Sometimes it can be very hard being a whovian. That’s not to say that I’m not proud of my deep, geeky history with Doctor Who, but I find that the overall community can often be very negative. Classic whovians clash with newvians over the silliest of details and there is often a lot vitriol directed at the showrunner, no matter who they are at the time. Which is all a bit silly when you admit to yourself that this is essentially a kid’s show people are complaining about. I mean the greatest kid’s show of all time of course, the greatest show of all time full stop, but there is no need to get that angry sometimes. This may all sound a little bit hypocritical after some my own rants about a certain writer on the show but I like to think that it is all in jest and who takes me seriously anyway? As always, it’s the few the ruin it for the many and fortunately there is a multitude of great, positive, excitable fans of the show and what do you get when people are this invested in a show like Doctor Who? Podcasts. OODles and OODles of podcasts. This week’s recommendation has been scooped from the cream of the crop and stands as one of the best Doctor Who podcasts around.
Back in late November of 2013, after what was the greatest moment in television history, The Day Of The Doctor, I binged listened (yes you can binge listen!) my way through every podcast with even a mention of Doctor Who. The irony being, I spent probably ten times the seventy-seven minute run time of The Day Of The Doctor listening to people just talk about the episode. Of all those podcasts, only one found itself a permanent place in my subscriptions list, Verity! The Verity! podcast is not only positive but interesting, witty and full of unique theories pertaining to the Whoniverse. Theories that may even rival that of the theories that can be found in this week’s Doctor Who Review (I hope you read that in a cheesy daytime television voice).
With hosts from all over the world, Verity! is proof of how this timey-wimey, spacey-wacey show from little ‘ol Blighty can bring people together. We’ve got Deb from Philadelphia, Erika from Edmonton, Katrina from Edmonton, Liz from Kirkcudbrightshire, Lynne from Dekalb and even Tansy from Australia, well she’s from Tasmania but technically it counts. This delightful mix of different backgrounds, provides the show with distinct opinions and facts relating to Doctor Who from all corners of the globe. Whether it be the various conventions going on in America, the validity of the Scottish references spouted by Capaldi and his eyebrows or the wonderful work done by the ABC with the iView player.
When it’s on, Doctor Who is my easily the best part of the entertainment week but Verity very easily comes in as a close second, well third, the Doctor Who Review is second but this is not the time for shameless self-promotion. This isn’t just some pissy little podcast recorded by a fourteen year old in their bedroom; a lot of work has gone into the recording and producing of Verity! Every link referenced on the show can be found in the podcast’s description or on the show’s website, the microphone quality is unbeatable and even the small touches are fun, such use of the sonic as a sonic screw-that driver to bleep out all the swears. To top it all off, Verity runs all throughout the year. So even in the thirty-nine dark weeks of the year you can comfort yourself in this podcast of Doctor Whoey goodness.
Aside from the main focus of Doctor Who, topics can sometimes relate to the feminist issues surrounding the entertainment business. After all the show is named after a woman who played a pivotal role in the show’s creation. For the most part, Doctor Who is a very progressive show; I mean did you see that kiss last year?!?! Phew, I need to take a deep breath. Still there are issues that need to be raised sometimes and the women of Verity! raise some very good points concerning to both the world on and off screen. Finally it seems like things are changing this year, with not just one but two female scriptwriters this year. I know, two doesn’t sound like a big deal but trust me, for Doctor Who it is sadly an impressive number.
So after you have binged-listened to all of the Doctor Who Review episodes for the third or fourth time head over to the Verity website. Oops, sorry that was a link to the Novastream feed for some bizarre reason, here’s the real website. OMG, I did it again, clumsy me, ok this time for real, click here. Each episode you listen to will genuinely make the episode of Doctor Who you just watched more enjoyable. How could it not when the very first segment of the show concerns happy things concerning the Whoniverse? The hosts will highlight a brilliant line of dialogue you may have missed, make you see the story in a different light or just make the whole experience seem a little bit brighter. Essentially, it’s all rather funny and they’re rather smart and clever.
