shattering, suspicious swampies, and the curious absence of K9. Is Bob Holmes’ least favorite script really that bad, or are we just blinded by all the green body paint?
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:01:25
- Whomoji Challenge 00:06:17
- POLL to Open 00:12:02
- TL;DW 00:18:49
- Commentary: The Power of Kroll 00:21:27
- Four Questions to Doomsday 00:58:33
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:04:25
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:07:27
- Final Judgment 01:12:14
- Randomizer! 01:18:25
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Story Essentials
- Season 16, Serial 5
- Story number: 101, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Robert Holmes
- Director: Norman Stewart
- Script Editor: Anthony Read
- Producer: Graham Williams, John Nathan-Turner
- Aired 23 December 1978–13 January 1979
Pull To Open: The Power of Kroll
- Season 6
- Episode 30
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Who Returns? (Reacting to the 2026 Christmas Special News)
Doctor Who is back, babes! The BBC has reclaimed its Time Lord, and Pull To Open is here with a full transatlantic debrief. What does Disney’s departure mean for the future of the franchise? What might RTD’s newly announced 2026 Christmas Special look like? Will it be the final chapter of RTD 2.0 or the beginning of something entirely new? Join us for Rose-tinted speculation, companion casting theories, fandom grievances, and way too many ideas for how to fix the streaming rights vortex. Plus: Jelly Babies, Susan, and why the Santas from "The Christmas Invasion" might just be coming back 🎅
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Pull To Open: Who Returns?
- Season 6
- Episode 29
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
The Martians (Chilling “The Ice Warriors”)
It’s the second Ice Age and Britannicus Base is under siege—by glaciers, bureaucracy, and a hissy Martian warlord with grabby hands. Join us as we dig into The Ice Warriors, the monster debut that screams “classic” but quietly whispers “fix me.” Are the Warriors even wearing armor? How does Jamie know Shakespeare? And did humanity really get rid of all the plants? The Randomizer serves us a slow-burn base-under-siege with a plot twist that feels… scientifically questionable. But we’re here for Penley’s beard, Clent’s drama, and Victoria’s HR complaint. Also: there's a bear. A real one.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:10
- Whomoji Challenge 00:06:23
- POLL to Open 00:12:15
- TL;DW 00:19:57
- Commentary: The Ice Warriors 00:23:45
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:04:32
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:08:22
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:14:05
- Final Judgment 01:18:11
- Randomizer! 01:25:06
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Story Essentials
- Season 5, Serial 3
- Story number: 38, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Brian Hayles
- Director: Derek Martinus
- Script Editor: Peter Bryant
- Producer: Innes Lloyd
- Aired 11 November–16 December 1967
Pull To Open: The Ice Warriors
- Season 6
- Episode 28
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Wolf Clan (Metamorphosing “Tooth and Claw”)
We are amused. Even Queen Victoria couldn’t keep a straight face through this lycanthropic slice of Tennant-era mayhem. Tooth and Claw is a kung-fu-kicking, wolf-howl-screaming, Torchwood-originating slice of steampunk nonsense, and honestly? It rules. The TARDIS misses Ian Dury and lands in the middle of an accidental backdoor pilot for Torchwood—with kung fu monks (???), an anti-wolf diamond laser, and a Queen who just wants these grinning time travelers gone. Does it all hold up? Sort of. Does it matter? Not really. Werewolves are real, the monarchy may be cursed, and Rose just might be the Bad Wolf again. Join us as we karate-chop our way through one of the wildest RTD-era monsters-of-the-week and explore why Queen Vic is the real final boss.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:01:59
- Whomoji Challenge 00:06:49
- POLL to Open 00:14:57
- TL;DW 00:22:22
- Commentary: Tooth and Claw 00:24:16
- History Corner 00:53:17
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:02:29
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:06:17
- Where Is the Clara Splinter 01:11:14
- Final Judgment 01:17:39
- Randomizer! 01:22:19
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Story Essentials
- Series 2, Episode 2
- Story number: 172, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Russell T. Davies
- Director: Euros Lyn
- Showrunner: Russell T. Davies
- Aired 22 April 2006
Pull To Open: Tooth and Claw
- Season 6
- Episode 27
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Planet Mirth (Delighting “The Happiness Patrol”)
Doctor Who gets political, camp, and candy-coated all at once in The Happiness Patrol. On Terra Alpha, Helen A rules with a smile—and a gun—while her confectionary executioner, The Candy Man, dishes out death by fondant. Pete and Chris dive into this neon-noir dystopia, unpack the not-so-subtle Thatcher parallels, and debate whether Sylvester McCoy’s most infamous outing is biting satire, glorious camp, or both. Happiness will prevail… but only if the Randomizer allows it.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:01:47
- Whomoji Challenge 00:07:57
- POLL to Open 00:12:44
- TL;DW 00:19:16
- Commentary: The Happiness Patrol 00:21:36
- History Corner 01:07:22:21
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:09:17
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:14:08
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:18:58
- Final Judgment 01:23:21
- Randomizer! 01:30:29
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Story Essentials
- Season 25, Serial 2
- Story number: 152, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Graeme Curry
- Director: Chris Clough
- Script Editor: Andrew Cartmel
- Producer: John Nathan-Turner
- Aired 2–16 November 1988
Pull To Open: The Happiness Patrol
- Season 6
- Episode 26
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Island Chat (Interviews from Long Island Who 2025)
What’s it like to work on Doctor Who and Torchwood when you’re not in the spotlight—but still right there among the monsters, costumes, and chaos? In this very special live episode recorded at Long Island Who, Pete and Chris chat with two veterans of the Whoniverse: Mickey Lewis, a monster actor and novelist with stories to spare (including some very punk-rock prose the BBC might not approve of), and Amy Benedict, a Hollywood mainstay whose time on Torchwood: Miracle Day gave her a fresh outsider’s perspective on the show’s darker corners. From Dalek mishaps to John Barrowman pranks-that-weren’t, this is Doctor Who behind the masks, gloves, and prosthetics—where candor meets fandom.
Pull To Open: Interviews from Long Island Who 2025
Season 6
Episode 25
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Master of the Moment (Ingesting “The Time Monster”)
TOMTIT jokes. Chronovores. Diapers. That one time the Doctor ran interference with a cork and a fork. Welcome to The Time Monster — a Pertwee six-parter that throws everything into the vortex, including Atlantis, bird gods, and a TARDIS nesting doll. Is this Jon Pertwee’s “so bad it’s good” masterpiece? Or just a cautionary tale about letting the Master go full academia? We try to make sense of the nonsense, analyze why the Master needs to chill with the bird metaphors, and launch a bold theory: Clara Oswald is Kronos. Fight us.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:01:34
- Whomoji Challenge 00:06:10
- TL;DW 00:20:25
- Commentary: The Time Monster 00:24:29
- History Corner 01:04:16
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:07:42
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:11:31
- Where Is the Clara Splinter 01:16:30
- Final Judgment 01:19:51
- Randomizer! 01:26:36
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Story Essentials
- Season 9, Serial 5
- Story number: 63, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Robert Sloman, Barry Letts
- Director: Paul Bernard
- Script Editor: Terrance Dicks
- Producer: Barry Letts
- Aired 20 May–24 June 1972
Pull To Open: The Time Monster
- Season 6
- Episode 24
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Rex and the City (Regressing “Invasion of the Dinosaurs”)
Dinosaurs in Doctor Who? Always a risky proposition—especially when they’re on a BBC budget in 1974. Invasion of the Dinosaurs tries to roar, but often just… stands there looking sleepy. Still, there’s more to this six-parter than claymation T-rexes. Sarah Jane gets her best early outing as a journalist, UNIT is (mostly) back together, and Mike Yates makes a shocking heel turn. Add in Operation Golden Age, one of Classic Who’s most bonkers conspiracies, and you’ve got a story that’s as much political paranoia as prehistoric spectacle. Just don’t expect Jurassic Park. Maybe Jurassic parked.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:05
- Whomoji Challenge 00:10:32
- Poll To Open 00:15:18
- TL;DW 00:20:31
- Commentary: Invasion of the Dinosaurs 00:24:02
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:05:47
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:08:27
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:13:02
- Final Judgment 01:18:29
- Randomizer! 01:23:21
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Story Essentials
- Season 11, Serial 2
- Story number: 70, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Malcolm Hulke
- Director: Paddy Russell
- Script Editor: Terrance Dicks, Robert Holmes
- Producer: Barry Letts
- Aired 12 January–16 February 1974
Pull To Open: Invasion of the Dinosaurs
- Season 6
- Episode 23
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Mission Creep (Silencing "The Impossible Astronaut" and "Day of the Moon")
Memory, manipulation, and moon landings collide in one of the most audacious season openers in Doctor Who history. In The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon, Steven Moffat unleashes the Silence — a monster so terrifying, you forget them the moment you look away — and dares viewers to keep up with a non-linear plot packed with space-suited children, timey-wimey double Doctors, and a shockingly competent Nixon. But does all the complexity serve the story, or is it storytelling gymnastics for its own sake? The team digs into Moffat’s high-wire act of serialization, the emotional weight behind Amy's and River's connections with the Doctor, and how forgetting may be the most frightening concept of all.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:01:52
- Whomoji Challenge 00:08:00
- Poll to Open 00:13:51
- TL;DW 00:21:14
- Commentary: The Impossible Astronaut | Day of the Moon 00:24:07
- History Corner 00:43:04
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:06:16
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:11:05
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:16:23
- Final Judgment 01:19:37
- Randomizer! 01:26:16
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Story Essentials
- Series 6, Episodes 1 & 2
- Story number: 217, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writers: Steven Moffat
- Director: Toby Haynes
- Showrunner: Steven Moffat
- Aired 23–30 April 2011
Pull To Open: The Impossible Astronaut | Day of the Moon
- Season 6
- Episode 22
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
The Fifteenth Element (Look Back: The Ncuti Gatwa Era)
We park the Randomizer for a moment of reflection on the Ncuti Gatwa era — an time of goblins, gods, wish worlds, and controversies that may have rewritten more than canon. From reshoots and reality wars to Billie Piper’s surprise return and Disney’s uncertain handshake, we dive deep into what worked (hello, 73 Yards), what didn’t (Robot Revolution, anyone?), and whether Doctor Who got too much sugar in its tea this time around. Grab your sonic and settle in for a lukewarm take that might still burn your tongue.
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Pull To Open: Ncuti Gatwa Era Lookback
- Season 6
- Episode 21
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Playing It School (Sweeping “The Caretaker”)
When the Twelfth Doctor trades the TARDIS for a mop at Coal Hill School, awkwardness is bound to follow. Join us as we revisit The Caretaker, an episode packed with high-stakes parent-teacher nights, questionable robot threats, and a love triangle that quickly goes off the rails. Can Clara balance dating Danny Pink and running down corridors with the Doctor? And is Peter Capaldi’s cantankerous caretaker disguise fooling anyone? Even Courtney? Ring the school bell—class with Pull To Open is officially in session.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:14
- Whomoji Challenge 00:05:02
- Poll to Open 00:11:19
- TL;DW 00:17:31
- Commentary: The Caretaker 00:18:57
- Four Questions to Doomsday 00:53:25
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 00:56:22
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:02:55
- Final Judgment 01:07:18
- Randomizer! 01:12:58
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Story Essentials
- Series 8, Episode 6
- Story number: 250, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writers: Gareth Roberts, Steven Moffat
- Director: Paul Murphy
- Showrunner: Steven Moffat
- Aired 27 September 2014
Pull To Open: The Caretaker
- Season 6
- Episode 20
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Nothing but Double (Replicating “The Android Invasion”)
Terry Nation returns! But not with Daleks — this time it’s androids, clones, and possibly the most ill-advised eyepatch in Who history. The Randomizer has pulled us into The Android Invasion, a UNIT-adjacent tale with a suspiciously quiet pub, some surprisingly trigger-happy fingers, and a plan so convoluted, it makes a Moffat finale look grounded. Join us as we unravel a story where the twist is that the twist is obvious, Tom Baker takes a dive, and Liz Sladen’s face falls off — literally. If you’ve ever dreamed of a Doctor Who/Stepford Wives crossover filmed in a quaint British village, this one’s for you.
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Timeline:
- IIntro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:24
- Whomoji Challenge 00:07:25
- Poll to Open 00:15:59
- TL;DW 00:21:46
- Commentary: The Android Invasion 00:24:36
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:07:52
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:13:03
- Where Is the Clara Splinter 01:18:08
- Final Judgment 01:21:50
- Randomizer! 01:27:30
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Play Pull To Open Bingo
Story Essentials
- Season 9, Serial 2
- Story number: 82, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Terry Nation
- Director: Barry Letts
- Script editor: Robert Holmes
- Producer: Philip Hinchcliffe
- Aired 22 November–13 December 1975
Pull To Open: The Android Invasion
- Season 6
- Episode 19
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Diplomatic Disunity (Negotiating “The Curse of Peladon”)
Is it a medieval space opera or a green-skinned fever dream? The Curse of Peladon has it both ways, complete with a courtly Pertwee, a princess-posing Jo, and the most phallic alien ever approved for Saturday tea time. Join us as we decode this gothic interstellar allegory about joining galactic federations (or maybe the European Economic Community), uncover who’s behind the spooky beast attacks, and decide if the Ice Warriors are still chill. Also: shoutouts to Alpha Centauri, the most anxious diplomatic appendage in Who history, and a brief mention of the Time Lords… remember them?
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:03:29
- Whomoji Challenge 00:09:17
- POLL To Open 00:14:36
- TL;DW 00:23:07
- Commentary: The Curse of Peladon 00:25:55
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:06:06
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:11:20
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:17:14
- Final Judgment 01:22:32
- Randomizer! 01:28:26
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Play Pull To Open Bingo
Story Essentials
- Season 9, Serial 2
- Story number: 60, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Brian Hayles
- Director: Lennie Mayne
- Script editor: Terrance Dicks
- Showrunner: Barry Letts
- Aired 29 January–19 February 1972
Pull To Open: The Curse of Peladon
- Season 6
- Episode 18
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Ends with Benefits (HOT TAKE: "The Reality War")
How do you stick the landing for a story about a fake world that’s made of wishes? You let your villain shine, sprinkle in some glorious cameos, and insert a twist that dials the emotional resonance to 11. Somehow, between all the fourth-wall-breaking and nonsensical plot twists, Russell T. Davies wraps up Ncuti Gatwa’s second season of Doctor Who in a way that does more than satisfy—it slaps. Not every plot thread gets fully explored, but the ones that matter actually make sense(!) and are revealing about the characters we care about. And there’s fun to be had, too! Come with us as we unpack everything (including that surprise ending) and declare victory for The Reality War.
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Pull To Open: The Reality War HOT TAKE
- Season 6
- Episode 17
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Twist and Doubt (HOT TAKE: “Wish World”)
The Doctor’s stuck in a surreal 1950s fever dream, UNIT’s been rebranded as a life insurance agency, and wish-granting gods are running amok. What is even happening in Wish World?! Pete and Chris dive headfirst into RTD’s mind-bending, logic-challenged spectacle that dares to connect the Rani, Poppy, Conrad, and possibly Susan through some extremely wishful thinking. Is this the Doctor’s most confusing domestic life yet? Are Mastodon skeletons the new Macra? Is this what happens when RTD binges The Prisoner, WandaVision, and a box of Target novels? This one’s more ride than story — but oh, what a ride it is.
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Pull To Open: Wish World HOT TAKE
- Season 6
- Episode 16
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Bigeneration Gap (HOT TAKE 2: "The Interstellar Song Contest" Post-Credits Scene)
It turns out our dress rehearsal of The Interstellar Song Contest was missing one extremely important reveal! In this emergency analysis of the post-credits scene, we tackle the surprise regeneration of Mrs. Flood into a new Time Lady villain—Archie Panjabi’s take on the classic Rani. Is this just a nostalgia throwback, or are we in for a legit cosmic power play? And what does this say about bigeneration, the show’s new favorite toy? Tune in for rants, theories, and your favorite meta-commentary on meta-commentary — plus Pete accidentally hot-takes his way into agreeing with Steven Moffat. For some reason.
Listen to our hot take on the main episode.
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Pull To Open: The Interstellar Song Contest HOT TAKE 2: Post-Credits Scene
- Season 6
- Episode 15
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Idol Threat (HOT TAKE: "The Interstellar Song Contest")
The Interstellar Song Contest is a full-on sensory overload: galactic glam, massive stakes, and more killer hooks than a Skybox full of Hellions. In this hot take, we break down the Doctor’s most bombastic outing yet — complete with AI cameos, shocking twists, and one jaw-dropping moment that might just redefine the Doctor’s moral compass. Has Russell T Davies gone too far, or just far enough? Join us for a voyage through pop, politics, and planetary peril.
And yes, we did eventually get to that post-credits scene. Listen to our full breakdown of the big reveal.
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Pull To Open: The Interstellar Song Contest HOT TAKE
- Season 6
- Episode 14
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Rightful Hair (HOT TAKE: "The Story & the Engine")
In The Story & the Engine, the Doctor finds himself in a Nigerian barbershop… on a spaceship… on the back of a spider… in the realm of living stories. You with us so far? Good — because the story’s just getting started. Join Pete and Chris as they dissect one of the most surreal, ambitious episodes in Doctor Who history, from map headgames to moral metaphysics. Come for the cosmic barbershop, stay for the existential vibes.
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Pull To Open: The Story & the Engine HOT TAKE
- Season 6
- Episode 13
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
The Lies that Blind (HOT TAKE: “Lucky Day”)
It's a Lucky Day… or is it? Is this a bold stand for truth in the age of misinformation, or an unsubtle lecture about trusting the deep state? Can conspiracy theorists exist in a world where UNIT is canon? And what’s the deal with Conrad’s podcast? From shrieks to lip gloss, Mrs. Flood to memory worms, we unpack all the continuity—and the politics. But sorry, we can’t spare a 50p piece.
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Pull To Open: Lucky Day HOT TAKE
- Season 6
- Episode 12
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Fright of Your Life (HOT TAKE: "The Well")
Doctor Who has plunged into The Well — and trust us, you’ll want to keep your back covered. Pete and Chris tackle the chills, thrills, and high-stakes mystery of Season 2’s most intense episode yet. How does the Doctor face the unknown when it stares right back at him? How is the future of humanity suddenly more fragile than ever? And what clever callbacks to classic sci-fi storytelling are hidden just below the surface? Grab your spacesuit (and maybe smash a few mirrors) — it's about to get real.
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Pull To Open: The Well HOT TAKE
- Season 6
- Episode 11
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Heavy Meta (HOT TAKE: “Lux”)
RTD just gave us Alan Cumming as a cartoon god named Mr. Ring-a-Ding, and that’s not even the weirdest part of “Lux.” This episode has 2D-animated monsters, film reel body horror, meta commentary on fandom, and the Doctor using regeneration energy to treat a boo-boo. Pete and Chris are here to unwrap it all — from Mrs. Flood’s nuclear foreboding to the Doctor’s best mini-speech in years. Also discussed: How to acknowledge the racist past without getting lost in it, whether “Lux” secretly out-Blinks “Blink,” and what happens when you trap Doctor Who fans in a movie… and they love it.
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Pull To Open: Lux HOT TAKE
- Season 6
- Episode 10
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Day of the Nurse (HOT TAKE: "The Robot Revolution")
It's the future, and your star registry gift just triggered a robotic uprising. Welcome to Doctor Who: The Robot Revolution, where RTD goes hard on visuals, soft on substance, and maybe too far on consent. The Pull To Open crew picks apart everything from glitchy AI metaphors to Belinda Chandra’s underbaked debut — and Pete almost expected a Robots of Death sequel. But hey, at least the Doctor's rocking pajamas and historian credentials now.
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Pull To Open: The Robot Revoultion HOT TAKE
- Season 6
- Episode 9
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Invade for TV (Discharging “Aliens of London and World War Three”)
Say it with us now: it’s not just Slitheen fart jokes. Aliens of London/World War Three is the Ecclestone-Piper powerhouse that firmly established how NuWho would grow beyond the old-school kind of Earth invasion. It would be smart, twisty, full of “real” fake media and political references. It would stuff the Prime Minister in a closet. And it would put the Doctor in new kinds of domestic jeopardy. In short, despite some slightly dodgy CGI choices, it still holds up, even 20 hours later. Oh wait, we accidentally recorded this review 20 years later. Sorry!
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:04:42
- Whomoji Challenge 00:08:54
- POLL To Open 00:13:20
- TL;DR 00:19:34
- Commentary: Aliens of London | World War Three 00:22:26
- History Corner 01:06:09
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:08:11
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:12:05
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:19:40
- Final Judgment 01:25:01
- Randomizer! 01:32:34
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Story Essentials
- Series 1, Episodes 4 and 5
- Story number: 163, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Russell T. Davies
- Director: Keith Boak
- Script editor: Elwen Rowlands
- Showrunner: Russell T. Davies
- Aired 16–23 April 2005
Pull To Open: Aliens of London | World War Three
- Season 6
- Episode 8
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
The Reich Stuff (Vivisecting “The Sontaran Experiment”)
Sontar-what now? An odd little two-parter squished between two titanic Tom Baker classics, The Sontaran Experiment manages to downgrade its clone army villain — with a flimsy mask that makes him look more like a bald white dude amid a bunch of South African “colonials”, plus evil experiments that … don’t seem very science-y? We had fun concocting this episode in our cave, though. So join us for a show sponsored by Gravbar, the adjustable all-in-one exerciser that’ll tear your pecs to shreds!
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:03:19
- Whomoji Challenge 00:10:56
- POLL To Open 00:16:13
- TL;DW 00:25:54
- Commentary: The Sontaran Experiment 00:27:46
- Four Questions To Doomsday 01:04:31
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:08:08
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:13:04
- Final Judgment 01:20:07
- Randomizer! 01:25:04
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Story Essentials
- Season 12, Serial 3
- Story number: 76, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Bob Baker and Dave Martin
- Director: Rodney Bennett
- Script editor: Robert Holmes
- Producer: Philip Hinchcliffe
- Aired 22 February–1 March 1975
Pull To Open: The Sontaran Experiment
- Season 6
- Episode 7
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
The Companion Falls (Impacting “Earthshock”)
Adric’s fate, an unexpected "asteroid," and the triumphant return of the Cybermen—Earthshock is the definitive Doctor Who game-changer. From its big-budget action sequences to its brutal emotional gut punches, this Davison classic gave us one of the show’s most shocking cliffhangers and its most heart-wrenching companion exit. But does all the spectacle hold up, or is this the original sin of '80s Who? Join us as we crack the last logic code, psychoanalyze the Cyber Leader’s emotions (should Cybermen even have emotions?), and get lost in the cavernous plot holes of one of the show’s most unforgettable adventures. Excellent.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:24
- Whomoji Challenge 00:06:30
- POLL to Open 00:11:06
- TL;DR 00:17:25
- Commentary: Earthshock 00:20:20
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:11:01
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:16:04
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:20:26
- Final Judgment 01:24:25
- Randomizer! 01:31:48
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Story Essentials
- Season 19, Serial 6
- Story number: 121, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Eric Saward
- Director: Peter Grimwade
- Script editor: Antony Root, Eric Saward
- Producer: John Nathan-Turner
- Aired 8–16 March 1982
Pull To Open: Earthshock
- Season 6
- Episode 6
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Breaking Dad (Reliving “Father’s Day”)
When Doctor Who returned in 2005, timey-wimey twists like Rose saving her dad in Father’s Day had rarely been seen on screen. But one entire Moffat era later, audiences are more sophisticated. So how does this small-scale Tyler tale land 20 years later? Do we still fear the Reapers? Grab your chunky carphone and make it to the church on time as we go all Back to the Future in 1987 — and don’t miss the Rickroll, because Pull to Open really is never gonna give you up.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:01
- Whomoji Challenge 00:08:04
- POLL to Open 00:13:44
- TL;DW 00:20:42
- Commentary: Father’s Day 00:22:17
- History Corner 00:59:07
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:03:11
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:09:17
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:13:38
- Final Judgment 01:17:29
- Randomizer! 01:25:28
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Story Essentials
- Series 1, Episode 8
- Story number: 166, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Paul Cornell
- Director: Joe Ahearne
- Script editor: Helen Raynor
- Showrunner: Russell T. Davies
- Aired 14 May 2005
Pull To Open: Father's Day
- Season 6
- Episode 5
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Electric Screams (Shipwrecking “Horror of Fang Rock”)
Just this once, Leela … everybody dies! Horror of Fang Rock may be a kind of bottle episode (well, a tall bottle with a big electric light on top), but no Doctor Who story has a higher percentage of guest cast killed. And with this bunch of refugees from an Agatha Christie play, who wouldn’t be rooting for a Rutan to off ’em? Join us as we peer into an atmospheric fog of 1970s class war with our new blue peepers, enter a history corner on the real Fang Rock, and try not to grumble at the fake Somerset accent. T’ain’t natural!
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- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:21
- Whomoji Challenge 00:06:14
- POLL To Open 00:11:12
- TL;DW 00:16:00
- Commentary: Horror of Fang Rock 00:19:54
- History Corner 00:55:39
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:09:05
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:11:49
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:18:04
- Final Judgment 01:21:59
- Randomizer! 01:30:19
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Story Essentials
- Season 15, Serial 1
- Story number: 91, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Terrance Dicks
- Director: Paddy Russell
- Script editor: Robert Holmes
- Producer: Graham Williams
- Aired 3–24 September 1977
Pull To Open: Horror of Fang Rock
- Season 6
- Episode 4
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Slave New World (Liberating “Planet of the Ood”)
How do the Ood serve Doctor Who? Are they more interesting as harbingers of doom, pawns of the literal devil, or rabid victims of capitalist greed? Planet of the Ood takes the latter approach, and the result is a tale so dark even Donna Noble can’t lighten it up. Still, she (and we) can at least get on the Doctor’s case for his heavy-handed analogies. So sit back and take a shot of hair tonic while we absorb you into our giant brain. Just call us the Ood couple! (Actually, don’t.)
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:07
- Whomoji Challenge 00:07:08
- POLL to Open 00:14:36
- TL;DW 00:21:00
- Commentary: Planet of the Old 00:23:01
- Four Questions to Doomsday 00:58:51
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:00:57
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:04:14
- Final Judgment 01:09:06
- Randomizer! 01:13:53
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Story Essentials
- Series 4, Episode 3
- Story number: 194, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Keith Temple
- Director: Graeme Harper
- Script editor: Lindsey Alford
- Showrunner: Russell T. Davies
- Aired 19 April 2008
Pull To Open: Planet of the Ood
- Season 6
- Episode 3
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Doctor Who ©️BBC 1963
Mazed and Confused (Mythologizing “The Horns of Nimon”)
Time waits for Nimon! Well, time waits for someone to appreciate The Horns of Nimon — the unintended finale to one of the greatest seasons of Doctor Who. With its drunk ballet bulls and a villain on a strict scenery diet, this could be a comedy classic. Or a triumph for Romana and her superior sonic. But is it? Dare to enter the labyrinth with us as we dust off our Greek myths and prepare to be sacrificed on the altar of the mighty Tom Baker.
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:03
- Whomoji Challenge 00:07:09
- POLL To Open 00:13:16
- TL;DW 00:21:48
- Commentary: The Horns of Nimon 00:24:26
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:00:45
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:03:50
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:07:00
- Final Judgment 01:11:14
- Randomizer! 01:15:43
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Story Essentials
- Season 17, Serial 5
- Story number: 107, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writers: Anthony Read
- Director: Kenny McBain
- Script editor: Douglas Adams
- Producer: Graham Williams
- Aired 22 December 1979–12 January 1980
Pull To Open: Planet of the Dead
- Season 6
- Episode 2
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
Lord & Lady (Burglarizing “Planet of the Dead”)
A London bus, a mysterious wormhole, and a desert planet teeming with metal stingrays — Planet of the Dead boasts a hearty list of tasty Doctor Who plot ingredients even before you mix in a flirty almost-companion. David Tennant’s Doctor teams up with the aristocratic jewel thief Lady Christina de Souza in this slick, blockbuster-style Easter special. But beneath the high-speed chases and flirty banter lies a looming warning: he will knock four times. Grab your lobster card and hang on tight as we speed through sandstorms, UNIT cameos, and questionable bus seating arrangements!
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:43
- Whomoji Challenge 00:09:21
- POLL to Open 00:14:51
- TL;DW 00:21:34
- Commentary: Planet of the Dead 00:24:38
- History Corner 01:00:53
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:09:41
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:12:38
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:15:13
- Final Judgment 01:18:33
- Randomizer! 01:22:25
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Story Essentials
- 2009 Easter Special
- Story number: 203, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writers: Russell T Davies, Gareth Roberts
- Director: James Strong
- Script editor: Lindsey Alford
- Showrunner: Russell T Davies
- Aired 11 April 2009
Pull To Open: Planet of the Dead
- Season 6
- Episode 1
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2025
A Star Is Born (HOT TAKE: “Joy to the World”)
Good God, what is happening in Joy to the World, possibly the most time-wimey Doctor Who Christmas special to date. We’d expect nothing less from Steven Moffat, who stuffs a dinosaur, a bootstrap paradox, and a multi-Doctor story all into a holiday meal that’s anything but a turkey. You might want to dress yourself in several layers just to keep up pace with this one, but be sure to curl up in your most comfortable chair before diving in.
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Pull To Open: Joy to the World HOT TAKE
- Season 5
- Episode 40
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2024
A Wrinkle in Flesh Time (Enlightening “Four to Doomsday”)
There's bad Doctor Who that makes you ROFL. There's bad Doctor Who that just leaves you baffled. And sometimes, if you're lucky, you find both in one story. Four to Doomsday, Peter Davison's first dip in the Who pool, was a tale of two reactions for Team PTO. Good thing the political angles (incel Adric, anyone?) were so outnumbered by hilarious/dumb/hallucinatory choices (Tegan can draw like DaVinci and pilot a TARDIS by crying now?) Join us as we hurl a cricket ball of nerd rage right at the fabulous green-suited alien of early ’80s camp. Howzat?!
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:01:17
- Whomoji Challenge 00:06:38
- POLL To Open 00:12:12
- TL;DW 00:15:51
- Commentary: Four to Doomsday 00:19:31
- Four Questions to Doomsday 00:58:19
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:02:08
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:07:58
- Final Judgment 01:15:17
- Randomizer! 01:21:36
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Story Essentials
- Season 19, Serial 2
- Story number: 117, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Terence Dudley
- Director: John Black
- Script Editor: Antony Root
- Producer: John Nathan-Turner
- Aired 18–26 January 1982
Pull To Open: Four to Doomsday
- Season 5
- Episode 39
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2024
Nonrapid Transit (Jackknifing “Gridlock”)
“Stuck in traffic for ages” may be the most mundane sci-fi concept Doctor Who has ever offered. Yet Gridlock shines through the smog, even though we have to wonder why they don’t have smog-free EVs in the year five billion. How did RTD do it? Three words: great artists steal. Even when they’re stealing from the galaxy’s greatest comic, 2000AD. Join us — no, seriously, join us, we need one more passenger to take the fast lane through the snapping Macra of criticism!
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:16
- Whomoji Challenge 00:06:21
- POLL To Open 00:12:32
- TL;DW 00:19:08
- Commentary: Gridlock 00:21:05
- 2000AD Corner 00:59:07
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:04:35
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:07:51
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:11:39
- Final Judgment 01:14:49
- Randomizer! 01:19:47
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Story Essentials
- Series 3, Episode 3
- Story number: 184, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Russell T. Davies
- Director: Richard Clark
- Showrunner: Russell T. Davies
- Aired 14 April 2007
Pull To Open: Gridlock
- Season 5
- Episode 38
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2024
Get Back (Reversing “The Edge of Destruction”)
In a sense, Doctor Who delivered its scariest story ever on its third outing. There’s something truly unsettling about The Edge of Destruction, especially in our unsettled times. The show seems to be tearing itself apart, annihilating dialogue, turning viewers against Ian, Susan and the Doctor (but blessedly not Barbara) when we’ve barely got to know them. But how can we make its premise make sense? Join us in a much-needed memory wipe while we run around with scissors — just don’t touch that fast return switch!
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Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:01:49
- Whomoji Challenge 00:10:10
- Poll To Open 00:16:25
- TL;DW 00:23:29
- Commentary: The Edge of Destruction 00:25:21
- Four Questions to Doomsday 01:01:09
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded? 01:07:27
- Where Is the Clara Splinter 01:15:16
- Final Judgment 01:20:42
- Randomizer! 01:27:42
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Story Essentials
- Season 1, Serial 3
- Story number: 3, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: David Whitaker
- Director: Richard Martin (The Edge of Destruction), Frank Cox (The Brink of Disaster)
- Producer: Verity Lambert
- Aired 8 – 15 February 1964
Pull To Open: The Edge of Destruction
- Season 5
- Episode 37
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2024
Axis of Medieval (Besieging “The Time Warrior”)
Did New Who start in 2005 … or 1973? The Time Warrior fell from the stars with a surprising number of firsts for a show in its 11th year: not just the first Sontaran, but the debut of Sarah-Jane Smith, the diamond logo, the time tunnel, and a planet called (checks notes) Gallifrey. But that’s not all: Robert Holmes’ script brings a Moffat-y level of jokes and self-awareness, including the first crack about the Doctor chasing young women. But is its medieval feminism just a load of Rubeish? Join us for a feast of chicken legs, potato hairs and stink bombs. Just don’t eat the sleepy stew!
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Please review Pull To Open on Apple Podcasts.
Timeline:
- Intro 00:00:00
- Previously… 00:02:15
- Whomoji Challenge 00:08:35
- POLL To Open 00:12:41
- TL;DW 00:22:15
- Commentary: The Time Warrior 00:25:54
- Four Questions to Doomsday 00:59:55
- What If the Evil Plot Had Succeeded 01:03:01
- Where Is the Clara Splinter? 01:09:43
- Final Judgment 01:15:46
- Randomizer! 01:22:49
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- TikTok! @pulltoopen
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Story Essentials
- Season 11, Serial 1
- Story number: 69, per the The Pull To Open Codex
- Writer: Robert Holmes
- Director: Alan Bromly
- Producer: Barry Letts
- Aired 15 December 1973 – 5 January 1974
Pull To Open: The Time Warrior
- Season 5
- Episode 36
Hosts: Pete Pachal and Chris Taylor
Music: Martin West/Thinking Fish
©️AnyWho Media LLC 2024